1.庆祝春节的传统方式;
2.目前庆祝方式的改变;
3.邀请他来中国体验春节。
注意:1.词数80左右;
2.开头和结尾已给出,不计入总词数;
3.可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。
Dear Frankie,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li hua
2 . An old saying goes that “Good fences make good neighbors.” With so many folks
In Minneapolis, the Olson family lives next door to 99-year-old Mary. Although Mary’s daughter
Over time, Mary watched through the chain-link as Benjamin learned to walk, talk, and
While others might
When the lockdown was lifted, Benjamin
In August, when Mary celebrates her 100th birthday, the one thing she won’t be wishing for is a
A.suspected | B.invited | C.allowed | D.forced |
A.relatives | B.friends | C.securities | D.communities |
A.calls | B.rests | C.visits | D.prays |
A.wearing on | B.dying down | C.put up | D.dealt with |
A.constantly | B.surprisingly | C.eventually | D.immediately |
A.attitudes | B.knowledge | C.ages | D.belief |
A.successful | B.discouraged | C.depressed | D.delighted |
A.game | B.puzzle | C.video | D.role |
A.show | B.buy | C.fetch | D.pass |
A.point | B.wonder | C.worry | D.laugh |
A.easily | B.carefully | C.simply | D.possibly |
A.relationship | B.fence | C.ball | D.difference |
A.inspired | B.joined | C.expected | D.comforted |
A.peace | B.heart | C.present | D.hand |
A.newest | B.wisest | C.youngest | D.best |
3 . The good news is that more people bought electric vehicles (EVs) in 2020. The bad news is that sport utility (多用途的) vehicles (SUVs) continued to grow in popularity, too. “The fall in oil consumption due to the first trend was completely canceled out by the second,” said Laura Cozzi, an officer at the International Energy Agency (JEA).
Between 2010 and 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions (排放) from conventional cars fell by nearly 35 billion tons, due to reasons such as fuel efficiency improvements as well as the switch to electric cars. Emissions from SUVs rose by more than 50 billion tons. “While the growth in EVs is encouraging, the boom in SUVs is heart-breaking,” says Peters at the Cicero Climate Research Centre in Norway.
There are many reasons for the growing popularity of SUVs. For example, rising economic boom in many countries means more people are able to afford them. Some people see them as status symbols. Also, SUVs are heavily advertised by car-makers, whose profit is higher on these vehicles. Some countries, including France, have introduced plans under which more taxes are paid on heavier cars. But Peters thinks that people who are rich enough to afford SUVs won’t be deterred by slightly higher taxes. “There are now some electric SUVs available, but I hope one day you will see more electric vehicles brought to the SUV market,” says Peters.
Even if it happens, switching to electric SUVs isn’t a good solution. Due to their size and bigger batteries, it takes more resources to build electric SUVs, and they consume around 15 percent more electricity. That means higher emissions unless the electricity comes entirely from renewable sources, and higher electricity demand makes it harder to green the electricity supply.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?A.Scientists should devote themselves to improving fuel efficiency. |
B.Electric vehicles will certainly take the place of sport utility vehicles. |
C.The popularity of SUVs destroys some efforts at environmental protection. |
D.The emission of carbon dioxide of motor vehicles has hit a new low. |
A.Encouraged. | B.Blocked. |
C.Removed. | D.Connected. |
A.SUVs are discounted heavily. |
B.SUVs are often advertised by car producers. |
C.SUVs are taxed at a lower rate in some countries. |
D.SUVs consume fewer resources than other vehicles. |
A.The electric SUVs should be made smaller and lighter. |
B.The electric SUVs are a good guarantee for less pollution. |
C.More electric SUVs don’t necessarily mean “environment-friendly”. |
D.Future electric SUVs will be powered with completely green energy. |
4 . Some winter routes which tap into the delights hidden in the snow and ice will encourage public participation in winter sports. They are great ways to get a first-hand view of places.
Winter Olympic Cities
The National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the “ice ribbon”, is a new venue built for ice competitions in Beijing. It will hold speed skating events and award 14 gold medals. Every move and every sound from the skates on ice will be seen and heard by all at the oval. The Big Air Shougang, sitting in the Shougang Industrial Park, will serve the snowboard and freestyle skiing events.
