1 . For one person who passed away, another life supersedes him.

Back in January, Connie Despanic and Benjamin Hall were celebrating the birth of their new born son at the hospital. Though they had agreed on naming him Kingston, they had not yet decided on a middle names. However, they soon found inspiration in an unlikely place; a handwritten letter that was given to them shortly after their son’s birth. The letter read, “To my dad’s angel, even though I will never know your name, you are the first child born here after my dad’s passing. When one life is taken, another is given.”

The letter was written by Jamie Fontenot. Her father James had just passed away in the same hospital. As Jamie was missing her father, a sweet song started to play on the overhead speakers. When she asked nurses about the song, they said that the hospital played the song whenever a baby was born. In her time of heartbreak, Jamie found comfort in the new life that followed her dad’s death, so she wrote the letter and asked the nurses to give it to the baby whose birth caused the music.

Upon reading the note, Connie started to cry. She was full of appreciation for the letter. She and her husband agreed that their son’s middle name should be James. After delivering the note to the baby’s family, the nurses insisted on introducing Jamie to Connie and her new born son. The meeting was an emotional one. And over the course of the last year, the two families have kept in touch and become fast friends.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “supersedes” in paragraph 1?

A．follows

B．overlooks

C．replaces

D．encourages

2. What got Jamie to write such a letter?

A．She intended to teach the baby a life lesson.

B．The father’s death left her cherishing the life.

C．The newborn baby made her slightly relieved.

D．She was totally moved at the sight of the baby.

3. What did the couple do after reading the note?

A．They hurriedly went out to ask for help from Jamie.

B．They thanked those nurses for consideration warmly.

C．They asked the nurses to arrange a meeting with Jamie.

D．They middle-named the baby after Jamie’s father’s name.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Tricks of Deciding a Middle Name

B．The Difference Between Life and Death

C．A Letter Brought Two Families Together

D．Two Families Related to a Special Letter

2 . 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.

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

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.

3. Why does the author mention his own experience in Paragraph 6?

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.

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

A．Being Grateful Year-Round.

B．The Season for Gratitude.

C．The Way to Show Thanks.

D．The Special Holiday of Gratitude.

3 . 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.

2. What was true according to the text?

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.

3. What does the underlined word “pilot” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Trial.

B．Private.

C．Official.

D．Personal.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

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.

4 . 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.

2. Why did the author mention clown fish in paragraph 2?

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.

3. What does the underlined word “renders” probably mean in paragraph 3?

A．Causes.	B．Reduces.
C．Reveals.	D．Prevents.

4. Which of the following solutions is already available according to paragraph 4?

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.

5 . Each generation -- from Baby Boomers to Generation X to Millennials -- has its own set of values and characteristics. But one thing common to all generations is that they are suffering from stress. In a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA), all age groups now report higher levels of stress than in the past. Baby Boomers (those born roughly between 1946 and 1964, and who are now moving into their retirement years) said that they are stressed about earnings and health issues. Gen Xers (born roughly between 1965 and 1980) are concerned about work, income, and job stability. However, Millennials (born roughly between 1981 and 2004) are turning out to be the most stressed-out of all the generations. Poll results indicate that stress levels for these younger respondents are significantly above average. So what’s worrying the Millennials?

Millennials are the first generation to grow up with computers in the home and the classroom. Due to the rise of modern technology and social media, they are constantly showered with information. Over time, this information overload can become too much to handle and can result in stress, which in turn can cause serious physical, psychological, and emotional problems. Another contributing factor, according to author Michael D. Hais, is that many Millennials have lived sheltered lives due to overprotective parents. These young adults lack problem-solving skills and may struggle with fear of failure once they leave home. Making matters worse, the 2008 economic depression occurred when many Millennials were graduating from high school or college. The resulting economic slowdown reduced the number of available jobs for graduates. Sure enough, in the APA poll, Millennials said that work, money, relationships, family responsibilities, and the economy are the main stressors in their lives.

However, the poll results may be a bit misleading as they don’t take into account public attitudes toward stress and mental illness. Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School, who has studied the prevalence (流行) of mental disorders in the U.S., points out that changes in social attitudes have helped reduce the stigma attached to mental illness over the years. For example, the creation of health-related television programming and specialty magazines such as Psychology Today have contributed to greater public awareness of mental health issues. According to psychologists, younger people now are more willing to admit to them that they are under stress than in the past. “There is not a lot of evidence of true prevalence having gone up,” Kessler says. “It looks like younger people are in worse shape, but unfortunately, we just don’t know.”

