1 . Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat-eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.

Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.

Since 1960, a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip (硅芯片). It is smaller than a finger nail, but it can store lots of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get clever, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less. They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it?

Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. But now life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?

1. From paragraph 1, we can know ________.

A．why early human beings cut skin from dead animals	B．how early human beings discovered the tools
C．what early human beings used the tools for	D．what food early human beings stored

2. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ________.

A．was very important to the development of mankind

B．led to the invention of machines in the early time

C．developed cooking abilities of mankind

D．was one of the first tools of mankind

3. The silicon chip is mentioned in the passage to ________.

A．stress the importance of the silicon chip

B．introduce a new kind of tool

C．give an example of using tools

D．show that the ability of humans to use and create tools is improved

4. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in the future is ________.

A．out of order	B．less colorful
C．hard to predict (=foretell)	D．full of meanings

2 . The mom had died when the rescuers found her after the terrible earthquake. She was covered by a destroyed house. Through gaps (缝隙) of those ruins，the rescuers could see her last posture (姿势)．It was something like an ancient person who was kowtowing (叩头)，but it just looked strange because she was out of shape by pressure.

The rescuers confirmed her death by touching her through the gaps of the ruins. They shouted at the ruins again and again，knocked the bricks using various tools，but no reply inside.

Then the rescuing team went to the next building. Suddenly the leader ran back，calling “Come here.” He came to the body，put his hands under the woman，feeling and touching，then shouted loudly and gladly，“There is someone，a baby，still living.”

Through some efforts，rescuers cleaned up the ruins which blocked her. Under her body lay her baby，who was covered by a small red quilt (棉被)．He was about 3 or 4 months’old. Since well protected by his mother’s body，he was safe. He was in a deep sleep when the rescuer carried him out，and his lovely and peaceful face warmed everyone around him. The doctor，along with the rescuing team，took the baby out of the quilt to check if the baby was all right，and he found there was a mobile phone in the quilt. The doctor looked at the screen; a written   message was already there：“My dear baby if you could live，don’t forget how much I love you.” As a doctor，he experienced much of this type of separation; but at this moment，he cried. The mobile phone was passed，and every person who saw this message shed (流出) tears.

1. When the rescuers found the mom，she________.

A．was using her mobile phone to ask for help

B．begged the rescuers to save her baby first

C．was struggling with the pressure

D．didn’t have the normal shape

2. When the baby was rescued，he________.

A．was smiling a lot	B．was fast asleep
C．was listening carefully	D．was frightened to death

3. After seeing the words on the mobile phone，people was________.

A．pleased	B．excited
C．moved	D．tired

4. The passage is mainly about________.

A．a story of saving a mother and her baby

B．the disaster of a terrible earthquake

C．the rescuers’ hard work after an earthquake

D．the great love of a mother in the earthquake

3 . With the rapid development of science and technology, we don’t know how different our life will be in the future.     1    .

At first we think about human relationships. In the year 2050, we will use computers almost every day. We will be making new friends through the Internet — even our husbands or wives will be met in this way.     2    . On the other hand, our relationship with people won’t be as important as they are today — we will feel a little lonely.

Computers will also help us in many other activities in 2050. For example, they will be used by the children at school to make their learning easier. In addition, there will be much more other machines which will play a similar role as computers, like robots which will do the housework for us.

    3     . Traveling to other planets or to the moon will also be available for everyone. Means of transport will, of course, change, too. We will be using solar-powered cars, which will be much more environmentally friendly.

We could expect that the faster technological progress would lead to a more polluted environment. But it isn’t true.     4    . And, scientists will probably find cures for many dangerous diseases, like cancer or AIDS. Therefore, our surroundings as well as health will be in a better condition.

Although we can’t predict the exact changes which will be made in the world, we often think about them. We worry about our and our children’s future; we have expectations, hopes as well as fears. But I think we should be rather confident about our future.     5    .

A．However, we are convinced of the following

B．We should be happy and believe good things will happen

C．We will pay more attention to protecting the environment

D．We can only imagine it

E．Spending holidays will also be completely different

F．It will be much faster and easier for us

G．Our environment will be more polluted

5 . 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 fix 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?

One answer to that question is convenience. Rather than going out, it’s so much easier to stay in and watch movies on a TV screen via an online streaming service. There’s plenty of choice, and it’s relatively cheap as well. But, personally, I find there’re too many distractions, and watching at home is not such an event. I miss the cinema!

The coronavirus pandemic has put the future of cinemas 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 the 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 distractions.
C．It offers 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．Sudden increase.	B．Short-term benefit.
C．potential influence.	D．Fierce competition.

4. Which view would John Fithian agree with?

A．The release of blockbusters cannot bring the crowds back.

B．The pandemic hasn’t had a great effect on the film industry.

C．Delaying the release of blockbusters can bring in more profits.

D．Releasing films online is an alternative during the pandemic.

6 . Ottawa is the capital of Canada.It is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest city in the country.

The Centre Block is the main building on Parliament Hill (国会山). It is also the location of several ceremonial spaces, such as the Hall of Honor and the Memorial Chamber.The present Centre Block is the second iteration of the building, after the first was destroyed by fire in 1916, and it is one of the most recognizable buildings in Canada.

Downtown Ottawa is the commercial and economic centre of the city.Most of the buildings are office towers.While most of Ottawa's hightech industry is based elsewhere, it has a significant presence in the downtown core.The downtown also contains a number of apartments, hotels, and the older single family homes and townhouses along its edges.

The National Gallery of Canada is one of Canada's premier art galleries.The Gallery has a large and varied collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs.Although its focus is on Canadian art, it also holds works by some noted American and European artists.

