2 . International Women's Day is March 8. The first celebration was held in 1911, and the event was recognized by the United Nations starting in 1975.

It's a great time to think about the origin of the word "woman". Some people think the word “woman" is a compound(混合)of the words“womb”and“man". Not so. Rather,it's a compound of "wife" and "man", a combination that can be traced back to Old English. You see, when Old English was first being spoken in the 5th century AD, there were two distinct words for men and women: "wer" meant "adult male",and "wif” meant “adult female". There was a third word,“man", which simply meant "person"or "human being”. These words could be combined:“wer" plus“man"(in the form of "waepman")meant "adult male person" and“wif” plus"man”("wilman") meant “adult female person”.

Those middle forms,“wimnan"and "wommon"with the two M's in the middle, remind me of Noah Webster's efforts to simplify English spelling by suggesting changing the spelling "woman” to“wimmen" to have the spelling better match the pronunciation. He put that in his 1806 Compendious Dictionary o f the English Language, but it didn't become popular.

And the Old English word for "adult male" evolved into a simplified form. The compound word "weapman" melted into the simple word we use today: "man".

Maybe the lesson to take from all this is that the role of women in society has always been complex. Whatever the case, the word "woman" today was originally a compound of the Old English words for"woman” and “human being”.

1. Where can you find the first source of the word "woman"?

A．In paragraph 1.

B．In paragraph 2.

C．In paragraph 3.

D．In paragraph 4.

2. Why did Webster suggest changing the spelling "woman" to "wimmen"?

A．To link the spelling to the pronunciation.

B．To keep up with the times more closely.

C．To satisfy the readers’ requests

D．To make it easy to pronounce.

3. When did the spelling "woman" started?

A．By the 1600s.	B．In the 5th century AD,
C．In 1809.	D．By the Middle English period

4. What is the purpose of the author in writing the text?

A．To tell us the origin of Women's Day.

B．To tell us the history of the word "woman".

C．To stress the roles women are playing

D．To teach us the development of a language

3 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter

While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.

1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?

A．Yellowstone National Park.	B．Joshua Tree National Park.
C．Grand Canyon National Park.	D．Virgin Islands National Park.

2. What do we know about the Grand Canyon National Park?

A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there.	B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs.
C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter.	D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather.

3. Which activity is mentioned in all of the parks?

A．Hiking.

B．Skiing.

C．Swimming.

D．Hunting.

4 . Winter can usually kill most wildfires. But in the far North，some forest fires just don’t die. They are thought of as “zombie (僵尸) fires”.

“Zombie fires” usually sleep underground in winter. Covered by snow, they smoke through the cold. Fueled by carbon-rich peat (泥炭) and soil in the North, most of these hidden fires spread slowly for less than 500 meters during the winter. When spring comes, the flames (火焰) of the fires appear near sites that they burned in winter, and they turn to burning fresh fuels around. This may happen well before the traditional fire season in the far North.

“Zombie fires” had been known mostly from firefighters’ stories. Few scientists studied them until details in some satellite images attracted one research team. Rebecca Scholten, a member of the team, studies earth systems at Vrije University Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Her team noticed an unusual thing. “New fires have been starting very close to the former years’ fires in recent years，and we wonder how often the fires might survive the winter,” Scholten explains.

These “zombie fires” are rarely seen before, according to a new study from Nature. But in recent years, they are becoming more common, the study warns. It is believed that the “zombie fires” are even on the road of being a threat. Forests in the far North are warming faster than the globe’s average (平均数). Scholten says, “We’re seeing more hot summers and more large fires and strong burning. That could set the stage for the fires to become a bigger problem,” she worries. And the region’s soils hold a lot of carbon—maybe twice as much as earth’s atmosphere. More fires here could give off huge amounts of greenhouse gases. That would drive a cycle of more warming and even higher risk of fires.

1. What do we know about the “zombies fires” in the far North?

A．They will completely die out in winter.

B．Carbon-rich peat helps them burn slowly in winter.

C．They often happen after the traditional fire season.

D．Their flames can only appear in spring.

2. What can we infer from Scholten’s words in paragraph 3?

A．“Zombie fires” appear earlier than the years before.

B．“Zombie fires” happen far from former years’ fires.

C．“Zombie fires” happen more frequently than before.

D．“Zombie fires” appear in different shapes every year.

3. What was a cause of being a threat for the “zombie fires”?

A．The global warming is slowing down.

B．The hot summers are less and less seen.

C．The area’s soils are short of carbon.

