1 . The email hit me like a punch in the gut. It came from my
But despite my
But then, I surprised myself by quickly
Sometimes life sucks and things happen, and we cannot
| A．housekeeper | B．parents | C．editor | D．customers |
| A．desperately | B．unfortunately | C．hopefully | D．thankfully |
| A．initial | B．endless | C．various | D．regular |
| A．moved | B．committed | C．disturbed | D．thrilled |
| A．laid off | B．approved of | C．seen through | D．looked into |
| A．remarkably | B．ambitiously | C．identically | D．negatively |
| A．promotion | B．threat | C．column | D．application |
| A．boundary | B．failure | C．tendency | D．distance |
| A．switching | B．objecting | C．adding | D．comparing |
| A．self-defense | B．self-respect | C．self-doubt | D．self-approval |
| A．suggestion | B．perspective | C．assistance | D．breath |
| A．commanded | B．allowed | C．warned | D．inspired |
| A．discover | B．track | C．forget | D．control |
| A．routine | B．dream | C．reflection | D．principle |
| A．goner | B．victim | C．delay | D．rank |
2 . Before this COVID-19 pandemic, family vacations were simple. They consisted of a trip to Disneyworld, a week at a resort, or perhaps a booking on a cruise line that every family member was excited about, The only thing many had to worry about was forgetting the passports or a child forgetting the toothbrush or losing the favorite toy somewhere between the airport and the hotel. Now, the days of vacations look completely different and for those who have taken one during the pandemic, many things have changed.
Many families have routine (例行的) vacations that they take every year and this year. But due to the pandemic, many vacations didn’t happen as planned, So, vacations were put on the back burner and weren’t taken until much later in the year and for many people, change in their work lives allowed this. With more parents working from home and more kids taking part in homeschooling at home, families found going on vacation became much easier without the physical need to be somewhere else. This was also the year that many people remembered that they’re surrounded by nature. Rather than booking the typical vacation to the most-visited destinations or popular theme parks， many people-families especially-chose the lesser-crowded destinations. This meant that more families chose vacation activities such as camping, preferring to connect with nature rather than walk the busy streets. This also meant that vacation rentals (租用的房屋或汽车、设备等) were up in popularity and even in popular destinations, such as beach towns, The possibility of small crowds didn’t stop some families due to the fact that they rented the whole place.
It now looks like these changes might be here to stay, at least for some time longer, before the world returns to a state of normality.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing the first paragraph?| A．To reach a conclusion. |
| B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To introduce a new topic |
| A．Completely ruined. |
| B．Out of the question. |
| C．Put aside for the time being. |
| A．They preferred to take part in physical activities. |
| B．They wanted to avoid the crowds while travelling |
| C．They made careful preparation before the vacation |
| A．They may continue into the future. |
| B．They’ll bring families closer together. |
| C．They might not last longer than expected. |
3 . A private sixth grade is set to start its lessons at 1:30 p. m. every day because the school’s teacher thinks his students will study better after a morning lie-in (睡懒觉). Instead of rising early for a 9: 00 a. m. start, students at the £15, 000-a-yearHampton Court House, in East Molesey, Surrey, will get to enjoy a lie-in and work from1:30 p. m. until 7:00 p. m. Head teacher Guy Holloway says the move for all sixth grade students set to begin from September, has been made according to research by scientists. He predicts that not only will his students aged 16 and upwards get great night’s sleep, but their efficiency will also be improved.
The co-educational school will have the latest start time in the U. K., and will be the only one to begin lessons in the afternoon.
Experts say young people are programmed to get up later, and that rather that laziness it is simply a shift in their body clocks. There are 168 hours in a week and how productive they are depends on how they choose to use those hours,” said Mr. Holloway, “At Hampton Court House we don’t think we have the answer for everybody; it’s about what works in our school. We want to get them into a condition where they can get great sleep and study well,” He said students would also benefit from reduced journey times as they travel to and from school after rush hour.
