1 . One of my earliest memories was walking up to the smell of camp smoke and my mother’s hot chocolate. My parents were poor, and we lived in the countryside in Portland. Dad had two jobs and Mom was disabled, but that didn’t stop them from heading into the Cascade Mountains several times a year.
Our clothes were old and worn and our food was usually cheap and simple. However, we were always satisfied with our hot chocolate, which was made in a traditional way handed down from my grandmother to my mother.
There was no store to buy anything we needed. We just had powdered cocoa in our camp.
Mom would set the smoke-blackened coffee pot at the side of the fire and slowly warm the milk, adding chocolate and sugar, and stirring (搅拌) until the contents became thick and rich brown. The wonderful smell of chocolate filled the camp. More than once, I could remember people that we had just met hours before stepping into our camp to enjoy mother’s creation.
Once we were trapped in our tent (帐篷) for days because of a terrible rainstorm. Every morning I was woken up by the attractive smell of Mom’s hot chocolate.
Now, many years have passed, when we head for the mountains, I still use that worn coffee pot. And we always bring extra cups for the neighbours who will certainly turn up.
I have told my family a lot about Mom, and it seems that nothing brings back those warm memories better than sitting around the fire at night and tasting sweet hot chocolate.
1. Where did the author live when she was a child?| A．In a village. | B．In a big city. | C．In a hotel. | D．In a palace. |
| A．Kind. | B．Friendly. | C．Disabled. | D．Serious. |
| A．Her parents were poor. | B．Her mom had two jobs. |
| C．Her mom was a boss of Coffee House. | D．Her dad stopped them from camping. |
| A．Saved. | B．Absorbed. | C．Caught. | D．Suffered. |
| A．Camp Smoke | B．Mom’s Hot Chocolate |
| C．My Neighbours | D．Grandmother’s Creation |
2 . Starman, the dummy(仿真人) riding a cherry-red Tesla Roadster(特斯拉敞篷车) through space, has made his closest approach ever to Mars. The electric roadster and its passenger were attached to the top of a Falcon Heavy rocket during the SpaceX rocket’s first test launch on 6 February 2018. Two years later, the Falcon Heavy rocket and the vehicle at its tip are making their second trip around the Sun. Mr. McDowell, a Harvard astrophysicist, found that Starman passed 7.4 million kilometres from Mars at 06:25 GMT 7 October, 2020.
The closest recent approach between the Earth and Mars was 56 million kilometres in 2003, though the planets are often hundreds of millions of miles apart depending on where they are in their orbits. No one can see the Falcon Heavy rocket at its current distance, but orbits over periods of a few years are fairly straightforward to predict, and Mr. MeDowell used data about how the rocket was moving when it left the Earth’s gravity behind to locate its recent movements exactly.
Last time Starman circled the Sun, MeDowell said, it crossed Mars’ orbit while the Red Planet was quite far away. But this time the crossing lined up with a fairly close approach, though still not close enough to feel a strong tug from Mars.
At this point in time, if you were able to go look at the Roadster, it would probably look pretty different. The strong solar radiation environment between the planets would probably have destroyed all the exposed organic materials. Without the Earth’s atmospheric and magnetic(磁场的) protection, even the plastics and carbon-fibre materials would start to break up. Over the course of decades or centuries, the car will end up with its aluminium(铝) frame and hard glass parts----that’s assuming that none of them get destroyed in impacts with passing space rocks.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Starman has set out on its second trip around the Sun. |
| B．Starman has travelled 7.4 million kilometres after launch. |
| C．Starman is now circling around the Earth in its orbit. |
| D．Starman still has a long way to go before getting to Mars. |
| A．By keeping Starman under visual observation. |
| B．By predicting its future orbit around the earth. |
| C．By analyzing data about the rocket’s movement. |
| D．By seeking professional help from SpaceX. |
| A．pressure | B．drive | C．resistance | D．pull |
| A．Be reduced to its frame and glass. | B．Crash onto Mars. |
| C．Return to SpaceX on the earth. | D．Be recovered during its next space mission. |
3 . It’s easy to assume that a vacation to Bali will cost a small fortune. There are plenty of accommodations, food and local transportation, and even the spas offer massages and treatments at value prices. However, you can easily spend a week or two in Bali for under $2,000, without having to sleep on the beach. Here are a few things to consider when planning Bali on a budget.
What is the best time to visit Bali on a budget?
