1 . Many people still remember the magic of Father Christmas from when they were children. As parents, they try to keep that _______ alive for their children for as long as they can.

That is why Letters from Father Christmas could be the _______ book for those who _______ Christmas as a special time of year. The man who wrote these letters is one of the most famous names in English literature—J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. The letters were Tolkien’s _______ of keeping Father Christm’s alive for children, over a period of more than twenty years.

Every Christmas, a(n) _______ with a North Pole stamp arrived. It was _______ to Tolkien’s children. Who could it be from? The children must have been very _______ as they opened it. Inside, they would find a handwritten letter from Father Christmas. The letters were also _______ illustrated—each must have taken its true author, Tolkien, a long time to _______ .

The letters told wonderful stories about Father Christmas’s life and adventures at the North Pole. A regular ________ in the letters was Polar Bear, who once climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house. In another letter, Father Christmas ________ about how he could not stop his helpers playing games with the toys ________ wrapping them up. Interestingly, the letters did not ________ the usual warnings to children that they might not receive their presents if they were not good.

Letters from Father Christmas tells us that as well as enjoying the ________ of Father Christmas, Polar Bear and other characters at the North Pole, we can all share the true spirit of ________ at Christmas time. By expressing love for his children in such a special way, Tolkien may indeed have been the real father Christmas.

1.

A．meaning

B．spirit

C．opinion

D．magic

2.

A．specific

B．perfect

C．strange

D．common

3.

A．regard

B．expect

C．forget

D．drop

4.

A．plan

B．suggestion

C．hobby

D．way

5.

A．file

B．letter

C．envelope

D．tree

6.

A．postponed

B．connected

C．led

D．addressed

7.

A．frightened

B．disappointed

C．excited

D．calm

8.

A．roughly

B．beautifully

C．occasionally

D．quickly

9.

A．complete

B．pack

C．read

D．save

10.

A．character

B．actor

C．waiter

D．hero

11.

A．thought

B．heard

C．complained

D．learned

12.

A．in spite of

B．in addition to

C．instead of

D．in case of

13.

A．contain

B．select

C．inform

D．recommend

14.

A．performances

B．adventures

C．writings

D．drawings

15.

A．taking

B．laughing

C．discussing

D．giving

2 . We see a woman swimming at night in a dark sea. Suddenly, she is pulled underwater. She surfaces, cries in fear, then disappears forever. This is the opening scene from the 1975 film Jaws, showing a shark attack. It tells the story of a great white shark that attacks and kills swimmers.

People have always been scared of sharks, but Jaws made things worse. It made people frightened of sharks, especially of the great white shark. Many people who saw the film started to believe that sharks were bad animals that ate humans. Some people stopped swimming in the sea, afraid of the horrible creature from the film. Other people started fishing for sharks, killing as many as they could. At that time, nobody cared if sharks were killed, or how many were killed. People just wanted them killed.

After 1975, the number of large sharks around America fell quickly, and soon fell around the world. This was not only due to fear of sharks, but also finning. Finning is a type of fishing where sharks are caught and their fins cut off. The sharks are thrown back into the sea where they die slowly and painfully. The fins are used in shark fin soup. Finning kills millions of sharks a year.

Finning would have an unexpected effect upon Peter Benchley, the man who wrote the book the film Jaws was based on. In 1980, Benchley was diving when he came across an awful sight. It was an area where fishermen were finning, and the sea floor was covered with dead sharks. Benchley saw sharks being killed and this caused a deep change in him. He came to see people as a danger to sharks, rather than the other way round. From that day on, he fought to protect sharks. He admitted that his book was wrong about sharks’ behavior. “Sharks don’t target humans,” he said. Experts have proved that sharks do not see people as food, and they attack us by mistake.

Fortunately, not everyone who watched the film Jaws became afraid of sharks-some became interested in understanding them. Today, as we learn more about sharks, more people than ever want to protect them from extinction.

1. How were people affected by the film Jaws after seeing it?

A．Some killed as many sharks as possible.

B．Some began to believe sharks were friendly.

C．Some became more interested in swimming in the sea.

D．Some called on others to protect the endangered sharks.

2. What happens to a shark when it is finned?

A．It will be served onto the table as soup.

B．It will suffer a lot and die slowly in the sea.

C．Its fins will grow again after some time.

D．Its fins will be thrown into the ocean.

3. What caused a deep change in Peter Benchley?

A．Seeing the finning scene and many dead sharks.

