1 . I was ten when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Prior to that, she had been a(n) _______ woman, active to an extent most people found astonishing. As a child, I was amazed by her accomplishments. But at thirty-one, her life _______. And so did mine.

She could do anything, I _______. She won tennis tournaments. She took photographs and held her own exhibition. She _______ as a newspaper columnist, and she cooked Spanish dishes for the family.

Now, she faced her illness with the same _______. Words like “disabled” and “physical therapy” became part of a(n) _______ new world we entered together. _______, I began to help take care of her. And it became routine to _______ her into the kitchen, where she instructed me in the _______ of peeling carrots and potatoes and how to prepare a decent breakfast.

Every accomplishment was a ________ for us both: the electric typewriter, the car with power steering and brakes, her return to ________, where she earned a master’s degree in special education. She eventually founded an activist support group called The Handicappers. One day, without ________ much beforehand, she took me to a Handicappers meeting. I had never seen so many people with so many ________. I returned home, thinking how ________ we really were.

Because my mother accepted her condition with such optimism, I rarely felt sad or resentful about it. Instead, I viewed her drive to look forward to things I ________ as a great mystery and powerful inspiration in my life.

1.

A．gentle

B．energetic

C．talented

D．decent

2.

A．changed

B．failed

C．improved

D．paused

3.

A．imagined

B．admitted

C．doubted

D．believed

4.

A．applied

B．spoke

C．wrote

D．studied

5.

A．success

B．sincerity

C．enthusiasm

D．wisdom

6.

A．familiar

B．strange

C．exciting

D．changeable

7.

A．Gradually

B．Particularly

C．Alternatively

D．Finally

8.

A．drag

B．pull

C．guide

D．wheel

9.

A．art

B．significance

C．safety

D．plan

10.

A．solution

B．milestone

C．dream

D．warning

11.

A．hospital

B．court

C．work

D．college

12.

A．saying

B．hiding

C．pretending

D．showing

13.

A．gifts

B．disabilities

C．weaknesses

D．privileges

14.

A．strong

B．hopeless

C．helpful

D．fortunate

15.

A．took into account

B．bore in mind

C．took for granted

D．kept in check

3 . We were standing at the top of a church tower. I saw twisting streets leading to the square. “See, my dear,” Father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square.”

Father’s words always guided me. Dreaming of becoming a fashion designer, I came to Paris, but without luck. Then one day I met a friend wearing a beautiful sweater. “What an interesting stitch!” I cried. “It was done by Mrs. Vidian,” my friend explained. “She learned the stitch in Armenia, her native country.” Suddenly I had a daring idea. Why not design, make and sell my own clothes?

I drew a butterfly pattern and asked Mrs. Vidian to knit it into a sweater. It proved a success. A New York store wanted 40 sweaters to be ready in two weeks. I accepted the order. My happiness disappeared, however, when Mrs. Vidian told me it took her almost a week to knit one sweater.

I was crushed. Then I remembered father’s words. There must be other Armenian women in Paris who mastered the special stitch. Then I searched for any Armenians living in Paris. At last I tracked down several. Two weeks later, the first shipment was on its way to the United States!

From that day on orders poured in. Then came another test. As I was busy getting ready to show my winter fashions, the sewing girls were called out on strike. Where was the way out this time? I wondered and worried. Then it dawned on me.

I worked hurriedly. And right on time, my show took place. Some coats had no sleeves; some were only patterns made of heavy cotton cloth, but on these I attached material to show what colors and textures the clothes would have when they were finished. What a show! Once again father’s words helped me.

1. What problem did the writer face after accepting the order?

A．It was impossible for Vidian to meet the deadline.	B．The sewing girls were called out on strike.
C．She found it hard to track Armenians living in Paris.	D．There was a shortage of suitable cloth.

2. What do the underlined words “the first shipment” refer to in Paragraph 4?

A．Raw materials.

B．More orders.

C．The forty sweaters.

D．The special stitch.

3. How did the writer deal with the show problem?

A．She put off the show.	B．She showed the clothes unfinished.
C．She employed more sewing girls.	D．She completed the clothes in a hurry.

4. Which of the following might the writer agree with?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Like father, like son.
C．Easier said than done.	D．All roads lead to Rome.

