1 . Experts are warning about the risks of extremely picky(挑剔的)eating after a teenager living on a diet of chips and crisps developed lasting sight loss. Eye doctors in Bristol cared for the 17-year-old after his sight had gone to the point of blindness. Tests showed he had serious vitamin deficiency(缺乏). Dr. Denize Atan, who treated him at the hospital, said, “His diet was basically a portion of chips from the local fish and chip shop every day. He also used to snack on crisps and sometimes white bread and ham, and not really any fruit and vegetables.”
The teenager saw his doctor at the age of 14 because he had been feeling tired and unwell. At that time he suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency, but he did not stick with the treatment or improve his poor diet. Three years later, he was taken to the Bristol Eye Hospital because of progressive sight loss.
He was not overweight or underweight, but he had lost minerals from his bones, which was really quite shocking for a boy of his age. In terms of his sight loss, he met the standards of being blind. “He had blind spots right in the middle of his sight,” said Dr Denize Atan, “That means he can’t drive and would find it really arduous to read, watch TV or recognize faces.”
Dr Denize Atan said that parents should learn about the harm that can be caused by picky eating, and turn to experts for help. For those who are concerned , she advised, “It’s best not to be anxious about picky eating , and instead calmly introduce one or two new foods with every meal.” She said multivitamin tablets can supplement(补充) a diet, but cannot take the place of eating healthily. “It’s much better to take in vitamins through a varied and balanced diet,” she said, adding that too many certain vitamins , including vitamin A, can be harmful ,“so you don’t want to overdo it.”
1. What does Dr Denize Atan imply in paragraph 1?| A．The diet of the boy is not balanced. |
| B．Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins. |
| C．Picky eating is common among teenagers. |
| D．The cause of the boy’s disease is unknown. |
| A．To improve his poor diet. |
| B．To get some help to lose weight. |
| C．To be treated for his discomfort. |
| D．To slow down his progressive sight loss. |
| A．Important. | B．Easy. | C．Necessary. | D．Difficult. |
| A．Reasons why the boy is seriously ill. |
| B．Suggestions for the boy’s family to care for him. |
| C．Advice for parents worried about picky eating. |
| D．Ways of taking in enough vitamins and minerals. |
2 . A teenager from the UK almost died because of an addiction to unhealthy exercise.
Lisa Fouweather, 19, was so addicted to working out that she ran half marathons before breakfast. She started to practice running, hoping to become excellent at her running club, but quickly became addicted.
She was hardly eating to keep in shape. The teen’s meals would only include a few pieces of food from her “safe foods” list which was mainly fruit and vegetables. She would avoid anything containing sugar or fat. “I would throw my orange juice and bread out of the window when my parents left the room,” she said. At one point, her weight dropped to just 75 pounds — around 34 kg.
This helped to improve her running in the short-term when, in fact, her whole life was falling apart. It affected her education as she would turn up late to school every day to finish her morning running. She said, “Six-mile runs became half marathons, all on an empty stomach before breakfast. Upon my return, I would eat only fruit.”
However, although warned by her parents, Lisa refused to admit she had a problem and wouldn’t give up her way of working out until one day she had a heart attack after her running and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with anorexic (厌食症) and banned from exercise. “I was told that I could have died because my heart was under great pressure.” She was given dieting advice by doctors to help treat her eating disorders. Thanks to hard work and professional help, she managed to put a stop to her extreme exercise and dieting and has been in recovery for nearly three years.
Lisa said, “I want people who are going through the same problem as I did to know that there is help and support out there, and don’t wait until you’re at breaking point to seek that help.”
1. Why did Lisa start practicing running at first?| A．To become great at the running club. |
| B．To keep in shape. |
| C．To help her with her diet. |
| D．To improve her education. |
| A．She ran half marathons on an empty stomach. |
| B．She had an unhealthy way of eating. |
| C．She didn’t get any warning from others. |
| D．She wouldn’t quit her wrong way of exercise at first. |
| A．There are many people going through the same problem as Lisa did. |
| B．Lisa can provide help and support to people with the same problem. |
| C．You can wait for help if you’re going through the same problem. |
| D．People with the same problem should ask for help in time. |
| A．Science. | B．Technology. |
| C．Health. | D．Nature. |
3 . The biggest challenge faced by travelers, especially those who like to have a backpacking trip is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now, thanks to a great invention called Scrubba Wash Pack, that worry may be a thing of the past.
