1 . I like being 100% stimulant free—no coffee, caffeinated tea, chocolate, caffeinated soda, etc. I base this on lots of personal experimentation. I’ve gone some years of my life with no stimulants, and I’ve also gone for a long time consuming coffee daily. The two modes of living are totally different.

Caffeine tends to make me obsess more over minor tasks and lose focus on big picture goals. When I consume coffee daily, Ill check email more often. I’ll spend more time on social media. I’ll web surf more. I’ll spend more time organizing and reorganizing instead of moving the needle forward on big projects. I’ll feel extra busy but have less to show for it.

Stimulants always exhaust me eventually, especially after months of daily use. I can’t seem to make good progress on bigger projects, and I can tell that my mind is becoming too chaotic. I might spend 8 hours at my desk and get 90 minutes of important work done. I know I am at the point when I need to take at least several weeks off.

I love the taste of coffee, and its delightful to drink a cup of it, but I’ve learned that I can’t really have any relationship with it if I want to function at my best. It’s way too addictive (上瘾的) for me. If I have even a small amount, I risk slipping into the pattern of having it daily for months.

I’ve learned that its best to avoid chocolate too (including cacao) because chocolate is a gateway drug back to coffee. Same goes for green tea. So while I have enjoyed those in the past, I feel safer not having them. I like how my brain works better when not under the influence of stimulants.

1. The writer may     when consuming caffeine daily.

A．work less efficiently	B．ignore minor tasks
C．become energetic	D．concentrate on big projects

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．The writer finds it relaxing to have a cup of coffee every day.

B．The writer has just started avoiding taking any stimulant recently.

C．The writer seldom drinks coffee because he doesn’t like the taste.

D．The writer thinks a small amount of coffee may cause his addiction to it.

3. What is the text mainly about?

A．What the writer did to be 100% stimulant-free.

B．Why the writer said no to stimulants completely.

C．How stimulants helped improve work efficiency.

D．How the writer became addicted to stimulants.

2 . Birthdays often involve surprises．But this year's surprise on the birthday of the great British playwright William Shakespeare is surely one of the most dramatic．
On April 22, one day before his 441st birthday anniversary, experts discovered that one of the most recognizable portraits of William Shakespeare is a fake．This means that we no longer have a good idea of what Shakespeare looked like．“It's very possible that many pictures of Shakespeare might be unreliable because many of them are copies of this one,” said an expert from Britain's National Portrait Gallery．
The discovery comes after four months of testing using X-rays, ultraviolet light, microphotography and paint samples．The experts from the gallery say the image —commonly known as the “Flower portrait”— was actually painted in the 1800s, about two centuries after Shakespeare's death．The art experts who work at the gallery say they also used modern chemistry technology to check the paint on the picture．These checks found traces of paint dating from about 1814．Shakespeare died in 1616, and the date that appears on the portrait is 1609．
“We now think the portrait dates back to around 1818 to 1840．This was when there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays,” Tarnya Cooper, the gallery's curator （馆长）, told the Associated President．
The fake picture has often been used as a cover for collections of his plays．It is called the Flower portrait because one of its owners, Desmond Flower, gave it to the Royal Shakespeare Company．
“There have always been questions about the painting,” said David Howells, curator for the Royal Shakespeare Company．“Now we know the truth, we can put the image in its proper place in the history of Shakespearean portraiture．”
Two other images of Shakespeare, are also being studied as part of the investigation and the results will come out later this month．________．
1. What makes the birthday of Shakespeare dramatic this year?

A．It was found that he painted a portrait in 1814 instead of in 1609．

B．The Flower portrait has been found to be a fake．

C．Three portraits of Shakespeare are being tested to identify a real one．

D．It was found that there was a renewed interest in Shakespeare's plays around 1818 to 1840．

2. Which statement is True according to the passage?

A．Portraits of Shakespeare are all unreliable．

B．“Flower portrait” was a portrait of Shakespeare given to Desmond Flower．

C．1814 might be when the portrait was drawn．

D．The Flower portrait is not often used as a cover for Shakespeare's play．

3. How many methods were used to test the portrait?

A．Not mentioned．	B．Two
C．Three	D．At least four．

4. The best title for this passage is ________．

A．Birthdays often involve surprises

B．The surprise on the 441st birthday of Shakespeare

C．One portrait of Shakespeare is a fake

D．How can we know Shakespeare's appearance?

