1 . Are you looking for some informative magazines? The following ones can surely meet your needs.

Mental Foss is a magazine full of bite-sized（small bits） trivia（琐事）and mostly short articles with really interesting facts that you'll want to share with others. The writing is fun and friendly, so it’s easy to understand the answers to the more difficult questions, like: What does outer space smell like? Why isn't cat food mouse-flavored? While the print edition of the magazine stopped publishing in 2016, you can still read Mental Floss online.

Reader's Digest is not actually about books reading. Instead, it is about people. Inside you'll find anecdotes—short, personal articles about things that have happened to people. There are stories in simple writing about everything from funny celebrity moments and inspiring personal store to funny jokes and articles.

Cricket and Cicada are easy-to-read literary magazines aimed at teenagers. Each issue is full of wonderful short stories and poems, and beautiful illustrations. Even though these are technically children's magazines, they are perfect for learning English because they have high quality writing.

Time is one of the most well-known magazines in the world. Inside you'll find news, beautiful photographs and everything you need to get a" deeper understanding of the world in which we live. "Since Time is very high quality and provides deep insight on many serious topics, it can also be difficult for English learners to read. If you have trouble understanding Time, try Time For Kids, which has similarly great content but is written in a simpler way.

1. What can readers obtain from Mental Floss?

A．They can be inspired by the comments on the magazine.

B．They can understand some tough facts in a funny way.

C．They can enjoy a variety of eye-catching pictures.

D．They can have a deep understanding about the current events.

2. What similarity do the fist three magazines have in common?

A．The language is easy and friendly to readers.

B．The articles are mostly adapted from books.

C．The stories are all based on private experiences.

D．The topics are serious and difficult to comprehend.

3. What do we know about Time?

A．It's of great help for English beginners.

B．It has two editions for readers to choose from.

C．People can have an access to it online.

D．It is perfect for teenagers who love anecdotes.

2 . Are you relatively skinny but growing a “beer belly”?

Then don’t be surprised at your next checkup if the nurse measures your waistline to determine your healthy weight. That’s because research is showing that a protruding (鼓出的) belly may be a sign of VAT — a dangerous form of fat around organs deep inside your body. “Studies confirm that visceral (内脏的) fat is a clear health risk,” said Dr. Tiffany Wiley, a senior expert at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Unlike the fat just under your skin, visceral fat raises your risk for heart disease. Experts think that’s because visceral fat raises blood pressure and inflames (使发炎) tissues and organs.

However, you can’t assume you’re safe from visceral fat if your overall weight is healthy, experts stress. That’s because you can have dangerous visceral fat even if you’re not considered overweight — and not have any visceral fat even if you are overweight.

How do you know if your stomach is protruding into dangerous size? Do a check. Non-pregnant women with a waist size greater than 88 cm and men with a waist larger than 102 cm, are at higher risk according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re Asian, it drops to 80 cm for women and 90 cm for men. But it is only a rough measure. “The only sure way to know is to check your visceral fat levels on a CT scan or MRI,” say experts.

According to the AHA committee, the most salutary physical activity to “shrink” belly is aerobic exercise. Aerobic means “with oxygen”, so aerobic exercise increases your breathing rate and promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood. This type of exercise makes the heart work more effectively and improves its ability to move oxygen-carrying blood with every beat. Speed walking, jogging, stair climbing, cycling and swimming are all examples of aerobic exercise.

“However, more studies are needed to determine the best physical activity, food and other lifestyle changes to reduce heart disease risk,” Dr. Tiffany Wiley added.

1. What would a “beer belly” cause?

A．Enlarged organs inside the body.	B．Higher risk of heart disease.
C．Raised mental pressure.	D．Inflamed stomach.

2. Who would be relatively healthier according to the experts?

A．A white man with a waist size of 120 cm.

B．A white woman with a waist size of 90 cm.

C．An Asian man with a waist size of 102 cm.

D．An Asian woman with a waist size of 75 cm.

3. Which word can replace the underlined word “salutary” in paragraph 5?

A．Beneficial.

B．Difficult.

C．Enthusiastic.

D．Useless.

4. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．Doing aerobic exercise can remove visceral fat completely.

B．Heart ability improves when one does speed walking.

C．Further studies are needed to reduce heart disease risk.

D．Food and life style determine one’s body shape.

3 . The SNAG stands for stereotyped nature-inspired aerial grasper and it’s a 3D-printed bird robot with claws. It can fly, stay on various surfaces catch and carry objects, just like the mighty falcon（隼）that was used as the source of inspiration in its development.