4 . After an 11-year career, Philadelphia-based barber Brennon Jones decided to give back to his community. Without a_______of his own, Jones offered free haircuts to the_______on sidewalks and street comers. With a “daily mission of giving back and_______love,” Jones completed as many as 20 haircuts a day, and_______traveled to homeless hotspots like Camden, New Jersey.

One day in April 2017, a man named Sean Johnson_______Jones while he was out cutting hair and asked him what he_______to do during the cold winter. Jones replied that he would_______have to put off Haircuts For Homeless (HC4H). A few months later Jones received a call from Johnson_______him to meet at his newly redecorated barbershop. He_______him the keys and said, “If you like it, it’s yours.”   

Completely________by the stranger’s kindness, Jones named his newly opened shop Phenomenon Perfection.

Believing that “the greatest joy in life is being able to________others, “Jones will continue to host haircuts for the homeless during weekly “Makeover Mondays” where________can also enjoy a free meal. “To us it’s just a haircut, ________to them it’s so much more. It’s a sense of self-esteem,” says Jones.

The homeless________is often overlooked, but now there’s hope for them. Brennon Jones might have been like an angel to the homeless, but Sean Johnson ended up being an angel as well. With his________gift, Jones can now continue to help those who need help the most.

1.

A．home

B．shop

C．garden

D．bar

2.

A．old

B．poor

C．homeless

D．rich

3.

A．spreading

B．gathering

C．seeking

D．winning

4.

A．never

B．once

C．still

D．even

5.

A．impressed

B．accompanied

C．guided

D．approached

6.

A．struggled

B．promised

C．planned

D．refused

7.

A．probably

B．eagerly

C．willingly

D．entirely

8.

A．ordering

B．asking

C．requiring

D．recommending

9.

A．returned

B．fetched

C．handed

D．bought

10.

A．moved

B．reminded

C．amused

D．sponsored

11.

A．inspire

B．respect

C．appreciate

D．serve

12.

A．employees

B．clients

C．assistants

D．partners

13.

A．and

B．but

C．so

D．or

14.

A．community

B．identity

C．application

D．donation

15.

A．expensive

B．traditional

C．amazing

D．creative

5 . Canada is diverse and vast, and the festivals celebrated there reflect this. Here are some exciting ones that attract visitors worldwide.

Vancouver Celebration of Light

The largest fireworks competition in the world is held every summer in Vancouver. It consists of concerts, food stalls, and the Seawall Challenge, a popular urban adventure race. The festival, which lasts about a week, makes for a great way to get to know the city from a local standpoint.

Edmonton Folk Festival

From its humble beginning in 1980, Edmonton Folk Festival has grown to be one of the world’s famous folk festivals. Held each August, the lineup of the 10-day-long festival is always outstanding and ticket prices stay reasonable. Edmonton is also a gateway to Jasper and the Canadian Rockies, about two hours away in case you have extra time to explore after the festival.

Toronto International Film Festival

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the leading film festivals in the world, ranking closely with Cannes and Sundance. Films such as Hotel Rwanda, American Beauty, and The Big Chill made their premieres (首映) at this famous star-filled event held each September. The 11-day-long festival is also known as the kick-off of awards season, with many films that make their first public performance at TIFF going on to get nominated for Oscars and Golden Globe awards.

Montreal Comedy Festival

Since 1983, Montreal Comedy Festival, or, Just for Laughs as it is more commonly known, has been inviting people to get together just for fun, just for entertainment-just for laughs. The festival, which takes place every year for two weeks in July, has grown in popularity and reputation and today features some of the world’s greatest comedians and it also resulted in a television show that is broadcast internationally.

1. What do Vancouver Celebration of Light and Edmonton Folk Festival have in common?

A．They feature fireworks.	B．They require admission tickets.
C．They consist of concerts	D．They are held annually.

2. Which of the following lasts the longest?

A．Edmonton Folk Festival.	B．Montreal Comedy Festival.
C．Vancouver Celebration of Light.	D．Toronto International Film Festival.

3. Where will movie enthusiasts most probably go to enjoy themselves?

A．Vancouver.

B．Edmonton.

C．Toronto.

D．Montreal.

