1 . Ice cream is especially popular in the United States. In fact, Americans eat more ice cream than people in any other country. Ice cream is a frozen treat that comes in hundreds of flavors. What’s your favorite flavor? Is it vanilla? That is the most popular flavor by far. Chocolate ranks second in popularity.

Making ice cream is pretty simple. It’s usually made from milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings (调味品). Mix them all together as you freeze them and you get ice cream. As the mixture begins to freeze you can then add fruit, nuts, or chocolate. Soft ice cream is just the ice cream that isn’t fully frozen yet. Some people make ice cream at home in an ice cream mixer, a special kind of home freezer. But nearly all ice cream produced today is made by machines in ice cream factories.

There are many other popular frozen desserts that are similar to ice cream. Sherbet is made from fruit syrup (糖浆) that has milk or egg white added to it. Spumoni is an ice cream with fruits and nuts. Ice milk, also called low-fat ice cream, is a sweetened frozen food made of skimmed milk.

You can even get ice cream made without milk or cream. Soy ice cream and rice ice cream are made without dairy products. They’re made using soy bean milk or rice milk instead.

Ice cream comes in countless flavors. You’ve probably eaten vanilla and chocolate ice cream. Other favorites include strawberry, cherry, peach, butter pecan, and chocolate mint. But have you ever eaten ice cream flavored with garlic or green tea? Some people do. You can even buy ice cream flavored with rose petals.

1. The underlined word “That” in first paragraph refers to “___________”.

A．any ice cream

B．vanilla

C．flavor

D．frozen treat

2. What can we know from the second paragraph?

A．We should add nuts after we freeze the mixture.

B．Most Americans make their cream at home.

C．Soft ice cream isn’t fully frozen.

D．Making ice cream isn’t considered to be simple.

3. The main idea of the third paragraph is __________.

A．other frozen desserts	B．desserts in America
C．ice cream	D．ice cream with milk

4. What is made of skimmed milk?

A．Sherbet.

B．Spumoni.

C．Soft-serve ice cream.

D．Low-fat ice cream.

2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

To act with honesty and good faith was such a habit with Susan that she had never before thought of examining the Golden Rule:” All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” But the longer she thought about it, the more seriously she doubted that she did not always obey it. So she asked her mother about its meaning.

“It implies. ”said her mother, “in the first place, a total destruction of all selfishness (自私): for a man who loves himself better than his neighbors, can never do to others as he would have others do to him. We are bound not only to do, but to feel, toward others as we would have others feel toward us. Remember. it is much easier to blame others for their selfishness than to overcome temptation (诱惑) when we face it. ”

Susan thought carefully and seriously about what her mother had said. She told herself that she would remember and follow the Golden Rule.

It was not long after this that an opportunity to test Susan’s principles occurred. One Saturday evening when she went, as usual, to farmer Thompson’s hotel, to bring back the money for her mother’s washing for the boarders, which amounted to five pounds. She found the farmer in the yard.

He was apparently in a terrible rage (勃然大怒) with some horse dealers with whom he had been bargaining (讨价还价). He held in his hand an open handbag, full of banknotes, and didn’t see the child as she made her request, except to blame her, as usual, for troubling him when he was busy. After that, he handed her a banknote. Glad to escape so easily, Susan hurried out of the gate. and then, pausing to put the money safely in her pocket, she discovered that he had given her two banknotes instead of one. She looked around: nobody was around to see her discovery.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式作答。

“It is mine, all mine.” she said happily to herself. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suddenly she turned around and rushed along the road with breathless speed. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . A program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is hoping to fight against loneliness brought on by the pandemic by forming friendships between students and seniors in the community. They’re making it possible through weekly calls.

“It’s been a thing I look forward to every week,” Miranda Savioli, a VCU medical student said.

The program is run by students involved with the American Geriatrics Society and pairs medical and health science students with seniors in the community.

