2 . 阅读短文，并按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

Many of the present generation of recent over 18s do not feel like adults, according to a survey by Nationwide Building Society, and those commenting online seem to agree. The study of 2, 000 over-18s found more than one in 10 did not think of themselves as fully fledged（成熟的）grown-ups until they reached the age of 27．

Lisa Daisy, 34 said, “Even after a career for 10 years, it still took being married to make me feel grown-up. ”

But 42-year-old, Carole Lutringer said she felt like an adult when she was very young. “I had to cook from my early age, because my mother worked as a headteacher. ” she said. “My mother came back home late and my father was pretty useless in the kitchen. I had to be independent from really early on, and that’s probably what made me feel grown-up earlier than most of my peers. ”

Sana Khalid also had adulthood thrust upon her. She said it was the death of her father that made her grow up, at the age of 17. “Being the eldest child, a lot of responsibility fell on my shoulders. ” she said.

Of course 2,000 people asked when they felt like adults, the transition happened for half in their 20s, while a fifth said it happened in their 30s. One in 20 felt they had not grown up until their 40s. Of course questioned, 55% said being an adult was dependent on major life events, for example having children, moving out of parental home or getting married.

For others, such as Elaine Smith, in London, adulthood is only a state of mind. “I still don’t feel grown-up. ” she said. “I can’t believe I am responsible for looking after a four-year-old. How did that happen? I’m 44 this year, so it may happen soon. ” Commenting online, Sophie counter agreed, “I’m 42, ” she said. “I have an 11-year-old, a seven-month-old, a husband and I still don’t feel grown-up” Melinda Wilmot said, “I’m 58 and still waiting to grow up. ”

1. What does the survey focus on? (No more than 10 words)
2. What made Carole Lutringer feel grown-up? (No more than 10 words. )
3. What does the underlined part “had adulthood thrust upon her”   in paragraph 4 probably mean? (No more than 5 words)
4. What can we learn from the last paragraph? (No more than 10 words)
5. What do you think growing up really means? And why? (No more than 25 words)

3 . “Girls are weak, and boys are strong. This is what is being subconsciously communicated to hundreds of millions of young boys and girls all over the world, just like it was with me,” said American actor Justin Baldoni. As a boy, all he wanted was to be accepted by other people. That acceptance meant he had to pretend to be strong when he was weak, confident when he felt insecure, and tough when he was actually hurting.

Is that a healthy lifestyle? A member of the CPPCC Standing Committee might say “yes”. In his proposal, he spoke of a need to “prevent the feminization of male youths”. In response to his call, China’s Ministry of Education has recently demanded that schools should hire more physical education teachers and improve teaching methods to cultivate masculinity in students.

The response has been widely debated online, with many people saying that it reinforces gender stereotypes. The state broadcaster CCTV wrote on its Weibo account, “Education is not simply about cultivating men and women. It’s more important to develop a willingness to take responsibility.” You might be wondering now: What is masculinity, and why is this so controversial?

Well, by itself, “masculinity” refers to the qualities traditionally considered to be typical of men. While there is not really a single “correct” set of qualities, the term is often associated with strength, courage, assertiveness, and emotional control. Sometimes, however, these seemingly admirable qualities can be extended in unrealistic ways. But boys are also human. Blindly asking them to control their feelings “like a man” can only increase their stress when they grow up.

As an educator who has spent years teaching in China, I agree that attaching more importance to physical education would definitely benefit students. Sports provide opportunities for physical fitness. More importantly, they can help develop lifelong skills, such as leadership and communication skills. However, putting the emphasis on masculinity is far from a sound reason for which to do so.

It is unnecessary for all boys to build up their muscles, but it is essential that they all learn how to be strong inside. It is also fine for boys to cry and to show their weakness. Schools should work on equipping students with the skills and values they will need to be successful in life, not reinforcing stereotypes of masculinity borrowed from a bygone age.

1. Why did young Justin Baldoni think it necessary to pretend to be what he was actually not?

A．He was trying to be strong and confident.

B．He wanted to be accepted as a real man.

C．It was necessary for an actor to be strong and tough.

D．He felt it secure and safe to do so.

2. The underlined expression “masculinity” in Paragraph 2 most probably means “__________”

A．manly qualities	B．potential abilities
C．self-centredness	D．steady strength

3. What is the argument against the demand of China’s Ministry of Education?

A．It is necessary to prevent the feminization of male youths.

