1 . I was unbelievably proud of my nine–year–old daughter, Emily. Determined to buy a mountain bike, she’d been saving her pocket money all the year, as well as doing small jobs to earn extra money.
By Thanksgiving Day, she had collected only＄49. I said, “You can have your pick from my bicycle collection.” “Thanks, Daddy. But your bikes are so old.” She was right. All my girls’ bikes were 1980s models, not the kind kids today would likely choose.
As Christmas drew near, Emily and I went bike shopping. As we left one store, she noticed a Salvation(救助) Army volunteer standing next to a big pot. “Can we give something, Daddy?” she asked. “Sorry, Emily. I’m out of change.”
Throughout December, Emily continued to work hard. Then one day, she made a surprising decision. “You know all the money I’ve been saving?” she said hesitantly. “I’m going to give it to the poor people.” So one cold morning before Christmas, Emily gave her total savings of＄58 to a volunteer who was really very thankful.
Affected by Emily’s deed, I decided to contribute one of my old bicycles to a car dealer who was collecting used bikes for poor children. As I selected a shiny model from my collection, however, it seemed as if a second bike took on a glow（发光). Should I contribute two? No, one would be enough. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should give a second bike. When I later delivered the bikes, the car dealer said, “You’re making two kids very happy, sir. Here are your tickets. For each bicycle contributed, we’re giving away one chance to win a girls’ mountain bike.”
Why wasn’t I surprised when that second ticket turned out to be the winner? I like to think it was God’s way of rewarding a little girl for a sacrifice（牺牲）beyond her age—while giving her dad a lesson in the process.
1. The father took pride in his daughter probably NOT because_____.| A．she’d been saving her pocket money all the year |
| B．she’d been doing small jobs to earn extra money |
| C．she made up her mind to buy a mountain bike |
| D．she presented her total savings of＄58 to a volunteer |
| A．Emily was angry with her father as he didn’t give his change. |
| B．The volunteer wasn’t moved by Emily’s donation of her savings. |
| C．The car dealer exchanged two tickets for the father’s two bikes. |
| D．The father made his final decision that he should give one more bike. |
| A．The car dealer cheated people of their contributions. |
| B．Two girls really appreciated receiving donated bikes. |
| C．Emily got a mountain bike for her kindness finally. |
| D．The father felt regretful for winning a girl’s mountain bike. |
| A．One good turn deserves another. | B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．Do as you would be done. | D．Great minds think alike. |
2 . Beijing will provide COVID-19 vaccinations(接种疫苗）for certain groups in nursing homes, including the elderly and caregivers, on a voluntary basis to prevent a renewed outbreak at nursing homes during autumn and winter, the local government said.
Those who will receive the vaccines include nursing home kitchen workers, security guards and cleaners. Beijing Daily reported on Friday.
Xing Yinli ,director of Jingkangyuan, a nursing home in Fengtai district with about 290 elderly residents(居民），said they have received the document(文件）recently and will strictly follow its guidance.
It’s our top duty to strengthen prevention and control.,"Xing said,adding they have been using methods such as keeping detailed records of resident contacts outside the nursing home,and encouraging online visits for family members..
As to vaccinations, she said they will ask for permission from residents,their family members and workers before giving vaccines.
In late October,Shaoxing,Zhejiang province carried out an emergencyCOVTD-19 vaccine program,allowing the public to ask for injections(注射）in advance,with key groups first. A similar program was also organized in Jiaxing,Ningbo and Yiwu in Zhejiang.
Nationwide,emergency use of home grown COVID-19 vaccines was approved in June and launched in late July. China now has four coronavirus candidate vaccines in the third stage clinical trials(临床试验）.
The document from Beijing also said nursing homes should conduct nucleic acid testing(核酸检测） every month among kitchen workers and residents who leave the nursing homes to see a doctor. Tests will cover all people in nursing homes considered at high risk if new infections are reported in the city. Besides, routine disinfections (消毒） should be strengthened in kitchens, storerooms and restrooms, it said. The document also recommended noncontact visits from family members.
1. Where can you probably find this article?| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a fashion magazine. |
| C．In a book review. | D．In a travel journal. |
| A．The nursing home kept detailed records of residents, |
| B．All the members will make preparations for injections. |
| C．The nursing home takes prevention and control seriously. |
| D．Jiaxing is the first city to have carried out an emergency program. |
| A．China is providing vaccinations nationwide. |
| B．China has made great progress in coronavirus vaccines. |
| C．Chain has taken the lead in coronavirus vaccines worldwide. |
| D．The four candidate vaccines have finished clinical trails |
| A．Nursing homes should conduct nucleic acid testing. |
| B．Beijing nursing homes are to be provided vaccines. |
| C．Certain groups will have vaccines first in late June. |
| D．Routine disinfections should be strengthened in kitchens. |
3 . Top Music Festivals in 2021
Coachella
Selling out fast every year, the Indio desert becomes a fashionable place where the coolest bands are watched by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone's bucket list of festivals, Coachella is a constant source of annual expectation and a hotbed for musical discussion.