Along the Great Wall
The route runs through seven cities in Hebei and Inner Mongolia and offers skiing, hiking, photography and winter fishing. The Yudaokou Grassland and Forest Scenic Area and the Chengde Mountain Resort are an ideal complement to local snow sport experiences. Daogunan Mountain Ski Field offers ski slopes catering to skiers of all levels. Its winter recreation park offers snowmobile and dog sleigh experiences for family travelers.
Changbai Mountains
Forging a path across Jilin province, this route takes in the Changchun Ice and Snow New World, a large-scale winter themed park in Changchun. It will provide visitors with a glimpse into the fascinating world of ice buildings, snow sculptures and ice slides. At night, it holds spectacular fireworks and light shows. Visitors can take a ride that offers a stunning view of the Songhua Lake and the wild, snowy mountain. In Changbai Mountains International Resort, tourists can enjoy performances featuring (以……为特色) the Changbai Mountains, sing karaoke, go to bars and taste gourmet food. Hot springs are also available.
1. Which of the following places can serve the skiing events?A.Changbai Mountains. | B.The Big Air Shougang. |
C.The National Speed Skating Oval. | D.Changchun Ice and Snow New World |
A.It offers a beautiful scenery of the mountain. |
B.It provided the fascinating winter sports. |
C.It offers snow mobile and dog sleigh experiences. |
D.It promises skiing, hiking, photography and winter fishing. |
A.In a novel. | B.In a biography. |
C.In a geography newspaper. | D.In a book review. |
5 . I was gating ready to head to my daughter’s college to bring her home for New Year. The
Usually a three-hour round
I tried pulling out again and again but could only hear
Just as a famous writer Henry
A.snow | B.rain | C.fog | D.shower |
A.rescue | B.flight | C.search | D.trip |
A.shorter | B.faster | C.longer | D.easier |
A.clear | B.match | C.consider | D.find |
A.even | B.further | C.finally | D.immediately |
A.moving | B.causing | C.throwing | D.holding |
A.untrustworthy | B.unfriendly | C.patient | D.inexperienced |
A.stop | B.brake | C.work | D.hit |
A.spinning | B.running | C.flat | D.broken |
A.curiously | B.hopefully | C.helplessly | D.surprisingly |
A.move | B.trap | C.jump | D.increase |
A.lady | B.truck | C.car | D.figure |
A.suddenly | B.surely | C.eventually | D.simply |
A.makes | B.puts | C.helps | D.gets |
A.safe | B.different | C.pleasant | D.dangerous |
6 . Although we benefit from deep and meaningful conversations that help us build connections with one another, we often stick to small talk with strangers because we underestimate (低估) how much others are interested in our lives and wrongly believe that deep conversations will be more awkward and less enjoyable than they actually are, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and his colleagues designed a series of experiments with more than 1, 800 participants. The researchers asked pairs of people — mainly strangers — to discuss either relatively deep or shallow topics. In the first experiment, people received shallow or deep questions to discuss. Before the conversations, participants predicted how awkward they thought the conversations would be, how connected they thought they would feel to their conversation partner and how much they would enjoy the conversations. Afterward, they rated how awkward the conversations actually were, how connected they actually felt and how much enjoyment they actually experienced.
The researchers found that both deep and shallow conversations felt less awkward than the participants had expected. That effect tended to be stronger for deep conversations.
Deep conversations were also more enjoyable and led to a stronger sense of connection. In the second experiment, participants who had a deep conversation with one partner and a shallow conversation with another partner initially expected to prefer the shallow conversation but actually preferred the deep conversation after having both of them.
“Our participants’ expectations about deep conversations were greatly mistaken in a way that could keep people from interacting deeply with others in their daily lives,” Epley said. “As the pandemic (疫情) wanes and social distance restrictions become less strict, and we all get back to talking with each other again, being aware that others also like deep conversations might lead you to have more pleasant interactions.”