B．Physical education should be paid more attention to.

C．We should teach students according to their individual qualities.

D．Importance should be attached to developing students’ sense of responsibility.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Masculinity is out of date.

B．Masculinity is overstated.

C．Masculinity shows physical strength.

D．Masculinity only focuses on physical fitness.

5. What does the author want to say in the article?

A．We should do everything we can to guarantee students’ health.

B．Schools should differentiate between boys and girls while educating them.

C．It is important to prepare students with necessary skills and right values.

D．It is time to weaken stereotypes of masculinity.

5 . Emily Bhatnagar, a 17-year-old-girl, developed serious health issues — depression and anxiety. However, she found a way to _________ that negative feelings into something good. Books were her _________, so maybe, she thought, she could help others who were _________ challenges also escape into the pages of a book.

This summer, she decided to start collecting new or lightly used _________ for children of all ages, with the _________ of distributing them to health-care services. When she initially wrote a _________ asking for books on the neighborhood networking site Nextdoor, “I was only _________ two to three responses,” she said. To her delight, hundreds of neighbors _________ offered to support her book drive (捐书活动), and before long, “there were boxes of books just piled up at my front door,” Bhatnagar said.

On Oct. 5, Bhatnagar with her parents, _________ 2, 215 books to the Children’s National Hospital in D. C. “Kids treated here will stay in the hospital for extended periods of time. Reading helps to ______________ them from the boring and fearful course and makes the time ______________   quicker,” said Allie Slocum, doctor at the Children’s National Hospital. Likewise, staff at lnova Health System in Virginia are thrilled about the 1, 400 ______________ books Bhatnagar dropped off on Sunday. “A book is super ______________. It is a small thing that can have a big ______________,” said Fadi Saadeh, senior director at the Inova Cares Clinic for Families.

The ______________ Bhatnagar gets from collecting and donating books is, “Brilliant,” She said, adding that she also buys books to contribute to the initiative, using ______________ she earns while working at her family’s bread shop. “The book drive gives me a sense of ____________.” Since the start of her book gathering, “she has come ______________ her shell so much, I feel so ______________ of her, and I am sure all those kids are enjoying those books as well,” said her mother. “It’s like she found her voice, and it’s so beautiful to see her using it to ______________ joy.”

1.

A．impress

B．channel

C．inform

D．narrow

2.

A．company

B．wisdom

C．imagination

D．achievement

3.

A．providing

B．evaluating

C．encountering

D．enjoying

4.

A．novels

B．books

C．magazines

D．surveys

5.

A．aim

B．love

C．help

D．wonder

6.

A．mail

B．post

C．paper

D．story

7.

A．requiring

B．complaining

C．expecting

D．replying

8.

A．worriedly

B．apparently

C．hesitantly

D．eagerly

9.

A．introduced

B．delivered

C．compared

D．returned

10.

A．attract

B．disappoint

C．beat

D．distract

11.

A．give out

B．fall on

C．go by

D．use up

12.

A．donated

B．broken

C．virtual

D．dramatic

13.

A．luxury

B．valuable

C．limited

D．friendly

14.

A．mouth

B．chance

C．impact

D．question

15.

A．feeling

B．report

C．fame

D．stuff

16.

A．burden

B．praise

C．options

D．tips

17.

A．safety

B．purpose

C．reality

D．humor

18.

A．out of

B．into

C．over

D．down

19.

A．certain

B．proud

C．aware

D．capable

20.

A．express

B．spread

C．keep

D．decrease

8 . 阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

It was a tough situation. At 8,700 meters above sea level, Zhang Hong and his team members faced a difficult decision. Based on the oxygen they had consumed, they might not have enough to reach the summit of Qomolangma. Should they press on or turn back?

Zhang’s guide Chen Tao made a quick decision that he and the two photographers with the group should immediately withdraw and leave their oxygen tanks to Zhang to let him finish the climb to the summit of the mountain.

The wind was strong, and Zhang was terrified. The three Sherpa guides didn’t speak Chinese and their English instructions to Zhang were muffled by the high wind. And there was additional difficulty for Zhang — he can’t see.

