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 . Sometimes life can seem challenging and we usually get the feeling that however happy we are，we never seem to be satisfied .We usually feel upset with the troubles that life throws at us．The best thing to do at that point of time is to close our eyes and start counting of all the blessings in life that God has given us．
If we think deeply, our life is full of blessings that we hardly recognize．Listening to the singing of birds early in the morning，we realize that there are many people who spend their life in a world that is silent while many others spend their lives in a world that is dark and may have never seen a rainbow（彩虹） or the setting sun．
When you go out for a drive，pull down the window and look at the poor beggar standing under the hot sun，begging for filling his hungry stomach．We get three meals a day without realizing its importance．Isn't that a blessing？
Whenever you are sad，look at the eyes of your parents and family filled with love and concern for you. There are many people who have never experienced the love of a family．Isn't that a blessing？
As Mother Teresa once said，"We don't need to do great things．We need to do small things with great love"．
The key to a happy life is when we consider others’ problems to be our own and try to help them．When we love people without any expectations and help them，our heart is filled with a sense of happiness and peace．
So next time whenever life knocks you down，close your eyes and start counting!
1. What does the author intend to tell us？| A．Love gives us courage． |
| B．Don’t be unsatisfied with our life． |
| C．True happiness lies in becoming rich. |
| D．The singing of birds can make us happy． |
| A．Drive outside and beg. |
| B．Close our eyes and cry. |
| C．Look for our parents’ love and concern. |
| D．Remember the happy time we’ve experienced. |
| A．It is a blessing to have three meals a day． |
| B．Mother Teresa calls on us to do great things in life． |
| C．It's natural to see a rainbow or the setting sun in life． |
| D．We have already known that life is filled with blessings． |
| A．Considering our own things. |
| B．Learning to love and help others. |
| C．Letting our hearts fill with peace. |
| D．Helping others with many expectations. |
3 . That warm day was the only day of the week without rain.I opened the door, took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine.Suddenly, I noticed that the house near mine had been sold.An elderly lady was in front of the door, with some beautiful flowers beside her. I walked to her. She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair.
“Hi!My name is Karmen,” I said smiling brightly at the old lady. She smiled back and said, “Hello,Karmen.I’m Kitty.” Her voice was very strong for someone at her age. Later, I learned that she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her. From that day on, I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food. A year passed, and I considered her to be one of my best friends.
One day, I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and she still didn’t turn up. So I let myself in, using the key she had given me. I checked her living room and then her kitchen. I finally went into her bedroom, and she was lying peacefully on her bed. Beside her there were two notes. One was her will (遗嘱), which said all that she had would be given to me. The other was a thank-you note. I went to her bedside and cried sadly.
Though several years has gone by, I still miss her deeply. Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house, I remember the wonderful friendship we had.
1. What did the author learn about the old lady?| A．She preferred to live alone. |
| B．She disliked all her relatives. |
| C．She had no one to look after her. |
| D．She was looking for someone to help her. |
| A．Because he wanted her house. |
| B．Because he felt pity for her. |
| C．Because he liked to do housework. |
| D．Because he’d like to eat delicious food. |
| A．Leave all that she had to the author. |
| B．Give the author a key to her house. |
| C．Give the author her favourite flowers. |
| D．Let the author know she was her best friend. |
| A．Foolish. | B．Clever. | C．Polite. | D．Grateful. |
4 . Beijing is a rather strange city to many western people. One of my foreign friends told me that when he came to Beijing, at first he couldn't understand why most people wear masks when spring comes to Beijing. He thought people wanted to keep their appearance a secret. Well, one of the symbols of spring coming to Beijing is that more and more people start wearing masks. The reason for it is the arrival of so called “sandstorms”.
It is said that each year sandstorms hit Beijing 4 to 5 times. The sand is brought to Beijing by wind from the western part of China. Tons of soil and dust travel hundreds of miles and blanket Beijing's streets, parked cars and apartment buildings. You would be amazed to see the ground has turned yellow overnight. The storm is so violent that you do not want to have a conversation with your friend on the road. If you open your mouth and then you close it, you may have the raw taste of sand in your mouth.
