1 . The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was invented by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. It is a self-report questionnaire indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The MBTI personality inventory (量表) sorts people into 16 type categories, each of which is represented by four-letter codes such as INFP and ESTJ. Every year, about 1.5 million people have enjoyed discovering their personality type by completing the MBTI. Many companies, as well as hundreds of universities, use it in hiring and training.
Nevertheless, the MBTI has received a noticeable criticism from the academic community. Some research suggests the MBTI is unreliable because the same person can get different results when retaking the test. Other studies have questioned the validity of the MBTI, which is the ability of the test to accurately link the “types” to outcomes in the real world -for example, how well people classified as a certain type will perform in a given job.
Merve Emre, a professor a Oxford University, points out that it would be more scientifically advisable to score the MBTI scales continuously to show people the degree to which they resemble the types. Even when the MBTI’s results don’t quite match your intuition (直觉) about yourself or are just wrong, they can still provide self-insight and insight into differences and similarities between people.
Scoring and interpreting the MBTI the way other personality inventories are scored and interpreted might be less fun than finding. All of the folklore (民间看法) about INFPs, ESTJs, etc. would have to be dismissed. But, in the end the MBTI is sufficiently reliable and valid enough to be useful in a number of real-world contexts.
1. What do we know about the MBTI from the first paragraph?| A．It is a personality-testing tool. | B．It is divided into 16 categories. |
| C．It is a study of personal preference. | D．It is a questionnaire on four-letter codes. |
| A．It performs badly in job interviews | B．Its reliability has been questioned. |
| C．It requires people to retake the test | D．Its advantages are not fully shown. |
| A．It is beyond criticism. | B．It is a more scientific test. |
| C．It is less fun than other tests. | D．It is useful for self-exploration. |
| A．How Can We Use the MBTI? | B．Why do We Criticise the MBTI? |
| C．Is the MBTI Totally Meaningless? | D．Is Scoring the MBTI Really Necessary? |
2 . Alvin, 66, was deep in the woods in Grand Cane last December when something like litter on the ground caught his eye. It was a
“Dear Santa,” the note
Alvin’s heart hammered in his chest. It reminded him of his childhood wish. He smiled and set out to
Meanwhile, Gonzalez, the mother of four-year old Luna, had no idea that such a(n)
One day, Gonzalez received a call saying that someone had found Luna’s balloon. Her jaw
“Santa dropped your balloon
Now, having received so much
| A．beautiful | B．broken | C．precious | D．blown |
| A．printed | B．wrote | C．typed | D．read |
| A．nice | B．difficult | C．demanding | D．smart |
| A．fulfill | B．spread | C．make | D．express |
| A．entertaining | B．uniting | C．reporting | D．locating |
| A．preparation | B．effort | C．research | D．game |
| A．temporarily | B．relatively | C．particularly | D．naturally |
| A．came up with | B．argued about | C．put up with | D．jumped at |
| A．healthy | B．green | C．modest | D．grand |
| A．burst | B．cracked | C．broke | D．dropped |
| A．post | B．letter | C．name | D．photo |
| A．in time | B．after all | C．by accident | D．on purpose |
| A．candies | B．gifts | C．toys | D．books |
| A．attention | B．admiration | C．popularity | D．generosity |
| A．adopted | B．stored | C．thrown | D．dragged |
3 . AQUILA Children’s Magazine is the most intelligent read for curious kids. Full of enthusiastic articles and challenging puzzles, every issue covers science, history and general knowledge. AQUILA is a quality production, beautifully illustrated with contemporary artwork throughout.
Intelligent reading for 8-12-year-olds
Cool science and challenging projects
Inspires self-motivated learning
Exciting new topics every issue
AQUILA is created and owned by an independent UK company. It has 28 pages, printed on high-quality paper and there are no advertisements or posters. Instead it is full of well-written articles, thought-provoking (令人深思的) ideas and great contemporary artwork. Each monthly issue is centred around a new topic.
