1 . One day in 2020, after stocking up on some necessities at the shopping centre, my friend Carl was half a mile up Danbury Road, at the wine store he likes. When he ______ into his pocket, uh-oh, no wallet.

The stay-at-home order had just been issued for the ______ of COVID-19, and seldom did he go out. He went back to the parking lot. But the wallet wasn’t anywhere.

Driving home, Carl was ______. Suddenly his cell phone rang. “Is this John?” a man said.

Five minutes later, Carl and the man, David, met up at a local gas station. David stood next to his big truck and told Carl how he’d ______ the wallet and ______ in the middle of busy Danbury Road to get it back. ______, his son ______ to find out Carl’s cell number from social media with his extraordinary wisdom. Now David, grinning from ear to ear, ______ Carl his wallet.

Carl was surprised at their ______ to return the wallet. “Here, let me pay you.” he said, offering the $20 bill. No, said David; he needed nothing. Carl thanked him again, but before they were about to ______, Carl had another idea. “Hey, do you need toilet paper?” David looked shy. “Well, my wife has been looking ...” he ______. Carl gave him several rolls from his newly ______ goods.

“Thank you, thank you!” David exclaimed, as if Carl were the ______.

“He was just so ______.” Carl recalled.

We were brought low by this unexpected medical ______. The best way during the COVID-19 to fight back is to stay positive as we can.

1.

A．drew

B．dragged

C．fetched

D．reached

2.

A．outbreak

B．outcome

C．output

D．outline

3.

A．embarrassed

B．hopeless

C．shocked

D．terrified

4.

A．picked

B．founded

C．plugged

D．spotted

5.

A．pulled up

B．sped up

C．lifted up

D．took up

6.

A．Undoubtedly

B．Gradually

C．Luckily

D．Generally

7.

A．managed

B．attempted

C．advocated

D．meant

8.

A．packed

B．handed

C．folded

D．spared

9.

A．sympathy

B．intention

C．determination

D．promise

10.

A．proceed

B．part

C．ride

D．race

11.

A．promoted

B．admitted

C．persuaded

D．excused

12.

A．researched

B．recovered

C．produced

D．purchased

13.

A．hero

B．suspect

C．stranger

D．receipt

14.

A．smart

B．dynamic

C．disciplined

D．sweet

15.

A．treatment

B．condition

C．crisis

D．attention

2 . Charity isn’t only about big donations. Here are the innovative ways people are helping those in need — even when money is tight.

ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE, INDIA

The Ice Bucket Challenge, a social media initiative that started in the United States and spread around the world, raises a huge $115 million dollars for ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s disease) research.     1     In some versions, the participant donates $100 if they don’t complete the challenge.

FRIGOS SOLIDAIRES, FRANCE

    2     Frigos Solidaires was started with that aim by Dounia Mebtoul, a young restaurateur in Paris. Now, 130 fridges installed in front of places such as shops and schools offer free food to the hungry across France.

MOBILE SHOWER FOR WOMEN, GERMANY

Offering services where they’re needed is also key to the success of a blue-and-white travelling shower mobilized, literally, by the Sozialdienst Katholischer Frauen e.V. Berlin.     3     Social workers operating it also offer donated clothing and toiletries to women who are struggling.

LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES, VARIOUS COUNTRIES

Another visible example of the gift network in action are Little Free Libraries (LFLs), which sit atop eye-level posts.     4     Registering your LFL with the organization lets keen readers find its location through their mobile app.

STUFF A BUS, CANADA AND THE U.S.

In Edmonton, the transit service parks vehicles in front of local supermarkets for its annual “Stuff a Bus” campaign each November.     5     Since its foundation in 1995, the campaign has collected 553,000 kilograms of food and roughly half a million dollars.

A．Anyone can take, leave or exchange a book from the box.

B．All you need is to build a box and fill it with books you’ve read.

C．A similar program in Italy encourages stores and individuals to donate food.

D．Volunteers collect food and cash donations to fill buses heading for food banks.

E．The Dusmobil vehicle provides hot showers for homeless women in ten locations.

F．The idea is to take a video of yourself dumping a bucket of ice water over your head.

G．Imagine if those in need could help themselves to food with anonymity(匿名) and dignity.

3 . A form of gene therapy that is already being trialled in patients with Parkinson’s disease might provide a treatment for severe alcohol addiction.

Alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, disability and ill health among people aged 15 to 49 in the UK, responsible for 9,641 deaths during 2021. Like other addictive substances, alcohol triggers the release of a feelgood chemical in the brain called dopamine. However, long-term drinking decreases dopamine release, and people who are addicted to alcohol don’t tend to feel pleasure in drinking it any more. “It seems that they’re drinking more because they feel a need to maintain a drunk state,” said Prof Kathleen Grant at Oregon Health and Science University.