The portable washing machine was invented by Ash Newland in 2010, while he was planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Struck by the limited packing space, he got inspiration from traditional washboards to create a bag that could be used to clean clothes. Then he quitted his career as a lawyer and focused on perfecting the bag’s design. By 2012, the bag was ready for the public. It weighed only 180 grams and required very little storage space, making it perfect for anyone wishing to travel light.
Not surprisingly, the bag which was worth 55 dollars was an instant hit with travelers, university students and even passengers. However, Newland was not satisfied. He still saw a disadvantage with his invention — dirty clothes had to be carried around in a separate bag! The recently introduced Scrubba Wash Pack solves that problem.
In order to make the pack active, dirty clothes are placed inside the bag along with two or three liters of water. The bag is then shut tightly to ensure all air is squeezed out and the colors are massaged for a few minutes. After a quick wash, they are clean and ready to be dried. According to Newland, the pack can clean anything from jeans to smelly socks! What’s even more amazing is that with a capacity to hold 13 liters of water, it can be used to wash more clothes at a time.
The best part is that the 99-dollar pack that will be available for sale later this year, only weighs 300 grams and is completely foldable, making it easy to store when it’s not in use. With the Scrubba Wash Pack, wandering through foreign cities searching for a washing shop, or paying for washing machines may soon be a thing of the past.
1. What led Ash Newland to create the Scrubba Wash Pack?| A．His job requirement. | B．A traditional washboard. |
| C．His interest in invention. | D．His personal experience. |
| A．Clothes couldn’t be washed well. |
| B．The invention was not so convenient. |
| C．The bag couldn’t contain enough water. |
| D．The cost of the invention was very high. |
| A．turns to be much environmentally friendly |
| B．will replace the traditional washing machines |
| C．will be widely used by more travelers in the future |
| D．can encourage more people to travel a long distance |
| A．Introducing a great new invention. |
| B．Explaining the development of backpack. |
| C．Listing some common problems for travelers. |
| D．Comparing two kinds of washing machines. |
4 . Pippi Longstocking, the 9-year-old red-haired hero of children's books, turned 75 yesterday. The first Pippi Longstocking book, written by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, was published in 1945.
Pippi Longstocking first came to life in 1941, when Ms. Lindgren's daughter, Karin, who was sick in bed for a long time suddenly said to her, “Tell me about Pippi Longstocking.”
The stories Ms. Lindgren made up were about a wild, but good-hearted young girl who lived by herself in a house called Villa Villekulla. The girl lived with her horse and her monkey. She was constantly surprising her neighbor friends with her crazy adventures.
But it wasn't until three years later that Ms. Lindgren began to write down the stories she had told her daughter. When she finished her book, she sent it to a well-known publisher, but the book was turned down. Ms. Lindgren kept working on the book. In 1945, Ms. Lindgren entered her book in a contest being held by a different publisher. Pippi Longstocking won the first prize, and the book came out in November.
Pippi Longstocking was quickly a hit with young readers. Who wouldn't love a girl strong enough to lift a horse, and willing to risk her life to save children trapped in a burning building?
But the book was less popular with some adults, who felt like Pippi set a bad example. Pippi didn't go to school, she lived by herself, and only followed the rules she wanted to follow. But with time. Pippi's good heart won over readers of all ages.
1. Why did Ms. Lindgren write Pippi Longstocking?| A．To make a fortune. | B．To amuse her daughter. |
| C．To arouse sympathy. | D．To make Karin calm. |
| A．Kind and good-looking. | B．Strong but impolite. |
| C．Kind and adventerous. | D．Confident and grateful. |
| A．Lindgren was discouraged. | B．Lindgren entered a contest. |
| C．Lindgren continued the book. | D．Lindgren contact another publisher. |
| A．She had a bad effect. | B．She lacked freedom. |
| C．She made bad rules. | D．She had bad temper. |
5 . What people say is only one aspect of good communication. Good listening skills and body language are also important for us to effectively communicate with others. Effective communication involves more than talking to a person. How things are said, words are chosen and tones are adopted are all aspects of good communication.