The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America.At the very beginning, the purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communication route between Montreal and the British naval base in Kingston. It remains in use today primarily for pleasure boating, with most of its original structures undamaged.The locks on the system open for navigation in midMay and close in midOctober.

1. The underlined word “iteration” in the 2nd paragraph probably means “         ”.

A．repair	B．design
C．copy	D．landmark

2. In the core of Downtown Ottawa, we could see      .

A．a large number of tall towers

B．head offices of Ottawa's hightech industry

C．a number of apartments and hotels

D．the older single family homes and townhouses

3. Collections in the National Gallery of Canada are mainly         .

A．paintings and drawings

B．sculptures and photographs

C．works by Canadian artists

D．artwork by Americans and Europeans

8 . In a digital age, we almost never write things by hand. However, multiple studies have shown that this act has many benefits.

New brain research, led by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, confirms the same choosing handwriting over using a keyboard results in better learning and memory.

“When you write your shopping list or lecture notes by hand, you simply remember the content better afterwards,” said Audrey Van der Meer, author of the study.

The study was conducted using equipment to track and record brain wave activity. The participants included 12 young adults and 12 children. This is the first time that children have participated in such a study. Each subject was asked to write by hand and type on a keyboard while wearing a hood(风帽) with over 250 electrodes(电极). The sensors(传感器)in the electrodes are very sensitive and pick up the electrical activity that takes place in the brain. Each examination took 45 minutes per person.

The results showed that the brain in both young adults and children is much more active when writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard. According to Van der Meer, plenty of senses are activated (激活) by pressing a pen on paper, seeing the letters written and hearing the sound made while writing. These sense experiences build contact between different parts of the brain, opening the brain up for learning.

Van der Meer believes that the outcomes stress the importance of children being challenged to draw and write at an early age, especially at school. “Learning to write by hand is a bit slower process, but it’s important for children to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand”, she said.

The hand movements used to form the shapes of letters are beneficial in several ways. “If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor(精细动作)skills and senses. It’s important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible,” Van der Meer added. For example, you might use a keyboard to write an essay, but you should take notes by hand during a lecture.

1. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To encourage the use of handwriting

B．To advise children to start to write early

C．To report on new research on handwriting

D．To explain how handwriting affects adults and children differently

2. What do we know about the study?

A．The study involved 45 participants altogether.

B．The participants were divided into two groups to conduct.

C．All the participants were gathered together for examinations.

D．The sensors in the electrodes were used to track brain wave activity.

3. Why does the brain become more active when writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard according to Van der Meer?

A．More senses are made active when writing by hand.

B．Writing by hand is easier on the brain.

C．Noise made by typing doesn’t distract the brain when writing by hand.

D．The brain is more used to the skills required to write by.

4. How does Van der Meer think handwriting benefits people?

A．It allows children to become more patient.	B．It increases people’s interest in learning.
C．It helps people develop fine motor skills.	D．It allows people to write better essays.

9 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court (最高法院). O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks(1913-2005)

On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

1. What is Jane Addams famous for in history?

A．Her social work.	B．Her teaching skills.
C．Her efforts to win a prize.	D．Her community background.

2. What was the reason for O’Connor’s being refused by the law firm?

A．Not having training in law.	B．Her little work experience in court.
C．Her identity as a woman.	D．Her poor financial conditions.

3. Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?

A．Jane Addams.	B．Rachel Carson.
C．Sandra Day O’Connor.	D．Rosa Parks.

4. What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A．They are highly educated.	B．They are truly creative.
C．They are pioneers.	D．They are peace-lovers.

10 . Ten years ago, I went on a vacation in Italy. After climbing up a hill for a panoramic (全景的) view of the blue sea, white buildings and green olive trees, I paused to catch my breath and then positioned myself to take the best photo of this panorama.

Unfortunately, just as I took out my camera, a woman approached from behind, and planted herself right in front of my view. Like me, this woman was here to stop, sigh and appreciate the view.

Patient as I was, after about 15 minutes, I grew frustrated. Was it too much to ask her to move so I could take just one picture of the landscape? Sure, I could have asked her, but something prevented me from doing so. She seemed so content in her observation. I didn't want to mess with that. Another 15 minutes passed and I grew bored. The woman was still there. I decided to take the photo anyway.

Now when I look at the photo, I think her presence in the photo is what makes the image interesting. The landscape, beautiful on its own, somehow comes to life and breathes because this woman is engaging with it.

This photo, with the unique beauty that unfolded before me and that woman who "ruined" it, now hangs on a wall in my bedroom. What would she think if she knew that her figure is captured and frozen on some strangers bedroom wall? A bedroom, after all, is a very private space, in which some woman I don't even know has been immortalized (使永存). In some ways, she lives in my house.

Perhaps we all live in each other's spaces. Perhaps this is what photos are for: to remind us that we all appreciate beauty, that we all share a common desire for pleasure, for connection, for something that is greater than us. That photo is a reminder, a captured moment, an unspoken conversation between two women, separated only by a thin square of glass.

1. What happened when the author was about to take a photo?

A．Her camera stopped working.	B．A friend approached from behind.
C．Someone asked her to leave.	D．A woman blocked her view.

2. According to the author, the woman was probably ________.

A．losing her patience	B．enjoying herself
C．waiting for the sunset	D．thinking about her past

3. In the author's opinion, what makes the photo so alive?

A．The woman's existence in the photo.	B．The perfect positioning of the camera.
C．The rich color of the landscape.	D．The soft sunlight that summer day.

4. The photo on the bedroom wall enables the author to better understand ________.

A．the need to be close to nature	B．the importance of private space
C．the shared passion for beauty	D．the joy of the vacation in Italy