1 . When was the last time you used a telephone box? I mean to make an actual phone call — not to shelter from the rain. Ages ago, right? The last time I used a phone box for its intended purpose was…2006. I was conducting auditions (试演) for my play in my tiny old shared house in London. Hoping to impress some talented actors to come and work for me for nothing, I spread some throws over the sofas and lit candles to make it seem a bit more ”young professional”.
As I rushed outdoors to empty the wastepaper baskets, the door swung shut behind me. Suddenly I was locked outside. My mobile phone was inside, but luckily there was a telephone box across the street. So, I called Directory Assistance, got put through to our landlady’s managing agent, and had a spare key sent to me with just enough time to get back in before the actors arrived.
As it has been many years since I last used one, I should hardly be surprised that then are no longer any public telephones near my house. The last one standing has just been turn into a “mini community library”: any passer-by can “borrow” a book from its shelves return it later, or replace it with another title from their own collection.
For a few months after the “library” opened, I didn’t bother taking a look, as I had assumed that it would be stuffed full of cheese love stories. Then I noticed fork conducting spring cleans dropping boxes of voluminous books on various subjects there. And these books were free. This unbeatable price-point encouraged me to experiment with dozens of titles that I would never normally consider buying. And I’ve discovered some great books!
If I ever get trapped outside my house again, my local telephone box will, sadly no longer be able to connect me with my keys. But it can certainly keep me entertained while I wait for my wife to rescue me.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?| A．The play. | B．The shared house. |
| C．The sofa. | D．The telephone box. |
| A．To place an urgent call. | B．To put up a notice. |
| C．To shelter from the rain. | D．To hold an audition. |
| A．It provides phone service for free. | B．Anyone can contribute to its collection. |
| C．It is popular among young readers. | D．Books must be returned within a month. |
| A．He wanted to borrow some love stories. |
| B．He was encouraged by a close neighbour. |
| C．He found there were excellent free books. |
| D．He thought it was an ideal place for reading. |
2 . My greatest regret in life is that I failed to tell my superb teachers how much they contributed to my early education.
Ruth Hammerman taught English to the eighth-graders. She was the first to show me the rules of what Evelyn Waugh called our “rich and delicate language.” She was a no-nonsense instructor. Unlike common teachers, she diagramed (用图表展示) sentences so we could know the grammar rules. She never seemed to be tired of the simple pleasures of sharing her learning.
Under her influence, I had the strong belief that language needs to be well-spoken and properly written. Yet over the years I never made the effort to find her and to express my thankfulness for what she did for me. Two years after being in her class, I began the study of Latin and French, and the foundation (基础) she provided in English grammar served me well. Sadly, I never looked back.
In high school I took advanced French in a class taught by Richard Miller, the finest teacher I have ever experienced at any level. Mr. Miller brought to his subject a surprisingly deep understanding and new analysis (分析). Reading “Phèdre”, Racine’s classic play, he asked us to note there were 1,654 lines in it, and then pointed out the care Racine devoted to structure. Years later I made the same point — giving Mr. Miller credit — in a college French class, and my professor was surprised by my understanding of the play. Mr. Miller taught us to enjoy literature with particular points of view. Yet I never made the effort in later years to tell him what he meant to me.
Mr. Miller is certainly long dead. If she is alive, Miss Hammerman would likely be in her 90s. In preparing this article, I tried to find her but was unsuccessful.
I am certain my act is common. People often forget to express love and thankfulness to their teachers. I ought to have told Miss Hammerman and Mr. Miller how much they did for me. I suppose they knew their work was effective because they believed in what they were doing. Now I appreciate how special they were.
1. What is the most beneficial part to the author in Miss Hammerman’s class?| A．Grammar. | B．Writing. | C．Speaking. | D．Reading. |
| A．He asked students to count lines. |
| B．He stressed the importance of play. |
| C．He analyzed literature in a new way. |
| D．He showed great devotion to students. |
| A．Preparing the article. | B．Looking for the teachers. |
| C．Failing to thank teachers. | D．Copying teachers’ points. |
| A．Creative. | B．Frank. | C．Humorous. | D．Strict. |
| A．To show love for French literature. |
| B．To explore the meaning of education. |
| C．To explain why teachers are important. |
| D．To share memories of the two teachers. |
3 . A recent research shows benefits to writing about a traumatic (创伤性的) experience or difficult situation in a manner that psychologists refer to as “expressive writing.” People who do this, recording their deepest thoughts and feelings, often show improved mental and physical health, says James Parker, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Texas, Austin.
