1 . A six-year-old girl has become an enthusiastic business helper in a “silent” foot spa where the owner and all of the employees are hearing-impaired (听力受损的), serving as a sign language translator for customers. Hu Yunjia, nicknamed Niu Niu, is the daughter of the foot spa owner Hu Yong. The father Hu, 34, lost his hearing and speech due to a severe fever in his childhood, making it difficult for him to get a permanent job. After finishing training in the foot spa and pedicure (修指甲术) abilities, Hu started the business in Chengdu, the capital city of Southwest China’s Sichuan province, in 2019．Peng Feng, the mother, who is also deaf, works together with her husband at the shop. Despite its modest size, the shop attracts a steady stream of customers due to the couple’s solid skills.

Evenings witness a peak in business at the foot spa, and this is when Niu Niu finishes school and plays a role as a sign language translator. “Madam, how is your day and what help do you need?” “Sir, my dad asked you to take this ointment (药膏) back home and apply it,” Niu Niu delivers her father’s messages to the customers in her sweet child voice and with rich body language, frequently amusing the guests. Besides translating, she enjoys introducing and promoting services to customers and answering phone calls.

Niu Niu started learning sign language from her parents at the age of two and began assisting at the shop at the age of four after kindergarten hours and on holidays.

“She is always cheerful, positive, enthusiastic and outgoing,” said the customers and the school teachers. “Dad taught me to be hardworking,” Niu Niu explained. In her view, her parents are like superheroes who look after the family and her although they’re unable to hear and speak. “Though my dad is different from other people, he is the best for me,” she added.

Hu also recruited two hearing-impaired persons in the hope of providing opportunities for people with disabilities like him. Niu Niu graduated from kindergarten and began attending a local primary school last summer. “She made me proud, and I am grateful to have such an ‘angel’ in my life. Now that she is a primary school student, I want her to focus more on her studies and less on my business. No matter what, I will give her my full support,” said the father.

1. What does Niu Niu do in the spa according to the second paragraph?
①She washes towels and bed sheets.
②She does some cooking for her family.
③She answers phone calls from customers.
④She passes her father’s messages to the customers.
⑤She introduces and promotes services to customers.

A．②④⑤

B．①②④

C．③④⑤

D．②③④

2. How did Niu Niu begin to learn sign language?

A．By learning from one of their relatives.

B．By learning from her parents.

C．By learning from a teacher in a kindergarten.

D．By learning from videos on the Internet.

3. Which can replace the underlined word “recruited” in the last paragraph?

A．Turned to.

B．Cared about.

C．Took on.

D．Referred to

4. What is the best title for the news report?

A．Deaf couple runs foot spa business in Chengdu

B．Deaf couple’s solid skills attract steady stream of customers

C．Girl, 6, acts as translator for her deaf parents doing foot spa business

D．Girl, 6, treat her parents as superheroes who look after family and her

2 . 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。

Are you ready to celebrate World Letter Writing Day on September1? Writing something down may seem like     1     out-of-date idea in this day and age, but it can be one of the most interesting things for you to do. The letter can be a love letter, or even one     2     (simple) written to create memories.

The day     3     (found) by Australian author and photographer Richard Simpkin,     4     loves writing letters. It all started when he began writing to individuals     5     (consider) to be Australian legends, and he also received their    6     (reply). Later, his experience of exchanging ideas with these celebrities (名人) by letter made     7     possible for him to print the book Australian Legends.     8     (honor) handwritten letters, he created World Letter Writing Day in 2014.

Letter-writing itself     9     (be) present for centuries. In ancient times, letters were written on special objects, such as wood and even metal. In the 17^th and 18^th   centuries, letters were a     10     (power) tool for people to communicate. This is why a few letters gathered from the past can serve as documents of personal or diplomatic (外交的) communication for historians.

3 . Jane had lived her entire life in a small town. ________ she had spent decades dreaming about travelling, she never took action to make it happen.

On her 65th birthday, Jane made a brave decision. She sold all her ________ and with a backpack, she set off. The initial days on the road were ________ --- she felt like she finally lived the life she had always dreamed of.

Yet, after a few weeks, she began feeling ________. With each new step, her legs hurt more and more. ________, she slammed (怒摔 ) her backpack on the ground and sat down beside it with tears. ________ hopelessly into the road ahead, she shouted loudly, “I have nothing left in my life!”

It ________ that a life adviser heard her words while resting behind a tree near her. He decided to help her, so he grabbed her backpack and ________ quickly. Shocked and in complete sadness, Jane cried more loudly, “That backpack was all I had. Now everything is ________ !”

About twenty minutes later, she collected her ________, and slowly walked forward. Then ________, she saw her backpack on the road a short distance ahead of her. She was so ________ that she couldn’t help exclaiming, “Oh, thank heavens! Now I can continue onward ......”

As we journey ________ our lives, we may experience incredible disappointments. During this time, it seems we’ve lost everything. ________, actually, we are holding a backpack of support.

So don’t lose ________. Keep going, and you’ll achieve your dream.

1.

