1 . Tomatoes were first planted in 700 AD by Aztecs and Incas. Explorers returning from Mexico introduced the tomato into Europe, where it was first mentioned in 1556. The French called it “the apple of love”，the Germans “the apple of paradise(乐园）”.

Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and fiber，and are cholesterol(胆固醇）free. An average size tomato (148 grams or so) has only 35 calories. Furthermore, new medical research suggests that the consumption of lycopene(番茄红素) ，the stuff that makes tomatoes red，may prevent cancer. Besides, the fruit now appears to have two more health giving benefits. Protection against sunburn and helping keep the skin looking youthful are the latest pluses, a study has found.

Professor Mark Birch-Machin said tomatoes could provide a cheap and easy way of improving health. Researchers at Manchester and Newcastle universities recommend two tomato-based meals a day for health. Possible menus include a glass of tomato juice with breakfast and a salad later or tomato soup for lunch and pasta(意大利面）with a tomato sauce for dinner.

To test the fruit’s ability to protect the skin，ten volunteers were asked to eat five tablespoons of tomato paste mixed with olive oil every day for three months. Another ten had a daily dose of olive oil - minus the tomato paste. The tests showed the tomato-eaters were a third better protected against sunburn at the end of the study than at the start, the British Society for Investigative Dermatology’s annual conference heard.

The researchers stressed, however, that their findings were not an excuse to throw away the sun cream. Professor Lesley Rhodes, a Manchester University dermatologist, said: “People should not think tomatoes in any way can replace sun creams but they may be a good additive.”

1. Why does the writer talk about the history of tomatoes in Paragraph 1?

A．To lead in the topic.	B．To raise a concern.
C．To introduce a question.	D．To make a statement.

2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2?

A．The components of tomatoes.	B．The benefits of tomatoes.
C．The latest findings of tomatoes.	D．The functions of tomatoes on patients.

3. What is the best way to keep the skin looking youthful?

A．Eating more tomatoes.	B．Using more sun cream.
C．Staying inside as often as possible.	D．Using sun cream and eating tomatoes.

4. How do the researchers test tomatoes’ ability to protect the skin against sunburn?

A．By giving an example.	B．By setting up a database.
C．By making a comparison.	D．By analyzing possible reasons.

2 . Just Scream! a hotline which was created by elementary school teacher whose name is Chris Gollmar aimed to reduce tension for those who need an outlet. All you had to do was call the hotline and scream as loud as you wanted.

Chris Gollmar spends his free time working on art projects that invite people to call a phone number and leave a voicemail for other people to hear. He thought that it would be funny and unique to create a phone line just for screaming，and thus he came up with the creative project in September, 2020.

After people dialed in, their calls would be recorded and then put on the website that Chris Gollmar created. “Why should 1 call you?” the website asked “To scream! You might be unhappy, terrified or frustrated. All of these are perfectly good reasons to call the hotline and scream.”

Personal phone numbers were not stored, and all calls went to an answering machine — interacting with a real person wasn’t required.

Chris Gollmar got a large number of recordings after he launched the hotline. “Never in my life would I have expected so many people to actually pick up the phone, dial a number and record themselves for the world to hear,” he said. ‘‘But we’re all screaming on the inside right now. The hotline stopped accepting calls in January, 2021. After that, Chris Gollmar said he would pick a new project to work on."

1. Chris Gollmar invented the hotline with the purpose of________.

A．responding to people’s demands	B．relieving people from pressure
C．creating a way of communication	D．helping deal with conflicts

2. From the passage, we can infer that Chris Gollmar’s hotline was________       .

A．banned

B．popular

C．negative

D．common

3. Compared to other common hotlines, how was Just Scream! special?

A．How the incoming calls were answered.	B．Where the incoming calls were stored.
C．The time when people could get through.	D．The way of dealing with the records.

4. What’s the author’s intention in writing this passage?

A．To share his or her opinion on Chris Gollmar.

B．To arouse readers’ interest in new technology.

C．To give some information on Just Scream.

D．To show how Just Scream! came into being.

3 . 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。

Citizen scientists don't     1     （usual）need special training or equipment. It may not even matter where they live. Often, projects are open to people of all     2     （age）. Many participants（参与者）are kids.

“This is an important, real way for young people to take part in science     3     is useful and important,” Darlene Cavalier says. She founded a website     4     （call）SeiStarter. It helps people find projects they might like to take part in.

For NASA's GLOBE Observer program, volunteers use     5     app on a mobile device（设备）to submit（提交）cloud observations. While satellites photograph clouds     6     above, volunteers study them from below. “By     7     （combine）the two, we get a more complete picture," says Jessica Taylor, of NASA. Researchers use the information       8     （learn）about weather and climate change.