When &. where: April 9-11 &. 16-18, 2021; Indio
Ultra Music Festival
Seen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music fans across the nation and globe, the streets of Miami turn into a bold and bumping party with popular DJs playing what will be the sounds of summer.
When & where: March 26-28, 2021; Miami
South By South West
Regarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, films and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Virtually taking over the city of Austin, everyone in the world of music from fans to media flock here to discover the next big thing.
When &, where: March 16-20, 2021; Austin
The Governors Ball Music Festival
Another event which proves the music loving potential of Randall's Island Park is Governors Ball, an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop and folk. Providing a variety of music and food tastes, whether you look to kick back and relax or dance to the beats, Governors Ball has what you want.
When & where: June 11-14, 2021; New York
1. Which music festival lasts the most days?| A．Coachella | B．Ultra Music Festival. |
| C．South By South West | D．The Governors Ball Music Festival. |
| A．It's held in a park. |
| B．It features electronic music |
| C．It's a gathering of popular DJs. |
| D．It's the most popular in the country. |
| A．Indio. | B．Miami. | C．Austin | D．New York. |
4 . The Blue Cafe' Theatre
The Artist is a movie set in a neighborhood of the French capital, by the River Seine. Made in 1940, this black and white movie has made cinema history. A romantic drama that will make you cry, it is well worth watching. Don't worry if you don't know French; you can read the subtitles(字幕). Showing Sunday morning in the Blue Cafe' Theatre.
Elmstreet Village Cinema
Ask me that again! A great movie for all ages, young and old. It's a movie with something for everyone! Set in a New York college, it sells the story of a girl who is so pretty that every boy falls to her. But all she wants to do is study! Now showing until Sunday, Special afternoon tickets at 10% discount for the 4:00 pm matinee(午后场).
The Orange Cinema Company
Star Traveler is a great movie for science-fiction fans who like to have a good laugh at the same time. It may not be the best film of all time, but it certainly is the funniest. You will love Wil, the star traveler, who gets lost in space, chased by green aliens. Showing from Saturday at all Orange Cinemas , 7: 00 pm, 9: 00 pm and 11:30 pm.
Findley Park Cinema
Dance all the way! A musical romance, set in an arts & dance school in the US, the film will have you singing along and tapping(轻叩) your toes from beginning to end. Doors open on Saturday at 5:00 pm for the early showing.
1. What do we know about The Artist?| A．The story happened in Paris. | B．It is a color movie |
| C．It is a movie in English. | D．It is funny. |
| A．The Artist. | B．Dance all the way. | C．Star Traveler. | D．Ask me that again. |
| A．The Blue Cafe' Theatre | B．Findley Park Cinema |
| C．Elmstreet Village Cinema | D．The Orange Cinema Company |
5 . After an earthquake most survivors can be expected to recover over time, particularly with the support of family and friends. Some families will be able to return to their normal life quickly, while others will have to contend with the destruction of their homes, medical problems, and injury to family members. Children especially will need time to recover from the loss of a loved one or a pet or from the closing down of their school.
Children often turn to adults for information, comfort and help. Parents should try to remain calm, answer children’s questions honestly and remain understanding when they see changes in their children’s behavior.
Children react differently to an earthquake depending on their ages, developmental levels and former experiences. Some will respond by withdrawing (不与人交往), while others will have angry outbursts (爆发). Parents should remain sensitive to each child’s reactions. Parents should spend time talking to their children，letting them know that it’s OK to ask questions and to share their worries. Although it may be hard to find time to have these talks, parents can use regular family mealtimes or bedtimes for them. They should answer questions briefly and honestly and be sure to ask their children for their opinions and ideas. Issues may come up more than once and parents should remain patient when you answer the questions again. For young children, parents, after talking about the earthquake, might read a favorite story or have a relaxing family activity to help them calm down. Parents should also tell children they are safe and spend extra time with them. They could play games outside or read together indoors. Most importantly, be sure to tell them you love them.
1. The underlined phrase “contend with” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “________”.| A．deal with | B．make up | C．put off | D．turn back |
| A．read a favorite story to comfort them |
| B．ask them to help do some housework |
| C．be patient and answer the question again |
| D．take them out to play games |
| A．Keep a close watch on children’s behavior. |
| B．Tell the children they are safe. |
| C．Tell the children you love them. |
| D．Ask educational experts for help. |
| A．All people will recover from an earthquake quickly. |
| B．Children may need a longer time to recover after an earthquake. |
| C．Children should turn to their classmates for help after an earthquake. |
| D．Children react in the same way as adults do to an earthquake. |
6 . Richard Campbell is a secondary school student. He is 15 years old. He lives in a small town in the north of England. Every morning, he gets up at eight o'clock, puts on his uniform and walks to school.
