1 . As children, many of us dreamed of being treasure hunters when we grew up. Few of us grow up to do this work, and those who do are often professional archeologists (考古学家). And then there’s Lara Maiklem, an editor, who has taken up the hobby of mudlarking, which is a kind of treasure finding, done along the banks of rivers.

Maiklem’s idea of “treasure” is self-defined. She says she was blessed with a mother who really taught her to look, and to take pleasure in the small things around her. So for her, treasure is anything extraordinary. “Finding dry snakeskin in the long grass, or broken china in the garden bed is like finding treasure to me,” she says.

About 20 years ago, Maiklem moved to London, but having grown up on a farm, she missed the peace of the countryside. Then, one day, she found herself at the top of a set of rickety (摇晃的) wooden steps looking down at the Thames’s foreshore. “The tide (潮) was low and the riverbed was exposed. I went down and started to look about. That day I found a short piece of clay pipe stem and reasoned that there was probably more, so I went back on another low tide and I found some china. Then I found myself going there regularly,” she says.

Maiklem says after she’s photographed and researched what she finds, she often takes objects back to the foreshore of the river. “What I do keep is limited to things I don’t already have, or better examples of things I already have,” she says.

In today’s busy, stressful world, arguably the best thing treasure mudlarkers take home is the relaxation and peace of mind found in the work of mudlarking. “You’ re doing a search, yet not really doing anything so you can let your brain wander. I mudlark for 5-6 hours, which sounds like a long time, but the time flies. By the time I leave the foreshore the river has taken away my problems, and that’s more valuable than treasure,” says Maiklem.

1. What does “treasure” mean to Maiklem?

A．Anything she believes special.

B．Anything her mother places around her.

C．Anything she and her mother take pleasure in.

D．Anything archeologists consider extraordinary.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The best place for mudlarking.

B．The typical way of mudlarking.

C．How Maiklem got into mudlarking.

D．What mudlarking brought for Maiklem.

3. How does Maiklem usually deal with the things she finds?

A．She cleans them carefully.

B．She gives them to photographers.

C．She classifies them as limited editions.

D．She gets them back to their original places.

4. What is the greatest fun of mudlarking for Maiklem?

A．Finding special and valuable things.

B．Searching for solutions to problems.

C．Enjoying the beauty of the foreshore.

D．Gaining a peaceful state of mind.

2 . A 62-year-old man has set an amazing world record, planking (平板支撑) for 8 hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds. George Hood spent around 2,100 hours planking to train to win back his record from Chinese policeman Mao Weidong, who took the record in 2016 at an event Mr. Hood also competed in.

“Anybody can do what I do,” Mr. Hood said in an interview. “Everybody has to start somewhere. Every tree that’s planted has roots. Once that tree is planted, those roots start to grow, whether it be 30 seconds or a minute or five minutes or an hour of planking. You start repeating the process and taking care of your tree, it will grow and you will improve and you will actually get better.”

Mr. Hood’s preparation included four to five hours of planking a day and 2,000 sit-ups, 700 push-ups, and 500 squats a day. He also attended training camps and had a practice attempt in 2018 in which he lasted 10 hours and 10 minutes.

His new record-breaking plank was sponsored by a US gym called Fivel5 Fitness, which was set up to help people experiencing mental illnesses that affect their thinking, feeling, or behavior. Throughout the attempt, Mr. Hood spoke to groups and listened to words from guests with autism (自闭症) and adult learning difficulties.

After Guinness World Records judge, Philip Robertson, said that he had broken the record, Mr. Hood said he would never do plank record attempts again. However, he ended the event by doing 75 push-ups after his 8-hour plank, indicating that while his record-breaking plank days might be over, push-up record attempts are happening in the near future.

1. What was Hood talking about in the interview?

A．How to plant trees.

B．How to keep a record.

C．How to look after oneself.

D．How to plank as well as him.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Hood had been training hard to break the record.

B．Hood went to a month-long training camp in 2016.

C．Hood planked shorter in 2018 than the new record.

