1 . Sam Krug is the second generation at Preferred Popcorn, a Nebraska (n.内布拉斯加州) factory that produces Americans favorite movie snack. Here fresh batches of popcorn are made every 15 minutes and immediately tested and tasted for quality.

The whole process begins with growing the right kind of corn, not surprisingly cold popcorn. The big difference between corn and popcorn is that popcorn has lots of starch (n.淀粉) inside of it. The shell is hard and so the starch, when you heat it up, mixes with the moisture in the kernel (n.玉米粒) and it boils inside of this. And it gets so hot and the shell is so hard on the outside that it gets hotter and hotter and more excited and more excited and eventually it just blows out.

Nebraska has perfect conditions for growing popcorn, including the right climate and plenty of water for irrigation. And you don’t have to look far to find local farmers to work with. They usually take it to the factory where the kernels are sorted by weight, color and size.

Factory staffs pop a sample of each batch to test it out. They always pop at 480 degrees and use exactly the same amount of oil when they are going to pop. During the course, factory standard coconut (n.椰子) oil is used.

The factory sells kernels for different kinds of popcorn, depending on how the buyer plans to prepare it. It seems that the Americans eat more popcorn than any other nation in the world. And the US Popcorn Board says that in 2018 they consumed more than 14 billion liters of the snack.

1. What do we know about Preferred Popcorn?

A．It is the second generation popcorn factory.

B．It produces fresh batches of popcorn every 15 minutes

C．It tests and tastes the quality of popcorns.

D．It produces popcorns for the Nebraska movie factory.

2. Why does the popcorn blow out when heated?

A．Because it has lots of starch inside of it.

B．Because the starch and moisture boils inside the hard shell.

C．Because the shell is hard.

D．Because it is cold popcorn.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The factory has already known the consumers’ plan.

B．The factory makes preparations for the buyers.

C．The factory sells kernels for different kinds of popcorns according to the workers’ needs.

D．The factory takes different consumers’ demand into consideration.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Production of the popcorns.

B．Reasons for Nebraska to grow popcorns

C．Procedures for growing the popcorn

D．Conditions for making popcorns.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Which TV show is Viola mostly known for?

A．Central Falls.

B．Everybody’s Ruby.

C．How to Get Away with Murder.

2. When did Viola receive her first major award?

A．In 1993.

B．In 1999.

C．In 2001.

3. Which film earned Viola an academy award?

A．Fences.

B．Doubt.

C．King Hedley II.

4. What have Viola and her husband done recently?

A．They have run their own company.

B．They have acted together in a movie.

C．They have showed up in a ceremony.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where are the speakers?

A．In the woods.

B．At their home.

C．In the classroom.

2. What is the woman looking for?

A．Rubbish.

B．Mushrooms.

C．Bamboo grass.

3. What does the woman want to do with what she finds?

A．Take pictures.

B．Cook a meal.

C．Do a drawing.

4. How are mushrooms and bamboo grass similar?

A．They are both nutritious.

B．They have a single root system.

C．They grow all over the ground.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When did the speakers last see each other?

A．During middle school.

B．During high school.

C．During college.

2. Who did the man see at the grocery store?

A．A new principal.

B．A former teacher.

C．An old classmate.

3. How did the woman feel about their old gym class?

A．Frightened.

B．Interested.

C．Amazed.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话。回答以下小题。
1. How will the woman give the lucky money to William?

A．She’ll send it on WeChat.

B．She’ll give him a red envelope.

C．She’ll send it to his US account.

2. Why can’t the man join the family celebration?

A．He has to attend classes.

B．He is in a different city.

C．He is busy traveling in the US.

6 . It’s never easy to let go of what you’ve learned to be comfortable with, but the act of letting go and starting over can be incredibly powerful.     1     Here are some tips to help us to make such a change.

Get rid of unrealistic expectations

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with aiming high and believing in yourself, setting goals that are too unrealistic only sets you up for failure and disappointment. The more you pressure yourself to succeed and live up to your perfect ideals, the more frustrated you will feel when things don’t work out. Stop thinking that you need to have certain things or be in certain places, just for you to feel good about yourself.

