1 . Once upon a time, when you first attended a youth sporting event, your parents probably weren't expecting you to become a professional athlete.They signed up for a basketball, football or swimming course for you in the hope that you might learn lessons about winning gentlemanly, losing with dignity(尊严)and insisting on it when things get hard. Yes, playing games is good exercise, but it is the life lessons that matter most.
For many of us, instead of looking to improve our minds and spirits, we began judging progress only by the size of our muscles or the numbers on a weighing machine. The thought that athletic competition is about greater life lessons and the building of character has been further undermined(削弱)by headlines about professional athletes.
“And yet there's still strong evidence that sports strongly improve certain personal qualities,” says Angela Lumpkin, Professor of the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas. And that's true for athletes of any age.Amateur sports(业余体育运动)provide a safe place for competition. They also provide a practice ground for managing stress.
The advantages of taking part in a sport can seep(渗透)into your professional life, too. In basketball, for example, “Getting everyone to play the right role on the court is the key to success,” says Alan Arlt, the founder of the Life Time Fitness basketball program Ultimate Hoops. “That is certainly useful in the business world, where everyone understands their own role in the organization.” “In athletic events, you go through good and bad times often in the period of two hours,” says former NBA head coach Flip Saunders. “Do you have the calm manner to settle yourself down, or do you totally lose it and get thrown out of the game which hurts both you and your team？All of that oncourt experience has a real effect on how you deal with reallife situations.”
1. What would parents expect when their children joined in sports?| A．To win as many games as possible. |
| B．To improve their health. |
| C．To make more friends. |
| D．To get through difficulties. |
| A．People play sports to build their character. |
| B．People still hold the idea that sports can keep us fit. |
| C．People keep playing sports to improve minds and spirits. |
| D．People pay more attention to the news of professional athletes. |
| A．support Lumpkin's idea |
| B．introduce the next topic |
| C．show another piece of evidence |
| D．show the main idea of the paragraph |
| A．how to succeed in the future |
| B．how to keep calm in certain situations |
| C．how to deal with reallife situations |
| D．how to understand the role on the court |
2 . We live in a world where it's often not easy to find someone to trust. A smiling person always inspires trust. Even economists consider that smiles are valuable.A smile may increase other people's trust by about 10%.
People may also smile when they are caught doing bad things.According to a study made by LaFrance and Hecht，this can in fact be to their own advantage.We have a tendency to be kinder towards those who make mistakes if they wear a smile while being caught.Even a guilty smile may help you get away pretty easily when you make mistakes.
We may also smile when we hear a piece of good news.In this case，women tend to smile more often than men.Smiling can also be a means of reducing the pain caused by a troubling situation.Even if we force ourselves to smile when we don't want to，this may be enough to lift our spirits just a little bit.
When we feel angry or anxious，our attention tends to narrow down.We can no longer see what's going on around us and we can only notice what is in front of us.But if we smile，we feel better and increase flexibility of our attention and the ability to think.Smiling can help us focus and understand better.
“Keep on smiling，and the world will smile with you.”One of the greatest social pleasure is to smile and be smiled to in return，especially because this comes like a natural thing.
People who smile often live longer.A study based on some pictures taken of some baseball players suggested that those who used to smile a lot survived about 7 years longer than those who did not smile very often.
1. The passage mainly talks about .| A．the benefits of smiling |
| B．the occasions when you smile |
| C．the ways of smiling |
| D．the reasons why people smile |
| A．admit their mistakes |
| B．show they are excited |
| C．avoid blame or punishment |
| D．prove they are kind |
| A．men seldom smile at a piece of good news |
| B．smiles can be helpful whatever the situation is |
| C．we should force ourselves to smile whenever it is |
| D．in general，men are more likely to smile than women |
| A．if we smile, it is hard to be smiled to |
| B．if we smile, others will smile to us in return |
| C．if we want to smile, the world will smile to us in time |
| D．if we smile sometimes, we will make the world full of smiles |
3 . In the United States, 30 percent of the adult population has a “weight problem”. To many people, the cause is clear: we eat too much. But scientific evidence does little to support this idea. Going back to the America of 1910, we find that people were thinner than today, yet they ate more food. In those days people worked harder physically, walked more, used machines much less, and didn't watch television.
