1 . What distinguishes an outstanding city? The Global Cities Index assesses cities based on diverse criteria, including:

·Business – The presence of multinational corporations. How many global companies are in the city? Does the city do a lot of international business?

·People – The city’s ability to attract talents globally. Does the city attract talented people from around the world? What’s proportion of residents with higher education?

·Media – The accessibility of varied information channels. How many residents have Internet access?

·Entertainment – The availability of leisure and cultural activities. Does the city have many entertainment options: museums, sports, music, and different types of restaurants?

Future Leaders       

Most cities on the Global Cities Index are strong in certain areas. Beijing’s strength, for example, is business, while Los Angeles’s strength is people. Which cities will become more powerful in the future?

·Asia: Beijing and Shanghai are both business centers and will continue to grow. In a few years, they will potentially match New York’s influence. Indian cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi have a lot of business potential, too.

·South America: urban centers like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in Brazil will gain influence. In these cities, the middle class is growing, and life for many people is improving.

·The Middle East: Istanbul in Turkey, Cairo in Egypt, and the cities of the United Arab Emirates such as Dubai will hold more power in international politics and business, especially in helping East and West work together.

In 10 years, the top cities on the index may be different, but one thing is certain: With over 50 percent of the world’s people now living in urban areas, tomorrow’s global cities will be more powerful than ever.

1. Which aspect is considered in the Global Cities Index?

A．Education.

B．Climate.

C．Transportation.

D．Location

2. Which parts of the world are predicted to grow in the area of business?

A．Asia and Europe.	B．Asia and South America.
C．Asia and the Middle East.	D．South America and the Middle East.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Similarities between top cities.	B．The ways to become global cities.
C．Daily life in fastest-growing cities.	D．Forecast on future influential cities.

2 . The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyone's daily life. While our experiences were ________, there's one thing many of us had in common: quarantine (隔离期) hair.

Salons (美发厅) were closed for months, but our ________ didn't stop growing. So my 12-year-old daughter, who needed a haircut even before the quarantine, ________ to do something good with her hair. She planned to donate (捐赠) it.

We had ________ donating her hair before, so she ________ that it needed to be a certain length. “Maybe someday,” she said.

And I wasn't surprised when she said she was ________ with her hair having grown ________ enough to both meet the donation requirement and leave her with a shoulder-length haircut during the quarantine.

When the salon finally ________ again, my daughter sat ________ in the chair and talked to the hairdresser. She mentioned how great it was that she could ________ someone else just by cutting her hair. Listening to their conversation, I wondered when my daughter had become so mature (成熟的).

Any ________ I had that she would regret her decision disappeared as I watched the hairdresser hand her the first ponytail (马尾辫). She was ________ and looked at it in excitement.

She wanted a ________, and she got it. I went into that salon with my little girl. I ________ with a young lady and a bag filled with the hair.

Days later, as we stood in line at the post office to mail her hair, I looked at my daughter and felt ________ of the kind and thoughtful young lady she'd become.

1.

A．useful

B．important

C．interesting

D．different

2.

A．hair

B．population

C．weight

D．business

3.

A．remembered

B．continued

C．learned

D．decided

4.

A．kept on

B．succeeded in

C．talked about

D．benefited from

5.

A．knew

B．imagined

C．agreed

D．wondered

6.

A．safe

B．nervous

C．ready

D．busy

7.

A．thick

B．long`

C．strong

D．straight

8.

A．opened

B．moved

C．disappeared

D．failed

9.

A．hopelessly

B．carefully

C．regretfully

D．confidently

10.

A．guide

B．visit

C．help

D．invite

11.

A．worries

B．dreams

C．difficulties

D．comments

12.

A．silent

B．satisfied

C．frightened

D．strict

13.

A．bag

B．reply

C．job

D．change

14.

A．traveled around

B．walked out

C．ran away

D．broke in

15.

A．proud

B．tired

C．shy

D．ashamed

3 . Born in London on 28 November 1772, Luke Howard was interested in the weather from an early age     1     He was instead easily distracted (分心) by the clouds he could see through the window. He started his career as a pharmacist, producing and sending out medicines for people.     2     He soon became an amateur meteorologist (业余气象学者).

