1 . I am Canadian, so I started learning French when I was 10 years old. But my entire experience with the language was in the classroom. All of that changed, however, during my last summer of high school. At age 17, I flew across the country by myself for the first time! I was headed to Quebec to live in the province(省)with a French-speaking host family. I would learn French at a local college.
When I arrived, I met my host family. They didn't speak any English. Though nervous, I introduced myself as best I could.
On the first day of school, all of us students were given a test to determine our language level. We also signed a contract promising to speak only French all summer. This even included times we communicated with our other English-speaking classmates.
The struggle to communicate in a second language was harsh but exhilarating. I made a lot of new friends, ordered food from restaurants and even saw a movie in French. I didn't understand most of it, but I loved the whole amazing experience.
On the weekends, my classmates and I took trips to different locations around the province. On one trip, we went whale watching on the St. Lawrence River. Even though it was raining, we could see giant whales swimming around our boat.
The most memorable part of our trip was a visit to historic Quebec City. I walked along the cobblestone (鹅卵石) streets and took pictures of the European-style buildings, and I learned about an important battle that took place nearby. I also got to enjoy a “beaver tail”-a special local food. It was truly an Eastern Canadian treat!
By the end of summer, I was communicating pretty fluently. I couldn't wait to go back to school and talk with my French teacher. Being fully immersed (沉浸) in a French-speaking environment was a valuable learning experience. At the time, I had no idea that I'd end up living abroad for more than 10 years. I'll never forget that first experience that paved the way for my future adventures.
1. What left the author the deepest impression?| A．Visiting historic Quebec City. | B．Speaking French with classmates. |
| C．Introducing herself to the host family. | D．Watching whales on the St. Lawrence River. |
| A．ironic | B．pleasant | C．dramatic | D．embarrassing |
| A．My First Experience with a Host Family |
| B．My Struggle to Learn a Foreign Language |
| C．An Unforgettable Learning Experience Abroad |
| D．A Foreign Language Experience in My Own Country |
2 . Todd Steinkamp left his hotel around 5:30 a. m. for a funeral in Green Bay. Wisconsin. About half an hour into his journey on the road, he noticed a strange sound coming from the front tire (轮胎). By 7 a. m, he still had 70 miles ahead of him, but the noise was so loud that he knew he had no choice but to stop.
Steinkamp thought there was little chance anyone in the little town could help him so early in the morning. Still, he took his chance at a repair shop and asked for help. The worker Geib checked out the car. Geib told Steinkamp the wheel bearing (轴承) was failing. Fixing it would take a few hours. And without being repaired, the car couldn't go further.
Steinkamp started working out another plan. Could he rent a car somewhere? Geib went to the store across the street, but its only rental car wasn't available. Finding another place to rent would need a 40-mile drive. Steinkamp was unhappy and worried at that time. “However, Geib reached into his pocket, pulled out the key to his own truck and gave me,” Steinkamp said. With a smile, Geib said the truck could go 120 miles per hour if needed.
The men had met just 10 minutes before. They didn't know each other's names, but Geib did that. Steinkamp jumped in the truck and drove it to the funeral. When he came back to the shop seven hours later, he chatted with Geib. He thanked the 74-year-old worker, who turned a terrible day into a good one with a great lesson. Just be kind and help if you can.
1. Why did Todd Steinkamp want to go to Green Bay?| A．To pay a visit to his friends. | B．To rent a car for his travel. |
| C．To attend a funeral. | D．To repair his own truck. |
| A．There was something wrong with his car. |
| B．He was too tired to go on with his trip. |
| C．There was something wrong with his friend. |
| D．He lost his way during the trip. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Impatient. |
| C．Sorry. | D．Upset. |
| A．Steinkamp was 74 years old |
| B．Steinkamp ran away with the borrowed car |
| C．Geib lent Steinkamp a truck |
| D．Geib worked for the author for free |
| A．Make enough preparations ahead. | B．Help others if you can. |
| C．Treat others with respect. | D．Learn from each other. |
3 . It was a stormy evening, and all that Neil could hope was to find a shelter that could keep him protected from the chilly wind and cold rain. After work he had to get home on time, as his busy schedule was preventing him from spending quality time with his family. The bus stop on the way provided temporary shelter, where Neil was becoming increasingly agitated(焦虑不安的) with every passing minute. All his evening plans were washed out.
