3 . Perhaps you have ever heard the saying: Change is the only constant. Everyone, without doubt, goes through changes in their life, whether it is a physical state of aging or a mental state of emotional maturity. However, some are afraid to make the conscious decision to move or they think it's too late to have a fresh start.

I have a friend named Jack. At the age of 37, he is a Senior Manager at one of the Big Four. He has a great salary, owns his own apartment and enjoys the fine things in life, but not without the heavy burdens that his job brings. On the surface, it looks like he has got life figured out. Yet when I once asked if he was happy with his work, he answered that he some- times wished to quit his job to do something less stressful. But he’d become accustomed to this lifestyle and felt that it would be too late to give it up to achieve a new ambition.

For him, the risks are too high, so whether he can't abide his present job or not, he has to choose to suck it up. You might have come to a similar situation as Jack’s or you might be a Jack. You're now facing a wall. No matter what it is—the stress of your job or the terrible feeling, it’s time that you had to decide whether you'll tear down that wall or continue to let it enclose you. I suggest pushing back the boundaries and breaking the fixed patterns. Why do you feel it's too late to start over? That is simply because you're comparing yourself with others—younger or more successful individuals. In fact, you should compare yourself with the older version of you.

Don't become that person who lets life pass by only to regret it when you are making your way into old age. Don't let your life plateau（停滞不前）and waste away in the daily chores. Don't give up the potential you still have hidden and be locked away by your current state. Now, you’d better bravely start going after the things you want to do, without abandoning your dreams, ambitions and responsibilities.

1. What kind of people does Jack represent according to the author?

A．Those leading a happy life.

B．Those having an easeful career.

C．Those thinking it's too late to change.

D．Those having a high ambition to work.

2. What does the underlined word “abide” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Value.

B．Recommend.

C．Understand.

D．Tolerate.

3. What does the author advise us not to do?

A．Let life stand still.

B．Enjoy the present job.

C．Have a small goal in life.

D．Consider ourselves as a failure.

4. Which is the best title for the text?

A．Everyone Can Meet a Jack

B．Don't Try to Control Yourself

C．Never Think Change Is Too Late

D．You Should Make Alteration Earlier

4 . Our adventure started in December 2018 when our daughter got engaged, She and her then fiance live in Chicago but grew up in Phuket, Asia, so a wedding there sounded perfect.

Fast forward year. The pre-wedding activities were fun, and the wedding and reception were beautiful. But our adventure had only just began!

The morning after the wedding, my husband and I took off for the northeast coast of Borneo. We flew to the town of Sandakan, a gateway to wildlife adventures.

Our destination was the Kinabatangan Weilands Resort on the Kinabatangan River. This area is one of Malaysia's most important wildlife habitats. As we travelled along the riverbank on our first afternoon, we observed an orangutan building a treetop nest. Next, we caught sight of monkeys swinging from trees. We also spotted red birds and watched kingfishers dive for fish.

After dinner, eight guests, plus our guide and boatman, boarded the boat again—the night was absolutely dark. We started down to the river. Suddenly, a snake dropped into the water from overhanging branches and then jumped into our boat! It quickly jumped out again to our great relief! When we reached the mouth of the river, the red eyes of crocodiles greeted us. That frightening sight shook everyone up! But when we rounded a bend in the river, we saw mango trees lit up like Christmas trees from fireflies. A glorious scene!

The next morning found us once again in a boat. To our delight, approximately 40 elephants paraded by. We couldn't believe our luck as the elephants only frequent that area once a year.

Upon our return to Sandakan, we learned that everything in Malaysia was shutting down and numerous flights were being cancelled due to COVID-19. However, we made it home. It was an adventure for the ages!

1. What can we learn about Kinabatangan Weilands Resort?

A．A variety of creatures live in harmony there.

B．It is regarded as a gateway to wildlife adventures.

C．The author went there to attend her daughter`s wedding.

D．It is Malaysia's most significant wildlife habitat.