A．When

B．While

C．If

D．Because

2.

A．belongings

B．goods

C．materials

D．decorations

3.

A．boring

B．normal

C．familiar

D．amazing

4.

A．curious

B．nervous

C．painful

D．shocked

5.

A．Regularly

B．Eventually

C．Currently

D．Originally

6.

A．Glancing

B．Glaring

C．Staring

D．Pointing

7.

A．showed

B．happened

C．seemed

D．proved

8.

A．disappeared

B．moved

C．responded

D．apologized

9.

A．limited

B．missed

C．ended

D．gone

10.

A．emotions

B．memories

C．comments

D．tips

11.

A．now and then

B．all of a sudden

C．sooner or later

D．as usual

12.

A．impressed

B．peaceful

C．concerned

D．grateful

13.

A．across

B．around

C．through

D．toward

14.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Thus

D．Besides

15.

A．chance

B．balance

C．heart

D．interest

4 . It’s the day of the big race. You’ve got your running shoes on and your starting number pinned to your tank top (背心装). You’ve trained for weeks for this marathon, but have you shortchanged yourself by not having a cup of coffee?

Studies about coffee can be tricky. One week scientists find that coffee is bad for us, while the next week they announce it provides benefits. When it comes to coffee’s star ingredient—caffeine, the results are much clearer in relation to athletes: Caffeine improves performance. It is one of the few legal performance enhancers in the world. In studies, athletes who consumed caffeine before a race were able to go faster, last longer and recover more quickly than those who didn’t.

Researchers have found that caffeine causes muscles to use fat as fuel, rather than glycogen (糖原) stored in the muscles, which increases strength. Caffeine also cheers up muscles by releasing calcium stored within, which aids speed and endurance. And it affects how hard you think you’re working, so that you can run longer and harder without feeling exhausted.

You don’t even need much caffeine to get the results. Scientists estimate that between 1 and 2 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight will do the trick. More isn’t better. It’s possible to perform worse when you consume more than 9 milligrams per kilogram.

Caffeine can have detrimental side effects in people not used to it, most notably headaches. It is also discouraged for those with heart conditions or high blood pressure. In some runners, coffee and other caffeinated products can result in diarrhea (腹泻). For these reasons, it’s probably best not to drink your first cup of coffee the morning of a marathon. Instead, see how your body reacts during your training.

1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．How researchers made the finding.	B．How caffeine in coffee helps runners.
C．Why coffee is important to runners.	D．Why researchers carried out the research.

2. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Beneficial.

B．Unnoticeable.

C．Efficient.

D．Harmful.

3. What is the author’s advice concerning consuming coffee?

A．Test its effect in training.	B．Take more before a race.
C．Take some after a race.	D．Never take any before a race.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A notebook.

B．A diary.

C．A magazine.

D．A travel guide.

5 . Most people have already heard we are facing an era of massive species extinction, that we run out of insect pollinators (传粉者) for our plantations and that springs are silent now. It is also agreed that a diverse nature is essential for our economic and emotional well-being and for human health. But how to achieve this?

Buildings produce dangerous emissions (排放物) polluting the air. The nation’s buildings are responsible for 40% of all US carbon emissions. Designing buildings that put the environment first is essential. Daniel Jaconetti, the National Sustainable Design Leader for the architecture firm HED tells Gb&d Magazine, “Our first responsibility is to educate and then to design for clients the best possible building that meets their needs.”

The best buildings are designed to be resilient (能复原的) , energy efficient, comfortable, and without poisonous chemicals. They are probably the ones-that make the most sense to people—being as efficient as possible. “You’re putting out fewer emissions.” Daniel Jaconetti tells Gb&d.

Eco-conscious design can be found-in a number of ways. The application of solar power is just one common design trend. Choosing eco-friendly building materials can also help. This can include a wide variety of materials, from bamboo to those recycled.

When looking for ways to cater to eco-friendly design, biophilia (热爱生物) has been used in architectural design to unite nature into the environment. With common elements of biophilic design in buildings including indoor trees and plants and living walls creatures, we can enjoy the various benefits associated with the presence of nature indoors. For already constructed homes, biophilic design element can help create an environmentally friendly atmosphere. Bringing in plants is just one major way to make an eco-friendly statement. Properly styling the greenery can be the difference between showcasing the tree itself and allowing it to complement the surrounding design.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To introduce the topic of the text.	B．To raise people’s awareness of pollution.
C．To call on people to protect wildlife.	D．To draw people’s attention to emotional well-being.

2. Why is designing environmentally-friendly buildings important?

A．We need new buildings to be comfortable.	B．Buildings are to blame for serious emissions.
C．Buildings are where we spend most of our time.	D．We need different buildings to cheer ourselves up.

3. Which of the following can describe best buildings?

A．Luxury.

B．Splendid.

C．Eco-friendly.

D．Life-changing.

4. What can you do with a constructed home?

A．Redecorate it.	B．Give it a thorough clean.
C．Change its design style.	D．Add some green plants to it.

