1 . I never went to university but always thought about it. The only way I _________ it was listening to my children talk about the interesting classes they were taking. University was just a life-long _________ of mine. I just turned sixty-four years old. I still thought about that old dream _________ one day when there was an Advanced-Age _________ at the local university. I decided to _________.

      My first day of school finally arrived. As I drove there, my mind was filled with _________ thoughts, “What am I doing? The _________ will laugh when they see me in class. I probably won’t live long enough to get a _________. Maybe I should just turn the car around and go home.”
      Then, suddenly, I saw it! A large billboard on the side of the road with a picture of Kermit the Frog. I slowed down a little and read the words, “Live your dreams.” Was Kermit talking about me? I didn’t turn the car around.
      I drove a little _________ on up the highway and there was another __________. This one had a picture of Albert Einstein with his tongue __________ out. A line read, “As a student, he was no Einstein.” And there was a word in red, “Confidence”. A new attitude was __________ inside me.
      __________ the gate of the university, I found there __________ still another billboard. This one showed a photograph of a proud woman. Under the picture was her name, Nola Otis, aged 95, the oldest university graduate. Below it was the words, “Live Life”. At that moment, my outlook changed __________.1.

A．attended

B．gained

C．consulted

D．contained

2.

A．goal

B．idea

C．advice

D．dream

3.

A．since

B．before

C．until

D．after

4.

A．theme

B．system

C．programme

D．process

5.

A．sign up

B．turn up

C．keep up

D．make up

6.

A．negative

B．attractive

C．active

D．optimistic

7.

A．tutors

B．kids

C．professors

D．guards

8.

A．degree

B．praise

C．skill

D．reputation

9.

A．higher

B．further

C．closer

D．lower

10.

A．billboard

B．picture

C．portrait

D．cartoon

11.

A．breaking

B．giving

C．pulling

D．sticking

12.

A．holding

B．arriving

C．setting

D．making

13.

A．Leaving

B．Squeezing

C．Approaching

D．Staying

14.

A．stood

B．lived

C．lay

D．sat

15.

A．slightly

B．accidentally

C．differently

D．completely

2 . Tired of standing in line? Wait a bit longer, and you may never have to again.

Amazon has opened 24 of its Amazon Go stores, which use cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to see what you’ve taken off shelves and charge you as you walk out. Some companies are closely copying Amazon’s approach to using AI-powered cameras fixed in ceilings. But others are trying an entirely different way to skip the checkout: smart shopping carts. These companies have added cameras and sensors (传感器) to the carts, and are using AI to tell what you’ve put in them. Customers pay by entering a credit card, or through an online payment system. When a customer exits the store a green light on the shopping cart shows that their order is complete, and they’re charged.

The companies behind the smart carts, including Caper and Veeve, say it’s much easier to add technology to the shopping cart than to an entire store. Amazon’s Go stores rely on hundreds of cameras in the ceiling. The shelves also include sensors to tell when an item is removed. Ahmed Beshry, co-founder of Caper, believes the technology to run Go is too expensive to use in a large-format grocery store. Neither Caper nor Veeve has said how much their smart shopping carts will cost, making it difficult to compare the different formats. Shariq Siddiqui, CEO of Veeve, said, “We’re always happy when Amazon is doing something. They force retailers (零售店) to get out of their old school thinking.”   

Each time a business uses AI and cameras, it raises questions about customers’ privacy and the effect on jobs. Beshry notes that the cameras in his shopping cart point down into the cart, so only a customer’s hand and part of their arm will be captured (拍摄) on camera.

1. What do we know about the smart shopping carts?

A．They are able to recognize goods put in them.

B．They are linked to the cameras fixed in the ceilings.

C．They flash the green light when the order is canceled.

D．They can tell customers where to find what they want.

2. What does Beshry think of the technology used in Amazon’s Go stores?

A．It is likely to help retailers to think differently.

B．It has attracted many more retailers than before.

C．It is far more expensive than their shopping carts.

D．It may reduce the cost of running a store greatly.

3. When it comes to AI and cameras, what makes the public worried most?

A．That they can only buy goods online.

