1 . That morning, I dropped our eldest at kindergarten and returned home to let our two younger children play while I worked on my medical report. It was a wonderful chance to work from home, but it hit me that my career in hospital wasn't making a difference in anyone's life. I needed something that would stretch my limits and push me to grow. My career enabled me to work from home. I could work from home, and become a foster mother, providing safety for a child who needed it desperately.
On Monday morning. I picked up the phone and dialed the number I had Googled for the nearest Department of Children's Services. The man on the other end was receptive to my questions and explained the next step of training, involving eight weeks of classes designed to prepare and educate foster parents. We continued through all the classes, the home visits, background checks, and seemingly endless steps.
Five long months after we were approved, the phone rang. In the middle of the night, I woke my husband and rushed to East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Our placement was waiting for us in the emergency room, sick and lack of nutrition. It didn't take long for us to realize the full depth of her suffering. Six months later, her half-brother came to us by our request. We now had five children under our care.
On August 12, 2016, our family of seven walked into a small courtroom. The children's lawyer and social worker were there. With just a few words, our adoption was finalized. These two amazing children weren't going home, because they were already home. We are their forever family, and they are our forever children. We may not be able to change the entire world, but we have changed the world entirely for our new children.
1. How did the author feel about her hospital work?| A．Lacking of motivation. | B．Filled with challenge. |
| C．Highly motivating. | D．Unusually Demanding. |
| A．She felt sympathetic for abused children she knew. |
| B．She wanted to make a difference in other people. |
| C．She felt confident about her ability to raise children. |
| D．She experienced training to raise children properly. |
| A．The child to be adopted. | B．The need to get trained. |
| C．The approval of adoption. | D．The official at the hospital. |
| A．To put the adopted kids elsewhere. | B．To receive another adopted child. |
| C．To make the adoption officially legal. | D．To begin the kids' adoption in her home. |
2 . In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, there's a famous saying, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. The surprise is part of the fun. Now blind box toys（盲盒)are bringing the magic of surprise to online shopping.
A blind box toy is hidden inside similar boxes but invisible from the outside. You don't know what will be inside, although the toys typically come from pop culture, ranging from movies to comics and cartoons.
Blind boxes have become popular since they were first introduced from Japan to China in 2014. According to a 2019 Tmall report, the mini-series of Labubu blind box designed by Hong Kong-born Kasing Lung, was named Champion of Unit Sales with 55, 000 sold in just 9 seconds during the Singles Day shopping event. Most customers for blind boxes are young people aged 18 to 35.
According to The Paper, blind box toys are popular in part because of their cute appearances. The typically cute cartoon figures(人物)come in small sizes, making them suitable for display almost anywhere.
Even if blind boxes are not their top choice for decorations, the mystery and uncertainty of the process also attracts people. It's the main reason why people buy blind boxes one after another.
"Expecting the unknown is always a part of the box-opening process," said Miss Cao, 24, who lives and works in Shenyang. Speaking to Sina News, she said: "Until you open all the boxes, you cannot know what it is inside."
Opening a blind box is a delightful little surprise for our mundane daily lives, something small but fun to wait for each day, week or month. When people open this simple little box, they may be disappointed, but the uncertainty is part of the fun. People will open more blind boxes and hope for a better outcome.
When someone re-makes Forrest Gump, don't be surprised if he says, "Life is like a blind box."
1. What do we know about blind boxes?| A．They may bring surprise to our life. | B．They are visible from the outside. |
| C．They are popular among all ages. | D．They were first designed in 2014. |
| A．Because blind boxes are fashionable gifts. |
| B．Because blind boxes are educational gifts. |
| C．Because people enjoy box-opening process. |
| D．Because people prefer the colorful boxes. |
| A．Wonderful | B．Interesting | C．Amazing. | D．Boring. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. | C．A novel. | D．A guidebook. |
3 . Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on neighboring farms, had a quarrel. It was the first serious rift in 40 years, sharing machinery and exchanging goods as needed.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box.
"I'm looking for a few days' work." he said." Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with?"
"Yes." said the older brother. Look across the creek（小溪）at that farm. That's my younger brother. Last week there was a grassland between us, but he made a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to make difficulties for me, but I'll do him one better." "I want you to build me an 8-foot fence, so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."
The carpenter said, "Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you." The older brother got things ready and went to town.
The carpenter worked hard all that day. About sunset, when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer's eyes opened wide. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge—a bridge from one side of the creek to the other! The neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them." You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." They met in the middle, taking each other's hand.
They turned to see the carpenter taking his toolbox onto his shoulder.
"No, wait! Stay fora few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many more bridges to build."
