1 . Starting a daily running routine needs determination. Looking back on my old running routine, it wasn’t so much the passion that affected my sticking to a regular schedule — but it was the environment. There had to be no rain pouring down, there had to be not many people on the basketball court and the ambient (周围的) temperature had to be just right. Or maybe I was just making an excuse for myself not to get up at 5 in the morning?
I was quite successful at doing so when I was 15 and when it was summer. When I was overweight, I ate more snacks than the actual full meals in a day, and I hardly got off the sofa. One summer day, I decided that it was time to put a stop to the idea that I was just the fat kid. I didn’t want to put in that box anymore. There was a tipping point (临界点) where inspiration happened, and discipline (自律) just took over from there. I needed to make sure that I ran 10 laps of the park a day — this was the contract (契约) I made with myself that summer. And if I achieved that, I knew I’d be closer to my goal of being just a kid with normal weight.
Ten laps, six days a week — sometimes no breakfast, hardly a bite at dinner, one snack a day—this lasted two months. I’d lost over 30 pounds that summer, which was roughly a quarter of my body weight. Some days, I didn’t have the motivation. But the contract I made with myself kept reminding me — if I’d break it, would I even bother making future self-contracts anymore? There were sleepy days, and there were days when I should have rested my trembling knees, but discipline won over them all.
1. What do we know about the author’s past running routine?| A．It was made by the author’s parents. | B．It mainly depended on the environment. |
| C．It referred to many people at site. | D．It failed in the end. |
| A．The author didn’t live a healthy lifestyle. |
| B．Summer is a season for people to be fat. |
| C．Good eating habits could make one put on weight. |
| D．Getting up late made him a fat kid. |
| A．He felt looked down upon when he was fat. |
| B．He couldn’t find a right word to describe his size. |
| C．He made up his mind to achieve his goal of losing weight. |
| D．He was too fat to find the right size of clothes or shoes. |
| A．My Running Routine Was Affected by the Environment. |
| B．It Was Unpleasant to Be Overweight. |
| C．I Made a Contract on Running. |
| D．Discipline Helps Achieve My Goal. |
2 . Spain is a country that lies in southwestern Europe. It’s surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the south and the east, while to the north and northeast of Spain lie France, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay. The west and northwest of Spain are surrounded by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.
The official name of the state is the Kingdom of Spain. Madrid is the capital city, which is also one of the famous places in Spain. Spain, which covers 505，925 square kilometres, is one of the largest countries in Europe.
The weather in Spain differs from one area to another. Most of the rain that happens in Spain is in the mountainous areas. The plains hardly receive any rainfall.
Soccer is an important part of life in Spain. It’s said that Spanish children learn to walk and play soccer at exactly the same time. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are two Spanish soccer teams, which are respected by soccer fans not only in Spain, but all over the world. The popularity of the sport can be judged from the fact that three major soccer teams, which are Real Madrid, Atletico de Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano, were born in Madrid.
If you are a tourist, then you will want to know about the driving rules in Spain. If you’re not from the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, then for you to drive you’ll have to carry your international driver’s license. Bad news if you haven’t celebrated your 18th birthday. If you want to rent a car, then you must have completed 21 years of age. If you’re driving, make sure you take all the documents at all times during your stay in Spain.
1. Paragraph 1 is mainly about .| A．the history of Spain | B．the location of Spain |
| C．famous cities in Spain | D．neighbouring countries of Spain |
| A．Three major soccer teams were born in Madrid. |
| B．Spanish people enjoy watching soccer matches. |
| C．Spanish people play soccer when they are walking. |
| D．Spanish soccer teams have fans all over the world. |
| A．Tom who is 17 years old. | B．Jenny who is 19 years old. |
| C．Mike who is 20 years old. | D．Bruce who is 22 years old. |
| A．explain how to enjoy life in Spain | B．prove Spain is a beautiful country |
| C．make readers know more about Spain | D．attract more people to pay a visit to Spain |
3 . There has been a recent wave in Hollywood where studios take popular animated (动画的) films and “improve” upon them by changing them into live-action remakes. The thought that live-action movies are better because they follow the laws of the natural world degrades the style of animation.
