1 . The Albatross (信天翁)

A What is an Albatross?

Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in existence, with wingspans (翼幅) which extend to over three metres in width. They represent a small subset of the larger group known as tube-nosed petrels, which have strong, curved sharp beaks which they use for catching fish and squid on the surface of the ocean. While there is some debate about the exact taxonomy of the species, it is agreed that there are somewhere between 21 and 24 species of albatrosses.

B A Special Breeding Site

Of these species, approximately half breed in New Zealand and about 80 percent breed (繁殖) or fish within New Zealand’s territorial waters. Six species breed only in New Zealand or on its offshore islands. One of only two mainland nesting sites for these birds in the world, for the northern royal albatross, is on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand; it is a popular tourist destination. Visitors can view the albatross colony (种群) from a special building which has been established beside the nesting ground and, while the site is closed during breeding season (繁殖季) , at other times it is often possible to see parents and their chicks living and feeding only metres away from human observers.　

C Predators

However, there are risks to albatross chicks (幼鸟) on land. Natural predators (捕食者) such as seagulls can eat eggs and young birds, and in mainland areas there are also threats from dogs, cats and other land animals. On some offshore islands, sea lions have been observed raiding (袭击) nests for eggs. It is thought that this is a new behaviour.

D Threats (危险) for Adult Albatross

The main threats to the adult albatross occur at sea, and most of these are man-made. Albatrosses like to travel close to fishing boats, to eat the leftover scraps of fish that are dropped over the side of the boat. Sometimes, however, they also eat the bait (饵) and accidentally ingest (咽下) fish hooks (钩) , or get dragged (拖，拉) along on fishing lines and drown. The number of albatrosses that any one boat catches is small, but because there are so many fishing boats, this may have a long term impact on population numbers. It is estimated (预估) that at least 100,000 albatrosses die in this way each year. As for all sea bird species, there are other threats, such as drift nets, oil spills and rubbish such as plastic in the ocean. While there are international agreements and fishing conventions to try and protect sea birds, albatrosses are among the million or so sea birds that get caught in drift nets and die each year.

Answer the questions below. Use NO MORE THAN SIX WORDS OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
1. What is the distance from one wing tip (翅尖) to the other of an albatross?
________________
2. How many kinds of albatrosses are there?
________________
3. What can people see from the special building beside the nesting site?
________________
4. How many albatrosses die each year because of fishing boats?
________________
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage?
Write:
YES 正确
NO 错误
NOT GIVEN 没有提到
5. ________ Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in the world.
6. ________Cats and dogs may kill young albatross chicks.
7. ________Adult albatrosses are more at risk on the land than at sea.
8. ________Oil spill can threaten (威胁) albatrosses.
9. ________Albatrosses that get caught up in drift nets die from drowning.

2 . Running is popular ________ blind people, but many of them need a guide runner for support. （用适当的词填空）

3 . 选择适当的短语填空。

lies in        rise to          make a difference     as a result of   looking forward to stick to       take on        on the rocks             smooth out     through thick and thin

1. You may wonder if one person can ________ to his family, to his community and to his country.
2. The strength of the book ________ the fact that the material is from classroom experience.
3. Unfortunately, Mr. Jones’ business and marriage were both ________.
4. The two countries are working hard to ________ their disagreements.
5. He was out of work for three months ________ the accident.
6. I am ________ visiting my family this Christmas—I haven’t been home for the holidays in years!
7. We’ve been together ________ and we won’t leave each other now.
8. It’s not an easy task, but I’m sure John will ________ the challenge.
9. If you want to realize your dream, you’ve got to ________ it and work hard at it.
10. Words ________ new meanings all the time.

4 . 选择适当的单词填空。

account            acquire     attitude        responsible     struggled independent     attract       graduated     respond          qualities

1. When Nels ________ from grammar school, he wanted to go on to high school.
2. How did they ________ to this piece of good news?
3. It’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children to ________ the skill of writing by hand.
4. —Who is in charge here?
—Peter. He is ________ for running the office.
5. The student tried to ________ the teacher’s attention by reading loudly.
6. India became ________ from Britain in 1947.
7. Successful people usually have a positive ________ to life.
8. Honesty is one of her best ________.
9. The poor artist ________ to bring up a family on very little money in the past.
10. On ________ of the cold in winter, some birds move to the south.

5 . Sydney is famous for popular attractions like Bondi Beach. With the lowest hotel rates in town, we offer many options a short distance away from the beach.

Hotel Bondi

Offering quality accommodations in the sightseeing, restaurants, beaches district of Sydney, Hotel Bondi is a popular pick for both business and holiday travelers. From here, guests can enjoy easy access to all that the lively city has to offer. With its convenient location, the hotel offers easy access to the city's must-see destinations. Top features of the hotel include free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, Wi-Fi in public areas.