“Sir, why don’t you buy a pack of groundnuts(花生) from me?” Neil looked around to see a man in rag standing by his side. “Oh, no, I’m not interested right now.” “Fried groundnuts will do you a world of good now. Moreover, you can also take some for your family.” The very mention of family brought a concern to Neil. His wife had specifically told him to come home early, if not for her sake, at least for the sake of their seven-year-old son.
When he was lost in thought, the groundnut seller had filled a bag with the remaining nuts and offered him an unexpectedly low price. But, Neil refused to buy them: “I do not want to buy anything at this point!” Suddenly, he heard a voice of a kid. “Dad, I want some money to buy books for the school.” He saw a ten-year-old boy, totally drenched from top to bottom, as though he had just run a race. He was talking to the groundnut seller. “Yes, yes, I’m ready to leave now. Come! How many books do you want? Why did you get wet in the rain? Your mother must be getting worried.”
Neil turned to the seller. There was an instant when they both made the perfect eye contact. Neil had the look of what it is to be a father. The groundnut seller did not say anything and gave the packet of groundnuts without saying a word. Neil pulled a note from his wallet, placed it in the man’s hand, and walked away without waiting for the change.
1. Why did Neil become more anxious at the bus stop?| A．The rain stopped him from getting home on time. |
| B．The chilly wind made him feel colder and colder. |
| C．He thought of his boring and heavy work. |
| D．He couldn’t find a good place to keep off the rain. |
| A．He didn’t have enough money on him. | B．His family doesn’t like groundnuts. |
| C．He was in a bad mood at that time. | D．His family was a little poor. |
| A．Wet through. | B．Very excited. | C．Well dressed. | D．Sweat heavily. |
| A．The seller’s generous action. | B．His having a pity for the seller. |
| C．The seller’s greatness as a father. | D．His being moved by the seller’s son. |
4 . Hunter McGrady’s All Worthy range was launched in April when the coronavirus pandemic most affected the world. Despite the social restrictions that remain in place in many nations, some of the pieces in her website sold out in a week and one in particular --- a black jumpsuit sold out in minutes.
She has come a long way since she struggled against a series of rejections from modeling agencies and agents who told her she would never make it in the fashion world. “I was really upset and thought that I wouldn’t be good enough unless I lost the weight they asked. Now, I let it roll off my back.”
McGrady was born in southern California on the west coast and her mother was a former model. Although McGrady had strong passion for the fashion industry in the early days, she felt her looks had been frequently judged unsuitable by short-sighted critics. “For both females and males, larger, fatter people are mostly ignored in the glossy fashion world. The ultra-thin models are considered the most attractive, even though the vast majority of ordinary women are on the curvier side."
The All Worthy fashion line includes a range of sizes from XXS to 5X. McGrady and other large women model the range for the line’s website. She was inspired to create the fashion range by the lack of attractive and well-made clothes that fit her. “The mission of All Worthy is to create a line that caters to women of all different shapes and sizes,” she says. “I hope all types of beauty can be shown to the public.”