1. It can be learned from the results of the APA poll that ______.

A．All age groups are experiencing more stress than before.

B．Millennials have more stress than before, but other age groups aren’t.

C．Compared with other age groups, Millennials have more overprotective parents.

D．Stress levels are down for all age groups, but they’re down the most for Millennials.

2. ______ is a cause of worry across all generations.

A．Health.

B．Occupation.

C．Money.

D．Weak economy.

3. What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word “stigma” in the last paragraph?

A．Behavior.

B．Shame.

C．Symptom.

D．Complexity.

4. According to the passage, what can be inferred about the young people today compared to the past?

A．They fail to keep good body shape.

B．They are more interested in health-related media.

C．They are more willing and courageous to face up to their fault.

D．They are more willing to seek professional help to deal with stress.

6 . Plastic baby bottles shed microplastics when heated. Should you be worried about its side-effects? We still don’t have enough evidence of health risks posed by microplastic consumptions by infants or adults.

“The last thing we want to do is unduly alarm parents,” said John Boland, a professor at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and one of the authors of the Nature Food study. While the health effects of microplastics are still unknown, parents can significantly reduce their infants’ exposure by adding some steps to their bottle preparation routine, Boland said. He recommends letting plastic bottles cool completely after sterilization(消毒) in hot water, then washing them out at least three times with water that’s been allowed to cool to room temperature after being sterilized by boiling. Researchers here also found that plastic tea kettles, plastic instant noodle cups and plastic food storage containers all released similarly high levels of microplastics when subjected to heat.

As for what those microplastics may be doing in our bodies, the evidence so far is quite limited and unclear, Schwabl said that points to a need for more research into microplastics released from plastic food storage containers, especially when they are subjected to higher temperatures. He noted some research has found microplastics can cause inflammation(发炎) in the organs, while other studies “show they do not harm.” “The threshold at which they cause problems has not been determined for humans,” Schwabl said. For now, Schwabl agrees we shouldn’t panic. He’s avoiding plastic containers in his daily life – “not so much that I am afraid of the ingestion, but I think thereby I may be contributing to reducing the amount of plastic waste” that makes its way into the environment.

At the moment, there is no need to be afraid, but it is an open question and definitely an unmet need.

1. What does the underlined word “unduly” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Properly.

B．Extremely.

C．Obviously.

D．Specially.

2. Which factor counts in the release of microplastics?

A．Temperature.

B．Products.

C．Time.

D．Containers.

3. What’s the Schwabl’s attitude towards microplastics?

A．Panic.

B．Caring.

C．Indifference.

D．Critical.

4. How is the passage developed?

A．By providing the examples.	B．By reasoning the readers.
C．By analyzing the figures.	D．By comparing the findings.

7 . Girls are doing better than ever. Don’t let the pandemic block them.

For much of human history and in many places, girls were considered property. Or, at best, subordinate people, required to obey their fathers until the day they had to start obeying their husbands. Few people thought it worthwhile to educate them. Even fewer imagined that a girl could grow up to govern Germany, run the IMF or invent a vaccine.

In most of the world that vision of girlhood now seems not merely old-fashioned but unimaginably remote. In field after field girls have caught up with boys. Globally, young women now outnumber young men at university. The speed of change has been violent.

When societies handle girlhood well, the knock-on effects are astonishing. A girl who finishes secondary school is less likely to become a child bride or a teenager-age mother. Education boosts earning power and widens choices, so she is less likely to be poor or to suffer domestic abuse.

And she will pass on considerable advantages to later generation. A recent study by Citigroup and Plan International estimated that, if a group of emerging economies ensured that 100% of their girls completed secondary school, it could lead to a lasting boost to their GDP of 10% by 2030.

The COVID-19 pandemic could block progress for girls in poor countries, or even reverse it. During previous disasters, they have often suffered most. When Ebola forced west African schools to close in 2014,many girls dropped out, never went back and ended up pregnant or as child laborers. UNICEF warns that something similar could happen with COVID-19—but on a larger scale.

The risk of going backward is real. So it is crucial that, even if governments of poor countries have to tighten their belts, spending on education and girls should be a top priority.

1. The underlined word “subordinate” in the second paragraph could possibly mean ________.

A．lower

B．best

C．selfless

D．adorable

2. According to the text, proper girlhood management is significant because ________.

A．girls have suffered great unfairness

B．girls can perform better than boys in many fields

C．girls play a vital and profound role in the society

D．girls shouldn’t become child brides or teenager age mothers

3. “Ebola” is mentioned in the sixth paragraph to ________.