Throw away the emotional baggage

    2     However, you can’t keep holding onto your emotional baggage forever. Leave all your heartbreaks and emotional hangups where they belong, in the past, and learn to let go of the troubles you may have been holding onto. It’s okay if you’re still hurting as long as you allow yourself the freedom to heal, transform, and grow as you greet the New Year.

Keep away from toxic (有毒害的) relationships

It’s time for you to say goodbye to tiring toxic relationships and one-sided friendships. Don’t surround yourself with fair-weather people. Know that you deserve to be with people who care for you, understand you, accept you, and connect with you.     3    

Do differently

Are you looking for a change?     4     After all, no one ever achieved anything great by simply following the crowd, so why not have a little fun and experiment? Get a change of scenery, adopt a new hobby, and do something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the courage to do before.

    5    

We all desire for the approval and acceptance of the people who matter to us, but worrying too much about what others think will only bring you misery and frustration. Devoting all your time and energy to living up to everyone’s expectations of you is exhausting because it’s impossible for you to please everyone.

A．Embrace the real you.

B．Stop pleasing others.

C．It can positively impact our lives and satisfy us emotionally.

D．Then it’s time to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.

E．Don’t be afraid to leave those hurting you too much or mistreating you too many times.

F．The truth is the person whose approval should matter the most to you should be you.

G．Letting go of your personal problems is easier said than done.

7 . As a child, I loved exploring the attic (阁楼) — a _________ wonderland filled with relics of the past. One day, I stumbled upon a wooden chest, _________ behind an old bookshelf. With _________ hands, I opened it and found my great-grandfather’s journal.

I read about his _________: fighting in wars, discovering new lands, and meeting extraordinary people. His words jumped off the pages, lighting my _________. I felt like I was _________ through time, living his stories.

Years passed, and I grew up, but the _________ remained a cherished memory. It wasn’t until I faced my own challenges that I understood its _________ value. My great-grandfather’s perseverance and courage inspired me to _________ fears and pursue my dreams.

Today, when I hold the worn journal, I realize it’s not just a forgotten treasure, but a __________ legacy (遗产) — a source of strength and __________ passed down through generations. And I vow to __________ it for future generations, so they too can find __________ in its pages.

In this __________ age, where memories are stored on the internet and words are fleeting, the journal serves as a physical sign of our history. __________ I prepare to pass it on to the next generation, I do so with the hope that they will find the same unwavering spirit that has guided me.

1.

A．dusty

B．dark

C．bright

D．clear

2.

A．visible

B．open

C．locked

D．hidden

3.

A．shaky

B．steady

C．warm

D．cold

4.

A．failures

B．successes

C．adventures

D．achievements

5.

A．satisfaction

B．imagination

C．description

D．assumption

6.

A．traveling

B．sleeping

C．dreaming

D．waiting

7.

A．bookshelf

B．attic

C．journal

D．box

8.

A．true

B．fake

C．temporary

D．present

9.

A．get in

B．get over

C．get through

D．get back

10.

A．relative

B．family

C．national

D．personal

11.

A．wealth

B．health

C．freedom

D．wisdom

12.

A．destroy

B．forget

C．preserve

D．ignore

13.

A．frustration

B．inspiration

C．boredom

D．confusion

14.

A．lonely

B．lively

C．industrial

D．digital

15.

A．Unless

B．As

C．If

D．Though

8 . The idea of growing meat outside an animal has been around for a long time. In 1931, Winston Churchill wrote that by the 1980s“we shall escape the absurdity (荒谬) of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.” It seems that his predictions are beginning to materialise. Due to the rising global demand for meat, the world turns to cultured meat to overcome the environmental problems of traditional animal agriculture.

The science behind cultured meat is fairly well established. A sample of cells is first taken from a live animal and these cells are fed growth medium that enables them to grow and divide, allowing trillions of cells to be produced from a small sample. Once enough cells have been produced, they are turned into developed muscle and fat cells through a certain process. Standard food processing technologies are then used to form the final product—meat.

