2 . 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 the heart of modern Beijing is the Forbidden City. It served as the political center of ancient China between 1420 and 1912 and now it is     1     world famous museum.

The Forbidden City     2     (build) by Emperor Yongle, the third Ming ruler,     3     moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijng in 1403. Sources say it took a million     4     (worker) to build it between 1406 and 1420. Legend has it that the Forbidden City was redesigned to have 9, 9991/2 rooms. Half a room is missing to avoid     5     (upset) the God of Heaven. The maincolors of the Forbidden City are yellow and red. The walls, doors, and windows were     6     (most) painted in red, a symbol of     7     (happy) in Chinese culture.

The English name “Forbidden City” is a translation of the Chinese name Zijincheng. In the past, it was forbidden to ordinary people and that is     8     the Forbidden City is so named. After the Qing Dynasty, it was made a     9     (nation) museum-the Palace Museum and was open to the public. As one of the world’s largest cultural museums, the Palace Museum holds more than a million rare and valuable works of art. So do find a chance     10     (visit) it some day!

3 . The West Potomac Park in Washington, DC, lies just west of the National Mall. It is home to some of Washington’s most iconic (标志性) sites. But the park’s most famous attraction? Cherry blossoms.

Thousands of cherry trees bloom around the waters of the Tidal Basin (潮汐湖), which reflect the trees’ images. The basin was created in the late1800s to prevent the Potomac River from flooding. The original cherry trees were a gift from Japan. On March 26, 1912, more than 3, 000 cherry trees arrived in Washington. Most were planted around the Tidal Basin. But cherry trees were also planted near the Washington Monument and the White House.

Mike Litterst, a spokesperson for the U. S. National Park Service, which maintains the West Potomac Park, helps protect the cherry trees. “This wonderful gift is over 100 years old now and, if you will, the gift keeps on giving. You can enjoy its beauty every year”.

The cherry blossoms also serve as a symbol of the beginning of springtime. Every year, Washington celebrates the arrival of spring with a two - week Cherry Blossom Festival. More than 1.5 million people from around the world visit the nation’s capital during the festival. They all hope to see the cherry trees at their “peak (高峰) bloom”,which lasts several days each year. Experts begin making peak bloom predictions in February. Visitors make their travel plans to Washington based on these predictions. Last year, officials correctly predicted the peak bloom six weeks in advance. But this year, unpredictable weather in March in Washington has made guessing it difficult. “Peak bloom” dates have changed many times.

The cherry blossoms have also become a worldwide symbol of Washington itself. BoWen moved to Washington from China seven years ago. He comes to the Cherry Blossom Festival. “It’s so famous. Everywhere you can see Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival, on like Twitter and Instagram.”

1. What do we learn about the West Potomac Park?

A．It is just next to the Tidal Basin.	B．There are some iconic sites around it.
C．It includes a man - made body of water.	D．All the cherry trees from Japan were there.

2. What does Litterst mean by saying ‘the gift keeps on giving’?

A．The old cherry trees are still in blossom.	B．Visitors can pick the flowers if they like.
C．Japan is still giving them the cherry trees.	D．Visitors want to have the cherry trees as a gift.

3. What characteristic does Cherry Blossom Festival have?

A．It usually lasts one week.	B．Its time is not the same every year.
C．It is held when cherry trees start to bloom.	D．Its celebration is held all over the country.

4. What do BoWen’s words about Cherry Blossom Festival imply?

A．It can be enjoyed just online.	B．It is liked by the Chinese very much.
C．It is one of the most important ones.	D．It is widely known all over the world.

4 . In traditional Chinese culture, fish has rich meanings. It ______ wealth. Fish also stands for harmony and happy marriages ______ they multiply rapidly and some times swim in pairs. Fish is an important ______ in traditional values and are among the signs showing that something is ______ to be successful. The most popular fish theme found in Chinese art and ______ is that of the carp (鲤鱼). The ______ of “boneless” techniques makes the swimming fish more real and convincing. Known to most Westerners as koi fish (锦鲤), the Chinese carp has ______ symbolic values within Chinese culture. The carp is a powerful symbol of ______. The scales and whisker (须) of the carp is ______ to that of a dragon, a great symbol of power in China. During the Spring Festival “lucky money” is ______ in red envelopes decorated with a carp and symbols of long life ______ peaches and pine trees. There are many different ______ of the carp, with the major ones being black, white, red and yellow.