B．Writing the book the film Jaws was based on.

C．Joining the fishermen who were killing and finning.

D．Knowing that sharks do not target and eat humans.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To prove that sharks are dangerous animals.

B．To recommend a film and a book to people.

C．To criticize Peter Benchley’s misleading description of sharks in his book.

D．To explain people’s misunderstanding of sharks and raise awareness of shark protection.

3 . This past Earth Day, people who usually celebrated by heading outdoors relied on virtual tours instead. It was a fitting opportunity to experience virtual reality (VR) technology that some experts had advanced as an eco-friendly solution to the problem of over-tourism. But will interest in travelling virtually last beyond the pandemic?

For years, travel agencies have used VR technology to market destinations to potential customers. Now, the impact of COVID-19 may allow it to shake off its image of being a “gimmick”, says Ralph Hollister, a tourism analyst at Global Data. Virtual travel experiences are seeing a surge in popularity. Valerity Kondruk, CEO of VR travel company Ascape, has seen app downloads grow 60 percent from last December.

Still, there is a big gap between using VR to “try before you buy” and treating VR like the destination itself. To start with, the technology is not mature yet. 360-degree VR videos are usually experienced through a headset or an app. The headsets are expensive, heavy, and uncomfortable to wear for more than 30 minutes. The apps have none of these problems, but simply are not as impressive. Limited sensations (感觉) are another hurdle. The videos focus on the sights and sounds of a place but cannot do much with its smell, touch or taste. Additionally, tourists are neither locals nor business travelers. They tend to be less directed in their explorations and more focused on new discoveries. This simply cannot be recreated in VR.

VR may never replace traditional travel, but it still offers various possibilities. Most importantly, it could help bring people to places that are otherwise inaccessible. Kondruk’s travel company, for instance, has been working with a major Vietnamese travel agency on recreating areas of the country where the government has limited tourist travel.

Ultimately, the impact of VR on travel will be determined by the gradual development of new technologies. So far, advances have been significant but not great enough to affect the travel industry or support a drop in travel-related carbon emissions after the pandemic has ended.

1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?

A．To describe a scene.	B．To introduce a topic.
C．To offer an argument.	D．To make a comment.

2. What does the underlined word “hurdle” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Difficulty.

B．Sight.

C．Difference.

D．Sound.

3. Which of the following may not affect the popularity of virtual travel?

A．Places accessible.	B．Limited sensations.
C．Indirect participation.	D．Immature technology.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Disadvantages of virtual travel.

B．Virtual travel is not here to stay.

C．Virtual travel solves over-tourism.

D．Traditional travel will soon disappear.

4 . I stood outside my front door catching my breath. After a lazy Christmas holiday, I had to recover from climbing stairs with carry-on bags and a suitcase. I looked up and blinked. Red tape crossed the door. I didn’t understand Hungarian, but the one English word said enough: “POLICE”.

Google Translate told me I would be arrested if I entered, so I didn’t. Finally, I called my rental agent. He went to the police station for more details.

My agent returned with authorization to enter. Not only were my files undisturbed, but so were the TV and printer. The burglars had taken a few items from the top drawer as well as a small amount of foreign currency in the bottom drawer. Somehow they hadn’t found the jewelry box in the third drawer.

I was in shock. My agent’s words were fuzzy, something about fixing the locks tomorrow and making a list for the police.

Then one day, I remembered that I’d left another jewelry box in the flat. My heart sank as I thought of another locket that had been in that box, a gold engraved one with a picture of my late honey Grandma inside. When I realized the box was missing, the whole experience seemed to crash down on me. I cried.

At the end of January, I received a registered letter from the police. The burglar hadn’t been found, and the case was closed. I slept with my purse by my bed. I hid my laptop when I showered. And then another challenge rose. I was unexpectedly laid off.

Then one July night, I reached into my third drawer, pulled out my jean shorts, and heard a small thud. I looked down and blinked: It was the tiny jewelry box I thought had been stolen six months earlier.

Inside was the locket with honey Grandma smiling at me, being there for me, telling me not to give up. I started to cry.

1. What did the red tape across the writer’s door mean?

A．There was a burglary here.

B．The rent had to be paid quickly.

C．The house couldn’t be entered freely.

D．The rental agent advertised for the house.

2. What did the agent promise to do?

A．To fix the locks the next day.

B．To report the burglary to the police.

C．To have an iron security gate fixed.

D．To pay for missing things for the writer.

