1 . “When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”
On Wednesday, poet Amanda Gorman read her poem, “The Hill We Climb”, at the inauguration (宣誓就职) ceremony of President Joe Biden.
By Thursday, the 22-year-old was a superstar.
Gorman is the youngest poet in U.S. history to mark the change of presidential power. Past inaugural poets include famous writers like Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
Gorman is a native of Los Angeles, California, and in 2017 was named the country’s first Youth Poet Laureate (桂冠). She recently completed her studies at Harvard University.
On Wednesday, Gorman offered a hopeful future for a deeply divided country.
“We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be.
A country that is bruised (瘀紫的) but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.”
Her reading — and the ceremony as a whole — took place exactly two weeks after a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked and occupied the U.S. Capito Building.
Gorman says she had completed a little more than half of “The Hill He Climb” before the January 6 attack at the Capitol.
“That day gave me a second wave of energy to finish the poem,” said Gorman. She chose not to make direct note of the attack, but her references to the event were clear： “We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it.
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy (民主).
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”
Hours after the inauguration her two books — which are to be released later this year — became number 1 and 2 on Amazon, com’s sales list. Gorman’s poetry collection “The Hill We Climb” and her children’s book “Change Sings” are set to be published in September.
1. Which of the following is true of Amanda Gorman?| A．She is the youngest poet in U.S. history. |
| B．She is now studying at Harvard University. |
| C．She is a graduate from Harvard University. |
| D．She was named American first Poet Laureate. |
| A．National unity. | B．Race equality. | C．True freedom. | D．Free speech. |
| A．Bear…in mind. | B．Set…on fire. |
| C．Put…into practice. | D．Break…into pieces. |
| A．She became a best selling author. | B．She turned superstar in pop music. |
| C．She was attacked by a violent mob. | D．She published her book “Change Sings”. |
2 . The summer before my 10th birthday my father and mother moved our family of nine children to a farm! We had always lived in a small city, in the house my dad bought from my grandparents. But he wanted fresh air, healthy food and lots of room for his children to play. He'd worked multiple jobs at a time and saved for many years…and could finally afford a place in the countryside. Now a minor concern: the house had no running water or electricity. But there were 150 acres to run around in, walk through the woods in, swim a stream in, and otherwise yell, sing and laugh in every day!
That first year my dad put in electricity, because my mom simply announced, “I won't have kerosene lamps with children running around!” Indoor plumbing had to wait another year(an outhouse came with the property). Different friends, who my dad knew from work, asked if he'd take their large dogs who couldn't run free in the city. So we all now played with a big orange-brown boxer and a sporty German Shorthaired Pointer, who we simply named Billy and Molly. Absolutely all our clothes were hand-me-downs, bananas and oranges were “exotic” fruit that we'd see at holidays, and there was ONE birthday party a year! We'd take turns once every 10 years a child would have his/ her own party!
We thought we were rich. My mother was always singing, yelling hugging, or praying. And she told us we were blessed with plenty! To this day, each of my brothers and sisters remember those years as an abundance of chores, laughter, arguing, making peace, and playing together! Every challenge was a game aimed to outwit, and any failure was chance to learn. Money was so scarce, but joy was everywhere.
1. Why did the author's family move to a farm?| A．They had to work on the 150-acre farm. |
| B．They couldn't afford the house in the city. |
| C．They succeeded to a house from grandparents. |
| D．They believed living there was beneficial to them. |
| A．Their life was more comfortable. | B．Their house was short of space. |
| C．Their dogs are quieter than the author's. | D．They greatly envied the author’s father. |
| A．Prepare. | B．Win. | C．Manage. | D．Avoid. |
| A．Simple but happy. | B．Wealthy and cheerful. |
| C．Poor and misery. | D．Rich but disappointed. |
3 . How would you feel about celebrity(名人) deaths? Despite this person being a perfect stranger, it can feel kind of like you've lost an acquaintance or even a friend, when a beloved celebrity dies. It's not quite the same, of course. You have no memories of times you hung out, or no cards they sent you. Instead, it's a different kind of grief(悲痛), one marked by big screens crowded stadiums, and a unique feeling of love and admiration you've probably never felt for someone you actually know.
If you've ever cried or felt sad for days about a celebrity's death, you're certainly not alone. According to expert Rachel O'Neill, feeling grief after a celebrity's death is common because we form personal attachments to celebrities. "Celebrities' presence is felt in our lives," she says. "Maybe they represented an ideal, something you hoped that you could be. Or perhaps the celebrity held a particular important memory in your life---for example, they starred in a TV show that you watched growing up. In those cases, the death can feel like a loss of that particular part of your past."
