1 . Nixon, 59 years old, was born and grew up in St. Petersburg. Each morning, he sits on a bench, watches the sunrise, and connects with _________ from all walks of life.

Eight years ago, he decided to begin each day from a bench (a kind of chair) with an impressive view of the St. Petersburg waterfront (圣彼得堡海滨), because it made him feel calm and _________ before starting his day.

About a year later, a woman stopped to say hello, and she said something that _________ Nixon’s view on his daily visit. She said, “Every morning when I see you sitting here, I know everything is going to be OK.” That’s when Nixon _________ he needed to pay attention to the people walking past.

Instead of staring straight ahead at the waterfront, Nixon started _________ at people and talking to them. And pretty soon, some early risers began _________ him on the bench, sometimes sharing their pressure and asking him for advice about personal problems.

No matter what problem a person wants to _________, Nixon lends an ear. One day, a couple came by to talk about their problems. The husband was always working. It was destroying their _________. Nixon told him, “You have to know what’s really important.” The man admitted he’d put everything he had into his _________ for many years instead of focusing on his family. “He started to cry and agreed that he needed to __________,” Nixon says. “We hugged each other and became friends after that.”

Nixon was always happy to listen, and he listens without __________ and without any kind of return expected. “You have to listen with an open heart, because you never know who’s going to walk up,” Nixon says. He is a loving and loyal __________ to many. For those who walked past the bench, they were always __________ with a smile and asked how they were doing. No topic is off limits, but some people don’t want to talk. They simply want to sit next to someone and share the __________. Once a woman stopped and just sat with Nixon for an hour; then she said thanks and walked away. She just wanted a moment of peace and to know she wasn’t __________.

And at that moment, she truly wasn’t.

1.

A．teenagers

B．relatives

C．strangers

D．neighbors

2.

A．peaceful

B．excited

C．proud

D．surprised

3.

A．formed

B．changed

C．developed

D．supported

4.

A．agreed

B．realized

C．imagined

D．remembered

5.

A．pointing

B．laughing

C．shouting

D．smiling

6.

A．joining

B．noticing

C．leaving

D．praising

7.

A．say

B．face

C．hear

D．create

8.

A．fame

B．success

C．marriage

D．privacy

9.

A．health

B．hobbies

C．kids

D．job

10.

A．give up

B．calm down

C．speak up

D．slow down

11.

A．emotion

B．consideration

C．judgment

D．interest

12.

A．guide

B．teacher

C．friend

D．workmate

13.

A．hugged

B．greeted

C．competed

D．satisfied

14.

A．secrets

B．worries

C．happiness

D．silence

15.

A．sad

B．alone

C．stressed

D．hopeless

3 . When she was 16, Joanne learned that she was adopted and that her birth mother was a woman named Lillian and that she had died days after giving birth to her. Feeling betrayed (被背叛的) and confused, Joanne spent many nights crying, _________ what her birth mother had been like. And yet, some part of her believed her mother was still _________.

The doubts _________ Joanne for years. In 2017, when Joanne was already 79 years old, her daughter-in-law, Shelley, suggested her taking a DNA _________. Shelley thought learning something about her _________ family might give Joanne some _________.

So Joanne took the test, and about a year later, Shelley received a message on ancestry.com from a man named Sam, whose genetic report had _________ him with Joanne.

Shelley immediately wrote back to Sam, asking _________ he knew a Lillian. Yes, Sam said, that was his mother’s name. Almost _________, an even bigger shock came that Lillian was alive, at age 100.

The families quickly planned a(n) __________ where Lillian lived. A month later, Joanne found herself sitting across from the mother she had __________ in her whole life, looking at Lillian, who suffered from dementia (痴呆症) and used a wheelchair.

“I don’t know if she recognizes me,” Joanne said.

She told Lillian that she had been __________ in 1940 and that she’d been told her birth mother had __________. No response. Joanne started to cry. At that point, her mother __________, as if she had started to understand. Joanne excitedly continued telling Lillian all about her children and grandchildren. Lillian smiled. Then she said the words Joanne had waited more than 60 years to hear: “This is my __________.”

1.

A．drawing

B．hoping

C．wondering

D．forgetting

2.

A．young

B．ill

C．pretty

D．alive

3.

A．upset

B．inspired

C．resisted

D．changed

4.

A．exam

B．test

C．course

D．training

5.