2. What made the author shocked for is beauty during the night?

A．The river reflecting moonlight in the dark.	B．The mango trees shining because of fireflies.
C．The colorful animals and insects hanging in trees.	D．The various fish swimming lively in the water.

3. Why did the author think she was lucky?

A．Because she made it home without delay.	B．Because the snake didn't cause any injury.
C．Because she got in observe rare scene.	D．Because the COVID-19 virus didn't infect her.

4. What is the most suitable title for the passage?

A．Observing Various Habitats in Sandakan.	B．My Once-in-a-lifetime Adventure into Nature.
C．Exploring Tourist Adractions it Sandakan.	D．The Perfect Wedding of My Daughter.

5 . “If music is the medicine of the soul, let it play on,” said a famous person. I think he said so probably because he had got some help from music. Music has some strange functions. Medical scientists have found that a person who feels stressed can actually listen to a certain kind of music and become relaxed.

Researchers said that since stress comes as a result of some events in life such as starting a new family, starting a new business and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches humans in a positive way. Music helps you forget these events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life.

Depression(抑郁症) is a disease caused by stress, smoking, social problems, etc. Depression is also caused by difficulties such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headaches and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feelings make you healthy.

Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is one of the side effects of some major health problems such as liver cancer and breast cancer. Good music makes you feel relaxed and relieves the pain caused by these diseases and you will feel better. Good music also makes you sleep better, and you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Good sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person.

1. What do you know about music according to the famous person in Paragraph 1?

A．Music can treat many kinds of diseases.

B．Music can help you keep mentally healthy.

C．Music can take the place of medicine in treating illness.

D．Music can make you remember things that happened in the past.

2. How does good music help people remove stress?

A．By letting people have a good sleep.	B．By making people think positively.
C．By showing something new to people.	D．By making people focus only on important things.

3. According to the passage, what will one who has cancer most probably experience?

A．Stress

B．Depression.

C．Anxiety.

D．Upset

4. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．The benefits of listening to music to health.

B．Stress can bring us many kinds of diseases.

C．Some diseases have something to do with music.

D．Tips for us to live a healthy and comfortable life.

6 . A new study, published this week in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, reveals that non-human animals' tears are not so different from our own. The chemical similarities are so great, in fact, that the composition of other species' tears—and how they're adapted to their environments-may provide insights into better treatments for human eye disease.

Previously, scientists had studied closely only the tears of a handful of mammals, including humans, dogs, horses, camels, and monkeys. In the new study, Brazilian veterinarians analyzed the tears of reptiles and birds for the first time , focusing on seven species.

Tears, which are released from tear tubes, form a film over the eye that's composed of three ingredients: mucus, waler, and oil. The mucus coats the eyes surface and helps to attach the film to the eye, the water is a natural salty solution containing crucial proteins and minerals, and the oil prevents the eye from drying out.

Humans are the only known species to produce emotional tears; the expression "crocodile tears," which refers to a person's phony display of emotion, comes from the mysterious tendency of crocodiles to release tears as they eat.

But tears play key roles beyond weeping, notes Lionel Sebbag at Iowa State University, who was not involved in the new research. They help with vision by lubricating and clearing the eye. They also protect the eye against infection and provide nutrition to the cornea, the eye's clear outer layer, which lacks blood tubes, he says.

Learning how reptiles and birds' use tears may also inspire new medications for conditions such as dry eye, which occurs when tear tubes don't produce enough oil. The disease, common in cats, dogs, and people, can sometimes lead to blindness.

1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The source of tears.	B．The composition of tears.
C．The classification of tears,	D．The definition of tears.

2. What does the underlined word "phony” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Tricky.

B．Regretful.

C．Cold.

D．False.

3. Which statement does Lionel Sebbag agree with?

A．Weeping contributes to eye disease.	B．The cornea has rich blood tubes.
C．Tears oil and clear the eyes.	D．More tears mean better vision.

