1 . The world food safety could be in danger because of a number of food production shocks (冲击), according to an Australian study.

The researchers from the University of Tasmania found that there were 226 shocks in the area of food production across 134 nations and the frequency has been increasing over the past 50 years.

According to Cottrell, a researcher from the University of Tasmania, the main causes behind the shocks are different. For crops, extreme weather events such as floods and no rain for a long time play the biggest part. Weather also plays a role in livestock(家畜)production, but disease plays a bigger role. Disease also leads to aquaculture(水产业)shocks, while in the ocean most of the food shocks are caused by overfishing.

“When we look at the food production systems, covering crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture,” Cottrell said, “we find that crops and livestock are more easily affected than aquaculture. And some countries in South Asia are more frequently affected than others.”

The effects of production shocks reached far away from where they happened. When one means of food production is greatly reduced, it will cause unexpected results. “The India got a lot of food production shocks in crops and livestock, largely because of floods,” Cottrell explained. “If countries like India are shocked and the rice production is much smaller, they’ll probably send less goods to another country. And that shock suddenly starts to affect all the trade partners of the major producers as well.”

According to what Cottrell said, while the international community faces a great challenge to these problems, steps taken now can help fight against unexpected shocks in the future. “This can be done through measures such as food store systems so that they are better able to deal with the effect which is caused by problems such as climate change.” said Cottrell.

1. What do we know about food production shocks?

A．Their causes are different in different production areas.

B．Some diseases are the main cause.

C．Extreme weather is the biggest shock.

D．Overfishing is the main cause.

2. Which of the following is more frequently affected according to Cottrell?

A．Livestock in Australia.	B．Crops in Australian.
C．Fisheries in India.	D．Livestock in South Asia.

3. Why does the writer mention Indian food production shocks?

A．To show India sells a lot of crops to other countries.

B．To show the shocks can cause unexpected results.

C．To show Indian shocks are more often.

D．To show India has a lot of flood.

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

A．Results Caused by the Problem of Global Food Safety

B．Measures Solving the Problem of Global Food Safety

C．Production Shocks Threatening Global Food Safety

D．The Importance of Global Food Safety

2 . At present, there are over 36,000 McDonald’s restaurants around the world, but it started out as a small one. The McDonald brothers, Dick and Mac, opened the first McDonald’s in San Bernardino, California in 1948. The menu included hamburgers, soft drinks, pie, French fries, milk, coffee and milkshakes. Ray Kroc, a travel salesman, visited the store and became interested in it. The brothers said that they wanted to open stores in the whole country, and then Kroc became their first franchise agent (特许经销商) in 1954. Kroc opened up a restaurant for McDonald’s on April 15, 1955. That store came with a lot of difficulties in the beginning.

After dealing with the difficulties, McDonald’s started to spread to all over the United States. The McDonald brothers wanted to show their Speed Service System-what we call fast food. Customers were served at large windows in the front of the building. The houses of the first restaurants were red and white with two golden arches(拱)on the side to make the roof look less flat.

The McDonald’s menu in 1977 shows how different its food choices are from today. What’s more, today McDonald’s have digital screens to show menus again and again.

In 1969 McDonald’s changed the style of restaurants. This change is found on the first McDonald’s in Moscow, Russia in 1990. Crowds line up outside to get their first taste of a Big Mac.

With billions of people served, McDonald’s has played an attractive role shaping international culture since its first restaurant opened.

1. When was McDonald’s first set up?

A．In 1955.

B．In 1954.

C．In 1948.

D．In 1977.

2. What led Ray Kroc to be McDonald’s first franchise agent?

A．The brothers’ wish.	B．His experience of running restaurants.
C．His interest in traveling.	D．One of the customers’ advice.

3. Why did the first McDonald’s houses have two golden arches on the side?

A．The arches can show their difference in the USA.

B．Customers liked large windows.

C．Customers enjoyed arches.

D．The arches can make the roof look less flat.

4. What can we learn from the McDonald’s menu of 1977?

A．It is very popular at that time.	B．It is different from today’s food choice.
C．The reason why it was popular.	D．The change of McDonald’s style.