A．current

B．realistic

C．effective

D．biological

6.

A．peace

B．advice

C．worry

D．mind

7.

A．provided

B．replaced

C．matched

D．equipped

8.

A．why

B．how

C．when

D．whether

9.

A．immediately

B．unbelievably

C．naturally

D．fortunately

10.

A．reunion

B．speech

C．party

D．operation

11.

A．found out

B．gone through

C．relied on

D．searched for

12.

A．caught

B．beaten

C．adopted

D．cheated

13.

A．given up

B．run away

C．passed away

D．turned up

14.

A．slept in

B．looked up

C．came out

D．took off

15.

A．mother

B．daughter

C．name

D．life

5 . A blue hole is a special kind of underwater cave found inland or in the sea, which forms when the earth above a cave falls in and water fills the space.

An inland blue hole’s water is very still and has different layers. A layer of fresh rainwater floats on top of salt water; the fresh water keeps oxygen from the atmosphere from reaching the salt water; brightly colored bacteria live where the two layers meet.

Diving into blue holes is very dangerous. Near the top of the blue hole, there is a layer of toxic gas, which causes itching, headache, and—in large amounts—death. Divers must also be fast. They have to get in and out of a cave before their oxygen runs out. Additionally, divers have to follow a guideline as they swim through a blue hole because it is very dark inside. Without the guideline, they may get lost.

If blue holes are so dangerous, why do explorers and scientists risk their lives to explore them? The reason is that these underwater caves can provide valuable scientific information. They provide clues about geology, archaeology, and biology. For example, some blue hole creatures probably haven’t changed for millions of years.

The blue holes could even provide clues about astrobiology. For example, divers have found bacteria there that can live without oxygen. Astrobiologist Kevin Hand says the bacteria may be similar to forms of life that might exist on Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europa. “Our study of life’s extremes on Earth,” he says, can help increase “our understanding of habitable environments off Earth.”

In addition, the oxygen-free environment of the blue holes preserves bones of humans and animals that fell into the caves long ago. By studying blue holes, we can understand what life was like in prehistoric times. As cave diver Kenny Broad says, “I can think of no other environment on Earth that is so challenging to explore and gives us back so much scientifically.”

1. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 1?

A．The definition of a blue hole.	B．The location of a blue hole.
C．The formation of a blue hole.	D．The structure of a blue hole.

2. Where can bright-colored bacteria be found?

A．In the saltwater layer.

B．In the freshwater layer.

C．In between the freshwater and saltwater layers.

D．In both of the freshwater and saltwater layers.

3. Which of the following best explains the underlined word?

A．The study of life on Earth.

B．The study of life in the universe.

C．The study of life in prehistoric times.

D．The study of life in oxygen-free environment.

4. Which of the following can best describe blue holes?

A．They’re oxygen-free and lifeless.	B．They’re free of air and light.
C．They’re death zones and mysterious.	D．They’re poisonous and dark.

6 . Art and science may seem like opposite things. One means the creative flow of ideas, and the other means cold, hard data-some people believe. In fact, the two have much in common. Now, a study finds art can help students remember better what they have learned in the science class.

Mariale Hardiman, an education specialist at Johns Hopkins University, noticed that students who used art in the classroom listened more carefully. They might ask more questions. They might volunteer more ideas. What’s more, students seemed to remember more of what they had been taught when their science lessons had involved(涉及) art. To prove that, Hardiman teamed up with some researchers and six local schools.

In the experiment, the researchers worked with teachers in 16 fifth-grade classrooms. They provided traditional science lessons and art-focused ones. In a traditional science class, for example, students might read aloud from a book. In the art-focused one, they might sing the information instead.

The team randomly assigned(随机分配) each of the 350 students to either a traditional science classroom or an art-focused one. Students then learned science using that way for the whole unit-about three weeks. When they changed to a new topic, they also changed to the other type of class. This way, each student had both an art-focused class and a traditional one. Every unit was taught in both ways, to different groups of students. This enabled the researchers to see how students did in both types of classes.

The team found that students who started off in a traditional class performed better after they moved into an art-focused class. But those who started off in an art-focused class did well even when they went back to a traditional science class. These students appeared to use some of the art techniques(技巧) after going back to a traditional class. Classroom teachers reported that many students continued to sing the songs that they learned after finishing the unit. “The more we hear something, the more we retain it,” Hardiman says. “It suggests that the arts may help students apply creative ways of learning on their own.”

