1 . In January, 2021, the ice-making work on the ”Ice Ribbon“, a landmark venue for the Beijing Winter Olympics, was completed.

In the Winter Olympics, where races can be won or lost by a small time gap, tiny imperfections in the ice can make all the differences. ”It’s not just a hunk of ice like you’d normally think of, like ice cubes sitting in your freezer,“ told Kenneth Golden, a U. S. mathematician who studies the structures of ice. ”It’s a much more fascinating and complex substance than people would normally think.“

The first step for building any ice rink is to purify the water to remove dissolved solids like salts and minerals. Such impurities don’t fit in the regular hexagonal(六边形的)structure of ice that forms as water freezes. The purer the water, the more consistent the ice surface.

In addition to the need for excellence in the raw materials of ice-making, technology is also very important, As one of the most advanced technologies for winter sports venues, a carbon dioxide cooling technology has been applied on a large scale for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. CO₂ , is not new when it comes to ice-making. However, it has been gradually replaced by the man-made refrigerant, like Freon.

With increasing attention toward climate change, the old refrigerant has come into use again. As an element of the atmosphere, CO₂, doesn’t damage the ozone layer. Although CO₂ is a greenhouse gas, its greenhouse effect is much lower than that of other synthetic refrigerants. The Winter Olympics venues adopted CO₂ instead of Freon as a refrigerant in ice-making, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions greatly.

”We believe these technological innovations will bring Beijing 2022 to spectators all over the world in a more impressive way.“ told Gao Bo from the Media Operations Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

1. What is the result of impurities in water for ice-making?

A．The water isn’t able to freeze completely.

B．The quality of the ice will be affected.

C．The ice surface will be more consistent.

D．It’s likely for athletes to fall on the ice.

2. Why has CO₂ cooling technology been applied for the Winter Olympic Games?

A．It’s the most advanced technology for ice-making.

B．CO2 is more efficient than other refrigerants.

C．CO2 is more environmentally friendly than Freon.

D．CO2 has already existed in the atmosphere.

3. What is Gao Bo’s attitude to CO₂ being applied to ice-making?

A．Unclear.

B．Opposed.

C．Doubtful.

D．Favorable.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．The Beijing Winter Olympic Games Are Coming

B．Beneath Olympic Ice

C．The Use of Refrigerants in Olympic Games

D．The Structure of Ice

2 . You might think of it as a scene from martial arts movies when you see people performing graceful moves down the river, all standing on a bamboo strip, but actually it is a form of intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产): bamboo drifting.

Over 2,000 years ago, the high-quality wood, nanmu, in Guizhou was in great demand by the royal court more than 2,000 kilometers to the north. With no better transportation, people had to stand on one log to drift down the river. Later, local people began to compete along the way and the game of wood drifting was born. In the Qing Dynasty, wood drifting became bamboo drifting because of bamboo’s lower price. Due to the great strength and balance it takes for one to master this act, bamboo drifting was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.

Yang Liu, a 25-year-old inheritor of bamboo drifting, learned it at seven. “Usually, the bamboo under your feet is about 9 meters long, and the bamboo in your hands is about 5 meters. If the length or diameter of the bamboo is not long enough, it will not be buoyant (有浮力的) enough to float. Keeping our feet firmly positioned on the narrow bamboo pole is the key, so we should fight against the current by constantly changing the angle. I lost my balance and fell in the water many times while practicing. Once I fell, I gave it another try until I knew how to handle the most difficult part,” she said.

The love for the ancient skill keeps Yang going. In the past 18 years, she has drifted all year round, in cold winter and hot summer. As hanfu culture has been on the rise, Yang started wearing hanfu while performing, creating a more beautiful scene. In 2020, Yang began to post her videos on social media. “I’m extremely proud to get responses from viewers that bamboo drifting makes the line between what is possible and impossible unclear. It’s my mission to keep it alive and known to more people,” Yang Liu says.

1. What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?

A．Bamboo drifting involves lots of skills.