It can also be more than a connection to your past, but a joyful part of your everyday life, according to therapist Cynthia Catchings. "Celebrities may provide us with laughs, comfort entertainment, excitement, or sense of escape. When a celebrity we feel connected to passes away, it can feel like losing someone close to us because they may have been integral in some of our happiest or saddest moments, "Catchings says . "They made us laugh, they made us cry, but most importantly, they helped us forget about our difficult moments when we needed it most."
Still, it can feel strange to grieve someone you didn't actually know. But both O'Neill and Catchings agree that it's a totally normal way to feel for any number of reasons---the most understandable of which is that death is just sad.
It doesn't matter that you didn't know the celebrity in person. If you're experiencing grief, O'Neill says, it's important to give yourself space to feel it. "Remembering the celebrity in whatever way you feel will be helpful,"she says. "Some people find comfort in sharing their memories on social media and connecting with other users who are also experiencing grief and loss.”
The more we feel, the more we grow, however painful. That's why medical officer Neeraj Gandotra says you should use your grief over a celebrity to prepare you for grief you might feel down the road. "Use the feelings of loss as an opportunity to have a more academic discussion about what happens when someone dies." he said. " This discussion can help prepare one for when someone close to them dies. The topic is healthy and a great opportunity to find areas where you could improve, and even change the direction of your life for the better."
1. What does O'Neill think of feeling grief over a celebrity's death?| A．It can bring back painful memories. |
| B．It is very natural for people to do so |
| C．It makes ordinary people suffer stress. |
| D．It improves interpersonal relationships. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Attractive. | C．Important. | D．Normal. |
| A．To understand the pain of growing up. |
| B．To make good use of the sense of grief. |
| C．To adopt positive attitude towards life. |
| D．To try to seek some comfort in daily life. |
| A．The important roles celebrities play in life. |
| B．The effect of a celebrity's death on people. |
| C．How people should deal with their sadness. |
| D．Why people grieve the deaths of celebrities. |
4 . In recent times, vegetarianism has become more popular, but it is still not the best option for many. If you may be contemplating removing meat from your diet but do not want to go completely meat-free, perhaps try going meat-free for just one day a week.
Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian and author of Plant Powered for Life, discusses how “research consistently shows that plant based diets are linked with a lower risk of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer”.
She says, “Even going meatless one day a week can make a difference, as you increase all of those whole plant-foods beans, wholegrains , nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits-and decrease more animal foods, in particular red and processed meat. A high intake of these foods has been linked with increased disease risk.”
Deciding to have a more plant-based diet also increases your intake of fiber, vitamins healthy fats and minerals. To help to do this, stocking your fridge with a variety of beans, seasonable veggies , wholegrains, herbs, nuts and seeds is Palmer’s secret to eating more plant-based meals.
Palmer’s other recommendation is “plantifying” your favorite dishes. “Just make your favorite entrees or meals plant-based, with a few swaps.If you love Taco Tuesday, make your tacos veggie by skipping the meat and serving black beans or a vegetarian mushroom with tofu filling. If you love Indian food, skip the chicken masala and have chickpea masala instead. These will be foods you already love and are familiar with.”
Her biggest advice is to pick one day a week to follow through this and mark it on your calendar. “I love the Meatless Monday idea because people often start their best behavior at the beginning of the week... However, there may be a better day of the week for you. So just plan it,” Palmer said.
1. What does the underlined words “contemplating” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean.?| A．Stopping | B．Delaying | C．Resisting | D．Considering. |
| A．firmly believe Palmer’s advice | B．better understanding Palmer’s theory |
| C．buy Palmer’s popular book | D．know the popularity of Palmer’s advice. |
| A．try going meat-free one day a week |
| B．stock your fridge with whole plant foods |
| C．use vegetable filings, not meat for dumplings |
| D．plan a meatless day of the week as you like. |
| A．Theoretical | B．Practical | C．Boring | D．Unrealistic. |
5 . Kindness
Good friends are not just kind to you; they are kind to others as well. People like being around them because they are positive people. The kindness they spread comes from inner feelings of happiness and self-confidence. In contrast, social aggression, such as meanness, is a quality that shows lack of respect for others and discontent with oneself. These feelings outwardly show and eventually prevent communications and genuine friendships from forming.
Accepting
Good friends are easy to talk to because they accept what you are. They understand the things that are important to you and the values that you hold. Although they may not necessarily agree with all of your beliefs and actions, they will never judge you. People who can accept you also are better able to accept themselves. High self-esteem and self-acceptance are intertwined.
Interest
According to American writer and lecturer, Dale Carnegie, showing genuine interest in others is one way to promote feelings of goodwill. People are more likely to remember how you make them feel. This goes beyond good listening skills. Good friends ask questions about things that matter to you. To do this, they must put aside their own needs and focus on helping others feel important. If you make them feel inferior, they will not enjoy the time you spend together.