5. Which is the best sentence to fill in the blank in the last paragraph?

A．Soon we'll know which portrait is reliable．

B．Maybe we cannot find a real portrait of Shakespeare．

C．If the two portraits are found to be false, they will test more．

D．For now what Shakespeare really looked like will remain a mystery．

3 . When a corporation is formed, it issues stock (股票), which is sold or given to individuals. Ownership of stock entitles you to vote in the election of a corporation’s directors, so in theory holders of stock control the company. In practice, however, in most large corporations, ownership is separated from control of the firm. Most stockholders have little input into the decisions a corporation makes. Instead, corporations are often controlled by their managers, who often run them for their own benefit as well as for the owners. The reason is that the owners’ control of management is limited.

A large percent of most corporations’ stock is not even controlled by the owners; instead,   is controlled by financial institutions such as mutual funds (financial institutions that invest individuals’ money for them) and by pension funds (financial institutions that hold people’s money for them until it is to be paid out to them upon their retirement). Thus, ownership of I Corporations is another step removed from individuals. Studies have shown that 80 percent of the largest 200 corporations in the US are essentially controlled by managers and have little effective stockholder control.

Why is the question of who controls a firm important? Because economic theory assumes the goal of business owners is to maximize profits , which would be true of corporations if stockholders made the decisions. Managers don’t have the same motivation to maximize profits that owners do. There’s pressure on managers to maximize profits, but that pressure can often be weak or ineffective. An example of how firms deal with this problem involves stock options. Many companies give their managers stock options-rights to buy stock at a low price - to encourage them to worry about the price of their company’s stock. But these stock options dilute (稀释)the value of company ownership and decrease profits per share and can give managers an incentive (激励, 刺激)to overstate profits through accounting tricks, as happened at Enron, Xerox, and a number of other firms.

1. Why can’t the stockholders control the company?

A．Because they are separated from the managers.

B．Because they have a little input in making decisions.

C．Because they are limited in the control of management.

D．Because they are restricted to the ownership of the company.

2. Which of the following statements is true of the ownership of corporations?

A．Ownership is controlled by managers.

B．Ownership is separated from control of the company.

C．Ownership is removed from the stockholders.

D．Ownership is controlled by financial institutions.

3. What is used to encourage managers to maximize profits?

A．Stock option.	B．The right to own stock.
C．Controlling power.	D．Effective   stockholder control.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Who Controls Corporation?	B．When should the Stock be Issued?
C．Importance of Financial Institutions	D．Stockholders and Managers

4 . Throughout history, humans have played some kind of kicking game. What the world now calls football, or soccer in the US, began as far back as 2500 B. C. with the Chinese game of tsu chu. The sport we know today originated in Britain. By the 1840s, England’s Football Association established a set of rules, and the modern game was born. Today, more than 120 million players all over the globe participate in the game, truly making soccer the world’s sport.

So, why is soccer so popular? Maybe it’s the game’s camaraderie: the feeling that the team on the field is your team; their win is your victory, and their loss is your defeat. Or maybe it’s the game’s international quality. In countries like France, England, Spain, and Brazil, major teams have players from many different nations, and these clubs now have fans all over the world. Or perhaps it’s the promise of great wealth. A number of professional soccer players, including Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, come from poor families. Today, both of these players make millions of euros every year.

Soccer is popular for all of these reasons, but ultimately, the main reason for its universal appeal may be this: It’s a simple game. It can be played anywhere with anything—a ball, a can, or even some bags tied together. And anyone can play it. “You don’t need to be rich...to play soccer, ” says historian Peter Alegi. “Your just need a flat space and a ball.

But joining a professional team and making a lot of money isn’t the main reason that soccer is so popular all over Africa, say Abubakari Abdul-Ganiyu, a teacher who works with youth clubs in Tamale, Ghana. “Soccer is the passion of everyone here,” he says, “It unifies us. “ In fact, more than once, the game has helped to bring people together. In Ivory Coast, for example, immigrants and Muslims faced discrimination for years. Yet many of the country’s best soccer players are from Muslim and immigrant families. As a result, the national team has become a symbol of unity and has helped to promote peace throughout the world.

1. What is this text mainly about?

A．The history of soccer.	B．Soccer clubs.
C．The popularity of soccer.	D．How African soccer began.

2. Which is not a possible reason for soccer’s popularity according to paragraph 2?

A．The team spirit among players.

B．Famous players from many different countries.

