1 . 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. celebrated       B. ideals       C. currently       D. enlarged E. formerly       F. incomparable       G. laid       H. referred I. restored       J. scale        K. seat

If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand     1    , the Houses of Parliament, also called Palace of Westminster would be a wise place to start. The     2     of the bicameral (两院制的) Parliament including the House of Commons and the House of Lords, is located on the left bank of the River Thames in the borough of Westminster, London.

A royal palace was said to have existed at the site under the Danish king of England Canute. The building, however, spoken of by William Fitzstephen as a(n) “    3     structure,” was built for Edward the Confessor in the 11th century and     4     by William I (the Conqueror). In 1512 the palace suffered greatly from fire and thereafter ceased to be used as a royal residence. A fire in 1834 destroyed the whole palace except the historic Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the cloisters, and the crypt of St. Stephen’s Chapel.

Sir Charles Barry, assisted by A.W.N. Pugin, designed the present buildings in the Gothic Revival style. Construction was begun in 1837, the cornerstone was     5     in 1840, and work was finished in 1860. The Commons Chamber was burned out in one of the numerous air raids that targeted London during World War II, but it was     6     and reopened in 1950. The House of Lords is an ornate chamber 97 feet in length; the Commons is 70 feet long. The southwestern Victoria Tower is 336 feet high. The Elizabeth Tower,     7     St. Stephen’s Tower, about 320 feet in height, contains the famous tower clock Big Ben. Along with Westminster Abbey and St, Margaret’s Church, the Houses of Parliament were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, as symbols of spiritual and democratic     8    .

The Palace is one of the centers of political life in the United Kingdom; “Westminster” has become a metaphor for the UK Parliament and the British Government. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, often     9     to by the name of its main bell, Big Ben, has become an iconic landmark of London and of the United Kingdom in general, one of the most     10     tourist attractions in the city, and a symbol of parliamentary democracy.

3 . Directions: Complete the following passages 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. public             B. inadequate             C. lowered             D. released               E. disappointment F. casting          G. possibility          H. objective          I. desperately          J. balance K. compared

Why Aren’t Women Happier?

Why aren’t women happier these days?

That’s the question raised by a thought-provoking study, The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness,     1     last month. The research showed that over the past 35 years women’s happiness has declined, both     2     to the past and relative to men even though the lives of women in the US have improved in recent decades by most     3     measures.

The research, by University of Pennsylvania economists Stevenson and Wolfers, and made     4     by the National Bureau of Economic Research, found the decline in happiness to be widespread among women across a variety of demographic(人口统计)groups. The researchers, for instance, measured similar declines in happiness among women who were single parents and married parents, “    5     doubt on the hypothesis(假设)that trends in marriage and divorce, single parenthood or work/family     6     are at the root of the happiness declines among women,” they wrote.

One theory for the decline in happiness is that expectations for workplace and general advancement were raised too high by the women’s movement and women might feel     7     for not “having it all,” as a Los Angeles Times columnist recently put it.

The researchers acknowledge that’s a     8     :

“If the women’s movement raised women’s expectations faster than society was able to meet them,” the paper says, “they would be more likely to experience     9     in their lives.” But they add things could change for the better: “As women’s expectations move into adjustment with their experiences, this decline in happiness may reverse.”

Readers, why do you think women are unhappier than in the past? Do you think that if expectations for “having it all” were     10     to “move into adjustment with experiences,” women might be happier?

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

A. suffering     B. intensive     C. demanding     D. adopting     E. inactive     F. adapting     G. available H. guarantee     I. distinctive     J. discouraging     K. distinct

Health and diet

In recent cars, many Asian countries have noticed a worrying new problem: obesity, which is also very serious in China. More than a third of Chinese adults are overweight. Even more worrying is the level of obesity among Chinese children. It is estimated that the number of children in China     1     from obesity is increasing by 10 % every year.