Several modern studies, moreover, have shown that fatter people don't eat more on average than thinner people. In fact, some investigations, such as a 1970 study of 3, 545 London office workers, report that, on balance, fat people eat less than slimmer people.
Studies show that slim people are more active than fat people. A study by a research group at Stanford University School of Medicine found the following interesting facts. The more the men ran, the greater loss of body fat. The more they ran, the greater their increase in food intake. Thus those who ran the most ate the most, yet lost greatest amount of body fat.
1. Based on the statistics given in the article, suppose there are 500 adult Americans, about how many of them will have weight problems?| A．30. | B．50. | C．100. | D．150. |
| A．ate more food and had more physical activities | B．ate less food but had more activities |
| C．ate less food and had less physical exercises | D．had more weight problems |
| A．Fat people eat less food and are less active. |
| B．Fat people eat more food than thin people and are more active. |
| C．Fat people eat more food than thin people but are less active. |
| D．Thin people run less, and need less food to eat. |
4 . There are about 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs in the world. They are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the bestknown in North America is the sevenspotted ladybug, with its shiny, redandblack body.
In many cultures, ladybugs are thought to be good luck. Most people like them because they are pretty, lovely and do no harm to human beings. But farmers love them because they eat aphids and other planteating pests. One ladybug can eat up 5,000 insects in its lifetime!
Most ladybugs have domeshaped bodies with six short legs. Depending on the kind, they can have spots, stripes, or nothing at all. Sevenspotted ladybugs are red or orange with three spots on each side and one in the middle. They have a black head. Ladybugs are colorful for a reason. They tell the enemy: “Eat something else! I taste terrible.” When threatened, they may play dead. Birds are ladybugs' main predators, but they are also eaten by frogs, spiders, and dragonflies.
Ladybugs are happy in many different places, including grasslands, forests, cities, suburbs, and along rivers. Sevenspotted ladybugs are native to Europe but were brought to North America in the mid1900s.
Ladybugs are most active from spring until fall. When the weather turns cold, they look for a warm place to hibernate, such as in rotting logs, under rocks, or even inside houses. These hibernating places can have thousands of ladybugs.
The name “ladybug” was given by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them “beetle of Our Lady”. This later was shortened to “lady beetle” and “ladybug”.
1. The underlined word “aphid” in Paragraph 2 is probably a kind of .| A．pest | B．bird | C．plant | D．tree |
| A．all ladybugs have spots | B．the colorful body can protect them |
| C．most ladybugs are red or orange | D．frogs are not one of the predators |
| A．Ladybugs can live along rivers. |
| B．Sevenspotted ladybugs were brought to Europe from North America. |
| C．Ladybugs are very active in autumn. |
| D．The name “ladybug” came from “beetle of Our Lady”. |
| A．Sevenspotted Ladybugs | B．The Development of Ladybugs |
| C．The History of Ladybugs | D．Ladybugs |
5 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.
Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.
They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.
1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?| A．They produce oxygen. | B．They cover a vast area. |
| C．They are well managed. | D．They are rich in wildlife. |
| A．Heavy rains | B．Big trees. |
| C．Small plants. | D．Forest animals. |
| A．For more sunlight. | B．For more growing space. |
| C．For self-protection. | D．For the detection of insects. |
| A．Life-Giving Rainforests | B．The Law of the Jungle |
| C．Animals in the Amazon | D．Weather in Rainforests |
6 . For many parents, raising a teenager is like fighting a long war, but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict between neighboring countries, the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do?
Both sides want peace, but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part, this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents’ point of view, the only cause of their fight is their adolescents’ complete unreasonableness. And of course, the teens see it in exactly the same way, except oppositely. Both feel trapped.
In this article, I’ll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrels over unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teen’s hair, the cleanliness of the bedroom, the preferred style of clothing, the child’s failure to eat a good breakfast before school, or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends. Second, blaming. The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third, needing to be right. It doesn’t matter what the topic is—politics, the laws of physics, or the proper way to break an egg—the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong, for both wish to be considered an authority—someone who actually knows something—and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately, as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other, they’ll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress.