Expressive writing is a specific technique, and it’s different from writing in a journal.
Parker says that hundreds of studies over several decades have looked at the potential benefits of expressive writing and found that it can strengthen the immune system, including for people with illnesses such as cancer, PTSD and depression.
Expressive writing works because it allows you to make meaning out of a painful experience. Recognizing that something is bothering you is an important first step.
What if you don’t consider yourself “a writer”? Don’t worry about spelling or grammar, and don’t share your writing with anyone.
| A．But do dig deep into your thoughts and feelings. |
| B．But there are a few warnings about “expressive writing.” |
| C．Writing can increase someone’s acceptance of their experience. |
| D．Research also found that it can improve mood, sleep, and memory. |
| E．A journal is a record of experiences or reflections kept regularly for private use. |
| F．Translating that experience into language forces you to organize your thoughts. |
| G．The idea is to reflect honestly on a particular challenge, and to do it in short sessions. |
4 . 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 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
5 . Bournemouth in Dorset has always been my favourite seaside town. When I was growing up, Mum and Dad didn’t have much money, but they’d saved enough for a few days in Bournemouth. I was four years old at the time. I don’t actually remember much about the trip, apart from being devastated when we had to leave. Mum said I fell in love with the place and insisted on waving goodbye to the sea when it was time to go. So I grew up believing Bournemouth was a wonderful place.
Forty years on, my wife and I returned for a week’s break. I was nervous, wondering if I’d be able to bring back that delight I’d felt as a child. I needn’t have worried. We had a fantastic time. It helped that the British weather had decided to provide us with high temperatures and plenty of sun. But it was Bournemouth that kept me spellbound, making me feel like a child again.
Bournemouth and its neighbour, Boscombe, are always busy, alive with chatter, music and other lively sounds. But as we stepped into Boscombe Chine Gardens, all the noise faded away. A sense of peace spread through us as we meandered along the paths, delighting in the squirrels climbing up and down the trees and the bright colours of the pretty plants.
One morning, we made a short trip to Poole Quay and took the ferry to Brownsea Island. Owned by the National Trust, it’s a feast for the eyes, from its mock Tudor entrance, to the many peacocks walking around, to the magnificent views of the sun sparkling on the shining waters and boats bobbing up and down, seen from the island’s highest point.
Before we knew it, it was time to return home—but not before waving goodbye to the sea.
1. Which of the following best explains “devastated” underlined in Paragraph 1?| A．Sorrowful. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Thrilled. | D．Desperate. |
| A．The fear of losing childhood memories. |
| B．The adjustment to the new circumstances. |
| C．The uncertainty of recalling childhood delight. |
| D．The exposure to high temperatures and sunshine. |
| A．It boasts seaside views. | B．It belongs to wild animals. |
| C．It is free of the town’s noise. | D．It reminds him of his childhood. |
| A．Farewell to Bournemouth. | B．Working in a wonderful place. |
| C．A childhood unforgettable story. | D．Revisiting a childhood favourite. |
It definitely
There is the Mission District near downtown,
In the afternoon, I headed
Tomorrow evening, I’m going to a jazz bar in the Richmond District. Can’t wait!
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
When I was in junior high, I was study machine. But I was will to do so because I understood how vital study was. I gave out all my rest time including summer and winter vacation with all weekends, that was highly odd and extreme in other’s eyes. Those years our motherland was still advanced, giving the cruel fact that Chinese GDP only surpassed that those of Japan. I studied so hard like a maniac China’s first premier Zhou Enlai did.
8 . As a child, I had spent my holidays travelling our village in Bangladesh — running across the rice fields or farms and fishing in lakes. But, this had started to wear off as a teen. One thing I remember about that trip was when we were only about half an hour from our village, we had to get out of our car. The road in front of us was completely under water. We all got on a bamboo boat for another two or three hours.
That was 15 years ago — the last time I visited our village. One by one, many other villagers left there. But my father has been working hard to build it up. He doesn’t want it to be lost.
Yes, we should protect our home. But there is something else to think about: climate crisis (气候危机). Bangladesh is at the centre of the climate crisis — it is hit by floods, droughts, storms and other natural disasters. “I jokingly say, Bangladesh is God’s laboratory for natural disasters,” says Prof Ainun Nishat, an expert on climate change from Bangladesh.