AQUILA works as a superb learning extension to current primary (or KS2 and KS3) curriculum (课程), but it is much more than that! Entertaining and always surprising, AQUILA is recommended because it widens children’s interest and understanding, rather than encouraging them to concentrate only on their favourite subjects. It gives children a well-rounded understanding of the world, in all its complexity.
The concepts in AQUILA can be challenging, requiring good comprehension and reading skills. Eight years is usually a good age to start. Some gentle interest from an adult is often helpful at the start.
In 2021 AQUILA will have been in publication for 29 years, but it has never appeared in newsstands or shops. We are subscription only.
AQUILA Subscription
UK：12 Months￡55－4 Months￡30
Europe：12 Months￡60－4 Months￡35
World：12 Months￡70－4 Months￡35
Birthdays
Select the Birthday option, write a gift message and choose the birthday month. We will dispatch to arrive at the start of the month you have entered. The package posts in a blue envelope marked “Open on your birthday”.
1. What is special about AQUILA?| A．It is available in shops. | B．It is for kids of all ages. |
| C．It prints readers’ artwork. | D．It has no advertisements. |
| A．Articles on modern art. | B．Family reading materials. |
| C．Knowledge beyond school subjects. | D．Ideas on improving reading skills. |
| A．Foreign language learners. |
| B．Children with learning difficulties. |
| C．Parent-child reading lovers. |
| D．Curious kids with good comprehension. |
4 . For people who are interested in sound, the field of sound technology is definitely making noise. In the past, sound engineers worked in the back rooms of recording studios, but many of today’s sound professionals are sharing their knowledge and experience with professionals in other fields to create new products based on the phenomenon we call sound.
Sound can be used as a weapon. Imagine that a police officer is chasing a thief. The thief tries to escape. And the officer can’t let him get away. he pulls out a special device points it at the suspect, and switches it on. The thief drops to the ground. This new weapon is called a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD, 远程定向声波发射器). It produces a deafening sound so painful that it temporarily disables a person. The noise from the LRAD is directed like a ray of light and travels only into the ears of that person, but it is not deadly.
For those who hunger for some peace and quiet, sound can now create silence. Let’s say you are at the airport, and the little boy on the seat next to you is humming（哼唱）a short commercial song. He hums it over and over again, and you are about to go crazy. Thanks to the Silence Machine a British invention, you can get rid of the sound without upsetting the boy or his parents. One may wonder how the Silence Machine works. Well, it functions by analyzing the waves of the incoming sound and creating a second set of outgoing waves. The two sets of waves cancel each other out. Simply turn the machine on, point it at the target, and your peace and quiet comes back.
Directed sound is a new technology that allows companies to use sound in much the same way spotlights（聚光灯） are used in the theater. A spotlight lights up only one section of a stage; similarly, a “spotsound” creates a circle of sound in one targeted area. This can be useful for businesses such as restaurants and stores because it offers a new way to attract customers. Restaurants can offer a choice of music along with the various food choices on the menu, allowing customers more control over the atmosphere in which they are dining. Directed sound is also beginning to appear in shopping centers and even at homes.
1. What could be inferred from Paragraph 2 about the effect of the LRAD?| A．It causes temporary hearing loss | B．It slows down a running man |
| C．It makes it easy to identify a suspect | D．It keeps the suspect from hurting others |
| A．silence the people around you | B．remove the sound of commercials |
| C．block the incoming sound waves | D．stop unwanted sound from affecting you |
| A．They travel in circles | B．They clear the atmosphere. |
| C．They can be transformed into energy | D．They can be directed onto a specific area |
| A．creative designs of restaurant menus | B．ideal sound effects on the theater stage |
| C．different choices of music for businesses | D．strict control over any suspicious customer |
5 . The pace of today's working life blurs(使模糊) the line between personal time and work time, and it increasingly mixes personal lifestyle and work style. And as companies are trying hard to attract and keep young people for their technical skills and enthusiasm for change, office culture is becoming an extension of youth culture. This may be no bad thing. For most of human history the middle-aged have ruled, but in the future, they will have to share power with fresh-faced youths.