Body language, a common form of non-verbal communication, can support what a speaker is saying. Studies have shown that of the information that is received from other people, only 10% is from what they say and 40% is from the tone and speed of their voice. The other 50% is obtained from their body language. Reading body language is part of developing social skills.
Some professionals, such as lawyers, governmental security officers and doctors on mental problems, learn to read every type of body language of others to help in their jobs. They look for specific signs, while the average person reads some body language subconsciously（下意识地）. Body language can involve one aspect such as the eyes, or the use of different body parts. Where the body is positioned in relation to another person or at a table is another piece in communicating what the person is feeling. Troubles may arise（出现） when body language is misunderstood.
Good listening skills clear the way to a clear message while bad listening skills create barriers which can confuse or stop the message. Good listeners can use body language by nodding occasionally to show interest and understanding, make eye contact with the speaker, repeat some of the words and feelings, and summarize what they have heard. All these can avoid communication troubles.
Poor listeners rarely communicate effectively. Barriers they commonly use may include: interruptions, inappropriate humor, judgments, criticisms, and unrelated questions. People who are attempting to communicate with a person who continually throws out barriers will often stop talking and they even get angry as they feel misunderstood and frustrated. Healthy minded people are able to communicate with others effectively by avoiding these barriers. They are able to let their partners know what they want regularly and clearly.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Speakers usually pay little attention to what they said and what words and tones they use. |
| B．Good communication means talking to a person effectively with right tones and speed. |
| C．Body language and listening skills are highly involved in successful communication. |
| D．The manner of communication is determined by the listener rather than the speaker. |
| A．makes up 40% of the information received from communication |
| B．sometimes leads people to misunderstand what others have said |
| C．can remind the listeners of what the speakers are actually expressing |
| D．can only be correctly read by people with excellent social skills |
| A．Making a summary of what he has heard. |
| B．Repeating the speaker’s words and ideas. |
| C．Showing his feeling to the speaker. |
| D．Bringing in an unrelated topic suddenly. |
| A．To emphasize that communication involves more than talking. |
| B．To introduce different types of non-verbal communication. |
| C．To suggest ways to effectively communicate with others. |
| D．To discuss the different effects of good and poor listening skills. |
6 . In the long history of humans, women’s stories have often been overlooked. Yet as modern society has allowed women to speak for themselves, more and more women are standing up to choose how to live their lives. Here are five powerful films that just might inspire you to re-imagine what it means to be a woman.
Hi, Mom (2021)
Directed by Chinese comedian Jia Ling, this heartwarming comedy, about a woman who accidentally meets her mother during time travel, became a hit with audiences this year, leading the mainland box office right after Chinese New Year.
Leap (2020)
This 2020 film about the Chinese national women’s volleyball team presents their history from 1981, when they won the Women’s World Cup, to the year 2016. Actress Gong Li stars as the legendary volleyball player Lang Ping, and Peter Chen from Hong Kong is the director.
Coco Avant Chanel (2009)
The life of Coco Chanel serves as a guide to all women wishing to establish their own careers. Audrey Tautou, famous for her iconic performance in Amelie, stars as the glorious French fashion designer. It is French director Anne Fontaine’s most famous film.
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
Based on the novel The Joy Luck Club, Chinese director Wang Ying tells the stories of four Chinese women and their daughters who were all born and lived in the US. Their conflicts also reflect the collision between traditional Chinese culture and American culture.
The Story of Qiu Ju (1992)
Directed by Zhang Yimou, the 1992 film describes a peasant woman Qiu Ju who lives in a rural area of China and fights for justice. It is a screen adaptation of writer Chen Yuanbin’s novel The Wan Family’s Lawsuit.
