1 . The following is the information of some excellent hotels at the famous resort (度假胜地) for skiers in Italy.
Hotel Ela
£550 per person
The hotel Ela lies in the center of the resort, only 100 m from the main ski lift and 300 m from the ski school meeting point. It is ideal for those who prefer a hotel which is very close to all the resort’s action.
Rooms (2-4 people): Twin rooms with cable TV, hairdryer, shower and WC. All rooms have recently been redecorated.
Hotel Sport
£540 per person
It is near shops, bars and restaurants. The hotel is a great choice for those looking for lively nightlife. The famous bar is just on the ground floor.
Rooms (2-4 people): All rooms are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors and have hairdryer, mini-safe, satellite TV, shower and WC.
Please note: This hotel doesn’t accept groups larger than 6 people.
Hotel Xalet Verdu
£559 per person
It is an attractive hotel decorated in the traditional style and offers comfortable accommodation. The atmosphere is welcoming. It is 300m from the main ski lift and the village center.
Garage: £10 a day
64 rooms: Twin or double bedrooms with shower, hairdryer, satellite TV, telephone and safe.
Villa Cary Hotel
£540 per person
The Villa Cary is a small but well located hotel with comfortable rooms for two people making it ideal for couples. You’re guaranteed a warm welcome from the English owner.
Rooms (2 people): Pleasantly furnished double bedrooms with cable TV, mini-safe and bathrooms with shower and WC.
1. What is the benefit of staying in Hotel Ela?| A．It’s the cheapest of all the hotels. |
| B．It’s the best among all the hotels. |
| C．It’s convenient for the resort’s activities. |
| D．It has rooms with cable TV and a hairdryer. |
| A．Guests can enjoy the exciting nightlife there. |
| B．All its rooms have just been redecorated. |
| C．It sometimes offers free accommodation. |
| D．It is the largest of all the hotels. |
| A．£90. | B．£70. | C．£30. | D．£10. |
| A．Hotel Ela. | B．Hotel Sport. |
| C．Villa Cary Hotel. | D．Hotel Xalet Verdu. |
| A．Hotel Ela. | B．Hotel Sport. |
| C．Villa Cary Hotel. | D．Hotel Xalet Verdu. |
2 . It is often said the laughter is the best medicine. But researchers at the University of Oxford think the ability to belly laughs (捧腹大笑) was unique to early humans. This, they believe, made our ancestors (祖先) able to form much larger groups.
The researchers first tested the pain thresholds (临界值) of some volunteers. They divided them into two groups. One group was shown15 minutes of comedy videos, while the other was shown boring programs.
Through this experiment, the researchers found that those who had recently experienced belly laughs were able to withstand (忍受) up to 10% more pain than they had done before watching the videos. To their surprise, the scientists also found that the other group was less able to withstand pain after watching 15 minutes of the “boring” programs.
Professor Robin Dunbar of Oxford University, who led the research, believed that belly laughs release chemicals called endorphins (安多芬) into the body which make us feel less painful.
However, not all comedy programs had such effects, according to Prof Dunbar. For example, though clever stand-up comedy was found to be enjoyable, it had no effect on raising pain thresholds. “Things that worked very well were interesting comedies such as Mr. Bean. Situation comedies such as Friends also seemed to be particularly successful,” he added.
In order to measure (测量) endorphin levels, the researchers put a bag of ice on the volunteers’ arms to see how long they could withstand them. They found that the greater the increase in pain thresholds, the greater the amount of endorphins produced.
The purpose of Prof Dunbar’s study was not to develop a new treatment. Instead, it was to study the role of laughter in the forming of human societies two million years ago.
“The next stage will be to see whether laughing really allows people to keep together and work as a group better and be more friendly towards each other. If that is the case, then it may explain why some two million years ago, the first humans were able to form large communities of up to 100,” Dunbar added.
1. Prof Dunbar’s study was to __________.| A．test the pain thresholds of humans |
| B．measure the endorphin levels while laughing |
| C．develop a new kind of medicine that reduces pain |
| D．explore the influence of laughter in forming human societies |
| A．watch some scary films | B．watch some beautiful pictures |
| C．watch some boring programs | D．watch some comedy videos |
| A．look out | B．stand out | C．find out | D．give out |
| A．More experiments about laughter will be carried out. |
| B．Laughter makes people keep together and work as a group. |
| C．People who laugh a lot are more friendly towards each other. |
| D．The first humans could only form small communities less than 100. |
3 . Putting more green space around a school may help students develop some mental abilities, a study suggests. Researchers tested students repeatedly over the course of a year on attentiveness (专注力)and working memory, which is the ability to keep something in mind temporarily for performing a task. On the whole, students whose schools were surrounded by more green space improved more than pupils from schools with less green space.