The beauty of animation is that its use of caricatures (漫画) and exaggerations (夸张) reflects an amazing amount of creative depth in characters stories that reality cannot. Looking at the bigger picture, it becomes clear that the true purpose of Disney’s ever growing list of live-action remakes is not to comment on the value of animation, although it indirectly does, but a quick way to take advantage of nostalgic (怀旧的) fans.
For evidence, look no further than Disney’s 2019 The Lion King live-action remake, a retelling of the 1994 animated classic. It broke several box office records, raking in a whopping $543.6 million globally in box office sales alone. However, in comparison to the original, the audience satisfaction with the remake decreased greatly on Rotten Tomatoes. This is similar to the the remakes of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Dumbo, Aladdin, and the countless other live-action remakes Disney has produced within the last 5 years. This means that Disney no longer needs to come up with new and original content because they can make a big profit just by taking beloved stories and remaking them.
In fact, Disney looks at itself as a business, and therefore considers making a profit as one of their main aims.
The problem with this mentality (心态) is that, while Disney makes a huge profit, audiences, artists, and art suffer. They may no longer create new stories or art styles, but rather serve as money-making machines that require directors to produce the same stories with a fresh coat of paint every 10 years or so. If this cycle continues, artists will be held back from creating new lovable characters and stories full of creativity. The feeling of nostalgia when we see old Disney films could possibly never happen-to newer generations if this cycle does not stop.
1. What does the author think of live-action remakes?| A．They slow down Hollywood development. |
| B．They’ve failed to become a popular art form. |
| C．They are poor at showing the beauty of nature. |
| D．They destroy the artistic expression of animation. |
| A．It bases its stories on reality. | B．It uses many special effects. |
| C．It explores characters fully. | D．It brings back fans’ memories. |
| A．To tell us Disney has given up its originality. |
| B．To show Disney has focused more on making money. |
| C．To prove too many remakes have been produced. |
| D．To show audiences have high expectations of remakes. |
| A．It reduces Disney’s incomes. | B．It demands more from directors. |
| C．It hurts new-generation audiences. | D．It causes artists to be less creative. |
4 . What are scientists?They are often described as gray-haired white-coated dull scholars.
But the world has changed.Young scientists are making their voices heard and releasing their powers on the world stage.
This is also true in China.Rising stars include new materials expert Gong Yongji,university professor Liu Mingzhen,and biologist Wan Ruixue.At the age of 28 in 2018,Wan Ruixue received the 2018 Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists.This is a global prize to reward outstanding scientists at an early stage of their careers.
She focuses mainly on biomedicine (生物医学) and artificial intelligence.“Both are cutting-edge (前沿) technologies at an early stage of development,” she said.
“So,I think they have great potential to be developed.I think in the study of cutting-edge technologies,China and other leading countries in the world are standing on the same starting line.And in the study of structural biology,China is likely to become the leader.”
She felt it was her fate to become a biologist.“I grew interested in the natural world,when I was very young,” she said.In 2009,she entered Sun Yat-sen University.
In her third year at the university,she realized that she wanted to do something related to biomedicine.So she emailed China’s top biologist Shi Yigong,hoping to join his lab at Tsinghua University.
Shi recognised her talent and welcomed her.Years of efforts at the lab have paid off.Her research on the high-definition 3D structure of spliceosome led to a scientific breakthrough.
Unlike many of other young scientists who choose to pursue further study abroad,Wan currently has no plan to go overseas.
“The whole ecosystem for scientific research is continually improving in China,” she said,adding that the country has great science facilities.
1. What does the underlined word “releasing” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Giving out. | B．Getting over. |
| C．Finding out. | D．Taking over. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Confident. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．Her teacher led her into the field. |
| B．She finds it’s easier than she thought. |
| C．Her contribution has been recognised. |
| D．She thinks it’s boring but worth trying. |
| A．China’s Breakthrough in Science |
| B．Rising Young Scientists in China |
| C．Wan Ruixue:A Successful Young Scientist |
| D．New Image of Chinese Scientists |
5 . “Being a sports fan is a very psychologically healthy activity,” says Daniel Wann, professor at Murray State University whose research program centers on the psychology of sport fandom (运动迷). Fandom connects us with other like-minded people, which satisfies our human need for belonging, he says.