In 1802, Howard presented his research in a lecture to the Askesian Society, a club for people who were interested in science. At this point, meteorology hadn't progressed as much as other sciences, because it was difficult to take observations when the weather was always changing. To take his observations, Howard did sketches (草图) of the clouds as they moved and changed in the sky.     3    

Howard suggested that although the shapes of clouds were changing, there were three basic types of clouds in the sky, to which he gave Latin names.     4    . The second was“cumulus”, meaning heap (一堆) or pile. And the third was “stratus”, meaning layer or sheet. He also introduced four other cloud types to recognize the changing clouds when they are joining together or breaking apart. In 1803, he published his research in a paper called “On the Modifications of Clouds”.

After the publication of Howard's research, the field of meteorology continued to develop. Scientists now have a much greater understanding of weather patterns (模式) all around the world.     5     Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, said, “His scientific work helped us understand our climate.”

A．There are now 10 types of clouds.

B．But his true passion was meteorology.

C．But it was Howard's work that started it all.

D．He couldn't stay focused when he was at school.

E．This helped him to recognize the forms we know today.

F．Howard's findings also inspired the artist John Constable.

G．The first was called “cirrus”, which means tendril or hair in Latin.

4 . I had no idea that the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) existed (存在) until I went to the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder club fair with my best friend in September. There was a stand that was run to find volunteers for the festival in the spring, and I signed up. I wasn't quite passionate (狂热的) about films but just wanted to do some volunteer work.

The first volunteer shift I had was before the festival started, and I got to organize all of the passes needed for the festival, including those of all the volunteers, sponsors, filmmakers, and VIP members. I even managed to get a picture of myself and Ale c Baldwin's pass.

During the festival, I worked as a vaccine (疫苗) checker, checking people's vaccination cards and giving out wristbands since BIFF required everyone to be vaccinated to enter the many halls. This job-wasn't terrible, except for the fact that we were outside most of the time and it was snowing. By the end, I could hardly feel my feet, but I kept in high spirits.

After finishing my volunteer work, I was able to see a few films for free. Besides some short films, I really enjoyed “The Last Mountain,” a documentary about the life and death on a mountain in 2019 of the British climber, Tom Ballard, and the mountaineering history of his family. While I was crying throughout most of the movie, it was an inspiring story about love and passion.

I really enjoyed my time at BIFF. It was well-organized and everyone working for the festival was passionate about making it a great experience for everyone alike. Next year, I hope to invite some of my friends to volunteer with me, or at least encourage them to watch a couple of amazing films!

1. Where did the author find out about BIFF?

A．At a volunteer event he had attended.	B．At the CU Boulder club fair.
C．From a volunteer of BIFF.	D．From his best friend.

2. What volunteer work did the author do during the festival?

A．He guided people to different places at the festival.

B．He made wristbands for people who asked for them.

C．He gave out passes to filmmakers and VIP members.

D．He made sure everyone attending the festival was vaccinated.

3. What can we learn about the film “The Last Mountain”?

A．It is about a wealthy British family.	B．It is difficult to understand.
C．It is a sad story.	D．It is really short.

4. What is the author's purpose in writing this text?

A．To introduce a special film festival.

B．To share his experiences at a film festival.

C．To show how he developed an interest in films.

D．To discuss the benefits of volunteering at film festivals.

6 . Mei Lum is the fifth-generation owner of Wing on Wo & Co. in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

For Lum, the oldest-running business in Manhattan’s Chinatown sees the neighbourhood growing larger and larger and is an informal living room where she came of age. In the store on Mott Street, she shared meals with her family, took Chinese lessons with her grandparents and helped clean the store as a young girl.

Wing on Wo was started in the 1890s. In the early days, Wing on Wo was a general store that mainly sold dried fish and canned (罐装的) goods. It was also an informal post office. When Lum’s grandmother, Nancy, took over in 1965, she decided to focus on porcelain (瓷器) specifically. Its heyday (全盛时期) was the late 70s to the late 80s. A lot of the goods came from Hong Kong, where Lum’s grandfather grew up.

In 2016, her grandmother planned to sell the porcelain specialty shop and its building. Lum, who was preparing to study international relations at Columbia University, decided to take over the store — not only to preserve (保护) its cultural value, but to create a community centre.

“I see the store as a place for conversation for Asian Americans. They want to learn about family history and tradition, and are curious about their cultural identity. I want them to learn about their identity through our porcelain,” Lum said.

Wing on Wo has remained a family business from its founding. Lum’s father, Gary, has been manning the counter (柜台) for the past 30 years. Her mother, Lorraine, processes orders and manages the website. Even her grandmother helps out with some work in the store.

