1 . Invasive (入侵) plants can cause a problem for gardeners and for wider ecosystems. The invasive species may be dangerous, as they can have a bad effect on ecology. They might beat native species, impacting biodiversity and taking a toll on local wildlife. As a garden designer, I always begin any planting with a clear idea of the native plants of the area and take care to avoid the use of any invasive species. But as I have undertaken my work, I have noted that there are a number of misconceptions about what the term “invasive” really means.
When we talk about invasive plants, we must know the difference between native plants which can produce new growth quickly, and invasive species. Some people may be concerned about plants which spread and produce new growth quickly through their root systems or across the ground. But these characteristics are not a problem. The plants may be a boon in creating ground cover, protecting the soil, and improving the garden for wildlife.
A good garden design should always have a high proportion of native plants. Native plants have evolved alongside the wildlife and people of a region and are best adapted to the climate and situation where you live. They fit into specific ecosystem and help you create a garden that is kind to people and planet, and which really will stand the test of time. Native plants can often be the best plants for place. They provide for your needs and create beautiful and abundant spaces.
It is also important to note that gardeners sometimes gain by considering nonnative species to fulfill specific functions and provide specific things. After all, many of the common crops we grow are not strictly native to where we live, but have been cultivated over many years to provide us with the production we require and desire. So, while native plants should always be the backbone of any garden, using solely locally native plants may be needlessly restrictive. There could be some very specific times when a plant not native to your specific location is the best choice, only if you understand how that plant produces new life through your own experience and from books.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．There are too many invasive plants in the area. |
| B．The writer has suffered a lot from invasive plants. |
| C．Invasive plants always bring problems to ecosystems. |
| D．People may have misunderstanding of invasive plants. |
| A．Something useless. | B．Something beneficial. |
| C．Something dangerous. | D．Something difficult to control. |
| A．The advantages of native plants. |
| B．The importance of invasive plants. |
| C．The methods to grow native plants. |
| D．The disadvantages of invasive plants. |
| A．They are important in biodiversity. |
| B．They should be strictly prohibited. |
| C．They can be planted with careful study. |
| D．They prove to be useful in the gardening. |
2 . A star athlete at the college where I work recently stopped by my office. After committing a few unforced errors during a weekend match, she was tom apart by self-criticism. “I can’t stop beating myself up,” she told me. “I’m at peak fitness, and I practice hard. How is this happening?”
Many students I teach, like this athlete, believe that all-nighters in the library and hours on the field should get them exactly where they need to go. When they fall short of what they imagine they should accomplish, they are crushed by self-blame.
We talk often about young adults struggling with failure because their parents have protected them from discomfort. But there is something else at play among the most privileged in particular: a false promise that they can achieve anything if they are willing to work for it.
Psychologists have sourced this phenomenon to a misapplication of “mind set” research, which has found that praising children for effort will increase academic performance. But a recent analysis found that while praising effort over ability may benefit high-risk or economically disadvantaged students, it does not necessarily help everyone.
The cruel, messy reality is that you can do everything in your power and still fail. Instead of allowing our kids to beat themselves up when things don’t go their way, we should all question a culture that has taught them that feeling anything less than overwhelmed means they’re lazy, and that where they go to college matters more than the kind of person they are. It’s suggested that parents and teachers spend time helping students find purpose, or goals they genuinely love to pursue and that make an impact on the world, which may help them gain greater life satisfaction and become more psychologically mature.
The point is not to give our kids a pass on working hard. But we would be wise to remind our kids that life has a way of sucker-punching us when we least expect it. It’s often the people who learn to say “stuff happens” who get up the fastest.
1. Which sort of students does the star athlete belong to?| A．Those lacking courage to make self-criticism. |
| B．Those tired of working all night in the library. |
| C．Those believing hard work surely pay off. |
| D．Those overprotected by their parents in life. |
| A．Praising effort over ability will surely be beneficial to all kids. |
| B．The result of the “mindset” research doesn’t apply to all cases. |
| C．Parents should lay more emphasis on their kids’ academic performance. |
| D．Whether praising kids’ effort over ability does good to kids depends. |
| A．By choosing where to go to college for them. |
| B．By pushing them to fight against the cruel reality. |
| C．By discouraging them from making efforts to study hard. |
| D．By encouraging them to stick to a worthy cause they truly love. |
| A．Students should not expect too much from their study. |
| B．Students with positive attitudes can move on more easily. |
| C．Students should bear all the failures on their own. |
| D．Students are sure to succeed if they try their best. |
3 . Scientific reports show the destructive effects of climate change, but many scientists say it is important to remain positive. If the world continues to change, don’t give up, and we can still prevent some of the worst effects of climate change.