The study tracked more than 2,000 students in 36 primary schools in Barcelona, Spain. The pupils were in the second to fourth grades when the study began. Green space may help mental development by reducing air pollution from vehicles, according to an article by the researchers that included pollution data from the schools. It may also help by reducing noise and encouraging physical activity, researchers said.
Policy makers should know that “more green around the school is better for cognitive development and that they should make sure that kids can see and play in green areas,” one author Mark Nieuwenhuijsen said. “Existing urban schools should think about replacing concrete or other hard surfaces with green space,” he suggested, “and even a few trees may help.”
The researchers used satellite images to group schools according to how much green space appeared on the school grounds and within about 55 yards of the school property. Their analysis showed that differences in socio-economic factors between schools did not account for the study outcome.
Sally Augustin, a psychologist, said the results made sense to her. She said the results fit with previous findings that views of nature help children and adults lower stress and perform mental tasks better.
1. What does the text mainly tell us?| A．Green space makes schools more beautiful. |
| B．Schools are lack of green space for students. |
| C．Students’ mental abilities need to be improved. |
| D．Green space is good for students’ mental abilities. |
| A．Moved. | B．Helped. | C．Followed. | D．Found. |
| A．More trees should be planted for kids. |
| B．Noise should be cleared near the school. |
| C．Kids should be encouraged to play more sports. |
| D．Air pollution should be reduced from vehicles. |
| A．To show a different opinion. |
| B．To introduce another interesting study. |
| C．To present Augustin’s view about the study. |
| D．To make the findings of the study more convincing. |
| A．Health. | B．Education. | C．Nature. | D．Technology. |
4 . Europeans got more of their electricity from renewable sources than fossil fuels for the first time last year, according to an annual report from Ember and Agora Energiewende.
The report, which has been tracking European Union’s power sector since 2015, found that renewables delivered 38% of electricity last year, compared to 37% delivered by fossil fuels.
The shift comes as other sources, such as wind and solar power, have risen in the European Union. Both sources have nearly doubled since 2015, and as of last year accounted for one-fifth of electricity generation in EU countries, the report found. It’s also the reason why coal power declined 20% last year, making up only 13% of electricity generated in Europe.
“Rapid growth in wind and solar has forced coal into decline, but this is just the beginning,” said Dave Jones, senior electricity analyst for Ember and lead author on the report, in a statement. “Europe is relying on wind and solar to ensure not only coal is phased out by 2030, but also to phase out gas generation, replace closing nuclear power plants, and to meet rising electricity demand from electric cars and heat pumps.”
Last year’s COVID-19 lockdown measures resulted in less demand for electricity across the globe. European demand decreased by 4% in 2020, according to the report, which said COVID trends had no effect on the growth of renewable energy sources. Since 2015, Europe’s electricity emissions recorded a historic decline, becoming 29% cleaner, the report noted.
The milestone follows commitments from EU leaders last month to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030. In the United States, their counterparts (同身份的人) successfully developed renewable energy to overtake coal consumption in recent years. Last May, renewable energy sources were consumed more than coal for the first time since 1885.
“Post-pandemic economic recovery must not slow down climate action,” said Patrick Graichen, director of Agora Energiewende, in a statement. “We therefore need strong climate policies — such as in the Green Deal — to ensure steady progress.”
1. What happened in EU countries according to the first three paragraphs?| A．The use of renewables declined by 38% last year. |
| B．20% of electricity was generated by renewables last year. |
| C．Fossil fuels were no longer used to generate electricity. |
| D．Coal power made up just 13% of electricity generation last year. |
| A．Cutting greenhouse gas emissions forced coal into decline. |
| B．Coal consumption is phased out due to rapid growth in wind and solar. |
| C．More nuclear power plants should be built to meet electricity demand. |
| D．Fossil fuels will eventually be abandoned in European countries. |
| A．The demand for renewables decreased across the globe. |
| B．Electricity consumption dropped to a historic record. |
| C．The growth in wind and solar power was hardly influenced. |
| D．The economy was making steady progress. |
| A．To compare renewable sources with fossil fuels. |
| B．To report on electricity generation in Europe. |
| C．To emphasize recovery in post-pandemic era. |
| D．To advocate strong climate policies in Europe. |
5 . Just as we take care of our friends and families, our homes and Mother Earth take care of us. Our homes give us a place of shelter that
“Thank you, home, for allowing me to live
You can do so as often as you like and anytime you feel particularly thankful for the many gifts that you have
| A．bend | B．handle | C．react | D．stand |
| A．unselfish | B．skillful | C．cheerful | D．amazing |
| A．animals | B．oceans | C．plants | D．waters |
| A．promote | B．show | C．influence | D．satisfy |
| A．sources | B．memories | C．power | D．strength |
| A．Express | B．Accept | C．Ban | D．Deserve |
| A．attacks | B．attracts | C．appreciates | D．provides |
| A．fond | B．aware | C．informed | D．confident |
| A．accused | B．robbed | C．warned | D．reminded |
| A．road | B．word | C．way | D．place |
| A．safe | B．dull | C．quiet | D．public |
| A．though | B．because | C．unless | D．until |
| A．beside | B．beyond | C．within | D．in |
| A．admitting | B．supporting | C．challenging | D．surviving |
| A．live | B．call | C．focus | D．feed |
| A．examine | B．explain | C．experience | D．describe |
| A．adventure | B．wisdom | C．loss | D．honor |
| A．anger | B．worry | C．joy | D．desire |
| A．brought | B．purchased | C．exchanged | D．received |
| A．shocks | B．monitors | C．protects | D．follows |
6 . Large amounts of waste, or garbage, are filling streets in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, after protesters blocked a road leading to a landfill outside the city. People in Bancharedanda where the garbage is kept blame the government for not doing enough to protect them from the waste.