C．The number of soccer games played all over the world.

D．The possibility of making a lot of money.

3. Which of the following statements about the Ivory Coast national team is not true?

A．Many of its best players are from immigrant families.

B．One of its teachers is Abubakari Abdul-Ganiyu.

C．There are Muslim players on the team.

D．It has helped to promote peace in the country.

5 . Winter driving requires special attention to road conditions. Ice, freezing rain, and snow make the roads very dangerous. These conditions requires us to be extra careful when we drive. However, weather conditions sometimes cause drivers to lose control of their cars, thus causing accidents. If you are in a car accident, here are some tips from the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle.

If you are involved in an accident or collision in Connecticut, you must be prepared to act responsibly and in accordance with state laws. The following are some general guidelines and more specific requirements to follow in case of an accident.

First, as a responsible driver, you must never leave the scene of an accident. It is essential that you provide any necessary help immediately following an accident. Leaving an accident scene can result in having your driving privileges canceled or your license suspended.

After stopping your vehicle, you should pull up as close to the accident as safely possible without blocking traffic. Take a moment to assess the situation, and do not panic. Be aware of the traffic situation, and any other potential danger» such as fire.

You should do your best to provide immediate assistance for other motorists, passengers or pedestrians that may have been injured in the accident. Take extra care when attempting to move an injured person; if possible, wait for an ambulance to arrive. Call 911 to report any injuries and call for medical assistance. You are also required by law to inform the police immediately in case of any accident that involves death, injury or property death.

If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important to stay calm. If possible, ensure that you are out of danger and not blocking any oncoming traffic. Call or wait for help, and do hot attempt to move if you are unable to do so. See Auto Accident Injuries for more information.

If you hit an unattended vehicle，you must make an effort to find the owner or driver，and follow these same procedures. If you are unable to locate the owner of an unattended vehicle, you are required to leave a note indicating your name and contact information, and a brief description of the accident.

1. Which of the following is NOT true if you want to be a responsible driver?

A．You should remain at the spot if an accident has occurred.

B．You should park your car away from the accident to avoid blocking traffic.

C．You should offer medical aid with extra care before an ambulance comes.

D．You should inform the police of any injury or death caused by an accident.

2. What should you do if you hit an unattended vehicle but can’t locate the owner?

A．You should drive it to the roadside.

B．You should wait for the owner to come.

C．You should describe the accident to the police.

D．You should leave a note with necessary information.

3. What does the passage mainly want to convey?

A．The methods to avoid a traffic accident.

B．The handling measures after a traffic accident.

C．The emotions you experience in a traffic accident.

D．The consequences you will have after a traffic accident.

6 . You've always wanted to go to Alishan.The Alishan Scenic Area has so many marvelous places to explore.Now you're finally going to take that trip!But don't get so excited about your trip that you forget to plan carefully.If you choose to work with a travel agency,choose a legal one.Check online reviews of it.Ask or talk to people who have traveled with them.Once you choose one and have a trip schedule,read it carefully.Note what is included in the trip and what is not.If you are not sure,ask questions.Make sure everything is clear before you agree to the trip and pay your money.When you purchase your trip,also buy travel insurance.You want to be protected if something unexpected happens and you can't travel.

If you are arranging your own lodging,book a safe and legal hotel.For your own safety,choose one that meets the standards of department for tourism administration.

After you arrive in the Alishan area and check into your hotel,look around.Locate the emergency exits.You may never need them,but it's better to be safe than sorry.Check your hotel room,too.Make sure the doors and windows are closed and locked.Even if your room seems safe,don't leave our valuables there.Take them with you or leave them in the hotel safe.

There are many delicious restaurants around Alishan.Enjoy your food,but protect yourself from food poisoning.Always wash your hands with soap before eating.Eat well-cooked,hot food.

As you visit the famous sites of Alishan,keep an eye on your things.You don't want to set them down someplace and forget them.

On your trip,you'll likely see things you want to buy.Shop wisely.Compare prices and bargain if you can.Do not buy any counterfeit goods or illegal wildlife products.

If you follow these smart travel tips,you will enjoy the beauty of Alishan and return home safely with many wonderful memories.

1. What should you do before you pay for the trip?

A．Choose a legal travel agency.	B．Read the trip schedule carefully.
C．Ensure everything is clear.	D．Purchase travel insurance.