“These relationships are significant: People who identify as sports fans have higher levels of self-esteem (自尊), lower levels of loneliness and tend to be more satisfied with their lives compared to those who aren’t interested in sports,” Wann says. Fans tend to have more access to social support, help and resources as well. Research suggests that when people have support from their communities, they have better health. Of course, teams sometimes lose. Prior to a sporting event, there’s at least a 50-50 chance that you’re going to be disappointed in your outcome.
So, why do people continue to put their faith behind teams that tend to lose? People who feel a strong psychological connection with a team are more likely to root for a team when they’re having a losing season. For example, if a pizza restaurant continually got your order wrong, you’d likely switch to a more reliable restaurant. But because being a fan is so central to people’s identities, people are willing to accept defeat and continue to be loyal to a team.
Being part of a fan community can also help people cope with losses. A 2019 study found that watching a football game with other fans helps to relieve the negative psychological effects of losing. For fans of the losing team, sharing the pain may have protected them from losing self-esteem.
“There are other things that brings with it above and beyond the ability to enjoy the team’s successes. Watching sports can be a way to relieve stress, or spend time with family,” Wann says. Any sort of fandom can be distracting, but Wann says that talking about sports at work and spending time with people who share a common interest can make people more excited to go to work.
1. What is the characteristic sports fans generally bear?| A．Higher sense of self-worth. | B．Worse health conditions. |
| C．Being ready to help others. | D．Few means of support. |
| A．Fans are forced to be loyal to teams. |
| B．Fans are good at sharing pains with teams. |
| C．Fans are brave enough to accept losses. |
| D．Fans own a great sense of identity and belonging. |
| A．Sport fandom makes people too excited to go to work. |
| B．Sport fandom leads to distraction. |
| C．Sport fandom improves interpersonal relationship. |
| D．Sport fandom makes people more successful. |
| A．A poster. | B．A textbook. | C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
6 . A new study suggests that early exposure to germs (细菌) strengthens the immune (免疫的) system. That means letting children get a little dirty might be good for their health later in life.
The study involved laboratory mice. It found that adult mice raised in a germ-free environment were more likely to develop allergies, asthma (气喘) and other autoimmune disorders. There are more than eighty disorders where cells that normally defend the body instead attack tissues and organs.
Richard Blumberg, who led the study, is a professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He says, in 1989, medical researchers who sought to explain these diseases, first discovered that the increasing use of antibacterial soaps and other products, especially early in life, could weaken immune systems.
Now, Dr. Blumberg and his team have what is the first biological evidence to link early exposure to germs to stronger adult immune systems. They say this exposure could prevent the development of some autoimmune diseases.
In the adult germ-free mice, they found that inflammation (发炎) in the lungs and colon (结肠) was caused by so-called killer T cells. These normally fight infection. But they became overactive and targeted healthy tissue—an autoimmune condition seen in asthma and a disease called ulcerative colitis (溃疡性结肠炎).
Dr. Blumberg says the mice raised in a normal environment did not have the same reaction. He says their immune systems had been “educated” by early exposure to germs.
Rates of autoimmune disorders are rising worldwide, but mostly in wealthier, industrialized countries. According to Dr. Blumberg, it might be high time that people were warned to be more careful with the early use of antibiotics (抗生素) and the prescription from their doctors.
Rob Dunn is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He says the new study does not mean people should stop washing. “Wash your hands, but don’t do it with antibacterial soap. Let your kids play in a reasonable amount of dirt and get outside and get exposed to a diversity of things”, says Rob Dunn.