D．Hood likes doing all kinds of sports in his spare time.

3. What might Hood do in the future?

A．Teach others to plank.

B．Work for Fivel5 Fitness.

C．Try to do push-up record attempts.

D．Continue doing plank record attempts.

4. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To tell us a funny story about Hood’s life.

B．To describe the advantages of physical activity.

C．To provide us with information on a new record.

D．To record a change that happened in Hood’s body.

3 . Many people believe that goldfish have a three-second memory. In fact, goldfish have very good memories for fish. They can be trained to react in many ways to certain colors of light and different kinds of music. Researchers have successfully taught goldfish to play fetch, push levers, and even play football.

Around a certain person the goldfish are very familiar with, they will often be much more active and even sometimes stop considering the person any kind of danger, even if that person sticks their hand in the water and tries to touch them. Around strangers, on the other hand, the goldfish will often hide. Blind goldfish also show this same type of behavior, except they react to the voice of their owner, similarly to how the non-blind goldfish react to the sight of their owner.

In one experiment, researchers even got the goldfish to learn that if they pushed a certain lever at a certain time of day, they would get food. If the lever was pushed any other time of day, nothing would happen. In very short order, these goldfish learned to only push the lever during the time of day it would produce food; the rest of the time, they took no notice of it.

In another experiment, researchers trained young goldfish to connect a certain sound with feeding time. They then released them into the sea. About half a year later, when the fish were fully grown, the researchers played the sound over a loudspeaker and the fish swam from wherever they were in the sea, back to where they were released. This has been suggested as a method to cut down the cost of raising fish. Teach them to come when they are young and then release them into the sea and lakes to grow to adulthood naturally. It' s better for the environment and less cruel to the fish (relatively speaking).

1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?

A．Blind goldfish can easily realize dangers.

B．Goldfish are able to recognize their owner.

C．Goldfish don’t like to be touched by strangers.

D．Blind goldfish have better hearing than non-blind ones.

2. What does the first experiment mainly show?

A．Goldfish have a good sense of time.	B．Goldfish are good at pushing levers.
C．Goldfish can play games with people.	D．Goldfish like to be fed at a certain time.

3. What can we learn from the second experiment?

A．Goldfish are fully grown within three months.

B．Goldfish prefer living in the sea to living in the lake.

C．Goldfish react quickly to the sound over loudspeakers.

D．Goldfish can remember things they were taught a long time ago.

4. In which part of a magazine may the text appear?

A．Education.

B．Environment.

C．Sport.

D．Science.

4 . With advanced communication technologics making the iconic British red telephone boxes expendable（可抛弃的）, a US firm is all set to bring them back to use. Call boxes would be changed into mini-offices for workers on-the-go and will offer free coffee to subscribers（认购者）.

Bar Works Inc's chief executive Jonathan Black, a Briton living in New York, said that his company will renew telephone boxes with fully functional printers, scanners, 25-inch screens and Wi-Fi. Bar Works specializes in offering bar-themed work stations in prime locations, charging customers with a monthly subscription in return for free access to the business and office supplies. The company plans to operate in a similar manner, offering British customers with monthly memberships to "Pod Works" for £19.99（$29）.

The company will refit telephone boxes in five major British cities and has already rented and changed 15 old call boxes in London and Edinburgh. As expected, they are coming into use by the public in the coming months. "Given the prime location, above all else, of the telephone boxes, the launch is expected to gain at least 10, 000 members by the end of 2021. It's an alternative to, say, Starbucks but obviously it provides you with total privacy. " said Black.

Thanks to mobile phones, the red telephone boxes have been effectively made expendable. According to a report by the Daily Mail, retired telephone boxes, especially those damaged deliberately, are sent to a "telephone box graveyard" of sorts, where they take great pains to restore to their former glory before being sold to collectors across the globe. Such is the demand for properly restored telephone boxes, that it is not uncommon for them to be sold for amounts as high as £10, 000.

Despite its setback, in a recent survey, the British red telephone box, which was originally designed in 1920, was voted the greatest British design of all time.