1. Why did Mariale Hardiman do the study?

A．To prove the importance of art at school.

B．To see if art might improve science learning

C．To find a way to help her students learn better.

D．To know how to encourage students to ask questions.

2. What were the students required to do in the experiment?

A．Take two types of classes.	B．Learn three units in total.
C．Learn two topics for three weeks.	D．Choose what they’d like to learn.

3. What does the underlined word “retain” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Finish.

B．Express.

C．Improve.

D．Memorize.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Art helps students develop creativity.

B．Art-focused classes interest students a lot.

C．Art can make science easier to remember.

D．Art has something in common with science.

7 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use — getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic risk, new research shows.

For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.

Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”

Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.

1. How did the researchers reach their conclusion?

A．By analyzing a mass of data.

B．By conducting genetic research.

C．By comparing various levels of activity.

D．By tracking the subjects for many years.

2. What does the study show about depression?

A．Physical activity betters medical treatment.

B．Exercise is able to decrease and prevent it.

C．Different levels of exercise intensity matter the same.

D．Exercising 35 minutes daily is the most effective treatment.

3. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Harmful.	B．Complex.
C．Unusual.	D．Common.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To discuss a disease.

B．To introduce a method.

C．To analyze a genetic risk.

D．To explain a phenomenon.

9 . Had she been a singer, she might have been an American star. But Clora Bryant played the trumpet, and reputation came slowly. Bryant, a barrier breaker who stood firm in her determination to be a respected jazz trumpet player despite the open sexism (性别歧视) that shadowed her, died on August 25, in 2019, in Los Angeles, when she was 92. Life as a jazz trumpeter was an uphill battle, said her son Darrin. “It was a man’s world, and that made it hard for her. But that only fueled her fire, and made her more resolved.”

Bryant played the trumpet with such passion and she became a mainstay in the growing jazz scene in the 1940s. Dizzy Gillespie once told Times jazz critic Leonard Feather that Bryant was the most underrated (低估) trumpet player in L.A.

But by 1992, she was living on Social Security, staying at a son’s Long Beach, in California, apartment, and two of her trumpets were in the pawnshop (典当铺). “A lot of clubs have closed.” she told the Times. “And how many female trumpet players do you see working?”

Bryant and her brothers were raised by their father, a patient man who encouraged his children to think big. She wanted to be in the high school marching band, but Charles Bryant warned his daughter she’d likely face resistance. “But anything you want to do, I’m behind you,” she recalled. It was her father who encouraged her to do whatever she wanted to do that made her stronger and stronger.

1. What does the underlined word “resolved” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Adventurous.

B．Unique.

C．Emotional.

D．Determined.

2. Why is “Social Security” mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To show people’s acts of kindness.

B．To prove Bryant’s struggle through life.

C．To explain how Bryant earned his living.

D．To stress the importance of the pawnshop.

3. What’s the key reason for Bryant’s being underrated?

A．The open sexism from society.

B．The poor family background.

C．The terrible financial situation.

D．The mental pressure from colleagues.

4. What played an important role for Bryant to stick to her dream?

A．Her son’s support.	B．Her brothers’ company.
C．Her strict family education.	D．Her father’s encouragement.

10 . Vehicles on our roads are now mostly petrol and diesel (柴油) cars, but their days cannot continue for much longer. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 percent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 percent by 2020.

One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been “range anxiety” — drivers concerns about running out of electricity on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA.

Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed greatly over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their high prices drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars are starting to persuade picky consumers. Plug-in cars will soon give internal combustion engine (内燃机) models a run for their money.

As well as development on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol-powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery-powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality.

Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions (排放). If the US could replace 87 percent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 percent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim (声称) to be completely emission-free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner.

1. The underlined word “hurdle” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.

A．aim

B．difficulty

C．result

D．step

2. Why did many people refuse to buy the electric cars in the past?

A．They were very poorly made.	B．They were not widely promoted.
C．They were expensive.	D．They couldn’t travel at a high speed.

3. What is the function of Paragraph 4?

A．To introduce the history of electric travel.

B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars.

C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars.

D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used.

4. Which is the best title for this passage?

A．Driving into a Cleaner Future	B．History of Electric Cars
C．Problems with Petrol and Diesel Cars	D．Best Means of Transportation