1 . A rainforest is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading（扩大） quite equally through the year and the temperature rarely falling below 16°C. Rainforests have a great influence on the world environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate.

Without the forest cover, these areas would reflect（反射）more heat into the atmosphere, warming the rest of the world. Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns，potentially（潜 在地） causing certain natural disasters all over the world.

In the past hundred years, humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major resources ： land for crops, wood for paper and other products, land for raising farm animals. This action affects the environment as a whole. For example, a lot of carbon dioxide in the air comes from burning the rainforests. People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit.

There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, when people cut down trees, generally they can only use the land for a year or two. Secondly, cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of wood right now, but in the long run it actually reduces the world’s wood supply. Rainforests are often called the world's drugstore. More than 25% of the medicines we use today come from plants in rainforests. However, fewer than 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medical value. It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the world’s shrinking（减 少）rainforests.

1. Rainforests can help to adjust the climate because they______.

A．reflect more heat into the atmosphere

B．bring about high rainfall throughout the world

C．rarely cause the temperature to drop lower than 16°C

D．absorb（吸收） the heat from the sun, reducing the effect of heat from the sun on the earth

2. What does the underlined word “this” in the third paragraph refer to?

A．We will lose much more than we can gain.	B．Humans have begun destroying rainforests.
C．People have a strong desire for resources.	D．Much carbon dioxide （二氧化碳）comes from burning rainforests.

3. It can be inferred from the text that______.

A．we can get enough resources without rainforests

B．there is great medicine potential in rainforests

C．we will grow fewer kinds of crops in the gained land

D．the level of annual rainfall affects wind patterns

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．How to Save Rainforests?	B．How to Protect Nature?
C．Rainforests and the Environment.	D．Rainforests and Medical Development.

2 . The human brain remembers negative experiences more easily than positive ones. Our brains have developed in this way because threats, like dangerous animal, have a more immediate effect on people's survival compared to positive things like food or shelter. As a result, you clearly know what makes you unhappy, but do you know what makes you happy?

Research suggests that our level of happiness is partly shaped by the choices we make. If you've been chasing wealth, fame, power and some material things, you may be looking for happiness in the wrong places. Psychologists suggest that the following habits can make people happier.

People who own close relationships tend to be happier than those who do not. The number of our friends is not important. What matters is the quality of our relationships. Relationships that bring happiness usually consist of the sharing of feelings, acceptance, mutual respect and trust.

People who exercise regularly can improve both their physical and mental well-being. Some research has shown that exercise can be as effective as some medicine in treating depression.

If we are so interested in an activity, we may lose track of time, and we can be in a state of flow. The activity could be playing the piano, surfing the Internet or playing a game. People who experience flow in their work or life tend to be happier.

People are more likely to be happy if they know what their strengths are and can use them regularly. People are especially happy when they can set goals and use their strengths to achieve them.

People, who think positively by being grateful, mindful and optimistic, are more likely to be happy. Being grateful means being thankful. Being mindful means considering, focusing on, and enjoying the experiences of the present moment. Being optimistic means being hopeful about the future.

1. Human brains remember negative things more easily because negative things_________.

A．tend to affect human survival immediately

B．are much more important than other thing

C．can make people live much happier

D．are easy to remember

2. According to this passage, people may find happiness in______________

A．being famous	B．setting life goals
C．chasing power	D．earning money

3. In the last paragraph, the author tries to tell us to____________.

A．think more about our future

B．focus on everything in our life

C．be positive in our life and work

D．only enjoy the present moment

4. What does the passage mainly want to tell us?

A．Why people remember positive things easily.

B．Why people remember negative things easily.

C．What makes people happy.

D．What makes people sad.

3 . In 1957, Max Vernon Mathews wrote the first computer program called Music, which enabled a computer to create sound and play it back. He was then working as an engineer at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. It enabled a large IBM computer to play a seventeensecond piece of music he had written.

The computer was so slow that it took an hour to play the seventeensecond piece of music. So Mathews moved the work to a tape player to play the music at a normal speed. He later said that the sound quality of the musical notes was not great, but the technical importance of the music was huge.

The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke visited Bell Laboratories in the 1960s. He heard a computer “sing” the song Daisy Bell on devices (设备) and learned about the programs developed by Mathews and other engineers. Clarke noted this technology in his book 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was later made into a movie.

Mathews continued creating other versions of the Music program. He became interested in how computers could help musicians outside recording studios. The Groove program he developed was the first computer program made for live performances.

He also developed an electronic device he called the Radio Baton, which looks like two drum sticks. It enables the user to control the speed and sound levels of orchestral music (管弦乐) played on a computer by moving the two sticks on a special electronic surface.