1. What were the participants asked to do in the first experiment?A.Choose some topics they prefer. | B.Avoid discussing shallow topics. |
C.Make predictions on their feelings. | D.Classify various types of questions. |
A.preferred to discuss shallow questions with strangers |
B.felt very awkward when conducting deep conversations |
C.underestimated how awkward their strange partners felt |
D.overestimated the awkwardness of talking with strangers |
A.It is easier to conduct than making small talk. |
B.It usually causes a weaker sense of connection. |
C.It is more enjoyable than having shallow ones. |
D.It is more awkward than previously expected. |
A.Worsens. | B.Appears. | C.Spreads. | D.Fades. |
7 . Barnaby, the Lawrence family’s cat, had been missing for eight months. On January 11, 2022, Rachel Lawrence was on the phone with her vet (兽医). Her younger cat, Torvi, had just received an operation and she was asking how he was.
During the call, Lawrence heard a meow (喵喵叫). It may have been a standard meow to anyone else’s ears, but to Lawrence, there was something distinct about this sound. She asked the vet if that was Torvi and was told that was just a stray (走失的宠物) that had been brought in a week before.
Lawrence put down the phone and could not stop thinking about that. Could that be long-lost Barnaby? Unable to dismiss that unlikely thought, she called the vet back a few hours later. She asked if that meow came from a black cat and if the cat had a white dot on his back foot. The reply was “Yes”. “That had to be Barnaby,” Lawrence concluded.
When she went to pick up Torvi, she brought photos of Barnaby, nicknamed Fatman by her three kids. When the vet brought Barnaby to her, Lawrence broke down in what she described as tears and cries, but not with sadness.
She couldn’t wait to video-call her three children and said, “Look who I found.”
“Fatman,” they cried out with joy!
Lawrence had previously put a chip into Barnaby, but it did not work and so when he was lost, they had no hope of finding him again. Yet, thanks to the kindness of the person who found Barnaby and took him to the vet, and to the incredible hearing of his pet owner, this cat is back.
Barnaby is safely home with the Lawrence family and Torvi. He returned home thin with little fur and many scars. Barnaby is eating well, and with all the love and attention, the family hopes he will grow back into Fatman.
1. Why did Rachel Lawrence make a second call to the vet?A.To get more details about the stray cat. |
B.To check if Torvi was in good condition. |
C.To confirm the schedule for an operation. |
D.To seek a way to identify different meows. |
A.Sad. | B.Frightened. | C.Calm. | D.Thrilled. |
A.He was safe and sound. | B.He didn’t receive any kindness. |
C.He became much fatter. | D.He had a really rough time. |
A.A Kind Vet Took Good Care of a Long-lost Cat |
B.A Missing Cat’s Meow Led to a Happy Reunion |
C.A Determined Cat Owner Finally Cured Her Cat |
D.A Young Cat’s Operation Saved Another Cat's Life |
8 . Chase is always looking for ways he can help others. At just 13 years old, he has already contributed a great deal to the community in Port Allen, Louisiana. He has hosted dinners for senior citizens, donated hundreds of socks to the homeless, and now he is contributing directly to the kids at his school.
Chase noticed many children at Port Allen Middle School have a hard time affording new clothing, especially when events like school dances and graduations come up. So when school leaders asked students how they could improve their community, Chase suggested helping families get clothes.
The school agreed, so PAM’s Pantry was born. The concept is simple. First, people donate clothing, shoes, sports equipment, and other helpful personal items. Then, Chase helps organize the donations so headmaster Jessica and the teachers can hand them to those in need.
Jessica says this plan is meeting more kids’ needs than ever before, especially since they live in a low-income area. “We really want the kids to feel as if they have somewhere to go when they need something,” the headmaster said. “We only have 215 kids, so we’re able to get to know them really well and try to help them when we can.”
Amanda, Chase’s mother, said she was not the least bit surprised by what her son decided. “He seems to have a great passion for people,” she said. “I always encourage him to help others because they deserve happiness, too.”
If more people do as Chase does, the world will be a kinder place! Simply looking for ways of the change we want to see in the world can have life-changing effects, not just on us, but also on those around us.
1. What is Chase doing to help others?A.He is hosting dinners for senior citizens. |
B.He is organizing donations for the local students. |
C.He is holding school dances and graduations. |
D.He is donating hundreds of socks to the homeless. |
A.A club. | B.A competition. | C.A company. | D.A charity. |
A.Ordinary. | B.Costly. | C.Meaningful. | D.Creative. |
A.To praise Chase. | B.To introduce Chase. |
C.To call for help | D.To encourage kindnesses. |
9 . Jose Alberto Gutierrez’s life would never be the same again after finding a copy of Anna Karenina in the trash (垃圾) 20 years ago. It happened while he was driving his garbage truck through wealthier neighbourhoods and seeing books abandoned by the rich. It ignited his desire to start rescuing books from the trash. Eventually, he turned his book collection into a community library.