VCU education administrator for the School of Medicine, Chuck Alexander, says it was formed to fight against loneliness and give students valuable interaction with that age group — something that’s been missing since training programs stopped earlier this year. “It’s mostly just social — just chatting,” Alexander said. “A lot of times they just need someone to talk to. A lot of times they feel that they have a connection with someone younger who is just entering a new phase in their career and that they have some wisdom to impart to them — medically and socially as a friend.”

So far, the volunteer program has paired around 40 students with seniors.

Every week, Savioli video calls retiree Joan Kerby, who lives in a retirement community in Henrico.

“It’s a really good connection because in lockdown you really don’t have long conversations with anybody,” Kerby said. Those long conversations soon turned into a visit. The two participants decided to meet in person back in November and Kerby said it was a special moment. “We talked for two hours. We probably could have gone on longer but we had to stop,” Kerby said.

Savioli says they plan to keep the program going, and encourages others to pick up the phone and call a loved one who may be isolated. “It was developed to help seniors with isolation, but mean, we all got isolated during this pandemic,” Savioli said. “It’s been nice to talk to someone every week.” The group has no plans to stop the program. “We’re going to keep the program going and as for Joan and I, we’ve established ourselves as lifelong friends,” Savioli said.

1. What can be learned about the program?

A．It is run by college teachers.	B．It asks students to write to seniors.
C．It charges participants for weekly visits.	D．It connects college students with elderly people.

2. What does Alexander say about the program?

A．It should involve families.	B．It should be more professional.
C．It reduces students’ training time.	D．It benefits both students and seniors.

3. What did Kerby feel about the two-hour talk?

A．It was boring.

B．It was stressful.

C．It was wonderful.

D．It was humorous.

4. What does the group want to do according to the last paragraph?

A．Stop face-to-face visits.	B．Reduce conversation time.
C．Inspire people to talk to each other.	D．Switch from weekly calls to daily visits.

4 . He had run for 208 hours and 35 minutes in ten days. So, when Pan Junfan managed to cross the finish line in Guazhou, Gansu Province, on Sept. 18, the tears began to flow.

The 513 kilometers he had completed over rough terrain (地形)in northwestern China would challenge the greatest athletes in the world. The challenge was all the greater for Pan, who pulled off the remarkable feat (功绩) after having part of his right leg amputated (截肢) following a car accident in 2015.

Pan’s challenge was originally the Ultra Gobi, which is considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many marathon runners. Unfortunately, the 400-km race was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. After careful consideration, Pan contacted the race’s organizers and they agreed to reschedule the route and allow him to undertake solo challenge.

During the challenge through the Gobi Desert and the Altun Mountains, the 40-year-ad faced temperatures ranging from—20℃ at right to 30°C by day, wild animals and even a hurricane. Carrying a backpack containing the hare minimum of equipment he would need, Pan battled sleep deprivation(缺乏) and very low body temperature during the journey.

Beginning from the “Mars Camp”in Qinghai Province, the ultra extreme course was expanded to more than 500 km over sand dunes (沙丘), dry valleys, stony plateaus and snowy mountains, finishing in Guazhou.

“I hope that by completing the challenge I can inspire people and tell them that life has limitless possibilities and not to stop trying,” Pan said.

In the last few years, Pan has established a dozen firsts for below-the-knee amputees (被截肢者). These included completing the 2018Ironman 70. 3 Xiamen’s 113 km triathlon (铁人三项) in 7 hours and 26 minutes, finishing the Gangshika Xtrial’s 100 km race in 27 hours and 40 minutes, and successfully conquering the Ironman Western Australia in 2019 which involves swimming for 3. 8 km, cycling for180 km and running for 42. 2 km.   As a result, he has been dubbed “the Chinese blade runner”.

1. When did Pan Junfan start his 513-kilometer challenging race?

A．On Sept. 3.

B．On Sept. 9.

C．On Sept. 15.

D．On Sept. 19.

