1 . Recently I’ve had two good roles on television. But when I was just getting started in theater work 17 years ago, I never thought I’d make it. Back then I was recovering from surgery and had been off work for six months. Even worse, as a single mother with three youngsters, I had no place to live in. I felt hopeless.

One Sunday morning I saw actor Robert Young on the television talking about his faith: Believe yourself! If we confidently take that first step, well take the next, until we reach our goal.

The first step was scary. After I went working part-time, I looked for an apartment. The ones I saw were either too expensive, or I couldn’t raise my children in them. I knew a house, not an apartment, was more suitable for me. However, after seeing several houses, my confidence was shaken. I found two seemed right, but when I was about to make an offer, someone else had ordered.

I remembered a saying, “When one door closes, a better one opens.” I wouldn’t just sit staring at the closed one but got up and struggled on. In a real estate (房地产) agent, I found a small house with proper price. To buy it, I had to borrow $ 3,000 for a down payment and get a mortgage (按揭). Common sense argued that a mortgage for a single mother working part-time was impossible. But I had enough self-confidence without following common sense.

After getting the house, my new self-confidence grew. Later , when I began filling small parts in television productions, that self-confidence showed. I'd always played the role as the director wanted. Now I find myself freer to interpret (演绎) it.

Self-confidence has made it through life. Trouble can be scary at first, but each time I take that step, I believe I will win the next.

1. How did the author feel when entering television industry at first?

A．Hopeful.

B．Embarrassed.

C．Pessimistic.

D．Aggressive.

2. Why does the author mention her experience of finding a house?

A．To show the value of self-confidence.

B．To share her different life experiences.

C．To introduce her toughest part of life.

D．To tell us her ways to get over difficulty.

3. What mainly helped the author perform well in her later acting?

A．Her sense of confidence.	B．The difficulty in her life.
C．The director’s good direction.	D．Her success in her first attempt.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Appear on the Stage	B．Struggle with Life
C．Stick to Your Plan	D．Believe in Yourself

2 . If you live near a park, you’ve probably observed this unique squirrel behavior. As winter approaches, these creatures begin what looks like preparation for a wide scavenger（觅食）hunt. In great numbers, these squirrels begin to bury nuts! This kind of behavior raises a lot of questions for squirrel enthusiasts—the most pressing being how the squirrels find their nuts again. Eastern gray squirrels, in particular, bury their nuts far and wide. Scientists themselves aren’t even quite sure of everything that goes into this hiding behavior, but they have some ideas.

For one, scientists have observed gray squirrels frequently burying and reburying their nuts. The scientists assumed that this behavior was to help always keep a fresh memory of the nuts! locations. However, it’s not only memory that the squirrels need to combat（战斗）in order to find their nuts! The gray squirrel community is rampant(猖獗的)with nut stealing. The squirrels can lose up to 25% of their hidden nuts to such thieves! Luckily, the squirrels have developed some clever methods to protect their nuts. Scientists have observed the squirrels creating false caches（储藏）in order to trick thieves. If the squirrels are worried about thieves, they will also start to hide their nuts in difficult-to-reach places（like under bushes or in muddy areas）.

While it might be frustrating for squirrels to lose their carefully hidden nuts, it can be beneficial for other organisms. In particular, it can help the forest itself! A study done at the University of Richmond reports that squirrels fail to recover up to 74% of the nuts they bury. This misplacing of so many acorns (the seeds of oak trees), the study says, is likely responsible for oak forest regeneration. When squirrels misplace these buried acorns, they allow for these seeds to eventually grow into full oak trees! The squirrels’ habit of widespread caching is also important to the growth of the forest, as it allows the genetic（基因的）information to spread far.

What seemed like a harmless scavenger hunt is actually part of an endless complex ecosystem in our forests!

1. In what aspect do squirrels puzzle people most?

A．The way they search for food.	B．The places they hide in winter.
C．The location of their hidden food.	D．The way they recover hidden nuts

2. What can we learn about the gray squirrels?

A．They often fight with each other for food.

B．They tend to feel more secure in bushy places.

C．They are cautious about storing food for winter.

D．They survive largely thanks to their team spirit.

3. What’s the message conveyed in the third paragraph?

A．Squirrels can starve due to lack of food.

B．It can be beneficial that squirrels lose their nuts.

C．It’s easy to get squirrels’ genetic information.

D．Squirrels always misplace their nuts deliberately.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Why do squirrels steal nuts?

B．How do squirrels survive the winter?

C．The secrets behind squirrels’ burying nuts.

D．The ecosystem in the forest.