1. What does the underlined word "rift" in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Failure | B．Discussion | C．Quarrel | D．Competition |
| A．Because he was asked to build it. |
| B．Because he was willing to help others. |
| C．Because he hated the older brother. |
| D．Because it was easier to build a bridge. |
| A．Selfish. | B．Generous. | C．Smart. | D．Famous. |
| A．Never Too Late To Learn |
| B．Bridge Is Better Than Fence |
| C．Care and Diligence Brings Luck |
| D．Fact Speaks Louder Than Words |
4 . How often do you have a conversation with someone, and think you are paying attention to him or her, only to realize shortly afterwards that you can't remember what he said? Or, perhaps you get distracted while he is speaking and miss the message that he is trying to deliver. In today's busy world, modern life is full of distractions: TVs, radios, traffic noises, telephones, laptops and so on, which can make it difficult to listen with our full attention.
But how can we listen more effectively? Jon kabat---zinn, professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, put forward the idea of mindful listening. He said mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, with a purpose, at the present moment and non-judgmentally.
When we listen mindfully, we can be aware of some barriers but still remain open to the speaker's ideas and messages. Mindfulness encourages us to be aware of the present moment, let go of distractions and ignore physical and emotional reactions to what people say to us.
But how can we apply mindful listening to our life? Jon Kabat-Zinn describes three key elements of mindful listening that we can use to improve our listening skills.
First of all, be present. When we listen mindfully, our focus should be on the person we are listening to without distractions. Then develop empathy. We often see the world through our own experiences. When we're empathetic, we can understand a situation from someone else's point of view. At last, listen to our own “cues”. Our cues are the thoughts, feelings and physical reactions that we have when we feel anxious or angry, and they can block out ideas and perspectives that we're uncomfortable with. Mindful listening can help us to be more aware of our cues, and allow us to choose not to let them block communication.
The rule is straightforward: simply “Listen”! Listen carefully and attentively. Pay full attention to the other person, and don't let other thoughts, like what we are going to say next, distract us.
1. What's the function of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic. | B．To make a conclusion. |
| C．To criticize the distractions. | D．To describe daily situations. |
| A．Making a judgment correctly. | B．Sharing messages with the speaker. |
| C．Stopping people's running thoughts. | D．Making sure of feeling understood. |
| A．The feeling of trusting others. | B．The ability to understand others. |
| C．The attitude of caring about others. | D．The behavior of listening to others. |
| A．Applications of Mindful Listening. |
| B．Key Elements of Mindful Listening. |
| C．A Research on Mindful Listening. |
| D．An Introduction of Mindful Listening. |
5 . If you have ever felt sick at the back of a bus or after a boat cruise, then you might have experienced motion sickness. The condition’s most common symptoms are dizziness, headaches, sweating and vomiting.
Humans haven’t always experienced this reaction. According to Fred Mast, a professor at the University of Bern, motion sickness began to affect us when we created vehicles for getting to places faster. “Our bodies were not prepared for it,” he says, explaining that human-made acceleration creates a disturbance between our vestibular system(前庭系统), which is responsible for controlling balance, and our vision. While travelling on a boat or in a car, you may not be watching the movement of the vehicle, but your vestibular system registers it. Since the human brain has not evolved enough yet to resolve that conflict, it leads to motion sickness. Motion sickness can also strike when there is simulated acceleration, such as in some video games or movie scenes in the theatre that make the viewer’s brain think it’s moving when it’s not.
While one in three people experiences motion sickness at some time, certain people are more easily affected. These include: children and young adults(according to a German survey, half of those under the age of 30 report being affected); patients; and women.
Sufferers can avoid motion sickness by making changes to how they travel. For instance, sitting facing forward at the front of a bus allows you to see the movement. Sitting in the middle of a boat or next to the wing of an airplane will reduce the amount of movement you feel. Staying away from alcohol and heavy meals ahead of car, boat or plane trips can also be helpful.
1. Which word can replace the underlined word “simulated” in Paragraph 2?| A．fake | B．sudden |
| C．frequent | D．visible |
| A．The symptoms of motion sickness. | B．The cause of motion sickness. |
| C．The function of the vestibular system. | D．The evolution of human’s brains. |
| A．The old | B．The male | C．The young | D．The adult |
| A．Closing eyes to feel the movement. | B．Sitting close to the bus driver. |
| C．Filling the stomach before a boat trip. | D．Choosing a middle seat in the airplane. |
6 . Observing fish in the ocean depths is challenging. Water pressure, dark light and more make exploring the ocean a tricky expedition. But researchers at MIT believe they have the answer: a soft robot fish called SoFi(short for soft fish).
This small, fish-looking robot swims quietly through its environment, free from anything attached to it so it doesn't disrupt the ecosystem by knocking into things and breaking them. They've already take SoFi out for a successful test swim.
“To our knowledge, this is the first robotic fish that can swim untethered for extended periods of time, Robert Katzschmann, lead author and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory(CSAIL) Ph.D. candidate, said in a statement.