2. What happened to Pan Junfan in 2015?

A．He had part of his left leg removed.	B．He established a hi-tech company.
C．He was involved in a traffic accident	D．He participated in the Ironman Australia.

3. Which of the following difficulties did Pan Junfan meet during the journey?

A．Losing touch with his team.	B．Getting lost in the desert.
C．Having a high fever.	D．Lacking enough sleep.

4. Which of the words can be used to best describe Pan Junfan?

A．Strong-willed.

B．Warm-hearted.

C．Quick-minded.

D．Cold-blooded.

5 . 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。

The high-profile China-Laos Railway opened to international passengers on Thursday, showing how the Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） is a win-win situation. The D887 train,     1     （depart）from Kunming, Yunnan province, at 8: 08 am and arrived at Vientiane, capital of Laos, at 6: 38 pm.

It is the first international cross-border passenger train service that China has put into operation since the COVID-19 pandemic. "The service not only     2    （far） facilitates the flow of people and trade between: China and Laos,     3     promotes the recovery of tourism and other     4     （industry）, and brings vitality to the development between these two countries." said Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a news conference on Thursday, "It is a model project of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN） countries working on the BRI and promoting     5    （region） economic integration. "

According to a World Bank estimate, the gross domestic product in Laos will be increased     6     21 percent as a result of the construction and operation of the China-Laos Railway.     7     will also create more jobs for Lao people.

This year     8    （mark） the tenth anniversary of the BRI.     9    （promote） the initiative, China will continue to cooperate with ASEAN members,     10    （benefit） two billion people in the region.

6 . It’s obvious that our society favors the outgoing personality, so being introverted (内向的) has always been seen as something that needs to be “fixed”. However, there is no fault in being introverted.     1    

Introverts have hidden powers.     2    . While others are busy chatting, introverts observe things most-people are unaware of. Sometimes we can even read people. While it may seem introverts are always zoned out, we’re actually analyzing and thinking of creative ideas to one day share with you.

Introverts also keep the world balanced. In a world that can’t stop talking, the ability to listen to what each other has to say is an important virtue that will assist us in building peaceful relationships of understanding.     3    . By listening to whatever people pour out, introverts help maintain the order of the world.

Introverts can self-recharge. Though the outgoing may gain their energy through mixing in crowds, introverts are self-recharging powerhouses.     4    . Their energy is found through loneliness.

    5    . In the noise of chatterboxes, their voices often get drowned out. There’s nothing more disappointing to an introvert than finally taking advantage of a moment to speak, only to be interrupted by the extroverts (外向者）. While extroverts may speak every thought that comes to mind, an introvert will choose their thoughts carefully and only speak of the ones they think their best to share. So next time, all you have to do is to be willing to listen.

A．Unluckily, introverts are faced with a big challenge.

B．And this is exactly what our introverts are born with.

C．Introverts have shown the potential to be great leaders.

D．Extroverted people would have no one to listen to them.

E．Instead, we should appreciate introverts for various reasons.

F．They don’t need to constantly put themselves out there to be lively.

G．Just because we introverts don’t say much doesn’t always mean we’re clueless.

7 . A study expands positive evidence for a new screening tool that directly engages preschool children during clinic visits to assess their early literacy skills. The tool, called The Reading House (TRH), is the first of its kind. It has the potential to identify reading difficulties as early as possible, according to researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

TRH is an assessment developed by John Hutton and his team for kids aged from 3 to 5. Screening takes just about five minutes and assesses performance levels for kids aged from 3 to 5. It addresses a significant gap in ways to screen early literacy skills efficiently and directly. The tool, which is fun for kids, could be used in places like primary care or preschool settings. The screening measures core skills typically appearing in the preschool age range, including vocabulary, rhyming, alphabet knowledge and print concepts. All are skills predictive of reading success and often associated with reading difficulties.