Each leg of the SNAG has two motors, one for helping it move back and forth, and the other one for grasping. Twenty printing attempts were necessary for the robot to finally reach its current structure, but it was worth it. Now, according to researchers, the flying machine has an impressively strong and high-speed clutch（离合器），being able to land and wrap its claws around a branch in about 20 milliseconds. SNAG has ankles lock, and there’s an accelerometer （加速计）on its right foot that reports that it’s landed while triggering（触发）a balancing process to stabilize it.

Scientists have already conducted several tests with the robot in rural areas and on different surfaces. In all the situations, the SNAG was able to catch objects thrown by hand, such as bean bags, a tennis ball, and more.

As for the applications of the bird-like robot, the SNAG can get attached to drones（无人机）and be used for search and rescue missions, wildfire monitoring, to offer just a few examples. Another great application is environmental research, with the SNAG also featuring a temperature and humidity（湿度）sensor. By using a robot that can act like a bird, you can unlock new ways of studying the environment, as explained by William Roderick, mechanical engineer and one of the researchers involved in the project. Now scientists are moving on to improving the robot’s situational awareness and flight control.

This isn’t the first time that nature has inspired groundbreaking technologies. We also wrote a piece recently about the F-SAM micro drone, which was inspired by the flight of samara（翼果）seeds, also known as “twisters” which have a special way of spinning down to the ground.

1. What gave the researchers inspiration for the SNAG’s development?

A．The plane.	B．The falcon.
C．The micro drone.	D．The samara seeds.

2. What’s the function of the accelerometer on the SNAG?

A．To balance the SNAG in flight.

B．To change the SNAG’s flying speed.

C．To keep the SNAG’s feet in balance.

D．To make the SNAG steady on a surface.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us about the SNAG?

A．The SNAG has huge potential for practical use.

B．The SNAG has a long way to go before being used.

C．The SNAG will be helpful in putting out forest fires.

D．The SNAG is sensitive to temperature and humidity.

4. What may be one disadvantage of the SNAG right now?

A．It doesn’t know its situation well.

B．It can’t fly fast enough in the air.

C．It is easily broken by the branches.

D．It can’t catch objects with smooth surfaces.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What do we know from the conversation?

A．Joe Johnson is a rap singer and actor.

B．Joe Johnson comes from South America.

C．Joe Johnson starred in a movie as a singer.

2. Why did the man watch old movies?

A．To relax himself from busy work.

B．To learn acting skills from them.

C．To know people’s life at that time.

3. What does the man think of Laura?

A．Unfriendly.

B．Helpful.

C．Humorous.

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。

Last week, a grand ceremony paying respect to Huangdi,    1     legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation,     2     (hold) at the Xiandu Scenic Spot in Jinyun, Zhejiang province, on the Chongyang Festival.

The ceremony,     3     started at 9:50 am, consisted of nine parts, including striking bells, offering flower baskets and wine to a carols. It     4     (have) the theme of "showing respect to Chinese ancestors with efforts all over the world and opening new     5    (chapter) for attaining common prosperity". During the ceremony, drums were played 34 times and bells were rung 15 times,     6     (represent) 1.5 billion Chinese from 34 provinces, municipalities，autonomous regions and special administrative regions in China and overseas Chinese.

The     7     (year) ceremony for Huangdi in Jinyun dates back     8     the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Showing respect to Huangdi in the new times is reverence (敬畏) for the ancestors who started the Chinese civilization. What's     9     (much), it can inspire the Chinese     10     (unite), helping build the common spiritual home for all Chinese.

6 . I am a professional athlete. I've always worked hard to _________ myself to my limits and with that usually come some aches and _________. Last year when I started to feel some muscle pain after _________ exercise, at first I didn't think it was a big _________. I was training for a marathon at the time, so over the weekend I'd done a 20-kilometre run.

The following Tuesday I went to my favourite CrossFit gym to do a _________ that involved a lot of upper body weight lifting. My trainer told me to take it easy on my body, but I _________ I'd be fine and powered through it. Afterward，my trainer noticed a _________ swelling in my arm and said he was _________. I tried to _________ him but he insisted I drink a lot of water and __________ my arm with him in a few hours. By that afternoon the swelling had increased. I still thought the trainer was making a mountain out of a molehill (小题大做) but I __________ my trainer so I did it. Then I __________ to the doctor.