B．Nanmu was delivered to the north by land.

C．Bamboo was costly in Guizhou 2,000 years ago.

D．The martial arts movie is a form of cultural heritage.

2. What is the biggest challenge in bamboo drifting?

A．Keeping balance.	B．Maintaining a fixed angle.
C．Finding the proper bamboo.	D．Holding the bamboo firmly in hands.

3. What do the viewers think of bamboo drifting?

A．Impossible.

B．Confusing.

C．Unbelievable.

D．Complicated.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Balancing with Grace	B．Yang Liu: a Creative Performer
C．Transporting Bamboo down the River	D．Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guizhou

3 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours

San Francisco Winery Tour
Running: February 1st through April 30th

This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)

Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.
Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st

This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.

Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st

Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.

Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd

This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.

Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?

A．San Francisco Winery Tour.	B．Back to the Fifties Tour.
C．Spooky Hallowen Tour.	D．Holiday Lights Tour.

2. What can tourists do on Back to the Fifties Tours?

A．Go to Treasure Island.	B．Enjoy the holiday scenes.
C．Have free ice cream.	D．Visit the Presidio district.

3. What are tourists required to do to go on Holiday Lights Tour?

A．Take some drinks.	B．Set off early in the morning.
C．Wear warm clothes.	D．Make reservations in advance.

4 . Every day, millions of people surf the Internet, and there are countless websites for them to visit. Here are four popular websites for online users.

https://www. cracked. com

If you’re old enough, you might remember Cracked, the monthly magazine that was founded in 1958. Although the magazine is no longer printed, the website hutps://uwww. crached. com is still alive. The content(内容)of Cracked is humorous and tries to tell readers something new and unexpected.

https://www. buzzfeed. com

Are you looking for links to big news on the Internet? Look no further than hutps://www. buzafeed. com. Each day the website offers the latest stories and pictures that are crazily spread. BuzzFeed covers different topics and its articles are written by staff members, site users, and partner sites like The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast.

https://www. reddit. com

Reddit calls itself“the front page of the Internet”, and that is exactly what it is. Just as many people used to read the newspaper while eating breakfast, one to two million Internet users read Reddit every morning to get their daily news. The content of this website comes entirely from the public, with users uploading(上传) videos, links, stories, pictures, etc.

https://imgur. com

Do you know many of the funny pictures, GIFs and emojis(表情符号) that hit your Facebook come from Imgur? It’s a free website where users upload 1. 5 million pictures each day. Imgur users are especially fond of pictures of cute animals and beautiful natural wonders. And it is free to read and use. You can download any photo you like.

1. Which of the following can best describe the content of Cracked?

A．Serious and classical.	B．Formal and influential.
C．Funny and surprising.	D．Traditional and educational.

2. What does BuzzFeed mainly offer?

A．The funniest pictures.	B．The most humorous articles.
C．The latest videos.	D．The hottest news.

3. Which website should you visit if you want to collect lots of emojis for free?

A．https://www. crached. com.	B．https://imgur. com.
C．https://www. buzfeed. com.	D．https://www. reddit. com.

5 . Central Park

Explore Central Park, one of the largest city parks in the world and one of the most famous symbols of New York. Let’s have a look at its main sights.

Central Park is New York’s largest city park and one of the biggest in the world, with an area of 843 acres (about 3.4km²). This park is home to man-made lakes, waterfalls, grass and wooded areas. You will also find the Central Park Zoo, among other attractions in this greenspace of New York.

Besides being the city’s primary green lungs, Central Park is also a favorite spot for many New Yorkers. It is perfect for sunbathing, going for walks, or doing any outdoor sports. Something that we found curious is seeing so many people running with their babies in prams (婴儿车).

On Foot or by Bicycle

To get to know some of the wildest parts of Central Park we suggest walking. However, to get a general feel for the whole park, the best thing to do is hire a bicycle and enjoy the scenery.

If you decide to hire a bike, you will find lots of bike rental stores around Central Park that are not very expensive.