Honesty
Although honesty is important to friendships, it may be one of the most difficult qualities to maintain. When you ask a friend for honesty, she may prefer preserving the peace over telling you what she really thinks. But honesty promotes trust. A good friend cares enough to tell you the truth and has sufficient confidence in the relationship to be assured of a positive outcome.
1. What does the kindness of a friend come from according to the passage?| A．Respect. | B．Excitement. | C．Happiness. | D．Belief. |
| A．They will begin to care about their own needs. |
| B．They will take no interest in you. |
| C．They will feel uncomfortable to stay with you. |
| D．They are more likely to question about themselves. |
| A．connected | B．complicated | C．obvious | D．common |
| A．Being kind to friends. | B．Why we need friends. |
| C．How to make friends. | D．Qualities of a good friendship. |
6 . Hardware in general, and smartphones in particular, have become a huge environmental and health problem in the Global South's landfill sites （垃圾填埋场）.
Electronic waste（ e-waste ） currently takes up 5 percent of all global waste, and it is set to increase rapidly as more of us own more than one smartphone, laptop and power bank. They end up in places like Agbogbloshie on the outskirts of Ghana's capital, Accra. It is the biggest e-waste dump in the world, where 10, 000 informal workers walk through tons of abandoned goods as part of an informal recycling process. They risk their health searching for the precious metals that are found in abandoned smartphones.
But Agbogbloshie should not exist. The Basel Convention, a 1989 treaty, aims to prevent developed nations from unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries. The e-waste industry, however, circumvents the regulations by exporting e-waste labelled as "secondhand goods" to poor countries like Ghana, knowing full well that it is heading for a landfill site.
A recent report found Agbogbloshie contained some of the most dangerous chemicals. This is not surprising: smartphones contain chemicals like mercury （水银），lead and even arsenic（砷）. Reportedly, one egg from a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie contained a certain chemical which can cause cancer and damage the immune system at a level that's about 220 times greater than a limit set by the European Food Safety Authority（EFSA） . Most worryingly, these poisonous chemicals are free to pollute the broader soil and water system. This should concern us all, since some of Ghana's top exports are cocoa and nuts.
Some governments have started to take responsibility for their consumers' waste. For example, Germany has started a project that includes a sustainable （可持续的）recycling system at Agbogbloshie, along with a health clinic for workers. However, governments cannot solve the problem alone, as there is an almost limitless consumer demand for hardware, especially when governments green policies are focused on issues like climate change.
Only the manufacturers can fix this. A more economically sustainable and politically possible solution is through encouraging hardware manufacturers to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable, or at least cost-neutral.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2？| A．Electronic products need improving urgently. |
| B．Electronic waste is too complex to get fully recycled. |
| C．Electronic waste requires more landfill sites across Ghana. |
| D．Electronic pollution is a burning question in Agbogbloshie. |
| A．Tightens. | B．Abolishes. |
| C．Gets around. | D．Brings in. |
| A．The violation of EFSA's standards. |
| B．The lack of diversity in Ghana's exports. |
| C．The damage to chicken's immune system. |
| D．The threat of polluted food around the world. |
| A．Manufacturers' developing a sustainable hardware economy. |
| B．Governments' adjusting their green policies about e-waste. |
| C．Reducing customers 'demands for electronic products. |
| D．Letting governments take on the main responsibility. |
7 . Mom noticed that something was wrong when I started getting so thirsty. I’d have a lot to drink before bed, which was unusual for me. One time, I opened a big container of apple juice and kept refilling my glass. Before I knew it, I’d drunk the entire container! My mom called my doctor. I then had a few blood tests, and the results were certain — I had diabetes (糖尿病), which meant that the amount of sugar in my blood was very high. That can be dangerous, so I had to learn how to control my blood-sugar level.
My eating habits had to change in a big way. With diabetes, I can’t eat a lot of sugar or carbohydrates (碳水化合物). I have to figure out exactly how much sugar I plan to eat, and then I get an injection of insulin (注射胰岛素) before the meal to help my body process the food. Also, I test my blood-sugar level often. I’m always trying to keep my blood-sugar at a healthy level. The level can drop when I exercise, but that doesn’t keep me out of gym class or off the basketball court — I just keep some juice boxes around to boost my blood-sugar if I need to.
It’s a lot of work and not a lot of fun — to keep track of everything, but I’ve gotten used to my new habits. I was a little scared at first because I wasn’t sure how my life would change. Once I knew what I needed to do, though, it wasn’t a big deal. My life is different now from what it was before, but it has become completely regular to me.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．How the author was found to have diabetes. |
| B．The author’s life before having diabetes. |
| C．Who found the author had diabetes. |
| D．The author’s eating habits before having diabetes. |
| A．She stopped playing basketball in the gym. |
| B．She controlled her blood-sugar level strictly. |
| C．She stopped eating food with natural sugar. |
| D．She tested her blood-sugar level before every meal. |
| A．Absorb. | B．Control. | C．Increase. | D．Test. |
| A．Worried. | B．Frightened. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Positive. |
8 . You know Australia is a big country, but you may not know how easy it is to get around. The untouched beaches that go for miles and deserts that touch the horizon are just there, waiting to be reached and explored. The following are the different ways you can explore our vast country.