One hour later, the lessons start. The students usually study maths, English, history and geography in the morning. They usually study music and drawing and they play sports after lunch. They have a ten-minute break between classes. They also spend a long time in the school library, reading books and doing their homework.
Richard likes his school very much. His favourite subjects are English and geography, but he doesn’t like maths because he is not good at it.
Richard and all his friends spend the whole day at school. Lunch is at one o'clock. He doesn’t like the food that the school serves. This is why he often brings a packed lunch from home. He always has his lunch in the dining hall, but some of his friends sometimes eat in the courtyard or outside the school gate.
At weekends, he always goes out with his friends because he doesn’t go to school. On Saturday, he always goes to the cinema or to the sports centre. On Sunday, he just goes for a walk with his dog.
1. What time do Richard’s lessons begin in the morning?| A．At 8:00. | B．At 8:30. |
| C．At 9:00. | D．At 9:10. |
| A．Maths and English. | B．English and geography. |
| C．History and maths. | D．Geography and history. |
| A．In the dining hall. | B．At home. |
| C．In the courtyard. | D．Outside his school gate. |
| A．He reads and does homework. |
| B．He goes to see films or does sports. |
| C．He walks his dog or does exercise. |
| D．He spends a long time in the library. |
7 . If you’re looking to buy a gift for your children, why not keep up with the trend and get the best hoverboard?
What is a Hoverboard?
A hoverboard is a two-wheeled personal transportation device. It’s electrical, portable and became highly popular in 2015. Typically, this self-balancing device operates like a powered skateboard.
How Does a Hoverboard Work?
The device may have many designs, but the mechanism itself isn’t complicated. Basically, a standard hoverboard contains:
•Battery: stores the electrical power. Almost all hoverboards use a high-watt lithium-ion battery.
•Gyroscope (one for each wheel): allows riders to tilt (倾斜) the hoverboard while maintaining balance and adjusting their direction.
•Motor (one in each wheel): provides the power to the wheels to keep the rider balanced and upright.
•Logic board: functions as the hoverboard brain. It processes data—your speed, tilt, etc.—and sends information to the motors. This unit controls the power of the board so riders can adjust their speed.
All the above components work together to control the power and tilt of the hoverboards so the rider is balanced, upright and moving at a controlled speed.
Why Buy a Hoverboard?
Undoubtedly, hoverboards are cool. You’ve probably seen kids riding one around the house. They’re a phenomenon and everybody wants in. So, why deny your kids and prevent them from being part of this trend?
Where is a hoverboard legal?
Despite their wild popularity, hoverboards have yet to become “street-legal”. Currently, some places prohibit anyone under 16 from using these devices, and hoverboards are banned in academic institutions and public places, like campus buildings, parks, shopping malls and subway stations. Some places have also put speed limits on the devices and restricted their use to bike paths. However, open areas—including your yard—are free of these restrictions.
1. The logic board of a hoverboard can ______.| A．store electricity | B．power the wheels |
| C．send information to the riders | D．receive data and give command |
| A．on campus | B．in parks |
| C．on bike paths | D．in shopping malls |
| A．To evaluate a gift’s quality. |
| B．To suggest a gift option. |
| C．To compare new hoverboard models. |
| D．To explain functions of the latest hoverboards. |
8 . Did you know that Albert Einstein could not speak until he was four years old, and could not read until he was seven? His parents and teachers worried about his mental (大脑的) ability.
Beethoven’s music teacher said about him, “As a composer (作曲家) he is hopeless.” What if this young boy had believed it?
When Thomas Edison was a young boy, his teachers said he was so stupid that he could never learn anything. He once said, “I remember I used to never be able to get along at school. I was always at the foot of my class ... My father thought I was stupid, and I almost decided that I was a stupid person.” What if young Thomas had believed what they said about him?
When the sculptor (雕刻家) Auguste Rodin was young, he had difficulty learning to read and write. Today, we may say he had a learning disability. His father said of him, “I have an idiot (白痴) for a son.” His uncle agreed. “He’s uneducable,” he said. What if Rodin had doubted his ability?
Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper editor because he was thought to have no “good ideas”. Enrico Caruso was told by one music teacher, “You can’t sing. You have no voice at all.” And an editor told Louisa May Alcott that she was unable to write anything that would have popular attraction.
What if these people had listened and become discouraged? Where would our world be without the music of Beethoven, the art of Rodin or the ideas of Albert Einstein and Walt Disney? As Oscar Levant once said, “It’s not what you are but what you don’t become that hurts.”
You have great potential (潜力). When you believe in all you can be, rather than all you cannot become, you will find your place on earth.
