1 . Shanghai residents （居民） passing through the city’s eastern Huangpu district earlier this month might have discovered an unusual sight a “walking” building.
An 85-year-old primary school has been lifted off the ground in its entirety and relocated using new technology named the “walking” machine.
In the city’s latest effort to protect historic structures, engineers used nearly 200 mobile supports under the five-story building, according to Lan Wuji, chief technical supervisor of the project.
The supports act like robotic legs. They’re split into two groups which in turns rise up and down, like the human step. The sensors （感应器）help control how the building moves forward, said Lan.
In recent years, China’s rapid modernization has seen many historic buildings destroyed to clear land for skyscrapers and office buildings. But there has been growing concern about the architectural heritage （遗产）loss as a result of destruction across the country.
It is true Shanghai has been China’s most progressive city when it comes to heritage preservation. The survival of a number of 1930s buildings in the famous bund district and 19th-century “shikumen”（or “stone gate”） houses in the repaired Xintiandi neighborhood has offered examples of how to give old buildings new life.
The city also has a track record of relocating old buildings. In 2018, the city relocated a 90-year-old building in Hongkou district, which was then considered to be Shanghai’s most complex relocation project to date.
The Lagena Primary School, which weighs 7, 600 tons, faced a new challenge-it’s T-shaped, while previously relocated structures were square or rectangular（长方形的）, according to Xinhua.
Experts and technicians met to discuss possibilities and test a number of different technologies before deciding on the “walking machine”, Xinhua said.
1. Why did the 85-year-old primary school have to be moved?| A．To make room for modern buildings without destroying it. |
| B．To meet the new requirements of the school. |
| C．To protect it better as it is a cultural heritage. |
| D．To give the old building a new life… |
| A．By reducing the weight of it. | B．By using movable supports. |
| C．By dividing it into several parts. | D．By using robotic legs. |
| A．China’s rapid modernization leads to the architectural heritage loss. |
| B．The move of the primary school is the first example of heritage protection. |
| C．The different shape of the primary school adds difficulty to its move. |
| D．The move of the primary school is Shanghai’s most complex relocation project. |
| A．A news report. | B．A science review. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A geography book. |
2 . On the first day of fourth grade, my teacher, Mrs. Brown, told my class a story about her husband Rob, who is a brain cancer survivor. After what Mrs. Brown experienced with Robs’ illness, she decided to devote part of her life to an organization called Be head Strong, which works to support families with a member suffering from brain cancer.
Along with typical math and science, throughout the year, Mrs. Brown shared stories with us about people in Be Head Strong who had overcome some tough and unfair battles. Mrs. Brown never showed any sadness or confusion toward the disease. She instead spoke only with words of determination to find a cure. Whether news from Be Head Strong was good or bad, she always looked at the situation as an opportunity to improve and do more.
My parents taught me from a very young age that making wise choices with my money is important. I would always set aside most of my $ 2.50-a-week allowance. By the end of the school year, I had saved over one hundred dollars, $ 131.30 to be exact. One day was wondering what to do with it. I did not feel like any game or toy was worth the time I had spent saving. I thought about the stories Mrs. Brown told us, then I decided that was where I wanted my money to go.
As the last day of school approached, my mom helped me wrap the heart-shaped box full of dollars and coins. After all the other kids had left on the last day of school, I handed Mrs. Brown the present. As she opened it, I told her that I wanted the money to go to Be Head Strong to help people like Rob. She broke into tears and hugged me tightly.
People may not always realize how big of an influence one kind gesture can make. One teacher encouraged a decision in my life that has changed the way how I live.
