1 . To The Strand’s family and friends,

The Strand’s task has always been simple. It is to get good ________ in the hands of readers. For over 93 years, the   ________ my grandfather founded has become so much more than just a bookstore---The Strand has become a community center, welcoming all book ________ with open arm.

In order to ________ The Strand as a business, with no income and no clear idea as to when we can   ________ our door, we have had to temporarily fire(解雇) the most of our workers. Due to the rapid ________ of COVID-19, we make the ________ to close our doors a week before the government order, as we felt it was unsafe for our ________ and community.

This is the first time in our ________ that we have had to have a layoff (裁员). All of our workers have been ________ for the week and we are paying out any vacation. We are also working with our union and our providers to extend(延长) health insurance as long as possible. We know that it is our booksellers that make The Strand so ________, so our goal is to ________ this so we can rehire(重新雇佣) every employee as soon as possible.

We won’t ________ now. We have put forward a request to the Governor’s office in order to regain our ability to start online and phone orders as ________ as possible. We strongly believe that our books are a very important resource(资源) the world could ________ use right now.

1.

A．goods

B．articles

C．books

D．letters

2.

A．school

B．hospital

C．community

D．bookstore

3.

A．writers

B．lovers

C．sellers

D．posters

4.

A．keep

B．find

C．collect

D．change

5.

A．repack

B．repay

C．reopen

D．repair

6.

A．spread

B．loss

C．recovery

D．control

7.

A．decision

B．suggestion

C．belief

D．comment

8.

A．designers

B．workers

C．employers

D．managers

9.

A．question

B．service

C．history

D．reply

10.

A．served

B．greeted

C．charged

D．paid

11.

A．strange

B．comfortable

C．normal

D．popular

12.

A．get through

B．get back

C．play with

D．keep off

13.

A．show off

B．give up

C．pick out

D．come out

14.

A．much

B．soon

C．well

D．often

15.

A．finally

B．almost

C．really

D．never

2 . Today’s grandparents are joining grandchildren on social media, but the different generation’s online habits couldn’t be more different. The over-55s are joining Facebook in increasing numbers, meaning that they will soon be the site’s second biggest user group, with 3.5 million users aged 55-64 and 2.9 million over-65s.

Sheila, aged 59, says, “I joined to see what my grandchildren are doing, as my daughter posts videos and photos of them. It’s a much better way to see what they’re doing than waiting for letters and photos in the post. I think I’m lucky I get to see so much more of their lives than my grandparents did.”

However, Sheila’s grandchildren are less likely to use Facebook themselves. Children under 17 are leaving the site—only 2.2 million users are under 17---but they’re not going far from their smartphones. Chloe, age 15, even sleeps with her phone. “It’s my alarm clock so I have to,” she says. “I look at it before I go to sleep and as soon as I wake up.”

Teenagers might have their parents to thank for their smartphone and social media addiction as their parents were the early adopters of the smartphone. Peter, 38 and father of two teenagers, reports that he used to be on his phone or laptop constantly. He says, “How could I tell my kids to get off their phones is I was always in front of a screen myself?” So, in the evenings and at weekends, he takes his SIM card out of his smartphone and puts it into an old-style mobile phone that can only make calls and send text messages. “I’m not completely separated from the world if emergent, but the important thing is that I’m setting a better example to my kids and spending more quality time with them.”

Is it only a matter of time until the generation above and below Peter catches up with the new trend (趋势) for a less digital life?

1. How does Sheila feel about social media?

A．Useful.

B．Disappointed.

C．Useless.

D．Addicted.

2. Why does Peter take his SIM card out of his smartphone?

A．To make calls to his boss.

B．To stop his work.

C．To set a good example to his kids.

D．To catch up with the new trend.

3. What does the underlined word “separated” mean in Paragraph 4?

A．different

B．figured out

C．cut off

D．protected

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Children under 17 don’t use smartphone at all.

B．Chloe is one of the early adopters of the smartphone.

C．Today’s grandparents enjoy a life without social media.

D．People may enjoy a less digital life in the near future.

3 . Whether you have ten minutes or an hour to practice each day, you’ll find a wide variety of learning materials to help you make progress and improve your language skills. All the material on the LearnEnglish website is designed for self-study to support your learning.

