1 . Losing your ability to think and remember is pretty frightening. We know the risk of dementia (痴呆症) increases with age. But if you have memory slips, you probably needn’t worry. There are pretty clear differences between signs of dementia and age-­related memory loss.

After age 50, it’s quite common to have trouble remembering the names of people, places and things quickly, says Dr. Kirk Daffner of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The brain ages just like the rest of the body. Certain parts become smaller, especially areas in the brain that are important to learning, memory and planning. Changes in brain cells can affect communication between different regions of the brain. And blood flow can be reduced as blood vessels narrow.

Forgetting the name of an actor in a favorite movie, for example, is nothing to worry about. But if you forget the plot of the movie or don’t remember even seeing it, that’s far more concerning, Daffner says.

When you forget entire experiences, he says, that’s “a red flag that something more serious may be involved”. Forgetting how to operate a familiar object like a microwave oven, or forgetting how to drive to the house of a friend you’ve visited many times before can also be signs of something going wrong.

But even then, Daffner says, people shouldn’t panic. There are many things that can cause confusion and memory loss, including health problems like temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, high blood pressure, or depression, as well as medications (药物) like antidepressants.

You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Daffner suggests going to your doctor to check on medications, health problems and other issues that could be affecting memory. And the best defense against memory loss is to try to prevent it by building up your brain’s cognitive (认知的) reserve, Daffner says.

“Read books, go to movies, take on new hobbies or activities that force one to think in novel ways.” he says. In other words, keep your brain busy and working. And also get physically active, because exercise is a widely known to boost the brain.

1. Which memory-related symptom should people take seriously?

A．Totally forgetting how to do one’s daily routines.

B．Inability to recall details of one’s life experiences.

C．Failure to remember the names of movies or actors.

D．Occasionally confusing the addresses of one’s friends.

2. What should people do when signs of serious memory loss show up?

A．Check the brain’s cognitive reserve.

B．Stop medications affecting memory.

C．Turn to a professional for assistance.

D．Exercise to improve their well­being.

3. What is Dr. Daffner’s advice for fight against memory loss?

A．Having regular physical and mental checkups.

B．Taking medicine that helps boost one’s brain.

C．Engaging in known memory repair activities.

D．Staying active both physically and mentally.

4. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “boost” in the last paragraph?

A．Reduce.

B．Benefit.

C．Increase.

D．Depress.

2 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.

Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.

The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.

As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.

The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．Wildlife research in the United States.

B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area.

C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves.

D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park.

2. What did the disappearance of gray wolves bring about?

A．Damage to local ecology.

B．Preservation of vegetation.

C．A decline in the park’s income.

D．An increase in the variety of animals.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project?

A．Doubtful.

B．Uncaring.

C．Positive.

D．Disapproving.

3 . “I feel lonely and hopeless, ” said Lisa, a bright teenager from a loving home. “It seems that nobody wants to become my friend. What’s wrong with me?”

Like Lisa, many of us experience loneliness. The truth is that all people, no matter what their age or character-even the most outgoing, wealthy and popular-experience loneliness at least sometimes. It’s healthy and natural to want to be around people who care. After all, we’ve all heard “No man is an island.” That’s true. We all need others in our lives.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, explains that if we want friends, we must be friendly and reach out to others. But it has risk. Because we are often afraid of rejection, many of us are unwilling to reach out to others. We take a safer way and wait for others to make friends with us. But if we want friends, we’ve got to get beyond this.

If making friends is your goal as well, you need to consider taking some measures.

Be willing to take the initiative (主动). If you see someone whom you would like to know, don’t wait for her to make the first move. Get close to her and begin a conversation. Let her know in a non-aggressive (无攻击性的) way that you are interested in being friends with her.

Reach out to those who are lonely. When you see someone at school sitting alone, go over and talk to her. And don’t let popularity decide whom you reach out to. You’ll often be surprised at the beautiful qualities behind a shy appearance. Ask questions. Start your first conversation by asking this possible friend what she likes to do or asking about her family. Be sure to ask questions that cannot be replied with “yes” or “no”. For example, don’t ask “Do you have a dog?” Instead, say “So, tell me about your pets. ” Avoiding asking “yes” or “no” questions makes your possible friend not end your communication with a one-word answer.

1. Why does the author begin the text with Lisa’s worry?

A．To set a sad tone.

B．To share Lisa’s pain.