1. What do we know about Mrs. Brown from paragraph 1?| A．She had just survived a brain cancer. |
| B．She lost her husband to a brain cancer. |
| C．She founded a non-profit organization for brain cancer. |
| D．She was devoted to helping people with brain cancer. |
| A．Outgoing and organized. | B．Positive and delightful. |
| C．Enthusiastic and patient. | D．Kind-hearted and strong-willed. |
| A．The author thought the money was worth something more meaningful. |
| B．The author’s parents were strict with him in buying games and toys. |
| C．The author was old enough to get rid of games and toys. |
| D．The author had no time to pick his favorite games and toys. |
| A．A Teacher—a Role model. | B．A Teacher—A Life-long Learner. |
| C．An Unforgettable Science lesson. | D．A Special Teacher and Her Life Story. |
3 . Time flies. Youth fades. Treasure each moment of your accompanied by guitar and drums, the Band for One, made up of five people, sang the lyrics soulfully during a performance in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on November 7, 2020.
Behind the band, there was a picture of a young man named Philip Hancock shown on the screen. And he is the reason why they were all there. Hancock was a 27-year-old Australian who taught English in Chongqing. When he died in 2018 due to a disease, his parents followed his wishes and donated his organs.
The five people introduced themselves onstage. They are the ones who received Philip's organs. "Last November, the Red Cross officials told me Philip's parents mentioned during an earlier memorial service that he loved music and dreamed of having his own band one day," said Chen Xianjun, a recipient. Chen was instantly on board to form a band in memory of Philip, and so were the other four recipients.
Since they had no music experience, they had to start from scratch. From learning the guitar, to mastering the maracas and taking on the drums, they took time out of their busy lives to practice over the past year. Peter Hancock, Philip's father, said after watching the band's performance, his biggest wish is for the five to enjoy their lives more.
Organ donation is not only the best way to honor a loved one, but also a remarkable way to save the lives of others. China faces a serious shortage of organs, with about 300,000 people waiting for organ transplant surgeries each year. But the good news is, more and more people have been signing up to be organ donors, showing the spirit of selflessness that Philip and so many others have shown.
1. Why did the five people form the band?| A．To compete in a singing performance. | B．To show their respect for Peter Hancock. |
| C．To raise money for the local Red Cross. | D．To express their appreciation to Philip. |
| A．One year. | B．Two years. | C．Three years. | D．Five years. |
| A．lose interest in music. | B．practice from the very beginning. |
| C．take part in training courses. | D．turn to some musicians for help. |
| A．Citizens are encouraged to donate organs. | B．Organ donation is the best way to save lives. |
| C．The author thinks highly of organ donations. | D．Few people are willing to donate their organs. |
4 . Surfer Dudes to the Rescue!
About 50 feet from shore of the Northern California’s Trinidad State Beach, two brothers were fighting for their lives. They had been swept out to sea in a rip current (激流), their mouths barely able to stay above the water. Thick fog made it difficult for beachgoers to see the guys, but the screams were unmistakable. And every second counted. The brothers, ages 15 and 20, were wearing shorts and T-shirts, unsuitable for a November day, let alone the freezing water. Keven Harder, a supervising ranger (巡查员), told the North Coast Journal in nearby Eureka that swimming in such a temperature “takes the fight right out of you.”
Luckily, four surfers in wet suits were nearby. Narayan Weibel, Spenser Stratton, and Adrian York, all 16, along with Taj Ortiz-Beck, 15, were on their surfboards riding up and down the coast on five-foot waves when they heard the cries. They turned and saw two bobbing heads and four struggling arms. “We looked at each other and knew these guys were about to drown,” Weibel told the Washington Post.
Weibel, Stratton, and Ortiz-Beck paddled toward the distressed swimmers while York headed to shore to warn someone to call 911. He then dived back in to help his friends.
As the surfers drew close, the brothers were still fighting hard for their lives. “It was pretty stressful, but there wasn’t any time to think about it, and that helped me keep my cool,” Ortiz-Beck says.
Ortiz-Beck pulled up alongside the younger brother. Grabbing him under his arms, he raised him up onto his board. Stratton and Weibel, meanwhile, hurried to help the older brother. He was large, 250 to 300 pounds, and he was panicked.
“I told them, ‘Calm down—we got you!’” says Weibel. “They thought they were going to die.”
