1 . Two American astronauts were greeted by more than a dozen private boats on Sunday as their SpaceX capsule landed safely in the Gulf of Mexico. A few boats went for a closer look at the capsule, which, aided by parachutes, gently hit the water off the coast of Florida. As the capsule bounced in the water, a recovery team instructed the boaters to stay away.
This raised concerns among NASA and SpaceX officials about security and safety procedures. The NASA administrator, Jim, acknowledged that the unprotected reception should not have happened. "If there is an emergency, the boats might have made recovery efforts, but there were poisonous smokes from the capsule. We need to do better next time," he said.
The Coast Guard waned boaters to stay clear of the area in a radio broadcast two hours before the splashdown, but many boaters ignored the requests and decided to enter the area, putting themselves in potential danger.
Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. Hurley, the NASA astronauts, returned to Earth after nearly 64 days in orbit, most of them spent aboard the International Space Station. Their trip home was aboard the Crew Dragon, built by the private company SpaceX to transport NASA astronauts. The agency has relied on Russia for trips to space since the space shuttles were retired in 2011.
While the shuttles, like airplanes, landed on runways, SpaceX chose water landings, which NASA has not done since 1975, when the last of the Apollo modules went to space.
1. What were the boaters asked to do at the landing of the capsule?| A．Come to rescue the capsule. |
| B．Keep away from the capsule. |
| C．Take a photo with the capsule. |
| D．Warn others out of the landing area. |
| A．They were exposed to risks. |
| B．They were well organized. |
| C．They were scared of the capsule. |
| D．They dreamed of going to space. |
| A．The last of the Apollo modules went back to earth. |
| B．Water landings were introduced for space capsule. |
| C．The International Space Station was put to work. |
| D．NASA stopped using water landings for capsules. |
| A．NASA Begins to Send Spaceships on its Own after 45 Years |
| B．SpareX Capsule Made a Breakthrough by landing on Water |
| C．NASA Astronauts Returned to Earth after Working at ISS |
| D．Boats Entering Capsule Landing Area Raised Safety Concerns |
2 . Experiencing hardship early in life is awful. And worse, it can mean a difficult road ahead. Living a life without any stress seems like a much better alternative. But it isn't necessarily a good thing, research is now showing. A small amount of stress may actually help kids build resilience, which is the ability to bounce back after a bad experience.
In one 2010 study, researchers wanted to understand how stress affects resilience. They surveyed 2, 398 adults in the United States. Participants answered questions about their mental health and overall health. And they indicated if they had experienced varying levels of adversity. The survey showed adults who faced some adversity reported fewer symptoms of psychological problems than those who had experienced heavy adversity. They also performed better than those who had sailed through childhood with few hard times.
David Lyons is a professor at Stanford University in California His team reported evidence for this in a November 2019 paper in Scientific Reports . The team studied small squirrel monkeys. These monkeys experienced varying “doses” of stress. “No stress” monkeys enjoyed a typical life in the lab: They were housed in a cage with their mother and siblings and there was plenty of water and food. A second group faced a mild stressor: They spent an hour a day away from their siblings on 10 straight days. The stress dose went up for a third group where these monkeys had daily separation from siblings and no access to mother during that hour. Two more groups experienced daily separation from both their mother and siblings.
Ten weeks later, each monkey was moved with its mother to an unfamiliar cage. The researchers assessed the monkeys' willingness to let go of mother and explore the new digs On the whole, monkeys that faced one or two stressors(groups2 and 3) depend less o their mothers than those in the last two groups. They also more readily explored their new surroundings In general, they showed less anxiety than both the no stress and high stress groups.
“Growing up healthy means learning how to deal with mild challenges and changes,” Lyons concludes.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Choosing a difficult road. | B．Leading a stress free life. |
| C．Experiencing hardship early. | D．Bouncing back after failing |
| A．Heavy adversity can harm health. | B．Childhood adversity is unnecessary. |
| C．People with more stress are stronger. | D．Adults have much more mental stress. |
| A．They assessed monkeys' mental health. | B．They set small monkeys free in nature. |
| C．They designed different levels of stress. | D．They divided monkeys into two groups. |
| A．Resilience Comes From Nothing but Life Stress |
| B．Mild Stress May Help Children Build Resilience |
| C．Young People Have Trouble Handling Challenges |
| D．Growing Up Healthy Means Adapting to Changes |
3 . Recommended Movies on Netflix
Moonlight
Duration(时长): 110 mins
Director: Barry Jenkins
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes
What happens to the kids who don't quite fit in? They become adults who don't quite fit in—but the gift of Barry Jenkins's fantastic story is its unspoken confirmation that, even in a hard world, there's a place for everyone.