Open Time

From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

From 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Price

Entry to the Park is free. But if you visit some parts like Central Park Zoo, you need to buy a ticket.

Transport

Subway: Line 5, 6, 7, A, B, C and D．

Bus: Line M1, M2, M3, M4 and M10.

Nearby places

Metropolitan Museum of Art (447 m)

Guggenheim Museum (564 m)

American Museum of Natural History (688 m)

Whitney Museum of American Art (1 km)

The Frick Collection (1.3 km)

1. What can we learn about the Central Park from the text?

A．It is home to lakes and waterfalls.

B．It is perfect for doing outdoor sports.

C．It is the largest city park in the world.

D．It is the most famous symbol of New York.

2. Which one of the following things is free?

A．Hiring a bicycle.	B．Entrance to Central Park.
C．Visiting Central Park Zoo.	D．Going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

3. Where can we find this text?

A．In a science report.	B．In a geography book.
C．In a fashion magazine.	D．In a travel guide.

6 . Owura Kwadwo Hottish teaches computer science in a school. It is a normal school except for the fact that it didn’t have______

Owura became famous after he posted photos of him on the Internet. In the picture. people could see he was teaching his students by______ an entire computer on the blackboard.The photos showed the______level of education for children in Ghana. People were______ that Owura made sure each button was drawn correctly. He would come to school half an hour ahead of______every day. He drew the computer on the blackboard, but at the end of his class, it was______off to start the next class, so he had to______it the next day! Owura’s efforts______when Microsoft took______of his act. They first took him to an international educators’ meeting in Singapore. He made a______about his teaching methods at the meeting and ______a standing ovation(欢呼) after the speech.

______,Owura got the thing he always wanted for his students—some companies______computers to the school. Not a single child in the school had seen a real computer in their lives. Thanks to their teacher’s______the world took care and treat them with ______

1.

A．classrooms

B．computers

C．playgrounds

D．tools

2.

A．operating

B．repairing

C．describing

D．drawing

3.

A．poor

B．unique

C．average

D．avanced

4.

A．annoyed

B．pleased

C．frightened

D．surprised

5.

A．line

B．culture

C．schedule

D．school

6.

A．rubbed

B．called

C．cut

D．shown

7.

A．exchange

B．improve

C．revise

D．repeat

8.

A．broke out

B．paid off

C．came back

D．held back

9.

A．care

B．control

C．place

D．notice

10.

A．suggestion

B．speech

C．decision

D．arrangement

11.

A．made

B．waited

C．received

D．carried

12.

A．Suddenly

B．Importantly

C．Exactly

D．Naturally

13.

A．lent

B．sold

C．donated

D．applied

14.

A．efforts

B．pains

C．legend

D．experiment

15.

A．glory

B．wisdom

C．kindness

D．pride

7 . When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.

Of course, he delivered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note — “Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery” — and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically (魔术般) appear.

All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn’t freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.

There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk, thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete. Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practical to have a delivery service.

Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories. I took it home and planted it on the back porch (门廊) . Every so often my son’s friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.

1. Mr. Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer to __________.

A．show his magical power	B．pay for the delivery
C．satisfy his curiosity	D．please his mother

2. What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy’s house?

A．He wanted to have tea there.	B．He was a respectable person.
C．He was treated as a family member.	D．He was fully trusted by the family.

3. Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?

A．Nobody wants to be a milkman now.	B．It has been driven out of the market.
C．Its service is getting poor.	D．It is not allowed by law.

4. Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?

A．He missed the good old days.	B．He wanted to tell interesting stories.
C．He needed it for his milk bottles.	D．He planted flowers in it.

9 . In the world of digital health, Silicon Valley-based Mindstrong stands out. It has a remarkable team and tens of millions of funding. It also has a fascinating idea-its app, based on mental functioning research, can help detect troubling mental health patterns by collecting data on person’s smartphone usage-how quickly they type, for instance.