Recently, however, many scientists are dealing with the feeling of doom about climate change or “doomism.” Jacquelyn Gill is a climate scientist at the University of Maine. She says that around 2018 she noticed an increase in these “doomers,” or people who think that saving the earth is hopeless. They refuse to change their behavior or consider how they can work to prevent climate change.
The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently published its third report. This report explained the damage caused by the burning of traditional fuels, like oil and coal. New investments in traditional fuels and removal of forests for farming are preventing the world from helping stop climate change.
Anderson is the Environment Program Director for the United Nations. She says officials are trying to get people to take action because there is a climate crisis. Their goal is not to scare people into doing nothing.
“We are not doomed, but rapid action is absolutely essential. With every month or year that we delay action, climate change becomes more complex, expensive and difficult to overcome,” Andersen said.
The UN IPCC report stated that without fast and extreme measures to cut carbon pollution, the world is not likely to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The global temperature has already increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius. After 1.5 degrees, climate change will quickly worsen causing environment to be in danger. It will cause an increase in weather disasters.
James Skea is a leader from the UN IPCC Report. “We don’t fall over the cliff at 1.5 degrees. Even if we were to go beyond 1.5, it doesn’t mean we throw up our hands in despair,” Skea said.
Michael Mann is a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University. He says that scientists used to think Earth would continue to warm decades after we balance emissions. Balancing emissions to net zero means not creating more carbon in the atmosphere than oceans and forests can remove. New research suggests that it will only take a few years to decrease carbon levels in the air after we balance emissions.
1. What is the writer’s attitude towards climate change?| A．Optimistic. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Cautious. | D．Objective. |
| A．The change of people’s behaviors. |
| B．The damage caused by human activities. |
| C．The sharp increase in number of doomers. |
| D．The measures to help stop climate change. |
| A．The significance of UNIPCC third report. |
| B．The difficulties of decreasing carbon levels. |
| C．Scientists’ optimistic attitude towards climate change. |
| D．The need to take immediate actions against climate change. |
4 . “Don’t wait to do the things that you know need to be done! Go to someone you love and tell them you love them. Do it now!” The teacher in my adult class gave us the assignment.
You see, five years ago, my father and I had a fierce
The next morning I was up bright and early. I went to work and
At 5:30 pm, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell,
I didn’t waste time. I took one
It was such a(n)
| A．debate | B．quarrel | C．discussion | D．negotiation |
| A．probably | B．theoretically | C．absolutely | D．personally |
| A．gatherings | B．levels | C．parties | D．ceremonies |
| A．reminded | B．promised | C．informed | D．convinced |
| A．received | B．experienced | C．appreciated | D．accomplished |
| A．called | B．visited | C．interviewed | D．tricked |
| A．school | B．work | C．lunch | D．dark |
| A．excitedly | B．sadly | C．unhappily | D．desperately |
| A．refused | B．agreed | C．broke down | D．gave up |
| A．guessing | B．insisting | C．believing | D．praying |
| A．chicken out | B．cheer up | C．run away | D．keep up |
| A．wealth | B．power | C．luck | D．victory |
| A．step | B．chance | C．glance | D．break |
| A．hate | B．love | C．owe | D．miss |
| A．hardened | B．widened | C．softened | D．darkened |
| A．complained | B．choked | C．compromised | D．shrank |
| A．yet | B．always | C．ever | D．never |
| A．honorable | B．awkward | C．precious | D．heart-breaking |
| A．hugged | B．laughed | C．stood | D．mourned |
| A．awful | B．embarrassed | C．unforgettable | D．great |
5 . At around 10 p.m., Jane got off the train at Bell port, New York. She jumped into her Honda Odyssey and began the 20-minute
As it happened, Peter, a volunteer firefighter and retired teacher, was getting ready for
He first came upon a(n)
Peter rushed to Jane’s car and
“You are on the railroad tracks,” Peter yelled. “I have to get you off right now!” He
Jane recalled the
| A．lift | B．drive | C．ride | D．tour |
| A．automatically | B．blindly | C．carelessly | D．tirelessly |
| A．placing | B．forcing | C．adjusting | D．swinging |
| A．attached to | B．connected to | C．stuck in | D．caught in |
| A．failure | B．change | C．barrier | D．crash |
| A．bed | B．dinner | C．work | D．exercise |
| A．slight | B．deep | C．sharp | D．faint |
| A．parked | B．removed | C．disabled | D．used |
| A．acknowledging | B．concluding | C．announcing | D．predicting |
| A．above | B．beside | C．over | D．across |
| A．revealing | B．implying | C．detecting | D．signaling |
| A．struck | B．broke | C．removed | D．rolled |
| A．rounding | B．widening | C．closed | D．unfocused |
| A．idea | B．impression | C．sense | D．knowledge |
| A．seized | B．fixed | C．pushed | D．pulled |
| A．passing away | B．thundering up | C．pulling in | D．slowing down |
| A．threw | B．pushed | C．kept | D．broke |
| A．appropriately | B．constantly | C．instantly | D．skillfully |
| A．seat | B．track | C．vehicle | D．box |
| A．heart-breaking | B．life-saving | C．soul-stirring | D．risk-taking |
6 . As a hockey parent, while watching my son played from Mite to Bantam, House League to Travel, I’ve learned that losing may be best for kids.