Marriage Story
Duration: 136 mins
Director: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern
Last year's finest film is already on the streaming service- a reflection of Netflix's excellent taste in original projects. Starring a never better Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, the movie is director Noah Baumbach's successful try on talking about divorce,
The Boys in the Band
Duration: 121 mins
Director: Joe Mantello
Cast: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells
Joe Mantello takes the directing chair on this film adaptation of the 1968 play with the same name. This is actually the second version of the movie- the first one was released in 1970. The material is extremely heavy, and the acting will absolutely break your heart.
Back to the Future
Duration: 116 mins
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
Teenager Marty McFly(Michael J. Fox) gets sent back in time to 1955 from 1985 thanks to a time traveling De-Lorean car built by the one and only Doctor Emmett “Doe” Brown(Christopher Lloyd). The film has been delighting most people even over three decades since its first release. You can also find the following series(Back to the Future Part Ⅱ and Back to the Future Part Ⅲ) on the streaming platform.
1. Whose film lasts the longest?| A．Barry Jenkins's. | B．Joe Mantello's. | C．Noah Baumbach's. | D．Robert Zemeckis's. |
| A．The adventure stories. | B．The original creativity. |
| C．The impressive acting. | D．The light material. |
| A．It tells kids how to fit in with society. | B．It is the second version of the movie. |
| C．It focuses on predictions about the future. | D．It has been enjoying great popularity. |
4 . 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. |
5 . 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. |
6 . 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 |
7 . 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. |
8 . Desperate to protect his farmland from a group of monkeys that were always destroying his crops, a farmer in Karnatakas India decided to paint his dog to look like a tiger in the hope that it would scare the monkeys away.
Srikant Gowda, a farmer from Karnatakas Shivamogga region, recently made interactional news headlines after it was reported that he used hair dye to paint his watchdog in the characteristic stripes of a tiger. The dog already had a reddish hair color, so all he had to do was add the black stripes and some white to give it the tiger look. It wasn't that Gowda had always wanted to own a tiger, but that he hoped the disguise(乔装) would help the dog drive away the monkeys destroying his crops.
The Indian farmer told reporters that he got the idea four years ago when he visited Uttara Kannada and came across a farmer in Bhatkal who was using a fake tiger doll to scare away monkeys. It seemed silly, but he tried the idea himself and was surprised to see that it actually worked. However, he was convinced that the toy tiger wouldn't fool the monkeys for long, so he decided to try something else as well.
The trick, strange as it might seem, has worked well and the dog has been able to actually scare off the monkeys.
This year Gowda not only used hair dye to make his watchdog look like a small tiger, but he also placed large posters of real tigers and his own fake tiger all over his farmland, hoping that they would keep the monkeys at bay. The paint job actually doesn't harm the dog. It’s actually hair dye(染发剂) and lasts up to a month before fading away.
1. What did the fanner decide to do to protect his crops?| A．Raise some tigers | B．Draw a dog like tiger |
| C．Set traps for the monkeys | D．Make up his dog as a tiger. |
| A．From a trip. | B．From a friend |
| C．From a toy. | D．From the Internet |
| A．The dye can do harm to dogs. |
| B．The “paint job” will last for only a month. |
| C．More dogs are likely to be painted like tigers. |
| D．Monkeys will never stop destroying crops. |
| A．Farmer Is Friendly to Animals |
| B．Farmer Is Good at Drawing Tigers |
| C．Farmer Protects His Crops from Animals |
| D．Farmer Paints His Dog as a Tiger to Scare Away Monkeys |
9 . Japanese businessman Katsuo Inoue chose Italy for his summer vacation this year. He enjoyed the views of Florence and Rome-without ever leaving Japan.
Inoue and his wife “flew” to Italy on First Airlines, a company known for entertainment （娱乐），not transportation. The Tokyo-based new company entered the fast growing online tourism early this year as many countries have stopped accepting foreign tourists.