If you’re on a budget, consider visiting Bali during the lower, wetter season, which runs from October through March. The crowds will be fewer, and both hotel rates and flights from abroad are often cheaper, except during the holiday period between mid-December and early January, when crowds swell. The only trade-off for the lower prices is the wet season. This time of year isn’t always ideal for sunbathing, and serious rainfall can make outdoor activities, such as whitewater rafting and visiting waterfalls and rice terraces, less than appealing. That said, even during rainy season, it doesn’t usually rain all day long. Expect bursts of sunshine between the storms.
What is the cheapest way to get around Bali?
The absolute cheapest way to get around Bali is by local bus, but it can take a long time. There are also tourist buses, including hop-on, hop-off options, that travel between different hubs across the island. Bali is well-served by taxis, both of the car and motorbike variety, and the prices tend to be affordable by international standards. Most drivers will offer you a fixed rate for full-day hires or to get from point A to point B, rather than using a meter.
Remember to bargain; doing so is particularly easy when a driver is on his own rather than at a taxi stand.
How much does food cost in Bali?
If you’re into fine dining, you can end up spending a large chunk of your budget on food. Eating at the average restaurant geared towards tourists is the best way to have a meal in Bali on a budget. A good meal should cost you around 100,000 rupiah (around $7), but if you’re willing to subsist mostly off of local specialties such as nasi goreng (fried rice) and eat at local restaurants, you can expect to pay around 30,000 rupiah ($2) to get fed. Best of all, most hotels and guesthouses in Bali come with free breakfast, and many offer heavier options of noodles and meat that may keep you full until lunch.
1. Which of the following situation can be best described by the underlined word trade-off in paragraph 2?| A．Jack got a reward after he returned the lost bag to its owner. |
| B．Lily spent much money buying some handicrafts at the local fair. |
| C．Wendy cancelled her trip in order to prevent the spread of the virus. |
| D．Sam was scolded by his parents for what he did in school last night. |
| A．It’s better for outdoor enthusiasts to visit Bali during the off season. |
| B．Passengers had better fix the price with drivers before the taxi pulls out from the station. |
| C．If on a tight budget, one is advised to visit Bali at the end of December every year. |
| D．It’s relatively economical to eat merely at average restaurants tailored to visitors. |
| A．City and Transport. | B．Travel and Recreation. |
| C．Nature and Environment. | D．Food and Health. |
4 . Honeybees can’t swim, and when their wings are wet, they can’t fly, either. But Chris Roh and other researchers at the California Institute of Technology found that when bees drop into bodies of water, they can use their wings to produce little waves and slide toward land-like surfers who create and then ride their own waves.
As with many scientific advances-Isaac Newton’s apple or Benjamin Franklin’s lightning bolt-Dr. Roh’s experiment began with a walk. Passing Caltech’s Millikan Pond in 2016, he observed a bee on the water’s surface producing waves. He wondered how an insect known for flight could push itself through water.
Dr. Roh and his co-worker, Morteza Gharib, used butterfly nets to collect local Pasadena honeybees and observed their surf-like movements. The researchers used a wire to restrict each bee’s bodily movement, allowing close examination of their wings. They found that the bee bends its wings at a 30-degree angle, pulling up water and producing a forward force. Bees get trapped on the surface because water is roughly three times heavier than air. But that weight helps to push the bee forward when its wings move quickly up and down. It’s a tough exercise for the bees, which the researchers guess could handle about 10 minutes of the activity.
The researchers said the surf-like movement hasn’t been documented in other insects and most semiaquatic insects use their legs for propulsion, which is known as water-walking. It may have evolved in bees, they-predicted.
Dr. Roh and Dr. Gharib have imagined many practical applications for bees’ surfing. One plan is to use their observations to design robots able to travel across sky and sea. “This could be useful for search and rescues, or for getting samples of the surface of the ocean, if you can’t send a boat or helicopter,” Dr. Gharib said.
1. What does the author intend to show by mentioning Newton and Franklin?| A．Roh’s admiration for them. | B．Roh’s chance discovery about bees. |
| C．Their outstanding talent for science. | D．Their similar achievements in discovery. |
| A．The air weight. | B．Its leg extension. |
| C．The water movement. | D．Its continuous wingbeat. |
| A．Fast flight | B．Driving force. | C．Pulling speed. | D．Explosive power. |
| A．Honeybees can surf to safety. | B．Bees help scientists make inventions. |
| C．Insects can adapt to the environment. | D．Nature is a helpful guide for discovery. |
5 . It is the season for taking the time to reflect on what we’re thankful for in life. Spending that time with friends and family to give thanks is what makes the holidays so special. But why should limit it to just a few weeks in the year? Gratitude（感恩）is a muscle we should strengthen year-round to make us healthier, happier humans and leaders.
