1 . As I had grown up in Belgium, going to university in the UK made me feel _________ and lonely. Although I was struggling, I felt unable to share how I was feeling with anyone and didn’t know where I could _________ for support.

Things were getting harder and harder, and one day I was on my way back to _________ when I had a sudden thought that _________ my life would be a way out. I was in my own world when a lady standing nearby came up for me and said: “Are you waiting for a _________? Are you OK?”

_________ I didn’t say much back to her, the little conversation was all it took to interrupt my thoughts of ending life. I got the next train back to university. The small talk was a wake-up call and made me _________ it’s OK to reach out for help. I spoke to my university and they provided me with a teacher to help. I also shared my feelings with my loved ones. By seeking some timely and useful help and being _________ about what I was feeling, I created a strong support network that I could _________ when I needed to.

When I started working at Network Rail in 2012, I heard that Samaritans provided __________ for staff working in the rail industry on identifying and helping people who may be vulnerable (脆弱的). __________, I knew I had to sign up. I wanted to turn my __________ into something useful and positive, and to equip myself to help others who might be feeling like I did back then. The training was fantastic and interestingly shone a light on the fact that everyone has the __________ to save a life.

So, if you __________ someone who you think might be struggling, try talking to them. You already have everything you need to save a life. Take it from me, starting a __________ can be all that it takes.

1.

A．delighted

B．surprised

C．nervous

D．lost

2.

A．turn on

B．turn to

C．turn up

D．turn down

3.

A．home

B．campus

C．hotel

D．company

4.

A．ending

B．saving

C．cherishing

D．appreciating

5.

A．taxi

B．bus

C．train

D．car

6.

A．Since

B．If

C．When

D．Although

7.

A．regret

B．request

C．realize

D．refuse

8.

A．honest

B．anxious

C．curious

D．modest

9.

A．call on

B．rely on

C．focus on

D．put on

10.

A．help

B．support

C．guidance

D．training

11.

A．Instantly

B．Eventually

C．Typically

D．Fortunately

12.

A．view

B．thought

C．experience

D．practice

13.

A．freedom

B．ability

C．wisdom

D．courage

14.

A．notice

B．ignore

C．judge

D．persuade

15.

A．topic

B．company

C．discussion

D．conversation

2 . The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Moon-cake Festival.     1     In 2021, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 21st (Tuesday).     2     In China, it’s a reunion time for families, just like Thanksgiving, while in Vietnam, it’s more like a children’s day.

How the Chinese Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?

Enjoy Family Reunions.

The roundness of the moon represents the reunion of the family in Chinese minds. Families will have dinner together on the evening of the Moon-cake Festival.

    3    

Moon-cakes are the most representative food for the Moon-cake Festival, because of their round shape and sweet flavor. Family members usually gather round and cut a moon-cake into pieces and share its sweetness.

Appreciate the Moon.

    4     It is said, sentimentally, that “the moon on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival is the brightest and the most beautiful”.

Worship(崇拜) the Moon.

According to the legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a fairy maiden named Chang’e lives on the moon with a cute rabbit.     5     Some believe that by worshiping the moon, Chang’e (the moon goddess) may fulfill their wishes.

A．Eat Moon-cakes.

B．Have a big meal.

C．The full moon is the symbol of family reunions in Chinese culture.

D．A “mid-autumn festival” is always celebrated in China.

E．A “mid-autumn festival” is also celebrated in other Asian communities.

F．It traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

G．On the Festival night, people set a table under the moon with moon-cakes, and candles on it.

3 . Among many celebrated U.S. places for very cool sunsets, here are notable favorites.

California Dreamin’

While you are visiting California Dreamin’, El Matador’s eye-catching nightfall is a worthy way to lead you into deep thought. It is about the sands of time. Pack a basket of delicious food for a late-in-the-day picnic overlooking the Pacific Ocean, via the Pacific Coast Highway. The sunset is a sweet dessert.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

The 1,218,375-acre Grand Canyon National Park is wonderful. The canyon itself stretches 277 miles. Its wildlife is also so abundant. You can go to the South Rim of the canyon (大峡谷), which offers the best sunset advantages. Sometimes, you can see deer running and eagles flying with the sunset standing as the background. An unforgettable thrill: Grand Canyon Floor Landing Helicopter Sunset Tour by Canyon Tours.

