1 . It started 30 years ago with a squirrel. A few months after I moved into a building in downtown Manhattan, my next-door neighbor, Nicole Figaro, knocked, asking for help with a squirrel that had gotten into her apartment.

I ______ Lout the animal and made a new friend. Soon Nicole was ______ me over for dinner or ______ home-cooked food at my door. When I went to my beach house, Nicole picked up my ______ and watered my plants, and when she ______ on vacations, I did the same for her. She'd bring me wonderful ______ from far-away places, but her ______ and best wishes have been the greatest gift of all.

In 1997, I took care of my partner during his ______ days, and it was Nicole who took care of me: Years later, I ______ the favor, helping out when her husband, who was ______ needed her to take care of him for almost everything. More and more, we ______ strength and inspiration from each other.

My father ______ last January. Nicole helped my family prepare for the service. I couldn't have gotten through that day without her. The pandemic ______ then. Nicole and I ______ for groceries for each other, knowing we could get through anything together. And we will. A ______ might separate our apartments, but nothing separates our hearts.

1.

A．put out

B．found out

C．scared out

D．handed out

2.

A．inviting

B．suggesting

C．permitting

D．offering

3.

A．buying

B．making

C．delivering

D．leaving

4.

A．friend

B．mail

C．phone

D．conversation

5.

A．worked.

B．traveled

C．jogged

D．packed

6.

A．gifts

B．plants

C．cakes

D．toys

7.

A．determination

B．positivity

C．ambition

D．experience

8.

A．best

B．big

C．final

D．lucky

9.

A．asked

B．lost

C．owed

D．returned

10.

A．sick

B．worried

C．disappointed

D．upset

11.

A．brought

B．drew

C．saw

D．appreciated

12.

A．moved out

B．turned up

C．passed away

D．set off

13.

A．postponed

B．hit

C．happened

D．settled

14.

A．looked

B．voted

C．fought

D．shopped

15.

A．A. flat

B．family

C．sore

D．wall

2 . Today, plastic is used in almost everything, from shopping bags and bottles to chairs and cars. Plastic has conquered the world. But do you know how it was first made?

The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes, who introduced it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. It was called Parkesine, and it was made from plant materials. Once heated, it could be molded, and it held its shape when cooled. Also, it could be made colored or transparent. However, it was too expensive to produce for common use.

In the 19th century, billiards（a game played on a cloth-covered table）was so popular that a lot of elephants were being killed for their ivory, which was used to make billiard balls. So, people tried to find a substitute. A U.S. billiard ball company offered a prize of S10, 000 to the person who could design the best substitute for natural ivory. In 1866, Joh

Wesley Hyatt created Celluloid while trying to win the prize. Although he failed to win, Celluloid was later used to make many products, including false teeth, piano keys, and ping pong balls.

In 1909, Leo Backeland created Bakelite. Made entirely of artificial materials, it was the first true plastic. It was inexpensive, and it kept its shape when heated. Soon, it was being used in many things, including electrical products and jewelry. Since then, many other plastics have been developed.

Today, most plastics are produced from non-natural materials made from petroleum. They are light, flexible, strong. and cheap. Despite all these advantages, there is one problem: plastic waste breaks down slowly and toxic chemicals can leak from it. Therefore, people are trying to develop less harmful plastics.

1. How did Parkesine differ from other plastics motioned in the text?

A．It was popularly used.	B．It was flexible and cheap.
C．It could break down quickly.	D．It was made from plant materials.

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．Plastics could be easily got from plants.

B．Bakelite could be heated without changing shape.

C．Plastics made from petroleum have few advantages. u

D．Celluloid was used to make billiard balls in the 19t century.

3. What can be mostly talked about following the last paragraph?

A．The disadvantages of plastic.

B．Different products made from plastic.

C．A chemist studying the history of plastic.

D．The kind of eco-friendly materials to make plastic.

4. What can be the suitable title for the text?

A．How to Make Plastic	B．The Inventors of Plastic
C．From Plant to Petroleum	D．New materials to Make Plastic

4 . “This material is called xiangyunsha,” said Song Fei, while she introduced a traditional cheongsam(旗袍) to customers in a flagship shop. “Dyed with pure plant extracts (提取物) and unpolluted river mud, the time-honored silk cloth is named ‘soft gold’ in the textile (纺织的) industry.”