People in Beijing hate those storms. Sandstorms make the traffic jam in rush hours even more unpredictable, because the drivers have to drive slowly in order to have a clear view of the road conditions. Young students also hate sandstorms because whenever there is a sandstorm, they are not allowed to have any activities outside the classroom. It is so boring to sit in the classroom all day and the youngsters are so eager to go out and do some sports.
It is said that the closest desert is only 80 kilometers away from the city center.There is definitely much more to do for the local government to deal with the environmental problem.
1. Why do people in Beijing wear masks in the spring?| A．Because they are rather strange. |
| B．Because there are serious sandstorms. |
| C．Because their appearance are not beautiful. |
| D．Because they want to keep their face a secret. |
| A．Dry. | B．Cross. | C．Destroy. | D．Cover. |
| A．Drivers clean the road. | B．They hold some activities. |
| C．Youngsters go out to do sports. | D．Students stay in the classroom. |
| A．People in Sandstorms | B．How to Prevent Sandstorms |
| C．Sandstorms in Beijing | D．What to Do in a Sandstorm |
5 . 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. |
6 . What is the greatest threat to mankind? Maybe different people come up with different answers. However, there is no denying the fact that the only threat to humankind, apart from humankind itself, is, without any doubt, the nature. Natural disasters are the result of natural environmental processes that have a damaging effect on people. Natural disasters can come in many forms: such as geological events like earthquakes, tsunamis or mud-rock flows, climatic events like storms, hurricanes or tornadoes and fire events like forest fires and wildfires.
The damage done by natural disasters is mainly as a result of our inability to predict exactly when they will happen. Although great progress has been made in designing and developing forecasting models for some natural disaster, complete certainty is still impossible. Even to be pessimistic there is a possibility that human beings will never achieve accurate prediction of the happening of all natural disasters.
What's more, even though we were able to predict these disasters from nature, preventing them is equally impossible. So we only have two ways to both prevent injuries or deaths and reduce economic losses to the least. These two methods are to prepare before a natural disaster comes to hit, and to manage the necessary resources and public services after a natural disaster strikes.
These two things have always been at the leading position of the projects of both national governments and international organizations. In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for the "preparedness, response and recovery planning" of both man-made and natural disasters.
Most natural disasters cannot be prevented, and both emergency preparation and good disaster management are the best ways to deal with them. Although natural events may appear to serve no purpose but simply to punish and destroy, natural disasters, a perfect symbol of the great power of the nature, are display of our planet's evolution and its state of change.
1. Which can't be regarded as a similarity between tornadoes and earthquakes?| A．They can not be prevented. |
| B．They are both geological events. |
| C．They cause damage to people. |
| D．They are both the result of natural environmental processes. |
| A．it is very difficult to predict when exactly they will happen |
| B．our forecasting equipment is too old for many natural disasters |
| C．we don't do enough preparation before natural disasters strike |
| D．we don't have the necessary public services to use after natural disasters strike |
| A．natural disasters can not be predicted at all |
| B．human beings are pessimistic to the future |
| C．being well-prepared can avoid economic losses |
| D．good preparation and disaster management are advisable. |
| A．a symbol of the power of nature | B．the greatest threat to mankind |
| C．Natural disasters and mankind | D．reduce losses to the least |
7 . 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. |
8 . The popularity of Chinese-owned video-sharing service TikTok(抖音)continues to grow among young people in the United States. In 2019, experts say the service more than doubled its American user base to 37 million. TikTok is especially popular with teens and young adults.
The service lets users create and share their short videos that they think interesting and useful. Many of them are under 15 seconds. The TikTok app offers a wide choice of sounds, brief parts of songs and special effects tools to help create a video. Some TikTok-based memes(表情包)are very popular. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has even helped launch the careers of new music stars.
TikTok is considered a competitor to the video-sharing app Snapchat, as well as Facebook's Instagram service. Snapchat and Instagram also mainly interest young users with a wide mix of photos and videos centered largely on fashion, pop culture and humor.
Last year, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app from Apple and Google stores. Only WhatsApp was downloaded more. Research company Sensor Tower guesses people have downloaded the TikTok app 1.65 billion times.