Getting around Australia
Air
Flying is the best way to cover large distances in a short time. You can spend more time on the Australia’s can’t-miss landscapes and relaxing lifestyle. Moreover, competition among airlines makes great flying fees available for you.
Drive
Australia has a vast network of well-maintained roads and some of the most beautiful touring routes in the world. You have no difficulty finding car rental companies at major airports, central city locations, suburbs and attractions.
Bus
Bus travel in Australia is comfortable, easy and economical. Buses generally have air conditioning, reading lights, adjustable seats and videos. Services are frequent, affordable and efficient.
Rail
Train travel is the cheapest and gives you an insight into Australia’s size and variety, all from the comfort of your carriage. Scheduled services are a great way to get quickly between our cities and regional centers.
Ferry
The Spirit of Tasmania runs a passenger and vehicle ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania nightly. Extra services are running during summer rush hours. Sealink ferries connect South Australia and Kangaroo Island several times a day. Ferries connect suburbs in our capital cities.
Walk
With easy on the feet pedestrian streets, walking is a great way to get around our cities. Besides all the above, you can also experience some of the longest tracks and trails in the world in central Australia—impressive journeys of a thousand kilometers or more that can take several weeks to complete.
1. The underlined word “untouched” in the 1stparagraph means _____.| A．secure | B．special |
| C．natural | D．artificial |
| A．More travelers make the flying fees among airlines higher than before. |
| B．You can easily rent a car to explore its most beautiful touring routes. |
| C．Taking a bus tour is the most comfortable, economical and efficient way. |
| D．Train services can offer you more comfort than any other means of transport. |
| A．only at night hours | B．only during rush hours |
| C．several times a day | D．Between different cities |
| A．pedestrian walking is a great way to travel between cities |
| B．walking in central Australia takes a long time |
| C．central Australia has the world’s longest railway line |
| D．you have to walk over a thousand kilometers in Australia |
| A．By air. | B．By car. |
| C．By bus. | D．On foot. |
9 . According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.
To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.
Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.
For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.
The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?
1. What is the recent study mainly about?| A．Food safety. | B．Movie viewership. |
| C．Consumer demand. | D．Eating behavior. |
| A．Big eaters. | B．Overweight persons. |
| C．Picky eaters. | D．Tall thin persons. |
| A．To see how she would affect the participants. |
| B．To test if the participants could recognize her. |
| C．To find out what she would do in the two tests. |
| D．To study why she could keep her weight down. |
| A．How hungry we are. | B．How slim we want to be. |
| C．How we perceive others. | D．How we feel about the food. |
10 . Eat healthier. Exercise twice a week. Read more books. Lose weight. We make the same resolutions (决心) every year, but most of us fail, dying out after only a few days or, at best, weeks. Even the most successful among us crash and burn when it comes to personal change. President Barack Obama struggles to get out of his cigarette habit.
Professionals who help people make changes in their lives suggest the change is decided not by one’s surroundings, but one’s mind. Beginning with small goals or steps usually leads to a better result later, they say. But they notice that the experience is different for everyone.
“People are more likely to make positive changes in their lives not only when their friends do, but when their friends of friends do, and when their friends of friends of friends do,” said Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard University. “People are better able to make changes in their lives—lose weight, quit smoking, become happy—when they do this with a large number of other people, and so taking advantage of your social network ties can contribute to your own efforts.”
Johnny Augustin understands that well. His resolution for 2008 was to reduce 30 pounds from his 237-pound frame. But the change didn’t come easily. He said, “I’m a huge procrastinator, I kept putting it off until tomorrow. I didn’t get to do it until the summer.” However, Augustin got encouraged when he saw his older brother working out. Today, Augustin weighs 190 pounds.
“Of course, change can happen only if people don’t set their expectations too high or try to deal with too many changes at once; one of the biggest mistakes we make is setting unrealistic goals,” said Dalia Liera, a psychologist at Lesley University. “You can’t accomplish in a few weeks what you haven’t accomplished in a few years,” said Liera.
1. From the first paragraph we can infer that _________.| A．change for a person is challenging |
| B．famous people have great resolutions |
| C．most people don’t want to change themselves |
| D．personal change is beyond belief |
| A．have great determination to make a change |
| B．put off work especially because of laziness |
| C．have habitual carelessness and laziness |
| D．have no desire to do something great |
| A．people should understand their goals well |
| B．people should try their best to change themselves |
| C．people should have confidence and positive habits |
| D．people should start with setting small goals to meet |