To everyone’s surprise, the knowledgeable Song, who has unbelievable insights into cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women, has practiced law for 10 years in Chengdu City. In 2017, she traveled to Suzhou to learn design and handicraft skills of cheongsam and traditional costumes, becoming a cheongsam designer.

At first, Song’s family and friends were not optimistic about her choice to switch from a distinguished career to an artistic field. Knowing little about clothing, Song met with a huge challenge. “The pain was unthinkable, but since I had chosen that profession, I had to stick to it. I want a career that I truly enjoy,” said Song.

Song returned to Chengdu with new skills and creative passion in 2019 and founded her design brand. “To be honest, compared with my previous job, this one is harder and leaves me with much greater financial pressure. But my sense of satisfaction is beyond comparison when my works are recognized and appreciated,” said Song.

“Traditional cheongsams are one-piece tailored dresses of Chinese origin that require making with natural materials by hand. However, modern cheongsams are often made with artificial materials and produced by machine,” Song said. “In the face of rapid social and economic changes, traditional cheongsams are receiving less attention due to the popularity of mass-produced cheongsams.”

To save the beauty of traditional culture, Song wants to blend people’s daily lives with time-honored handicrafts, believing that traditional culture should not be the zone of museums. She aims to pass on traditional Chinese culture, which is a meaningful type of work with social responsibilities.

1. Where did Song probably work in the past?

A．In a design room for costumes.	B．At an office of legal affairs.
C．In a museum of traditional culture.	D．At a flagship shop of cheongsams.

2. What made Song change her job?

A．Great financial pressure.	B．Persuasion from family and friends.
C．Unthinkable pain from the former job.	D．Love for traditional costumes.

3. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．The future development of cheongsams.

B．The main producing process of cheongsams.

C．The difference between traditional and modern cheongsams.

D．The original materials of traditional and modern cheongsams.

4. Which of the following can best replace the word “blend” in paragraph 6?

A．Combine.

B．Present.

C．Compare.

D．Exchange.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Painted with tung oil, a kind of plant oil from the tung tree, to make them water-proof, Chinese oil-paper umbrellas are not just tools to shelter people     1     rain or sunlight, but also works of art with rich     2     (culture) meaning in China.

Chinese oil-paper umbrellas are among the world’s     3     (old) umbrellas. According to historical records, the first oil-paper umbrellas appeared during the Eastern Han Dynasty. They soon became very popular,     4     (especial) among the literati (文人). They loved to write and draw on the umbrella surface to demonstrate their literary tastes and painting     5     (skill).

During the Tang Dynasty, Chinese oil-paper umbrellas     6     (bring) overseas to Japan and ancient Korea,     7     they were known as Tang umbrellas. Over centuries, these umbrellas also spread to other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.

Oil-paper umbrellas are     8     necessary part of traditional Chinese weddings. A red oil-paper umbrella is needed as the bride is greeted at the groom’s home, because the umbrella is supposed     9     (help) avoid bad luck. Also, oil-paper sounds similar to “youzi” in Chinese, which means    10    (have) children. So the umbrella is seen as a symbol of fertility (多子多孙).

7 . Zou Shengyu isn’t your average street photographer. She’s a breakout star on Chinese video platform Bilibili, _______ by influencers and fashion models.

The 6-year-old — known to her fans as Shengsheng — has become _______ on Chinese social media in recent months.

A vlog series showing her capturing (拍摄) fashionable _______ people has attracted over 3million views. In the videos, Shengsheng _______ approaches a well-dressed young woman on the street and asks: “Hi, miss! Can I take your photo?”   She then _______ to shoot away on her camera, directing her subjects — who often _______ over her — with surprising confidence. Fans have been won over by her precocity (早熟), but also the _______of her work.

Though she only picked up a camera in 2019, Shengsheng has already developed a signature_______. Her photos always have a warm orange tone. She _______ to capture her subjects in a relaxed pose, with broad smiles on their faces.

The ________ of Shengsheng’s success has been her father, Zou Yupeng. A commercial photographer by trade, he says his daughter was ________ to follow his passion.

