1 . Here are some of the most famous duos (双人组合) to hit the big screen that have provided us with endless classic movie scenes.
Woody and Buzz-Toy Story
This duo first hit the big screen in the buddy-comedy Toy Story, released in 1995. The film takes place in a fictional world where the toys like human pretend to be lifeless when humans are present, but come to life when they leave the room. The film’s central plot focuses on the relationship between Woody, an old-fashioned doll, and Buzz, an action figure.
Cheech and Chong—Up In Smoke
Cheech and Chong are an award-winning comedy duo consisting of Richard “Cheech” and Tommy “Chong” who first found a following in the 1975 through their stand-up routines. The duo went on to release several albums throughout the 1970s.
Tyler Durden and the Narrator–Fight Club
The 1999 film Fight Club, based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahni-uk, features one of the most interesting duos on this list. Tyler Durden played by Brad Pitt and the Narrator played by Edward Norton serve as the film’s central antagonists (对手) and leading characters.
Han Solo and Chewbacca—Star Wars
Star Wars is one of the most beloved science-fiction movies and features the famous duo of Han Solo and Chewbacea, who have been a pair since they were first introduced in 1977. Chewbacca became the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon and a trusted companion to Han as they traveled the space in search of space adventure.
1. Which are the earliest duo?| A．Woody and Buzz. |
| B．Han Solo and Chewbacca. |
| C．Tyler Durden and the Narrator. |
| D．Cheech and Chong. |
| A．It takes place in a fictional world. |
| B．It is based on the novel of the same name. |
| C．It provided us with endless classic movie scenes. |
| D．It was the only science-fiction movie at that time. |
| A．Education. | B．Science | C．Entertainment. | D．Health. |
2 . Mom and I were about to finish cooking dinner, and my little niece Jessica came in to set the table. Instead of going to the dish drawer, she went to the pantry where there was a stack of old, mismatched dinner plates on the bottom shelf.
Mom worked for the local Council on Aging as a housekeeper. She did many of the little things that allowed elderly people to stay in their own homes. Most of her clients (客户) got Meals on Wheels, a service in the 1970s. They received a hot lunch and a cold snack to have later in the evening. This is really not very much food. Every evening Mom would make to-go meals on these mismatched plates covered with aluminum foil (铝箔纸), and then deliver them to the people who she knew didn’t get enough to eat.
It was about ten years before microwave ovens became common, so it was important that the food be on a plate that could be reheated in a regular oven. Instead of a cold sandwich and macaroni salad, Mom’s clients dined on Beef Manhattans, pan-fried chicken or meatloaf, along with veggies and a piece of pie or cake. Mom and Dad did this even after Mom left her job, and Mom continued after Dad’s death until all her former clients had either passed away or moved out.
When I was cleaning out Mom’s house after her death, I kept one as a souvenir (纪念品). Whenever I look at it, I will always remember the lessons of unselfishness and caring for one’s neighbors that were modeled for me by my parents.
1. What did the author’s mother do to earn a living in the 1970s?| A．She was a housewife. | B．She ran Meals on Wheels. |
| C．She delivered food to houses. | D．She did housework for the old. |
| A．It was her job. | B．She was good at cooking. |
| C．She wanted to help beyond her duty. | D．Her family didn’t have enough to eat. |
| A．Kind and considerate. | B．Thoughtful and creative. |
| C．Responsible and proud. | D．Traditional and hardworking. |
| A．She would sell out all her mother’s old plates. |
| B．She would do nice things for her community. |
| C．She would run a restaurant for the homeless. |
| D．She would become a client in the Meals on Wheels. |
3 . A Swiss company that developed technology to capture (捕获) carbon dioxide from the air says it has started the world’s largest plant to do so in Iceland.
The company is called Climeworks AG. It said the plant began operations on Wednesday. The system captures carbon dioxide, CO2, directly from the air and then deposits (沉淀) the gas underground.
Climeworks says the plant is designed to capture up to 3,600 metric tons of CO2 per year. That is the same amount of CO2 produced by about 790 automobiles during a year, Reuters news agency reported.
The International Energy Agency, IEA, estimates (估计) that this year, CO2 emissions (排放量) worldwide will rise 1.5 billion metric tons to a total of 33 billion metric tons.
Direct air capture is one of the few technologies that can remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Many scientists see the process as critical to limiting harmful pollutant emissions. Such emissions, which can trap heat in the atmosphere and create higher temperature, are caused mainly by human activities. Many scientists blame this warming for increased heatwaves, wildfires, floods and rising sea levels across the world.
The new plant is called Orca, based on the Icelandic word for energy, Orka. It uses eight large containers that look like those used in the shipping industry. A series of high-tech filters (过滤器) and blowers (鼓风机) attached to the containers capture CO2. The captured carbon is then mixed with water and pumped deep underground, where it slowly turns into rock.