2. What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Preparations for traveling to Alishan.	B．Tips for traveling to Alishan.
C．Food to enjoy in Alishan area.	D．Scenic spots to explore in Alishan area.

3. Where can the passage probably be taken from?

A．A magazine.	B．A textbook.
C．A tourist brochure.	D．A book review.

7 . “No act of kindness,no matter how small,is ever wasted."

－Aesop

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day.It's a day set aside to show extra kindness to the people around us-those we know and those we don't.Smiling and saying a few encouraging words is easy. But an act of kindness is something you actually do.A random act of kindness is usually unexpected and unplanned.Maybe you help someone carry groceries.Maybe you pay for a stranger's coffee.Or maybe send an encouraging note to a friend.

Caring for others is nothing new.In fact,the Bible tells everyone to"Love your neighbor as yourself."But who is your neighbor?There is an example in the story of"The Good Samaritan”。

It tells of a traveler who was robbed and beaten.A religious leader saw the man lying in the road but didn't stop to help.Another religious man also ignored him.But a Samaritan came along.He was a foreigner.He showed compassion and took care of the strangers' needs.He showed mercy.

Is helping strangers a thing of the past?Are people today too busy or too afraid to help someone they don't know?I know from experience that goodwill between strangers still exists.

One Sunday morning I was running late for church.As I started to drive off,I noticed an elderly lady.She was dragging a large piece of wood out of the rain.I was in a hurry,but I hesitated.Then I stopped my car,got out and helped her move the wood.

Months went by.Then one day,I saw some workmen cleaning out an old store.There in the pile of trash was a large Coca-cola cooler.How fun!A worker said I could have it,so I picked it up and started home.I didn't get very far.It was much heavier than I thought.Then out of the blue,the elderly lady appeared with a cart!I had helped her,and she was returning the favor.Go and help your neighbor today!

1. Which of the following is NOT a random act of kindness?

A．Smiling and saying a few encouraging words.

B．Helping an old man cross the street.

C．Paying for a stranger's breakfast.

D．Sending an encouraging note to a friend.

2. What does the underlined phrase"out of the blue"in the last paragraph mean?

A．Happily

B．Fortunately

C．Surprisingly

D．Excitedly

3. How does the author show that kindness between strangers still exists?

A．By making a comparison.	B．By giving an example.
C．By explaining reasons.	D．By stating opinions.

4. Which can be the best title of the passage ?

A．Love Your Neighbors	B．Random Acts of kindness
C．Random Kindness Pays Off	D．It's Never Too Late to Help Others

8 . Working from a shady balcony overlooking a vast sea, with five-star restaurants and golf courses within easy reach: what better place could there be to while away the pandemic (疫情) than Barbados?

Like most of its Caribbean neighbours, Barbados has been good at keeping COVID-19 out. Normally tourism brings in more than half of its foreign earnings. Now, many tourists are banned and the economy is declining. The tourism minister, Kerrie Symmonds, puts unemployment at close to 40%.

The prime minister, Mia Mottley intends to introduce a “Welcome Stamp” for visitors to “work remotely in paradise” for up to a year. The idea is that if holidays are not possible, then maybe the island can attract wealthy office workers who no longer have to go to the office. Other Caribbean islands are considering competing plans; Bermuda has announced one.

It did not take a pandemic for some digital workers to consider moving to a beach. But before now, it was legally difficult. Getting a work permit or immigrant status meant weeks or months of form-filling. Workers had to pay Barbadian income taxes. The new procedure looks quick and easy by comparison. For a fee of $2,000 for one person, or $3,000 for a family, you can take your Zoom calls from a real white sandy beach, instead of merely selecting it as a virtual background. You continue paying tax according to the rules of whichever country you came from.

There will be some checks on new arrivals. We do not want “the scum of the earth, but honest and respectable types”, says Mr Symmonds. Applicants must have health insurance, and the main breadwinner must earn at least $50,000. But otherwise the gates are open. “All must breathe, in this world and in this country.” says Ms Mottley.

1. The project “Welcome Stamp” is intended to ________.

A．help the economy recover	B．create jobs for visitors
C．keep COVID-19 out	D．compete against other islands

2. What is needed to apply for Welcome Stamp?

A．Spending weeks to get work permit or immigrant status.

B．Paying a certain amount of Barbadian income taxes.

C．Paying $2,000 per person, or $3,000 per family.

D．Earning at least $50,000 per family member

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Barbados is the first to put forward the plan.

B．All healthy and wealthy people are welcome.

