2 . Direction: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. prevent            B. colour             C. threatened       D. discrimination       E. demand       F. nonviolent G. armed             H. equally            I. rapidly             J. race                    K. detailed

The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom

In the spring of 1941, hundreds of thousands of whites were employed in industries mobilizing for the possible entry of the United States into World War II. Black labour leader A. Philip Randolph     1     a mass march on Washington unless blacks were hired     2     for those jobs, stating: “It is time to wake up Washington as it has never been shocked before.” To     3     the march, which many feared would result in     4     riots and international embarrassment, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order that banned     5     in defence industries. His Executive Order 8802, June 25, 1941, established the Committee on Fair Employment Practices(known as FEPC) to receive and investigate discrimination complaints and take appropriate steps to redress valid grievances.

The fight against fascism during World War II brought to the forefront the contradictions between America’s ideals of democracy and equality and its treatment of racial minorities. Throughout the war, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) and other civil rights organizations worked to end discrimination in the     6     forces. During this time African Americans became more assertive in their     7     for equality in civilian life as well. The Congress of Racial Equality(CORE), an interracial organization founded to seek change through     8     means, conducted the first sit-ins to challenge the South’s Jim Crow laws.

After the war, and with the onset of the Cold War, segregation and inequality within the US were brought into sharp focus on the world stage, prompting federal and judicial action. President Harry Truman appointed a special committee to investigate racial conditions that     9     a civil rights agenda in its report, To Secure These Rights. Truman later issued an executive order that abolished racial discrimination in the military.

The NAACP won important Supreme Court victories and mobilized a mass lobby of organizations to press Congress to pass civil rights legislation. African Americans achieved notable firsts — Jackie Robinson broke the     10     barrier in major league baseball and civil rights activists Bayard Rustin and George Houser led black and white riders on a “Journey of Reconciliation” to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses.

3 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. published               B. weight               C. obesity               D. beginning        E. less        F. vulnerable G. admissions             H. rise                  I. reduction               J. Globally          K. impacts

The climate crisis is damaging the health of fetuses (胎儿), babies and infants across the world, six new studies have found.

Scientists discovered increased heat was linked to fast weight gain in babies, which increases the risk of    1    in later life. Higher temperatures were also linked to premature birth, which can have lifelong health effects, and to increased hospital    2    of young children.

The studies,    3    in a special issue of the journal Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, spanned the globe from the US to Denmark, Israel and Australia.

“From the very    4    , from preconception, through early childhood into adolescence, we’re starting to see important    5    of climate hazards on health,” said Prof Gregory Wellenius, who edited the issue with Amelia Wesselink, both at the Boston University school of public health, in the US.

The link between heat and rapid    6    gain in the first year of life was found by scientists in Israel. They analysed 200,000 births and found that babies exposed to the highest 20% of night-time temperatures had a 5% higher risk of fast weight gain.

    7    , 18% of children are now overweight or obese. A possible mechanism for the rapid infant weight gain is that    8    fat is burned to maintain body temperature when the ambient temperature is higher.

Hotter temperatures also increased the number of admissions of young children to emergency departments in New York City, another new study found. The scientists looked at 2.5m admissions over eight years and found that a 7℃    9    in maximum temperature led to a 2.4% increase in admissions in under-fives. Young children lose proportionally more fluids than adults and their ability to regulate their body temperature is immature, the researchers said.

The burning of fossil fuels drives the climate crisis but also causes air pollution and a new study in Denmark assessed the impact of dirty air on 10,000 couples trying to conceive naturally. It found that increases in particle pollution of a few units during a menstrual cycle led to a decrease in conception of about 8%.

Wellenius said an important aspect of the studies was that they showed that    10    people often suffered the worst effects, for example people of colour and those on low incomes who did not have air conditioning or lived in areas with higher air pollution. “This is absolutely a health equity and justice issue,” he said.

4 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. adventure               B. carelessly       C. existence               D. exploit        E. inaccessible F. minimized        G. reflects        H. responsible        I. accounts   J. visible            K. wilderness

Antarctica is the highest, driest and coldest place on Earth. It is also the remotest, a fact which     1     for its unspoiled environment. It is widely described as the last     2     on our planet. The cold climate is     3     for maintaining the continent’s year-round ice fields. Even though Antarctica receives more sunlight than the equator(赤道), the temperatures are lower because the ice sheet     4     the heat back into space.

For centuries, Europeans wondered about the     5     of a South-Polar continent, but no one actually knew for certain Antarctica was there until 1820 when European explorers “discovered” it. Since then, men have gone to Antarctica in search of     6    . Testing their abilities, several teams of explorers set out in 1911 to be the first men to stand at the South Pole.

Once completely     7    , Antarctica has more recently been playing host to adventurers seeking for excitement, scientists interested in experimenting, and companies looking to     8     this wild area for profit.

Yet, Antarctica’s fragile and complicated eco-system is threatened by its human visitors. Damage to the environment occurs as people come looking for resources beneath the ice, or     9     leave their garbage behind. Currently, countries are working to ensure that the damage to Antarctica’s environment is     10    , and that Antarctica will remain an unspoiled place.