The period from June to October sees heavy rains. But the rainfall time is becoming more erratic (无常的). In 2020, Sylhet, my hometown, was hit by huge floods that affected thousands of families, whose homes were swept away. In fact, over a quarter of the country was flooded. Nearly 1.3 million homes were damaged, and hundreds of people died.
The weather is getting more extreme (极端的). It is getting too hot. And the supply of water can’t be relied upon, leaving the land getting drier.
Although people have worries about droughts and floods, unlike in the past, the country is well-prepared to deal with them. Prof Nishat says, “Maybe 20, 30 years back we depended on external (外部的) support to return to normal from any natural disaster, but now it’s different. The country has developed, and we suffered these disasters many times, so the people are one of the most prepared.”
1. What do the underlined words “wear off” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Advance. | B．Make sense. |
| C．Disappear. | D．Lose control. |
| A．It is affected by many disasters. |
| B．It needs more people to build it up. |
| C．People living there lead an unhappy life. |
| D．Experts are studying why the climate changes there. |
| A．To prove floods are difficult to avoid. |
| B．To show the effects of climate change. |
| C．To prove floods are frequent in Bangladesh. |
| D．To show the great damage caused by floods. |
| A．People in Bangladesh think the external support is unnecessary. |
| B．People in Bangladesh try to rebuild their homes on their own. |
| C．Bangladesh needs more support to aid its development. |
| D．Bangladesh is trying hard to deal with climate change. |
9 . In January 2020, my life was like a perfect movie. I was the
Little did we know we would
Looking back, I felt like a fool for thinking that two weeks would be a
It occurred to me that my best friends, who were now
Alice in Wonderland became my life as I kept falling down a never-ending hole. Still, all the same, I felt ever so
I made a New Year’s resolution to become more
| A．happiest | B．youngest | C．fastest | D．busiest |
| A．planned | B．decided | C．managed | D．expected |
| A．return | B．contribute | C．stick | D．refer |
| A．turned | B．put | C．settled | D．shut |
| A．broke up | B．took up | C．looked up | D．made up |
| A．danger | B．offer | C．solution | D．reply |
| A．fact | B．challenge | C．explanation | D．advice |
| A．fall behind | B．sink in | C．show off | D．come away |
| A．athletes | B．graduates | C．competitors | D．seniors |
| A．awkward | B．puzzled | C．exhausted | D．anxious |
| A．darkest | B．busiest | C．coldest | D．heaviest |
| A．putting | B．breaking | C．streaming | D．bringing |
| A．forced | B．determined | C．excited | D．concerned |
| A．passed | B．changed | C．approached | D．went |
| A．disturbed | B．attracted | C．shocked | D．inspired |
| A．enthusiastic | B．ridiculous | C．productive | D．different |
| A．normal | B．particular | C．historical | D．unique |
| A．deaf | B．accustomed | C．devoted | D．related |
| A．stressful | B．harmful | C．meaningful | D．hopeful |
| A．experiences | B．possibilities | C．changes | D．problems |
10 . In search of a little quiet, I have spent some time wandering through the Australian town, Walhalla. If I had arrived about 150 years earlier, I would have found a(an)
When the gold ran out, most people
That night we have great dinner at Walhalla’s pub. We walk back in the dark. There are no street lights in the town so the stars
After a quick breakfast at the hotel the next morning, I walk down what was once a high street lined with
Leaney has invited me to ride an old-fashioned train that runs on the rebuilt train line from Walhalla to a nearby town. The views are
| A．empty | B．far-off | C．peaceful | D．busy |
| A．biggest | B．smallest | C．oldest | D．poorest |
| A．1onely | B．relaxed | C．nervous | D．regretful |
| A．moved away | B．hung around | C．flooded in | D．cheered up |
| A．temporary | B．happy | C．royal | D．permanent |
| A．sold out | B．taken over | C．deserted | D．shared |
| A．foundation | B．opponent | C．destination | D．possession |
| A．bounce | B．shine | C．emerge | D．strike |
| A．thankfully | B．suddenly | C．unluckily | D．anxiously |
| A．benefit | B．coverage | C．comparison | D．competition |
| A．factories | B．hospitals | C．museums | D．shops |
| A．spread | B．decorated | C．distributed | D．placed |
| A．track | B．site | C．street | D．town |
| A．planted | B．destroyed | C．burned | D．buried |
| A．boring | B．plain | C．heartbreaking | D．breathtaking |