3 . The Best Four Soccer Clubs in Toronto

Toronto is home to a number of soccer clubs. If you are interested in soccer, let’s take a look at four best soccer clubs in Toronto.

Cherry Beach Soccer Club

Cherry Beach Soccer Club, which first opened its door in 2009, now has 56 house leagues, 10 competitive teams and six adult teams. They provide 30,000 children and young people in the downtown area with high-quality and low-cost soccer lessons. It offers a recreational house league, development, and competitive soccer for those aged five to thirty.

Phone: (416)367-4359

North Soccer Club

North Soccer Club, which was established in 1980, is a welcoming environment for everyone who enjoys soccer or wants to try something new. You don’t need to be concerned about your qualifications or experience. However, to take part in practice, you must first complete a health check. It offers a Special Olympics program for players with intellectual disabilities. The fee range is from $230 to $270.

Phone:(416)924-9911

Power Soccer Club

Power Soccer Club, founded in 1996 by a former Galway United player, has grown up to be one of Canada’s most famous soccer schools. You will for sure progress in your skill development with a active and engaging training sessions. The fee can range from $210 to $315.

North York Hearts Soccer Club

North York Hearts Soccer Club was founded in 1990. This club exposes everyone who loves sports to the history of soccer with the help of a group of skilled sports coaches and professors. The fee range is from $210 to $320.

Phone: (416)650-5743

1. Which club was founded in the 21st century?

A．North Soccer Club.	B．Cherry Beach Soccer Club.
C．Power Soccer Club.	D．North York Hearts Soccer Club.

2. What is required for people to join North Soccer Club?

A．Rich experience.	B．A wise mind.
C．A health check.	D．A curious heart.

3. To learn the history of soccer, you should call ________ to sign up.

A．(416)367-4359	B．(416)650-5743
C．(416)425-6062	D．(416)924-9911

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。

The Internet has changed the world,     1    (allow) educational services to help with the global fight against     2    (poor). Khan Academy, an organization founded by Harvard Business School graduate Salman Khan with the task of “providing a world-class education to anyone, anywhere”, is one such service. The education offered there includes     3     large number of math-related topics.

    4    (similar), GMAT Pill Review is another company that trains MBA candidates worldwide to prepare for the GMAT exam. Founded by Stanford graduate Zeke Lee, the company offers services which     5    (price) at about 75% less than other programs of the same kind.

    6    , it allows students from developing countries who might not be able to afford the courses to have access     7     these services.

Whether paid or free, these services provide educational opportunities to those who would never have had the chance     8    (study) in the past. As a result of the technology revolution, business schools may see more students from different     9    (corner) of the world. Because of the Internet, people in developing nations have better and cheaper educational opportunities. More and more people will try to improve their lives through educational opportunities outside of their homeland,     10     is an idea usually uncommon in developing countries.

5 . Should teens do housework after school?    1    Some might claim that doing housework is a waste of time, while others feel that housework is a good opportunity for teens to become more mature. As for me, I strongly argue that it is indeed necessary for teens to do household work to help develop a sense of responsibility.

First of all, to be responsible, teenagers should learn how to manage their time.     2    When I was in senior high, I had to wash dishes every day. Therefore, I learned how to do my chores (家务) quickly to save more time for studying and relaxing. On the other hand, my little brother did not do any housework, so he always struggled to keep to his schedule.

    3    Doing household chores can train teens to become independent people. For instance, when my sister was in high school, she had to do her own washing and cleaning, and even cook her own food. As a result, she knew how to take care of herself. She rarely relied on anyone.

Finally, doing household chores can help teens become better leaders.     4    When my family clean the house together, I often give orders and see everyone do his or her own work. My sister is in charge of dusting the floor, I clean the windows, and my brother takes out the waste.     5    Moreover, statistics show that a lot of students who are class leaders often are responsible for the main household chores in their families.

A．Take my personal experience for example.

B．People adopt different stands toward this issue.

C．Besides, being responsible means being independent.

D．Parents feel angry if their teens don't help with the housework.

E．Secondly, it gives teens the sense that they're part of the family.