3. Which can best show the change of the author’s feeling after she learned of the burglary?

A．Puzzled→ Anxious→ Relaxed.

B．Shocked→ Sorrowful→ Nervous.

C．Shocked→ Desperate→ Hopeful.

D．Puzzled→ Relieved→ Confident.

4. Based on the passage, what can we infer about the author?

A．Her suitcase had been stolen.

B．She felt insecure after the burglary.

C．She came to Hungary for Christmas.

D．She wasn’t taken seriously by the police.

5 . Some of the Most Beautiful National Parks in the UK

Snowdonia

North Wales’s national park boasts mountain and sea views: Several of its peaks gaze across to Ireland and it has miles of sandy beaches. You can climb Wales’s highest mountain without working up a sweat by catching an old-fashioned train. Those who dislike excitement can choose zip lines, bounce down mountain bike trails or catch breaks at an inland surfing.

Cairngorms

The UK’s biggest national park is home to its mightiest mountains: Five out of six of Scotland’s highest peaks are found here. Lying in the heart of the Highlands, the Cairngorms mountain range still has vast areas of pure wilderness and is one of the chilliest places in the country. For much of the year, its peaks are blanketed in snow and you can ski there in winter.

Peak District

Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, England’s oldest national park has two personalities: A tough and a gentle side. In the north are dramatic edges like Kinder Scout which rewards adventurous walkers with stark (荒凉的) views. Venture south for the lower, greener, grass-covered valleys of the White Peak. Walk along the Ecclesbourne Valley to experience both in one day.

New Forest

The New Forest is surprisingly old: William the Conqueror named it when he used to hunt deer and wild pigs here nearly 1, 000 years ago. Confusingly, this beautiful corner of southern England isn’t completely covered in woodland either—it also has acres of wild land and miles of pebbly (布满鹅卵石的), muddy coast. The terrain is gentle, and you’re guaranteed a sighting of its free-walking horses.

1. How can visitors climb Wales’s highest mountain without sweating?

A．By taking a cable car.	B．By riding a bike.
C．By taking a train.	D．By traveling in a plane.

2. What do we know about Peak District?

A．It is a good habitat for horses.

B．It offers visitors two totally different views.

C．It is a newly-built national park in England.

D．Its name was given by William the Conqueror.

3. What’s special about New Forest?

A．It has a long history.

B．It is completely covered by grass.

C．Visitors can hunt wild horses there.

D．It’s the biggest national park in the UK.

9 . Lithium (锂) is called “white gold” for good reason. The metal’s value has been growing sharply over the last several years, in a large part because it is an essential part of batteries as well as several key sustainable technologies where energy storage is of huge significance. As electric cars, wind and solar power have grown into major players in the energy industry, lithium has become key to engineering a future free of fossil (化石) fuels.

But acquiring lithium comes at an enormous cost. It often works like this: Water containing lithium is delivered to the surface from underground and mixed with fresh water. The mixture then sits in pools to get rid of water, leaving the rest of its contents behind as brightly colored “mud”. Then heat and chemical reactions are used to get lithium from that, changing it into powder which is then packaged and shipped to buyers around the world.

Any accident that releases mine contents into surrounding communities or the groundwater supply could have unimaginable long-term impacts. To be specific, indigenous (土著的) communities often bear the damage, and political leaders have typically given little weight to their concerns. In Arizona, for example, an expanding lithium mine is threatening the Hualapai Tribe’s cultural and historic sites. Recently, mining lithium and other precious metals has brought about conflict: How do you ensure the availability of materials essential to the future of renewables while protecting those communities’ rights?

Mining of the metal is expected to increase dramatically in coming years. Over time, experts say, that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions (排放) by making electric cars more affordable and, therefore, more popular. As environmentally conscious consumers buy electric cars in ever-greater numbers, it’s important to be aware of the dirty process that powers those clean air vehicles.

1. What does the author’s intention of writing Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the background of an event.	B．To explain a complex industrial theory.
C．To describe a noticeable recent tendency.	D．To predict the future of a main technology.

2. Which may cause enormous environmental damage?

A．Unexpected material leak.	B．Violent chemical reactions.
C．Wrong political decisions.	D．Lithium mine expansion.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards mining lithium?

A．Intolerant.

B．Uncaring.

C．Favorable.

D．Objective.

4. What’s the most suitable title for the text?

A．High Expense of Lithium Mining	B．Potential Benefit of Using Lithium
C．Hidden Threat behind Clean Energy	D．Bright Future of Renewable Resources