1. What made McGrady upset?| A．The need for losing weight. | B．The unbearable pain in her back. |
| C．The objection from her family. | D．The prejudice against large body shape. |
| A．It is too harsh for most women. | B．It makes curvy women unwelcome. |
| C．It focuses on the popularity of models. | D．It overlooks the importance of fitness. |
| A．To design clothes for ultra-thin models. |
| B．To change critics’ opinion about beauty. |
| C．To show the charm of different female figures. |
| D．To inspire large women to join the fashion world. |
| A．Confidence Is the Best Fashion | B．Every Kind of Beauty Should Be Seen |
| C．Special Clothes Made for Models | D．A New Trend in the Fashion World |
I was on a train in Switzerland. The train came to a stop and the conductor’s voice over the loudspeaker
Everyone started getting off the train and an old woman saw that I was
I was really glad she was heading
She was really the
She had jumped from train to train and traveled the whole way just
6 . On Nov 2,Williams-Cole, a senior interdisciplinary(跨学科的)major, sworn in (宣誓就职) as the mayor of Camp Hill, Alabama, US, making him the youngest person in history to hold the office, according to WVTM 13, an NBC affiliate(分支机构).
Williams-Cole was prompted(促使) to run for mayor because he wanted to bring changes to his hometown, a town of less than 1000 people. The citizens of Camp Hill have seen a sad decline of their town with many empty storefronts, trees growing inside what used to be businesses and weeds sprouting(发芽) from sidewalks, according to WSFA 12 News, Alabama’s source.
“My main things is to create a foundation and clear up any debts we have to get our town financially stable.” Williams-Cole told Auburn University. “ While doing that, I want to carry out things that will increase unity in the town, like doing quarterly town hall meetings that are more informal and that celebrate the community. We need to open up the floor for people to complain if they want, because they have the right to do that as taxpayers.”
Williams-Cole has designed a detailed schedule so that he would have enough time for both his studies and his duties as a mayor. He hopes to use his education and his position as mayor to help other people, especially children. He said he would want to become an administrator at a boarding school, which gives children holistic(全面的) learning that is essential to contemporary society.
“Cole is different.” Mike Fellows, Lee County Circuit Court Judge, told Auburn University.” “He’s obviously willing to do a lot of extra work to serve his community. He cares enough to do it, and I think that says a lot about him.” The young man is set to graduate in May 2021. He plans to attend either grad school or law school, news outlet CBS reported.
1. Why did Williams-Cole run for mayor?| A．He wants to get some work experience |
| B．The town’s environment is suffering badly |
| C．He wants to contribute to his hometown |
| D．It’s a part of his graduation project. |
| A．Create opportunities for people to be heard. |
| B．Hire more teachers at boarding schools. |
| C．Hold regular meetings with local business. |
| D．Set up new companies to promote economic development. |
| A．Demanding |
| B．Patient |
| C．Responsible |
| D．Humorous |
7 . Pablo and Tiffany have been together for going on 12 years. It was a few days after Diego
Pablo decided to follow Diego to
Pablo knew there was no
Diego began the story. When he was playing here a couple of weeks ago, one of his friends
He felt incredibly
Pablo’s tears
| A．became | B．changed | C．turned | D．grew |
| A．pattern | B．style | C．model | D．manner |
| A．apparently | B．cautiously | C．controversially | D．consistently |
| A．following | B．listening | C．conducting | D．presenting |
| A．explore | B．recognize | C．relieve | D．understand |
| A．long | B．good | C．further | D．short |
| A．field | B．mountain | C．park | D．forest |
| A．temporarily | B．silently | C．calmly | D．nervously |
| A．predictable | B．doubtful | C．aware | D．believable |
| A．called out | B．sent out | C．blew out | D．let out |
| A．purpose | B．place | C．point | D．reason |
| A．statement | B．account | C．excuse | D．speech |
| A．innocent | B．bare | C．tricky | D．naughty |
| A．shamefully | B．intentionally | C．mistakenly | D．accidentally |
| A．bear | B．attack | C．survive | D．defend |
| A．illegal | B．guilty | C．amazed | D．ridiculous |
| A．though | B．once | C．while | D．because |
| A．Consequently | B．Constantly | C．Considerably | D．Gradually |
| A．rose | B．welled | C．lifted | D．shot |
| A．after | B．unless | C．before | D．once |
