1 . A Teacher’s Lifesaving Call
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Julia Koch began what was only her second year as a first grade teacher in a virtual classroom.
One September afternoon a few weeks into the school year, she received a call from Cynthia Phillips, who was having technical difficulties with her granddaughter’s tools for online learning.
Koch immediately knew something was wrong with Phillips. The two women had spoken numerous times before, but Koch had never heard the grandmother sound quite like this. Her words were so jumbled that Koch could barely understand her, though she was able to make out that Phillips had fallen four times that day.
Koch called her principal, Charlie Lovelady, who assured her that he would call and check on Phillips himself.
Just like Koch, Lovelady could barely understand Phillips. He suspected she might be having a stroke—he recognized the signs from when his own father had suffered one. Lovelady was able to make out the word “kids” and immediately became concerned that Phillips’s two grandchildren, aged six and eight, were probably home alone with her—she is their primary guardian—and scared. Lovelady asked his office manager to send an ambulance to the grandmother’s home. Then Lovelady called two deans in the school district, to tell them what was going on, both of whom dropped everything and drove to the family’s home.
When they pulled up less than ten minutes later, the EMTs(急救人员)were treating Phillips while the two girls, looking visibly shaken, were outside with a neighbor.
The quick response from Koch and Lovelady saved Phillips’s life. She arrived at the hospital in time to get treatment and before chronic damage occurred.
“If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here,” said Phillips from her hospital bed about a month after her stroke.
Thanks to an extended stay in the hospital, she has regained most of the movement throughout her body except for one hand and a portion of her mouth, which affects her speech.
1. When did the story happen?| A．When Koch was in her first grade. |
| B．When the grandchildren were having online classes. |
| C．When Lovelady was with his own father. |
| D．When the EMTs were giving medical help to Phillips. |
| A．Because Phillips’s voice sounded strange. |
| B．Because Phillips had seldom called Koch. |
| C．Because Phillips spoke a strange language. |
| D．Because Koch could not hear very clearly. |
| A．By calling the hospital for advice. |
| B．By visiting Phillips in person. |
| C．By recognizing the signs he knew. |
| D．By asking the office workers for help. |
| A．minor. | B．unknown. | C．obvious. | D．serious. |
| A．She could not move about properly. |
| B．She could not speak clearly. |
| C．She could not have meals properly. |
| D．She could not use her hands as before. |
2 . The idea of using a public bathroom with see through walls may sound like the stuff of nightmares. But a famous Japanese is hoping to change that view, using new technology to make restrooms in Tokyo parks more inviting.
“There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those cated at a park,” according to architect Shigeru Ban’s firm. “The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside.”
The newly-invented transparent walls can turn off both of those worries, Ban says, by showing people what awaits them inside. After users enter the restroom and lock the door, the room’s walls turn a powdery paste) shade and are no longer see-through.
Ban’s are sure to make for great conversation among visitors to the park-and they’ll stand out even more after dark. “At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern,” the architect’s website says.
The group is behind the Tokyo Toilet project, world-famous architects to create toilets “like you’ve never seen. The project’s eye catching toilets are part of a plan to put people ar ease when isiting a public bathroom. The project may seem silly, but the 16 architects who are reimagining public toilets are some of the brightest names in Japanese architecture. The list includes four Pritzker Prize winners-Ban, Toyo Ito, Tadao Ando and Fumihiko Maki-along with international stars such as Kengo Kuma and Sou Fujimoto. The fashion designer Nigo is also contributing.
Ban’s colorful public bathrooms opened to the public this month in two parks: Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park. Other bespoke commodes will be opening in coming months.
1. Why are people often worried before entering a public restroom?| A．Its lock is usually useless. |
| B．It’s usually at a huge distance. |
| C．It’s not always clean. |
| D．It’s always occupied. |
| A．Easy to see through. |
| B．Not easy to see through. |
| C．Full of bright colors. |
| D．Thick and strong. |
| A．It’s and silly. |
| B．It’s rewarding and. |
| C．It has won the Pritzker Prize. |
| D．It’s the fruit of colleqtive wisdom |
| A．Should the public restrooms be upgraded? |
| B．The new high-tech walls of public restrooms are coming. |
| C．How do we live with see-through public facilities? |
| D．Some famous architects designed a silly project. |
3 . A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.
One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished, gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, saying, “You don’t say! ” “You don’t say! ” I was puzzled. I thought, “Perhaps this is not an appropriate topic. Well, I’d better change the topic. ” So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there? ”“Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It is magnificent. ” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide, “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it. ” Soon I was interrupted again by his order, “You don’t say! ” I couldn’t help asking. I said, “Didn’t you say you don’t say? ” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed. He explained, “ ‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘Really? ’. It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you haven’t learned that English idiom. ” Only then did I realize I had made a fool of myself. Since then, I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions.