There are thousands of citizen science projects to choose from. You can measure light     9     （pollute）, study the diet of ants, or locate bees. Sometimes, volunteers gather information from their own backyard. Other projects happen online. One     10     （provide）underwater images of beluga whales（白鲸）. Volunteers then tell things like each whale's age and gender.

4 . 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 December 2018, a bunch of friends and I went to Europe to travel. Upon arrival in Vienna, we got the keys to the house from its owner. The     1     (decorate) of the house was quite good.

In Vienna, if anyone wants to copy a key, he or she is expected     2     (prove) their ownership of the property (房产) the key is for. It’s also really expensive. An ordinary key usually costs 150 euros (1.170 yuan). As the person in charge of the keys, I had a great responsibility.

    3     next day, we went everywhere, including the Sisi Museum and a coffee shop in the city center,     4     had dinner in a fancy restaurant. We felt quite relaxed. While we     5     (enjoy) dinner, my friends came up to me, asking for the keys so they could leave early. It was then that I realized that I’d lost them.

The host asked us to give him 300 euros to cover the cost of a new set of keys. We made a complaint about it but we had to pay the money. So, hoping to get our money back, we decided to do some detective work     6     our own.

I wrote an email to the Sisi Museum in the middle of the night, wondering whether the staff had found them. Early in the morning, I received their reply, saying that they had not.

    7     (fortunate) in the end, the keys were found in a souvenir shop. The host even said congratulations to us.

Though we saw many great     8     (sight) in Europe, the most     9     (value) thing about my trip was this lesson I learned: Never lose your keys in Vienna. Your keys ought to     10     (take) good care of.

5 . I live in a town near Prague(布拉格), the capital of the Czech Republic. Besides cars, bikes are the most important _________ of transportation(运输). As it _________ you to go almost anywhere you want, cycling is a big _________ for Czech people. On weekends, you can see cyclists _________ through the towns wearing helmets (头盔) and cycling clothes.

Some people _________ that living in a town is inconvenient (不便利的), including me. _________, I find life in towns much more _________ than that in big cities after living here for a while. I was _________ given a bicycle by my host family. _________ it is only an ordinary bike, I was still __________ and couldn’t wait to take a cycling trip alone.

One sunny Sunday afternoon, I took my first cycling trip to a village nearby. I cycled for a while, alongside a river. But then, something happened: One of my tires __________. There was no choice but to __________ my bike back home, which took an hour.

I didn’t give up though: One week later, I __________ again. This time, however, there was__________ wrong with my tires. It was a very beautiful town, with a typical Czech castle and a park full of peacocks. People were taking part in a marathon that day. There were also stands selling __________ Czech foods and drinks, such as potato pancakes and beer.

It was already sunset when I __________ to head home, and I saw almost no one on the way back. As the warm breeze softly stroked (轻抚) my face. I felt very __________ and happy.

I believe many of us need a(n) __________ like this to take a break from our __________ life sometimes. So, I really do encourage all of you to take a cycling trip alone, even just to a nearby village. Just look around you, and you’re sure to __________ some hidden beauty.

1.

A．duty

B．notice

C．idea

D．means

2.

A．asks

B．tells

C．orders

D．allows

3.

A．hobby

B．surprise

C．deal

D．break

4.

A．wandering

B．flying

C．passing

D．jumping

5.

A．forget

B．think

C．regret

D．remember

6.

A．However

B．Besides

C．Therefore

D．Otherwise

7.

A．different

B．difficult

C．interesting

D．important

8.

A．frequently

B．recently

C．usually

D．rarely

9.

A．Even though

B．Now that

C．In case

D．As long as

10.

A．frightened

B．puzzled

C．worried

D．excited

11.

A．turned up

B．stayed up

C．went up

D．blew up

12.

A．arrange

B．support

C．walk

D．repair

13.

A．showed up

B．set off

C．watched out

D．called up

14.

A．nothing

B．something

C．everything

D．anything

15.

A．unpopular

B．strange

C．traditional

D．expensive

16.

A．hesitated

B．tried

C．decided

D．refused

17.

A．proud

B．peaceful

C．nervous

D．confident

18.

A．spirit

B．opportunity

C．ability

D．result

19.

A．poor

B．rich

C．free

D．busy

20.

A．study

B．surround

C．discover

D．create

6 . Shenyang—The remains of 117 Chinese People’s Volunteers soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War returned to China on Sunday before the Commemorative Day of Martyrs.

This is the seventh annual repatriation (遣送), following a handover agreement signed between China and the Republic of Korea. and also the largest since the initial (最初的) return of 437 soldiers in 2014. Between 2014 and 2019, the remains of 599 soldiers were returned.