3 . The 47-year-old mum has donated a kidney（肾） to a stranger and part of her liver（肝）to a sick little boy. Sue is even trying to give away a lung. which would make her the only living person in the world to have made so many selfless donations. She said: “To be able to give someone their life back is fantastic. At the moment, giving a lung isn’t possible in this country. but I’d love to do it.”

Sue’s first donation was the kidney in 2001. She explained: “You don’t need two kidneys. A lot of people are born with only one. Why not give one to someone who needs it?” But at that time it was illegal here to give an organ to a stranger. So Sue from Dulwich, south London who accepts only travel and living expenses, posted an internet ad saying: “Free kidney. no conditions attached.”

Larry Rosenfield from Colorado in the US answered the ad. He was 60, suffering from a kidney disease and time was running out. After establishing she was a match for Larry, Sue flew to the US. “The Colorado hospitals wouldn't accept me because it was the time of mad cow disease, so Larry found a hospital in Wisconsin that would do the operation.” Larry is now 73 and leading a full and active life.

Now Sue would like to donate a lung. In 2006, selfless donations became legal in the UK but not for lung donations so she's planning to go to America again.

And she insists her husband Roland, 51, and their 19-year-old son Daniel back her all the way. She said: "Some of my friends don't understand but. I'll never regret it. It's about changing lives. It's a great feeling.”

1. What made Sue donate her organs?

A．Saving one's life.	B．Trying to be famous.
C．Needing living expenses.	D．Removing useless organs.

2. How did Sue help Larry?

A．She found a hospital for him.	B．She donated a kidney to him.
C．She answered his advertisement.	D．She advertised his kidney online.

3. Which word best describes Sue's attitude to her organ donations?

A．Critical.	B．Conservative.
C．Regretful.	D．Proud.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Health.	B．Science.
C．Real life stories.	D．Entertainment.

4 . When NASA astronaut William Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev entered the International Space Station on November 2, 2000, they became the first of many to live in the orbiting laboratory 227 nautical miles (海里)above Earth.

Since that first 136-day stay for Expedition 1, the space station has served as a center for continuous human occupation, scientific research and a proving ground for future space exploration for 20 years.

Early in the space station program, the main focus was on building the space station. After that was completed in 2011, the focus has changed to science. More than 3,000scientific investigations have been conducted on the space station. This research has extended to a great many subjects.

While the research conducted on the space station throws light on how a range of things react to the lack of gravity，it has also been used to improve our lives on Earth. Through experiments on the station，we've learned better ways to purify air and water in our homes, developed advance rents in telemedicine，and found better treatments for diseases like cancer.

The space station is also being used as a proving ground as NASA prepares to return humans to the moon by 2024 through its Artemis program, as well as a future human task to Mars.

Going forward, Shepherd believes that a trip to Mars or other locations in the solar system will require large vehicles that will require construction in orbit, using spacewalks and robotics. It will also require the work, expense and cooperation(合作) of several countries.

“If you look at the International Space Station, it's really a blueprint (蓝图) for how to do this.”

1. Which of the following is NOT the function of the space station?

A．To conduct scientific experiments.	B．To send astronauts to Mars.
C．To serve as a proving ground.	D．To provide stay for astronauts.

2. What was the main task of the space station programmer in the beginning?

A．To do scientific researches.	B．To conduct space explorations.
C．To construct the space station.	D．To send humans to the space station.

3. According to Shepherd, what is needed for a trip to Mars?

A．More space stations.	B．More spacewalks and robotics.
C．Larger orbiting laboratories.	D．Joint efforts of several countries.

4. What's the text mainly about?

A．The future exploration of the space station

B．The efforts humans put into the space station.

C．The construction and protection of the space station.

D．The development and potential of the space station.

5 . Do you look for something to read while in London? If so, you’re lucky. The British capital happens to have an incredible collection of bookshops.

Foyles

If you will, dig the picture: four miles of shelves holding up to 200, 000 books. Let’s hope you have some time to read books when travelling in Foyles. This bookshop is impossible to leave empty-handed. It was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest bookshop on the planet.

Location: 107 Charing Cross Rd

Hatchards

In the year 1797, Thomas Paine published Agrarian Justice. It’s also the year this London bookshop, the oldest in the city today, first turned on its lights. It stocks an excellent selection of fiction, nonfiction, history and other sorts.

Location: 187 Piccadilly St

Libreria

This bookshop is one of the most pleasing of its kind in London. The yellow bookshelves add a touch of color and mystery and, well, you kind of just want to grab a book and a seat and stay a while. Mobile phone usage is strongly banned here.