Mathews said he believed modern musicians were not making full use of the power of computer music. He said a violin always sounds like a violin. But with his Music, the way a violin sounds is unlimited. He did not want computer sounds to replace live music, but he hoped computers would one day be considered serious instruments.

1. Why did Clarke visit Bell Laboratories?

A．To make his book into a movie.

B．To help Mathews develop Music.

C．To satisfy his own curiosity about music.

D．To gather materials for his literary creation.

2. What electronic music tools did Mathews create?

A．Something used to record live music.

B．Something used to create special sound.

C．Something used to improve computer music.

D．Something used to create computer music.

3. What does Mathews think of his Music?

A．It is more pleasant to the ear.

B．It can help make more sounds.

C．It will finally replace the violin.

D．It is more popular than live music.

4. What can we learn about Mathews?

A．He is the father of computer music.

B．His creation succeeded on the first try.

C．He wrote Music to replace instruments.

D．He changed the functions of computers.

4 . Hard work really does pay off. Scientists find that perseverance (毅力) leads to better grades and higher achievements in school.

“Being passionate (热诚的) is not enough to ensure academic success,” said researchers, who thought of “courage” as a key to success. This is also regarded as effort in reaching long-term goals, and determination to continue one’s efforts in spite of hardships.

Researchers thought that the finding could help create new training to help children develop the skill and help ensure their future success.

Researchers from the Academy of Finland studied more than 2,000 students from Helsinki. They were followed through their academic career from 12 to 16, from the sixth grade until the ninth grade in local school years. Researchers found that the factor that best predicted courage was related to goals, with previous academic achievements playing no role in developing the skill.

Professor Katariina Salmela-Aro, who led the study, said, “Courage means a young person is really interested in his or her studies and does not give up easily. A key element of courage is high perseverance when facing difficulties and hardships. The important finding is that these factors are the key to success and well-being. Our study shows the power of courage.”

Professor Salmela-Aro also thought it was important to develop new practices and qualities to improve courage in teenagers. She added, “Young people should see everyday school work as part of their life in a broader context and establish achievable goals for themselves. Schools must also serve as a place where it is safe to fail and learn to deal with setbacks. One must not be discouraged by setbacks, but gain(得到) strength and new energy from them!”

1. What can we learn about the research?

A．It takes at least three years.

B．It helps students make progress.

C．It makes many discoveries.

D．It follows 2,000 students abroad.

2. What should students do according to the researchers?

A．Focus on former grades.

B．Achieve their goals.

C．Try all their best.

D．Forget sadness.

3. What does the underlined word “setbacks” in Paragraph 6 mean?

A．Strengths.	B．Difficulties.
C．Weaknesses.	D．Efforts.

4. Which is the best title of text?

A．Hard work will lead to success

B．Failure is the mother of success

C．Schools should train students’ courage

D．Perseverance is the key to success

5 . "Smile!" I shouted, holding a yellow sign up on a busy street in Seattle. We were three thousand miles away from home on a Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteerism Road Trip. We had two aims. One was to try out our new "Smile!" signs and see how much kindness and joy we could spread in Pike Place Market. The other was to raise $80 by doing street performances, enough for gas to Portland and a small hotel room.

We weren't sure how people would react (回应) to our signs. I nervously raised up our signs and shouted, "Hi, there!" to a young couple. They looked over and felt confused. Then they read our signs and broke into a smile. Before long, some tourists wanted to take a photo with us and some strangers stopped to ask us about our signs.

In fact, we paid so close attention to our "Smile!" project that we forgot the other aim. Before we knew it, the sun was setting, and we had no money for our trip to Portland. We sat down to watch a blind musician play the guitar while thinking about what to do. He was packing up when a passing crowd kicked down his change bowl. He stumbled (绊倒) into the crowd. We rushed to help him, but another man moved more quickly to help him.

Once the musician had his money safely returned, we ran over to meet the strange helper and said, "We just wanted to praise you for your good deed." He smiled, looking at our signs. "Your trip reminds me of something similar I once did when I was young," he said. "Look! I'd like to donate (捐赠)." We told him, "No, thanks! We are fine. We've collected plenty of money." We lied. "Please let me donate. It will make me feel like I'm a part of this adventure," he insisted. And then the stranger opened his wallet and pulled out four $20 bills. The money was exactly what we had intended to raise that day. We were astonished. It seemed as if he had known somehow.

1. What's the main purpose of the road trip?

A．To spread kindness and joy.

B．To invite more people to join in the trip.

C．To raise money for a trip to Portland.

D．To encourage people to take happy photos.

2. How did people react to the "Smile!" signs later?

A．Disappointed.