The idea of the gene therapy was to try to reset this dopamine reward pathway by enhancing the function of brain cells that synthesize dopamine. Like humans, some macaque monkeys are more likely to drink heavily than others: if you begin to offer them the choice of 5% alcohol alongside their regular food and water, some monkeys will eventually almost always choose the alcohol. Grant and her colleagues wondered whether resetting their dopamine reward pathways might contain their desire to drink alcohol. To do this, they used a harmless virus to deliver the gene for a protein called glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) to an area of the brain that is involved in addiction and reward. “We targeted the cell bodies that produce dopamine with this gene to increase dopamine synthesis, thus supplementing or restoring what long-term drinking has taken away,” Grant said.

The research, which was published in Nature Medicine, found that the macaques permanently started overexpressing dopamine and decreased their alcohol consumption by up to 90%. “We are entering an era of gene therapy for neurological disorders and perhaps mental disorders, and I think this study is very promising in that direction.” Grant said.

She added that animal studies are needed before the technique could be tested on humans. Also, because the gene therapy procedure involves brain surgery, it would probably only ever be used in the most severe cases of alcohol addiction.

1. Why do severe alcohol addicts drink more?

A．Because they long for desired pleasure.

B．Because they have a form of gene defect.

C．Because they want to escape from reality.

D．Because they suffer from deadly disability.

2. The underlined word “synthesize” in paragraph 3 can best be replaced by ________.

A．Stimulate.

B．Produce.

C．Charge.

D．Delay.

3. What did Grant’s study focus on?

A．The life habit of macaque monkeys.

B．The way to control alcohol addiction.

C．The working mechanism of dopamine.

D．The function of the protein called GDNF.

4. What did Grant suggest about the gene therapy?

A．Employ it to treat severe alcohol addiction only.

B．Replace it with more efficient methods if necessary.

C．Confirm its effectiveness with more tests on humans.

D．Put it into widespread use on other common species.

4 . Some new museums are opening around the world. Here are four of them deserving to be visited.

Maison Gainsbourg, Paris

The Parisian townhouse where the French singer Serge Gainsbourg lived has been closed off to the public since his death in 1991. This spring, though, it’ll finally open as a museum focusing on his life and work. The project has been led by his daughter—the actor and singer Charlotte—and the main attraction will surely be Serge’s living area, with his piano, art deco bar and a huge collection of sculptures.

National Museum of Norway, Oslo

This year, the National Museum of Norway will open on Oslo’s waterfront, becoming the largest museum in the Nordic countries. The museum collection includes 100,000 objects, with highlights including the Norwegian Baldishol tapestry(挂毯) and an array of Golden Age Flemish landscapes.

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

The expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales has cost a cool $177 million. That’s a lot of money. But it is properly amazing. Visitors enter via a vast glass facade(幕墙), which hangs above a pair of oil tanks from the Second World War period. Torres Strait Islands’ artists’ artworks are given priority in the new gallery spaces.

Museum of Art & Photography, Bengaluru

Opening towards the end of the year, this brand-new gallery in southern India was founded by businessman Abhishek Poddar. He’s known for his collection of art and photos and more than 18,000 of his own pieces will be on display here. Expect everything from sculptures to paintings. Can’t make it out to Bengaluru? The museum is going to have digital exhibits on its website, so you can get your culture enjoyment remotely.

1. What is special about Maison Gainsbourg?

A．It used to be a museum.

B．It focuses on a singer’s life.

C．It is free to visitors all year round.

D．It displays sculptures by Serge Gainsbourg.

2. What can you see if you go to the new museum in Sydney?

A．The Norwegian Baldishol tapestry.

B．A huge collection of art and photos.

C．Works of Torres Strait Islands’ artists.

D．Artworks about the Second World War.

3. Which of the following allows you to see its displays at home?

A．Maison Gainsbourg.

B．National Museum of Norway.

C．Art Gallery of New South Wales.

D．Museum of Art & Photography.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the speaker start playing golf?

A．To play with his dad.

B．To play on his school team.

C．To follow his dream of becoming a professional.

2. Where was the golf game firstly invented?

A．In England.

B．In Scotland.

C．In the US.

3. What is the most important golf competition according to the speaker?

A．The Master’s Tournament.

B．The British Open.

C．The US Open.

4. What does the speaker plan to do in the future?

A．Open his own golf course.

B．Organize golf camps for children.

C．Give pro golfers one-on-one instruction.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman’s main issue?

A．Her bag was stolen.

B．Someone harmed her.

C．She can’t speak Italian.

2. Where will the woman go next?

A．To Rome.

B．To Venice.

C．To Milan.

3. What does the man suggest the woman do?

A．Check in earlier.

B．Stay close to her bag.

C．Let someone watch her personal belongings.

4. Where are the speakers probably?

A．On a train.

B．At a train station.

C．At a police station.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Which date did the boy finish his project?

A．On November 12th.