One British tourist, Richard McSorley, recently talked about the problem. He remembered how clean Kathmandu was when he first visited it many years ago. “If I were a new tourist, I would be despondent now,” McSorley said, while pointing to a load of garbage next to a city street. For weeks, treatment of waste has been a continuous problem in the city surrounded by hills. The problems started after people in the village of Bancharedanda refused to have the garbage thrown at a nearby landfill.
Biswas Dhungana was one of the protesters. He said the villagers were refusing to permit trucks loaded with garbage to enter. They say government officials have done little to provide basic equipment and effective ways to deal with the garbage. He added, “We have been forced to live like pigs in terrible conditions for several years as the government has not done anything to keep the village clean.”
Last week, hundreds of villagers built a wall of rocks on the road leading to Bancharedanda. It forced about 200 trucks filled with Kathmandu’s garbage to return without dumping their load. It was said that protesters also threw stones from surrounding hills.
Sunil Lamsal is an official to watch over how Kathmandu’s garbage is treated. He said, “I am working to deal with the concerns of the locals in Bancharedanda. But now, garbage continues to grow on the streets of Kathmandu. This has led to increased danger for people living in the capital. In the light of it, the government will soon take further positive measures to tackle the problem, as the environment affects every family.”
1. How does the author begin the text?| A．By listing statistics. | B．By asking questions. |
| C．By describing a phenomenon. | D．By drawing a comparison. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Dependent. | C．Dynamic. | D．Disabled. |
| A．Government officials. | B．Foreign visitors. |
| C．City residents. | D．Truck drivers. |
| A．Punish the protesters. | B．Meet the villagers’ demand. |
| C．Stop the villagers’ illegal actions. | D．Urge every family to clean their village. |
7 . A subject which seems to have been insufficiently studied by doctors and psychologists is the influence of geography and climate on the psychological and physical health of mankind. There seems no doubt that the general character of the landscape, the relative length of day and night, and the climate must all play a big part in determining what kind of people we are.
It is true that a few studies have been made. Where all the inhabitants of a particular area enjoy exceptionally good or bad health, scientists have identified contributory factors such as the presence or absence of substances like iodine, fluoride, calcium, or iron in the water supply, or perhaps types of land that provide breeding places for pests like mosquitoes or rats.
Moreover, we can all generalize about types of people we have met. Those living in countries with long dark winters are apt to be less talkative and less vivacious than inhabitants of countries where the climate is more equable (稳定的). And where the olive and the orange grow, there the inhabitants are cheerful, talkative, and spontaneous.
But these commonplace generalizations are inadequate: the influence of climate and geography should be studied in depth. Do all mountain dwellers live to a ripe old age? Does the drinking of wine, rather than beer, result in a sunny and open temperament? Is the strength and height of one of the Kenyan tribes due to their habitual drinking of the blood of cows?
We are not yet sure of the answers to such questions, but let us hope that something of benefit to mankind may eventually result from such studies.
1. The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to____________.| A．alert readers to the scarcity of natural resources |
| B．call for more research on the influence of geographical environment |
| C．introduce different elements in character cultivation |
| D．draw more attention to the health condition of mankind |
| A．benefit people’s physical health | B．influence the quality of water supply |
| C．help provide breeding places for pests | D．strengthen a person’s character |
| A．Such generalizations help us judge the different characters of people we meet. |
| B．Such generalizations are not inclusive enough to draw a convincing conclusion. |
| C．Such generalizations prove that nature plays an important role in determining social habits. |
| D．Such generalizations show that there are mainly two different types of people on the planet. |
| A．People who like drinking wine tend to be optimistic. |
| B．People who live in mountain areas tend to have a long life. |
| C．People who live in areas with stable climate tend to be talkative and lively. |
| D．People who like drinking cow blood tend to be strong and tall. |
8 . I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree(胡桃树) .