This is a marked improvement over other autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs), which are loud, large and have a limited range of motion as they're often tied to boats. SoFi isn't any of those things thanks to its unique design and construction. For starters, the back side of the little robot fish is made of silicon rubber and flexible plastic, meaning it won't damage a reef if bumps into it.
To control SoFi, the team turned to one of the best ways to control just about anything: a waterproofed and customized control pad for a Super Nintendo. The researchers also developed a custom acoustic communication system to send SoFi instructions. So long as they're within 70 feet(21 metres) of SoFi, pushing a right, left, up and down on the direction pad will send an ultrasonic command using wavelengths of 30 to 36 kilohertzes. SoFi receives the command and follows it. If SoFi doesn't receive a command it'll just swim in the last commanded direction. SoFi is powered by a lithium polymer battery, the kind found in smart phones, and it can film and take high-resolution photos thanks to a fisheye lens housed in its "nose".
However…
1. Which is true about SoFi?| A．It can swim quietly without disturbing others. | B．It can swim faster than any other real fish. |
| C．It should be tied to boats. | D．It needn't be controlled by human beings. |
| A．Without anything attached to it. | B．Without a chargeable battery. |
| C．Without being observed by people. | D．Without making any loud noise. |
| A．To tell us SoFi is easy to make with. | B．To tell us SoFi is lighter than we expect. |
| C．To tell us SoFi is safe to the environment. | D．To tell us SoFi cannot be damaged by water. |
| A．Some negative aspects of SoFi. | B．SoFi will change the concept of robot. |
| C．Scientists will make SoFi change its shape. | D．SoFi will bring a revolution to the sea exploration. |
7 . Innovations are not always welcome. In 1589 William Lee made his way to the English court, hoping to be granted a patent for his invention, a knitting machine. Queen Elizabeth I turned him down: "Consider what the invention could do to my poor subjects," she commanded. "It would assuredly bring ruin to them by robbing them of employment."
The fears of Good Queen Bess have echoed down the centuries—from the Luddites, who destroyed textile machinery in the early 19th century, to John F. Kennedy, who warned of the dangers of automation during his presidential campaign of 1960. In the 21st century the concerns have switched to robots and artificial intelligence (AI); 30% of American workers believe their jobs are likely to be replaced by robots and computers in their lifetime
In the past the relationship between machine and human labor has been driven by two factors: the substituting effect, which caused people to lose jobs, and the complementing effect, which allowed employees to do their work more productively. Mr. Susskind worries that, in the future, the substituting effect will take over. Advances in Al have been so rapid that machines will eventually be better than people at most activities, he says, and so will be the "default（默认）choice" for performing them. A few highly paid humans will still be employed, but the rest will either struggle to find work or fall into the "precariat", stuck in jobs that are not just poorly paid but also unstable and stressful.
This depressing view of the impact of technology is plausible（貌似有理的）. But so is a more optimistic outlook, as the economist Roger Bootle showed in his book. Mr. Bootle argued that Al and robotics would improve productivity and economic growth, and release people from performing the most lengthy tasks. As for employment, there will always be demand for services with the human touch. Perhaps, the truth is that it is impossible to be sure whether the latest advances will in the end have mainly good or bad economic effects.
1. What's the purpose of the examples in Paragraphs 1 and 2?| A．To tell people how many inventions are made. |
| B．To remind people how important the machines are. |
| C．To demonstrate the possible dangers to human beings. |
| D．To show some people's attitude towards new inventions. |
| A．People who have stable jobs. | B．People who like their jobs. |
| C．People who are stuck in bad jobs. | D．People whose jobs are well-paid. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The impact of technology is depressing. |
| B．He showed a pessimistic attitude to technogy in his book. |
| C．AI and robotics would harm productivity and economic growth. |
| D．AI and robotics release people from performing long and tiring tasks. |
8 . Many hosts of shows become popular for their ability to eat large amounts of food. But these shows have also received criticism for their waste of food. While some hosts actually do consume the amount of food shown, others may pretend it.
On Aug 12, CCTV exposed several Chinese hosts who were pretending to eat large amounts of food while on camera, but actually later threw it away.
To discourage this practice, many video and livestreaming platforms, including Douyin, Kuaishou and Bilibili, have removed videos that show food waste, and have promoted messages to “stop food waste and eat reasonably”.
In June 2020, the United Nations warned that the world is on the verge of the worst food crisis in 50 years. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, about a third of the world’s food — 1.3 billion tons — is wasted every year. In China alone, 50 million tons of food ends up in landfills every year, according to Beijing News.
Recently, campaigns against food waste have been further promoted. In August, President Xi Jinping stressed the need for protecting food security and stopping food waste.
According to China Daily, restaurants and catering associations in more than 18 provinces and all 4 municipal cities have issued guidelines to control food waste.