B．That goods in the stores may be more expensive.

C．That they have to wait in a line for a longer time.

D．That somebody may know their privacy.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The new technology improves retail sale.

B．AI-powered cameras are used in retail stores.

C．Artificial intelligence affects the future of job market.

D．Smart shopping carts will let you skip the line.

3 . The idea of low material desire, low consumption and refusing to work, marry and have children, concluded as a “lying down” lifestyle, recently struck a chord with many young Chinese who are eager to take pause to breathe in this fast-paced and highly-competitive society.

Many millennials (千禧一代) and generation Zs complained to the Global Times that burdens, including work stress, family disputes and financial strains, have pushed them “against the wall”. They said they hate the “involution(内卷),” joking that they would rather give up some of what they have than get trapped in an endless competition against peers.

“Instead of always following the ‘virtues’ of struggle, endure and sacrifice to bear the stresses, they prefer a temporary lying down as catharsis (宣泄) and adjustment,” said a scholar. “It is no wonder that some young people, under the growing pressures from child-raising to paying the mortgage (按揭) today, would try to live in a simple way and leave the worries behind.”

Interestingly, the majority of millennials and Gen Zs reached by the Global Times, who claim to be big fans of the lying down philosophy, acknowledged that they only accept a temporary lying down as a short rest. It is true that with the great improvement of living conditions, some Chinese youth have partially lost the spirit of hardship and are not willing to bear too much hard work. But in fact, lying down is not entirely comfortable. Young people who lie down always feel guilty about their constant loss of morale (士气) far beyond their reach.

“Young people on campus have both aspirations and confusion about their future, but most of us have rejected setting ourselves up in chains to waste opportunities and challenges,” a postgraduate student told the Global Times. “It’s no use running away. I have to ‘stand up’ and face the reality sooner or later.”

1. What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Warned.

B．Punished.

C．Amused.

D．Touched.

2. What might have caused the “lying down” lifestyle among the young?

A．Improvements in living conditions.

B．Growing pressure from family and social life.

C．Increasing material possessions from families.

D．Temporary adjustment to failure in competitions.

3. What’s the scholar’s attitude toward the “lying down” group?

A．Understanding.

B．Intolerant.

C．Supportive.

D．Unclear.

4. What can be inferred about the young generation from the text?

A．They never really drop their responsibilities.

B．They really enjoy the “lying down” lifestyle.

C．They find their dreams far beyond their reach.

D．They would rather escape than take challenges.

4 . Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in Brazil. Later she was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realized that managing her new team would be a challenge.

Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings. When she gave them instructions on how to carry out task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue giving their opinions as if it were still up for discussion.

What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural shock in expectations. Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of “power distance” to describe how power is distributed in different cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high power distance culture where power is respected. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power distance culture where employees often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches who encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.

When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she took the initiative(主动权)to have an open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership.

Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them to do their job well.

With a better understanding of the reasons behind each other’s behaviour, Gabriela was able to make adjustments to her management style. Finally she effectively motivated her team to achieve their goals.

1. What problem did Gabriela face with her Swedish team at the beginning?

A．Her Swedish staff didn’t understand her instructions.

B．Her authority was challenged by her Swedish staff.

C．They were always refusing to follow her directions.

D．They looked down upon her because she was a female.

2. What is encouraged in the working culture in Sweden?

A．Professional spirit and risk-taking behaviour.

B．Independent thinking and friendly atmosphere.

C．Active participation and creative thinking.

D．Competitive spirit and mild character.

3. Which of the following can best describe Gabriela?

A．Kind but changeable.	B．Strict but trustworthy.
C．Flexible and communicative.	D．Stubborn and forceful.

4. What a lesson can we learn from Gabriela’s story?

A．Birds of a feather flock together.	B．Don’t judge a book by its cover.
C．Two heads are better than one.	D．When in Rome, do as Romans do.