C．To teach readers a lesson.

D．To introduce the topic.

2. What can be a risk caused by reaching out to others according to the passage?

A．Putting ourselves in danger.

B．Being treated in a rude way.

C．Being refused by others.

D．Losing interest in communicating.

3. What can we know from Paragraph 5?

A．Popular people are often easy-going.

B．Just waiting for chances will help you make friends.

C．Shy people are hard to talk to.

D．A suitable way is important in making friends.

4. Why does the author suggest not asking “yes” or “no” questions?

A．It is considered unfriendly.

B．It isn’t good for keeping a conversation going.

C．It will leave a bad first impression.

D．It shows the poor quality of the speaker.

4 . It’s been nearly two decades since the traditional clothing style Hanfu first started to reemerge in China. Since then it has gone from a small cultural movement celebrating an ancient fashion to a trend that is booming on social media, having been adopted by China’s Generation Z as a means of connecting with their past. Instead of following other cultures blindly, Generation Z now have different opinions about what trend is by promoting local culture while having an objective view of exotic cultural products.

The new tastes of Generation Z—young people born after 1995—are well represented on Bilibili. In the recent New Year’s Eve gala presented by Bilibili, it attracted more than 100 million views within 48 hours with a colourful set of programmes ranging from Peking Opera to classical Chinese cartoons. The same is also true of movie industry. Last year, for the first time, the top 10 most viewed films in China were all domestic films, while the ticket sales for imported films have dropped to only 16.28 percent.

”Generation Z grew up with the rapid development of China and under good economic conditions. With the development of the Chinese Internet industry, they have more access to diverse international information and culture, which bring them a much broader vision and makes them more open and confident in analyzing foreign culture. Apart from taking pride in China’s rapid development, this generation also pursues individuality and values devotion to the country,“ Professor Zhang Yiwu said.

He also noted that the popular rock and punk culture pursued by the 70s and 80s generation is more of a challenge against real life and local culture. Some people who were born in the 1970s and 1980s did not grow up in the Internet age—they experienced the transformation of China going from poor to rich first-hand. This kind of longing and admiration of the West came from a lack of confidence.

However, Generation Z now have the confidence to look at Western culture with equal status. This kind of cultural confidence will result in China being more active and creative in its development on the international stage in the future.

1. What does the underlined word ”exotic“ in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Foreign.

B．Fashionable.

C．Traditional.

D．Elegant.

2. Why is Bilibili mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A．To confirm the rise of new media.

B．To promote Chinese Internet industry.

C．To highlight the popularity of domestic art.

D．To show the popularity of New Year’s Eve gala.

3. What do we know about Generation Z from the passage?

A．They have a stronger cultural identity.

B．They are longing for cultural diversity.

C．They have made China develop rapidly.

D．They are more fond of foreign culture.

4. What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．Confident China, Better Future

B．China’s Progress Results in Cultural Confidence

C．China’s New Generation Redefine Local Culture as Trendy

D．Hanfu Style, Connector of Ancient Fashion and Modern Trend

5 . At eleven, I decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at the YMCA offering exactly the opportunity. My mother continually warned against it, and kept fresh in my mind the details of each drowning in the river. But the YMCA pool was safe.

I had a childhood fear of water. This started when I was three years old and my father took me to the beach.The huge waves knocked me down and swept over me.

The pool was quiet. I was afraid of going in all alone, so I sat on one side of the pool to wait for others. Then came a big boy. He yelled, “Hi, how’d you like to be ducked?” With that he picked me up and threw me into the deep end.I landed in a sitting position, and swallowed water. But I was not frightened out of my wits—when my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump to come out of the surface. It seemed a long way down. I gathered all my strength when I landed and made what I thought was a great spring upwards. Then I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water. I tried to yell but no sound came out. I went down, down, endlessly.

When I came to consciousness, I found myself lying on the bed in the hospital.

I never went back to the pool. I avoided water whenever I could. This misadventure stayed with me as the years rolled by.It deprived(剥夺) me of the joy of boating and swimming. Finally, I decided to get an instructor. Piece by piece, he built a swimmer. Several months later, the instructor was finished, but I was not .Sometimes the terror would return. 

This went on until July. I swam across the Lake Went worth.Only once did the terror return. When I was in the middle of the lake, I put my face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr Terror, what do you think you can do to me?” I had conquered my fear of water.