Chee Bondi

Located in the heart of Bondi, just 2 minutes' walk from Bondi Beach and a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops, Chee Bondi offers both free WiFi and free private parking. The accommodation is air conditioned and features a flat-screen TV and a seating area. Some rooms have a balcony. There is also a kitchen, equipped with a microwave and toaster. A refrigerator and kettle are also offered. There is a private bathroom with a bath or shower and a hair dryer in each unit.

Bondi Beach House

Just 3 minutes’ walk from Bondi Beach, this bed and breakfast features free WiFi and beautifully furnished suites and rooms. Guests have access to a lovely balcony with outdoor furniture. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, microwave, and refrigerator. Guests can prepare breakfast each morning in the dining room, homemade jams, tea and coffee provided.

1. Which of the three hotels will you choose if you want to prepare breakfast by yourself?

A．Hotel Bondi and Chee Bondi.

B．Chee Bondi and Bondi Beach House.

C．Hotel Bondi and Bondi Beach House.

D．All of the three hotels.

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．All private bathrooms in Chee Bondi don’t have a bath.

B．Suites in Bondi Beach House are newly furnished.

C．Rooms in Chee Bondi have a balcony with outdoor furniture.

D．Bondi Beach House is nearer to Bondi Beach than Chee Bondi.

3. What do the three hotels have in common?

A．They are equipped with a flat-screen TV.	B．They don’t offer free WiFi.
C．They are close to the beach.	D．They provide free private parking.

6 . 用所给词组正确形式填空

complain about   all walks of life     lay eyes on   break with   do the trick   occur to

1. The aim of the Romantics in the early 19th centuries was to________ the ideals of the 18th century.
2. It never ________ me that he might be a murderer.
3. Volunteers from ________ are willing to donate money to help those people who are suffering from hunger.
4. These pills should ________ and you will feel much better in no time.
5. It is no use ________ the reality, we should put more efforts in what we can change and devote ourselves to making a difference to it.

7 . There are a lot of reasons why we may have to get up early. Maybe it’s for work, or maybe it’s to get your kids ready for school.     1     But if you’re not naturally a morning person, how can you wake up early? Here are some ways to help you.

Light.

The most powerful way to get your body feeling awake is to expose yourself to light. When you’re exposed to bright sunlight, your hormone (激素) tells the body, “Hey, it’s time to be awake.”     2     Those lights will signal to your body that it’s still daytime, which definitely won’t help if you’re trying to go to bed on time for an early wake-up.

Naps.

    3     Sleep doctors call that a “sleep debt,” and just like credit card debt, it has to get repaid for your body to function well. If it doesn’t, you might end up suffering the more serious consequences of sleep deprivation. Naps are a great way to squeeze in some extra shut-eye. Sleep studies show naps even as short as 10 minutes can make a difference!     4     If we nap too late, too close to bedtime, then it’ll make it hard for us to go to sleep at night.

    5    

Create an encouragement to get out of bed in the morning. Maybe that’s a mindfulness exercise to remind yourself of who or what you’re waking up early for. Something as simple as promising yourself a nice breakfast as soon as you get out of bed can do the trick.

A．Reward yourself.

B．Be strict with yourself.

C．For some people, waking up early just feels natural.

D．So don’t expose your eyes to bright lights at night.

E．Try waking up even a few minutes earlier than you need to.

F．Waking up early often means that we wake up sleep deprived (被剥夺).

G．Try to keep naps under an hour and toward the middle of the day or earlier in the afternoon.

8 . Rachel Kunhner, the author of Telex from Cuba, The Mars Room, and The Flamethrowers, has got some excellent books for you.

Agortino by Alberto Moravla (1944).

When my son turned 13, my mother said to me, “You have to read Agostino.” Agosino is a perfect novella and perhaps the best literate ever written about being a 13-year-old boy. It’s painful and tender and funny. A masterpiece.

The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen(1967—71).

Ditlevsen was a 20th-century Danish writer. Her trilogy of short memoirs, Childhood, Youth, and Dependency, is becoming the subject of a literary craze. As 8oon as you sink your teeth in, you’ll understand why. The books are fascinating. The problem is they bite back. I’m still recovering.

Star by Yukio Mishima (1960).

There are a lot of Mishima novels that haven’t been translated into English. This novella about a movie star losing touch with reality only recently was. “A true star, ” Mishima writes, “never arrives. Showing up is for second-rate actor who need to seek attention. ” Want to seem glamorous? Stay home. Attending things is for the second-rate.

The Expendable Man by Dorothy B. Hughes (1963).