5 . The “24 solar terms” (节气) originated and was first used in China. It was created thousands of years ago on the basis of practical needs of agricultural. Ancient Chinese people used it to guide agricultural production, explain special climate signs and even come up with healthy living tips. Last year, the 24 solar terms was added to UNESCO's world cultural heritage list(联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产名录). Now, it has been brought to life thanks to a creative designer from Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

On the eve of this year's Qingming Festival, Shi Changhong released (发布) his version of reproduced and packaged characters for each solar term in the form of “moving art” of gifs. Since their first release on Zcool on March 29, the gifs have won great praise among the general public and quickly flooded the social media with millions of hits during the festival period.

To maximize publicity, Shi released his work in three forms: the video, the animation and pictures. The background sounds add to the brilliance.

“When I watch the short video, I can strongly feel the Chinese-style elements hidden in it. And it is really cool to liven up traditional Chinese culture in such a unique way.” WeChat user Xiao Feifei said.

“It is really a comfort to me to see so many people like my latest work. To be honest, it would really surprise me if the work had not aroused great interest among Chinese people. The 24 solar terms is a deeply rooted concept that covers the essence of Chinese wisdom. However, only a small portion of people know all the names or the correct order of those terms. My intention is to increase Chinese people’s self-awareness to learn more about our traditional fine culture. Actually, the 24 solar terms work is only a part of my whole design program ‘Charm China’, which I started a year ago.” Shi told China Daily.

1. Which part of the newspaper does the text probably belong to?

A．Travel.

B．Culture.

C．Agriculture.

D．Education.

2. What do you think the underlined word “Zcool” refers to?

A．Newspaper.	B．Magazine.
C．Radio broadcast.	D．Website.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A．The background sounds of the work make the video more attractive.

B．It really surprised Shi Changhong to see so many people like his latest work.

C．Most people know all the names or the correct order of the 24 solar terms.

D．The 24 solar terms work designed by Shi Changhong was added to UNESCO’s heritage list.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce a creative designer.

B．To introduce the 24 solar terms work.

C．To introduce the origin of the 24 solar terms.

D．To introduce a design program “Charm China”.

6 . My cellphone rang while I was working on my computer. I looked at the phone and saw it was my 17-year-old son, Tom. I quickly picked it up. “Mom, I got a 71 on the test. I did it.” With those few words, I could feel my heart start to pound.

Living in New York State, students cannot graduate from high school unless they pass at least five exams: one in English, one in science, two in history and one in math. For most students, who work hard, attend class, and do their homework, it isn’t that hard. But for Tom, who is dyslexic(朗读困难的), it is such a real challenge that some teachers have feared he would never be able to even attempt, never mind achieve.

We were honest with him about his trouble, letting him know that there was nothing to be ashamed of. Some people learn differently. If he was willing to work, we would help him find a way to do as much as he could in his academic career. All that was standing in his way was this math test. He had taken it three times and did better each time, but he continued to fail. He was starting to get a bit tired of me saying this was a marathon not a sprint(冲刺). My heart broke each time we would get the failing results.

“Mom, thanks. I love you. Thanks for believing I could do this.”

For one of the few times in my life, I really had nothing left to say. For that one brief moment I knew, really, really, knew that everything we did to help our son achieve what he wanted was worth it.

1. What does the underlined word “pound” in Paragraph l probably mean?

A．Sink suddenly.	B．Beat wildly.
C．Ache violently.	D．Break totally.

2. What do we know from the second paragraph?

A．Students in New York State can graduate from high school if they pass four exams.

B．Students in New York State needn’t to learn math even if they want to graduate.

C．It is very hard for students in New York State to graduate from high school.

D．It is a challenge for Tom to graduate from high school.

3. According to the text, Tom was weak in________.

A．English

B．science

C．math

D．history

4. How did the writer feel when she wrote this text?

A．She felt grateful and relaxed.	B．She felt surprised and bitter.
C．She felt proud and satisfied.	D．She felt worried and anxious.

7 . Since the age of three, Hill had dreamed of becoming a dancer. Hill, then a 17-year-old high school _________ was in a car accident that left her paralyzed(瘫痪)from the waist down. For most people, that would have ended any _________ of a dancing career. For Hill, it was the beginning. She wanted to prove that she was still ‘_________’. So Hill danced in her wheelchair right alongside her nondisabled high school dance team. It _________ took a lot of learning and patience.