Direct air capture is still a new and costly technology. But developers hope to bring down the price by increasing operations as more companies and individuals seek the technology. Currently, there are 15 direct air capture plants operating worldwide. The IEA estimates the plants capture more than 9,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.
The American oil company Occidental is currently developing the largest direct-air-capture center. It aims to pull 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air around some of its Texas oilfields.
1. What’s the main intention of the passage?| A．To introduce a Swiss company called Clineworks AG. |
| B．To show the links between Clineworks AG and Carbfix. |
| C．To tell us the largest factory capturing CO2 in the world is on. |
| D．To list the damages caused by the increasing amount of CO2. |
| A．Cut down emissions caused by human activities. |
| B．Build up a new plant to capture CO2 in the US. |
| C．Cut down the price by increasing operations. |
| D．Help scientists limit the pollutant emissions. |
| A．A diary. | B．A collection of science fictions. |
| C．A travel guide. | D．A newspaper. |
| A．How the name of the plant comes from. |
| B．How the plant processes(处理) the CO2. |
| C．How the plant was first built. |
| D．How the plant gets its power. |
4 . Everyone has heard the phrase, “giving up is not an option”. Many do not believe in it. But this small yet effective phrase gives a strong message. There will always be a challenge in the journey to achieve the dreams. But that should not drive one away from the path that they are on. Fitting the context perfectly is the story of Ian William.
Popularly known as the “Social Golfer”, Ian William is a lecturer, author, and a former golf player. He dreamed of playing golf at childhood. He would often watch players playing from a distance. He worked hard and changed his financial(财政的) difficulties. Then he began practicing various golf matches. Due to his devotion and love for the sport, he picked up the techniques quickly and soon began playing as a professional. He also dreamed of participating in the Senior Golf Tour in the coming year.
However, in 1996, Ian was diagnosed(诊断) with a tumor(肿瘤) in the left part of his brain, which affected his hearing from the right side and damaged his balance nerve. He experienced two surgeries(手术) in 1997 with a smile and a hope to be cured. Although the surgeries were successful, Ian caught meningitis(脑膜炎) while recovering from it. Apart from being hopeful and optimistic, there was no other way Ian could cope with the situation.
Just as things had begun to normalize, in 2006, Ian’s body was affected by a major stroke. This stroke numbed(使麻木) the left side of his body. His life-long dream of participating a golf tournament could not be realized anymore.
Ian took his time to recover and came back even stronger. He wanted to encourage millions with his journey and decided to share his experiences through a book. Ian has now published his 3rd book Still Crazy After All These Years, in 2020.
1. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The phrase. | B．The message. |
| C．The challenge. | D．The journey. |
| A．William showed talent in golf as a child. |
| B．The lack of money stopped his early practice in golf. |
| C．William’s road to being a good golfer was smooth. |
| D．Talent and effort made William learn quickly. |
| A．Doctors’ comfort. | B．Family’s support. |
| C．Advice from the books. | D．Hope and optimism. |
| A．Move forward whatever happens. | B．Love wins over illness. |
| C．Catch every opportunity to learn. | D．Luck favors ready minds. |
5 . The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Moon-cake Festival.
How the Chinese Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?
Enjoy Family Reunions.
The roundness of the moon represents the reunion of the family in Chinese minds. Families will have dinner together on the evening of the Moon-cake Festival.
Moon-cakes are the most representative food for the Moon-cake Festival, because of their round shape and sweet flavor. Family members usually gather round and cut a moon-cake into pieces and share its sweetness.
Appreciate the Moon.
Worship(崇拜) the Moon.
According to the legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a fairy maiden named Chang’e lives on the moon with a cute rabbit.
| A．Eat Moon-cakes. |
| B．Have a big meal. |
| C．The full moon is the symbol of family reunions in Chinese culture. |
| D．A “mid-autumn festival” is always celebrated in China. |
| E．A “mid-autumn festival” is also celebrated in other Asian communities. |
| F．It traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. |
| G．On the Festival night, people set a table under the moon with moon-cakes, and candles on it. |
6 . In August 2020, Kate Wilson, a 16-year-old from Shrewsbury, posted on the social media video platform TikTok a series of sentences from books she had read. Set to a piece of soft music, the short video plays out as Wilson holds up copies of the books. “You have been the last dream of my soul,” from A Tale of Two Cities(双城计). “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,” from Wuthering Heights(呼啸山庄). It has been viewed more than million times.
These posts, called BookTok, can attract millions of views, and light an appreciation of books in young readers again. “I started reading again after six years when I came across BookTok for the first time last October,” says Mireille Lee, 15.
Adam Silvera’s 2017 novel They Both Die at the End is one of the books to have benefited from the BookTok effect. In March, it shot to the top of the teen fiction charts, selling more than 4,000 copies a week. The book has sold more than 200,000 copies in the UK after thousands of posts about it.