1. A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms because ______.| A．English idioms were too difficult to master |
| B．I had no interest in English learning |
| C．my teacher didn’t emphasize the importance |
| D．I cared little about the teacher’s instruction |
| A．the Englishman was only interested in the Great Wall |
| B．the Englishman was not interested in my English studies |
| C．I had talked too much |
| D．I had to stop talking at once |
| A．terrible | B．important |
| C．interesting | D．lucky |
| A．The Englishman was leaving China without seeing the Great Wall. |
| B．The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it. |
| C．The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide. |
| D．The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting. |
4 . Many college students turn to ADHD（注意缺陷障碍）medicine during the exam week, which is regarded as “smart drugs” that will help their academic（学术的）performance. The thinking is that if the drugs help students with ADHD improve their focus, they should provide the same benefit for people who don’t have the disorder.
But a new study shows that drugs can actually damage brain function of healthy students who take the drug hoping to boost their intelligence. “It’s not a smart drug which will suddenly improve their ability to understand information they read,” said Lisa Weyandt, a professor at the University of Rhode Island.
To test whether this effect is real or not, researchers organized 13 students to take part in two five-hour study sessions（一段时间）in the lab. The students took the standard 30mg ADHD drugs before one session, and a sugar pill before the other. Students on ADHD drugs did experience an increase in their blood pressure and heart rates. “The medicine was having an effect on their brain,” Weyandt said. The students also showed an improvement in their ability to focus, the researchers found.
However, students on ADHD drugs experienced no improvement in reading comprehension, reading fluency or knowledge reviews, compared to when they’d taken a sugar pill. “We read aloud stories to them and asked them to recall information from the stories, ”she said. “That didn’t improve.”
Worse, the ADHD drug actually harms students’ memory. It’s often misused because people pull all-nighters and they’re tired, and they think it’s going to keep them awake. Maybe it does, but it’s certainly not going to help their academic work. The brain is still developing until the mid to late 20s. It’s important to keep it healthy. There’s also a chance that ADHD drugs could endanger a student’s heart health.
1. Why do some college students take ADHD drugs?| A．To improve their sleeping. | B．To get higher marks. |
| C．To make them feel relaxed. | D．To treat brain disorder. |
| A．Analyze. | B．Affect. |
| C．Improve. | D．Understand. |
| A．They became more focused. |
| B．Their blood pressure was reduced. |
| C．Their reading fluency was greatly raised. |
| D．They could remember better and more quickly. |
| A．In a drug instruction. | B．In a biology textbook. |
| C．In a travel magazine. | D．In a news report. |
5 . Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure? Riding the train can be a real adventure. That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak. I often take a four-hour trip to visit my children. Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.
Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride, there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation — in another language. It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train. I think it was annoying.
Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two-day trip by train. She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home, although she had no trouble driving. The train ride was the only choice for her. She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.
She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents. That is a very good question. Both of us are old and have children. She asked that same question from time to time.
There are always many people on the train from all walks of life, different countries, and many languages. Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures. If you get hungry, you can buy food in the food car at any time. If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.
It sure beats driving the car, which has to stop for food and restrooms. And it is better than taking the bus.
1. According to the passage, the purpose of the author's train ride was .| A．to do business |
| B．to see her children |
| C．to visit places of interest |
| D．to see her old friends |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Satisfied. | C．Worried. | D．Pleased. |
| A．the services are quite good |
| B．the food is terribly expensive |
| C．all the passengers are polite |
| D．all the passengers are American |
| A．A wonderful lady |
| B．The history of Amtrak |
| C．A painful experience on the train |
| D．Train ride—a cultural experience |
6 . Twenty-five years ago, most young Britons wanted a career in law, to be a doctor, or, if they were creatively minded, to take up singing. But today, things stand differently.
According to a survey by Tesco Mobile, a UK telecoms company, the “dream job” of young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK is a video blogger, or “vlogger”. The survey, carried out among 1 , 002 people, found that as much as 40 percent of them put vlogger as their number one choice on a list of ideal jobs.
The only reason for this change is undoubtedly the Internet and social media. They have made it so much easier to reach a global user, without having to get a job in show business in the traditional way.
“In years gone by, the biggest stars were shaped and trained by the Hollywood studios； now, anyone with a computer camera can become an icon (偶像)，" a Tesco Mobile spokesperson said in a news release(发布会).“These self-made stars record their hobbies to an admiring fan-base. Vloggers are the big stars of today because they are normal people interacting with their fans about everyday life.”