1. Why does the author compare the parent-teen war to a border conflict?| A．Both are about where to draw the line. |
| B．Both can continue for generations. |
| C．Neither has any clear winner. |
| D．Neither can be put to an end. |
| A．The teens tend to have a full understanding of their parents. |
| B．The teens agree with their parents on the cause of the conflict. |
| C．The teens cause their parents of misleading them. |
| D．The teens blame their parents for starting the conflict. |
| A．give orders to the other |
| B．know more than the other |
| C．gain respect from the other |
| D．get the other to behave properly |
| A．Solutions for the parent-teen problems. |
| B．Examples of the parent-teen war. |
| C．Causes for the parent-teen conflicts. |
| D．Future of the parent-teen relationship. |
7 . Journey Back in Time with Scholars
Classical Provence(13days)Journey through the beautiful countryside of Provence，France，with Prof. Ori Z. Soltes. We will visit some of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the world. Our tour also includes a chance to walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Gauguin. Fields of flowers, tile-roofed(瓦屋顶)villages and tasty meals enrich this wonderful experience.
Southern Spain(15days)
Spain has lovely white towns and the scent(芳香)of oranges，but it is also a treasury of ancient remains including the cities left by the Greeks，Romans and Arabs. As we travel south from Madrid with Prof. Ronald Messier to historic Toledo，Roman Merida and into Andalucia, we explore historical monuments and architecture.
China’s Sacred Landscapes(21days)
Discover the China of “past ages,” its walled cities，temples and mountain scenery with Prof. Robert Thorp. Highlights(精彩之处)include China’s most sacred peaks at Mount Tai and Hangzbou’s rolling hills，waterways and peaceful temples. We will wander in traditional small towns and end our tour with an exceptional museum in Shanghai.
Tunisia(17days)
Join Prof. Pedar Foss on our in-depth Tunisian tour. Tour highlights include the Roman city of Dougga，the underground Numidian capital at Bulla Regia, Roman Sbeitla and the remote areas around Tataouine and Matmata，uique for underground cities. Our journey takes us to picturesque Berber villages and lovely beaches.
1. What can visitors see in both Classical Provence and Southern Spain？
| A．Historical monuments. | B．Fields of flowers. |
| C．Van Gogh’s paintings. | D．Greek buildings. |
| A．France. | B．Spain. | C．China. | D．Tunisia. |
| A．White towns. | B．Underground cities. | C．Tile-roofed villages. | D．Rolling hills. |
8 . About eight years ago, Mary Grace Henry of Harrison, New York, asked for a sewing machine for her birthday. She wanted to design and sell headbands (头巾) to pay for just one African girl’s schooling.
Now, 11,000 headbands later, Mary Grace has sold enough to give 45 girls living in poverty the gift of an education.
Henry is the founder of Reverse The Course — a headband-making business that gives 100 percent of the money it makes toward educational chances for girls, primarily in Uganda and Kenya. Henry had the idea to start her business after learning about early marriage in some developing countries—a practice that greatly reduces the likelihood of a girl receiving education.
There are about 67 million child brides (新娘) worldwide, according to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). Girls in poor communities in the developing world are greatly affected by the practice, which “repeats the cycle of poverty,” according to the organization.
On November 6, Henry won a World of Children Award for her work to fight against the practice through educational chances. According to the organization, $35,000 will be given to support Reverse The Course’s work by providing money for student workshops and programs for girls in poor Africa.
“The greatest difficulty of education faced by both girls and boys is poverty,” Henry told the awards organization. “Girls, though, face a second hurdle that is far more difficult to address: their culture. In many countries throughout the world, girls are viewed as having not just less value than boys, but often little or no value.”
“When you see a need, act,” Henry said of the advice she’d give to others who want to make change. “Dream big, but start small, taking little steps. Set a goal and don’t frighten yourself by thinking about the ‘what-ifs.’ Each step taken will present both new chances and new difficulties. Face each one as it comes and then keep going. All those little steps, done with love, will lead you to places impossible to imagine.”
1. Why did Henry found Reverse The Course?| A．To develop girls’ sewing skills. | B．To raise money for the homeless. |
| C．To teach girls to design headbands. | D．To help African girls receive education. |
| A．Girls having less value than boys. | B．Child marriage in some countries. |
| C．Health problems in poor Africa. | D．Unfair schooling in some countries. |
| A．Mistake. | B．Choice. |
| C．Need. | D．Problem. |
| A．Treasure what they have. |
| B．Put themselves in others’ shoes. |
| C．Take small steps towards achieving their goal. |
| D．Bring happiness to others with time and patience. |
9 . Australians are pretty bold (大胆的) when it comes to humor. Not afraid of saying something insulting (冒犯的) in the name of a good laugh, they generally don’t hold back. This is always done in fun, however.