1. What will the red telephone boxes be used for?

A．Mini-offices.	B．Mini coffee boxes.
C．Bar-themed call boxes.	D．Leisure rooms for workers.

2. What do you know about the renewed telephone boxes?

A．They will be put into use next year.

B．They offer as much privacy as Starbucks.

C．They will be equipped with office supplies.

D．They have been rented in five major British cities.

3. What is Black's attitude towards the launch?

A．Doubtful.

B．Confident.

C．Cautious.

D．Uncertain.

4. What's the purpose of writing about the telephone boxes in this passage?

A．To arouse concern for them.	B．To introduce their new role.
C．To expand a larger market.	D．To advertise their launch.

5 . According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit, The study also concluded that, on average, it takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.

The 2009 study highlighted a range of variables(变量)in habit forming that make it impossible to establish a one-size-fits-all answer.

For example, certain habits take longer to form. In the study, many participants found it easier to adopt the habit of drinking a glass of water at breakfast than do 50 situps after morning coffee.

What's more, some people are better suited to forming habits than others. A consistent routine of any kind isn't for everyone, and that's OK.

If asked how long it takes to form a habit, many people will respond “21 days.” This idea can be traced back to “Psycho Cybernetics,” a book published in 1960 by Dr. Maxwell Maltz. Maltz didn't make this claim but rather referenced this number as an observable metric(度量标准)in both himself and his patients at this time. But as the book became more popular — more than 30 million copies have been sold — this situational observation has become accepted as fact.

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse, suggests that the first step is to become more aware of your habits so you can develop strategies to change then.

One strategy, Volkow suggests, is to identify the places, people, or activities that are linked in your mind to certain habits, and then change your behavior toward those.

For example, if you have a substance use disorder, you can be deliberate about avoiding situations where you' d be more likely to be around the substance. This can help you achieve your goal of abstaining from using that substance.

Another strategy is to replace a bad habit with a good one. For example, instead of snacking on potato chips, consider swapping for unsalted, unbuttered popcorn. Instead of reaching for a cigarette, consider trying a new flavor of chewing gum or a flavored hard candy.

1. What can we conclude from the 2009 study?

A．It takes at most 254 days to kick a habit.

B．Every behavior takes 66 days to become automatic.

C．The time of forming a habit depends on several factors.

D．Establishing a habit of doing situps after coffee is impossible.

2. Where did people's idea of “21 days” originated from?

A．Word of mouth.	B．Scientific evidence.
C．Misunderstanding.	D．News report.

3. What is the strategy to change a habit?

A．Changing people s behavior straight.

B．Forming a good habit in place of a bad one.

C．Avoiding activities you are fond of.

D．Becoming well aware of the habit.

4. What does the underlined phrase “abstaining from” mean?

A．Staying away from.	B．Adapting to.
C．Putting up with.	D．Getting down to.

6 . A new study using satellite mapping technology reveals there are nearly 20% more emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica than was previously thought. The results provide an important standard for monitoring the impact of environmental change on the population of this bird.

Reporting this week in the journal Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, the authors describe how they used images from the European Commission's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission to locate the birds. They found 11 new colonies, three of which were previously identified but never confirmed, That takes the global population to 61 colonies around the continent.

Emperor penguins need sea ice to breed and are located in areas that are very difficult to study because they are remote and often inaccessible with temperatures as low as — 50°C. For the last 1 years, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists have been looking for new colonies by searching for their guano(鸟粪石)stains on the ice.

Lead author Dr. Peter Fretwell, a geographer at BAS says:

“This is an exciting discovery. The new satellite images of Antarctica's coastline have enabled us to find these new colonies. And while this is good news, the colonies are small and so only take the overall population count up by 5 — 10% to just over half a million penguins or around 265, 500 — 278, 500 breeding pairs.”

Dr. Phil Trathan, Head of Conservation Biology at BAS, says:

“While it's good news that we've found these new colonies, the breeding sites are all in locations where recent model projections suggest emperors will decline. Birds in these sites are therefore probably the ‘canaries(金丝雀) in the coalmine’ — we need to watch these sites carefully as climate change will affect this region.”