Gratitude builds empathy. We often take for granted the simple things in life. Those who recognize the goodness in life, no matter how simple or automatic, are more likely to be sensitive to the needs of others and to help whenever they can. Being empathetic to others’ opinions, experiences and backgrounds will make you a better professional, no matter your career.
Through his research, Emmons, a leading researcher, found that grateful people reported feeling healthier, both mentally and physically. Specifically, those who were grateful were 25 percent happier than those who weren’t. In the workplace, well-being（健康快乐）is a crucial topic when it comes to preventing employee burn-out and promoting engagement. Beyond the research that shows that employees who are shown that they are appreciated are more productive by 50 percent, caring for your employees’ well-being is simply the right thing to do. Offering fitness classes or carrying out flexible work schedules are just a few things that, when paired with gratitude, can lead to more productive, engaged and happier working professionals.
Working in a developing, fast-paced industry, we are often surrounded by ambitious people who are always striving（奋斗）for more and better. Gratitude makes us more self-aware. It challenges us to reflect in the moment instead of always thinking about the future. It starts by paying attention to what’s going on in our life, and that true self-awareness is a key factor to being successful in our career.
Gratitude is a powerful tool for making relationships stronger, both at work and in our personal life. People who express their gratitude tend to be more willing to forgive others and therefore able to create relatively long-lasting connections.
During my month-long vacation, I made it a point to be reflective during the time I had without disturbances or deadlines. Part of that was making a mental list of the people, things and experiences I was grateful for in my life. I decided to reach out to my fifth-grade teacher and thank her for being positive instructor and a strong influence on my life.
The old saying goes “It’s never too late to say you’re sorry,” but the same is true of gratitude. Taking the time to thank people for their work, kindness or empathy-whether it was today, last month or many years ago-makes you happier, healthier and more self-aware. And that’s a gift worth celebrating 365 days a year.
1. What does the underlined word “empathy” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．The feeling of being sorry for others’ problems. |
| B．The desire to help people in difficult situations. |
| C．The ability to understand other people’s feelings. |
| D．The feeling of pleasure or satisfaction towards others. |
| A．People who have self-awareness can succeed without effort. |
| B．Grateful people will live a much longer life than ungrateful people. |
| C．Wise enterprises should raise the employees’ sense of well-being. |
| D．Gratitude can ensure the relationship between people is unbreakable. |
| A．To encourage people to contact with teachers. |
| B．To show it’s never too late to express gratitude. |
| C．To order people to keep long-lasting connection. |
| D．To present that his teacher greatly influenced him. |
| A．Being Grateful Year-Round. |
| B．The Season for Gratitude. |
| C．The Way to Show Thanks. |
| D．The Special Holiday of Gratitude. |
6 . The 90-minute documentary, Amazing China, which is co-produced by China Central Television and China Film Corp, opened in theatres nationwide.
The film focuses on the major achievements the country has made since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 under Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Speaking about the documentary, Wei Tie, the director, says," The film arouses Chinese pride from deep inside."
The documentary focuses on key Chinese infrastructure（基础设施）projects in aerospace，high-speed rail，the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the world's largest single-dish telescope FAST. The documentary also informs viewers that seven of the world's 10 biggest sea ports are now in China and that the country now has the longest high-speed rail network in the world.
In the film, Lin Ming, the chief engineer of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project, says," In the past, what kind of projects we took up was decided by what kind of facilities we had. But, nowadays, no matter what kind of projects we are assigned, we develop the technology to complete it." His voice is calm but his words show the country’s self-confidence. Speaking of the importance of the new documentary for the Chinese, La Peikang, the head of China Film Corp, says," It's not only about showing the achievements, but presenting the present situation of China. The film will help people to know our country better."
Amazing China also focuses on common people. In the film, you see a young Tibetan woman volunteering in rural areas to help people get rid of poverty. And, you also see a successful entrepreneur from the coastal Fujian Province who settles in the Gobi Desert, in northwest China, who has taken up a new career growing grapes.