Zou is a________ teacher. Even in the vlog videos, he can barely hide his anger when the little girl is unable to ________ his professional standards.

According to Zou, his daughter has already used up over 110 rolls of film taking photos. But the father insists he has no________ of pushing Shengsheng to become a professional photographer. He says he just wants to teach her to be ________.

1.

A．deserted

B．courted

C．affected

D．frightened

2.

A．famous

B．beautiful

C．mature

D．polite

3.

A．common

B．lucky

C．remarkable

D．young

4.

A．patiently

B．crazily

C．typically

D．cautiously

5.

A．hesitates

B．proceeds

C．affords

D．refuses

6.

A．pull

B．take

C．knock

D．tower

7.

A．quality

B．content

C．change

D．inspiration

8.

A．issue

B．design

C．style

D．look

9.

A．prefers

B．promises

C．hates

D．agrees

10.

A．introducer

B．architect

C．leader

D．manager

11.

A．inspired

B．ordered

C．allowed

D．warned

12.

A．gentle

B．skilled

C．strict

D．kind

13.

A．set

B．match

C．apply

D．improve

14.

A．hardship

B．pleasure

C．method

D．intention

15.

A．careful

B．gifted

C．generous

D．focused

8 . You may have seen them coming quickly towards you or passing you swiftly. They’re moving steadily, swinging what looks like a ski pole in each hand.     1     These people aren’t skiing. They’re enjoying a type of exercise called Nordic (北欧的)walking. They use poles not for balance but to get their arms working. And their arms do work! In fact, in Nordic walking, the whole upper body gets plenty of exercise.

    2     Some of the time, they have to go up hills! They use their poles to help push themselves along. Nordic skiers were the first to use poles while walking. It was a way to train for their sport when there was no snow. Then other people, learning of the health benefits of the exercise, began to do it, too.

In the early days of Nordic walking, all walkers -- skiers and non-skiers alike- used ski poles. In 1988, an American company began making and selling poles especially for walking.     3     That’s because they usually aren’t used in snow. And they don’t stick very deeply into the ground. Some of them come with various tips, or ends, for use on different surfaces.

Although regular walking is healthy, studies have shown that Nordic walking is even healthier.    4     This produces strength in the muscles (肌肉) of the arms and chest. It makes the heart and lungs work harder. For young and old, Nordic walking is a great way to exercise the whole body outdoors.     5    

A．Nordic walking poles are shorter than ski poles.

B．And there’s none of the danger of falling on skis.

C．But you aren’t on a ski hill, and there’s no snow in sight.

D．Nordic walking can be performed by anyone at any time.

E．Nordic skiers don’t just slide down hills.

F．Nordic walking is a form of popular sport.

G．With each step, Nordic walkers push themselves forward with one of their poles.

9 . Most of us wish to be liked by others. Increase the chances of someone liking you by smiling and being of good cheer when you’re around them.     1     No matter what, be sure to be yourself. Here are three suggestions to be yourself when you are liked.

Communicate honestly, but with tact (得体).     2     Lying or hiding the truth may make you seem untrustworthy, so aim to be truthful. You should still exercise tact, though. For instance, if asked if you like their favorite movie, say “Hmm, it’s not really my thing, but I did like the main character’s personality.” Don’t say, “No, I hate that movie!”

    3     One thing that’s characteristic about you is the principles you hold dear. So it’s important to stay true to yourself, even at the risk of someone not liking you. Sticking to your beliefs takes courage.     4     Being true to yourself might make you unpopular with some people but could also attract those with whom you share common values.

Respect yourself. Having healthy self-respect means you like yourself no matter what. When you’re communicating with others, avoid comparing yourself to others. Remind yourself of your strengths by listing them out to yourself.     5     It’s difficult for people to treat you with real regard if you don’t treat yourself well.

A．Share your values and beliefs.

B．Stand behind your values and beliefs.

C．Self-respect is key to earning respect from others.

D．It’s no easy to refuse to go along with a dangerous joke.

E．Most people like others who are able to talk to them straight.

F．If they can’t like you for who you are, they’re not worth the effort!

G．It’s also a good idea to find out their interest’s and get them talking.