6 . If having to make a choice between reading an e-book and a printed book, which would most people choose? Some would go for an e-book while some still prefer the hard-printed book.

Undoubtedly, e-books do have benefits. Firstly, changes to an electronic publication are relatively easy to make. They are quicker to obtain. E-books are more easily updated. The printed books on many subjects can become outdated very quickly. Secondly, e-books can be easily and quickly kept up to date. You usually get far more than just the e-books. Most e-books are sold with bonuses and related information that usually do not come with the purchase of a printed book. Moreover, they take up less space. Instead of a big library, you can fit literally thousands of books on your computer. It also makes it easier to share this information with families and friends.

For nearly twenty years, additionally, futurists have been predicting the development of printed books. The conventional view has been that digital e-books are on the verge of replacing paper books. However, this has not been the case. A printed book has its advantages too. Firstly, it is an object that can be carried and used alone. It needs no electric outlet (插座), no batteries, nothing. Secondly, e-books will always require some forms of support that the printed book does not need.

I believe that the online publishing has not taken off because people want real books. What is being published online more and more are pamphlets (小册子) and things that really do not need to be in print. These are stuff that people throw away afterward. More often, people do not want to read a book on the computer. What could be better than a paper book? It lasts a long time. These books are designed to last a long time without disappearing.

To sum up, there is no denying that the printed book is still very much preferred over its digital cousins. Reading electronic publications is just not the same when it comes to books. People are still very interested in real books and notebooks.

1. What can we know about an e-book?

A．It will never be out of date.	B．It always gives you an added bonus.
C．It can deliver information quickly.	D．It has taken the place of printed books.

2. Which statement would futurists probably agree with?

A．Printed books will disappear.	B．Printed books can be used alone.
C．E-books have many restrictions.	D．E-books have no drawbacks.

3. What is one cause of the failed online publishing?

A．The low demand for book industry.	B．The expectations from people.
C．The guidance of policy.	D．The desire for the printed books.

4. What does the author think of the future of the printed book?

A．Hopeless.

B．Unpredictable.

C．Costly.

D．Promising.

7 . The world awaits. Where will you go next? The following are among the most exciting destinations to visit. Grab your bags and go!

Puebla, Mexico

Founded in 1931, the Mexico’s fourth-largest city is a stronghold of Baroque architecture. In Puebla’s citycenter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are a large number of gorgeous 17th- and 18th-century Baroque buildings. Many are decorated with colored titles, the use of which illustrates the combination of Puebla’s local and European colonial styles. In 2017, an earthquake shook the area, leading to restorations of facilities throughout the city afterward. Despite that, Puebla remains rooted in tradition.

Telč, Czech Republic

The storybook town was probably founded in the mid-14th century. Stone walls and a system of man-madeponds help protect Telč historic town center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The triangular market square is bordered by a rainbow of light-colored houses, which were originally built of wood and rebuilt in stone after a fire in the late 14th century.

Göbekli Tepe, Turkey

Estimated to date back to the 10th-9th millennia B.C.E, the monumental limestone pillars at Göbekli Tepe had been hiding in plain sight for several thousand years. The detailed exploration of these giant stones only began in the 1990s. What have been revealed — primarily massive stones decorated with bas-reliefs (浅浮雕) of animal — comprise the world’s oldest known temple complex. The extraordinary discoveries made here have rewritten the story of how the first civilizations began.

Guatemala

Archaeologists have found long-hidden ruins of an extensive pre-Columbian civilization here, confirming that Guatemala is the place to dive into Mayan culture, then and now. Ancient roots run particularly deep in the northernmost Peten region. In modern, multicultural Guatemala, people with Mayan origin make up about half the population, making the country the only one in Central America with a native cultural majority.

1. Where can tourists enjoy architecture exhibiting a combination of native and foreign styles?

A．Guatemala.	B．Göbekli Tepe, Turkey.
C．Puebla, Mexico.	D．Telč, Czech Republic.

2. What has made Guatemala special?

A．The long-hidden ruins.

B．The deeply rooted Mayan culture.

C．The modern and multicultural society.

D．The only Central American country with Mayan population.