In his third season in 2019, my son’s team never lost more than three straight games. There was happiness, boasting, celebration, pizza. In short, it was a typically good youth hockey season. He improved as a player, but did not much change as a person.
However, what happened the next year added its story to the legends of sporting incompetence. Not merely weak but prettily bad, this team lost 40 of their first 50 games, most of the defeats coming in the course of two losing streaks. For a time, I worried that these streaks would kill my child’s love of the game.
But that’s not what happened. As bad as it got, the losing was clarifying. It weeded out the kids who were in it less for the game than the glory, leaving just the die-hards behind. What started as a list of 17 of the team was cut down to 12. It was especially instructive for the kids. It taught him a great truth of the world: For everyone good, there is someone better.
What’s more, the kids were learning the game in a way that only losing can teach. Each player got to play everywhere, to learn and appreciate the role of every position on the ice. They kept an eye on their opponents too, studying and incorporating the tricks of success. In an effort to break the streak, they went back to basics, accepted the wisdom of the hockey ancients: If playing like a team, they can defeat a collection of all-stars; If doing small and unappreciated tasks well, they can get the goal.
This new team had character and could never be counted out, no matter the score. They had learned the most important lesson: You can lose without being beaten. They squeaked into the state tournament, then made it all the way to the final, where the winner was decided in overtime. When they lost that game and went into the handshake line, it was not as runners-up but as a team that had been made into winners in the only way that will stick — by losing.
1. What does the author think about the son’s team in the third season in 2019?| A．The team had a bad performance. |
| B．The team didn’t live up to the author’s expectations. |
| C．The team played typically well and won all the games. |
| D．The team didn’t have the spirit of facing failure. |
| A．The losing made the kids better understand hockey. |
| B．The losing helped the kids learn a great truth of the world. |
| C．The losing separated true player from those playing for glory. |
| D．The losing boosted the kids’ teamwork. |
| A．For everything big, there is something bigger. |
| B．Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. |
| C．God helps those who help themselves. |
| D．The hardest battle you’re going to fight is the battle to be just you. |
| A．How Kids Can Deal With Losing | B．What Kids Can Learn From Losing |
| C．Why Kids Can Benefit From Losing | D．How Kids Can Get Over From Losing |
7 . Job interviews are rarely fun, especially when you are young, about which I have deep feelings. I will never forget the opening question in my first interview for the Financial Times: “So, apart from the week before your interview, do you ever actually read the FT?”
Young jobseekers today face a different but no less difficult challenge. They find themselves smiling anxiously into their laptop cameras, answering questions as a timer ticks down with no human to interact with at all, which is equally boring.
Large employers are using these “asynchronous(异步的) video interviews”(AVIs) to narrow down job applicants to a smaller pool they can meet in person. Platforms such as HireVue and Modern Hire record applicants answering predetermined questions, usually with a time limit for each answer. In some cases, the recordings will be watched by the employer’s hiring managers. In others, the platform’s algorithms(算法) will assess the candidates based on what they said or even their facial expressions.
These interviews can be done cheaply and massively: one grocery chain in the US was gathering as many as 15,000 per day during the pandemic, according to HireVue. The platforms say the process is fairer than human recruiters(招聘人员), leading to better and more diverse candidates making the cut.
But employers need to pay more attention to how the process affects potential employees. Researchers at the University of Sussex Business School, in association with the Institute for Employment Studies, have warned that young jobseekers feel confused and exhausted by automated recruitment systems.
Employers suffer the loss too. AVIs select for people who can talk into air, not people who can interact well with others, though the latter is more important in most jobs. What’s more, an interview is a company’s first real interaction with potential employees, some of whom it will want to hire. It should be a chance for both sides to learn about each other.
1. Why does the author mention his first job interview experience?| A．To make young jobseekers confident. | B．To show the boredom of job interviews. |
| C．To indicate the difficulty in job seeking. | D．To prove that he was superior to others. |
| A．The use of AVIs. | B．The advantages of AVIs. |
| C．Introduction to brand platforms. | D．Roles of AVIs and hiring managers. |
| A．Going backdoor. | B．Spending less. | C．Being chosen. | D．Being interviewed. |
| A．Disgusted. | B．Tolerant. | C．Supportive. | D．Cautious. |
8 . Many of China’s ancient architectural treasures smashed to dust before Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng began documenting them in the 1930s. The husband and wife team were among the first preservationists to operate in China, and by far the best known. Their efforts have since inspired generations of people to speak out for architecture threatened by the rush toward development.