Take our online level test: Start by taking our free English grammar and vocabulary test to help you find your level. All the material is labelled(标记) with the level, to make it easier to find material to suit your needs.

Explore our Skill Sections: In our Skills sections you can find self-study lessons to practice your listening, reading and reading and writing skills. There are different types of texts and audio(音频) recording, all with interactive exercises and worksheets that practice the skills you need. Choose your level and then choose a lesson!

Practice grammar: In this section you can improve your grammar with our clear and simple grammar lessons. The lessons start with an exercise to test your understanding, then an explanation to improve your grammar knowledge and finally another exercise to test your understanding again to see if you have improved. Choose your level and then choose a grammar point!

Read our Magazine sections: Are you looking for something quick to read? Our Magazine and Business magazine sections have short interesting articles for you to read about special days and business topics.

Challenge a friend or a colleague: If you want to play a quick online game and practice your English vocabulary at the same time, have a go at Wordshake. See how many points you can get in three minutes! You can challenge a colleague to play too and compare your points to see whose English vocabulary is improving the most.

1. If you want to find learning materials that suit you, you can start by________.

A．taking an online level test	B．finding self-study lessons
C．playing a quick online game	D．practicing your English grammar

2. If you want to learn about business topics, you can click________.

A．Explore our Skill Sections	B．Read our Magazine sections
C．Practice grammar	D．Challenge a friend or a colleague

3. What can we learn about Learning English？

A．Similar types of texts are provided for learners.

B．The grammar lessons are clear but complicated.

C．The Magazine sections provide long articles for learners.

D．A quick online vocabulary game is limited to three minutes.

4. Who is the text most probably written for?

A．Students.	B．Self-study learners.
C．Teachers.	D．Workers.

4 . China’s Chang’e 5 space craft, tasked with bringing lunar(月球的) rock samples to Earth, successfully landed on the Moon on December 1st, 2020. The 8,200kg spacecraft, set off from China’s Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November 23,2020, entered the satellite’s orbit(轨道) on November 28th, 2020.

With 19 hours of landing, the probe(探测器) gathered about 2 kg of rocks and soil by digging almost 2 meters deep into the lunar surface using its robotic arm. The sample-filled jar was placed in the ascender vehicle (上升器), which left the Moon’s surface and entered the lunar orbit on December 3rd, 2020. Then, in a historic first, the ascender and Chang’s 5 orbiter(轨道器) spacecraft successfully came together on December 6, 2020 to complete the first-ever robotic rendezvous and docking(对接) in lunar orbit.

“In terms of the space tasks that humans have performed so far, only the Apollo program missions have complete the rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit. However, unscrewed rendezvous and cocking have never been done before,” Peng Jing, deputy chief designer of the Chang’e 5 probe from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), told Chinese media ahead of the attempt.

With the rock samples safely transported to the return capsule(太空舱), the Chang’e 5 spacecraft will continue to circle the Moon for a few days before beginning its 112-hour journey back to Earth.

1. What is the task of Chang’e 5?

A．Bringing lunar rock samples to earth.	B．Entering the satellite’s orbit.
C．Docking in lunar orbit.	D．Circling the Moon for a few days.

2. When did Chang’e 5 land on the moon?

A．November 23rd, 2020.	B．November 28th, 2020.
C．December 1st, 2020.	D．December 6th, 2020.

3. What happened in December 3rd, 2020?

A．The ascender vehicle set off.	B．The ascender vehicle entered the lunar orbit.
C．The ascender vehicle circled the moon.	D．The ascender vehicle came back to the earth.

4. What would be the best title for this passage?

A．Landing on the Moon on December 1st,2020.

B．Peng Jing, a Designer of Chang’e 5 Probe.

C．The First-ever Robotic Rendezvous and Docking.

D．Chang’e 5’s Returning to Earth with Moon Rocks.

5 . In 1989, an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. Being extremely _______ a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to the school a few _______away, where his son was supposed to be. The school was so _______ that it was in ruins. It seemed _______ the world was at an end.

After the first_______ the father remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what _______, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked everywhere, it looked _________ , but he didn't lose heart.

He began to direct his _______ towards his son's classroom which is in the back right _______ of the building. He rushed there and started ________ through the ruins.