B．Worried.

C．Interested.

D．Moved.

3. According to the last paragraph, why did the strange helper want to donate money?

A．Because he felt pity for the author.

B．Because he wanted to join in the project.

C．Because he hoped to help the homeless.

D．Because he felt sorry for his impoliteness.

4. What does the underlined word "astonished" in the last paragraph most probably mean?

A．Tired.

B．Satisfied.

C．Frightened.

D．Surprised.

6 . Two weeks ago my grandfather passed away. It really put me into deep_______because my grandfather held a unique position in my life. For me, my grandpa was not only a_______family member but a tutor (导师) who encouraged me to work hard and_______well. 

I’ll never forget the first time I read a long piece of his writing. It was when I_______for Princeton and he offered to write to the university on my behalf. He wrote in beautiful_______and used poetic language, unafraid of sounding too “flowery”. I read the_______out loud so that I could hear the rhyming sounds. 

My grandfather_______hard work. Every time he came to visit us in New York, he would_______my brothers and me for our good performance, which inspired me. I knew he had worked hard to_______the big family during the Great Depression. He was awarded many military__________for winning many battles in the Navy in World War Ⅱ. 

At the funeral, a friend of my grandfather’s walked to me and said that my grandfather had told him about a small__________I had written. After it came out, I sent it to my grandfather__________received no reply. This man told me that my book hit my grandfather’s__________and brought tears to his eyes. My grandfather said he was so__________of me. 

Now I feel it’s even more worthwhile to write well because I know my grandfather__________it. I know he lives in my heart forever.

1.

A．excitement

B．sorrow

C．disappointment

D．fun

2.

A．beloved

B．strict

C．strange

D．common

3.

A．read

B．study

C．behave

D．write

4.

A．registered

B．went

C．applied

D．turned

5.

A．symbols

B．envelopes

C．characters

D．pages

6.

A．letter

B．word

C．language

D．poem

7.

A．demanded

B．valued

C．ignored

D．deserved

8.

A．instruct

B．blame

C．lecture

D．praise

9.

A．survive

B．raise

C．affect

D．grow

10.

A．medals

B．champions

C．rewards

D．prizes

11.

A．story

B．poem

C．article

D．book

12.

A．so

B．but

C．and

D．or

13.

A．brain

B．heart

C．eye

D．ear

14.

A．confident

B．frightened

C．proud

D．amazed

15.

A．remembered

B．declared

C．appreciated

D．realized

7 .

When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn’t very fun about it was that he could catch many fish while I couldn’t catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered, “Son, if you want to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish.” I remember being even more upset then because “I’m not a fish!” I didn’t know how to think like a fish. Besides, I reasoned, “How could what I think influence what a fish does?”

As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So, I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water—the former is warmer. Besides, water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet, fish don’t have any eyelids and the sun hurts their eyes. The more I understood fish, the more I became effective in finding and catching them.

When I grew up and entered the business world, I remember hearing my first boss say, “We all need to think like sales people.” But it didn’t completely make sense. My dad never once said, “If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman.” What he said was, “You need to think like a fish.” Years later, with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me, I gradually learned what we all need was to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters.

1. Why was the author upset in fishing trips when he was nine?

A．Because he could not catch any fish.

B．Because his father was not patient with him.

C．Because his father did not teach him fishing.

D．Because he could not influence a fish as his father did.

2. What did the author’s father really mean by saying “think like a fish”?

A．To read about fish.	B．To learn fishing by himself.
C．To understand what fish think.	D．To study more about fish.

3. In what kind of area can fish most likely be found according to the author?

A．In deep water on sunny days.	B．In deep water on cloudy days.
C．In shallow water under sunlight.	D．In shallow water under waterside trees.

4. What did the author find after entering the business world?

A．It was easy to think like a customer.	B．His father’s fishing advice was inspiring.
C．His first boss’ sales ideas were reasonable.	D．It was difficult to sell services to poor people.

8 . Are you a music lover? If your answer is yes, you might be interested in the following music services.

Apple Music

Apple Music has more than 30 million songs and is available in over 100 countries.

Search for “Holiday Music” to find playlists. Then tell voice assistant Siri to “play holiday music” to open the music program on your iPhone, iPod or Apple TV. The app will provide holiday playlists and stations.

You can also listen to Apple Music on your computer through the iTunes store or on Apple TV.

Apple Music is free for the first three months. After that, users must pay a subscription (订阅) fee.

Google Play Music

Google Play Music is also in the holiday spirit. Go to the Google Play Music Holiday page or app and search for “Holiday Music”.

Google Play Music is available for free if you don’t mind the advertisements. If you do, buy a paid subscription to avoid them. Google Play Music offers more than 30 million songs in 58 countries.