There are many reasons for this situation. The simplest explanation is that food is now     2     in greater quantities than ever before. Also, Chinese society is changing and people are     3     new kinds of lifestyle. There has been an influx of Western style fast food like hamburgers and fried chicken. These foods contain a lot of calorie and are a major cause of obesity. In addition, many children in China spend too much time in front of TVs or computers. To make things worse, millions of families drive around instead of cycling or walking. This     4       lifestyle is another reason for heavier people.

Increasing obesity is worrying for many reasons. The condition can lead to serious health problems, including increased risk of heart disease and even diabetes. Dealing with their health problems seems really costly and     5     , thus affecting people’ life negatively.

The government in China is taking action to deal with obesity, however. In many primary and middle schools, young students are receiving low calorie lunches with more vegetables and less meat and fat. Also, parents are     6     children from watching TV and playing computer games. In some big cities, there are also “fat camps” where seriously obese children receive     7     training, aiming at losing extra fat.

It is not     8     if these measures will be enough to slow down or stop the obesity trend in China. It is clear, though, what we are doing now is to guide people in     9     to healthier and more active lifestyle. It is the     10     of the rise in the index of people’s happiness.

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

A. applies       B. casually       C. considered       D. customary       E. empty       F. fellow G. individual       H. literally       I. longevity       J. regards       K. related

Whether you’re ringing in Chinese New Year with a bottle of champagne, making a toast at a wedding, or     1     drinking baijiu, a popular type of Chinese alcohol with your friends, knowing a few Chinese toasts to say will always liven the mood. Here is a beginner’s guide to short Chinese toasts and other Chinese drinking culture tips. Ganbei,     2     translating into “dry your cup”, essentially means “cheers”. This phrase can either be a very casual toast or sometimes this toast is an indication for each person to     3     the glass in one gulp. If it is the latter case, this only     4     to men during the first round of drinks at the beginning of the night, and women are only expected to take a sip. Suiyi is the same as “at random” or “arbitrarily”. But with     5     to giving a toast, it also means “cheers”. This toast indicates you want each person to drink as he or she wishes. Wan shou wu jiang is a toast used to wish for     6     and health.

Now that you know what to say, how do you actually give a toast? When giving a toast in Chinese, raise your glass as you give the toast. Depending on where you are, your     7     drinkers will either raise their glasses and then drink, clink glasses and then drink, or tap the bottom of the glasses against the table and then drink. If you are giving a toast with a table full of people, it is not expected that anyone clink glasses. But there will be times when you find yourself clinking glasses with a(n)     8    . If that person is your superior, it is     9     that you touch the rim (边缘) of your glass below the rim of their glass. To exaggerate that you acknowledge this person’s higher status, touch the rim of your glass to the bottom of their glass. This custom is especially important when it comes to business meetings.

The host of the party or meeting will be the first to make the toast. It is     10     rude if anyone besides the host makes the first toast. The host will also give the last toast to indicate that the event is coming to an end. Now that you know how to give a Chinese toast, drink up and enjoy socializing!

6 . 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 delivered       B management       C overlooked        D.products        E.rural     F. shifted G.strategies       H.sufficient       I. tremendous        J.urbanisation       K.worst

National governments neglecting development needs of cities

National governments around the world are neglecting the needs of their major cities with non-existent or inadequate development policies, a new report has found. National governments are key to making cities more sustainable, because cities are limited distinctly in the policy measures they can take for themselves, the report points out. However, only a quarter of the world’s governments have urban development policies at all, and most of those that do exist are far from     1     to make cities sustainable.

The report looks at the key measures of energy production, transport, waste     2     and infrastructure(基础建设)，For instance, putting in adequate public transport can transform the lives of citizens and the carbon footprint of the cities they live in. Encouraging the use of electric vehicles above petrol-driven cars can also have a(n)     3     effect, not just on greenhouse gas emissions but also on removing some of the key causes of air pollution.

The report, from the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Coalition for Urban Transitions and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, suggests national governments have     4     the needs of their major cities even when they have in place national policies on issues such as climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.Derik Broekhoff of the Stockholm EnvironmentInstitute,the lead author of the study, said“Now is the time for national governments to put cities at the heart of their national development     5     . Countries must consider what policies need to be     6     in order to ensure their countries and cities are prepared for the unprecedented     7     and climate challenges the world is facing.”