The doctor took a look at me and __________ me I suffered from rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition where muscle overuse __________ kidney failure (肾衰竭). As he gave me IV fluids to wash the toxins (毒素), my doctor told me that if I'd waited even another 30 minutes. I would have been in the __________ room. Things were dangerous over the weekend but I fully __________ in the end. I was a very __________ Cross Fitter (健美运动员) but still hadn't realized anything wrong. __________ I had a great trainer I could believe in; he __________ my life.

So trust is important. It can be __________.

1.

A．pull

B．push

C．force

D．make

2.

A．pains

B．pressures

C．shocks

D．failures

3.

A．normal

B．gentle

C．tough

D．mental

4.

A．deal

B．task

C．result

D．duty

5.

A．project

B．programme

C．survey

D．workout

6.

A．doubted

B．realized

C．figured

D．imagined

7.

A．sustainable

B．simple

C．temporary

D．slight

8.

A．amazed

B．worried

C．scared

D．thrilled

9.

A．turn a deaf ear to

B．give an ear to

C．turn a blind eye to

D．keep an eye on

10.

A．strengthen

B．exercise

C．check

D．hold

11.

A．appreciated

B．trusted

C．admired

D．praised

12.

A．attended

B．led

C．traveled

D．headed

13.

A．warned

B．blamed

C．informed

D．educated

14.

A．caused

B．created

C．increased

D．allowed

15.

A．waiting

B．rest

C．living

D．emergency

16.

A．retired

B．recovered

C．escaped

D．matured

17.

A．gifted

B．inspired

C．determined

D．experienced

18.

A．Thankfully

B．Finally

C．Happily

D．Obviously

19.

A．gave

B．saved

C．helped

D．ignored

20.

A．heart-breaking

B．risk-taking

C．life-changing

D．face-saving

7 . During the lockdown, many people have bought themselves a new puppy as a companion.     1    . Here we brought you some unique ways to take care of your puppy, so he stays healthy mentally and physically.

Substitute outdoor activities with indoor ones

Puppies can feel stress and get bored when surrounded by four walls. This can make them inactive and bad-tempered. To prevent this, you need to give them some activities, like a twist on fetch indoors.     2    . Some squeaky (嘎吱叫的) toys are also suggested for Presa Canario puppies who have a deep urge to chew to quiet down their stresses and stay busy.

    3    During the lockdown season, it might be harder to find puppy food. This can be concerning for many new puppy owners.     4     . But there are a few ingredients you should stay away from, including coffee, chocolate, onion, garlic and chives. As long as you are staying away from these ingredients, you can still prepare some delicious treats for your puppy.

Spend more quality time with your furry pet

You can now spend a lot of quality time with your pet, due to this new normal of working at home. This is your opportunity to connect to your pet. Your new puppy is your sunlight and brings a smile to your face during a foggy day.    5    .

A．Use treats as rewards

B．Cook healthy food for your companion

C．You also need to take your puppy out for a walk

D．So you'd better treasure this time that you have together

E．Fortunately, there are many recipes that you can follow at home

F．To take care of your puppy during these tough times can be confusing

G．You can throw a stuffed toy and ask your furry companion to fetch it for you

8 . Life Outside London: Five Reasons to Visit the North of England!

Most people when visiting England will go to London. In fact most people don't even know much about England outside of London. It makes sense. It's the capital. There are lots to se there. However, as a northern girl, from a place just between Manchester and Liverpool, and a university student in Sheffield. I'd say the north is well worth a visit, and definitely as good if not better than London! Here are five reasons:

Friendliness

Northerners will chat to you on the bus, say hello in the streets and won't think you're crazy if you smile at them when you walk past. Friendly northerners might also call you "duck" or "love" don't worry, they call everyone that.

Gravy

Now although Southerners have gravy (a delicious meaty sauce that goes well with everything), they don't do it properly. You haven't lived until you've tried chip-shop chips swimming in gravy.

Beautiful Countryside

We have the Peak District, and the Lake District. They're both absolutely beautiful and definitely worth a visit. We also have some pretty amazing beaches too.

Excellent Party Cities

We have Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield You can't go wrong if you want to go on a night out here.

Low Cost

The same night won't cost you anywhere near as much up north! In London you can pay over for a pint, which is outrageous! For some reason, everything up North is cheaper, from food to drink to getting around, you can't go wrong when you're spending less money.

There are lots of lovely things to see in the North, so if you can brave the weather being a bit colder and wetter, it's definitely worth a trip.

