4 . Digital reading appears to be destroying habits of “deep reading”. Astonishing numbers of people with years of schooling are in effect illiterate. This month’s Ljubljana Manifesto (宣言) explains: “The digital field may promote more reading than ever in history, but it also offers many temptations to read in a superficial and scattered (零散的) manner — or even not to read at all. This increasingly endangers higher-level reading.”

That’s frightening, because “higher-level reading” has been essential to civilization. It enabled the enlightenment and an international increase in empathy. Without it, we would suffer a lot. As the Ljubljana Manifesto notes, “as much as one-third of Europeans struggle even with lower-level reading skills.” More than one-fifth of adults in the US “fall into the illiterate/functionally illiterate category”. Separately, post-pandemic reading scores for American 13-year-olds are the lowest in decades. And the Washington-based Center for Global Development recently estimated that literacy in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa among those with five years of schooling has decreased by 10% this past half century.

Experts in the Ljubljana Manifesto record the demerits of digital reading: “Recent studies of various kinds indicate a decline of critical and conscious reading, slow reading, non-strategic reading and long-form reading.” When you read a book on paper, you can be entirely inside the experience, absorb hundreds of pages of details thoroughly and begin to capture the world’s complexity. Online, says Maryanne Wolf of UCLA, we are “skimming, scanning, scrolling”. The medium is the message: doing deep reading on your phone is as hard as playing tennis with your phone. Recently, a bright 11-year-old told me I was wasting time on books: he absorbed more information faster from Wikipedia. He had a point. But digital readers also absorb more misinformation and seldom absorb fine perspectives.

In short, as professors from Northwestern University foresaw in 2005, we are returning to the days when only an elite (精英) “reading class” consumes long texts, which is worrying.

1. What can we learn about digital reading from paragraph 1?

A．Digital reading has solved the problem of illiteracy.

B．Digital reading has lessened the practice of deep reading.

C．Digital reading has made deep reading accessible to wider readers.

D．Digital reading has aroused a greater appreciation for deep reading.

2. What is the purpose of the figures used in paragraph 2?

A．To display the popularity of digital reading.

B．To highlight the advantages of deep reading.

C．To present the unfavorable situation of literacy.

D．To stress the illiterate’s lower-level reading skills.

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

A．Effects.

B．Depths.

C．Features.

D．Drawbacks.

4. What might be talked about in the following paragraph?

A．Advantages of digital reading.	B．Benefits of higher-level reading.
C．Ways to encourage digital reading.	D．Measures to practice deep reading.

5 . Earliest Record

The earliest written evidence of a soccer-like game comes from China. During the second and third centuries B.C., Chinese soldiers took part in an activity that involved kicking a ball into a small net. Historians think the game was a skill-building exercise for the soldiers.

Years of Development

In ancient Greece and Rome, teams of up to 27 players played a soccer-type game. In Britain hundreds of years later, during the thirteenth century A.D., whole villages played against each other. With hundreds of people playing, these games were both long and rough. Kicking, punching, and biting were common and allowed.

In 1331, English King Edward II passed a law in an attempt to put a stop to the popular but violent game. The king of Scotland spoke against the game a hundred years later. Queen Elizabeth I, during the late 1500s, passed a law that called for a week of jail for anyone caught playing “football”, or soccer, as we call it. But the game could not be stopped.

The Modern Game Emerges

Two hundred and fifty years later, people in Britain were still playing a game we would recognize as soccer. A well-known English college Eton developed a set of rules in 1815. A number of other colleges soon agreed to use the same rules, and those schools played against each other. Finally, 50 years later, a formal association was formed to oversee the playing of the game and its rules. In 1869, a rule against handling the ball with the hands transformed the game into the sport of soccer that is wildly popular all around the world.

1. What do historians think that soccer might have started out as?

A．A leisure activity.	B．A political issue.
C．A skill-building activity.	D．A military strategy.

2. According to the text, which emperor was not against soccer?

A．English King Edward III.	B．The king of Scotland.
C．Queen Elizabeth I.	D．The Roman Emperor.