Cities around the world are facing rapid population growth, and are likely to be among the areas     8     hit by dramatic climate change, in part because many are at risk of rising sea levels, floods and droughts. For most of human history, the     9     population was greater than those of cities, and it is only in just over the last decade that this balance has     10     with most of the world’s populations now living in urban centres, a trend that is expected to speed up even further.

7 . 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. boost       B.capabilities       C.ceaseless     D.effects     E.evolve       F. historic G.identify       H.initiative     I. interconnected     J.miraculously       K.seriously

Currently, many of the brainy gadgets being developed for the Internet of Things will anticipate our needs and make choices for us--without being told what to do--marking a(n)     1     transformation in our relationship with machine.

As we turn more of our decision-making over to the devices,they will     2     into our personal confidants (知己) and counselors, determining everything from the time we wake up and clothes we wear to the music we listen to and the route we take to work. In the process, experts say our reliance on these     3     tools will far surpass today's dependence on smart phones.These autonomous assistants are widely expected to help us stay healthier, take better care of our loved ones, live more comfortably, become more environmentally responsible and     4     our productivity by freeing us from an endless array of boring routines so we can concentrate on the most important ones.

But social scientists and others worry these computerized devices might make decisions that are     5     flawed or that we otherwise dislike, leaving us feeling less in control of our lives. More importantly, their     6     observation could result in an excessively conformist (循规蹈矩的)society, some experts fear一especially with the government and other entities (实体) exploring the use of these intelligent machines to assess and prevent "abnormal behavior."

Stanford University researchers believe society may be profoundly impacted by Internet-of-Things machines blessed with humanlike     7     . So in December they began a century-long study of the technology in part to     8     the implications “of systems that can make inferences about the goals, intentions, identity, location, health, beliefs, habits and future actions of people."

Understanding such     9     is crucial, experts say, because the technology is being rapidly adapted. About 13 percent of consumers already have got a smart thermostat, security camera or other devices installed in homes. Instead of just doing what we command, many of the devices being empowered with sophisticated software and micro-electronics to act on their own     10     as our personal advisers.

9 . 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. attracted	B. connecting	C. cooperation	D. course	E. implement
F. original	G. perspective	H. solution	I. unique

Jul 8, 2021 — On July 25, executive producers Ridley Scott and Kai Hsuing, along with director Kevin Macdonald will invite the global community to pick up cameras to create “Life In A Day 2022”.

In 2010, “Life In A Day” brought the online community together for a massive feature film project that     1     8,000 submissions. The final film was released in 2011, and has been watched over 16 million times ever since.

Exactly 12 years after the     2     “Life In A Day,” the world will once again come together to create the second YouTube documentary that tells the story of a single day on Earth. Selected footage from participants like you will be woven together in this documentary to tell the story of an ordinary day during these extraordinary times.

On a single day, Saturday, July 25, people around the world are invited to film their day. Maybe you’ll be filming from home, or maybe you’re in a part of the world where you’re figuring out how to move forward in a different place. Maybe you’re     3     with friends, reuniting with family, or going to work. Maybe it’s a special day — you are getting married, moving out, and sharing important news. Or maybe it’s just a normal day. We want to weave together these     4     experiences and ideas to create a time capsule of this moment.

The final feature film will be edited over the     5     of five months, produced entirely through what is found in the submitted footage. Once the submission window closes, a 30-person team of multilingual reviewers will     6     the translation process of the submitted videos. At present, the filmmakers are encouraging people from all over the world to take part, and they hope to capture a wide     7     on life. Submissions are open from July 25 to August 2, which means you will only have one week to submit your footage.

While only a small number of the submitted clips will make it into the movie, the filmmakers hope the filming day itself becomes a significant day of global participation. The “Life In A Day 2022” project celebrates the importance of everyone’s coming together in a moment of equal worldwide     8    . Looking forward to your participation!