1. The underlined word" assigned" in Paragraph 5 means________.| A．given | B．allowed | C．required | D．connected |
| A．The high-speed rail. | B．The ancient Silk Road. |
| C．The single-dish telescope FAST | D．The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. |
| A．The documentary also covers common people. |
| B．The film calls on people to convert the Gobi Desert. |
| C．The film encourages more people to volunteer in rural areas. |
| D．A young Tibetan woman is the main character of the documentary. |
| A．An Introduction to China |
| B．An Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought |
| C．The Effect of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics |
| D．An Introduction to a Documentary Named Amazing China |
7 . The Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China’s Sichuan Province enjoyed huge popularity during the three-day Qingming Festival holidays by receiving nearly 20,000 visitors on the peak day, after the new archaeological discoveries brought international attention.
According to media reports, the museum saw over 15,000 visitors on Saturday, the first day of the Qingming Festival, breaking its record for daily visitors. And on the next day, more visitors swarmed into the museum to exceed 19,800. To cope with the large flow of people, on Sunday afternoon, the official Weibo account of the Sanxingdui Museum released the message to remind visitors of avoiding rush hours or rescheduling their visiting time.
The Sanxingdui Museum showcases various kinds of precious cultural relics unearthed at the site, such as the 2.62-meter-tall standing statue, 1.38-meter-wide bronze mask, 3.95-meter-high bronze tree. Earlier on March 20, Chinese archaeologists announced some new major discoveries made during the 37th excavation (挖掘) since its last excavation 35 years ago. The ruins were first discovered in the late 1920s and first excavated in 1934.More than 500 important cultural relics have been unearthed in the six newly-found pits. Since the new discoveries were known to the public, the number of people visiting the Sanxingdui Museum has increased sharply.
The museum said although they are open as usual, the newly-found pits have not opened to the public yet and the newly-excavated cultural relics are still under restoration and cannot meet the public currently. But a hall for cultural relic conservation and restoration will be in pilot operation in April and officially open on May 18. Visitors to it can see how the relics are restored, according to Zhu Yarong, vice director of the Sanxingdui Museum.
Dating back about 3,000 years, the Sanxingdui Ruins have shed light on the ancient Shu civilization and cultural origins of the Chinese nation, and have been regarded one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the 20th century.
1. What mainly brought about a surge in tourists visiting the Sanxingdui Museum?| A．Tourists’ enthusiasm. |
| B．Sichuan Province’s policy. |
| C．Qingming Festival holidays. |
| D．New archaeological discoveries. |
| A．The official Weibo account linked the museum with the public. |
| B．Newly-excavated cultural relics on display attracted tourists very much. |
| C．The Sanxingdui Museum reacted immediately to the large flow of tourists. |
| D．Tourist numbers reached the peak on the first day of the Qingming Festival. |
| A．Trial. | B．Private. | C．Official. | D．Personal. |
| A．The Sanxingdui Museum gives tourists insights into Chinese history. |
| B．Chinse people make full use of Qingming Festival holidays to travel. |
| C．The Sanxingdui Ruins is a perfect tourist attraction over Qingming Festival. |
| D．New discoveries make Sanxingdui Museum more popular during Qingming Festival. |
8 . Have you ever had the feeling that you can't think when there is too much noise around? Did you ever think a fish could experience that feeling too? A recent paper published in Science titled “Soundscape(声景)of the Anthropocene Oceans”, combined over 10,000 scientific papers, confirming that undersea life knows that exact same feeling, more often than not. Anthropogenic(人为的)ocean noise, also known as underwater noise pollution, has created a dramatic impact on marine life due to “human-caused” activity within and neighboring our oceans.
Disney Pixar's animated film Finding Nemo educated us about the ocean, and specifically within the ordinary world of a clown fish. A fact many may not know is that clown fish spend the first part of their lives as larvae(幼体), drifting with the current(洋流)of the ocean until they become strong enough to swim against it. Once they are powerful and strong, they head home in sheltered coral reefs. There is only one disadvantage-the fish can't physically see the reef, but they can hear it. The only problem is, if they can't hear it, will they ever make it home?
Our anthropogenic ocean noise, such as cargo ships, ship and boat propellers, surfing, deep sea mining. etc. are causing destruction of marine life. According to Time, sound is the sensory signal that travels the farthest through the ocean. Anthropogenic noise drowns out the natural soundscapes, putting marine life under immense stress. Altogether, this stress then affects their general health, disturbs their behavior, physiology. reproduction and, in extreme cases, causes death. Marine life can adapt to noise pollution, however, only if they can escape it. This only renders further complications(困难, 问题)of straying(使偏离)species from their traditional breeding regions or separating them from their families.