In Shanxi province, local restaurants have been asked to serve half portions to avoid waste. The Wuhan Catering Association proposed that restaurants adopt the “N-1 mode”. For example, a group of 10 diners should only order enough for nine people at first. More food is only brought to the table if required.
In addition, a nationwide “Clear Your Plate” campaign has been launched online. Users of Sina Weibo are encouraged to share photos or videos of empty plates after finishing their meals.
Meanwhile, new laws are also being considered, according to China Daily. “We will make new laws that give clear instructions on avoiding food waste,” said Zhang Guilong from the Legislative Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress. The instructions will be detailed in every part of food production, purchasing, storage, transportation, processing and consumption, according to Zhang.
1. What does the underlined word “verge” in Paragraph 4 mean?| A．Limit. | B．Guidance. | C．Edge. | D．Influence. |
| A．3.9 billion tons. | B．0.4 billion tons. | C．50 million tons. | D．16 million tons. |
| A．all the provinces have already taken some measures |
| B．“Clear Your Plate” campaign is being carried out online |
| C．laws have been made to stop waste food |
| D．people have a good sense of saving food |
| A．The more saving, the better | B．Stop wasting — you can do it |
| C．Food crisis — you have to face it | D．Online campaigns welcome you |
9 . "Why did the fox steal my shoes?" sounds like the start of a brain teaser(脑筋急转弯). But for people in Berlin, it was a real question that a local fox behind a series of shoe thefts.
About two weeks ago, Meyer, a local person who lives in Berlin, noticed that one of his new running shoes had disappeared from his porch, and he decided to examine the thief.
Meyer quickly learned that he was not the thief's only victim(受害者), and a tip helped him catch the fox. Days later, Meyer spotted the fox again; he followed it and discovered the fox 's secret place of more than100 shoes.
Meyer got a photo of the thieving fox and its ill-got shoes, which he shared on Twitter. The shoes contained(包含) sneakers, and slippers of different colors, shapes, and sizes, though the largest number of shoes is Crocs.
This isn't the first time that an urban fox has shown a seeming shoe fetish(恋物). In August 2010, a fox in Melbourne, repeatedly visited a woman's porch and stole three boots over the course of a week. In a small town in western Germany, a female fox stole about 110 to 120 shoes in just one night, presumably " for her babies to play with", according to Reuters.
It's unknown whether all of these foxes were acting independently or whether their actions were linked, perhaps as an international shoe-stealing group with a bad purpose that humans can only imagine.
1. What can we know about Meyer according to the passage?| A．His shoes were stolen. |
| B．He was physically attacked by a fox. |
| C．He was the thief's only victim. |
| D．His favorite shoes were Crocs. |
| A．He drove the fox away. |
| B．He destroyed the fox's hiding place. |
| C．He took different kinds of shoes back. |
| D．He took a picture and posted it on a social media. |
| A．Totally | B．Partly | C．Certainly | D．Possibly |
| A．Delighted | B．Serious | C．Humorous | D．Terrified |
10 . When I was worried my son was coming down with a little something, I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit.
“I’ve noticed how fast you eat,” my wife’s Auntie Carmel said. I looked down at my plate — the plate from which my food had just been emptied — and looked up at her scientific stare. “I’m not being critical,” she assured me, “and I find it fascinating.” She said “fascinating” the way a polite member of the FBI might describe your recent Internet searches.
“You do eat pretty fast,” whispered my wife by the time I’d placed my knives and forks down. Her mother shared the same view shortly after that, and soon the entire table were unanimous in this opinion.
We were at my wife’s parents’ home in Dublin because Auntie Carmel was visiting from New York, and it was a good chance for her to meet our son, who immediately adored her. We all adore Auntie Carmel for her ability to speak her mind in a way that never seems rude.
In fairness to Carmel, I do eat quickly. I’m fond of saying it’s because I come from a large family. I now realize this makes no sense. There is also the fact that my wife’s mum and Auntie Carmel themselves both come from a family of 12. The same is true for her dad. Yet somehow, none of them eat as if their legs were on fire.
It’s a habit I picked up along the way, and I might have been permanently blind to it without this intervention. Left unexamined, it might have coloured my parenting, demanding my speed as a default (默认) for my son, for I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit. For now, at least, he can clear his plate as slowly as he likes.
1. How does Auntie Carmel feel about the author’s eating habit?| A．Disturbing. | B．Embarrassing. |
| C．Interesting. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．At a loss. | B．In agreement. |
| C．Out of patience. | D．Under consideration. |
| A．She is skilled at expressing herself. |
| B．She is particular about table manners. |
| C．She lives alone in New York. |
| D．She tends to criticize others. |
| A．Children in large families usually behave badly. |
| B．Children's eating habits are not easy to change. |
| C．The small family usually has strict family rules. |
| D．The family size isn't related to one’ s eating speed. |