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

A．Tears, a barrier to eyes	B．A better treatment for eye disease
C．Non-human tears promise new cures	D．Other species’ tears are similar to humans'

7 . Killer whales, or orcas, are known for their severe attacks on sea animals but they have never posed a threat to humans. However, since late July, the normally social animals have been intentionally attacking sailboats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal.

The strange behavior first surfaced on July 29, 2020, when a 46-foot boat was repeatedly attacked for almost an hour by nine orcas, causing the boat to rotate(旋转) 180 degrees and having its engine switched off. Since then, over 30 more similar incidents have been reported. On September 23, 2020, Spain's government banned boats of less than 50 feet in length from sailing in the 60-mile stretch of the Atlantic coastline between Ferrol and the Estaca de Bares Cape, where the attacks have been occurring.

Researchers across the world are trying to explain the orcas' behavior. Some believe it could be a result of the overfishing of the bluefish tuna - the orcas' primary food source -which has left the area's killer whales starving and unable to feed their babies. "I saw them look at boats carrying fish. I think they know humans are somehow related to food shortages, "says Ken Balcomb, senior scientist at the Center for Whale Research in Washington, USA. The environmentalists believe the sudden increase in boat traffic and fishing activities, after months of absence due to restrictions on human activity last spring, could also be contributing to the agitation.

However, Alfredo López, a biology professor in Galicia, Spain, thinks the attacks are defensive measures the orcas adopted to protect themselves against boat injuries. The researcher came to this conclusion after looking at the of the videos of a few incidents and noticing that two of the young killer whales involved had serious injuries. Hopefully, the experts will be able to find a way to restore the harmony between the animals and the humans soon.

1. What do we know about orcas in paragraph 1?

A．They are friendly to humans.	B．They have changed their behavior.
C．They are famous for hunting skills	D．They have met tough living conditions.

2. Who hold(s) the idea that fishing activities caused the incidents?

A．Ken Balcomb.	B．The environmentalists.
C．Alfredo López.	D．Spain's government.

3. What does the underlined word "the agitation" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The attacks.

B．Food shortages.

C．The overfishing.

D．Human activities.

4. What might be a suitable title for this text?

A．How do killer whales attack humans?

B．Why Are Killer Whales attacking Boats?

C．How can we live in harmony with animals?

D．Why are boats banned from sailing on the sea?

8 . Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone.

Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college and believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. “It opens up your mind to things and pushes you out of your comfort zone.” Wegscheider has visited 46 countries covering all seven continents.

In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen, it is challenging. This is what drives young people to travel alone. It is seen as character building and a chance to prove that they can make it on their own.

Chris Richardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year. He set up a website, The Aussie Nomad, to document his adventures. He says he wished he had traveled alone earlier. “The people you meet, the places you visit, or the things you do, everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person.” said the 30-year-old man.

Richardson describes traveling alone like “a shot in the arm”, which “makes you a more confident person that is ready to deal with anything”. He said, “The feeling of having overcome something on my own is a major part of what drives me each day when I’m dealing with a difficult task. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try.”

The great 19^thcentury explorer John Muir once said. “Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness.

1. Which of the following will Kristina Wegscheider agree with?

A．Traveling alone is a necessary experience for everyone.

B．It is more meaningful to travel in foreign countries.

C．It is comfortable to travel around without a friend.

D．Traveling abroad helps people to find new things.

2. Traveling alone is challenging because ________

A．you have to make things on your own.

B．it is hard for you to prove yourself to others.

C．you can only depend on yourself whatever happens.

D．it will finally build your character.

3. What can we infer about Chris Richardson?

A．He started traveling alone at an early age.

B．He was once shot in the arm.

C．He used to work as a salesman.

D．His website will inspire others to travel alone.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Travel Abroad	B．Travel Alone
C．Travel Light	D．Travel Wide and Far

9 . A Portland, Oregon man has become the first person to travel across Antarctica by himself without receiving any assistance.

Colin O’Brady has completed the 1,500-kilometer trip. He crossed the continent in 54 days. Friends, family and other people followed his progress through messages and pictures he left on social media.