Florida Serenity

Called the River of Grass, Everglades National Park — South Florida’s amazing 1.5-million-acre wetland reserve — is quilted with coastal trees and grass. An especially chosen sunset-watching site is near Mrazek Pond, approximately three miles north of the Flamingo Visitor Center. This is a birder’s (观鸟者) dream place, too, home to more than 360 species.

Hawaii Aloha

Haleakala Crater in Hawaii Aloha, a vast dormant (休眠期的) volcano 10,023 feet above sea level, is famous for its sunrises — so that dawn sun-seekers climb the volcano in the middle of the night to make the long drive up a winding road to the summit. But Haleakala’s sunsets are just as amazing. Since fewer people arrive late in the day, a more personal sunset participation is possible. Consider a private or group sunset hike to appreciate the Pacific Ocean. It is worthwhile.

1. What can visitors do in Grand Canyon?

A．Visit the wetland reserve.	B．Have an unforgettable picnic.
C．Appreciate the sunset by tour bus.	D．See eagles flying over the canyon.

2. Where is a good place for bird-watching?

A．Hawaii Aloha.	B．Florida Serenity.
C．California Dreamin’.	D．Grand Canyon, Arizona.

3. What do California Dreamin’ and Hawaii Aloha have in common?

A．They both supply a sweet dessert.

B．They both allow a more personal sunset hike.

C．They both offer the views of the Pacific Ocean.

D．They both have wonderful sunsets and sunrises.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China says its push to bring modern communications technology to poor villages is having an effect on standards of living. Over 98 percent of villages once    1     (suffer ) from poverty have gained access to broadband----and the effects are beginning to     2     (see).

Official data show that, since 2015 China's central government and basic telecom (电信)operators    3     (give) over 60 billion yuan ($9.28billion) in the construction of fibre-optic (光纤) network in 43,000 villages in the distance and the construction of 4G base stations in more than 9,200 villages once stricken by poverty     4     (extreme).

Thanks to the     5     (introduce ) of a better communications network, Beldron, a 26-year-old villager in Nyingchi city, has been able to promote a stone pot made by the county's factory through a live show. "This is our stone pot. You'll know how great it is when you have     6     taste of our local food cooked with it," Beldron said during a live show held     7    (promote ) the stone pot in a store of the factory. Over 20 stone pots can be sold during one live streaming show, Beldron said.

Now rural areas in China have gained access to the same network and Internet connection speed     8     urban areas, including the remotest regions     9     suffered from extreme poverty. Besides, those once poor areas in the country are seeing     10     (evidence) improvement in communications because of the construction.

5 . Owen Colley, a 6-year-old from Hingham, Massachusetts, was upset to learn about the Australian bushfire. He asked if any animals had been hurt in the _________ and his mom said yes. Quiet, he left the room and drew a picture of a kangaroo, and a koala in the rain with his own pencils. The picture _________ his wish for Australia, a wish for rain.

“It was _________ the first time Owen had made a wish for something else _________ himself,” his mother said. “He asked us if he could help and together we came up with this _________. We could make some clay koalas and sell them and then we can _________ away the money."

Owen started making little koalas out of clay and his parents set up a way for people to _________ to Wildlife Rescue South Coast, a rescue group. The Colley family is sending one of Owen’s koalas to each person who is _________ to donate $50 or more.

So far, Owen has _________ more than $20,000 for the rescue group in just a week. In fact, Owen has a connection to Australia. His father __________ in Sydney and Owen even lived there when he was __________.

Owen hopes that other parents and children can find ways to help with those __________ by the bushfire. “Anyone can make a __________ and even we can bring hope to them when we come __________,” Owen said. “I just love the idea that maybe other kids can take this to their communities and sell small clay koalas locally and collect money for this __________ cause.”

1.

A．city

B．fire

C．bush

D．country

2.

A．hid

B．targeted

C．represented

D．ignored

3.

A．finally

B．hardly

C．widely

D．really

4.

A．as to

B．more than

C．according to

D．other than

5.

A．suggestion

B．reply

C．idea

D．moral

6.

A．give

B．put

C．throw

D．clear

7.

A．travel

B．donate

C．apply

D．fly

8.

A．willing

B．exciting

C．relaxing

D．astonishing

9.

A．made

B．earned

C．abandoned

D．raised

10.

A．showed off

B．grew up

C．went back

D．woke up

11.