3. What was the author’s purpose for writing this article?

A．To share and reflect on playing soccer.	B．To advocate the exercise of soccer.
C．To introduce the history of soccer.	D．To suggest new ways of playing soccer.

6 . My 88-year-old grandfather and I are both starting 2022 as new college graduates. He was ________ to continue school because he got married and started a ________ in the 1950s. Over the next few decades, he managed to ________ his roles as a husband, a father of five, working at a local bank and taking a college class here and there.

Our higher ________ journey together at Palo Alto College began in 2016. I had just ________ from high school then and my grandfather, 82, was ________ to take classes to make his lifelong dream of earning his bachelor’s degree become a ________. In 2017, we were both ________into the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Over the past year, his health has continued to ________ and he now has difficulty speaking. As graduation day ________ in December, my family and I ________ university officials to approve of my grandfather having a degree of recognition. We had the ________ that he could have that memory before his death.

My grandfather was worried he would steal the show from my graduation moment when I told him we were graduating together. I told him this is our moment and that I want to _______   it with him. I’m so ________ and proud that I was able to have this moment with him.

I ________ my grandfather’s lifelong passion of learning and his strong wills.

1.

A．proud

B．eager

C．unhappy

D．unable

2.

A．bank

B．family

C．company

D．business

3.

A．compare

B．evaluate

C．balance

D．accept

4.

A．education

B．survival

C．recovery

D．research

5.

A．benefited

B．returned

C．graduated

D．heard

6.

A．shocked

B．advised

C．forced

D．determined

7.

A．reality

B．challenge

C．memory

D．question

8.

A．checked

B．admitted

C．refused

D．invited

9.

A．restore

B．change

C．decline

D．improve

10.

A．involved

B．established

C．passed

D．approached

11.

A．encouraged

B．persuaded

C．ordered

D．reminded

12.

A．conclusion

B．achievement

C．excitement

D．expectation

13.

A．share

B．regret

C．control

D．discuss

14.

A．independent

B．helpful

C．grateful

D．polite

15.

A．examine

B．appreciate

C．consider

D．understand

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。

Locally     1     (know) as “mosquito writing”, Nüshu looks like dancing Chinese characters at first glance. On     2     (close) inspection, however, it is unreadable to readers of Mandarin (普通话).

Nüshu was used by women who lacked access     3     education in reading and writing. It enabled them to express themselves freely. It was taught mainly by mothers,     4     daughters then practised among themselves and friends.

Surprisingly, for hundreds of years, Nüshu remained unknown outside of Jiangyong. It wasn’t until the 1980s     5     Nüshu was learned of by the outside world. There are only a few remains of Nüshu texts, as most were traditionally buried or burned.     6     (lucky), after years of research, over 95% of all       7     (exist) original documents written in Nüshu have been collected and translated.

Now, this little-known written language     8     (experience) something of a rebirth. Local governments are inviting Nüshu specialists to prepare easy-to-understand manuals (手册)     9     (promote) Nüshu culture as well as stress the need for its preservation.

Nüshu represents a typical Chinese traditional female culture and remains an empowering means to appreciate women’s beauty and     10     (strong).

8 . In 2017, my husband-to-be, Ricardo, brought his border collie (牧羊犬), Jack, on our first date. I was swiftly struck by the pair of them. Fast forward 18 months and they’d fitted in _______ with me and my daughter, Cayla. The _______ between Jack and us is like no other — he brings us great joy and makes us happy. Now we were all _______ to take on a new family member.

Then came our _______ to the animal rescue centre. It was a love at first sight between Cayla and a little dog, Ruby. As I _______ this little creature instantly sat back. She made herself as tall and _______ as she could, trying to contain her _______ while apparently letting me know what a good girl she was. It _______ our adventures as a family of five _______.

One day, Cayla scootered (玩踏板车) off out of sight along the footpath, Jack and Ruby by her side. Before long, with an ________ bark. Jack ran back, forcing us to ________ we did, and found Cayla, bloody-kneed after falling off.

Cayla looked up smiling, overjoyed that the dogs had come through for her in her moment of ________. One went for help while the other ________ the wounded. It’s a wonderful ________ of how our dogs care for their pack. And I can’t ________ our family without them.