The service is available on your computer, and through apps on your Android phone and iPhone.

Live365

Live365 is an internet radio service available on your computer or mobile device. The service has 158 Christmas music stations, such as Contemporary Christmas, Christmas Breezes and Classical Christmas.

Live365 is free and available around the world. Searching for “Holiday Music” lets you listen to more stations without advertisements.

Spotify

Spotify, another online service, is filled with holiday music. Listen to playlists on Spotify by searching for “Holiday Music”. The playlists include Merry Christmas. The Best Holiday Music, Pure Christmas Music and Pure Holiday Music.

1. What do the music services have in common?

A．They are free of charge .	B．They have endless songs.
C．“Holiday Music” can be searched for.	D．They have music stations.

2. Which music service has a voice assistant?

A．Google Play Music.	B．Live365.
C．Spotify.	D．Apple Music.

3. Which of the following is a music station?

A．Merry Christmas.	B．The Best Holiday Music.
C．Classical Christmas.	D．Pure Christmas Music.

9 . Richard Campbell is a secondary school student. He is 15 years old. He lives in a small town in the north of England. Every morning, he gets up at eight o'clock, puts on his uniform and walks to school.

One hour later, the lessons start. The students usually study maths, English, history and geography in the morning. They usually study music and drawing and they play sports after lunch. They have a ten-minute break between classes. They also spend a long time in the school library, reading books and doing their homework.

Richard likes his school very much. His favourite subjects are English and geography, but he doesn’t like maths because he is not good at it.

Richard and all his friends spend the whole day at school. Lunch is at one o'clock. He doesn’t like the food that the school serves. This is why he often brings a packed lunch from home. He always has his lunch in the dining hall, but some of his friends sometimes eat in the courtyard or outside the school gate.

At weekends, he always goes out with his friends because he doesn’t go to school. On Saturday, he always goes to the cinema or to the sports centre. On Sunday, he just goes for a walk with his dog.

1. What time do Richard’s lessons begin in the morning?

A．At 8:00.	B．At 8:30.
C．At 9:00.	D．At 9:10.

2. What does Richard like best?

A．Maths and English.	B．English and geography.
C．History and maths.	D．Geography and history.

3. Where does Richard have lunch on weekdays?

A．In the dining hall.	B．At home.
C．In the courtyard.	D．Outside his school gate.

4. What does Richard always do on Saturday?

A．He reads and does homework.

B．He goes to see films or does sports.

C．He walks his dog or does exercise.

D．He spends a long time in the library.

10 . Barcelona’s opera house has celebrated its reopening to the public since the coronavirus pandemic (新冠疫情) put the world into a huge horror, but their opening night had an unusual audience. For its first concert, the theater refused the usual crowd of people and instead packed the house with plants. Yes, that’s correct. All 2,292 seats at the Gran Teatre Liceu were occupied by leafy green plants.

The idea was put forward by conceptual artist Eugeno Ampudia and was broadcast live on the theater’s website. These lucky ficus trees, palms, and Swiss cheese plants—which were brought in by local nurseries (苗圃) — got the pleasure of hearing Puccini’s Crisantemi performed by the UceLi Quartet string musical group.

Ampudia hopes that his idea and the work will inspire people to think more deeply about their relationship with nature and the concept of sustainability (持续性). “We are at the end of an era and that means that we have to change certain patterns,” he shares. “We don’t live in the same world as 90 days ago, and this means we have to reflect on everything that we do.”

As plants can respond to different vibrations (震动) caused by music, they certainly weren’t a passive audience—even if they weren’t able to give applause. Now that the concert is over, each plant will be given to a different frontline healthcare worker who helped guide the country through its battle with the coronavirus.

The moving concert is a continuation of the Liceu’s mission to create a dialogue between music and the visual arts. Pictures and a video of the performance taken by Ampudia will now become part of La Caixa contemporary (当代的) art collection.

1. What was the special part of the concert?

A．It had only 2,292 seats.

B．It made the world fall in horror.

C．It gave plants opportunities to enjoy music.

D．It welcomed audience with plants to come.

2. Who gave the idea that the seats were occupied by leafy green plants?

A．Barcelona	B．Eugeno Ampudia
C．the Gran TeatreLiceu	D．the Uceli Quartet

3. Which statement may Eugeno Ampudia agree with?

A．We didn’t do very well in dealing with nature.

B．The healthcare workers were more important.

C．The plants should have the equal rights.

D．We did everything in a wrong way.

4. In which part of a magazine can this text be read?

A．Daily Hero.	B．Teens’ Life.
C．Art Around the World.	D．Animals and Plants.