1. How many previously confirmed penguin colonies are there in Antarctica?

A．11.	B．50.
C．53.	D．61.

2. Why are penguin colonies difficult to study?

A．They are located in deserted areas.

B．They are in the least accessible areas.

C．No one is willing to reach Antarctica.

D．There are guano stains everywhere.

3. What is Dr. Peter Fretwell's attitude to the scientists' discovery?

A．Critical.	B．Favorable.
C．Objective.	D．Indifferent.

4. What's the best title for the passage?

A．Faraway emperor penguin colonies

B．Emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica

C．Satellite mapping technology to locate penguins

D．Scientists discover new penguin colonies from space

7 . As a regular Duolingo user, I enjoy the app s simple, colorful interface and short, game like exercises. The app doesn't limit how many languages you can try to learn at the same time, or how many lessons you can complete in one day, even on the free version. I use Duolingo to keep up with Spanish and German. It's an easy app because it doesn't require you to create an account right away.

For example, even if you start with little to no understanding of Spanish, the lessons are pretty gentle. You'll choose which picture- paired with the Spanish translation- accurately describes basic phrases and words. Duolingo translates from English to Spanish and back again. Most questions let you tap or click on the Spanish word to translate it in case you get stuck. The app offers additional learning resources if you click the lightbulb icon, as well as the ability to fast-track your lessons if you click the key icon.

Duolingo's “streak” feature motivates you to keep up with your language learning efforts by tracking the number of days you've reached your point goal. It can also make it feel like your world is crashing in if you lose an 80-day streak. Resources such as Duolingo Stories, which are short audio stories that allow you to check your comprehension skills as you are available online and in the apps. Duolingo also has a podcast that reiterates the lessons you've completed.

You can also subscribe to Premium for $10 per month, which gives you access to an experimental feature that lets you chat with a language tutor from a country where the language is spoken. This isn't available for all Duolingo Plus subscribers though.

1. What kind of app is Duolingo?

A．It is free of charge to users.	B．It requires users to create an account.
C．It enables users to learn multiple languages.	D．It provides Spanish and German versions only.

2. If you need additional learning resources while using Duolingo, what should you click?

A．The lightbulb icon.	B．The word.
C．The key icon.	D．The picture.

3. What's the function of Duolingo's “streak” feature?

A．To encourage learners to keep learning.	B．To remind you of your point goal.
C．To provide resources such as stories.	D．To count the number of your lost days.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To instruct.

B．To inform.

C．To entertain.

D．To comment.

8 . Every child has a different personality, and those personalities need to be nurtured (培育) in a positive way. Here we have a list of extracurricular activities for kids and what your child can learn from them to help you make your decision.

1. Music

Some children learn to play instruments, while others prefer to sing. There are so many instruments to choose from that you are bound to find something that fits your child and that he or she will enjoy.

There is a certain freedom in music, and a lot of children find joy in it because of this reason. Not just that, children also tend to learn a lot about history and culture while learning something like playing a musical instrument or singing, especially if it is in the classical genre (类型).

2. Dance

Even among dance, there are so many types to choose from. He or she may prefer classical folk dances, or want to learn the more contemporary styles like hip hop or lyrical dance styles.

This is another activity that teaches children about culture if they prefer the more classical genres of dance. Dance is something that will help your child develop physically and mentally, as most forms of dance require discipline and endurance (忍耐力).

3. Sports

Sports such as football, basketball, cricket and softball require teamwork and a lot of energy, but if this type of sport doesn't sound like it suits your child, there are other options like tennis, badminton and golf that your child can try.

In sports like basketball and football, children learn how to work well in a team, how to strategies, and also build endurance. Every sport has something good to offer your child. whether they are played in teams or individually. Sports are great for competitive children.

4. Painting and Sketching

Perhaps your child is a blossoming artist. Playing with colours is a lot of fun and creating different works of art may be something your child would prefer over more violent activities.