“You are not ______, so how would you know the happiness of fish? ” Chuang Tsu created this famous saying when he ______ an issue with Hui Tsu. The message of the story is that someone has his own enjoyment while others can ______ appreciate that.

1.

A．produces

B．spreads

C．determines

D．represents

2.

A．so

B．because

C．unless

D．though

3.

A．picture

B．animal

C．food

D．symbol

4.

A．used

B．afraid

C．forced

D．likely

5.

A．technology

B．culture

C．transport

D．education

6.

A．identity

B．application

C．shortcoming

D．insurance

7.

A．selfless

B．peaceful

C．numerous

D．informal

8.

A．beauty

B．strength

C．smartness

D．wisdom

9.

A．helpful

B．true

C．similar

D．rude

10.

A．cut off

B．taken away

C．given out

D．used up

11.

A．such as

B．as a result of

C．owing to

D．in front of

12.

A．names

B．owners

C．shelters

D．colours

13.

A．fish

B．history

C．water

D．air

14.

A．wrote

B．tested

C．performed

D．discussed

15.

A．always

B．never

C．easily

D．mostly

5 . “Where I grew up, there were not a lot of plants outside,” said Yolanda Palmer. “Some people had them; some people didn’t.”

Palmer, who is from Southwest Philadelphia, discovered her love for plants at the age of 10. Growing up, she developed great skills in growing plants and learned more about nature each and every day.

“As I got a little older, one block in my neighborhood would be filled with flowers and things in the yard,” she said. “But in another block there would be none.”

Since then, Palmer had wanted to share her love of plants with the community. But the dream remained just a seed (种子) while she worked an ordinary day job. Sitting in the company she often thought she had to do something else. Palmer then planted the seed. She started small, selling at a local outdoor market in Southwest Philadelphia and then coming to shows and festivals in Chestnut Hill.

By December 2021, she had her store on German town Avenue, “Foliage”. There, she sells common plants, rare (罕见的) plants, small plants, and large plants. “The goal is to sell them to homeowners to beautify their home and also to clean the air,” she said.

Palmer’s home is in Chestnut Hill, a central gardening center in the city. She hopes her message will be able to reach other communities in the Philadelphia area. “Everyone should buy houseplants. Everyone should want cleaner air,” she said. “And that way, in the future when our children grow up, we can make it better.”

Palmer plans on continuing to work hard to support not only her store, but her boys, four dogs, one cat and 128 plants at home.

1. What did Palmer find when she was young?

A．Her neighbors disliked plants.

B．People knew little about plants.

C．There were few kinds of plants.

D．Plants were not seen everywhere.

2. What is Palmer doing now?

A．Managing a gardening center.	B．Running her own plant store.
C．Beautifying her block with plants.	D．Teaching communities about plants.

3. What does Palmer hope?

A．Everyone can protect the plants.

B．More locals will have houseplants.

C．Children can learn more about plants.

D．She will have an outdoor market for plants.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．From hobby to job: Palmer has made it

B．From class to work: Palmer’s happy habit

C．From village to city: Palmer is on the road

D．From seed to flower: Palmer’s future dream

6 . The 2021 winners of a major international environmental award have just been announced, and the list includes a Vietnamese conservationist who’s known for his vital work helping protect the pangolin (穿山甲) — the world’s most trafficked animal.

Van Nguyen grew up near Cuc Phuong National Park and, as a child, watched poachers (偷猎者) removing pangolin from their holes. “I saw a mum (pangolin), rolling into a ball to protect her baby.” Nguyen decided to make pangolin conservation his life’s work.

Nguyen set out to stop poaching and educate the Vietnamese public on the importance of pangolin conservation in order to reverse the condition of the pangolins. His efforts began with an education campaign. Nguyen also opened the Carnivore and Pangolin Education Center, the first of its kind in Vietnam, in order to provide wildlife conservation courses for students and the general public. Nguyen didn’t stop there; he established Vietnam’s first Asian Pangolin Rehabilitation (康复) Center.

Nguyen even worked with poachers to ask them to take him into the forest and show him how they track and catch pangolins. He also visited markets, restaurants, and doctors of traditional medicine to learn more about the demand for pangolins. In 2018, Nguyen created Vietnam’s first-ever anti-poaching unit. Nguyen has also looked to global strategies and worked with the management authority of the CITES to ban international trade for animals most threatened with extinction.