After graduation, Hill met people online who had suffered various spinal cord(脊髓) injuries but shared her _________ , and she invited them to dance with her. Hoping to reach more people in a larger city, Hill moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and _________ a team of dancers with disabilities called the Rollettes. “I want to _________ the stereotype(刻板印象) of wheelchair users and show that dance is dance, whether you’re walking or you’re _________ ,” she told CBS News.

Dancing on _________, the Rollettes discovered, can be just as fast, artful as the foot-based people. Hill has achieved her childhood __________. Every year she holds a dance camp for wheelchair users of all ages and abilities. In 2019, 173 people from ten countries __________. For many, it was the first time they’d felt they __________. “I had a girl say it was the most empowering thing when she rolled into a room and everyone was at __________ level,” Hill told CBS News. Edna Serrano says that being part of the Rollettes team has given her the __________ to get behind the wheel of a car. “I didn’t know I could do so many things that these girls have taught me,” she says. “It’s so __________ to have my teammates in my life, because they’re my teachers. I have more confidence.”

1.

A．teacher

B．senior

C．pupil

D．worker

2.

A．talk

B．season

C．hope

D．beauty

3.

A．lovely

B．right

C．pretty

D．normal

4.

A．surely

B．instantly

C．exactly

D．only

5.

A．knowledge

B．worry

C．pain

D．determination

6.

A．chose

B．formed

C．supported

D．played

7.

A．send up

B．give away

C．break down

D．break off

8.

A．rolling

B．running

C．lying

D．jumping

9.

A．buses

B．streets

C．floors

D．wheels

10.

A．memory

B．dream

C．illness

D．event

11.

A．attended

B．rushed

C．signed

D．moved

12.

A．touched

B．interested

C．relaxed

D．belonged

13.

A．shoulder

B．eye

C．mouth

D．foot

14.

A．plan

B．ability

C．courage

D．condition

15.

A．powerful

B．mysterious

C．stressful

D．natural

8 . Elephants might be the most well-known well-loved animal in African wildlife. But conservation (保护) of the African elephant still faces special difficulties. While the elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some areas of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support. That’s why AWF scientists are studying elephant behavior, protecting habits and finding ways for humans to live peacefully with elephants in Africa.

Years ago, overhunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threats to elephants’ survival. Luckily, ivory bans (禁令), hunting rules and protected areas protect elephants from these dangers today.

The 21st century brings a different challenge to elephant conservation—land-use. Elephants walk across borders and outside parks and other protected areas. So they often destroy crops, causing conflicts (冲突) between local farmers and these big animals.

Successful conservation strategies (策略) must allow elephants to walk freely in their natural habitats while reducing conflicts between elephants and local people.

AWF researchers are searching for a way to give both elephants and people the space they need. The AWF is collecting information on elephant habitats and behavior. The information they gather will help to develop the widest possible space for elephants.

The AWF is helping elephants by protecting their habitats. And they also work with local farmers to improve their life in order to encourage them to protect rather than destroy elephants.

1. The first paragraph of the text is mainly to tell readers ________.

A．African elephants are endangered now

B．there remains a lot to do to protect African elephants

C．African elephants are popular animals

D．the number of African elephants has increased over the years

2. What is the biggest difficulty in protecting African elephants now?

A．They are still being killed.	B．Their habitats are being destroyed.
C．They don’t have enough food.	D．They can’t live in peace with farmers.

3. To protect elephants, the AWF does all the following EXCEPT ________.

A．helping farmers improve their life	B．protecting elephants’ habitats
C．doing research on elephants	D．keeping elephants

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．African elephants conservation	B．Living with African elephants
C．African elephants’ situation	D．African elephants being endangered

9 . I believe in the power of science fiction, not just for its capacity to turn dreams into reality, but also for its power to bond together those who share a common view of the future. For me, that’s true for my relationship with my dad. Some fathers and sons bond over sports, fishing or hunting, but my dad and I bond over Star Trek. We tried a trip to Disney World, but one of my earliest memories wasn’t Mickey, but a Klingon battle cruiser on the screen.