A．show its relation with COVID 19	B．stress its bad effect on girls
C．arouse public attention to girls	D．serve as a helpful reference.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards girl’s growth?

A．Content and relaxed.	B．Disappointed but optimistic.
C．Satisfied but worried.	D．Admirable and positive.

8 . On June 9, 2015, Mark Joseph Peredo was riding high on his way home from landing an important client for his marketing business, but he never made it back to celebrate with his family. Instead, a car traveling on the opposite side of the highway crossed over，and crashed into Mark's car. Doctors later told Mark that his foot had been shattered (粉碎). The surgeries left him unable to walk normally for a year, and Mark was forced to abandon his plans to be a successful business owner.

Little did Mark know that Luke Hutchins , the driver of the other car, was suffering, too. The reason he had lost control of his vehicle was because he had an epileptic fit (癫痫发作) - his first, but not his last. Mark knew none of this. Instead, he was still furious with Luke, who had cost him his career. After his foot had mostly recovered, Mark decided to walk the 500-mile Camino de Santiago, a rough path that begins in France，continues through the Pyrenees Mountains, and ends in Spain.

One year later, Mark finished his trip and was still curious about the accident, so he decided to do one more thing: Meet Luke. The two were nervous about speaking to each other, but once Mark learned that Luke was not at fault for the incident and that he had been similarly struggling to recover, Mark knew that Luke needed to walk the Camino de Santiago too—and they needed to do it together.

In 2017, Mark and Luke embarked on (开始) their tip, which was hard on Luke at first. As time progressed, Luke became stronger both physically and mentally. During their 40-day trip, the two men kept encouraging each other and had many heart-to-heart talks. And they came to realize that unless you let go of the past, you cannot move forward.

1. What happened to Mark on June 9, 2015?

A．He lost his way home in the dark.	B．He gave up his marketing business,
C．He was badly hurt in a car accident.	D．He failed to meet an important client.

2. What does the underlined word “furious” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Very angry.	B．Quite strict.
C．Rather impatient.	D．Really pleased.

3. Why did Mark decide to meet Luke?

A．To make an apology.	B．To find out the truth.
C．To argue with Luke.	D．To cure Luke of his epilepsy.

4. What can we learn from Mark's story?

A．One can never be too careful.	B．It is good to have friends in trouble.
C．Learn to forgive and live a better life.	D．Be generous and you'll be successful.

9 . 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.

2. What does the author say about watching films at home?

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.

3. What does the underlined word “surge” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Potential influence.	B．Short-term benefit.
C．Sudden increase.	D．Fierce competition.

4. Which view would John Fithian agree with?

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.

10 . Granada is Spain’s most visited city, drawing tourists from all over the world, most of whom are eager to see the famous world heritage sites. Also, some people can enjoy the wonderful music and dance festivals there. Located in Spain’s most southern region, you are guaranteed lovely hot weather during the summer. However, as it is set at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, there is skiing during the winter, making it a popular destination all year round.

Centuries ago, Granada was once a city filled with hundreds of public baths. One of the few that remains undamaged dates back to(始于) the 11th century. However, Granada’s most popular attraction is the Alhambra. The name Alhambra means “red castle” because of the color of the stone, which is particularly beautiful at sunset. As you walk through its narrow streets and beautiful gardens, you will be able to experience the charm of this particular region.

Within the Alhambra is the Parador(旅馆) Granada, which is one of Spain’s most popular hotels. It was originally part of a palace and later turned into a convent(女修道院), it’s a place where you can calm your mind. Its tranquil courtyard and lovely views are some of the reasons why so many guests enjoy their stay.

Located on the hill not far from the Alhambra is Albaicin. This used to be an Arab silk market, but today the small streets are filled with shops selling local handicrafts. From Albaicin, there is a steep walk up to a church, but it’s well worth the effort. With the mountains in the background, you will be able to get a beautiful view.

Granada has its own airport with flights from London and Stansted, so flying out for a long weekend couldn’t be easier. Why not discover for yourself why so many people around the world love coming to this charming city ?

1. Why do so many tourists travel to Granada ?

A．To enjoy the famous festivals.	B．To visit the world heritage sites.
C．To learn about its old culture.	D．To experience the exciting skiing.

2. What’s the main reason why Alhambra got its name ?

A．Because of the stones’ color.	B．Because of its heavy pollution.
C．Because of its government.	D．Because of its special position.

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

A．Broad.

B．splendid.

C．amazing.

D．Quiet.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text ?

A．To entertain readers.	B．To share experiences.
C．To advertise Granada.	D．To offer tour service.