As one of the few people in the world working on pangolin conservation and rehabilitation, Nguyen is filling a necessary and important space for understanding and protecting this critically endangered animal.

1. What made Nguyen start pangolin protection?

A．His love for pangolins.	B．A childhood experience.
C．Serious pangolin poaching.	D．The importance of pangolins.

2. What does the underlined word “reverse” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Worsen.

B．Analyze.

C．Change.

D．Maintain.

3. Why did Nguyen work with poachers?

A．To report them to the police.	B．To learn about the market demand.
C．To understand their tricks.	D．To get pangolins to safer places.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Taking Action: Stories of Pangolin

B．Pangolins: A Critically Endangered animal

C．Saving Pangolins: Van Nguyen’s Life Mission

D．Van Nguyen: An Environmental Award Winner

7 . Earthquakes have rocked the planet for many years. Studying the quakes of the past could help scientists better understand modern earthquakes, but tools to do such work are exiguous.

Enter zircons. Researchers used this special means to home in on the temperatures within a fault (地壳断层) during earthquakes millions of years ago. The method offers insights into the strength of long-ago quakes, and can improve the understanding of how today’s earthquakes release energy, the researchers reported in the April Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

“The more we understand about the past, the more we can understand what might happen in the future,” said Emma Armstrong, a professor specializing in earthquakes at Utah State University in Logan. Armstrong and his colleagues focused on California’s Punchbowl Fault. That now-quiet portion of the larger San Andreas Fault was probably active between 1 million to 10 million years ago, Armstrong said.

Heat from friction (摩擦) is generated in a fault when it slips and touches off an earthquake. Previous analyses of preserved organic material suggested that temperatures within the Punchbowl Fault peaked between 465℃ and 1065℃. The researchers suspected that zircons in rocks from the fault could narrow that broad window. Zircons often contain the radioactive chemical elements uranium (U) and thorium ( Th), which decay (衰变) to helium (He) at a predictable rate. That helium (He) then builds up in the crystals. But when a zircon is heated past a temperature criticality value—the size of which depends on the zircon’s composition—the accumulated helium (He) escapes.

Measuring the amounts of the three elements in zircons from the fault suggests that the most in-tense earthquake generated temperatures lower than 800℃. That roughly halves the range previously reported. The finding provides useful clues to the amount of heat released by quakes, something difficult to measure for modern earthquakes because they often occur at great depths. Armstrong plans to continue studying zircons, in the hope of finding more ways to take advantage of them for details about ancient quakes.

1. What does the underlined word “exiguous” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Scarce.

B．Difficult.

C．Pricey.

D．Extraordinary.

2. What are the researcher’s assumptions about the zircons in rocks?

A．They can lead to various earthquakes.	B．They determine how much of their energy.
C．They can reduce the fault temperature range.	D．They would decay over long periods.

3. What might Emma Armstrong study next?

A．Impact of changing earthquakes on zircons.

B．Origin and development of enter zircons.

C．Difference between modern and ancient quakes.

D．More ways to use zircons for ancient quake study.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Earthquakes Bring about Global W arming

B．Ancient Zircons Help to Unearth Earthquakes

C．An Innovative Means Makes a Hit in Studying

D．Zircons Changed Our Views of Earthquakes

8 . With the expected firework (烟花) displays, pet owners know the holiday can be somewhat hard for their pet friends. In many areas, it is legal to light fireworks a few days before, on the holiday, and a few days after.     1    

Bring all pets indoors whenever neighborhood is likely to set off fireworks. Secure dogs in a room, close windows and curtains, and play loud music or turn on the television to drown out the frightening sounds. Some experts even suggest playing a war movie to mix the sound from the TV with the sounds from outside.

    2     They can take a stress-relief supplement, wear a calming coat, or even use prescription anti-anxiety medicine from a veterinarian.

Keep pets away from bright fireworks at all times, including your own backyard.     3     So they are at risk to be burned or blinded in the process.

Ensure that pets are wearing current identification tags, and make sure your correct contact information is recorded with the vet clinic or shelter.

Remember what to do if your pet does go missing over the holiday.     4     Also check social media to see if someone nearby has posted about the lost pet. Walk the neighborhood to look for found pet flyers (海报). Put up your own flyers with a good description and photo of the pet.     5    

Everyone has been through a lot in such a special period, so being kind and I compassionate in addition to protecting our pets is a good way to celebrate a holiday!