As he was digging, other helpless parents arrived. ________explosions are happening everywhere. Realizing this father would be ________, other parents tried to make him change his __________ by saying, “It's too late! They're all dead!”. To each parent he ________ with one line: “Are you going to help me now?” And then he continued.

The fire chief arrived and tried to ________ him to leave the ruins, “Go home! We will deal with it.” However he just ________ him and insisted on what he was doing.

As time went by, the father began to________,"Is my boy alive or is he dead?” He screamed his son's name, “ARMAND!”. To his ________ he heard a voice back, “Dad? It's me, dad! We are ________, but not injured”. Immediately he________ that it was his son's voice.

Surely, it was his determination to keep his promise that saved his son.

1.

A．calm

B．grateful

C．upset

D．peaceful

2.

A．blocks

B．bricks

C．stages

D．entrances

3.

A．distant

B．magic

C．dusty

D．damaged

4.

A．even if

B．as if

C．as well

D．even though

5.

A．lightening

B．flame

C．shock

D．event

6.

A．happens

B．decreases

C．survives

D．disagrees

7.

A．reliable

B．familiar

C．foolish

D．hopeless

8.

A．pace

B．signal

C．attention

D．style

9.

A．corner

B．castle

C．shelter

D．cave

10.

A．bending

B．searching

C．digging

D．burying

11.

A．Gradual

B．Frequent

C．Fluent

D．Total

12.

A．in peace

B．in ruins

C．in charge

D．in danger

13.

A．mind

B．attitude

C．opinion

D．motto

14.

A．released

B．responded

C．replaced

D．bargained

15.

A．affect

B．beg

C．command

D．select

16.

A．ignored

B．solved

C．pretended

D．appreciated

17.

A．broadcast

B．inspect

C．vote

D．doubt

18.

A．disappointment

B．sadness

C．shame

D．relief

19.

A．amazed

B．frightened

C．concerned

D．determined

20.

A．calculated

B．preferred

C．recognized

D．inspected

6 . I have been playing basketball since I've been in the 6th grade. I first started out in the summer before 6th grade when I played for the Park District Traveling Basketball Team. This is where I first learned how to play basketball and found out I wasn't very good at it. This is the main reason why I liked football more than basketball, because I was naturally good at football and didn't have to work as hard. But I was always encouraged to never give up, I kept at it and kept working on my basketball skill so I could be good enough to play for my high school basketball team. I played for my high school basketball team during high school.

During those years in high school, I really began to practice hard on improving my basketball skills. My main goal was to get an athletics scholarship to college and get a free education. I indeed achieved this goal and was awarded a two year basketball scholarship at Parkland Junior College. There in my two years I was truly better than I was when I first started out playing basketball, which I know was because of the hard work I put into improving my skills all throughout my life.

After having two good seasons at Parkland on and off the playground I graduated. The final step I had in mind was to come to Northern Illinois University and make the basketball team. Many doubted me and said I wasn't good enough to make the team, but instead of listening to them, giving up or stopping working hard like I've been doing all my life, I worked the hardest. I've worked over the summer. And all the hard work paid off and I am now a member of the Northern Illinois University Basketball Team.

1. Why did the author prefer football to basketball?

A．His physical condition decided it.	B．He was more skilled at football.
C．He was encouraged to like football.	D．He has been playing football for a long time.

2. For what purpose did the author spend so much time practising basketball in high school?

A．To be the team leader.	B．To go to a good college.
C．To pay no school fees in college.	D．To prove he was good at basketball.

3. What does the underlined expression in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Be ignored.

B．Be employed.

C．Be useless.

D．Be rewarded.

4. What does the story tell us?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Time is money.
C．It's never too old to learn.	D．Failure is the mother of success.

7 . Famous Xi'an Local Bands

Xi’an is not only famous for the local dishes, but also known as a music city. Many classic works have been created. Let's take a look at the local bands in Xi^’an. Are there any songs you are familiar with?

Black Head Band

Their songs are all Shaanxi dialect, which have a magic to make people excited. The most famous song is Shaanxi Food, which tells the special snacks such as Qishan minced noodles, Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, making people hungry.

Ma Fei & Band

This Shaanxi dialect rock band is one of the hottest. The audience are from old to young. The famous songs are "Chang’an County" and " I can Chua". "I can chua^," means useless in Shaanxi dialect. This song describes a funny dating story to face the true life.