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls(头骨) of you, your children, your neighbors and those that reside next door to them. Umbrellas in the yard area must while dining in early August, and as for me, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant species that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed to flourish.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators(传粉者) like birds, bees and butter l lies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree standing at 50 feet with an 87-inch trunk is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Rightfully so. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it.
Sometimes I think about my life without the black walnut I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year and loudly sing their songs before dawn. I’d miss falling asleep on lazy weekend afternoons as I look up into its leaves.
Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a habitat for wildlife and a reminder.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect the injured skull. | B．To reduce the chance of a bee sting. |
| C．To prevent herself from sunburn. | D．To avoid being hurt by the nuts. |
| A．It attracts beneficial pollinators. |
| B．It lets out poison to drive away pests. |
| C．It produces a chemical deadly to some plants. |
| D．It competes for nutrition with similar species. |
| A．It offers a shelter but out competes all native plants. |
| B．It takes up much space but helps new plants survive. |
| C．It is home to numerous birds but has hard fruits. |
| D．It gives off an attractive smell but makes barbecue impossible. |
| A．It’s better to give than to take. |
| B．Building a relationship is troublesome. |
| C．Trees and plants have their own ways to flourish. |
| D．Acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be. |
9 . The Amazon rainforest is as pristine (处于原始状态的) a place as most people can imagine, but even there, the effects of a changing climate are playing out. Previous research found that some birds in the Amazon are experiencing drops that may be related to climate change. Now, new research suggests that as the Amazon's dry season has gotten hotter, some species are starting to evolve (进化).
For the new study, researchers studied 77 non-migratory species over a 40-year period. They reported in the journal Science Advances that 36 species have lost weight, as much as 2 percent of their body weight every ten years since 1980. Meanwhile, all the species became smaller in body size, while a third grew longer wings.
The researchers themselves are unsure what advantage the wing length changes give the birds, but smaller birds may have an easier time keeping cool. In general, smaller animals have a larger ratio (比例) of surface area to body size, so they dissipate more heat faster than a bigger animal. Less available food, such as fruit or insects, in dryer weather might lead to smaller body size.
“Think about a fighter plane. It has short wings and is heavy. It has to go really fast to stay high in the air, so it uses up plenty of energy,”says ecologist Vtek Jirinec, “who led the new study, while a glider (滑翔机) almost uses no power to stay high in the air, because it’s got these long wings, and it’s light.”
For those who wonder why a small body change in a small homebody bird should matter, Jirinec points to how our actions have effects we don’t always see － such as changing the size and shape of animals half a world away.
“We think of Amazonia as a pristine place, full of life, untouched by people, away from deforestation,” Jirinec says. “But it looks like no, not necessarily.”
1. What does the new study find out about some bird species in the Amazon rainforest?| A．They have changed physically. | B．They are dying out due to hotter weather. |
| C．They have a smaller population than before. | D．They have migrated as a result of less rainfall. |
| A．Feel. | B．Need. | C．Give out. | D．Make use of. |
| A．To study how birds speed up in the air. |
| B．To show the advantage of birds’ longer wings. |
| C．To describe how birds' wings move when flying. |
| D．To introduce the difficulty birds can meet when flying. |
| A．It isn't as attractive as it was. |
| B．It is making a quick recovery. |
| C．It is being influenced by human activities. |
| D．It isn't suitable for some bird species any longer. |
10 . My previous home had a stand of woods behind it and many animals in the backyard. That first year, I
That second year, the rabbits
By year three, the rabbits and the groundhog were back. The groundhog
| A．avoided | B．started | C．stopped | D．suggested |
| A．business | B．fun | C．problem | D．right |
| A．help | B．cheat | C．threat | D．exception |
| A．play | B．miss | C．admire | D．trust |
| A．feared | B．discovered | C．touched | D．remembered |
| A．proved | B．decided | C．noticed | D．understood |
| A．extreme | B．increasing | C．additional | D．inspiring |
| A．squirrel | B．rabbit | C．peanut | D．carrot |
| A．before long | B．long ago | C．over and over | D．all over again |
| A．eating | B．playing | C．sitting | D．sleeping |
| A．Next | B．Once | C．Soon | D．Lately |
| A．carefully | B．suddenly | C．violently | D．patiently |
| A．also | B．thus | C．just | D．still |
| A．thought | B．doubted | C．designed | D．realized |
| A．While | B．Or | C．So | D．For |
| A．fixed | B．placed | C．hung | D．kept |
| A．surprise | B．delay | C．move | D．shake |
| A．Even if | B．Ever since | C．As far as | D．So long as |
| A．welcomed | B．minded | C．hated | D．expected |
| A．trade | B．chance | C．task | D．life |