1. How many successful people are mentioned as examples in the passage?| A．Six. | B．Seven. | C．Eight. | D．Nine. |
| A．When he was young, Thomas Edison always got good grades at school. |
| B．Levant thought Louisa May Alcott couldn’t write any popular works. |
| C．Only Auguste Rodin’s uncle regarded him a boy of learning ability. |
| D．Both Enrico Caruso and Beethoven achieved their dreams in music. |
| A．He is too stupid to be taught. | B．He is very clever. |
| C．He is different. | D．He is a late success. |
| A．Working Hard for Success | B．Having Dreams |
| C．Believing in Yourself | D．Self-challenging |
9 . “Everything happens for the best.” My mother said whenever things weren't going my way. “Don’t worry. One day your luck will change.”
Mother was right, as I discovered after I had finished my college education. I had decided to try for a job in a radio station. One day, I wanted to host (主持) a sports program. I went to Chicago and knocked at the door of every station. But I got turned down every time.
In one station, a kind lady said my problem was that I hadn’t got enough experience. “Get some work in a small station and work your way up,” she said.
I went back home. I couldn’t get a job there, either. Then my dad told me a businessman had opened a store and needed someone to help him. But again, I didn’t get the job.
I felt really down. “Your luck will change,” Mom said to me. Dad lent me the car to help me to look for my job. I tried another radio station in Iowa. But the owner, a nice man, told me he had already had someone.
As I left his office, I asked, “How can someone be a sports announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?”
I was waiting for the lift when I heard the man called, “What did you mean? Do you know anything about football?” He put me in front of a microphone and asked me to try to imagine that I was giving my opinion on a football game. I succeeded.
On my way home, Mom’s words came back to me, “One day your luck will change, Son. And when it happens, you’ll feel good because of all the hard work you have done.” At that moment I knew just what she meant.
1. What job was the writer most interested in?| A．A sportsman. | B．A shop assistant. |
| C．A businessman. | D．A sports announcer. |
| A．Because he hadn't got enough experience. |
| B．Because he didn’t get college education. |
| C．Because he wasn’t a good looking person. |
| D．Because he was too young. |
| A．You just need to wait for some time then luck will come. |
| B．Luck will come if you try your best to do everything. |
| C．It’s important for you to wait for luck. |
| D．You should trust your mother. |
| A．Mother’s Words | B．Everything Happens for the Best |
| C．No One Is Always Lucky | D．To Find a Job in Radio Is Difficult |
10 . More and more shoppers are buying things online these days, allowing them to avoid aggressive salespeople and long lines at checkout counters. In spite of online convenience, however, there are some items—like clothes—that customers prefer to examine before buying. In light of this, two companies are Ending ways to modernize stores and bridge the gap between online and in-store retail.
Hointer, a software company that also sells designer jeans, has created a fast and painless shopping experience for its customers. Shoppers walk into a Hointer store and select one of the many pairs of jeans hanging down from bars. Then they point their smartphones at the tag and activate the Hointer app, after which they select the size and press “try on” The app then directs them to a specific dressing room. German-made robots search for the desired jeans and deliver them through a chute to the dressing room in about 30 seconds. Immediately after unwanted pairs of jeans are dropped through another chute, the “outbox”, they disappear from the list in the app.
Purchases at Hointer are made with a swipe of a credit card. And a salesperson is optional. This allows Hointer to hire fewer people and focus on their goal: developing technology that supports a retail revolution.
Men's clothing retailer Bonobos has come up with a more personalized shopping experience. Although it is in fact an online retailer, Bonobos has decided to open a handful of stores called Guide shops. Shoppers make an appointment online before arriving at a Guideship, where they receive one-on-one attention from a fitting guide. Because these shops have limited stocks, shoppers aren't able to take home the clothes they select. But guides help shoppers make online purchases before they leave, after which the items will be delivered to customers in one or two days. Following the purchase, the Bonobos customer service database keeps a record of each shopper's size, making future online purchases easier.
While Hointer focuses on convenience, Bonobos Guide shops focus on customer service. But both efforts have one thing in common: giving clothing retailers a new look for the 21st century.
1. The two companies are finding ways to modernize their stores because ______.| A．online shopping is losing its popularity |
| B．in-store retail makes higher profits |
| C．people's demand for in-store shopping still exists |
| D．store sales keep declining without high technology |
| A．It's a software company as well as a jean producer. |
| B．Shoppers can turn to a salesperson when necessary in Hointer. |
| C．The Hointer app makes clothes shopping more time-consuming. |
| D．Shoppers are welcomed by German-made robots in Hointer. |
| A．he needs to make an appointment online in advance |
| B．he has to make online purchases in the store |
| C．he should help create the customer service database |
| D．he can receive one-on-one attention from a guide |
| A．High Technology in Stores | B．Advantages of In-store Shopping |
| C．Competition between Two Companies | D．New Experience of Shopping for Clothes |
