2 . Nathan was a boy in my band class as well as in my math class. I never really liked him. He didn’t have any friends at all and always sat _________ at the lunch table listening to music with his phone. People just walked past him without _________. In class, whenever he was asked a question, he would take a long time to answer it, which made the whole class get _________. Whenever he got an answer _________, the whole class would _________.

One day, when I walked into band class and was _________ to play my flute (长笛) , Mr. Kohler began the class. After we had played _________ for a little while, Mr. Kohler asked the class, “Who can tell what _________ it is just by hearing the pitch (音高)?” Nobody raised their hands except Nathan. When I saw him, I laughed and thought he couldn’t do anything _________. How could he possibly guess the note when the pitch was played?

Even Mr. Kobler laughed a little and then told Nathan “Come here, buddy.” Nathan __________ and went to the front of the class. Mr. Kohler had a tuner (校音器). He played a pitch and asked Nathan to __________ it. Nathan said, “E flat.” Mr. Kohler said, “OK. Good.” He played another pitch. “F sharp,” Nathan said. The whole class went __________. Mr. Kohler __________ Nathan by playing two pitches together. “C and B flat,” Nathan said. “Good job, go back to your seat.” he said.

Then I got surprised. Nathan had guessed all the pitches __________. That day I realized I shouldn’t judge people __________ little things I saw and that I needed to see the great things people can do.

1.

A．alone

B．lazily

C．happily

D．hopelessly

2.

A．listening

B．caring

C．praising

D．sharing

3.

A．satisfied

B．excited

C．confused

D．annoyed

4.

A．wrong

B．long

C．brief

D．puzzling

5.

A．shout

B．laugh

C．cry

D．help

6.

A．nervous

B．afraid

C．ready

D．free

7.

A．movies

B．jokes

C．games

D．music

8.

A．note

B．beat

C．tune

D．song

9.

A．independently

B．carefully

C．properly

D．bravely

10.

A．came

B．rose

C．jumped

D．sat

11.

A．repeat

B．guess

C．play

D．sing

12.

A．crazy

B．noisy

C．silent

D．blank

13.

A．tricked

B．bothered

C．encouraged

D．challenged

14.

A．correctly

B．luckily

C．seriously

D．confidently

15.

A．related to

B．leading to

C．based on

D．deciding on

3 . You know the feeling — you have left your phone at home and feel anxious, as if you have lost your connection to the world. “Nomophobia” (无手机恐惧症) affects teenagers and adults alike. You can even do an online test to see if you have it. Last week, researchers from Hong Kong warned that nomophobia is infecting everyone. Their study found that people who use their phones to store, share and access personal memories suffer most. When users were asked to describe how they felt about their phones, words such as “hurt” (neck pain was often reported) and “alone” predicted higher levels of nomophobia.

“The findings of our study suggest that users regard smartphones as their extended selves and get attached to the devices,” said Dr Kim Ki Joon. “People experience feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness when separated from their phones.” Meanwhile, an American study shows that smartphone separation can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

So can being without your phone really give you separation anxiety? Professor Mark Griffiths, psychologist and director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, says it is what is on the phone that counts — the social networking that creates Fomo (fear of missing out).

“We are talking about an Internet-connected device that allows people to deal with lots of aspects of their lives,” says Griffiths. “You would have to surgically remove a phone from a teenager because their whole life is ingrained in this device.”

Griffiths thinks attachment theory, where we develop emotional dependency on the phone because it holds details of our lives, is a small part of nomophobia. For “screenagers”, it is Fomo that creates the most separation anxiety. If they can’t see what’s happening on WeChat or Weibo, they become panic-stricken about not knowing what’s going on socially. “But they adapt very quickly if you take them on holiday and there’s no Internet,” says Griffiths.

1. Which of the following may Dr Kim Ki Joon agree with?

A．We waste too much time on phones.

B．Phones have become part of some users.

C．Addiction to phones makes memories suffer.

D．Phones and blood pressure are closely linked.

2. According to Griffiths, which of the following may be the reason of our getting nomophobia?

A．We worry we may miss out what our friends are doing

B．We fear without phones we will run into a lot of trouble

C．We are accustomed to having a phone on us

D．We need our phones to help us store information

3. Which of the following phrases has the closest meaning to the underlined phrase “ingrained in” in paragraph 4?

A．Approved of.

B．Relied on.

C．Opposed to.

D．Determined by.

4. Where can you probably find the above passage?

A．In a research report.

B．In a science textbook.

C．In a popular science magazine.

D．In a fashion brochure.