5 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. unique                 B. proud                 C. well off                 D. poverty               E. shoeshine F. selected                 G. stand                 H. Unfortunately        I. Currently             J. digital            K. earn

Staying Connected Far from Home

In Chad, the refugee camp of Danamadja stands in the midst of a forest. Here, staying connected is a challenge. “Most of the young people who want to use the Internet have to walk long distances to connect to the network,” says Mahamat Djida, 25, who owns a phone-charging     1     . “People here have really weak and unstable service but they have no option, compared with those who are     2     in the world.”

In addition to helping stay in touch with families and friends, mobile phones and the Internet offer young people opportunities to cope with life in the camp. Adam Souleymane, a 16-year-old     3     boy, said, “I bought a phone and now I use the Internet to do research, especially in biology. There is no library in the camp.” He is very     4     of his new smartphone.

It is vital to advocate for improved access to     5     technologies and support for youth seeking to use them to solve the issues that affect their lives.     6     some plans made by several mobile applications can help children and young people born of     7     be more independent. They can be used for instant communication and activities that address     8     needs. These plans allow customers to access     9     content for free or at low cost when they sign up with certain service providers. As children reach adulthood and enter the world of work, connectivity will increasingly mean the difference between their ability to       10     a decent living or not. Those with access to digital technologies and the skills to make the best use of them will have the advantage over those who are unconnected and unskilled.

6 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word that you do not need.

A. efficiently       B. still       C. equally       D. balance       E. drag F. angle       G. definitely       H. make       I. approach       J. position       K. allow

We need more men in our hospital, not as doctors, but as nurses. Over the last few years, I have found that having male nurses is a real bonus, and they     1     have a place in our hospital. There are several reasons for wanting male nurses here, not only because half the population in our country is male. Men are excellent carers and are     2     good at taking care of others. In fact, many men take good care of their children, wives, parents, sisters, brothers, and even their nieces and nephews.

Another reason that men can     3     great nurses is that in general, men are physically stronger than women. Male nurses can help     4     heavy objects, or if, for example, a patient cannot move from the waist down, male nurses can help move the patient into a comfortable     5    . Also, male nurses can be a great help in keeping patients     6     while they receive painful treatment, such as when bandages covering wounds are changed. Another advantage to having male nurses is that they see things from a different     7     from women and bring a male way of thinking to problem-solving. This allows the hospital to work more effectively than if we only     8     problems one way. Having a mix of male and female nurses also helps create a fun atmosphere, which helps patients recover faster.

Currently, only 7% of our nursing staff are men; this number is far too low, and the problem requires correction. Having more male nurses will help create a positive     9     between male and female staff, and it will     10     patients the choice of a male or female carer. I am determined to take on more male nurses here at Central Hospital. I will be organizing an open day soon to allow interested young men to visit our hospital and find out more about nursing. Hopefully, we will have more male nurses in our hospital soon!

7 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. definitely   B. permission   C. clue   D. critical   E. featured   F. added G. negative   H. credits   I. spoil   J. ridiculous   K. eventually

Knives Out film director Rian Johnson has revealed a secret in the world of product placement—bad guys cannot use an iPhone on the big screen. Johnson, whose film    1     include Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Looper, reveal the behind-the-scenes secret to a reporter.

He pointed out the Apple warning, saying, “Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but, and this is very    2    , if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera.” He revealed the    3     to Who Do It On Films, a programme, as he discussed Knives Out, a murder mystery film with an ensemble(全体) cast featuring Daniel Craig, Toni Collette and Jamie Lee Curtis. Johnson    4    , “So oh no, every single filmmaker that has a bad guy in their movie that’s supposed to be a secret    5     wants to murder me right now.” So how common is this? Fairly so, says product placement specialist Darryl Collis.

“With feature films, every production needs the brand’s    6     to show a brand within the film,” he told ITV News. “So if Apple don’t give clearance for that to appear, then what will have to happen    7     is they’ll either have to remove the logo or that brand can’t appear in the film.” A good example would be: Coca Cola were    8     in a film called Slumdog Millionaire, but they were shown in a    9     light so what they said to the producers is: “You cannot show our brand, you need to take away the labels.” “They never gave clearance for the brand to appear so they had to remove the labels at the end of the post production.”

But will it    10     movies for film fans?

Film critic Hannah Woodhead works at Little White Lies magazine, she told ITV News now one of the secrets of Hollywood is out of the bag, she’ll be much more eagle-eyed.

8 . After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. progress   B. definitely   C. collective   D. maintain   E. concentration F. minimum   G. showcasing   H. ignore   I. internally   J. priority K. earned

Should We Cut Our Ties to School Uniforms?

After a strict headteacher in the UK sent 80 pupils home for uniform violations (违例), the Guardian asked parents, pupils and professionals if uniforms really make a difference.

My school uniform is very important. It does improve my    1    , because it reminds me that I’m at school to learn. School uniforms are also a great tool to prevent bullying. If everyone is wearing the same clothes, it’s impossible to mock each other’s clothing. I don’t think this should    2     children’s need to express themselves, though. Uniform rules can be taken too far: I was once told I would get a detention (留堂) for I went to school with my grey bag instead of a black one.