Xuanniao Band

Formed in 2014, the band created many songs such as "Yueliang Master", "making money for the rest of your life " and "Old Shaanxi." "Yueliang Master" is about the northern Shaanxi story. The song itself is also a nursery rhyme(童谣)in Guanzhong area. As long as you live in Xi'an, you will fall in love with this song.

Xuan Band

Xuan Band is the youngest group of the four major dialect bands in Shaanxi. Its style is more like both urban ballads and popular dialects, but Xi'an is still the main creative element(元素).

1. Which band's music tells you about the famous local food?

A．Black Head Band.	B．Ma Fei & Band.
C．Xuanniao Band.	D．Xuan Band.

2. What do we know about the son   "Yueliang Master"?

A．It means useless.	B．It's about love.
C．It's a song for kids.	D．It can make people hungry.

3. How is Xuan Band different from other bands?

A．It's a dialect band.	B．Its members are younger.
C．Its style is more popular.	D．It created the most popular song.

8 . 你校最近进行了一次设计机器人比赛，请你以My Android为题介绍你设计的机器人。内容包括：
1.机器人的名字、外观；
2.机器人的用途和功能；
注意：
1.词数80左右；
2.可适当发挥想象，增加细节。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In early December, Zhang Guimei was named a national outstanding(杰出的) member of the Communist Party of China for her    1     (devote) to education in rural China.

About 20 years ago, while on the way to visit a student's house, Zhang Guimei, then a teacher in Huaping, Yunnan province, noticed a girl     2    (sit) on the hillside. The girl, 13, told Zhang she was about to get married. It was decided by her parents. "But I want to go to school." the girl said. Zhang went to her house and tried to persuade her parents     3    (let) the girl return to school and promised to pay for the school fees herself. However, they didn^’t agree.

From then on, Zhang dreamt     4     building a free high school for girls. After years trying to raise money,     5    (final) in 2008, Huaping High School for Girls, a free public high school, was founded at the foot of the Shizi Mountain in Huaping,     6     Zhang is the headmaster. Her efforts have been worth it. Since 2008, more than 18,000 students     7    (admit) to college, which is considered a “miracle” in that distant area.

Zhang plays     8     active part in local education. It is reported that she    9     (give) the honor of the country's “role model for teachers”, in February, 2021. Her moving stories encourage     10    (thousand) of people.

10 . Computer technology has its own special words. One example is the word “mouse”. A computer mouse is not a small animal that lives in buildings or open fields. It is a small object that you move around on a flat surface in front of a computer. The mouse moves the pointer on the computer screen. Computer expert （专家）Douglas Engelbart developed the idea of the mouse in the early 1960s. It was called a mouse because it had a tail at one end. The tail was the wire （电线）that connected it to the computer.

Using a computer takes some training. People who are experts are sometimes called hackers. A hacker is usually a person who writes software programs in a special computer language. But the word “hacker” is also used to describe a person who tries to steal information from computer systems.

Another well known computer word is Google, spelled g-o-o-g-l-e. It is the name of a popular “search engine（引擎）“for the Internet. People use the search engine to find information about almost any subjects on the Internet. People who started the company named it Google because in mathematics, googol, spelled g-o-o-g-o-I, is an extremely large number. It is the number followed by one hundred zeros.

If you Google someone, you might find that person's name on a blog. A blog is the shortened name for a Weblog. A blog is a personal Web page. It may have stories, opinions, pictures and links（链接）to other Web sites. Some people add information to their blogs every day. People who have blogs are called bloggers.

Blogs are not the same as spam. Spam is unwanted sales messages sent to your electronic mailbox...

1. How did the computer mouse get its name?

A．Because of its size.	B．Because of its use.
C．Because of its appearance.	D．Because of mouse's living habits.

2. A hacker refers to a person who.

A．often surfs the Internet	B．steals things from other people
C．needs some training in computer	D．is experienced in writing computer language

3. How did the author develop the passage?

A．By giving examples.

B．By following the order of time.

C．By asking and answering questions.

D．By comparing different computer words.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Computer technology.

B．Some famous computer experts.

C．Some computer words and their meanings.

D．How to use some computer words properly.