6 . Everything a girl named Bella needed for her life to change for the better was a dog. But Ceorge is unlike other dogs. He’s a service dog who fills Bella’s days with joy and laughter and helps her regain her independence back.

Bella was suffering a rare metabolic (新陈代谢的) disorder, which leads to short neck , knock knees and hip problems. In Bella’s case, her parents were told that their daughter would eventually need a wheelchair and won’t be able to move on her own.

When the family welcomed George in their lives, he helped Bella walk by providing assistance. A harness (背带) with the words “service dog” is fastened on his back so that people know he isn’t just a pet. He and Bella are now inseparable and he never leaves her side. Bella attended school for only half a day before leaving to play at the home of her friend—Hunter. Because he gets to nap on the couch while Bella plays. George loves going over there.

As a thank-you for his loyalty, Bella wanted to give George something in return. She and her parents then came up with the idea to contact BarkPost, a well-known website that hosts events referred to as “Dog’s Best Days” and give George a day to remember. Among the rest, the two friends got to share a hamburger together and got to walk on snow, something George enjoys. They did a bunch of fun things together and had a lovely day.

Thanks to George, Bella doesn’t need a wheelchair and enjoys the independence her service dog provides to her. “George is joyful and he’s always there to cheer me up. He is my best friend,” Bella says.

1. What did the doctor say about Bella’s illness?

A．She would recover slowly.	B．She would drop out of school.
C．She would lose the ability to walk.	D．She would need a service dog to look after her.

2. What was George’s main job?

A．To play with Bella.	B．To comfort Bella.
C．To help Bella walk.	D．To cheer Bella up.

3. Why did Bella and her parents contact BarkPost?

A．They wanted to thank George.	B．They wanted to find friends for George.
C．They wanted to give George a rest.	D．They wanted to make George well-known.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．A Girl Fights Her Illness Bravely

B．A Pet Dog Becomes Famous for His Loyalty

C．Dogs Are Important in Helping the Disabled

D．A Service Dog Helps a Girl Regain Her Independence

7 . 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。

Before people developed writing, storytelling was     1    most important way to pass along information all over the world. Anything a culture attempted    2     (preserve) - its history and its traditions - had to be spoken aloud. Each generation would tell the culture’s stories to the next generation. In this way, many stories     3     (pass) along so far.

In some cultures everyone would pass along the stories. In other cultures only    4     (profession) storytellers could do this important job. Excellent storytellers had good memories. They could also make the stories very interesting,     5    helped make sure that people would listen to their stories and remember them.

However, stories    6     (tell) aloud change over time as different people tell them. A storyteller might change a story    7     (creative) to make it better. Or a teller may simply not remember all of a story correctly, leading     8    the loss of several key     9     (detail). Unlike written literature, the oral (口头的) tradition is not created by any one person. Instead, many generations make a great    10     (contribute) to the changing stories.

8 . Gene Work and his brother-in-law, Mark Rouco, were putting sod (草皮) on Gene’s yard. In the burning heat of the sun, they were soon covered in sweat and feeling a strong sense of_________. Gene fell onto the ground with a(n) _________ expression on his face. His wife Melissa Work was worried sick and _________ to call 911.

Even though he was close to death, Gene still _________ he sod. If it wasn’t put down that day, it would die. “While he was_________pain, he kept _________ me to have it put down because he didn’t want it to be_________.” Melissa wrote in a Facebook post.

Rouco was left behind to deal with the yard. An hour passed and _________ he noticed those EMTs (急救人员) showed up again. Gene had told them how badly he’d wanted to get the sod down, so they_________. With their help, the work was finally __________in under two hours.

At the same time, Gene got the __________ in time thanks to those EMTs’ quick actions.

The Works are still __________that those EMTs went above and beyond their __________. “These men,” Melissa said, “saved Gene’s__________, and then came back to save his grass. That’s just so__________.”

1.

A．achievement

B．tiredness

C．satisfaction

D．impatience

2.

A．frightened

B．surprised

C．anxious

D．pained

3.

A．forgot

B．agreed

C．pretended

D．rushed

4.

A．remembered

B．hated

C．recognised

D．needed

5.

A．causing

B．killing

C．getting

D．experiencing

6.

A．asking

B．ordering

C．forcing

D．teaching

7.

A．saved

B．used

C．wasted

D．kept

8.

A．unexpectedly

B．unnecessarily

C．unluckily

D．unreasonably

9.

A．stayed

B．returned

C．quitted

D．waited

10.

A．stopped

B．completed

C．continued

D．started

11.

A．message

B．arrangement

C．treatment

D．solution

12.

A．annoyed

B．amazed

C．confused

D．worried

13.

A．will

B．determination

C．responsibility

D．ability

14.

A．time

B．face

C．money

D．life

15.

A．admirable

B．crazy

C．strange

D．wise

9 . Roger had a GPS device fitted in his car________he lost his way in the city.

A．so that

B．now that

C．in case

D．as if

10 . The bank robber was finally________at a motel outside of town．

A．tricked

B．ignored

C．captured

D．wrapped