Your child will improve his or her creative skills, as the more he or she is exposed to and works with creative things, the better the areas associated with creativity in his or her brain will be developed. Painting and drawing can also help develop problem-solving skills.

1. Who are the text intended for?

A．Children.	B．Teachers.
C．Parents.	D．Coaches.

2. What do children fond of music value most?

A．Freedom.	B．History and culture.
C．Classical music.	D．Musical instrument or singing.

3. If a boy is competitive and needs to improve endurance but he doesn't like teamwork, which activity is suitable for him?

A．Music.	B．Dance.
C．Sports.	D．Painting and Sketching.

9 . 2020's biggest fashion trends reflect a world in crisis

Functionality

Face masks became the unrivaled(无对手的) accessory of the year. People made their own brands，produced unique designs and, almost overnight, they became the finishing touch to many outfits.

Comfort

Fashion platform Lyst looked at search data from over 100 million online shoppers and, in its annual report, found that Birkenstock clogs, Crocs, UGG slippers and Nike joggers were among the year's most sought-after items of clothing.

Statements

Statement-wear took on an entirely new meaning in 2020. From protest T-shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement to political merchandise in the lead up to the US election, people dressed not to impress, but to convey powerful messages.

Conscious

Growing demand for local, handmade, sustainable clothing isn't a new trend. But the pandemic saw a rise in values-driven shopping, reflecting a shift in mindset among more cautious spenders, who, perhaps, also had more time to think about the brands they lent their loyalty to.

Digital

From Shanghai to London, fashion weeks throughout the year went digital to present new collections safely. During London Fashion Week in September, Burberry streamed its show— filmed live in the woods — on Twitch, a social media platform more popular with gamers than fashionistas.

The future

Fashion's recovery from the pandemic is set to be slow, with experts predicting a difficult year ahead for businesses. Trends seen during a year defined by crisis will not be left at 2021's door, and they may permanently change the shape of the industry.

1. What became the biggest fashion in 2020?

A．Digital products.

B．Face masks.

C．Statement-wear.

D．The loyal brands.

2. Why did some people wear T-shirts with Black Lives Matter?

A．To convey political statements.	B．To state an advertisement.
C．To impress people deeply.	D．To comfort online shoppers

3. Where would you probably hold a fashion show according to paragraph 5?

A．In a huge stadium.

B．In a big shopping mall.

C．On media platform.

D．By setting up a platform.

10 . Hall of Human Life(Permanent Exhibit)

Should you have your baby’s DNA sequenced? What keeps you awake? Step inside the Hall of Human Life. the Museums new biology exhibition, and encounter such far-reaching questions on an amazing journey inside the human body. Through digital media and personal interaction, you become “part of the story”, as you contribute your own data in a process of learning and discovery.

A Birds World(Permanent Exhibit)

This exhibit features the Museums extraordinary collection of birds，displaying over 300 species in New England. Here, you can learn to interpret the bird language taking place just outside your window at home.

Test your observation skills and see if you can get past different birds without them alerting(发信号)other animals to your presence. Learn to identify birds from a distance by recognizing unique flight patterns. Practice your flying technique in the Bird Walk.

Butterfly Garden(Permanent Exhibit)

Walk among the free-flying residents of this warm conservatory. It is a wonderful opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from New England and across the globe. The “Emergence Box” offers a window into the butterfly behavior. Look inside to see hanging chrysalides (蝶蛹)transform into adult butterflies. Tickets are required and visitors should reserve at least two weeks in advance.

1. How can you become part of the story in the Hall of Human Life?

A．By keeping awake.	B．On an funny journey.
C．By answering questions.	D．Through offering the personal data.

2. What can you do in A bird’s World?

A．Learn the bird language.	B．Watch all bird species.
C．Make your flying technique better.	D．Send signals to birds.

3. What is the main function of the Emergence Box in the Butterfly Garden?

A．Hanging chrysalides.

B．Getting close to butterflies.

C．Keeping the conservatory warm.

D．Observing butterflies through its window.