Now, what if we told you there is already a solution? Multiple remedies, ideas and designs are currently in the works or already exist to get rid of and change the damage of anthropogenic ocean noise. As Time explains, from wind-powered ships to noise-reducing propellers(螺旋桨)，floating wind turbines(风力发电机)and “bubble curtains” that muffle construction noise, the solutions are already available and in some cases, cost-effective(划算的). The authors of the paper hope it will catch the attention of policymakers, who historically speaking, have ignored the mater still to this day.
Of all the challenges ocean creatures are battling, luckily sound pollution is the easiest compromise humans can make. Once the noise has decreased, marine life will be able to better manage everything else it is up against.
1. What do we know about “Soundscape of the Anthropocene Oceans”?| A．It analyses how sound travels in the ocean. |
| B．It discusses different types of ocean pollution. |
| C．It explores the effects of noise pollution on sea life. |
| D．It studies how sea animals communicate with each other. |
| A．To present their life cycles. |
| B．To show how terrible their living conditions are. |
| C．To introduce a famous animation about the ocean world. |
| D．To stress the importance of natural soundscapes to sea life. |
| A．Causes. | B．Reduces. |
| C．Reveals. | D．Prevents. |
| A．The management of ship traffic. |
| B．The restriction of human activities. |
| C．The adoption of noise control techniques. |
| D．The application of relevant laws. |
9 . 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 are bringing the magic of surprise to online shopping.
A blind box toy is hidden inside uniform packaging(包装) 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 caught on since they were first introduced from Japan to China in 2014.According to a 2019Tmall 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 figurines(小塑像) come in very small sizes，making them suitable for display almost anywhere.
Even if blind boxes are not their top choice for decorations, the mystery(神秘) and uncertainty of the process also attracts people. It's the main reason why people buy blind boxes one after another.
“Fear of the unknown is always a part of the box-opening process,”said Miss Cao，24，who lives and works in Shenyang，“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 feature of blind boxes attracts people?| A．They often get toys designed by famous artists. |
| B．They don 't know what they've got until they open them. |
| C．They can learn about pop culture from the packaging. |
| D．They can experience the excitement of online shopping. |
| A．They are cute and fashionable. |
| B．They are perfect for decorations. |
| C．She enjoys the mystery of the unknown. |
| D．She likes the simple way they are packaged. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Exciting. | C．Boring. | D．Hopeless. |
| A．The cultural effects of blind boxes. |
| B．The origin of blind boxes. |
| C．The problems with blind boxes. |
| D．The popularity of blind boxes. |
10 . Are you a moviegoer? If, like me, you’re a fan of film, then there’s no better place to watch something than on the big screen at the cinema. You enter the dark theatre and take your seat, ready to be entertained. But while you are absorbed in some movie magic, many others are now getting their film fixed at home.
Over the last few years, cinemas have seen a comeback. Customers have been attracted by comfortable seats, and lots of choice of things to watch. Multiplexes in particular can screen up to twenty films at the same time, suiting all different tastes. In addition, 3D and even 4D movies can give the audience an extra immersive experience. So what’s not to like about a trip to the cinema?
The coronavirus pandemic has put the future of cinema under the spotlight. Some have had to close because of reduced ticket sales. In the UK, it’s brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming. It’s reported that half of UK adults will keep and continue using their new streaming subscriptions.
This isn’t great news for cinemas. They rely on the release of a big blockbuster to bring the crowds back, but the launch of new films, such as James Bond: No Time To Die, are being delayed. Disney has released its $200m blockbuster, Mulan, online instead of in movie theatres. John Fithian, from the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Variety magazine: This idea of waiting out the pandemic to make your movies more profitable doesn’t make sense to me. There won’t be as much of an industry left to play your movies in if you do that.”
1. What’s mainly talked about in paragraph 2?| A．Why people don’t like to go to cinema. |
| B．What has helped cinemas make a comeback. |
| C．How cinemas have developed in the last few years. |
| D．Whether cinemas can remain popular in the future. |
| A．It can hardly suit all different tastes. |
| B．It’s time-consuming due to various distractions. |
| C．It offers audience a variety of films free of charge. |
| D．It’s not as enjoyable an experience as going to cinemas. |
| A．Potential influence. | B．Short-term benefit. |
| C．Sudden increase. | D．Fierce competition. |
| A．The release of blockbusters cannot bring the crowds back. |
| B．Releasing films online is an alternative during the pandemic. |
| C．The pandemic hasn’t had a great impact on the film industry. |
| D．Delaying the release of blockbusters can bring in more profits. |