1.

A．beautifully

B．awkwardly

C．naughtily

D．passively

2.

A．secret

B．difference

C．bond

D．tension

3.

A．nervous

B．ready

C．cautious

D．patient

4.

A．letter

B．guide

C．introduction

D．trip

5.

A．approached

B．panicked

C．listened

D．left

6.

A．important

B．noisy

C．still

D．noble

7.

A．fear

B．excitement

C．surprise

D．despair

8.

A．failed

B．moved

C．hurt

D．worked

9.

A．continued

B．began

C．neared

D．slowed

10.

A．urgent

B．uncomfortable

C．amusing

D．annoying

11.

A．hide

B．escape

C．accept

D．follow

12.

A．anger

B．need

C．stress

D．loneliness

13.

A．carried

B．greeted

C．found

D．tended

14.

A．opportunity

B．excuse

C．example

D．concept

15.

A．support

B．contact

C．imagine

D．save

9 . “Dad, just touch the green button! The one with a little picture of a telephone on it!” I was shouting to my father as I _________ him on how to answer it.

My father is already in his eighties and lives alone. To communicate better and _________ his later life, I bought him an iPhone, but my father _________ resisted using it. After my repeated attempts of persuasion, he unwillingly _________ this strange device.

It took my father about a year to learn to answer and make calls. Fortunately, my father’s tech skills have _________ to FaceTime capability. During a FaceTime call, we had a rather _________ moment. As he couldn’t _________ me well, he held up the screen to his ear. This meant all I saw was his large _________. For a long time, I could still _________ Dad’s ear emerging on the screen, which made me laugh.

Then this past summer I introduced him to Wordle — a popular word puzzle. He caught on fast and became __________ about it. Now he looks forward to __________ the puzzle as soon as the new game comes out after midnight. Every morning he sends me a text, telling me the __________ of the day. This has unexpectedly strengthened our bond.

It is quite __________ that at 89, my father has mastered the iPhone to the level that he can access and send emails and texts, and even do his banking online.

The __________ to smartphones has been blamed for damaging interpersonal relationships. However, I can say the iPhone has __________ our relationship.

1.

A．cheated

B．asked

C．coached

D．followed

2.

A．enrich

B．fund

C．simplify

D．save

3.

A．slightly

B．strongly

C．bravely

D．successfully

4.

A．threw

B．bought

C．forgot

D．accepted

5.

A．turned

B．progressed

C．replied

D．contributed

6.

A．humorous

B．proud

C．urgent

D．quiet

7.

A．understand

B．see

C．hear

D．treat

8.

A．eye

B．ear

C．mouth

D．hand

9.

A．picture

B．observe

C．prevent

D．mind

10.

A．angry

B．cautious

C．crazy

D．patient

11.

A．searching for

B．testing out

C．paying for

D．figuring out

12.

A．word

B．news

C．routine

D．weather

13.

A．strange

B．impressive

C．worrying

D．easy

14.

A．reform

B．resistance

C．addiction

D．limitation

15.

A．complicated

B．started

C．destroyed

D．enhanced

10 . 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。

On a cool day in winter, I boarded a small bus for Nuanquan Town, or Warm Spring Town in Zhangjiakou. It is an old town with ancient walled     1    (village) dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties,     2    (relative) untouched by the influence of modern redevelopment.

I went there not for its springs or well-preserved buildings, but for its performances of Dashuhua, literally     3    (translate) as “striking tree flowers.” It is usually performed at the Lantern Festival, when ironworkers throw hot melted iron against a cold brick wall to create a splendid shower of sparks (火花), just like the     4    (flower) branches of a large tree, and hence the name.

When the freezing cold night fell, the visitors sat around the stage     5     the fire show was performed. As the performers took center stage, all thoughts about the bone-cracking temperatures     6    (forget). And in the following hour, we witnessed firework-like sparks light up the town.

Dashuhua is a game for the brave.     7     requires not only professional skills but also physical     8    (strong) and courage. Maybe that is the reason why fewer and fewer young people want to learn this skill and take better-paying jobs in     9    (large) towns.

Luckily, the tradition has been listed     10     an intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in China.