The study involved 70 healthy children – 34 boys and 36 girls---between 3 and 5 years old from various socioeconomic background. The children completed standardized tests of important literacy skills: vocabulary, rhyming arid rapid automatized naming. Fifty-two of these children also successfully completed MRI (磁共振成像), including the measurement of the gray matter surface of their brains. The thicker cortex (皮质), particularly in left-sided areas supporting language and reading, has been associated with higher skills that are predictive of reading outcomes.

Many children arrive at kindergarten unprepared to learn to read, especially those from minority and economically poor backgrounds---estimated at over 50% of children from disadvantaged backgrounds in the U. S. and over 25% overall. “By screening early during clinic visits, we can target effective interventions that help these children better prepare for kindergarten and improve reading outcomes –literally, snaping thein brains to read. ” said Hutton.

1. What might be the purpose of creating TRH?

A．To identify the best reading apps for kids.

B．To develop preschool kids' literacy skills.

C．To discover kids' reading problems early.

D．To study key factors in kids' development.

2. What can we know about the new screening tool?

A．It lacks reliability.	B．It has operational advantages.
C．It covers a wider target group.	D．It's modelled after conventional tools.

3. Which participants may be more capable of reading?

A．Older children from minority groups.

B．Younger children from economically advanced areas.

C．Children with complex cortical patterns in their brains.

D．Children with the thicker cortex in the left-sided areas of their brains.

4. What attitude does Hutton have to TRH?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Uncertain.

D．Conservative.

8 . Last year, brilliant’ botanists from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discovered, identified and named 114 spectacular new species of plants and fungi (真菌) from around the world. Let’s find out more about some of Kew’s most wonderful new finds.

ROYAL MUSHROOM

NAME: Queen’s hedgehog fungus

FROM: Surrey, England

Named after the late Queen Elizabeth II, this rare fungus was found in an ancient forest in White Down, Surrey. According to the scientists who discovered it, the soft, white needles under the fungus’15cm-wide cap look like hedgehogs’ needles — giving it the second part of its name. Cool!

WORLD’S STRANGEST DAFFODIL

NAME: Sternbergia mishustinii

FROM: Turkey

The flowers of this rare species are bright yellow, but they’re only 2cm long and don't open up into a visible flower. Just 300 of these plants have been discovered, secret to hide them from illegal plant collectors.

RECORD-BREAKING WATERLILY

NAME: Giant Bolivian waterlily

FROM: Bolivia. South America

Check out this huge waterlily — its 3m wide leaves are big enough for a kid to float on! The big species has just won three Guinness World Records for largest waterlily, largest waterlily leaf and largest undivided leaf. And get this — although the giant plant was only named last year, a dried sample has been kept in Kew’s own Herbarium since 1845! Botanists had thought it was a similar, related species. Thankfully, the case of mistaken identity is all cleared up now. Unbe-leaf-able!

1. What’s Queen’s hedgehog fungus like?

A．It has yellow flowers.	B．It’s native to England.
C．It looks like hedgehogs.	D．It’s critically endangered.

2. What Guinness record does Giant Bolivian waterlily hold?

A．The oldest fungi.	B．The biggest leaves.
C．The fastest growing plant.	D．The largest waterlily species

3. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A botanical magazine.	B．A geographic textbook.
C．A historical document.	D．Guinness World Records.

9 . For as long as I can remember I’ve been making art. That meant spending hours at the kitchen table, as a child, drawing women in beautiful gowns and dogs wearing clothes eating in fancy restaurants. Because I was encouraged and praised, I _________ that talent.

In college-thinking that I was going to _________ education-I had an amazing professor in an elective drawing class who encouraged me to _________ my major to fine art. As someone easily influenced by praise, I took her advice and got my _________ in painting and drawing.

Even before I graduated, I had begun showing my art in any _________ that I could. I started out in small coffee shops and farmers markets; it was a perfect way to discover my style and _________ art lovers. _________ , I began showing at galleries and in larger art shows. It was at one of these shows that I met my art publisher, with whom I _________ working for five years.