A．Keep looking and don’t give up.

B．The fireworks can be quite unfriendly.

C．Keep these things in mind for your pets.

D．Some pets will run after the bright moving objects.

E．Plan ahead for those dogs who are extremely anxious.

F．The following tips can be helpful to keep pets safe around the holiday.

G．Contact local animal shelters immediately and keep checking back.

9 . Cheap Travel Destinations for Winter Trips

·Charleston, South Carolina(Hotel Cost：$72.33，Round-Trip Flight：$303)

The charming city of Charleston is ripe for exploring even during the cooler winter months. Catch a show at the Charleston Stage Company or watch a performance from the Charleston Ballet. If it’s your first time visiting, take a carriage tour of the city to explore 25 to 30 blocks of the downtown area.

·Anchorage, Alaska(Hotel Cost：$43. 67，Round-Trip Flight：$577.50)

Walk on a glacier, see wildlife and explore attractive national parks for cheapness in Anchorage. The Chugach Mountains are easily accessible, just 20 minutes from the downtown area.

·Washington, D. C.(Hotel Cost：$150，Round-Trip Flight：$206.50)

Take a trip to the Lincoln Memorial, express respect and admiration to the soldiers that served in World War Ⅱat the National World War Ⅱ Memorial and discover other sites that honor American history—free of charge. Galleries, museums and historic neighborhoods are ripe for exploring even during the winter months.

·Savannah, Georgia(Hotel Cost：$49，Round-Trip Flight：$317.50)

Taking a self-guided tour of this southern city is one of the best ways to see famous landmarks and sites free of charge. Visit the 22 public squares and see the General Casimir Pulaski Monument. And don’t forget to get your picture taken at the same bus stop bench used in the movie Forrest Gump, in Chippewa Square.

1. Which place will you choose to go if you are interested in modern American history?

A．Savannah, Georgia.	B．Charleston, South Carolina.
C．Anchorage, Alaska.	D．Washington, D. C.

2. What can we learn about traveling in Savannah?

A．Travelers can often see wildlife in the parks.

B．Travelers can watch a performance of ballet.

C．Travelers have to take a self-guided tour to travel.

D．Travelers often take pictures at a bus stop bench.

3. The passage is NOT probably taken from a ________.

A．newspaper

B．novel

C．web page

D．magazine

10 . I went for a walk up to a local park and Chester was running about. Suddenly, two dogs appeared, attacking him. He got _________ and ran off in an unfamiliar direction. I can only _________ myself-it’s like losing a family member. My daughter didn’t sleep for three days. She just thought her pet was _________.

My family had almost lost _________ until Erica decided to offer her services. She uses a drone(无人机)to help find lost dogs. Equipped with a hi-tech thermal imaging(热成像)camera, the drone can detect heat _________ from 250 feet in the air. _________, when asked to help out in a search for a _________, Erica simply turns up to the dog’s last known _________ and sets up the drone. Having found more than 160 dogs, it’s proved pretty _________.

And it’s easy to see why. Can you __________ Chester running around these woods? To the naked eye(肉眼), it’s virtually impossible, but pop the thermal image up and he jumps out, __________ his owner to bring him safely back home.

Having saved hundreds of dogs, the method is clearly __________. Erica doesn’t __________ for her services and instead does it for the pleasure of seeing the owners __________.

Erica’s drone has helped create countless happy __________ and is sure to make many more in the future.

1.

A．concerned

B．annoyed

C．scared

D．confused

2.

A．speak for

B．focus on

C．turn to

D．adapt to

3.

A．sick

B．gone

C．injured

D．stuck

4.

A．attitude

B．contact

C．track

D．hope

5.

A．impressions

B．signals

C．experiments

D．behaviors

6.

A．Besides

B．However

C．Therefore

D．Otherwise

7.

A．family

B．job

C．chance

D．dog

8.

A．location

B．company

C．adventure

D．arrangement

9.

A．particular

B．familiar

C．successful

D．suitable

10.

A．spot

B．explore

C．concentrate

D．rescue

11.

A．forbidding

B．allowing

C．ordering

D．warning

12.

A．challenging

B．improving

C．working

D．surviving

13.

A．apply

B．wish

C．answer

D．charge

14.

A．reunited

B．recognized

C．requested

D．admired

15.

A．destinations

B．solutions

C．goals

D．endings