Earlier on Sunday, the ROK handed over the remains at a ceremony at Incheon airport outside Seoul. A Chinese military transport plane, escorted (护卫) by two Chinese fighter jets, carried the remains and belongings of the fallen soldiers back and landed at Taoxian International Airport at 11:18 am in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang near the border of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Y-20 aircraft. the largest and most advanced domestically developed transport aircraft. carried out the task for the first time. It was labeled (贴标签于……) with the serial number 01. as a mark of high respect for the martyrs.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan attended the ceremony along with CPV soldiers and citizens. China has never forgotten its fallen heroes and the contribution they made, Sun said in a speech.

Chinese people always remember the fighting spirit of defending the motherland, and China will remember the past and cherish peaceful international environment, Sun said.

Wang Guobin, a 92 year old CPV veteran, said. “I’m both happy and sad. I’m glad that after 70 years, they finally come home. And I am sad that they died in the 1950-53 Korean war and couldn’t come back until 70 years later.”

Many local residents lined the roads to welcome the martyrs home and show their respect.

The remains will be buried in a martyrs’ park in Shenyang on Monday. It is the resting place of all soldiers’ remains returned by the ROK since 2014.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the CPV’S participation in the 1950-53 Korean War. A total of 2.9 million CPV soldiers entered the battlefield, and 197,653 of them were killed in the war.

1. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?

A．Where the ROK handed over the remains at a ceremony.

B．Why Y-20 aircraft was labeled with the serial number 01.

C．How the remains and belongings of the fallen soldiers were carried back.

D．When Chinese military transport plane landed at Taoxian International Airport.

2. How many remains of CPV soldiers were initially returned to China by the Republic of Korea in 2014?

A．117.

B．197.

C．437.

D．599.

3. What does the underlined word“cherish” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Examine something using scientific methods.

B．Regard it as important and try hard to keep it.

C．Do what you are told or expected to do.

D．Behave in a particular way towards sb/sth.

4. What can be the best title for the news report?

A．Remains of 117 Chinese Soldiers Return to Homeland

B．117 Remains Will Be Buried in a Martyrs’ Park in Shenyang

C．Many Local Residents Line the Roads to Welcome the Martyrs Home

D．70th Anniversary of the CPV’s Participation in the 1950-53 Korean War

7 . It might seem like something from a science fiction movie, but scientists today are working on ways to combine certain kinds of bacteria with tiny robots. Scientists want to use these creations to improve the way we give medical treatment. They claim that drug therapy (疗法), disease diagnosis, and even surgery could be greatly aided by the use of nanobiotechnology. Nano-means “tiny”, and bio-means “life”. This tiny technology will use living organisms in combination with electronics.

Electronics makers already use tiny robots to build complex but very tiny circuits. Medical scientists want to use these robots to repair patients’ damaged organs or to direct medicines to affect specific cells. For example, tiny robots could be engineered to deliver chemotherapy (化疗) directly to cancer instead of to the entire body.

Existing electronics are the right size, but they lack practical use. Robots that can be built small enough to enter a person’s cells would be too tiny to move on their own. Therefore, scientists want to use tiny organisms such as bacteria to act as vehicles for the robots. The bacteria will be “driven” through the bloodstream by magnetic pulses (磁脉冲). Once the bacteria are in the correct locations, the robots will be able to do their jobs. In theory, these robots will cause less damage to the body than traditional methods of delivering medicines or performing surgeries.

Nanobiotechnology has yet to be put into practice, but many people already have concerns about its use. Some people worry about the ethic (道德标准) involved with controlling live organisms—and the possible side effects for their human hosts.

1. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The application of tiny robots.	B．The influence of tiny robots.
C．The operation of tiny robots.	D．The origin of tiny robots.

2. Which of the following could be a future benefit of nanobiotechnology?

A．Cheaper medicine.	B．Less harm to the body.
C．Longer life expectancy.	D．Faster performance of surgeries.

3. According to the medical scientists, robots ______.

A．can locate he bacteria.	B．are driven by medicine.
C．can act as vehicles.	D．are carried by bacteria.

4. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A computer textbok	B．A life magazine
C．A science magazine	D．A biology textbook

8 . 24 Solar Terms: 5 things about Major Snow

Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, which falls on Dec 7 this year. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly. Here are 5 things you should know about Major Snow.

Snowy winter

The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road. In the south, snowflakes fall and the world turns white. A proverb about the snow says, "A timely snow promises a good harvest".     1    

    2    

The red plum blossoms (梅花) in contrast with the white snowy world is a feast for the eyes and have inspired many great poems. The plum blossom, which originated in China, is respected in Chinese culture for its bravery against severe winters.

Eating lamb

Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow.     3     People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup with their families and friends. Nanjing residents like to stew lamb with some plants to make it more nutritious.

Making sausages

During Major Snow, people in southern China make sausages, an important part of preparation for the Spring Festival.    4    . The sausage should be dried in the shade, and is edible after a week.