The company’s app collects information about how people are typing and runs it through a machine learning algorithm (计算程序) to determine which data can predict their emotional state. The idea is to use that data to establish a “normal” pattern-so it can be compared with someone’s typing habits on any given day. If the habits change, slower or more anxious than normal, the app can warn a health care provider.

The promise of this technology has made Mindstrong incredibly popular since it was launched last year; already more than a dozen counties in California have agreed to apply the company’s app to patients. Does the app live up to its promise? There’s no way to tell. Almost no one outside the company has any idea whether it works, leading some experts to wonder if the technology is ready for the real world. “I wouldn’t waste all that time and money in the wild until they get sure that some of those things are as specific as they hope they are,” said Rosalind Picard, a researcher at MIT Media Lab, who is familiar with Mindstrongs work.

“It has passed the gold-standard clinical tests for depression and anxiety,” said Dr. Paul Dagum, the company’s founder. “We’re confident, and we’re already seeing some really exciting results.” Mindstrong officials said that among their most encouraging results is that its app can even predict how a person will feel next week, kind of like a weather app for your mood. “For a clinician(临床医生) or someone looking after a patient, they know that it could be very, very powerful,” Dagum said.

1. What can Mindstrong’s app do?

A．Improve its users’ mental health.	B．Get its users to type more quickly.
C．Discover its users’ mental state.	D．Work out the causes of its users’ trouble.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The ways of collecting data.	B．The app’s working principle.
C．The analysis of typing habits.	D．The development of the app.

3. What is Rosalind Picard’s attitude towards the app?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Uncaring.

D．Defensive.

4. What can we infer about Dagum’s opinion on the app?

A．The app has a powerful effect on anxiety.

B．The app can also predict weather conditions.

C．Care providers could be supporters of the app.

D．Doctors benefit more from the app than their patients.

10 . “Time flies. Youth fades; treasure each moment of your life,” accompanied by guitar and drums, the Band for One, made up of five people, sang the lyrics soulfully during a performance in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on November 7.

Behind the band, there was a picture of a young man named Philip Hancock shown on the screen. And he is the reason they were all there. Hancock was a 27-year-old Australian who taught English in Chongqing. When he died in 2018 due to complications from diabetes, his parents followed his wishes and donated his organs with the help of the Red Cross Society of China’s Chongqing branch.

“I’m Philip’s liver”; “I’m Philip’s kidney”; “I’m Philip’s eyes.” The five people — a real estate salesperson, a famer, a former truck driver and two doctors introduced themselves onstage. They are the ones who received Philip’s organs.

Last year, Chen Xianjun, former truck driver, knew from Red Cross officials that Philip loved music and dreamed of having his own band one day. Chen and the other four recipients instantly decided to form a band in memory of Philip.

Since they had no music experience, they had to start from scratch. From learning the guitar to mastering the maracas and taking on the drums, they took time out of their busy lives to rehearse over the past year, even during the pandemic.

“Picking up a new instrument is certainly difficult at my age, but we managed to achieve it,” said Mo Li, the 36-year- old real estate salesman. “I think Philip not only gave me a renewed life, but also some ‘musical cells’ that enable me to appreciate beautiful melodies.”

Organ donation is not only the best way to memorialize a loved one, but also a remarkable way to save the lives of others. But according to Xinhua, China faces a serious shortage of organs, with about 300,000 people waiting for organ transplant surgeries each year. But the good news is that more and more people are joining Philip.

1. Band for One was formed to         .

A．remember Philip

B．celebrate their renewed life

C．raise money for Philip’s parents

D．raise public awareness of organ donation

2. Which of the following best describes the members of the band?

A．Successful.

B．Skillful.

C．Grateful.

D．Helpful.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The pandemic once stopped their rehearsal.

B．Mo Li was 36 years old when he joined the band.

C．The recipients are from different walks of life.

D．About 300,000 people have organ transplant surgeries each year.

4. What’s the writing purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To call on more organ donations.

B．To let more people know what Philip did.

C．To make the severe shortage of organs known to the public.

D．To inform the public the importance of organ transplant surgeries.