5 . Aron Ralston was a pretty normal guy, but he always had an extremely adventurous desire to travel and see the world. During his childhood, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, a place offering many opportunities to climb mountains, explore, and eventually become the adventurer he’d always wanted to be. Back in 2003, Ralston was climbing in the remote, mountainous area of Southwestern Utah, when the unthinkable happened: Aron got stuck in a crevice (裂缝) in the rocks and pinned by a big stone that weighed over 360 kilograms. The weight of the rock crushed his arm, and he was pinned by it. Aron took photos of his bad situation (which was going to get a lot worse), hoping rescue teams (救援队) would know where he was and came to remove the rock so that he could get out and home safe.

But rescuers never came. Aron waited for them for days till he lost his hope. He knew he had to do something. He was 18 meters above the floor of the valley where he was pinned in, and he had a pocketknife. He made what must have been one of the most difficult decisions of his life: to cut his own arm in order to survive. Aron cut the lower part of his arm off, having to wrench (扭动) his forearm against the big stone to break the bones, and then got himself down to the bottom of the valley, where he would begin to walk and search for help. Luckily, help arrived in the form of a helicopter (直升机) that spotted him, covered in blood. Aron had tied off the wound to keep himself from bleeding to death pretty successfully and would eventually make it out alive.

Ralston went on to become an inspiring speaker and continued to travel and climb mountains—he didn’t let an incident that forced him to cut his own arm off, stop him from doing what he really loved.

1. What can be inferred about Aron’s getting stuck?

A．It was unavoidable.	B．It resulted from his being lost.
C．It was unexpected.	D．It was caused by a moving stone.

2. Why did Aron take photos of his bad situation?

A．To send them to rescuers for help.	B．To keep a record of his adventure.
C．To remind his friends of the danger.	D．To tell the doctors about his wound.

3. What did he do to survive when no rescue was expected come?

A．He waited for the rescue to come.

B．He cut the stone using his pocketknife.

C．He moved off the stone using all his might.

D．He cut his lower part of his arm and broke the bones.

4. What helped Aron Ralston survive?

A．His cruelty and anger.	B．His effort and bravery.
C．His talent and creativity.	D．His calmness and determination.

7 . Generation Z is different. As a whole, Americans born between the late 1990s and early 2000s are less likely to have work or look for it: their labour-force-participation rate is 71%, compared with 75% for millennials (born between 1980 and the late 1990s) and 78% for Generation X (born in the decade or so to 1980) when each came of age. As a result, they make up a smaller share of the workforce. With graduation ceremonies behind them, the latest group of diploma-holders are entering the job market. What they want from employers is also not quite the same as in generations past.

Although Gen-Z employees felt more lonely and isolated than their older colleagues at the start of the pandemic, the ability to work remotely has brought new possibilities. The benefits go beyond working in your pyjamas. Many are taking calls from beach chairs and hammocks (吊床) in more comfortable places or fleeing big cities in search for cheaper or larger homes.

This has big implications. Industries with jobs that cannot be done from home are falling out of favour with recent graduates. A study by ManpowerGroup, an employment company, suggests an inverse relationship (反比关系) between talent shortages and flexible working policies. The sectors which are either less able to offer remote work or have been slower to embrace it-including construction, finance and manufacturing-have faced some of the biggest skills gaps for all types of jobs.

That in turn has accelerated a pre-existing trend of young employees trading Wall Street for Silicon Valley. Now technology bosses are more willing than their opposite competitors in finance to let employees work from home (or anywhere else). Annual rankings of employer desirability by Universum, a graduate-staffing consultancy, bear this out. In 2008 the list of best employers graded by American graduates was dominated by big banks and the Big Four consulting firms. By 2021 seven of the ten highest spots were occupied by tech and media giants.

1. What does the underlined word “diploma-holders” in the first paragraph refer to?

A．Employees.

B．Students.

C．Graduates.

D．Shareholders.

2. Why do Gen-Z employees prefer work remotely?

A．They can’t afford to live in big cities.

B．They want to spend their days on the beach.

C．They want to work in a more flexible way.

D．They prefer wearing pyjamas while working

3. What does the study by ManpowerGroup suggest?

A．All walks of life are facing some of the biggest skills gaps.

B．Industries with jobs that cannot be done from home are less popular.

C．Industries with flexible working policies may suffer talent shortages.

D．Construction, finance and manufacturing can’t offer remote work.

4. Why does the author mention Wall Street and Silicon Valley?

A．To show that job-hopping among young employees is popular.

B．To indicate that young people prefer to work in big companies.