TikTok has been used by many major companies to reach young people who use little or no traditional media. One of those companies is American-based e. l. f. Cosmetics(化妆品). The makeup company's chief marketer, Kory Marchisotto, said that TikTok is "where the Gen Z party is". Gen Z is a name used to call the generation born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s.“That's where they're all hanging out," Marchisotto said.
Companies appearing on TikTok can make money through advertising. Often, the companies create user "challenges" as part of their advertisement campaigns. TikTok users created 3 million videos that received more than 4 billion view.
1. Which word can best describe the videos created on TikTok?| A．Traditional. | B．Boring. | C．Various. | D．Serious. |
| A．TikTok. | B．Snapchat. | C．Instagram. | D．WhatsApp. |
| A．Challenge their competitors. | B．Make advertisements. |
| C．Hold music concerts. | D．Promote users' abilities to make videos. |
| A．TikTok Keeps Growing Among US Youth | B．How to Share Short Videos |
| C．Facebook Achieves Great Success | D．Companies Benefit Much from Videos |
9 . You may think you couldn’t live through summer without air conditioning. But in ancient China, hand fans were almost the only way to drive the heat away.
Chinese people started to use hand fans over 2, 000 years ago. The fans came in different shapes and were made from all kinds of materials. Palm leaf fans were cheap and easy to make. Feather fans marked the owner’s high status. Sandalwood fans could send out a sweet smell. Later, hand fans became far more than just something that could cool you down. They developed into works of art, in which Tuanshan—round fans, and Zheshan—folded fans, were the most common. In the shape of a fullmoon, Tuanshan were usually made of silk. They had beautiful embroidery(刺绣)featuring birds and flowers on them. Women, especially those in the royal palace, liked to use them. Poets in ancient China often compared an abandoned (被抛弃的) woman to Tuanshan. A poet in the Qing Dynasty, Nalan Xingde was a typical example. He wrote, “If only life were as beautiful as when we first met, why should the autumn wind bother to pity deserted painted fans?”
Meanwhile, men, especially the literati(文人), used Zheshan. The literati liked them because Zheshan were usually made of paper and they could paint and write poems on them. It was a way for them to show off their skills in literature, painting and calligraphy(书法). Many things were painted on Zheshan, but the most popular choice was usually beautiful scenery.
Today, Chinese people still use these fans, though not many people write or paint on them any more. This summer, why not paint one of your own?
1. Which fans could show a person’s social position?| A．Hand fans. | B．Palm leaf fans. |
| C．Feather fans. | D．Sandalwood fans. |
| A．An abandoned woman. | B．A woman with a Tuanshan |
| C．A woman with a Zheshan | D．A woman in the royal palace. |
| A．They were folded fans. | B．They came in different shapes. |
| C．They had birds and flowers on them. | D．They gave them chances to show the talent. |
| A．To tell us how to make hand fans. |
| B．To explain why people used hand fans. |
| C．To introduce several kinds of hand fans. |
| D．To encourage people to make hand fans. |
10 . A 3-year-old boy called Casey who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But he told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends at his grandfather’s house in the southern state of North Carolina. When the other children returned to the house and Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search and rescue team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and still no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying they heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. They pulled him out of some briar (多刺野灌木). He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers that he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his “friend”.
Officer Hughes spoke with reporters from several agencies. He said Casey did not say how he was able to survive the woods for three days in the cold, rainy weather. However, he said, “Casey did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear. And at no point do I think he was taken away illegally.”
Doctors at Carolina East Medical Center treated Casey for minor injuries. He was then released to his family on January 25.
His mother Brittany Hathaway talked with reporters from a local news agency and thanked everyone who joined in the search and rescue efforts.
“We just want to tell everybody that we’re very grateful that you took the time out to come search for Casey and prayed for him, and he’s good,” said his mother. “He is good, he is up and talking. He’s already asked to watch Netflix.”
1. What happened to Casey?| A．He was ignored by his friends. | B．He went missing in the woods. |
| C．He was attacked by a bear. | D．He was wanted by the police. |
| A．How Casey managed to survive. | B．When he was successfully rescued. |
| C．Why he was seriously injured. | D．How many hours he was trapped. |
| A．His mother cared about him. | B．His mother was very grateful. |
| C．Casey deserved a good rest. | D．Casey was in good condition. |
| A．survey | B．news report | C．advertisement | D．travel brochure |