B．On November 15th.

C．On December 17th.

2. Which paper will the boy probably write tonight?

A．The War of 1812.

B．The Wonders of Liquids.

C．Brown Bear Populations.

3. What is the main topic of the conversation?

A．Time management.

B．The choice of subjects.

C．The plan of some projects.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What are the guards banned from doing according to the woman?

A．Speaking to others.

B．Wearing strange uniforms.

C．Taking pictures with tourists.

2. What is Lucy’s attitude towards the rules?

A．She questions them.

B．She understands them.

C．She opposes them.

9 . Even before the Internet brought unlimited consumer options directly into our homes, choice had long been seen as the driving force of capitalism (资本主义). The possibility of consumers to choose between competing providers of products and services decides which businesses will grow rapidly and which will bite the dust. The competitive environment caused by consumers’ free choice supposedly drives innovation and efficiency, delivering a better overall consumer experience.

However, recent experiments on consumer behaviour have suggested that too many options can lead to a range of anxieties in consumers—from the fear of missing out (FOMO) on a better opportunity, to the loss of pleasure in a chosen activity (thinking “why am I doing this when I could have been doing something else?”) and regret from choosing poorly. The raised expectations presented by a broad range of choices can lead some consumers to feel ill-informed and indecisive when making a purchasing decision.

Fortunately, randomness offers us a simple way to overcome the choice-related anxieties. When faced with a multitude of choices, many of which you would be happy to accept, throwing a coin may be the better option. This “randomized” strategy can help us to focus on our true preference and sometimes making a quick good choice is better than making a slow perfect one, or indeed making no decision at all.

It’s important to remember that you are not required to follow the randomized decision blindly. The suggested choice is just designed to put you in the position of having to seriously consider accepting the specified option, but doesn't force your hand one way or the other.

For those of us who struggle to make decisions, it’s comforting to know that when struggling with a selection, we can get out a coin and allow it to help. Even if we resolve to reject the outcome, being forced to see both sides of the argument can often kickstart or speed up our decision-making process.

1. Which is closest in meaning to “bite the dust” in paragraph 1?

A．Survive.

B．Fail.

C．Adapt.

D．Benefit.

2. The above-mentioned experiments have suggested that __________.

A．too many options could make consumers more anxious

B．more choices usually led to better consumer experiences

C．companies are more innovative in a competitive environment

D．customers could make better decisions with enough information

3. What does the author advise us to do when we are faced with unimportant choices?

A．Focus on our true preference.	B．Delay the decision indefinitely.
C．Accept the randomized strategy.	D．Throw the coins more than once.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Economy.

B．Politics.

C．Health.

D．Psychology.

10 . From its origins in the California hills in the US to its acceptance on urban streets worldwide, the history of skateboarding spans (跨越) seven decades over which it has developed from an unwelcome sport to an Olympic event in 2020. Now, a London exhibition is to show the path from those humble homemade boards of the 1950s to today’s hi-tech professional models.

The exhibition will feature about 90 rare and unique boards along with more than 100 other related objects, including safety equipment and magazines. Half of the skateboards will be on loan from the Skateboarding Hall of Fame Museum in California. A highlight will be a 1967 Bilbo board produced by European Surfing Company, which was set up at Newquay in Cornwall in southwestern England in 1965 and marketed the first skateboards in the UK.

Also on display will be the famous skateboarder Tony Hawk’s first professional model, from 1982, with its adaptations for the vert style of skateboarding which uses vertical ramps (垂直坡面) rather than level ground; early homemade boards from 1950s California modeled on the design of roller-skates and surfboards; and the first two models to feature a kicktail — the raised tail enabling skaters to turn or balance the board on the back wheels.

It will also feature Laura Thornhill’s Logan Earth Ski from the 1970s, the first women’s professional model. Sky Brown, who at 13 won bronze for Team Great Britain at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is represented through her first professional model, the Sky Brown&. Skateistan Almost model.

“Skateboards, often misunderstood as being just toys, are now hi-tech products responding to constantly changing urban environments,” said Jonathan Olivares, the show’s director. “This exhibition is centred around a single question: how did the skateboard get to positioning the skateboard as a truly unique object.”

1. When were skateboards invented?

A．In the 1950s.

B．In the 1960s.

C．In the 1970s.

D．In the 1980s.

2. What can we know about Tony Hawk’s skateboard on the display?

A．It is a homemade board with a kicktail.	B．It is designed to skate on the level ground.
C．It is probably suitable for U-shaped ramps.	D．It is modeled on the design of roller-skates.

3. Which is the first women’s professional model?

A．Bilbo.

B．Logan Earth Ski.

C．Newquay.

D．Sky Brown&. Skateistan Almost.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Skateboards are still low-tech products.

B．Skateboarding won its acceptance immediately.

C．Skateboarders were always admired by the public.

D．Skateboarding will be very popular around the world.