Publishers are watching with interest. Publisher Horrox says: “There’s something about the fact that it is under a minute. People who are consuming this content watch a 32-second video and someone’s like: ‘This book has romance, and it’s really heartbreaking. Thankfully, it’s only a fiction.’ And then the viewers think: ‘Those are all things that I’m interested in. I’ll go and buy it.’” By December 2020, Wilson was being contacted regularly by publishers, who had realized that TikTok “really does sell books.”
Jenny is 22, and says: “I thought Tiktok was ridiculous last year before the first lockdown(限制). I really did think it was just for 14-year-olds, but BookTok is such a lovely community. There are people who like the same books as me, and I can talk about the books that I like. It just seems a little bit magical.”
1. What is the purpose of mentioning Kate Wilson’s story?| A．To lead to the main topic. |
| B．To introduce some books. |
| C．To encourage more people to read classics. |
| D．To compare her with other teen fans. |
| A．The readers. | B．The authors. |
| C．The workers. | D．The publishers. |
| A．Worried. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Critical. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．BookTok Attracts Many Fans |
| B．BookTok Helps Readers Select a Book |
| C．BookTok Provides Short Videos about Reading |
| D．BookTok Has a Great Influence on Young Readers |
7 . Among many celebrated U.S. places for very cool sunsets, here are notable favorites.
California Dreamin’
While you are visiting California Dreamin’, El Matador’s eye-catching nightfall is a worthy way to lead you into deep thought. It is about the sands of time. Pack a basket of delicious food for a late-in-the-day picnic overlooking the Pacific Ocean, via the Pacific Coast Highway. The sunset is a sweet dessert.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
The 1,218,375-acre Grand Canyon National Park is wonderful. The canyon itself stretches 277 miles. Its wildlife is also so abundant. You can go to the South Rim of the canyon (大峡谷), which offers the best sunset advantages. Sometimes, you can see deer running and eagles flying with the sunset standing as the background. An unforgettable thrill: Grand Canyon Floor Landing Helicopter Sunset Tour by Canyon Tours.
Florida Serenity
Called the River of Grass, Everglades National Park — South Florida’s amazing 1.5-million-acre wetland reserve — is quilted with coastal trees and grass. An especially chosen sunset-watching site is near Mrazek Pond, approximately three miles north of the Flamingo Visitor Center. This is a birder’s (观鸟者) dream place, too, home to more than 360 species.
Hawaii Aloha
Haleakala Crater in Hawaii Aloha, a vast dormant (休眠期的) volcano 10,023 feet above sea level, is famous for its sunrises — so that dawn sun-seekers climb the volcano in the middle of the night to make the long drive up a winding road to the summit. But Haleakala’s sunsets are just as amazing. Since fewer people arrive late in the day, a more personal sunset participation is possible. Consider a private or group sunset hike to appreciate the Pacific Ocean. It is worthwhile.
1. What can visitors do in Grand Canyon?| A．Visit the wetland reserve. | B．Have an unforgettable picnic. |
| C．Appreciate the sunset by tour bus. | D．See eagles flying over the canyon. |
| A．Hawaii Aloha. | B．Florida Serenity. |
| C．California Dreamin’. | D．Grand Canyon, Arizona. |
| A．They both supply a sweet dessert. |
| B．They both allow a more personal sunset hike. |
| C．They both offer the views of the Pacific Ocean. |
| D．They both have wonderful sunsets and sunrises. |
8 . Top Music Festivals in 2021
Coachella
Selling out fast every year, the Indio desert becomes a fashionable place where the coolest bands are watched by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone's bucket list of festivals, Coachella is a constant source of annual expectation and a hotbed for musical discussion.
When &. where: April 9-11 &. 16-18, 2021; Indio
Ultra Music Festival
Seen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music fans across the nation and globe, the streets of Miami turn into a bold and bumping party with popular DJs playing what will be the sounds of summer.
When & where: March 26-28, 2021; Miami
South By South West
Regarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, films and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Virtually taking over the city of Austin, everyone in the world of music from fans to media flock here to discover the next big thing.
When &, where: March 16-20, 2021; Austin
The Governors Ball Music Festival
Another event which proves the music loving potential of Randall's Island Park is Governors Ball, an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop and folk. Providing a variety of music and food tastes, whether you look to kick back and relax or dance to the beats, Governors Ball has what you want.
When & where: June 11-14, 2021; New York
1. Which music festival lasts the most days?| A．Coachella | B．Ultra Music Festival. |
| C．South By South West | D．The Governors Ball Music Festival. |
| A．It's held in a park. |
| B．It features electronic music |
| C．It's a gathering of popular DJs. |
| D．It's the most popular in the country. |
| A．Indio. | B．Miami. | C．Austin | D．New York. |