1. Why does the author select the above 5 movies?| A．To arouse attention to women. |
| B．To speak highly of great mothers. |
| C．To support women’s fight for equal rights. |
| D．To introduce the history of women movies. |
| A．It inspired a lot of women. |
| B．It is set in a foreign country. |
| C．Its actress became world-famous for her role. |
| D．Its director has a different culture background. |
| A．Hi, Mom | B．Leap |
| C．The Joy Luck Club | D．The Story of Qiu Ju |
Before We Were Yours Author: Lisa Wingate Published in 2017 Before We Were Yours is a touching story about families reunited. It moves deeply almost everyone who reads it. Before We Were Yours is adapted（改编）from real-life historical events, making the novel an interesting read for those who want to find out more about the great happenings in post-war American history. |
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, wealth, and happiness Author: Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein Published in 2008 The book is written by Richard H. Thaler, the winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2017, and Cass R. Sunstein and it was named one of the best books of 2008 by The Economist. Every day we make choices-about what to buy or eat, about our children’s health and education, and so on. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. This book is about how we make these choices and how we can make better ones. |
The Fault in Our Stars Author: John Green Published in 2012 The book is the award-winning author John Green’s most heartbreaking work. The story is told by Hazel Grace, a 16-year-old girl with cancer. She is forced by her parents to attend a support group where she meets and falls in love with 17-year-old Augustus Waters. |
Still Just Kidding Author: Cassandra Calin Published in 2018 Have you ever wondered how a comedy writer comes up with funny ideas and turns them into comics? In this book Cassandra will be telling us all about herself and showing where her ideas come from. Cassandra will even go a step further and show how she designs her comics in a way that is sure to put a smile on even the angriest faces. |
1. What is special about the book Before We Were Yours?
| A．It is written for parents. |
| B．It is based on the real events. |
| C．It describes the history of America. |
| D．It talks about the events during the war. |
| A．Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. |
| B．Still Just Kidding. |
| C．The Fault in Our Stars. |
| D．Before We Were Yours. |
| A．Shocked. | B．Lucky. |
| C．Funny. | D．Sad. |
8 . Canadians have a global reputation（名声）for being polite. A survey ranked Canada first out of 50 countries. Most Canadians think that while being polite can be a superficial attitude when people are communicating with friend and strangers, being “kind” to others generally requires a much greater effort and truly knows who you are as a person.
A national survey made by Environics Research Group for Coca-Cola Canada shows that on average each Canadian has shown kindness to others through random（随意的）actions four times in the last four weeks. Examples of their kindness include things such as opening a door for a stranger, offering to carry heavy items or giving up your seat for someone else in a public bus.
With millions of acts of kindness happening every day, most Canadians surveyed felt kind folks deserved more recognition for their actions. Coca-Cola Canada has decided to praise some very special individuals who make others happy with good acts in their own communities. The goal is to share their stories to help inspire（鼓舞）others to give a little kindness too.
“When it comes to kindness, seeing really is believing,” says Carolyn Harty, Senior Brand Manager of Coca-Cola. “More than half of Canadians are inspired to pay it forward themselves when they see others making a kind gesture. It is these small acts of kindness that make a large difference and inspire people and create happiness.”
Sixteen-year-old Sheliza Kassam, from Canada, decided on her thirteenth birthday that instead of gifts, she and her family would help feed families in need. Her small action became larger and developed into a non-profit organization that Sheliza now runs to hold birthday parties for children living in shelters who otherwise would not be able to celebrate their special day.
Another teen Nathan Unrau started out with a one-time school charity project that just couldn’t help. With the support of his parents, Lunches with Love has become a non-profit organization that makes and gives away 450 paper bag lunches to the local homeless people every other Saturday.
1. For what are Canadians famous all around the world?| A．Working hard. |
| B．Being grateful for others’ help. |
| C．Behaving well in public. |
| D．Having good manners. |
| A．Why Canadians show kindness. |
| B．What kindness means. |
| C．How kind Canadians are. |
| D．When Canadians show politeness. |
| A．To encourage all the people to spread kindness. |
| B．To celebrate the great events of kindness. |
| C．To show the ways of making others happy. |
| D．To remind people of the importance of kindness. |
| A．They were once supported by others. |
| B．They came from the non-profit organizations. |
| C．They enjoyed staying with poor children. |
| D．They offer others some food. |
9 . Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to “peak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees—anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”
1. The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ________.| A．connect them to libraries | B．surf the Internet |
| C．work at home | D．use for their schoolwork |
| A．It is an old college in America. | B．1500 students have laptops. |
| C．All teachers use computers. | D．Students there can do everything. |
| A．attend lectures on information technology |
| B．get information from around the world |
| C．travel around the world |
| D．have free laptops |
| A．The program is successful. | B．We don’t know the result of the program yet. |
| C．The program is too expensive. | D．The program is not workable. |
10 . 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 |