1. Who first found immune systems might get harmed by overly using antibacterial products?| A．A professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. |
| B．A professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. |
| C．Medical researchers who tried to explain autoimmune disorders. |
| D．Medical researchers who tried to treat autoimmune disorders. |
| A．play in a dirty environment once in a while | B．live in a germ-free environment |
| C．use plenty of antibacterial soaps | D．stay in under developed countries |
| A．Because their T cell fight bacteria effectively. |
| B．Because their T cells attack the healthy tissues. |
| C．Because their lungs become abnormally active. |
| D．Because their lungs have weaker tissues. |
| A．washing hands is no longer a good habit for children |
| B．antibiotics will be forbidden in children’s hospitals |
| C．exposure to dirt helps build children’s character |
| D．the abuse of antibiotics may be condemned |
| A．A teacher’s handbook. | B．A story book. |
| C．A science magazine. | D．A travel journal |
7 . He has been called the “missing link.” Half-man, half-beast. He is supposed to live in the highest mountain in the world-Mount Everest.
He is known as the Abominable Snowman. The
Over the years, the story of the Yetis has
Further efforts have been made to find out about Yetis. But the only things people have ever found were
These days, only a few people continue to take the story of the Abominable Snowman
| A．event | B．story | C．adventure | D．description |
| A．a fortnight | B．too long | C．some time | D．many years |
| A．heard from | B．cared for | C．knew of | D．read about |
| A．even | B．hardly | C．certainly | D．probably |
| A．as | B．though | C．when | D．until |
| A．developed | B．changed | C．occurred | D．continued |
| A．entirely | B．naturally | C．clearly | D．simply |
| A．found | B．declared | C．felt | D．doubted |
| A．exist | B．escape | C．disappear | D．return |
| A．clearer | B．more | C．little | D．rare |
| A．huge | B．recent | C．ordinary | D．frightening |
| A．strange | B．large | C．deep | D．rough |
| A．In the end | B．Therefore | C．After all | D．However |
| A．imagined | B．real | C．special | D．familiar |
| A．so | B．besides | C．again | D．instead |
| A．rightly | B．actually | C．normally | D．particularly |
| A．lightly | B．jokingly | C．seriously | D．properly |
| A．succeed in | B．take on | C．depend on | D．join in |
| A．decision | B．situation | C．subject | D．problem |
| A．zoo | B．mountain | C．museum | D．laboratory |
8 . Cheap Travel
You can pay a fortune to travel around the world. Or you can pay nothing at all. Here are some places you’ll never regret visiting that won’t cost you a dime.
British Museum, London (U. K. )
You need to go here to see the Egyptian mummies, the ancient Greek marbles and so many other treasures. It’s open every day, and unlike most other attractions in England that cost an arm and a leg, it’s completely free.
National Mall, Washington D. C. (U. S. A. )
You can walk a pathway from the Lincoln Memorial to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Washington Monument with other sights in between. Do you know you can go up in the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument? Tickets are free, but pay a small fee to reserve them in advance to avoid being disappointed.
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris (France)
This great treasure of the world simply can’t be missed. The great stained glass rose window alone is worth the visit. The Sunday Mass with Gregorian chant was like stepping back in time. Admission is free every day, but you’re welcome to leave a donation. There are also free tours a few times each week. You’ll pay extra for tours of the bell tower or the crypt.
Tips: Notre-Dame Cathedral was greatly damaged by a massive fire in April 2019. Please visit notredamedeparis. fr/en/ for more information regarding future visits to the cathedral.
National Museum of Ireland, Dublin and Mayo (Ireland)
Want to see bog bodies, gold ornaments, Viking artifacts and learn about rural Irish life? All four branches of this museum are free to visit, including museums devoted to archaeology, natural history, decorative arts & history and country life. The museum of country life in Turlough Park, Mayo, is devoted to Irish rural traditions, while the natural history museum is especially famous for its collection of insects.
1. What does the underlined part “an arm and a leg” mean in the second paragraph?| A．A large amount of money. | B．A short period of time. |
| C．Walking on your own. | D．Observing the exhibits. |
| A．The Lincoln Memorial. | B．The top of the Washington Monument. |
| C．The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. | D．Notre-Dame Cathedral. |
| A．Leave a donation. | B．Set off at a certain time. |
| C．Pay an extra fee for the tour. | D．Make reservations in advance. |
| A．the British Museum | B．the National Mall |
| C．Notre-Dame Cathedral | D．the National Museum of Ireland |
| A．Collect some special insects. |
| B．See the Egyptian mummies and the ancient Greek marbles. |
| C．Get more information about the local rural customs. |
| D．Enjoy some historical stories. |
9 . William Purkey, a well-known professor of education, said, “Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like no one is listening, and live like it's heaven on earth.” It seems like the perfect life philosophy-- and one I've learned to apply to running over the year.