Donna Tart once recommended Hughes to me. I’m so glad she did. While Hughes’ most famous book, deservedly 80, is In a Lonely Place. The Expendable Man has one of the best opening sequences of any mystery novel: A man driving from L. A. to Phoenix picks up a hitchhiker—a dirty and ungraceful teenage girl—with grave consequences.

1. Which book may appeal to readers crazy about mystery-solving stories?

A．Star.

B．The Expendable Man.

C．The Copenhagen Theology.

D．Agostino.

2. What do we know about these books?

A．There has been no English version of the book Star up to now.

B．The Copenhagen Trilogy describes the author’s whole life.

C．All these books are recommended to Rachel Kuchner by others.

D．Agostino is a good choice for parents of teenagers.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A column.

B．A guidebook

C．An announcement.

D．A textbook

9 . It's tough for students in Asia's giant countries, where the competition for college entrance can be fierce. In India, over a million students have been finding out their final results in various high school exams. You have to get 90% or better in the 12th boards — India's final year tests which are mostly held in March 一 to get into many top school and university courses. In China, the world's biggest university entrance test, commonly known as the Gaokao, is an academic testing event held in June in Chinese mainland and is joined by millions of participants.

Perhaps all that pressure and stress is why, this year, thousands have been clicking on videos and pictures with a clear message: there's more to life than getting into college.

In India, in a video message, Indian comedian and actor Vir Das told students not to worry about their marks. More than a quarter of a million people have viewed the video. You are going to meet someone, " he says, “until you discover that the person you were waiting for wasn't the person you were looking at, or person you ever thought you'd meet. You will beg and borrow and steal, so that eventually you can risk and rent and lose, so that maybe you can own and invest and grow . . . What do all of these things have in common? Not one of them requires a mark sheet. "

Das said it was inspired by his own experience after scoring poorly in the 12th boards. He said he eventually got to study his chosen subject, economics, at an American university 一 but soon after discovered drama which led to his current career.

"I thought my life was over after exams and I had a terrible two months, he said. "Students can be depressed. They need to hear from a third person that everything is all right. "

1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that the 12th boards ________.

A．take place twice a year

B．are the world's biggest test

C．take place before the Gaokao

D．are held in many Asian countries

2. What does Vir Das try to tell us in Paragraph 3?

A．Test scores aren't very important.

B．High school students are living a tough life.

C．College entrance exams are extremely difficult.

D．High school students need to win the college entrance exam.

3. What do we know about Vir Das?

A．He failed to attend a university.

B．Economics is his current career.

C．Drama has always been his great hobby.

D．He was depressed after the 12th boards.

4. What is the message mainly expressed in the passage?

A．All roads lead to Rome.

B．Success comes from hard work.

C．Attitude makes a great difference.

D．Your choice determines your future.

10 . Four 2021 book debuts(首发) to add to your reading list

Burnt Sugar
Avni Doshi

Tara was wild in her youth and dragged her daughter Antara along on all her crazy adventures. She abandoned her first marriage, joined an ashram, and became a beggar. As an adult, Antara never really felt that her mom cared for her and takes pleasure in her mother's current sadness. Still, Antara must make peace with the past as Tara slowly loses her memory. But is Tara’s memory loss real?

Attachments
Jeff Arch

Stewart Goodman and Sandy Piccolo are both in love with their best friend Laura Appleby, a girl they met at their Pennsylvania boarding school. In 1972, the three best friends formed a strong family-like bond with Henry Griffin, the school’s dean. Twenty years later, Griffin’s deathbed request brings the three of them back to campus to solve a puzzle that only Griffin has the answers to.

Wings of Ebony
J.Elle

Rue’s optimistic life is rudely awakened when her mother is shot dead on their doorstep. She’s then sent away with her estranged(不和的) father and leaves her younger sister behind. She’s taken to the hidden island Ghizon where magic men live. Rue must use her powers to save her neighborhood before the people of Ghizon burn it down.

Mona at Sea
Elizabeth James

The 2008 economic crisis(危机)was the worst thing to happen for Mona the perfectionist. Even though she has an outstanding ability and a top-of-her-class degree, she still finds herself without a job, living with her parents, and lost in life and love. When she finally finds her life’s meaning throughout all her hardship, will she be ready to face it?

1. Which of the following books tells about schoolmates?

A．Burnt Sugar.

B．Attachments.

C．Wings of Ebony.

D．Mona at Sea.

2. Who fights to rescue the people in the community?

A．Tara.

B．Laura.

C．Rue.

D．Mona.

3. If you are lost in life and try to find a meaningful life, which book best suits you?

A．Wings of Ebony.

B．Mona at Sea.

C．Burnt Sugar.

D．Attachments.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To promote some books to readers.

B．To talk about the pleasure of reading.

C．To introduce some writers to readers.

D．To recommend some books to readers.