The pandemic pushed Lum to start learning how to run an online store. She’s also added a lot of new activities, including youth programs, an artist residency and a ceramicist fair, to ensure that in addition to preserving tradition, the business is shaping the future of Chinatown.

1. What did the store mean to Lum according to paragraph 2?

A．It gave her a chance to help her neighbours.

B．It played an important role in her childhood.

C．It helped her to develop a money-saving lifestyle.

D．It had a great influence on her choice of university.

2. What did Nancy do in 1965?

A．She sold Wing on Wo.	B．She opened a new general store.
C．She began selling only porcelain in the store.	D．She changed the store into a porcelain factory.

3. Why did Lum decide to take over the store?

A．To collect money for her college education.

B．To learn business skills from her grandmother.

C．To encourage young people to start a family business.

D．To provide a historical connection for Asian Americans.

4. Which of the following best describes Lum?

A．Responsible and forward-looking.	B．Humorous and hard-working.
C．Creative and honest.	D．Kind and patient.

7 . 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。

Facial surgery (手术) is a serious business, especially on children     1     are not yet fully grown but Melbourne researchers are developing a technique that could change the face of children’s surgery.

This new     2     (develop) will allow doctors to work out a child’s normal face shape at different ages to predict (预测) future growth.

Researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) could soon replace the ruler currently     3     (use) to track changes in a child’s head and face with 3D images. By     4     (improve) the ability to predict normal growth and future changes in a child’s face, doctors will be able to    5     (well) complete their surgery than before.

MCRI’s Mr Harold Matthews said current     6     (method), including using patients’ photographs and X-rays were slow. Together     7     researchers in Belgium, Mr Matthews is pioneering a new tool that provides averages (平均值) for normal growth of the face throughout childhood.

The project intends     8     (take) some of the guesswork out of surgery. For example, in children with Pierre Robin Sequence, a serious condition which means they are born with an underdeveloped jaw(下颚), some doctors choose to fix it early while others wait to see if the child’s face will     9     (natural) correct itself as it grows. Without this new technology,     10     is difficult to know which method is better for each child.

8 . Is art boring? It’s not, really. I don’t think so, at least. But there’s a problem with how we look at art, how we approach it.

Museums are formal and strangely dry. There’s no embrace. Barriers prevent us from leaving the path set by the curator (馆长). Glass traps the paintings permanently in their frames – an invisible barrier that prevents us from ever getting close to the art, from touching it, feeling it. Guides and guards are constantly observing us, stopping us from taking photos, or using selfie sticks, or talking too loud. Museums have too many rules. And they’ve made our art boring.

We should be able to see art, to sometimes touch it. How can we feel any connection to the world? Art is a way to connect to the world, and yet so much of our art (and it is our art, not theirs, not yours — but ours) is unreachable.

Why can’t we laugh in museums? Why can’t we take silly selfies in front of art, our tongues sticking out, our hands in the air? Art is not boring and yet, we as a society, have made it so. We’ve trapped incredible artists behind glass boxes, with random rules governing noise levels, lights, flashes, sounds, photos, selfies, pens & pencils.

I love art. I think it has this incredible power to change our world. It can move us — as individuals, or as a collective society. Art is so often a window to something else. And yet we’ve allowed museums and galleries and collectors to prevent us from ever opening those windows.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy art museums. There are many fantastic ones around the world. And without so many wonderful curators and collectors, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy much of the art that is created -the masterpieces and the newer, more contemporary (and sometimes crazy) art. But at the same time, we’ ve allowed museums too much control.

They’ve taken our art. They’ve controlled our world. And our world, our art — it’s not meant to be controlled. It’s meant to be experienced — however that may be. It’s an individual, personal choice. Let’s take back our art, our museums. And take some selfies.

1. According to the writer, how may visitors to museums feel?

A．Interested.

B．Unwelcome.

C．Excited.

D．Ashamed.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 5?

A．The writer believes that art should never be kept in museums.

B．The writer is losing his love of art due to museums’ policies.

C．The writer believes museums are taking away the power of art.

D．The writer believes that art should be replaced by something else.

3. What does the underlined phrase “get me wrong” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．Help me.

B．Control me.

C．Misunderstand me.

D．Frighten me.

4. Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?