C．Increasing unemployment leads to an economic decline.

D．It used to be difficult for digital workers to move to Barbados.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Barbados provides a paradise to work remotely.

B．The Caribbean islands are fighting against the pandemic.

C．Office workers choose to work from the beach.

D．Working abroad becomes easier than before.

9 . Two Russian cosmonauts(宇航员)aboard the International Space Station (ISS) played chess against an Earth-bound grandmaster on Tuesday, in celebration of the first such game half a century ago.

Equipped with an electronic chessboard,cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vaguer played in zero gravity against 30-year-old Russian former child prodigy(神童)Sergei Karyakin. The game was broadcast live and ended in a draw after about 15 minutes.

It was organised by the space agency Roscosmos and the Russian Chess Federation to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the first Space-Earth game of chess played on June 9, 1970. "It's a huge honor for us not to lose to a grandmaster," Ivanishin said, while Vaguer added that US astronauts on the ISS watched the game and gave tips.

Karyakin, who played from Moscow's Museum of Cosmonautics, said he was jittery during the game and could not fall asleep until 4 a. m. on the night before the match.

"They played well," he said. "I can say that the human brain functions very well in space, and I have seen this today." At the age of 12 years and seven months, Karyakin became the world's youngest ever grandmaster.

Ivanishin, Vagner and US astronaut Chris Cassidy arrived on the ISS in April. On May 31, they were joined by US astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on the first manned private (light to the ISS. SpaceX made history by becoming the world's first commercial company to send humans to the ISS, leading Russia to lose its long-held monopoly(垄断)on space travel.

1. Why did the two Russian astronauts play chess on the ISS?

A．To offer a live show from the ISS.

B．To prove their success in boarding the ISS.

C．To test the human brain functions in zero gravity.

D．To celebrate the first Space-Earth chess game 50 years ago.

2. What does the underlined word "jittery" mean in the fourth paragraph?

A．Bored.

B．Disappointed.

C．Anxious.

D．Frightened.

3. What is the best title of the passage?

A．A Space-Earth Chess Game	B．A Former Child Chess Prodigy
C．A Chess Game Played on the ISS	D．A Celebration of Human Space History

10 . (CNN) — No matter how you like your hot dogs prepared, with mustard (芥末酱), ketchup or chili, we can all agree on one thing — hot dogs have become part of American culture. And this year, more than ever, hot dogs are red hot; in March zksq, the data firm IRI reported that sales were up by as much as 127% ,and that was well before grilling season started. But while hot dogs may feel “all-American,” they’re something else.

Also known as the frankfurter (法兰克福熏肠), this specific style of cased sausage was originally thought to be from the town of Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany, but hot dog historians argue that sausage culture, native to Eastern Europe and, particularly Germany, has no specific town of origin.

“A good number of the early Germans came from the Palatines, which is a general area surrounding the actual city of Frankfurt, explains Dr. Bruce Kraig at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Frankfurt, Kraig said, refers to the region of origin, though the actual food does not necessarily come from Frankfurt itself.

The traditional German hot dog, when it arrived in the United States, was a mixture of both pork and beef; the all-beef hot dog, as we now know, takes its roots from Jewish-American butchers, who, due to Jewish restrictions in food choice, chose not to use pork in their meat mixture.

Brought over by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, hot dogs began their path into the American time spirit in New York City. Hot dog carts (手推车), where they were a natural fit for the sandwich-loving New Yorkers, who already preferred to eat on the go, were easy to spot on the street. “Germans have sausage culture, so they eat sausage from butcher shops,” Kraig said. “The moment they appeared with the first German immigrants, Americans became crazy with the German idea of sausage eating on the street.”

1. What can we learn about American hot dogs?

A．They are gaining more popularity.

B．They are red hot in all seasons.

C．They are cooked in American way.

D．They had their origin in America.

2. Why are hot dogs known as frankfurter?

A．People think they originated in Frankfurt.

B．All-beef hot dogs have a German tradition.

C．They are consumed much more in Germany.

D．Sausage culture is deeply rooted in Europe.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Hot dogs are traditional German food.

B．Hot dogs arrived in America in the 1800s..

C．Germans eat hot dogs from butcher shops.

D．Hot dogs have become part of American life.

4. Which can serve as the best title of the passage?

A．Hot dogs — all American.

B．What is behind hot dogs?

C．Americans love hot dogs.

D．What are hot dogs made of?