There have been a number of reasons for this change and the most dramatic of these is technology. Children have always been more expert than their parents at something, but usually a game or a fashion, not the century's most important business tool. The Internet has started the first industrial revolution in history to be led by the young. Though there have been youth revolutions before, none of them made a big change the way the Internet has. Throughout the 20th century, if a young person wanted to enter an American company they needed to leave their youth behind. They got a haircut, and probably a suit or at least a tie. Now the same hair, same clothes, even nearly the same hours apply to office and home.
If it had not been for the Internet, this change could not have happened. However, it did not happen because of the Internet only; the corporate restructurings(公司重组) of the 1980s and 90s broke down traditional hierarchies(等级制度). In many companies, seniority-based(基于资历的) hierarchies have been replaced by hierarchies based on performance. The abilities to please your superiors are no longer the most valued skills. Today's employees stay with companies only as long as they feel challenged and rewarded; moving from job to job is now a sign of ambition.
The rise of the young is a good thing because it gives them more opportunity to put their ideas and energy into practice at their most creative stage in life. Nowadays youth and youth qualities seem to dominate, but the experience and maturity of older employees should be put to good use, too.
1. A company tries to attract young people for their ________.| A．office culture |
| B．modern lifestyle |
| C．changing attitude |
| D．technical abilities |
| A．work in the office and at home |
| B．have an eye-catching hairstyle |
| C．dress in the business style |
| D．leave the business tool behind |
| A．They become more energetic in life. |
| B．They have taken over the companies. |
| C．Their creativity can be put to good use. |
| D．Their ideas appeal to a great many people. |
| A．Young people will lead in fashion. |
| B．Young people will have more power. |
| C．Older people will step off the historical stage. |
| D．Older people will continue to be the main force |
6 . On September 7, 1930, Yuan Longping was born in Beijing. Fluent in English, his mother often read Friedrich Nietzsche's works to him. Influenced by his mother, Yuan Longping liked English, geography and chemistry at school. After graduating from university, he became a teacher in the countryside of Hunan in 1953.
With lots of crop failures, nationwide hunger hit China in the 1960s, making many people live a bad life. Yuan was sad and felt he must do something. Since the climate in Hunan was not friendly to growing wheat. He decided to devote himself to studying how to increase the production of rice, a basic food for over 60 percent of Chinese people. From then on, he began a lifelong connection with rice.
Yuan Longping succeeded in growing the world's first high production hybrid rice (杂交水稻) variety in 1973, which could reach a yield of over 500 kg per more than 200 kg than before. For the next four decades, he continued to work on the research of hybrid rice. In 2020, hybrid rice developed by his team achieved 1,500 kg per mu in two growing seasons, a new world record.
Nowadays, the hybrid rice is grown in almost half of China's rice fields and its production accounts for 60 percent of the total rice production in China. The hybrid rice production is 20 percent more than the common kinds , the yearly increase of which feeds up to 100 million people.
In 2019, Yuan Longping, known as the “Father of hybrid rice”, was awarded with Medal of the Republic, China's highest honor.
Yuan Longping's biggest dream in life was to develop more hybrid rice varieties, which could be grown all over the world to help solve the global food problem. So far, the hybrid varieties he developed have been grown in over 40 countries, including the USA, Brazil and India.
1. What do we know about Yuan Longping according to the text?| A．He began to study hybrid rice in 1973. |
| B．He received the highest honor in China at 90. |
| C．He ever taught math in the city after graduation. |
| D．He ever hoped Chinese would be free from hunger. |
| A．By listing figures. | B．By quoting reports. |
| C．By imagining results. | D．By explaining reasons. |
| A．Patient and honest. | B．Energetic and athletic. |
| C．Capable and remarkable. | D．Humorous and adventurous. |
| A．The life of Yuan Longping. | B．The team of Yuan Longping. |
| C．The honor of Yuan Longping. | D．The education of Yuan Longping. |
7 . The Biggest Stadiums in the World
People have been pouring into stadiums since the days of ancient Greece. In around 80 A.D., the Romans built the Colosseum, which remains the world’s best known stadium and continues to inform contemporary design. Rome’s Colosseum was 157 feet tall and had 80 entrances, seating 50,000 people. However, that was small fry compared with the city’s Circus Maximus, which accommodated around 250,000 people.