C．To weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of the two industries.

D．To prove that tech firms are more attractive due to its flexible working ways.

8 . Leek Town Warriors was a girls’ football team which used to get routinely defeated every time they turned out, until James Henry stepped in two years ago. He tended to transform the team’s fortunes and then took the job when the previous coach quit. With the help of his assistant Andy Austin, they started training hard in April 2020.

Some players had never kicked a football before joining the team, so training them took hours of hard work and patience. After a good few weeks, they got down to training and really started to take it in what the coach wanted. “I insist on doing the basic stuff well and letting the girls decide what they feel they need to work on.” James said.

James’ first season was ruined by the pandemic, which forced him and Andy to get creative with training. They organized team-building activities with the girls to help them bond on and off the field. James then spent the sessions they could hold focusing on the basics of football like passing and shooting, bringing the girls up to a good standard.

James watched the girls develop over the course of last year, and in September they played their first match of the new season. They won the game, and since then went on an unbeaten run of eight games. The team’s star player, 15-year-old Chelsea, has also impressed the audience individually, becoming the top scorer in the league with incredible 30 goals.

James said, “All the effort that the girls, us coaches and parents have put in to get this point has been enormous. If I hadn’t had the support of Andy helping me every week, this would have been an impossible task. So I’m incredibly grateful to have him on side. All we want is to bring more girls into the game and show that it’s not all about having the best players; it’s about hard work and giving everyone the chance to play.”

1. Why did James Henry take over the soccer team?

A．Because he wanted to try his luck.

B．Because he wanted to turn things around.

C．Because the previous coach recommended him.

D．Because he hoped to fulfill his champion dream.

2. What did James do to change the situation?

A．Lay stress on basic skills.	B．Develop players’ patience.
C．Pick experienced players.	D．Make decisions for the girls.

3. What did the team achieve after James was in charge?

A．They became an unbeaten team in the new season.

B．They stood out in James’ first season.

C．They scored 30 goals in the new season.

D．They won regularly and secured progress.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Talent is the key.	B．Joint efforts matter.
C．Every dog has his day.	D．Time and tide wait for no man.

9 . Weald & Downland Living Museum

Fun fact

Over 50 historic buildings from across the Weald and Downland area have been dismantled (拆除) and then reconstructed across a lovely 40-acre site in the south downs national park.

The collection of buildings represents almost a thousand years of rural life in south-east England: furnished just as they would have been in the past-complete with the homes, farms and public buildings. There’s a sense of exploring a real village as you wander between them along green paths, stopping to climb the stairs of a 17th-century craftsman’s (工匠) cottage to lie on the straw bed or sheltering from a shower in a smoky, 14th-century hall.

Getting there

The Stagecoach 60 bus service from Chichester to Midhurst stops just five minutes away at Grooms Yard, Singleton. The nearest railway stations are Chichester (2 miles) and Haslemere (7 miles). The museum is on Town Lane in Singleton, reached via the A286 from Chichester to Midhurst. Parking is free and there are disabled parking spaces opposite the museum shop.

Value for money?

Yes. It’s not cheap but it’s a special experience that easily fills a day. Plus it’s a valuable cause worth supporting. Adults £14, children 5—17 and students £6.50, under-4s free, family £38 (two adults and two children) or £25 (one adult and three children).

Opening hours

Daily 10 a.m.—5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.).

1. What can visitors do in Weald & Downland Living Museum?

A．Take a shower in the smoky hall.	B．Learn construction techniques.
C．Experience rural life centuries ago.	D．Stay overnight at craftsman s cottage.

2. How much would a couple with their 3-year-old daughter pay for admission?

A．£25.

B．£28.

C．£34.5.

D．£38.

3. What do we know about Weald & Downland Living Museum?

A．It charges parking fees.

B．It allows visitors to enter until 5 p.m.

C．It is inconveniently located for bus riders.

D．It offers the disabled thoughtful service.

10 . Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.

Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.

Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.

Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.

Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”

1. What is special about tiny forests?

A．They originated in North America.	B．They are usually planted in schools.
C．They contain various types of trees.	D．They become mature in a shorter time.

2. What surprised Walsh in the process of planting the tiny forest?

A．The abundance of native tree species.	B．Public concern about the environment.
C．The active participation of students.	D．Support from local organizations.

3. How does Megan Cover feel about the project?

A．Proud.

B．Regretful.

C．Grateful.

D．Disappointed.

4. What does Walsh want the forest to function as for the students?

A．A model.

B．A reminder.

C．A resource.

D．A witness.