1. What was the author’s original fear of water caused by?

A．His poor skill in swimming.

B．His mother’s warning of drowning.

C．An outing to the beach with his father.

D．An unpleasant memory of the pool.

2. Why was the author not scared to death when he was thrown into the water?

A．He knew how to swim in the pool.

B．He felt that the YMCA pool was safe.

C．He was waiting for others to save him.

D．He came up with an idea to go upwards.

3. What does the author probably mean by expressing “but I was not” in Paragraph 5?

A．He was still a poor swimmer.

B．He had not overcome the fear yet.

C．He was not afraid of drowning any more.

D．He was not satisfied with the swimming training.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Goodbye,Mr Terror

B．Hello,Childhood Fear

C．A Swimming Adventure

D．My Passion for Swimming

6 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.

The package consisted of a long, narrow box ____ wrapped in brown paper. ____ the box, Oscar saw an umbrella inside—a very old one with a beautifully carved wooden handle. ____ he had not seen it in more than 20 years, he recognised it immediately.

Oscar was 16 when he first saw the____ umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat. Impressed by its beauty, Oscar felt a strong desire to find its ____.

Oscar ____ the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name matched the seat ____ Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O’Brien.

Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O’Brien’s house on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I ____ you?” she asked.

“I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said, ____ the umbrella as if presenting a gift that had long been wished for.

“Why, yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a ____ smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your ____?”

“No, ma’am,” he said. “My grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.”

“Well, that’s ____ what my father used to say. What is your name, young man?”

Years later Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how ____ it was. Why had it arrived here today?

As if ____, a note fell from the paper. It read: Mrs. O’Brien wanted you to accept this umbrella as a present for a kind, ____ gesture long ago.

1.

A．strictly

B．carefully

C．roughly

D．casually

2.

A．Opening

B．Seizing

C．Observing

D．Searching

3.

A．After

B．When

C．Since

D．Although

4.

A．average

B．unusual

C．plain

D．typical

5.

A．designer

B．seller

C．user

D．owner

6.

A．convinced

B．forced

C．encouraged

D．advised

7.

A．until

B．before

C．which

D．where

8.

A．invite

B．help

C．bother

D．know

9.

A．putting up

B．turning out

C．picking up

D．holding out

10.

A．wide

B．confident

C．proud

D．shy

11.

A．patience

B．kindness

C．courage

D．determination

12.

A．obviously

B．naturally

C．exactly

D．probably

13.

A．old

B．rare

C．precious

D．nice

14.

A．in contrast

B．in return

C．in exchange

D．in answer

15.

A．attractive

B．significant

C．unselfish

D．sympathetic

7 . Owura Kwadwo Hottish teaches computer science in a school. It is a normal school except for the fact that it didn’t have______

Owura became famous after he posted photos of him on the Internet. In the picture. people could see he was teaching his students by______ an entire computer on the blackboard.The photos showed the______level of education for children in Ghana. People were______ that Owura made sure each button was drawn correctly. He would come to school half an hour ahead of______every day. He drew the computer on the blackboard, but at the end of his class, it was______off to start the next class, so he had to______it the next day! Owura’s efforts______when Microsoft took______of his act. They first took him to an international educators’ meeting in Singapore. He made a______about his teaching methods at the meeting and ______a standing ovation(欢呼) after the speech.

______,Owura got the thing he always wanted for his students—some companies______computers to the school. Not a single child in the school had seen a real computer in their lives. Thanks to their teacher’s______the world took care and treat them with ______

1.

A．classrooms

B．computers

C．playgrounds

D．tools

2.

A．operating

B．repairing

C．describing

D．drawing

3.

A．poor

B．unique

C．average

D．avanced

4.

A．annoyed

B．pleased

C．frightened

D．surprised

5.

A．line

B．culture

C．schedule

D．school

6.

A．rubbed

B．called

C．cut

D．shown

7.

A．exchange

B．improve

C．revise

D．repeat

8.

A．broke out

B．paid off

C．came back

D．held back

9.

A．care

B．control

C．place

D．notice

10.

A．suggestion

B．speech

C．decision

D．arrangement

11.

A．made

B．waited

C．received

D．carried

12.

A．Suddenly

B．Importantly

C．Exactly

D．Naturally

13.

A．lent

B．sold

C．donated

D．applied

14.

A．efforts

B．pains

C．legend

D．experiment

15.