These days, safety regulations-not to mention the modern sports fan’s desire for a good view and comfortable seat — tend to keep stadium capacities (容量) slightly lower. Even soccer fans tend to have a seat each; gone are the days of thousands standing to watch the match.
For the biggest stadiums in the world, we have used data supplied by the World Atlas list so far, which ranks them by their stated permanent capacity, as well as updated information from official stadium websites.
All these stadiums are still functional, still open and still hosting the biggest events in world sport.
·Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang D.P.R. Korea. Capacity: 150,000. Opened: May 1,1989.
·Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U. S. Capacity: 107,601. Opened: October 1, 1927.
·Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania, U. S. Capacity: 106,572. Opened: September 17, 1960.
·Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio, U. S. Capacity: 104,944. Opened: October 7,1922.
·Kyle Field, College Station, Texas, U. S. Capacity: 102,512. Opened: September 24, 1927.
1. How many people could the Circus Maximus hold?| A．104,944. | B．107,601. | C．About 150,000. | D．About 250,000. |
| A．Michigan Stadium. | B．Beaver Stadium. | C．Ohio Stadium. | D．Kyle Field. |
| A．They host big games. | B．They have become tourist attractions. |
| C．They were built by Americans. | D．They are favored by architects. |
8 . An eating disorder is a mental health condition that significantly affects food decisions, self-image and everyday activities, which can affect anyone of any age and any gender. Millions of Americans are diagnosed with an eating disorder each year. Here are four common types of eating disorders.
Avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder
According to Alina Petre, a registered dietitian, people with this kind of eating disorder eat less due to a lack of interest in food or distaste for how certain foods look, or smell, or taste. They may lose weight, or experience nutritional shortage due to eating less than what is necessary for maintaining a healthy diet.
Anorexia Nervosa
This is the type everyone usually first thinks of when they hear the term "eating disorder". People with anorexia nervosa are crazy about perfecting their body image. They like to remain in control by limiting the amount of calories they consume to achieve their ideal body shape. Even when they are severely underweight, people with this disorder have a hard time recognizing it.
Bulimia Nervosa
People with this type of eating disorder indulge (沉溺于) in a large amount of food, and make themselves purge (清除) shortly after. Purging gives them a sense of relief. And similarly to anorexia nervosa, this helps them feel like they're in control of their own bodies.
It may be hard for others to spot those with bulimia nervosa because they might be able to maintain a normal weight.
Binge eating disorder
People who binge consume a large amount of food on a day-to-day basis. They often top the suggested daily calorie intake, and are usually overweight or obese.
1. Which of the following makes patients lack interest in food?| A．Bulimia Nervosa. | B．Anorexia Nervosa. |
| C．Restrictive food intake disorder. | D．Binge eating disorder. |
| A．To be a registered dietitian. | B．To experience nutritional shortage. |
| C．To recognize their underweight. | D．To keep their figure. |
| A．Feeling their bodies are under control. | B．Recognizing their own eating disorder. |
| C．Keeping a normal body weight. | D．Creating an individualized treatment plan. |
9 . Diwali（Deepavali）is a festival of lights observed in October or November each year in Canada. During the festival, various community groups, businesses, schools and associations celebrate it in different ways. Some companies have Diwali dinners and some communities organize gatherings that feature firework displays, dances, street lighting, and plays.
Many women wear fine jewelry and silk outfits to celebrate Diwali. Some women and girls use Mehendi, a dye decoration which can last a limited time, on their palms, and then they will finally get colorful hand paintings. Many homes that celebrate Diwali have various types of sweets, salty and spiced food as well as Diwali herbs （香料）. Various lights, candles and sparklers are lit inside and outside homes, particularly in courtyards, on Diwali. Diwali is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada but it is a prevalent festival celebrated in many towns and cities. There may be traffic jams and parking places may be full in areas where events are held to celebrate Diwali. Some Indian businesses may close early on Diwali.