F．Doing household work can help them develop good time management skills.

G．As a result, when I was selected as the leader in group projects, I felt confident about it.

6 . When comparing U.S. and Chinese schools,despite(尽管）many differences, one finds a number of unexpected similarities.

Students in both countries, in some ways, have much in common. This includes their experiences with popular culture like technology and social media, mutual care for the environment, and the fact that all were terribly influenced by COVID-19.

Students in both countries belong to what might be described as a“TikTok culture,”although this Chinese app is likely more popular in the U.S. than in China itself.The Chinese term kuaicanshi yule,which means fast-food type entertainment, is the better expression, one that conveys“snackable content”for often meme-oriented, fast moving fashion that compete for short attention spans. Whatever the app or device, students have been much influenced by technology, positively and negatively. In fact,Chinese students do face more controls from their schools about their use of social media, although many are good at finding ways to avoid them.

Furthermore, many students in both countries are attracted to similar styles, in both fashion and food, in music and film, with Chinese and American students often being similarly up-to-date on the latest hits, including television series.

Finally, what both have most in common is the strong wish to live a good life, be successful and secure. The U.S. and China approach these wishes in different ways educationally, but both could learn from each other. This is especially true given the fact that we all live in an increasingly globalized world, and must learn to work together to solve not only global problems like climate change and disease outbreaks, but unfortunate frictions between the U.S. and China. Indeed, with the last point in mind, a significant weakness in the educational systems of both countries is that neither really understands the other. This is not a new problem, but solving it needs serious attention.

1. What can we learn about the students in the U.S. and China from Paragraph 2?

A．They show no interest in traditional culture.

B．They have chances to experience social media.

C．They are satisfied with their living environment.

D．They were hardly influenced by COVID-19.

2. What do Chinese students face about using social media in school?

A．Rules to control.

B．Supports from parents.

C．Agreement from schools.

D．Risk to leave.

3. What do U.S.and Chinese students have in common?

A．Schools stop them from using social media.

B．They have little interest in television series.

C．They achieve their wishes educationally similarly.

D．They can't fully understand each other educationally.

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

A．U.S.and Chinese Schools

B．U.S.and Chinese Students

C．Similarities between U.S. and Chinese Students

D．Differences between U.S. and Chinese Schools

7 . Reading out loud is one of the most useful ways to practice when you are learning a foreign language. If you want to improve your fluency, you should read a lot, and not silently but out loud!

This competition is designed to encourage all the Chinese learners to read Chinese out loud. And we hope to introduce the importance of reading out loud when learning Chinese. Also, we have brilliant prizes for the top three competitors! We look forward to hearing from you reading Chinese stories, poems, tongue twisters, lyrics, etc. We would post the recordings on our official account anonymously (匿名) and ask everyone to vote online for the recordings.

The top six will get the prizes below:

First prize (1 person): 5 hours one-to-one Chinese lesson

Second prize (2 people): 3 hours one-to-one Chinese lesson

Third prize (3 people): one 200 RMB voucher (代金券) for our course

Timeline

Please choose one from the ten materials given to you at the bottom of this web page, from 6 to 10 are lyrics, you can read or sing.

Sign up before 11 p.m., 16th of February.

Record the name: your file with your name and nationality (eg: Mike+US)

Send your recordings to hanlinmandarin@163.com, before 7 p.m., 19th of February.

We will post the anonymous recordings on HLC official account on the 21st of February. Vote online from 21st of February to 25th of February.

The result would be posted on HLC official account on the 26th of February.

If you don’t know Chinese characters, you can copy them and change them into pinyin on the following website https://www.pinyinzi.com/hanzipinyin/.

1. What is the competition intended to do?

A．To encourage more people to learn Chinese.

B．To inspire Chinese learners to read out loud.

C．To introduce how to learn a foreign language.

D．To stress the importance of Chinese learning.

2. What are listed at the bottom of the web page?

A．Reading materials.	B．Names of winners.
C．Rules of the competition.	D．Lists of prizes.

3. When will the result be made public?

A．On the 16th of February.	B．On the 19th of February.
C．On the 21st of February.	D．On the 26th of February.