D．More greenhouse gases are given off.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Where Are “Zombie Fires” From?

B．Are “Zombie Fires” Frightening?

C．Pay Attention To “Zombie Fires”!

D．“Zombie Fires” Are Caused By Humans!

6 . Last week, my friends and I got together to eat delicious Asian chicken wings in our college town in the evening. We hadn't __ each other for a long time, so it was good having a __ and sharing summer plans with each other.

Such __, however, does not allow for deep conversations, especially if someone is uncomfortable when___ personal troubles in a large crowd. After __, I prepared to go but I __ that my friend, Jack, was uncertain about what to do. He didn't___ to leave as if he needed our __ with him at that time.

During dinner, he had also said that his second year at college was __ difficult, so I asked him about his __ again. This time the flood gates of feelings __, and he shared with us problems of mental（精神的）health that he had been __ throughout the year with his studies and his nervous __   with his classmates.

My best friend said he was ready to __, but I asked my friend if he could stay and __ to Jack with me. We spent another 30 minutes listening to Jack's story of __ mental health, pressure, worry and sadness.

After our talk, Jack sent both of us __ on his mobile phone later that night. In the text messages, he expressed his thanks for our spending time with him and lending a(n) __. This experience showed me that __ a friend doesn't mean giving him a(n) __ gift. Time to listen and care may sometimes be the best gift of all that is not about money.

1.

A．believed in

B．met with

C．relied on

D．watched over

2.

A．try

B．debate

C．bath

D．chat

3.

A．loss

B．responsibility

C．communication

D．fame

4.

A．sharing

B．searching

C．ignoring

D．solving

5.

A．class

B．dinner

C．work

D．breakfast

6.

A．appreciated

B．admitted

C．proved

D．noticed

7.

A．want

B．refuse

C．hate

D．pretend

8.

A．stay

B．bargain

C．fight

D．entrance

9.

A．lately

B．hardly

C．really

D．secondly

10.

A．identity

B．experience

C．motto

D．request

11.

A．changed

B．disappeared

C．closed

D．opened

12.

A．dealing with

B．thinking highly of

C．dreaming of

D．playing jokes on

13.

A．space

B．time

C．study

D．relationship

14.

A．agree

B．explore

C．leave

D．accept

15.

A．turn

B．listen

C．belong

D．add

16.

A．selection

B．sufferings

C．medals

D．happiness

17.

A．applications

B．incidents

C．messages

D．regrets

18.

A．hook

B．gift

C．show

D．ear

19.

A．harming

B．standing for

C．caring about

D．finding

20.

A．valuable

B．frightening

C．useless

D．artificial

8 . Meena has raised an impressive $140,000 for senior dogs. The young girl was _______ by her desire to help her furry friends find a loving, forever _______ —just like she did. Meena was found abandoned, left in a basket at just 9 months old. She was _______ at age 2 and got a new home from an Indian couple.

As a child, she was fond of animals. She often _______ to the local dog rescue to play with the animals. As much as Meena _______ spending time at the shelters, she grew _______ by how often senior dogs were _______ . Senior dogs were seldom adopted, suspected of requiring more _______ medical procedures. Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a volunteer-run rescue, soon became Meena's home away from home and favorite place to visit. The _______ rescues and rehomes older dogs. She admired how Muttville __________ senior dogs “a second chance at life”.

Having been __________ herself, Meena understood how it feels to be left behind. She never viewed the senior dogs as a __________ , but rather as intelligent, gentle and loyal __________ for the right pet parents. Meena hopes to __________ others to adopt older dogs as they also provide an abundance of unconditional love and can make a(n) __________ addition to any home. During the pandemic (流行病), she observed how dogs have helped soothe (抚慰) their owners’ __________ and loneliness. She believes since animals have __________ us, we, in turn, need to do our __________ and help them when the opportunity arises.

Meena was determined to find a way to __________ Muttville in its noble mission of saving senior dogs. Her brainstorm was a pet-sitting business. Meena __________ contributed all her pet-sitting earnings to Muttville.

1.

A．attacked

B．ignored

C．attracted

D．motivated

2.

A．rescue

B．home

C．nursery

D．hospital

3.

A．adapted

B．admitted

C．adopted

D．achieved

4.

A．paid a visit

B．paid no attention

C．did a survey

D．showed mercy

5.

A．allowed

B．avoided

C．enjoyed

D．minded

6.

A．depressed

B．surprised

C．annoyed

D．frightened

7.

A．given away

B．left behind

C．cut off

D．broken down

8.