In Colombia’s capital city of Bogota, libraries tend to be far away from poorer communities. The option of buying new books is non-existent for poor families and having access to a library of books is a luxury. Gutierrez grew up poor, and his family could not afford to educate him beyond primary school. Nevertheless, his mother was a passionate reader and read stories to him every night. Her love for books left a deep impression on Gutierrez, who never let a lack of formal education stop him.
Today, his community library, “The Strength of Words”, occupies most of his home and is piled from floor to ceiling with fiction and non-fiction titles. Everything from school textbooks to storybooks can be found in his collection of over 20,000 books!
The Strength of Words library is open every weekend, and children in Gutierrez’s neighbourhood are allowed to look through the book collection. Adults are also welcome to expand their vision and develop new skills for a better life.
Today, the Gutierrez family doesn’t merely want to start libraries in neighbourhoods. They want to create more safe spaces for school children to spend their time reading. This is important for kids living in Bogota where many young people waste time in the streets.
Gutierrez’s journey to give treasure back to his local community is an amazing example of how every one of us can improve the lives of those around us by identifying needs, investing time and finding a simple solution. How might we take a leaf out of Gutierrez’s book?
1. What does the underlined word “ignited” mean in paragraph 1?A.Satisfied. | B.Ignored. | C.Excited. | D.Expressed. |
A.It aims to recycle and reuse the garbage. |
B.It is sponsored by wealthier communities. |
C.It is in the charge of his passionate mother. |
D.It makes knowledge accessible to poor kids. |
A.We should value Gutierrez’s spirit of paying back. |
B.We can follow Gutierrez’s example to help others. |
C.We should go to visit Gutierrez’s library personally. |
D.We can donate deserted books to Gutierrez’s library. |
A.From Trash to Treasure | B.The Books of Gutierrez |
C.From Home to Community | D.The Strength of Reading |
10 . Ever wondered how many Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) ever walked around the Earth? The answer is 2.5 billion over the two million or so years in which the species existed, according to a calculation published today in Science. The figure has allowed researchers to estimate just how rare it is for animals to fossilize.
Researchers led by Charles Marshall used a method employed by ecologists studying contemporary creatures to estimate the population of T. rex during the late Cretaceous period.
The team used their estimates of the total range of T. rex across modern North America, combined with their estimates of the dinosaur’s weight, to calculate that, at one time, around 20,000 T. rex would have been alive on the planet. That translates to around 3,800 T. rex in an area the size of California, or just 2 T. rex moving around Washington DC. Calculating that T. rex survived for about 127,000 generations before disappearing, the researchers came up with a figure of 2.5 billion individuals over the species’ entire existence. Only 32 adult T. rex have been discovered as fossils, so the fossil record accounts for just 1 in about every 80 million T. rex. This means that the chances of being fossilized were small.
These numbers suggest that fossils in general are rare, and that many species that were less widespread than T. rex were probably never preserved, says Marshall, who adds, “The fossil record is our only direct knowledge of these past histories of our planet.”
Thomas Holtz, a researcher, says that “we always knew that the chance of any individual becoming a fossil was rare, but we lacked the calculation to figure out how rare”. He’d like to see comparable studies made on disappearing species with more abundant fossils, which might allow us to better understand historic ecosystems.
1. Which of the following was used to figure out the population of T. rex?A.The approach to calculating kinds of wildlife. |
B.The method used by researchers to study fossils. |
C.The comparison of various studies on disappearing species. |
D.The way adopted by ecologists to study modern creatures. |
A.By making a comparison. | B.By listing the figures. |
C.By giving an explanation. | D.By presenting examples. |
A.T. rex owns quite a few fossils. |
B.The fossils record all the past of our planet. |
C.Fossils of some species may never be stored. |
D.Many species lived together in their whole life. |
A.A new method to figure out the number of T. rex. |
B.The fossil record to uncover the history of our planet. |
C.Scientists employed fossils to understand past ecosystems. |
D.The figure of T. rex helps calculate how rare their fossils are. |