O’Brady spoke with his wife Jenna Besaw by telephone soon after he completed the journey. “It was an emotional call,” she said. “He seemed overwhelmed by love and appreciation, and he really wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of us.”

The 33-year-old O’Brady documented the trip on the social networking services Instagram. He called his journey “The Impossible First”. He wrote that he traveled the last 129 kilometers in one big, final push to the finish line. The distance took over one day to complete. O’Brady wrote, “While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced.”

The day before, he wrote that he was “in the zone” and thought he could make it to the end without stopping. “I was listening to my body and taking care of the details to keep myself safe,” he wrote. “I called home and talked to my mom, sister and wife. I promised them I would stop when I need to.”

Other people have traveled across Antarctica, but they all had some form of assistance. They either had better, more plentiful supplies or devices that helped move them forward.

In 2016, British explorer Henry Worsley died in his attempt to travel alone across Antarctica unassisted. Worsley’s friend Louis Rudd, also from Britain, is attempting an unaided solo journey in Worsley’s honor. He was competing against O’Brady to be the first to do it. Besaw told the Associated Press that her husband plans to stay in Antarctica until Rudd finishes his trip.

1. What did O’Brady think of his journey in Antarctica?

A．It was pleasant.	B．It was discouraging.
C．It was impossible to complete.	D．It was hard to complete.

2. What did O’Brady promise his family?

A．Making sure of his safety.	B．Trying to achieve the goal.
C．Keeping in touch with them.	D．Stopping the travel halfway.

3. Why does O’Brady still remain in Antarctica?

A．To wait for another explorer.	B．To compete with others.
C．To help other explorers.	D．To make his victory recognized.

4. What might be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Antarctic Continent	B．The Impossible First
C．Traveling in Antarctica	D．An Incomplete Journey

10 . A 15-year-old scientist and inventor has been named as Time's first ever Kid of the Year.

Rao is a high school student from Colorado. She was chosen from 5,000 U.S.-based nominees ( 提 名 ). Time said in a statement that Rao stood out for her ability to apply scientific ideas to real-world problems and her efforts to motivate other kids to take up their own causes. Rao told the Associated Press that the prize is “nothing that I could have ever imagined. And I'm so grateful and just so excited that we're really taking a look at the upcoming generation and our generation, since the future is in our hands.” She insists that starting out small doesn't matter, as long as you're enthusiastic about it.

It's just the latest recognition for the teenager, who was named last year to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Rao won praise in 2017 after she developed a portable device（设备） to detect lead (铅) in water. She went on to cooperate with scientists in the water industry to try to get the device on the market.

The young scientist has also developed an app called Kindly that uses artificial intelligence to help prevent cyberbullying (网络欺凌). It allows teens to type in a word or phrase to find out if the words they're using are hurtful and amount to（等于）bullying, and thus should be avoided.

In an interview with Time, Rao said that her pursuits（追求） in science started early as a way to improve conditions in society. In a world where science is increasingly questioned or challenged, Rao insists that its pursuit is an important act of kindness. It is the best way that a younger generation can better the world. Science and technology are being employed as never before to handle various issues, such as global warming, the outbreak of disease and so on, she noted.

“We have science in everything we're involved in, and I think that's the biggest thing to put out there, that science is cool, invention is cool, and anybody can be an inventor," Rao said.“ Anybody can do science.

1. What is one of the reasons for Rao being honored by Time?

A．The up-to-date ideas she had come up with.

B．The large amounts of time she had devoted.

C．The influence she has on young generations.

D．The optimistic attitude she holds to the future.

2. Rao's inventions mentioned in the passage can be described as _______.

A．functional	B．environment-friendly
C．efficient	D．money-saving

3. What contributes to Rao's enthusiasm for science?

A．Her tolerance for problems.	B．Her amazing brain power.
C．Her exposure to challenges.	D．Her concern about society.

4. What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．High School Student Struggling for Big Dream

B．Young Scientist Named TIME's Kid of the Year

C．Scientific Achievements Applied to Our Real Life

D．Advanced Inventions Used in Bettering the World