The art publishing world was a great way to get my work in front of wide _________ , selling at stores like Target and Home Goods. It was also at this time that a number of my paintings were used in feature films. __________ my art on the big screen was definitely one of the most   __________ moments of my career.

I sometimes wonder what other visual artists do when they’re feeling burnt out and __________ with their craft. I feel so lucky to have writing to turn to when the well of my visual creativity runs __________ . Visual arts and writing are different enough that they don’t feel like they draw from the same __________ of creative inspiration.

People always tell artists to ‘find their own voice’. While I do agree with this, I don’t know if it’s something you can just go out and find. To me, it’s important that your voice __________ you.

1.

A．possessed

B．developed

C．wasted

D．recognized

2.

A．stick to

B．deal with

C．major in

D．stand for

3.

A．relate

B．switch

C．compare

D．apply

4.

A．patience

B．talent

C．permit

D．degree

5.

A．spot

B．store

C．gallery

D．show

6.

A．believe in

B．come across

C．connect with

D．depend on

7.

A．Eventually

B．Obviously

C．Immediately

D．Gradually

8.

A．felt like

B．gave up

C．put off

D．ended up

9.

A．artists

B．professors

C．publishers

D．audiences

10.

A．Drawing

B．Seeing

C．Creating

D．Describing

11.

A．upsetting

B．terrifying

C．thrilling

D．embarrassing

12.

A．uninspired

B．panicked

C．relieved

D．shocked

13.

A．short

B．wild

C．dry

D．strong

14.

A．source

B．behaviour

C．recreation

D．knowledge

15.

A．heals

B．finds

C．satisfies

D．Impresses

10 . Growing up on a farm, Tori James spent much of her early years outdoors, building shelters and playing in muddy streams. She describes herself as an ambitious, adventurous child who went to bed reading the survival guides that lived on her bedside table. Even so, James says she could never have predicted that, one day, she might be the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Today, James is a professional adventurer. Yet ahead of her first expedition at the age of 18, which she spent mapping the cracks of Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier with the British Exploring Society, James recalls doubting her ability to last a month out in the cold without the comfort of a hot bath. “It’s only by stepping out of our comfort zone that we understand our true potential,”she explains. “That’s when the magic happens.”

Although James has spent a significant part of her life exploring some of the most remote landscapes in the world, when it comes to traveling, she believes that there are numerous ways for everyone to push their boundaries, other than by undertaking physical challenges. James also encourages would-be adventurers not to be put off by the stereotypical image of the rugged, hardy explorer. “I am such a believer that, with the right support and skills, everyone can bring something to an expedition,” she says.

Sometimes, she adds, it’s only out in the field that someone’s hidden talents emerge. A diverse team can be key to a successful trip, particularly given the role of exploration in today’s world. “Historically, exploration has been about people finding nature’s hardest obstacles and trying to either overcome them, or beat them,” says James. “But now, for me at least, exploration is about connecting, not conquering. It’s about our connection to the living world around us, it’s about sharing its importance once we’ve returned and it’s about figuring out how to do adventure sustainably.”

1. What do we know about James?

A．She was once doubted to be a professional adventurer.

B．She enjoys reading thrilling adventure survival stories.

C．She was a child with big dreams and a desire for exploration.

D．She might be the youngest woman to conquer Mount Everest.

2. What would James probably agree with according to Paragraph 3?

A．Few ways are there for us to push our boundaries.

B．Future explorers are supposed to venture bravely.

C．Exploring remote landscapes in the world is of significance.

D．Support and skills are sure to bring out the best of explorers.

3. What might be the value of exploration nowadays?

A．To make the most of people’s hidden talent.

B．To overcome the possible hardest obstacles.

C．To figure out how to have a successful adventure.

D．To engage in sustainable interactions with nature.

4. What might be the best title of this text?

A．Born to Be Adventurers.	B．Connecting the Living World.
C．James’s Amazing Expeditions.	D．Adventurer James’s Travel Insights.