A．sick

B．born

C．thin

D．young

12.

A．destroyed

B．killed

C．affected

D．burnt

13.

A．promise

B．difference

C．decision

D．plan

14.

A．together

B．out

C．off

D．over

15.

A．common

B．different

C．great

D．minimum

6 . Women over 45 are one of the fastest-growing groups of people who are homeless in Australia. In 2020, an estimated 405,000 women over 45 were at risk of housing affordability stress and hence becoming homeless. Considering the shortage of affordable housing, an ageing population and the lifelong economic disadvantage that women experience, this problem requires a speedy solution.

A simple solution for older women facing homelessness is to provide them with access to appropriate, safe and affordable homes for the long term. So why is this problem so difficult to solve? Recent attempts provide good short-term choices. But they do not create long-term housing that meets older women's needs to age in place and have a sense of belonging and safety. All these aspects are important for their well-being.

Chinese courtyard housing — siheyuan — has some important principles that could be culturally adapted to the Australian background. The name “siheyuan” translates into quadrangle (四方院子) courtyard housing. This type of housing comes from traditional Confucian ideas of the extended family unit, arranged around a courtyard or series of courtyards with graduated levels of privacy.

The interesting thing about the siheyuan arrangement is the highly ordered series of rooms with private units organized around open spaces and halls for gatherings. The order of the siheyuan presents a great opportunity for adapting it to suit the needs of older women. It’s a type of co-housing arrangement. People live independently but together, sharing some facilities (设施) like open space and areas to come together for occasional meals. This model could form part of the rise in shared housing.

The courtyards meet the needs of older women to maintain a strong connection to a garden space. The courtyards promote social contact and exercise., as well as space for quiet contemplation (沉思). The hall serves as a social connector. It’s a place for activities, connecting with family or friends, creative projects or listening. The private units ensure the independence, safety and sense of belonging that older women need. Cultural and social needs are met easily within one’s personal space.

1. What problem will Australia meet?

A．There aren’t enough houses.

B．There're too many homeless people.

C．More and more senior women are homeless.

D．Australians spend money too quickly.

2. What does the underlined word “they” refer to in the second paragraph?

A．The attempts to help the old women.

B．The problems the old women meet.

C．The houses built for the old women.

D．The requirements to have a sense of belonging.

3. What is the benefit of siheyuan?

A．It provides small rooms.

B．It is full of Chinese philosophy.

C．It can make people live longer.

D．It connects sharing and privacy.

4. Where can old women connect with friends according to the last paragraph?

A．The hall.	B．The courtyards.
C．The private units.	D．The garden space.

7 . Populations of American bald eagles, once on the brink of extinction, have pleasantly surprised experts-quadrupling (四倍)in size since 2009.

In 1963, there were just 417 known bald eagle nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. But according to a new report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States beloved national symbol is now growing, more than 71,4000 nesting pairs.

Experts point that decades of protection, bans of the pesticide (杀虫剂) DDT in 1972 and extensive protection efforts, including breeding programs and habitat protection around nesting sites, lead to the success story. The eagle was one of the original species protected by the Endangered Species Act when it was enacted(制定、通过) in 1973, mostly because DDT use after World War II decimated the population across the nation.

The population was estimated with aerial surveys conducted by Migratory Bird Program pilot biologists and observers over a two-year period in 2018 and 2019.They also worked with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to gather alternative data in areas where aerial surveys were not possible.

“Today’s announcement is truly a historic protection success story,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement. “Announcements like ours today give me hope. I believe that we have the opportunity of a lifetime to protect our environment and our way of life for generations to come. But we will only accomplish great things if we work together.”

The data was then combined with information on survival rates, productivity and breeding rates to estimate the population size nationwide. “We’re hoping that this will allow the Service to track bald eagle populations over a much wider area in the most cost-effective manner in the future,” said Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez, Assistant Director of Cornell Lab’s Center for Avian Population Studies.

In 2007, the bald eagle was successfully recovered and removed from Endangered Species Act protection, with 9,789 known breeding pairs. It is still protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

1. How many American bald eagles were there in 1963 making nests?

A．417.

B．834.

C．48.

D．9,789

2. What does the underlined word “decimated” mean in the third paragraph?

A．Increase.

B．Enrich

C．Double

D．Decrease

3. What can be learnt from Deb Haaland’s words?

A．He is not very satisfied.

B．He calls on people to go on working.