3. According to the text, what do the above destinations have in common?

A．They have historic sites.	B．They are in Central America.
C．They were once destroyed by fire.	D．They were discovered in recent decades.

8 . Tracy Anderson

Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham are fans of the Tracy Anderson Method, which involves dance-based classes using body resistance and very light hand weights. Her online programme includes a new weekly workout, as well as access to existing classes, her digital magazine and meal planning guides. It’s at ￡69 per month, but you get a discount for annual membership.tracyanderson.com

Roar

The singer Ellie Goulding and the fashion designer Henry Holland are said to be fans of Roar’s daily live classes, which include the Overdrive—a high energy weights-based workout focusing on upper-body strengthening and cardiovascular fitness. Their founder, the three times Olympian speed skater Sarah Lindsay, has also trained the broadcaster Piers Morgan and the DJ Nick Grimshaw. There’s a 14-day free trial, then membership starts at โ12.50per month with live daily workouts and unlimited access to the library. roar-fitness.com

Centr

The Thor actor Chris Hemsworth and his personal trainer Luke Zocchi launched the Centr app in 2019. It features 20 and 40-minute session s of HIIT, Pilates, yoga, boxing and guided meditation, plus recipe ideas, a meal planner and stress and well being support. It’s offering a free seven-day trial, and starts from £7.83permonth. centr.com

Get It Done

The former professional footballer and celebrity trainer Bradley Simmonds launched his platform, Get It Done, in 2020. The app includes daily live streamed and on-demand classes featuring yoga, core fitness and strength. From ￡22 per month. Getitdone. fitness

1. What do Tracy Anderson and Centr have in common?

A．Dance-based classes.	B．Special magazines.
C．Meal planning guides.	D．A free trial period.

2. |Which can probably offer one-on-one classes?

A．Tracy Anderson.

B．Roar.

C．Centr.

D．Get It Done.

3. Who is the text intended for?

A．Professional athletes.	B．Fitness enthusiasts.
C．Famous celebrities.	D．Personal trainers.

10 . Like most people, I had a lot of time on my hands these past few years, and I spent most of it on my phone. This, together with anxiety medication (药物治疗), has made my brain weak. I’ve never had a very good memory, but by summer of 2021, I saw the little memory that I did have disappear suddenly while Googling “ben afleCk brther bad 1.”

I grew frustrated. I couldn’t remember the name of Joan Holloway’s military husband from Mad Men without looking it up, or the name of my college friend, who would come into my dorm regularly to talk about how much he worked out. None of this was especially useful or life-changing information, but I wanted to remember it without making a shameful mess of my search history.

Inspired by a desire to impress myself and others, I decided to stop looking stuff up online and see what happened. When I couldn’t remember the character from Mad Men, instead of instantly turning to my phone, I just sat there, thinking, very hard. (Aha! Greg was his name.) And so my new skill was born: Strong Brain.

For a few months, I didn’t make any progress. Sometimes I would sit without knowing something for hours, well after whoever I was with had looked it up and had moved on to knowing the next thing that I couldn’t remember. I was frequently laughed at and made to feel stupid for sitting with my arms crossed. I was teased for not coming up with answers to things that no one on earth should know simply because I took an attitude against looking them up.

But while the sounds of my haters got louder and louder, my brain beefed up in my defense. As friends tried to remember the name of the actor who played Robin Williams’s sweetheart in Jumanji, I spoke unthinkingly with ‘Bonnie Hunt’.

If you’re like me and have always wanted to be the shiny, pretty person at a party that everyone is listening to and smiling at and wondering where she got her hair cut, I think Strong Brain is the party trick for you.

1. What do we learn about the author from paragraph 1?

A．She was overusing the phone.

B．She wasted a lot of time on the calls.

C．She was addicted to anxiety medicine.

D．She made many spelling errors while searching.

2. What did the author decide to do after the summer of 2021?

A．Improve her recall.	B．Seek help from medicine.
C．Clear up her search history.	D．Connect with her college friend.

3. What did other people think of the author’s new skill training?

A．Difficult.

B．Important.

C．Ridiculous.

D．Rewarding.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．My Concern over Anxiety.	B．My Way to Be Brain-Strong.
C．My Fight with High Technology.	D．My Suffering from Poor Memory.