1. What was the usual start time at Hampton Court House?| A．9:00 a. m. | B．1:30 p. m. | C．7:00 p. m. |
| A．In July. | B．In August. | C．In September. |
| A．£15, 000. | B．£16, 000. | C．£17, 000. |
| A．Rising Early, Study Better |
| B．Lessons in the Morning, Journey Times Reduced |
| C．Lessons in the Afternoon, Efficiency Improved |
4 . In the 1950s, a plastic surgeon (整形外科医生) by the name of Maxwell Maltz began to notice that many of his patients took about 21 days before they got used to seeing their new face after an operation-like a nose job, for example.
These experiences finally led Maltz to publish a book in the 1960s, in which he stated that “ it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to disappear and anew one to become clearer”. The book sold more than 30 million copies and is still in print today.
This “2l days” figure has been repeated countless times ever since. It has been republished in thousands of self-help books and TV shows.
There’s a problem though. The “21 days” time window for strengthening changes inhabit is less a statistical fact and more like a myth.
In 2009, researchers at the University of College London led by Phillippa Lally examined changes in the habits of 96 people over a 12-week period, Each person had to choose a new habit they wanted to internalize (使内在化) and reported each day on whether or not they had performed an activity related to the behavior and how routine it felt. After 12 weeks, the study came to a close and the researchers used statistical methods to interpret the data they had gathered, Their assessment blew Psycho-Cybernetics out of the water, showing that the time it took to form a new habit ranged from 18 to 254 days.
1. How did Maxwell Maltz set the “21 days” figure?| A．By asking questions. |
| B．By observing his patients |
| C．By counting his days |
| A．It’s out of date. | B．It’s a best seller. | C．It’s widely criticized |
| A．It’s hard to understand. |
| B．It’s set by a patient |
| C．It lacks scientific research. |
| A．How Long It Actually Takes to Make or Break a Habit |
| B．How Much Maxwell Maltz’s Book Influenced the World |
| C．How Long Scientists Can Correct the Mistakes in Discovery |
5 . Four Bike-Friendly Cities
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
With more bikes than people, the city is structured with cyclists in mind. Low-speed limits in the centre limit the impact of cars, while bike racks on public transport make it easy to travel long distances, Rental shops are everywhere. The terrain (地热) is famously flat, and an online bike route planner makes it easy.
Berlin, Germany
With over 1, 000 km of bike paths, the vast majority of which are protected lanes. It’s no wonder Berliners love to get around by bike. For the traveller, the major sights are within easy reach on a bicycle. The “Call A Bike ”share system allows you to simply lock the bike to any fixed object and call in a code to “return’ it.
Paris, France
Home to the Velib’ public bike sharing system that has over 20, 000 bikes, and with 500 km of bike paths, Paris cyclists can enjoy the city safe from motorists. A Velib’ stationis almost always within sight, or just around the next corner.
Tokyo, Japan
Despite being home to one of the most expansive public transport networks on the planet, Tokyo residents still cycle in large numbers. Though the extent of bike lanes is limited, safe drivers ease the tension between car and cyclist. Unique automatic underground bike parking garages are provided when you need to store your bike.
1. What is special about the city Amsterdam?| A．There are free bikes everywhere. |
| B．There are more bikes than people. |
| C．There is a public bike sharing system. |
| A．Hiring bikes. | B．Repairing bikes. | C．Buying bus tickets |
| A．Tokyo. | B．Paris. | C．Berlin. |
6 . Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson Arizona. My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him, as a schoolgirl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A’s and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.
On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father’s friends for lunch at an outdoor café. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son’s funny facial expressions. Gone were my father’s critical (挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?
The next day, my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I’m at last seeing another side of my father. And in doing so, I’m delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.