Preventing respiratory (呼吸道的) illness

During this period, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and properly drinking water.    5    . At the same time, don't drink cold water after exercise.

A．Writing poems about snow

B．Appreciating plum blossoms

C．But you should not drink too much water at a time

D．Drink as much water as you can whenever possible

E．The best meat for this delicacy comes from the bottom of the pig

F．As the snow covers the ground, the low winter temperature kills pests

G．It promotes blood circulation and provides protection against the cold

9 . Humans have explored space beyond Earth’s atmosphere for over half a century. When astronauts explore the vast area of outer space, they need to wear high-tech spacesuits to protect them from the dangerous conditions of the universe.

A spacesuit is made up of nearly a half dozen different components(部件) and can have up to 16 layers, according to NASA. From start to finish, it can take up to four hours for an astronaut to dress up, said Cathleen Lewis, leader of international space programs. Before going on a spacewalk, astronauts must check each piece of equipment and make sure they have enough important supplies, such as oxygen and water.

The astronauts on the Artemis missions, NASA’s next program to send the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, will wear the latest spacesuit, known as xEMU. One of its main components is the cooling garment, said Richard Rhodes, leader of xEMU pressure garment development at NASA. The garment is made of tubes that circulate water around the astronaut, regulating body temperature and removing extra heat as they complete their work. Each spacesuit has a portable life-support component, which includes a water tank for the cooling garment, carbon dioxide removal system and more.

The original spacesuits used during the Apollo missions were less flexible than the ones today. Fortunately, spacesuits have come a long way since then and have a more flexible structure. On the outside of a spacesuit, there are colored stripes(条纹)unique to each suit. This is how astronauts can tell who is in each suit when out in space, Lewis said. This tried-and-true system will be used for the Artemis spacesuits.

Rhodes said the biggest challenge for the Artemis suits is making sure they are upgraded for lunar exploration. The suits need to be “light enough to support the lunar mission and strong enough to protect the astronaut while working in the very hazardous lunar environment,” he said.

1. What is the special feature of xEMU?

A．It is less flexible.	B．It can not wear easily.
C．It can protect astronauts.	D．It has a special cooling garment.

2. What are colored stripes on the outside of a spacesuit used for?

A．To test a new system.

B．To show the astronaut's nationality.

C．To distinguish who is in the spacesuit.

D．To indicate which country made the spacesuit.

3. What does the underlined word “hazardous” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Cold.	B．Dangerous.
C．Noisy.	D．Unstable.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Brave Astronauts in NASA

B．The Development of Spacesuits

C．Spacesuits Make Space Exploration Possible

D．NASA Designs New Spacesuits for Next Mission

10 . Facial recognition software has found an unlikely new application: scanning the faces of thousands of British children in school canteens.

Nine schools in North Ayrshire will today start taking lunch payments by scanning the faces of pupils, claiming that the new system speeds up queues and is more secure than the card payments and fingerprint scanners they used previously. “It’s the fastest way of recognising someone at the till,” said David Swanston, the managing director of CRB Cunninghams, the company that installed the systems. “In a secondary school you have around a 25-minute period to serve potentially 1,000 pupils. So we need fast productivity at the point of sale.” He said the average transaction time was cut to five seconds per pupil.

However, privacy campaigners say there is little need to spread out facial recognition technology, which has been criticized for often operating without gaining approvals from the owners. Swanston argued that CRB Cunningham’s system, which uses cameras to check against coded face-print modes stored on servers at the schools, was different from live facial recognition systems that scan through crowds to identify faces. Live facial recognition has previously caused debate after being used by schools for security or to monitor attendance.

North Ayrshire committee said that 97 percent of children or their parents had given agreement for the new system. “Pupils often forget their PINs and unfortunately some have also been the victim of PIN cheating, so they are supportive of the planned developments and appreciate the benefits to them,” the council said.

But some parents said they were unsure whether their children had been given enough information to make their decision, and suggested that peer pressure had also played a role.

1. What can we infer from Swanston’s word?

A．He speaks highly of the system.

B．The software is intended to promote the sales.

C．The technology has previously caused debate.

D．The system will be helpful when the students forget their PINs.

2. What is not the advantage of the facial recognition software?

A．It speeds up the queues.

B．It is safer than the previous payments.

C．It operates without being approved of.

D．It benefits the pupils who often forget their PINs.

3. What’s the author’s attitude to the application of facial recognition technology?

A．Supportive	B．Disapproved
C．Objective	D．Critical

4. What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Facial recognition has been the best way adopted so far.

B．Parents disagree with the application of facial recognition system.

C．The facial recognition system can benefit the pupils who are forgetful.

D．Schools speed up canteen queues with facial recognition technology.