Location: 65 Hanbury St

London Review Bookshop

This wonderful bookshop that opened in 2003 comes from the smart people of the London Review of Books. As you’d expect, there is an excellent selection of history, philosophy, politics, new fiction and many other sorts here. Plus, there’s a nice cafe in which you can have something to drink and start reading.

Location: 16 Bury PI

1. Where can you find the oldest bookshop in London?

A．16 Bury PI.	B．187 Piccadilly St.
C．107 Charing Cross Rd.	D．65 Hanbury St.

2. What is special about Libreria?

A．It has various books.	B．It is located in London.
C．It has yellow bookshelves.	D．It is the biggest one.

3. Which bookshop can offer people coffee?

A．Foyles.	B．Hatchards.
C．Libreria.	D．London Review Bookshop.

6 . Brain games do not make you smarter. Companies like Lumosity made their bones throwing around terms like "brain elasticity'' to publicize their specific brand of brain promoting training, but upon further review, their claims were a bit dubious. They paid the price in the form of a $2 million false advertising fine, but their misstep doesn't mean there's no daily avenue to higher cognitive（认知的）function.

For kids, the best way to help improve cognitive function is through aerobic exercise. For adults, the best bet is more sedentary, and fortunately a bit less intense; if you want to up your energy and brain function, take some time out of your day to practice Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation（冥想）.

A new study from the University of Waterloo took a look at the effects of 25 minutes of daily Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation on brain function and energy in a group of 31 adults. The participants were asked to complete 25 minutes of quiet reading as a control activity and 25 minutes of varied meditation at random intervals. Following each activity, the participants were asked to perform a task which would measure their brain function and energy level.

The research found that following both meditation and Hatha yoga, participants would perform significantly better at the task. The participants who practiced Hatha yoga saw the most sizeable bump in performance.

“There are a number of theories about why physical exercises like yoga improve energy levels and cognitive test performance,” said Kimberly Luu, the study’s lead author, via Science Daily. "These include the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain, and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. Though ultimately, it is still an open question.”

Twenty-five minutes of Hatha yoga in exchange for higher cognitive function? Not bad at all.

1. What does the underlined word "dubious" in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Acceptable.

B．Trustful.

C．Reasonable.

D．Doubtful.

2. Why did the researchers from the University of Waterloo conduct the study?

A．To help improve cognitive function through physical exercises.

B．To test the effects of daily exercise on energy and brain function.

C．To measure participants’ cognitive performance and energy levels.

D．To increase blood flow to the brain and reduce focus on thoughts.

3. What can we infer about physical exercises from Kimberly Luu's words?

A．They are rarely built on a theoretical basis.

B．They attract people's attention to open questions.

C．They are beneficial to brain function and energy.

D．They lower people's levels of cognitive performance.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Daily Exercise Promotes Brain Power.

B．Brain Function Is Related to Energy.

C．A New Study Changes People's Mind.

D．Brain Power Controls Cognitive Performance.

7 . “Snow algae（藻类）is already a part of summer on the Antarctic Peninsula. A warming planet may mean a lot more of it. The algal blooms（藻华）that blanket parts of Antarctica’s snow cover in the summer are likely to expand as the planet warms.” researchers say in a new study.

“Green snow algae is found in warmer areas along the coastline where summer temperatures are above freezing. but still cold enough for there to be snow.” say scientists in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. It’s also more abundant in areas in close proximity to nesting sites and gathering places for animals like penguins and seals, whose feces（粪便）fuel the algae’s growth.

Green algae isn't new for Antarctica—it’s known to have been there to some degree for decades. New Scientist notes. But what researchers found suggests that climate change could have a major impact on algae in Antarctica, which in turn, could have its own impact on a warming planet.

The scientists don't predict that green algae will spread on all part, of the penguin. In fact. some small low-lying islands are likely to lose algae, because those islands may lose their summer snow cover altogether-and the snow algae can't grow without snow. But they predict the amount of green algae is likely to grow on larger pieces of land, where it can spread upward to higher ground that still has snow.

So what does more algae mean, besides turning the landscape green? It’s not totally clear. The green algae works as a carbon sink—the current amount of algae in Antarctica pulls about 500 tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year. On the other hand, algae also makes the surface of the snow darker, which leads to less sunlight being reflected from the snow's surface. Scientific American notes. That means that more of the sun's heat gets absorbed, speeding up wanning. It's high time that we should protect our planet.

1. What causes the algal blooms?

A．The melting of snow.	B．The rising air temperature.
C．The researchers' activities.	D．The covering of the blanket.