York arrived in time to help get the older brother atop the second board. The surfers then paddled several minutes through choppy water to the medical help waiting onshore. The brothers were scared but fine.
“When we get a call like this one, it’s usually too late by the time we get there,” says Dillon Cleavenger, a first responder. “I can’t say enough about what these boys did. They were willing and prepared to risk their lives.”
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?| A．Two brothers were almost drowned in the sea. |
| B．Beachgoers happened to meet the two brothers. |
| C．The supervising ranger warned them not to swim then. |
| D．Surfers barely wore T-shirts and shorts in such weather. |
| A．Swimming in a rip current. | B．Surfing on high waves. |
| C．Struggling with their arms to shore. | D．Practising diving in the sea. |
| A．Andrian York dived back to call the police |
| B．Keven Harder played the most important role |
| C．Narayan Weibel tried to calm down the brothers |
| D．Ortiz-Beck saved the larger and panicked brother |
| A．Hardworking and friendly. | B．Kind and humorous. |
| C．Devoted and talented. | D．Brave and determined. |
5 . A message appeared in my Facebook Messenger inbox. It was from a woman I met briefly through a friend. “Hello, lady. Invite you to join my next challenge group — we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise, balanced nutrition and motivation. Let me help you reach your goals!”
I laughed and ignored it. Though I’m a little fat, I’m healthy. But the meaning behind the message stuck with me all day. The more the day went on, the heavier her message weighed on me. The insecurity about my body was brought to life by one little Facebook message. That got me thinking about stepping away from social media.
But what drove the nail into my Facebook coffin was when I posted a photo — and five minutes later my son asked how many “likes” it got.
Likes equal acceptance and approval, which need to come from within. I unknowingly set a dangerous example as it won’t be long before he has his own phone and the freedom to post his own pictures. I didn’t want him to wait for his friends to “like” them and like and accept him. He should know his self-worth doesn’t rely on what others think or click.
I deactivated my Facebook account. At first I felt lost. I missed the mindless scrolling while waiting in lineups. I carried a book with me. I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook as first thing in the morning and last thing at night, so I had to come up with some new habits.
And the results were immediate once the fog of Facebook disappeared. We were much happier as a family because I was completely present and the break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.
1. Why did the author feel the message heavier on her?| A．Her figure attracted others’ attention. | B．Her passion for keeping fit decreased. |
| C．Her fitness began to worry her. | D．Her private information was given away. |
| A．Difficulties in getting “likes”. | B．Possible influence on her son. |
| C．Problems with online safety. | D．Lack of time for reading. |
| A．Changed. | B．Canceled. | C．Hid. | D．Set. |
| A．Return to a Normal Life | B．Hello, Happiness |
| C．Develop a Good Habit | D．Goodbye, Social Media |
6 . Whether it is for a special festival, to express thanks or to just let someone know that you care about them, giving gifts is a common custom. The purpose of giving gifts may be similar, but the tradition varies from country to country. A gift of respect in one place may be considered rude in another. Take a look at three unique gift-giving traditions.
India
If you’re invited to someone’s home in India, you should bring a small gift, whether it’s a box of chocolates or some flowers. Gifts shouldn’t be wrapped (包裹) in black or white colors. because they are considered unlucky. Instead, use bright colors such as green, red or yellow. When giving money for any occasion, it should have an odd number (奇数) value. That’s believed to bring good luck. Instead of receiving a gift with both hands, Indians generally only use their right hand because left hands are considered unclean.
Japan
For most Japanese, the ritual (礼节) of giving presents is more important than the gifts themselves. The correct way is to present or receive gifts with both hands. Every gift should be wrapped. That’s because uncovered gifts are considered disrespectful. To show politeness and thanks, those who are receiving the gift may turn it down once or twice before finally accepting it. Gifts should be given in pairs, but four should be avoided just like in China. Lucky numbers also include eight. Eight is said to bring prosperity.
Native America
While it may be common for guests to prepare gifts for hosts, this is different in Native American communities. From weddings to birthday celebrations, guests are the ones who receive gifts. Gifts are usually homemade arts and crafts that are made by hand to show love, respect and appreciation.