Diwali is called the "Festival of Lights" and is celebrated to honor Rama, a hero who once fought and won a battle against the demons（恶魔）. In the past, people lit their houses to celebrate his victory over demons（light over darkness）. At the same time, every household did careful and complete cleaning at home in advance. It is believed that the goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi travels around the Earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright.
Diwali celebrations may vary in different communities but its spiritual meaning is generally "the awareness of the inner light". As the word “Deepavali” means “a row or cluster of light”, the festival symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness.
1. What can we learn about Diwali from the first two paragraphs?| A．It is celebrated on a fixed day. |
| B．It centers on various local food. |
| C．People stay up late to prepare for It. |
| D．People from all walks of life enjoy celebrating it. |
| A．Popular. | B．Free. |
| C．Serious. | D．Funny. |
| A．To pray for good journey. |
| B．To expect joy and good luck. |
| C．To create a romantic atmosphere. |
| D．To welcome their friends to visit. |
| A．Showing respect for others. |
| B．Staying straight and positive. |
| C．Valuing your family members. |
| D．Improving your living environment. |
| A．To stress the importance of a public holiday. |
| B．To tell an interesting story about a Canadian festival. |
| C．To briefly introduce a traditional festival in Canada. |
| D．To show different holiday celebrations in Western cultures. |
10 . “They tell me that you’d like to make a statue(塑像) of me-is that correct, Miss Vinnie Ream?”
The deep, gentle voice helped calm the nervous girl. Asking a favor of the President of the United States was no casual matter, especially for a seventeen-year-old girl.
“Yes, sir,” she replied, her dark eyes meeting his. “I wouldn’t have duo ask you, but my teacher, Mr. Mills, says I am ready. I plan to make it in an admirable manner. “
President Lincoln smiled. “Painters, sculptors-they’ve all tried to make the best of this ordinary face, but I’m afraid there’s not much hope. What did you have in mind, Miss Ream? A bust(半身像)?”
Before Vinnie could say yes, the President hurried on, a shade of apology in his voice.
“Of course-I shouldn’t have asked. A full-length pose would be much too big a project for a young woman your size. “
Vinnie’s face turned red. She realized she looked like a child, with her tiny figure. “Small does not mean weak, sir,” she defended herself. “I was born in the country of Wisconsin. I’ve driven teams of horses and carried water. Making a full-length clay(粘土) figure would not exhaust my strength-and that is what I intend to do!”
The President’s eyes, brightened at her show of spirit. “Sorry, madam, I have underestimated you as I didn’t know your background.”
But his smile faded as he rubbed his beard with bony fingers, in thought. “Miss Ream,” he sighed, “I’d like to let you do it, but as you know, we are in the middle of a war. How could I possibly take the time to pose for a sculpture now? I hardly have a minute to myself.”
Vinnie glanced around and noted the size of his office. “I work quickly,” she said. Her voice was soft but confident as she pointed to the corner near the windows. “If I were to bring my clay here and work for three hours every afternoon, I could complete most of the project while you are at your desk.”
The President seemed to consider her idea seriously. He got up and shook Vinnie’s hand warmly, “I’ve heard that you are a talented young woman, and I have found you charming and intelligent as well. I cannot make my decision immediately, but you will hear from me soon.”
The very next day, Vinnie received an invitation from the President.
1. What gave Vinnie confidence to make her request of President Lincoln?| A．Her aggressive personality. |
| B．Mr. Mills’s encouraging remark. |
| C．President Lincoln’s gentle voice. |
| D．Her interest in a challenging job. |
| A．Pleased. |
| B．Thrilled. |
| C．Regretful. |
| D．Doubtful. |
| A．her experience from other projects |
| B．her innocent childhood in the country |
| C．the heavy labor she had done before |
| D．the skill she picked up in Wisconsin |
| A．achieve effects of natural lighting |
| B．keep all her tools within easy reach |
| C．observe the President at a right angle |
| D．avoid disturbing the president’s work |
| A．A strong-willed soul can reach his goal. |
| B．Experience helps to promote excellence. |
| C．Ups and downs make one strong. |
| D．Devotion requires enthusiasm. |