2. What do we know about green snow algae?

A．It has covered all parts of Antarctica.

B．It will spread to islands without snow.

C．It has some effect on penguins and seals.

D．It can grow in warm or fertilized places.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The effects of green algae.	B．A carbon sink in Antarctica.
C．Changes of Antarctica's snow.	D．The reflection from the snow’s surface.

4. What is the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To present a new finding about green algae.

B．To explain the origins of green snow algae.

C．To call on people to protect the environment.

D．To show his concern about green snow algae.

8 . Start Reading More in 2021

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

V.E. Schwab

In 1714, Addie LaRue made a bargain to live forever. Since then, she's traveled the globe trying to leave her mark on the world — but when you live for centuries, it's hard for anyone to remember your name. That is, until she meets a man in a hidden bookstore hundreds of years later who does. This time-traveling tale will fill your heart with magic and wonder.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Isabel Wilkerson

Through stories about real people （like Martin Luther King Jr.） and intense historical research, author Isabel Wilkerson links the hidden caste（等级）systems of America with India and Nazi Germany, and examines the solutions that are necessary in order for the country to move forward. This novel is eye-opening, informative and an absolute must-read.

Midnight Sun

Stepbenie Meyer

"Midnight Sun" was one of the most highly expected books of 2020. In this fifth companion book to the popular “Twilight” series, readers get a glimpse into the vampire Edward Cullen's views on his relationship with Bella Swan, accompanied with details of his past and inner thoughts. Fans. of the series will finally be able to understand the star-crossed lovers' tale as a whole.

The Girl With the Louding Voice

Abi Dare

This tale follows Adunni, a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village, who wants nothing more than an education. Despite many barriers that come her way, Adunni manages to escape poverty in order to build the life she dreamed of. This story of determination and hope will teach you about the power of reaching for your dreams and never giving up.

1. Who might like V. E. Schwab's book better?

A．History lovers.	B．Fantasy story lovers.
C．Art lovers.	D．Adventure lovers.

2. What is special about Midnight Sun?

A．It belongs to one of a series of books.

B．It can arouse readers' fighting spirits.

C．It tells readers Meyer's inner thoughts.

D．It is written from Bella’s points of view.

3. Which book will you choose if you are interested in the inspiring story?

A．Midnight Sun.

B．Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

C．The Girl With the Louding Voice.

D．The lnvisible Life of Addie LaRue.

9 . Teenagers need to eat healthy food while they’re still young so that they will grow up to be healthy adults. Therefore, it is necessary for school cafeterias(食堂) to provide healthy food. With this in mind, the government has introduced a new food safety regulation that will improve health levels in schools.

The new regulation took effect on April 1. It requires those who are in charge of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools to eat with students in their cafeterias. Schools will also be required to make information regarding food sources and suppliers public.

The regulation also suggests that parents should eat with students at school in order to provide advice on food safety. Schools must find food safety problems and solve them in a timely manner.

If a school is caught buying low-quality food or failing to report food safety events, the people in charge of the school will be warned, fired or handed over to law enforcement(执法机关), the regulation says.

Parents across China have become increasingly angry about food safety events in schools, according to The Beijing News.

The most recent example occurred in March at the Chengdu No.7 High School Development School. Parents posted videos and photos of bad food that was served in the school’s cafeteria, China Daily reported. The school’s headmaster was eventually fired. In October, the head of an international school in Shanghai was fired after law enforcement found bad tomatoes and onions in the schools kitchen.

1. What does the new regulation require schools to do?

A．Allow teachers and students to eat together.

B．Improve the conditions of their cafeterias.

C．Show the public where their food comes from.

D．Build more than one cafeteria.

2. What do we know from Paragraph 3?

A．Parents should play a part in improving food safety in schools.

B．Teenagers should go home to eat meals every day.

C．Food safety problems can be easily solved.

D．Parents are angry about food safety events in schools.

3. What does the last paragraph tell us?

A．School cafeterias often offer bad food to cut their costs.

B．School headmasters nationwide are not doing their jobs well.

C．Food can get bad more easily in the south than in the north.

D．The punishment for offering bad food is serious.

4. What’s the best title of this passage?

A．Students’ eating habits.

B．Food safety in schools.

C．School headmasters.

D．Parent-teacher relationships.

10 . 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…

2. How did the primary school get moved?

A．By reducing the weight of it.	B．By using movable supports.
C．By dividing it into several parts.	D．By using robotic legs.

3. Which of the following statements may the author agree with?

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.

4. Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A news report.	B．A science review.
C．A travel magazine.	D．A geography book.