Investors have responded optimistically, with cultured meat start-ups raising over$125 million since 2015 and investments growing by 85% between 2017 and 2018. High profile backers include Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Google co-founder Serge y Brin, who helped fund(资助) the first cultured burger in 2013.

Despite this optimism, cultured meat still has a long way to go before it appears on our dinner tables. The first cultured burger famously cost $280,000 to produce and, though costs have come down considerably since then, the price of production remains a challenge. Another major challenge facing the cultured meat industry is government regulation. No legal right has yet approved cultured meat for consumption.

Josh Tetrick, CEO of JUST, has claimed that the company’s cultured chicken nuggets have been ready for small scale (规模) commercialisation since 2018. However, Uma Valeti, CEO of Memphis Meats, has emphasized the importance of taking time to get the release right. Regardless of companies’intentions, it is unlikely that cultured meat will find its way onto supermarket soon. Instead the first products will likely appear in selected restaurants in a limited release, reserved for the more adventurous and wealthy diners.

1. What does the underlined word “materialise” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．come near

B．come true

C．become clear

D．take action

2. What is true about cultured meat?

A．Cultured meat results in growing environmental problems.

B．Cultured meat is produced with the help of cells from animals.

C．Cultured meat tastes similar to the traditional meat from animals.

D．Cultured meat is ready to be put in market in large numbers.

3. What’s the author’s purpose in writing Para 3?

A．To show investors felt confident in the future of cultured meat.

B．To show investors earned much money from the selling of cultured meat.

C．To show investors invested much money in the making of cultured meat.

D．To show investors contributed a lot to the first cultured meat.

4. Which of the following is the best title?

A．Cultured Meat: Just Around the Corner?

B．Cultured Meat: A Challenge to Take up?

C．Meat Production: In Lab or in Farm?

D．Meat Production: To Be a Problem?

9 . 假定你是李华，你校英语报正在征集“最受学生喜欢的歌曲”活动。请你给校报编辑写一封邮件，根据个人体会，推荐一首歌曲，内容包括：
1.介绍歌曲信息（包括歌名、类型、歌词大意等…）
2.你推荐的理由
注意：
1.词数不少于80字；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
参考词汇：旋律 melody；节奏 rhythm；歌词 lyrics
Dear editor,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

10 . Luminous Soul

This project encourages disabled people to feel contemporary dance and to consider the possibility that with training they could become professional. Helen is one of the project’s real success students. “For me, I’ve got loads out of this. I have actually decided to go back and study dance as a mature student at Belfast Metropolitan College, because I want to keep going further and further with it.” Helen said.

Imagine Action

Imagine Action brings together sport and art. Over three years the project has trained 75 young people in drama, dance and song. One participant, Erin Quinn, was a shy 13-year-old girl when she began, but three years later she has grown in confidence hugely and is hoping to make a career in drama. “I had an interest in music, but nothing compared to sports, and then I found Imagine Action,” Erin said.

Falkirk’s Future Stars

Falkirk’s Future Stars is about inspiring local athletes to achieve their potential by putting them into a class or club environment. Alistair Fraser is a young basketball player taking part in this project. Alistair said, “After I got involved with the programme I gained a lot of confidence not just in my basketball but as a person who could go out into the local community and speak to children about my story, and see how it inspired them in their sport or other activities.”

Challenge Your Boundaries

This mountain biking project for disabled riders provides equipment, coaching and leadership to enable a wider group of riders to hit the trail (上路). The project manager Graham O’Hanlong is carrying out a series of guided rides for disabled riders. Graham said, “The project is about promoting participation. It is also concerned with providing coaching opportunities and quality outdoor experiences.”

1. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 1 refers to __________.

A．college

B．the project

C．dancing

D．the story

2. Alistair’s words show that __________.

A．he achieves personal growth after the programme

B．he performs pretty well when he’s in a class or club

C．he becomes an excellent player in the community

D．he encourages young children to play basketball

3. What do Luminous Soul and Challenge Your Boundaries have in common?

A．Both offer students outdoor experience.

B．Both are for professionals.

C．Both connect sport with art.

D．Both are designed for the disabled.