To walk on a path was often hard for the Chinese mountaineer. And there was no actual path on the mountain. Zhang had to follow the guides’ directions precisely on every single step. The guides told him in which direction to go and the length of each step. But one mistake could cost Zhang his life.

At first, Zhang didn’t want to continue. But Chen told Zhang “if you don’t continue, this may be the last chance you have to reach the top of Qomolangma, while I will still have more chances”. There was no time left for 46-year-old Zhang to argue with Chen and Chen gave Zhang a gentle nudge to hurry him on.

Zhang continued his climb with one guide in front of him and two behind. After several more hours’ climbing, the guide leading the way told Zhang that he was standing at the top of the mountain. Zhang was first visually impaired person from Asia ever to conquer the world’s highest peak.

On the rock face of the mountain, Zhang etched his name alongside that of Erik Weihenmayer and Andy Holzer, who completed the feat in 2001 and 2017 respectively. They are the only three blind mountaineers to have climbed Qomolangma.

1. Why did Chen decide to withdraw while letting Zhang finish the climb?(no more than 10 words)
________________
2. How do you understand the underlined part in Paragraph 3? (no more than 10 words)
________________
3. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 5? (no more than 10 words)
________________
4. What made Zhang different from other mountaineers who reached the summit of Qomolangma? (no more than 10 words)
________________
5. What’s your attitude towards the “mountain” in your life? Please explain. (no more than 20 words)
________________

9 . Expertise (专门技能) is what separates amateurs from true masters in almost any field. You might wonder whether experts are “born” or “made”. Experts in the field prove that expertise is acquired through dedicated practice, but how exactly people go about becoming experts?

People who become experts tend to get a body of knowledge that makes them one of the most knowledgeable individuals in their field. They also possess the skills that they need to determine when and how to use their knowledge. Recently, a popular idea has emerged that the key to becoming an expert is devoting at least 10,000 hours to the study and practice of a subject. Pop psychology author Malcolm Gladwell created the phrase “the ten-thousand-hour rule”. Gladwell also suggested tech-entrepreneur Bill Gates had devoted 10,000 hours to practicing programming before he created Microsoft.

Anders Ericsson of the University of Florida, who is a famous expert, has studied the experts from all walks of life and points out deficiency of “the ten-thousand-hour rule”. Ericsson believes that what separates the amateur from experts is what is referred to as deliberate practice. Ordinary practice can help people become skilled at a task, but such practice involves working on things that are outside of their current skill-level, setting goals, and receiving training and instruction from a qualified teacher.

While Ericsson believes deliberate practice is the key to becoming an expert, not all researchers agree with his conclusion. Some recent studies have found deliberate practice isn’t the only factor that explains the differences between the skilled and the unskilled. While psychologists aren’t sure exactly which factors might also play a role, personality traits, physical characteristics, and overall intelligence may matter as well.

Practice is essential for developing a skill, but becoming an expert requires constantly challenging yourself to do better, learn more, and acquire new knowledge and skills. Simply practicing the same skills over and over again will make you better in those areas, but it won’t lead to true experts.

1. What can we know about experts?

A．They are able to apply knowledge flexibly and properly.

B．They have a good command of knowledge of other fields.

C．They are born with the ability to master professional skills.

D．They acquire expertise through the development of individuality.

2. What is Gladwell’s purpose of using the example of Bill Gates?

A．To prove his “the ten-thousand-hour rule”.

B．To show 10,000 hours’ devotion could create Microsoft.

C．To prove becoming experts has little to do with personal skills.

D．To show the importance of researching various subjects at the same time.

3. What does the underlined word “deficiency” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Influence.

B．Uncertainty.

C．Significance

D．Disadvantage.

4. Why don’t all researchers approve of Anders Ericsson’s view?

A．They think deliberate practice is not reasonable.

B．They think he fails to provide a basis for his opinion.

C．They place greater emphasis on the psychological level.

D．They think he might ignore other aspects of being an expert.

5. Which statement does the author probably agree with?

A．Practice should be carried on within one’s familiar skill-level.

B．Constant improvement of learning skills can lead to true expertise.

C．Being an expert is more than the result of practising the same skills.

D．Ordinary practice is the most important condition for being an expert.

6. In this passage, the author intends to tell us how to ________.

A．become a true expert	B．take advantage of new skills
C．acquire new knowledge and skills	D．tell a “born” expert from a “made” expert