David Hershman, a student at Stafford Grammar School

A uniform has to be seen as something that is    3    . Students should start school with no uniform. As they    4     through school, they get to start wearing it. I always think children need to be proud of their school, and a uniform is important for that. If they let the school down, they shouldn’t be allowed to wear it. In my experience, a uniform helps schools    5     authority.

Tim Francis, a former teacher

I have had the experience of teaching in both uniform and non-uniform schools. I can    6     see the benefits of students wearing a uniform. A uniform can be important for creating a sense of school identity and community. It is often a source of    7     pride for students. However, teaching students how to express themselves with confidence, rather than the length of their tie, should be the    8    .

Enayah Byramjee, an educational development director

In a perfect world, children would be    9     their individualities through their clothes at school, just as they do at home. Schools would not impress on pupils the need to wear skirts to a certain length, or to do a    10     number of buttons up on shirts. But we don’t live in a perfect world and learning to fit in is one of the things our children should be taught.

Joanna Moorhead, a mother of four

9 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one more word than you need.

A. appearances B. imitating C. distinguish D. isolate E. advantageous F. diverse G. identical H. criterion I. markings J. poisonous K. threatening

Why different species start looking exactly the same

Is it better to stand out from the crowd or be similar to the background? For birds, the answer is complicated. While peacocks(孔雀) show off their brightly colored feathers to attract mates and ward off predators(捕食者), other birds find it     1     to hide themselves by imitating the looks of other birds.

Groups of birds flying together often come from the same species, making it hard to     2     one from another. However, some groups of birds including two or more species take on similar     3    , which is an uncommon phenomenon. “They all share random features, like feathers on head or yellow bellies(腹部), which makes them almost     4    . You can’t really tell them apart without looking at their     5    .” says Scott Robinson, a famous scholar. His new study suggests     6     another bird’s appearance is not a coincidence(巧合) but rather an evolutionary method to increase their chances of survival. Looking like a bird from a dominant species helps reduce attack from other members and appear more     7     to potential predators.

“In imitation, you often want to look like something because there’s an advantage to being that other thing. You want species to think you’re     8     or low-profitable target.” says Rebecca Kimball, a professor of biology. “In grouping birds, one idea is that this has more to do with a predator’s ability to     9     a target. When there are a group of birds moving around, it may be easier for predators to identify an individual that has a distinct color pattern.”

While it may not seem like it at first, imitating other birds is helping to create more     10     species. Not only do birds imitate more than one species as they grow up, but their appearance varies over time.

10 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one more word than you need.

A. wraps       B. poorly       C. generating       D. incomplete       E. sufficient       F. further G. Compressing       H. heats       I. uncertainty       J. pressurize       K. drowned

Neptune Rains Diamonds, and Now We Might Finally Know How

Deep within the hearts of Neptune and Uranus, it could be raining diamonds. Now, scientists have produced new experimental evidence showing how this could be possible.

The hypothesis goes that the intense heat and pressure thousands of kilometres below the surface of these ice giants should split apart hydrocarbon compounds, with the carbon    1     into diamond and sinking even deeper towards the planetary cores.

The new experiment used the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)X-ray laser for the most precise measurements yet of how this “diamond rain” process should occur-and found that carbon transitions directly into crystalline diamond.

Neptune and Uranus are the most    2     understood planets in the solar system. They are extremely far—only a single space probe, Voyager 2, has even been close to them, and only for a flyby, not a dedicated long-term mission.

The atmospheres of Neptune and Uranus are primarily made up of hydrogen and helium, with a small amount of methane. Below these atmospheric layers, a superhot, superdense fluid of “icy” materials such as water, methane, and ammonia    3     the planet’s core.

And calculations and experiments dating back decades have shown that, with    4     pressure and temperature, methane can be broken down into diamonds—suggesting that diamonds can form within this hot, dense material.

A previous experiment led by physicist Dominik Kraus used X-ray diffraction to demonstrate it. Now Kraus and his team have taken their research a step    5     . “We now have a very promising new approach based on X-ray scattering,” Kraus said about their latest efforts. “Our experiments are delivering important model parameters where, before, we only had massive    6    . The more exoplanets we discover, the more relevant this will become.”

It’s challenging to replicate the interiors of giant planets here on Earth. The first step is to heat and    7     the material to replicate the conditions inside Neptune at a depth of around 10, 000 kilometers: pulses of optical laser are     8     shockwaves in the polystyrene(聚苯乙烯), which    9     the material up to around 5, 000 kelvin. It also creates intense pressure.

In the previous experiment, X-ray diffraction(衍射)was used to then probe the material. This works well for materials with crystalline structures, but less so with non-crystalline molecules, so the picture was    10     In the new experiment, the team used a different method, measuring how X-rays scattered off electrons in the polystyrene.

This allowed them not just to observe the conversion of carbon into diamond, but also what happens to the rest of the sample-it splits off into hydrogen. And there’s pretty much no leftover carbon.