A．All of us can create art.	B．Museums are of little use.
C．Admission to museums should be free.	D．Museums should give visitors more freedom.

9 . In the eyes of many environmentalists, the world appears to be getting worse. They believe, the natural resources are running out and the air and water are becoming ever more polluted. But if we check the facts, things look different. Energy has become more abundant, not less so. Fewer people are starving. What seems to cause this gap between perception and reality?

One factor is the prejudice in scientific research. Scientific funding goes mainly to areas with many problems. That may be wise policy, but it will also create an impression that there are more potential problems than actually exist.

Secondly, environmental groups seek attention from the mass media. They also need to get continuous financial support. Understandably, perhaps, they sometimes exaggerate (夸大) their arguments. In 1997, for example, the World Wide Fund for Nature issued a statement titled: “Two thirds of the world’s forests lost forever”. The truth turns out to be near 20%.

The media can add to confusion too. People tend to be more curious about bad news than good. Newspapers and broadcasters are there to provide what the public wants. That, however, can lead to significant misinterpretations. For example, when a natural disaster happens, the media usually highlights the negative parts, giving more attention to the disaster’s details and what happens afterward. This flood of bad news can make people think that such events are more frequent or serious than they actually are. Consequently, people may develop a sense of insecurity, despite statistically low probabilities of similar events happening to them.

Another factor is people’s poor perception. People worry that vaccines can cause severe side effects or long-term health problems. Despite extensive scientific evidence demonstrating their safety and effectiveness, some individuals remain hesitant due to unfounded fears.

It is crucial that we look at the facts if we want to make the best possible decisions for the future. It may be costly to be overly optimistic – but more costly still to be too pessimistic.

1. What aspect of scientific research does the writer worry about in paragraph 2?

A．The need to produce results.	B．The selection of research areas.
C．The lack of financial support.	D．The desire to solve research problem.

2. Why does the writer quote the example from the World Wide Fund for Nature?

A．To show how influential the mass media can be.

B．To show how effective environmental groups can be.

C．To show how the mass media can help groups raise funds.

D．To show how environmental groups overstate their claims.

3. The writer suggests that newspapers publish articles that are intended to ________.

A．educate readers	B．mislead readers
C．meet readers’ expectations	D．encourage readers’ feedback

4. What does the author try to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Making decisions based on reality.	B．Balancing optimism and pessimism.
C．Being optimistic to avoid costly mistakes.	D．Addressing the environmental crisis gradually.

10 . It was 8:30 am. Traffic was at ______ flow. For ten minutes I watched an elderly lady looking ______ at the traffic, waiting to cross a four-lane road. Her wide blue eyes scanned for a ______; there was fear in them.

An untidy boy of ten ______ her and said a few words. She smiled with surprise and ______ her head. They were strangers to each other, but the ______ in each was obvious.

The boy turned to the traffic, holding the old lady’s hand, and I ______ his little smile-he was helping. The traffic ______, and a gap appeared. Both said “now!” and stepped out, leading each other.

The old lady glanced around, determined to ______ her young charge. The boy held her hand, ______ the old lady gently and safely. As they ______ mounted the sidewalk on the other side, their ______ was evident.

The old lady safely ______ the boy to the other side, pretending to let him help. The young boy safely got the woman across, pretending to let her help.

I watched with a lump in my throat and a(n) ______ in my eye, and I didn’t know why this was so. . for I was smiling. I was unable to describe this beautiful ______. The two turned to each other and shook hands before parting.

1.

A．full

B．broken

C．gentle

D．smooth

2.

A．hopefully

B．patiently

C．anxiously

D．casually

3.

A．car

B．road

C．figure

D．gap

4.

A．ignored

B．approached

C．introduced

D．matched

5.

A．nodded

B．shook

C．lowered

D．raised

6.

A．trust

B．weakness

C．relationship

D．embarrassment

7.

A．forgot

B．noted

C．delayed

D．accepted

8.

A．sped

B．flowed

C．grew

D．thinned

9.

A．praise

B．seek

C．protect

D．spot

10.

A．pushing

B．pulling

C．guiding

D．dragging

11.

A．heavily

B．finally

C．suddenly

D．pitifully

12.

A．relief

B．disappointment

C．exhaustion

D．kindness

13.

A．moved

B．lifted

C．abandoned

D．delivered

14.

A．doubt

B．expression

C．tear

D．stare

15.

A．memory

B．encounter

C．route

D．mistake