However, what people see is only the great side of being a vlogger and they ignore the fact that only those who are successful get fame and fortune. There are the dreams that come true and the dreams that still remain dreams.
This is why although vloggers are popular, some young people choose jobs that don't necessarily earn them fame, but allow them to make good use of the Internet to share their hobbies. Young Israeli David Leshaw, for example, runs a business called the Finishers Club. It's an online platform(平台)for runners to keep a record of their races. He told the website Zippia that his job allows him to express his thought, and is always a learning experience. And that's enough for him.
1. What's the most popular job among British young people nowadays?| A．A lawyer. | B．A doctor. | C．A vlogger. | D．A singer. |
| A．Because of the popularity of the computers. |
| B．Because the traditional show business has disappeared. |
| C．Because there are computer cameras for everyone to use. |
| D．Because Internet and social media made it easy to reach a global user. |
| A．To discuss. | B．To force. |
| C．To communicate. | D．To take part in. |
| A．All vloggers can't be successful. | B．Vloggers should be supported. |
| C．Vloggers should be encouraged. | D．Vloggers are very helpful to society. |
7 . On Wednesday, nearly 300 kids will take part in the National Spelling Bee. Fewer will make it to the following day’s semifinals, where one mistake means elimination(淘汰). I’d bet that many of them will be silently praying—not on the first word. I knew it because I was there 17 years ago.
I was 14 year old then. My mother and I had flown from Kentucky to Washington, but she was no strange to the capital. My older sister had already competed at nationals.
When my sister was 14 and I was 12, we trained together. We began with the Suggested List given out at school—hundreds of words printed on a poster that folded up like a map. When the words along the creases(折痕) began to disappear, we bought additional spelling bodes.
Sometimes my mother tested us, reading words most English teachers wouldn’t know how to pronounce, let alone my Indian-born mother. When she pointed out the misspelled words, I blamed her accent for my errors!
When it was my turn, I approached the microphone and waited for my first word.
The announcer was somewhere to my left, a man who pronounced clearly. “Barbican,” he said.
It seemed that my competitors were secretly complaining at the relative ease of my word. Would they laugh at me if I couldn’t spell it? Would my mother be disappointed in me? That last syllable could go two ways: C-A-N or C-O-N. Which one was right? Finally I decided on C-O-N.
Of course, I was eliminated and guided to the Comfort Room, where parents couldn’t enter. Inside, recent losers were sitting around a table abundant with junk food.
We casually mentioned the words that defeated us, like a special ceremony to welcome each new arrival. Then we changed the subjects if we’d already moved on from missed words and lost opportunities.
Eventually, I went out and saw my mother.
“Well,” she said, “I guess you won’t be doing this again.” Yes, next year I would be 25 and not allowed to take part in the competition.
1. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．the difficulty of the first word. | B．The fierce competition. |
| C．The nervousness of the kids. | D．The strict rules. |
| A．she was unable to relax | B．the announcer had an accent |
| C．her competitors disturbed her | D．she didn’t practise hard enough |
| A．She met her mother. | B．She comforted new arrivals. |
| C．She talked with other losers. | D．She watched the competition. |
| A．She was disappointed in the author. |
| B．The author would be beyond the age limit. |
| C．She didn’t want the author to suffer again. |
| D．The author had no interest in the competition. |
8 . Friends play a very important part in everyone’s life. Friendship usually develops during childhood. New friends are made when you progress through school. Those friends that you make as a student can usually last long. Friends influence your development, maturity(成熟) and the sense of responsibility. A familiar opinion is “You can tell a lot about a person by knowing who his friends are.” Friendship is based on common interests. If you like sports, most of your friends are likely to be active. If you enjoy reading and shopping, most of your friends do the same.
Some people call you their friends for the wrong reasons. These people are not really friends. They are only “friends” on the outside, not the inside where it counts. Superficial （表面的）friends only want to be your friends if it is to their advantage. True friends are there whether you are rich or poor. It is easy to have many so-called “friends” if you are rich. By this time you should be able to recognize your friends as the “real” or the “false”.