C．He thinks it’s not necessary to protect the eagles.

D．He wants the later generation to protect the environment.

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

A．More Measures Should be Taken to Protect the Bald Eagle.

B．Some Good News about Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

C．The Populations of American Bald Eagle are Rocketing.

D．The Bald Eagle was Removed from Endangered Species Act Protection.

8 . 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。

Gulangyu Island, off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian, was certificated a world heritage site by UNESCO. Every year,     1     (million) of Chinese people visit Gulangyu Island     2     (enjoy) its natural delights and the     3     (combine) of foreign and Chinese architecture.

The recognition of this beautiful and     4     (cultural) remarkable island is     5     honor. But the fact that it is a heritage site means much more than that. The word “heritage” refers to the     6     (value) things we inherit from the past. And there are over 1,000 UNESCO’s world heritage sites,     7     (make) a rich tapestry (织锦) of memories, both natural and man-made. Just     8     a time machine, they take us back to our ancestors and even earlier, enabling us to wonder at both the natural world and human history.

Gulangyu Island and every world heritage item are worthy of care and protection. Since they came into existence, they     9     (remind) us of our rich and various cultural significance, and the things that made us     10     we are.

9 . Are you a person with a passion for the food industry?     1     ?If so, a career in food tourism might be your calling!Here are some reasons to go into it.

Everyone has to eat!While touring Florence or visiting Paris does provide plenty of cultural capital to the traveler, neither of these activities involves a biological necessity.The personal interests may differ — some are history while others prefer to shop, or relax by a beach    2    .Food tourism has the potential to meet this basic human need by offering activities associated with it.

    3    .As a food tour operator, you will join a network of food industry professionals.Food tourism is unique in that it adds to a city's already wide range of tourism opportunities while also opening the door to travels in agricultural area.

Perfectly aim at the "new tourist" of the future.     4    .The new tourist is wealthy, young traveler seeking unique experiences, willing to pay for them.The rising importance of sharing experiences through social media also drives the new tourists to seek out more exciting and real experiences to show off to their social networks.These experiences include the enjoyment of regional dishes unique flavors in remote destinations.

As standardized, industrial foods become more common, the complex,flavorful regional food will become a rare luxury.They will be actively sought out by passionate travelers    5    .

A．It can help the city and the country

B．Build a strong link with local businesses

C．Food tourism focuses on the "new tourist"

D．That's why we come in at this special time

E．Are you interested in tasting the food around the world

F．But they all have in common the need to eat at some point

G．Are you thinking about developing your own business in an exciting field

10 . One beautiful day, I showed up for work, where I had just been promoted. I was right in the middle of training a new girl, when my boss asked to talk to me for a second. After that conversation, you can effectively cross “had a good job" off my comfortable living checklist. No warning. In fact, just the month before I had received my fifth Employee of the Month award. I was speechless and so was everyone else. Seven of us were cut from my department that day. Later, I would discover that there were thousands of cuts companywide. I worked at a bank. A failing one.

When something like this happens to you, it's natural to ask why. I reviewed all my work accomplishments. I thought about how I had been a top performer every month since I was hired and about how they gave me the highest rating on my review. What had I done wrong? What could I have done better?

The truth is that sometimes we search for a logical explanation in a situation that can’t be understood. The only way to move past it is to have confidence in the job you did as an employee and understand that you are a victim of an unfortunate circumstance.

Speaking of writing, with all of the extra time on my hands, I reunited with the long lost love of my life: writing.

I decided to pursue writing as an actual job. I designed a website and applied for writing jobs. I started getting more and more clients. It occurred to me that with some hard work I might be able to make a living doing what I love. So there I was, three months after the sky fell, thinking about how incredibly blessed I was. And this would never have happened had I not lost something in the first place.

1. What happened to the author that day according to paragraph 1?

A．She was fired.	B．She was scolded.
C．She got a promotion.	D．She received an award.

2. What do we learn about the author?

A．Her performance was great.

B．Her colleagues weren't friendly.

C．She was misunderstood by her boss

D．She always failed to finish her tasks on time.

3. How did the author feel about her situation in the end?

A．Concerned.	B．Satisfied.
C．Surprised.	D．Disappointed.

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

A．Interest Will Help Us to Find a Way

B．If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.

C．Nothing Is Impossible to a Willing Heart

D．When One Door Closes, Another Opens