But I didn't always feel this way. In my early days, when I weighed 240 pounds, I ran like everyone was watching and judging. If I was on a run and saw a car approaching, 1'dstop and pretend I was looking for something I'd lost. I bought the high-tech gear and clothes that I thought would make people believe I was a runner. And I didn't have a clue if the expensive shoes I was wearing were the right kind for me --I just wanted to look like I fit in with this group.
To be honest, I felt a certain satisfaction in believing that someone was watching. I really thought that other people cared about my performance. The best example of this was a combined, two-lap marathon in Florence, Italy. As I approached the finishing line, the crowd began to cheer. I was surprised. Here I was, thousands of miles from home, and the Italians were shouting for “IIpenguino.”
About 20 yards from the finishing, the truth set in when the winner of the full marathon went past me as I was finishing the half-marathon. No one was cheering for me. No one probably even noticed that I was finishing. I couldn't help but smile at my own illusion of self-importance.
That's when I realized I had been running for every reason except the right one. I ran to make other people happy, ran to live up to their expectations. But no one was watching --no one cared. So I decided I was going to run for me, just me, and gained a new enjoyment from the sport I hadn't truly experienced yet. I've learned to run like no one is watching.
So if you see me at race, and I look like a 60-year-old guy waddling（蹒跚） along, don't worry. I'm fine. The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.
1. The writer begins the passage by ________.| A．telling his running story | B．explaining a life philosophy |
| C．introducing quotations | D．listing some life rules |
| A．used sports clothes and shoes to attract attention |
| B．was concerned about what others thought of her |
| C．liked to be the focus of other runners |
| D．struggled to find the right shoes to fit her |
| A．she smiled at her own achievement | B．the crowd cheered for her madly |
| C．nobody really cared about her running | D．she realized the importance of confidence. |
| A．live up to others expectation | B．create a miracle in her own life |
| C．run like no one is watching | D．enjoy the pleasure of running |
| A．tell us to live a life of our own | B．inspire more people to run |
| C．expect us to improve our health by running | D．stress the importance of determination |
| A．misconception | B．expectation | C．fear | D．admiration |
10 . The cost of living in countries like the United States, Britain, Australia or France has increased in recent years. But, if you're willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries having an extremely cheap and low cost of living. So, if you have the flexibility of living wherever you please, and want to live in a country the cost of living is the cheapest in the world, check out these 3 countries when planning your next move.
Cambodia
Cambodia may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of a tropical paradise, but it's pretty close. The added bonus is that living here is insanely cheap, unlike some other tropical getaways. A luxury home with four bedrooms and a pool would only cost about $600 a month. A decent three-bedroom vacation home can be purchased here for just $20,000. And, for only about $2,000 a year, you can also hire a gardener and housekeeper to take care of your property.
Ecuador
Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result, it has become a popular American getaway. They even use the US Dollar for their currency. In this country, it's cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the U. S. You can even buy a property for around 50，000 and hire someone to tend to it while you're away.
Mexico
Although the country is known for its poverty ridden streets, there are many wealthier areas that provide every amenity you might need. You can live off a mere $700 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, amenities, food, and any sights.
1. How much money do you need to pay to look after your property for a year in Cambodia?| A．$600. | B．$2,000. | C．$20,000. | D．$700. |
| A．Cambodia. | B．Mexico. | C．Ecuador. | D．China. |
| A．Any scenery. | B．Amenities. | C．A nice place. | D．Tropical climate. |
| A．$20,000 | B．$7,200 | C．$600 | D．$700 |
| A．The cost of living in countries like the United States, Britain, Australia or France has decreased in recent years. |
| B．Cambodia must be the first country that comes to mind when you think of a tropical paradise |
| C．The people in Ecuador even use the US Dollar for their currency. |
| D．Cambodia is known for its poverty ridden streets. |