A．glory

B．wisdom

C．kindness

D．pride

8 . Elephant Transit Home

In both Africa and Asia elephants are being threatened by changes in their natural habitats (栖息地). People are moving into the elephants’ habitats and endangering their survival. In the country of Sri Lanka, there is one place where elephants are not only protected but also respected. It is called the Elephant Transit Home (ETH).

Set up in 1995, the ETH aims to protect and nurture baby elephants that are found injured or living without their mothers in the wild. Every year about 30 baby elephants in Sri Lanka need help. As many as possible are brought to the ETH. There they are given food, shelter, and medical care. Most importantly, they are given the chance to be with other elephants and become part of a herd (象群).

A day at the ETH begins early in the morning when the baby elephants are given their first feeding of milk. During the day, each baby will drink an average of 13 gallons of milk. Older elephants are fed mostly coconut leaves and other native plants. Then the elephants are allowed to walk around, eating the grass and forming a herd. The cost of caring for the baby elephants is high. The ETH spends about $125,000 each year on powdered milk for the baby elephants.

At the ETH, workers try to reduce human connection with the elephants. They also try to increase bonds (联系) between the elephants. It usually takes three years for a baby elephant to be set free into its natural habitat. The elephants are sent back to the wild together with other orphans with whom they have bonded. This program helps them return to the wild as members of a herd that will communicate with each other and take care of each other.

The ETH is considered one of the best animal protection sites in the world. Not only are the elephants cared for, they are treated with respect. Most importantly, they go back to live in the wild, where they belong.

1. What does the underlined word “nurture” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Set free.

B．Relate to.

C．Focus on.

D．Care for.

2. What do we know about the ETH?

A．It changes elephants’ habitats for the better.

B．It receives about $125,000 each year.

C．It helps to keep baby elephants safe.

D．It protects 30 elephants every year.

3. Why do the workers reduce human connection with the elephants?

A．To study them better in a natural environment.

B．To help them make it in the wild as a herd.

C．To provide them with more living space.

D．To train them to stay away from hunters.

4. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce an animal protection site.

B．To show the ways of wildlife protection.

C．To explain the threat baby elephants face.

D．To persuade the readers to protect elephants.

9 . Let’s celebrate some festivals in summer.

The Cariwest Festival

It is one of Edmonton’s most colourful summer festivals! It’s three days of fun as Caribbean Canadians share their music, cuisine and carnival culture! Local performers bring you amazing dance, music and fun. Bring Cariwest atmosphere into your home this year with these amazing online events.

Indigenous Festival

The annual Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival (SSIF) in Edmonton has done a wonderful job to make their annual off-line festival a number of online events this year because of COVID-19. The events take place from June 1 to 21. SSIF has partnered with BMO to provide Education Days for students to learn together about indigenous history. These classes for which only a small fee will be charged include art workshops, book readings and museum tours.

Bluegrass Festival

Just 45 minutes from the heart of downtown Edmonton is the town of Stony Plain that works hard to keep ties to its agricultural background, and here you’ll see old-styled lamp posts and historical wall paintings with a long history everywhere. It’s also the site of Western Canada’s largest bluegrass festival, which has been a main attraction for more than 25 years and in July every year draws in all the big names, including Grammy winners.

Cowboy Festival

You like poetry, music, art and cowboys? Then you can’t miss it. Heading into its 24th year, Cowboy Festival in Stony Plain in August is a showcase of the cowboy life. The events include good old-fashioned BBQ meals and some other entertainment.

1. What is true about SSIF?

A．It takes place in two cities.	B．It focuses on students.
C．It is annually held online.	D．It is free of charge.

2. What do we know about Stony Plain?

A．It’s a city with modern appearance.	B．It has produced many musicians.
C．It has deep roots in agriculture.	D．It often hosts national festivals.

3. Which festival will you be most interested in if you’re a poem lover?

A．Cowboy Festival.	B．Indigenous Festival.
C．Bluegrass Festival.	D．The Cariwest Festival.

10 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

1. What is Jane Addams noted for in history?

A．Her social work.	B．Her teaching skills.
C．Her efforts to win a prize.	D．Her community background.

2. Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?

A．Jane Addams.	B．Rachel Carson.
C．Sandra Day O’Connor.	D．Rosa Parks.

3. What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A．They receive higher education.	B．They are truly creative.
C．They make great achievements.	D．They are peace-lovers.