True friends are most special. Sometimes they might not be easy to find, so you can consider yourself very lucky if you have one true friend. This friend is eager to help you whenever necessary. He or she knows you would do the same for them. A true friend is someone you can talk to about any subject or problem. You and your true friend have good understanding of each other. True friends support you, take your side, and build up your confidence.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．How to make true friends. |
| B．What is friendship based on. |
| C．We should make friends in our childhood. |
| D．Friends play a very important role in our life. |
| A．It is easy to have many true friends if you are rich. |
| B．If you have no music in you, none of your friends will be a music lover. |
| C．The friendship developing during your school days will be with you for a long time. |
| D．What you value above anything is the friendship developing during childhood. |
| A．Friends in need. |
| B．Those who can help you. |
| C．Those who often gives you money. |
| D．Those who want to benefit from you. |
| A．True friends are too difficult to find. |
| B．You can only share sadness with a true friend. |
| C．You can only share happiness with a true friend. |
| D．True friends will stand by you whatever happens |
9 . There's plenty of video evidence on social media about some urban wildlife during pandemic lockdown（疫情封锁）.And while it's been for tragic, costly reasons, we have to stop the human activity all over the world for a while.
On an increasingly crowded planet, wildlife scientists think that this will have some important effects.The only way to measure that, though, is with lots of bio-loggers.
Professor Christian Rutz, University of St Andrews said that a bio-logger is a small electronic device that can record, store and in some cases automatically send information, so that information could be positional information, from which we can find out through satellite（卫星） tracking where an animal goes and what it's up to.
Through using the labor-saving equipment, researchers can get much information.For example, the information about more than 1500 birds' movements and migrations （迁徙）was recorded by those bio-loggers over a decade effortlessly.
However, studying human absence is more tricky."One famous study in the Chernobyl exclusion zone that I visited with scientists last year, has shown how nature took over a landscape that was abandoned after the nuclear disaster." Professor Christian Rutz said.
Now, in dozens of ongoing studies, wildlife researchers have their bio-loggers on animals from African elephants to migrating birds, and some of that data has been automatically uploaded throughout lockdown.Scientists do the research by focusing on the behaviour of animals without the presence of human.
Professor Christian Rutz told BBC： "And so this is really a golden opportunity to research this relationship between humans and wildlife and we hope that this project will inspire us to make plans for the future and there are some very useful suggestions that could come out of this.”
This lockdown has been at huge human and economic cost, which is why scientists say it's important to maximize what we can learn from lockdown, about how to share the space we have with many other animals.
1. Which is not the function of bio-loggers?| A．storing information of animals |
| B．recording information of animals |
| C．tracking the position of animals |
| D．sharing information of animals on the public media |
| A．unique. | B．difficult. | C．shallow. | D．common. |
| A．To research how bio-logger is used on animals. |
| B．To prove that animals can not live without humans. |
| C．To research how the absence of human affects animals. |
| D．To prove that bio-logger is effective to send the information. |
| A．Protecting wildlife is a wise choice. |
| B．Wildlife might benefit from lockdown. |
| C．Bio-loggers are widely used during the lockdown. |
| D．It doesn't matter whether we stop human activity or not. |
10 . The Chinese word "Shanzhai" means a small mountain village, but it becomes an accepted name for fakes (假货), after "Shanzhai Cell-phones" produced by small workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years. Now besides "Shanzhai" electronic products, there are "Shanzhai" movies, "Shanzhai" stars and even a "Shanzhai" Sprin Festival Gala, a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve.
"Shanzhai" has become a culture of its own, meaning anything that imitates something famous. In Chongqing, "Shanzhai" version "Bird's Nest（鸟巢）" and "Water Cube（水立方）" woven by farmers with bamboo attract(吸引) wide attention from tourists. Both are copies of the famous Olympic buildings in Beijing.
A literature critic said that taking the "Shanzhai" Gala as an example, when the traditional CCTV program becomes less and less attractive to the audience, the "Shanzhai" version appears timely to attract people. "Although it is often connected with poor techniques and operation, 'Shanzhai' culture meets the psychological needs of common people and could be a comfort to their minds," he said.
To the mainstream（主流） culture, the rise of "Shanzhai" culture is a challenge and a motivation（推动）. People believe different kinds of cultures developing together is a perfect way and it is for the public to choose.
1. The Chinese word "Shanzhai" may have started with_______.| A．electronic products | B．fake(假的) cell-phones |
| C．Spring Festival Gala | D．Olympic buildings |
| A．anything that are copies of something famous |
| B．products with poor techniques and quality |
| C．the action that a person imitates famous people |
| D．those similar names to famous brands |
| A．is stopped by "Shanzhai" culture |
| B．is the challenge of"Shanzhai" culture |
| C．may develop faster because of the challenge of "Shanzhai" culture |
| D．will be replaced by "Shanzhai" culture |
| A．偷窃 | B．做广告 |
| C．仿造 | D．欺骗 |