Over the years, nearly every setting and situation has become far away for my dad and me. When it’s warm at night, we’re not driving along some dark streets in Indiana, but going at a slow speed with stars dimly shining. Both of us are thinking of them, without needing to say a word. All these imaginations of other universes have together created a private universe for my dad and me.

Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, once said, “Science fiction is a way of thinking, a way of logic that bypasses a lot of nonsense. It allows people to look directly at important subjects.” A lifetime of science fiction has influenced more than just my relationship with my dad, but has also helped me shape my own hopes for the future. I’m now a science writer.

Yes, science fiction has made me into a “nerd” and it also has been a source of joy for my family, making me an optimist while enabling me to think critically about the danger of technology. Thank those authors who have shared their visions: the world and my family are better for it. Thank my dad, who is both the best storyteller and the best man I have ever known because he helped me realize the truth of Tennyson’s words, “For I dipped into the future, far as human eye could see, saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be.”

1. What contributes to the bond between the author and his father?

A．Their similar dream.	B．Their love for each other.
C．Their common interest.	D．Their hobby of fishing.

2. What does the author mainly show in paragraph 2?

A．His deep impression of his dad.	B．His feeling of staying with his dad.
C．His earliest memory of his dad.	D．His good relationship with his dad.

3. How does science fiction help the author at present?

A．It leads him to pursue a desirable career.	B．It brings him the courage to live better.
C．It inspires him to face the danger of technology.	D．It makes him a source of his family’s joy.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．The Wonders Science Brings	B．The Power of Science Fiction
C．The Stories About Science Fiction	D．The Time Together with My Father

10 . Most teenagers are still trying to find their passion and purposes in life. However, not Gitanjali Rao. The 15-year-old girl has been coming up with innovative solutions to worldwide problems since she was ten. It is, therefore, not surprising that the teenager has won the honor of “America's Top Young Scientist”.

In the third grade, Rao was inspired to build a device after witnessing the shocking story unfold in Flint, Michigan, where cost-cutting measures led to the use of a polluted river as the city's primary water supply and incredibly high levels of lead made their way into people's drinking water.

After two months' research, Rao designed a small and portable device that used sensors to instantly detect lead in water. Called Tethys, after the Greek Goddess(女神) of freshwater, it attaches to a cellphone and informs the residents via an app if their drinking water contains lead. The design earned her the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2017. She is currently working with scientists and medical professionals to test Tethys' potential and hopes the device will be ready for commercial use by 2022.

Later, Rao took on another social issue-drug addiction. Her app, called Epione, which won the Health Pillar Prize at the TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge in May 2019, is designed to catch drug addiction in young adults before it's too late.

More recently, the teenager has developed an app named Kindly, which uses artificial intelligence technology to detect possible signs of cyberbullying(网上欺凌). When users type in a word or phrase, Kindly is able to pick it up if it's bullying, and then it gives the option to edit it or send it the way it is. It gives them the chance to rethink what they are saying so that they know what to do next time.

All kinds of awesome, Gitanjali Rao has been selected from 5,000 equally impressive nominees(被提名人) for TIME Magazine's first-ever “Kid of the Year”.

1. What gave Rao the idea of inventing the device Tethys?

A．The incident of lead pollution.

B．The issue with drug addiction.

C．The shortage of water supplies.

D．The high cost of purifying water.

2. What is Rao expecting of Tethys?

A．It'll remove metal from water.

B．It'll make it to market soon.

C．It'll win her a higher prize.

D．It'll be fitted to cellphones.

3. What will Kindly allow users to do?

A．Receive pre-warning signals of threat.

B．Input words into a computer automatically.

C．Choose from secure social networking sites.

D．Weigh their words before posting them online.

4. Which of the following can best describe Gitanjali Rao as a young scientist?

A．Ambitious and humble.	B．Optimistic and adventurous.
C．Talkative and outstanding.	D．Creative and productive.