“I often go to other countries on business, but I haven't been to Italy,” Inoue said. "My impression was really good because I got a sense of actually seeing things there. First Airlines even gave us life jackets and oxygen masks（氧气罩）！”
The “passengers” on First Airlines sit in the first — or business-class areas of an airplane model. Workers serve meals and drinks as large screens show passing clouds and other views outside the airplane. The “travelers“ then receive glasses that provide virtual reality（虚拟现实 的）tours of places like Paris, New York, Hawaii and Rome.
The country's biggest airline, ANA Holdings, said that the numbers of passengers flying to foreign countries fell by 96 percent since June when Japan has stopped most travel in and out of the country. The International Air Transport Association （lAIA ） and The International Tourism Association （ITA） said last month that international travels wouldn't be able to recover until 2024. But they said the online travels have been growing very fast.
The president, Hiroaki Abe, said, “Since we started our online tour this year, our business has been increasing by 50 percent each month. Most of our customers usually travel to other countries every year and they can now experience some of that here when they are unable to go to the real attractions.”
1. What can we learn about First Airlines?| A．It provides transportation to tourists. |
| B．It is an Italy-based company. |
| C．It has been in business for many years. |
| D．It is a new online tourism company. |
| A．It is very cool. | B．It is boring. |
| C．It is dangerous. | D．It is frightening. |
| A．Customers can have more choices. |
| B．It is able to provide much better services. |
| C．It is much cheaper than the traditional travels. |
| D．People cannot actually travel around this year. |
| A．IATA. | B．ITA. |
| C．First Airlines. | D．ANA Holdings. |
10 . During those barren winter months, with windows overlooking long-dead gardens, leafless trees, and lawns that seem to have an ashy look about them, nothing calms the uneasy nerves more than the vibrant green of plants surrounding the living spaces of one’s home. People browse through garden stores just to get a smell of chlorophyll (叶绿素) and to choose a plant or two to bring spring back into their winter-gray lives.
Now there is even more of a need for “the green,” in light of recent articles warning us of the dangers of chemicals that we, ourselves, introduce into our homes. Each time we bring clothes home from the cleaners, we release those chemicals into the closed-in air of our homes. Every cleanser releases its own kind of fumes.
Some of the chemicals are formaldehyde (甲醛), chlorine, benzene, styrene, etc. Read the labels on many home products, the ingredients aren’t even listed! During the winter, when those same windows are shut tight, we breathe in these chemicals—causing symptoms much like allergies (过敏). In fact, most people probably dismiss the effects of these chemicals simply as some allergy or other. The truth is that we are experiencing a syndrome that is called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Now, what has this got to do with green plants? Everything healthy! Research has been conducted with two types of plants that have actually removed much of these harmful chemicals from the air.
The two plants that seem to be the best bet for ridding one’s home of such chemicals are ferns (蕨类植物) and palms. These plants release moisture as part of photosynthesis and, as they do, pull chemicals from the air into their leaves. Even NASA has conducted some greenhouse experiments for long-term space exploration. Within hours, their plants [palms] had removed almost all traces of formaldehyde in the room. Both species of plants are ancient, dating back more than a hundred million years. Another trait they share is that they both live long lives, 100 years or more. This we expect from trees, but ferns and palms are plants; plants that can grow to 65 feet in the proper setting! Even their individual leaves live for one to two years [ferns] and one to nine years [palms]. Perhaps it is their primary qualities that have contributed to their ability to purify their environment.
1. Why does the author think we are in greater need of “the green” in our homes?| A．To bring our long-dead gardens back to life. |
| B．To get rid of harmful chemicals trapped there. |
| C．To make us feel calmer and less worried. |
| D．To serve as decorations as well as refresh us. |
| A．The source of these chemicals released in our homes hasn’t been identified. |
| B．The chemicals can be removed immediately the two plants are put into use. |
| C．People tend to underestimate the effects of the chemical in the closed-in places. |
| D．People usually buy household products without referring to the ingredients on them. |
| A．the ability to absorb chemicals and live long |
| B．their adaptability to indoor environment |
| C．the fast growth and attractiveness of their leaves |
| D．the release of their moisture and fumes |
| A．Research in the New Millennium |
| B．Common Houseplants May Purify Your Home |
| C．Hidden Dangers in Your Home |
| D．NASA Experiment Finds the Cure |