1. Who might call you "duck" when you are visiting the north of England?

A．A warm passer-by.	B．A rude salesman.
C．A friendly southerner.	D．A cold teenager.

2. What can you do in the north of England according to the passage?

A．Get free beer.	B．Enjoy an all-night party.
C．Try chips in gravy.	D．Enjoy warm and dry weather.

3. Where can the passage be found?

A．In a recipe book.	B．In a science fiction.
C．In a business report.	D．In a travel magazine.

9 .

	The Battle at Lake Changiin is a historical epic jointly directed by three top directors-Chen Kaige, Hark Tsui and Dante Lam. The film is this year's second-biggest earner so far, both in China and globally, following the domestic comedy Hi, Mom. Set during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea（1950-1953）and starring Wu Jing and Jackson Yee, the movie tells the story of the Chinese People's Volunteers fighting bravely in freezing temperatures in a key campaign at Lake Changjin, or Chosin Reservoir.
	Hi, Mom, the first movie directed by Chinese comedian and actress Jia Ling, hit international theaters. The best-moving film was released in North America, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Britain, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia and several other countries and regions, according to Ruyi Films, one of the producers. Hi, Mom, widely considered as the top dark horse thanks to its moving plot of mother-daughter affection, has earned 1.7 billion yuan in rising to the second slot.
	Taking second place, The Wandering Earth, a sci-fi blockbuster was adapted from the eponymous novel by Liu Cixin. It was the 12th top-earning film worldwide. Along with director Ning Hao's Crazy Alien, and other Spring Festival blockbusters such as Han Han's directorial effort Pegasus, The Wandering Earth took the monthly gross in February to 11.2 billion yuan, the world's highest for a single month.

1. Which film can arouse the strong love for our country?

A．Hi, Mom.

B．The Wandering Earth.

C．Crazy Alien.

D．The Battle at Lake Changiin.

2. How many films are mentioned in the text?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. Where is the text probably from?

A．A magazine.

B．A travel guide.

C．A novel.

D．A science report.

10 . We found him at our front door, frightened and shaking. My mom said we’d take care of him until we found out who'd________him.

I’d always wanted a dog, but we couldn’t have one because my sister was________. Now at twelve years old, I still________a dog. So far, my wish had been________. But the little puppy gave me the ________ to play with, feed and care for a dog. I didn’t ________ to think of him as my own, but when a whole day went by with nobody claiming (认领) him, I began to ________. I touched him all night, ________that I was his very owner. Another day went by. The puppy and I were becoming ________. However, I had to remind myself that somebody would claim him________.   

In the evening, somebody ________ to ask about the puppy. My heart________. When she hung up the phone, my mom had a ________conversation with my dad. A few minutes later, they came out and told us that the puppy, called “Fuzzer”, belonged to some other ________.They already had an older dog that didn't get along with Fuzzer. Their mom had never ________to keep Fuzzer and wanted to find him another________! My parents saw how well I’d________with and cared for Fuzzer, and they knew I had always wanted a dog.

________, my sister had not had an allergic reaction to him. Mom told us that Fuzzer was________now.

Fuzz and I grew up together and he was my true________throughout my teenage years.

1.

A．chosen

B．lost

C．hidden

D．deserted

2.

A．fearful

B．cruel

C．impatient

D．allergic

3.

A．longed for

B．came across

C．aimed at

D．believed in

4.

A．fruitless

B．secondary

C．ridiculous

D．secure

5.

A．stage

B．standard

C．chance

D．choice

6.

A．need

B．dare

C．wish

D．fail

7.

A．hope

B．worry

C．regret

D．puzzle

8.

A．doubting

B．dreaming

C．admitting

D．promising

9.

A．inseparable

B．dynamic

C．lonely

D．depressed

10.

A．now and then

B．over and over

C．sooner or later

D．back and forth

11.

A．visited

B．indicated

C．called

D．guaranteed

12.

A．stopped

B．beat

C．bled

D．sank

13.

A．comfortable

B．direct

C．endless

D．private

14.

A．wanderers

B．elders

C．kids

D．soldiers

15.

A．appealed

B．agreed

C．pretended

D．refused

16.

A．home

B．job

C．friend

D．cage

17.

A．struggled

B．compared

C．dealt

D．bonded

18.

A．Clearly

B．Casually

C．Amazingly

D．Temporarily

19.

A．theirs

B．his

C．hers

D．ours

20.

A．defender

B．companion

C．toy

D．possession