A．lively

B．lovely

C．friendly

D．costly

9.

A．stranger

B．hospital

C．police

D．nonprofit

10.

A．returned

B．bought

C．offered

D．promised

11.

A．cheated

B．abandoned

C．praised

D．tricked

12.

A．burden

B．duty

C．chance

D．shame

13.

A．companions

B．classmates

C．volunteers

D．leaders

14.

A．forbid

B．encourage

C．command

D．permit

15.

A．wonderful

B．harmful

C．terrible

D．eventful

16.

A．illness

B．security

C．excitement

D．anxiety

17.

A．influenced

B．rescued

C．hurt.

D．helped

18.

A．part

B．business

C．study

D．fortune

19.

A．accompany

B．provide

C．support

D．claim

20.

A．unwillingly

B．generously

C．generally

D．curiously

9 . A 2020 study by Balbix found that 99% of the people surveyed reused their passwords between work accounts or between work and personal accounts.     1    

For example, a 2019 study by Google found that 59% of the people they surveyed used a name or a birthday in their password. And 24% admitted using a password like one of these below: 1234, 12345, 123456, etc.     2     Since both personal and work accounts are accessible from the same device with the same password, it simplifies the work a bad actor has to do in order to breach (攻入) your systems.

    3     The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Password Guidelines are widely regarded as the international standard for password best practices. Following these guidelines—and insisting your employees do the same—will help protect you against threats from weak or stolen passwords. Password managers can simplify the work required for your employees to follow these guidelines.

It's more secure to require your employees to use more than one authentication (身份验证) factor to access mobile company applications.     4     They'd need to check on their identity with additional authentication factors in order to log in.

Finally, you can also perform passwordless authentication.     5     For example, in the event that a mobile device is stolen or accessed illegally, requiring a facial scan (扫描) or a finger scan as a primary or secondary authentication factor could still prevent unauthorized access.

A．Passwords are commonly shared in the workplace.

B．It will help you to root out password risks altogether.

C．Many employees still create weak and simple passwords.

D．These bad password habits present a threat to organizations.

E．That helps reduce the risk that a bad actor gains access to your systems.

F．Unfortunately, the passwords that employees are reusing are often weak.

G．However, that's not to say there is no way to reduce or uproot password threats.

10 . In school, we' re taught word repetition is bad and that we shouldn't use the same word over and over again in the same piece. It gives the impression that we have a severely limited vocabulary.

Later on, however, we' re sometimes told that it's better to use the same word repeatedly. With dialogue, some novel-writing professors recommend using "said" with each comment instead of replacing it with synonyms（同义词）（whispered, responded, etc.）. Word repetition is also an emotional appeal strategy for speeches and sales, because people remember and respond to things they hear multiple times.

So which way is right?

The answer is, "It depends.” If you're writing for school, it's not a very good idea to use the same word constantly. If you're writing dialogue that you want to keep moving at a fast pace, using mostly “said” can help do that because "he said” and "she said” more or less fade into the background. They don't take much time or attention for the readers, so they can skip over and focus on the dialogue. However, this isn't a hard-and-fast rule. You might rely on “said” for one scene and mix in a bunch of synonyms for another.

Repeating a word can also provide emphasis, and it's really good for sales. Think about commercials and how they re-use specific words to make sure that those words stick in your memories. The trick to this method, however, is that you have to make sure other words aren't repeating the same way. Otherwise, the repetition loses its power.

In the end, it comes down to personal taste and the effect you' re trying to achieve. As Shakespeare said, "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." You may need to repeat the same word every time. You may need to mix it up with synonyms. You may need to do both at the same time for different ideas. And the decision may change completely by what you're trying to do.

1. Why should you avoid repetition in your school essay?

A．It would get readers angry if you did that.

B．Teachers thinks less of your vocabulary.

C．Essays are graded by your vocabulary.

D．Readers hate to read simple words over again.

2. What effect does using "said" repeatedly in dialogues have?

A．Limiting the writing speed.

B．Speeding up the reading process.

C．Putting more emphases on backgrounds.

D．Highlighting the writer's vocabulary.

3. How should word repetition be used in commercials?

A．Word repetition should be kept from being used in any way.

B．The more word repetitions, the better effect they have.

C．Repeat specific words but do the rest in another way.

D．Make sure that each word is repeated in the same way.

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

A．What Effect Can Repetition Have on Novels?

B．Why does Poetry Use Repetitions?

C．Is Word Repetition Good or Bad?

D．How Is Word Repetition Used in Ads?