1. What kind of gift would you bring to an Indian home?| A．Some chocolates in a green box. | B．Flowers wrapped in black paper. |
| C．Sixty dollars in a yellow envelope. | D．Seventy-five rupees wrapped in white paper. |
| A．To get another better gift. | B．To be more polite and thankful. |
| C．To refuse one’s kindness. | D．To be more outgoing and active. |
| A．To list some attractive festivals. | B．To compare some countries. |
| C．To recommend some formal gifts. | D．To introduce some gift-giving traditions. |
7 . Teaching is not an easy career (职业) to go into, yet it’s one of the most important careers in a culture. The future of a country depends on the quality of education that its next generation (代) receives and the character that the children develop. Even though educators are the most important part of our schools, the structure (结构) of the education system in the United States is not set up to fully support them. In fact, it often puts them in difficult situations.
In most careers, salaries (工资) are based on education, experience, and performance. Not so with teaching. In many schools, teachers aren’t paid based on their level of education or experience. Though many go into the career because of their love of teaching and working with children, being fairly rewarded for their work is a problem.
Add to the fact that many teachers have to spend their summers making enough money to support their family, so many teachers are leaving the field. A 2019 study reported that about 8% of teachers gave up the career each year. The result will soon be that there won’t be enough educators.
One of the reasons why teachers are leaving the field is that they don’t get respect in the classroom. Disrespect, in my view, is the biggest problem that our teachers face and it has got worse in recent years.
How to improve this situation? Schools should take care of teachers in them, and our teachers need more of us to support them. They need us to raise our voices for a stronger education system that supports them. They should be offered better salaries and more chances of career improvement. These will encourage more people to be teachers.
1. How does the author like the structure of the American education system?| A．It is unsatisfying. | B．It is full of risks. |
| C．It fully supports teachers. | D．It puts teachers in good situations. |
| A．They need some training in teaching. |
| B．They have to visit students' parents. |
| C．They have to look after students. |
| D．They need to make extra money. |
| A．Enough respect. | B．Increase in salaries. |
| C．Rights to control students. | D．Teaching methods. |
| A．Requiring kids to work hard at school. |
| B．Calling for a better education system. |
| C．Encouraging more people to be teachers. |
| D．Having a better understanding of books. |
8 . A doctor entered the hospital hurriedly after being called in for an important surgery. He found the boy's father in the hall waiting worriedly.
On seeing him, the father cried out, "Why did you take all this time to come? Don't you know that my son is in danger? Don't you have any sense of duty?"
The doctor smiled and said, "I am sorry. I wasn't in the hospital and I came as fast as I could after receiving the call and now, I wish you'd calm down so that I can do my work."
"Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now? Would you calm down? If your own son dies while waiting for a doctor, then what will you do?" said the father angrily. The doctor smiled again and replied, "We will do our best and you should also pray for your son's healthy life."
The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy, "Thank goodness! Your son is saved!" And without waiting for the father's reply, he carried on his way running by saying, "If you have any questions, ask the nurse."
"Couldn't he wait some minutes so that I can ask about my son's state?" shouted the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.
The nurse answered, tears coming down her face. "His son died yesterday in a road accident. He was at the burial when we called him for your son's surgery. And now that he saved your son's life, he left running to finish his son's burial."
1. What did the doctor do after he received the call for the surgery?| A．He asked another doctor to do his duty. | B．He went to the hospital as soon as possible. |
| C．He discussed the boy's state with the father. | D．He waited until his son's burial was finished. |
| A．he had waited too long | B．no one cared for his son |
| C．the doctor was cold to him | D．the surgery took a long time |
| A．Angry. | B．Excited. | C．Sorry. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Seeing is believing | B．Time waits for no man |
| C．Practice makes perfect | D．Think before you decide |
9 . The United States celebrates Valentine's Day each year on February 14. Many other countries celebrate Valentine's Day, too, each in their own way. Here is a look at the Valentine's Day traditions in three countries.