1. In the writer’s earliest memories, how was her father?| A．Fat. | B．Successful. | C．Kind. |
| A．He did not love his children. |
| B．He expected his daughter got straight A’s. |
| C．Their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. |
| A．He seemed unhappy with her. |
| B．He became gentle and friendly. |
| C．He was still strict and critical. |
| A．Her father’s apologies. |
| B．Her father’s funny facial expressions. |
| C．Her father’s childhood pictures and stories. |
7 . Charles George Courtney was a British tourist. He stayed at the Korumar Hotel DLuxe in Aydin, Turkey, every year for
Taskin Dasdan, who has worked as a bellboy(宾馆的行李员)in the hotel for 31years, struck up a
We,
When Charles
“He treated us as if we were part of his own
But never in his wildest dreams did Taskin think he would get a
Although the exact amount of money left to Taskin is
| A．vacation | B．advertisement | C．performance |
| A．quarrel | B．friendship | C．competition |
| A．find | B．question | C．treat |
| A．So | B．However | C．Therefore |
| A．loved | B．ignored | C．hated |
| A．package | B．suitcase | C．money |
| A．returned | B．died | C．hid |
| A．shocked | B．pleased | C．moved |
| A．considerable | B．little | C．whole |
| A．specially | B．hardly | C．especially |
| A．team | B．family | C．class |
| A．brought out | B．sent away | C．contributed to |
| A．ticket | B．call | C．passport |
| A．tourist | B．cyclist | C．violinist |
| A．uncertain | B．unpopular | C．unknown |
8 . A young mother said she was brought to tears after witnessing a little boy’s act of kindness in a restaurant.
Sophie Crehan, 24, said she had taken her children to a
“They have a little children’s play area there. I was on the
“There was a little boy who stood next to me
Sophie went back to her
He said, “I’ve just
“I said ‘you don’t need to do that’ and he said ‘no, no, I’ve won it’,” Sophiere called. I was nearly
Sophie said the boy was around 10 years old.
I saw him go back to his table
His parents asked, “What’s happened?” So I
| A．park | B．restaurant | C．school |
| A．treat | B．break | C．march |
| A．washing | B．grabbing | C．sewing |
| A．hardly | B．narrowly | C．really |
| A．succeeded | B．failed | C．left |
| A．criticizing | B．letting | C．watching |
| A．turn | B．fault | C．lesson |
| A．house | B．table | C．car |
| A．holding | B．selling | C．asking |
| A．found | B．bought | C．won |
| A．in surprise | B．in tears | C．in peace |
| A．which | B．when | C．where |
| A．took | B．found | C．lost |
| A．lent | B．gave | C．showed |
| A．praised | B．explained | C．interviewed |
9 . If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language? According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information, It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
Scans (扫描) showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists. It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible,” he said, “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and thirty-four. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested, The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better, “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world, ”explained the scientists.
1. If you are learning a second language, how will you be?| A．Lazier. | B．Happier. | C．Smarter. |
| A．Diseases. | B．Emotion. | C．Information. |
| A．The ability to speak one language. |
| B．The ability to speak two languages. |
| C．The ability to speak three languages |
| A．Writing, listening, and reading. |
| B．Reading, writing, and translating. |
| C．Writing, comprehension, and reading. |
10 . Children’s Day is coming. Here is some information about children’s books in our bookshop.
All I Want for Christmas Is You Writer: Mariah Carey Age: for 3-7 years Price: $ 17. 99 It is one of the bestsellers. It brings Christmas joy to readers. Its beautiful lyrics(歌词) will bring that same holiday spirit to readers in this picture book about a young girl whose wish is for a new little dog. | A Bear’s Year Writer: Kathy Duval Age: for 4-8 years Price: $ 18. 99 When spring arrives, the mother bear and her kids wake up, and as the weather warms to summer, the mother bear teaches her kids to fish. In autumn, as food grows less, the family prepares for the coming winter. |
The Little Prince Writer: Exupéry. S Age: for 11-14 years Price: $20. 99 The little prince lives on a small planet alone. One day he decides to leave his planet in search of the most important thing in his life. At last he finds out the answer from a fox of the Earth: the power of love. | |
| A．Children. | B．The elderly | C．The youth. |
| A．Mariah Carey. | B．Exupéry. S. | C．Kathy Duval. |
| A．A Bear’s Year. |
| B．The Little Prince. |
| C．All I Want for Christmas Is You. |