You get yourself a haircut before going to meet your new Aussie friend. You’re expecting to be praised. but what you hear is, “Did ya have a fight with a lawnmower (割草机)?” You might take this as an insult, but it’s just your friend’s way of saying that you’ve had a haircut.
Your friend comes knocking at your bedroom door one morning to tell you’re late for class. You were up studying late the night before and you look a mess. Your friend thinks you need to put a brush through your hair before leaving, but instead of just saying so he says, “Wow. Your hair looks like a bush pig’s arse.”He’s trying to be nice.
Australia is one of cultures on this planet where making fun of someone is a sign of friendship. If you find yourself being made fun of lots, it could be that you’ve scored yourself a whole lot of new friends. Consider yourself lucky — these insults are all part of building a relationship.
Australians also use a lot of sarcasm (讽刺). You foolishly say something that’s obvious (明显的). For example, “A six pack of beer is named after the number of beers you get in the pack, the number being six.” A normal answer would be, “That is the most obvious statement I’ve ever heard”, but an Australian would say, “Really? You’ re so clever”.
Now let’s say your teacher tells you that there will be a test the following day. Australians might say, “Great. I can’t wait to add preparing for a test to my already long to-do list. Thank you for this gift”.
1. According to Paragraphs 2 and 3, Australians try to be humorous_______.| A．by telling funny jokes | B．by making fun of friends |
| C．by laughing at themselves | D．by showing unfriendliness |
| A．Accept it readily. | B．Fight back bravely. |
| C．Mind your behavior. | D．End the relationship. |
| A．Dislike. | B．Worry . |
| C．Gladness. | D．Thankfulness. |
| A．By telling stories. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By providing examples. | D．By examining differences. |
10 . Some of the best museums across China are putting their exhibitions online in VR format for free. While stuck at home due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, why not take a detailed online tour at museums that you would not otherwise have time for?
The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum is known as the Forbidden City. Although the museum is now closed due to the current epidemic prevention, it's possible for visitors to take a virtual tour of parts of the museum without actually setting foot on the majestic grounds.
Visitors can browse all the buildings of the Palace Museums. More than 400,000 imperial artifacts have been digitized online, which can definitely help you gain knowledge and immerse yourself in a cultural atmosphere.
The websites: https://pano.dpm.org.cn/gugong_app_pc/index.html
https://www.dpm.org.cn/shuziduobaoge/html
Shanghai Museum
Shanghai Museum is a large and famous museum, which collects over 120,000 precious artistic relics from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty. The marvelous bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphies offer a visual feast for the eyes, and also provide a good chance for people to learn the profound Chinese history and culture.
If you are into ancient Chinese arts and crafts, then the online Shanghai Museum is definitely worth your time.
The website: https://www.shanghaimuseum.net/treasure/show/show
Mogao Caves
The Mogao Caves, also known as Thousand Buddha Grottoes, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province.
Now visitors can directly browse dozens of classic caves and appreciate the murals(壁画) by cave rooms through the “Digital Dunhuang”, the website of the Mogao Caves. The development of “Digital Dunhuang” not only shocks visitors in a visual sense but also “moves” the Mogan Grottoes outside.
The website: https://www.e-dunhuang.com/index.html
1. The people interested in ancient Chinese arts and crafts should visit ________.| A．https://www.e-dunhuang.com/index.html |
| B．https://www.dpm.org.cn/shuziduobaoge/html |
| C．https://pano.dpm.org.cn/gugong_app_pc/index.html |
| D．https://www.shanghaimuseum.net/treasure/show/show |
| A．Precious imperial artifacts. |
| B．Classic caves and the murals. |
| C．Ancient people living in the caves. |
| D．All the artistic relics of Dunhuang. |
| A．To guide what to do at home. |
| B．To recommend an online tour. |
| C．To support the sickness prevention. |
| D．To invite visitors to real scenic spots. |