Wales：land of love spoons
In Wales, it is called St. Dwynwen's Day, which takes place on January 25. The traditional romantic gift on this day is a love spoon.
Beginning in the 17th century, Welsh men made beautiful wooden spoons as a show of their love for that special person in their lives. Each shape of the spoons has a different meaning. For example, horseshoes mean good luck；keys represent the key to a lover's heart；and wheels are a sign of support.
Argentina：a week of sweets
Argentina celebrates Valentine's Day in February, but also gives a whole other week to love in July. They call it Sweetness Week. If you kiss someone, they have to give you a sugary treat.
Sweetness Week started in 1989 with a candy company called Arcor. They made an advertisement called “Candy for a Kiss". The idea was to give the company's chocolates and other candies in exchange for a sweet kiss on the cheek. The campaign had a stronger effect than the company expected—it led to a new holiday!
Every July, couples who take part give each other candies and kisses all week long.
South Korea: three is a charm
For South Koreans, Valentine's Day happens in three parts：February 14, March 14 and April 14.
On February 14, women traditionally give men gifts of chocolate to show their love. One month later, on a holiday known as White Day, men show their thanks by giving women a sweet gift. The name “White Day" comes from the custom of giving white-colored gifts.
Let's not forget Black Day on April 14. Single people who did not get gifts on February 14 or March 14 often gather on Black Day to eat noodles with black bean soup.
1. What does a key-shaped spoon mean?| A．Deep love. | B．Good luck. | C．Strong support. | D．Real thanks. |
| A．In February. | B．In March. | C．In April. | D．In July. |
| A．Brown chocolates. | B．Black beans. | C．White milk candies. | D．Silver spoons. |
10 . In the eyes of many foreigners, Chinese are the best hosts (主人) and the worst guests in the world. They’re not really bad guests, but because the guest-host relationship in China is much different than in some western counties, it appears they are not nice guests. And western guests sometimes look rude (粗鲁的) in the eyes of Chinese guests.
In China, guests are almost like gods. Whenever I enter a Chinese person’s home, there is always fruit on the table for me, and someone is quick to bring me a cup of tea or water. In the west, generally the guest is not a god. Acting according to the host’s way of doing things is usual behavior for a guest.
My wife’s mother, a very kind elderly Chinese lady, doesn’t smoke. When I see some of her guests smoking in her house, as a non-smoker, I feel unhappy. Usually I want to stop them directly, but I must realize that in China, to be a good host, she must not do that. In most North America homes, if you are a guest, and the hosts are not smokers, you should not smoke in their house. At the very least, you could ask, “Is it OK if I smoke” “But, don’t be surprised if they say, “No, you can’t smoke.” In our culture, if you smoke in their home, you are a bad guest, but if they don’t allow you to smoke in their house, they are not a rude guest.
Guests in China also have special habits. Some western people may not adapt to these habits very soon. Thankfully my wife is Chinese, so whenever we visit a Chinese family she tells me to buy them a gift. However, giving a gift to a host is not always necessary in my country. So, if you invite international guests to your home, don’t be too surprised if they don’t bring you a gift.
In China, you probably won't need to change the guest-host relationship very much because you will probably only be the host, and Chinese are naturally very good hosts. If western hosts invite you to their house, try not to be too surprised if their style of treating you is not what you have expected.
1. When a western guest visits a Chinese family,he often___________.| A．buys some fruit |
| B．feels like a god |
| C．wants some gifts |
| D．takes a cup of tea |
| A．It's OK if you smoke here. |
| B．Let's smoke together. |
| C．Sorry, you can't smoke here. |
| D．Smoking is a bad habit. |
| A．think back to |
| B．get used to |
| C．look forward to |
| D．keep close to |
| A．Foreigners should learn from Chinese. |
| B．Hosts must do things in the guests' way. |
| C．Western hosts are always nice to guests. |
| D．People should understand cultural differences. |