Becoming China’s best architectural historians was no easy accomplishment. The buildings they wanted to save were centuries old located in distant parts of the country. In many cases, they had to journey through dangerous conditions in the Chinese countryside to reach them. Exploring China’s remote areas during the 1930s meant traveling muddy, poorly maintained roads by mule (骡子) or on foot. Inns were often dirty, food could be polluted, and there was always risk or violence from rebels, soldiers and robbers.
Their greatest discovery was the Temple of Buddha’s Light, in Wutai County, Shanxi Province. The breathtaking wooden temple was built in 857 A. D. , making it the oldest building known in China at the time.
Liang and Lin crawled into the temple’s most forbidding, forgotten areas to determine its age, including one hideaway inhibited by thousands of bats and millions of bedbugs, covered in dust and littered with dead bats. “In complete darkness and among the awful smell, hardly breathing, with thick masks covering our noses and mouths, we measured, drew, and photographed with flashlights for several hours. When at last we came out to take a breath of fresh air, we found hundreds of bedbugs in our bag. We ourselves had been badly bitten. Yet the importance and unexpectedness of our find made those the happiest hours of my years hunting for ancient architecture.” Liand wrote of the experience in an account included in “Liang and Lin; Partners in Exploring China’s Architectual Past.”
1. On their way to the ancient buildings, what kind of difficulties and risks do Liang and Lin face?| A．Poor accommodations and personal security. |
| B．Poor accommodations and smelly areas. |
| C．Broken vehicles and violence from robbers. |
| D．Broken vehicles and muddy roads. |
| A．documenting smashed historical buildings |
| B．rebuilding historically valuable buildings |
| C．saving the oldest temples in China |
| D．protecting historical buildings. |
| A．Creativeness results in discovery |
| B．Difficulty produces achievement |
| C．Efforts contribute to happiness |
| D．Responsibilities contribute to development |
9 . Many find it easy to fall asleep during a long bus trip. But why?
Another popular view on why it’s easy to fall asleep on buses is because of the rocking motion. “The motion of buses resembles a mother swaying a baby in her arms.” Frankie Chow, founder of Ulu Travel Agency, told The Washington Post. However, it’s not exactly the rocking movement that induces sleep.
With a continuous stream of passengers getting on the bus, the oxygen on the bus will get thinner.
| A．Here are a few tips to help you stay awake. |
| B．Fresh air is necessary for every human being. |
| C．On buses, you don’t move around very much. |
| D．According to a survey, there are several possible reasons. |
| E．Rather, it’s the association between rocking and sleeping. |
| F．Therefore, they are the perfect environment for such noise. |
| G．Carbon dioxide increases when there are lots of people in a small place. |
10 . Advertising in mass media is powerful. Right ads help create demands of products, campaign for political candidates or ideas and historically, even start wars. Detailed files the social media Companies build for each user, however, make advertising even more powerful by enabling advertisers to tailor their messages to individuals. These files even include your family size and whether you buy a lot of beer.
Consequently, social media has greater abilities to expose people to ideas as fast as they’ll individually accept them. The same ticks that can commend products to just the right person or suggest something addictive just when someone is most fragile can also suggest an extreme Conspiracy (阴谋) theory just when he is ready to consider it.
It’s increasingly common for friends and family to find themselves on opposite sides about important political issues. Many recognize social media as part of the problem, but how are these powerful customized advertising techniques contributing to the divisive landscape?
One important part is that people associated with foreign governments, without admitting that, take extreme positions in social media posts with the deliberate goal of sparking division and conflict. These extreme posts take advantage of the social media algorithms (算法), which are designed to heighten engagement Meanwhile, people seeking to influence others put things to more and more extreme positions. The result is apparent. Rather than most people having balanced views with fewer people holding extreme views, fewer and fewer people are in the middle.
What can be done? Skepticism about social media recommendations matters. Keep on a more deliberate path to information and avoid just clicking on whatever is recommended. Second, consider supporting efforts to require social media platforms to offer users a choice of algorithms for recommendations. Most importantly, invest more time in interacting with friends and family off social media. Probably, you’ll be far off a constructed track toward extremes.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．Social media can put people’s privacy at risk. |
| B．Advertisements in mass media can influence people a lot. |
| C．Social media advertisements can drive people to extremes. |
| D．Advertisements account for damaged relation among family and friends. |
| A．Advertising on TV to promote the sales of a new product. |
| B．Advertising on apps to sell tailored political ideas individually. |
| C．Advertising in the newspaper to publicize a government policy. |
| D．Advertising in elevators to raise the public awareness of safety. |
| A．Refuse to get exposed to all the social media. |
| B．Manage to master the social media algorithms. |
| C．Interact more with family and friends for their advice. |
| D．Hold a careful attitude to what is proposed by social media. |
