1 . We use our middle names when filling out official papers, and when we write our initials (姓名的首字母) on something. But except that, we don’t use them every day. So why do we even have middle names in the first place?

Some people might answer, “It’s so my mom has three names to shout at me, so I know I’m in trouble.”

But there is history behind it, and it dates back to ancient Rome. At that time, people had three names, a personal name, a family name, and another name which showed what branch of family you were from. The more names you had, the more respected you were by others.

This tradition of names spread over to Western cultures in the 1700s.Aristocrats (贵族) would give their children long names to show their high place in society. Spanish and some other cultures would give their children names from their parents’ previous generations to be able to keep track of the child’s family tree.

But the way we use middle names today started in the Middle Ages when Europeans named their children with the given name first, baptismal (洗礼的) name second, and family name third. The tradition was spread to America as people started to go overseas.

Today, some people don’t even have middle names, some prefer to be called by their middle name, and some never even use theirs. But, just feel lucky that we don’t need to keep track of our family tree like some aristocrats used to and end up with 38 names.

1. When would we use middle names?

A．When calling our friends.

B．When writing to our parents.

C．When filling out official papers.

2. How might a mother feel when she shouts out her child’s three names.

A．Proud.

B．Angry.

C．Happy.

3. Why would aristocrats give their children long names?

A．To show their high place in society.

B．To show their respect for others.

C．To show their good memory.

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

A．It’s Cool to Have 38 Names

B．We Don’t Need Family Names

C．Why Do We Have Middle Names?

2 . Can you imagine that there are a huge number of tiny waste pieces in the Arctic (北冰洋的) sea ice? Because of the waste pieces,30,000 kinds of animals are in danger. It’s true that one person’s acts alone can’t help the planet. But each one of us can find ways to make our contributions.

In the home, we could try not to waste foods. Use a digital meal planner to get a right amount of food so that everything we buy and cook gets eaten. Learn how to store foods to keep them fresh longer. Be sure to use proper ways to keep our home warm. For example, we can replace old windows with energy-saving ones.

At the store, we could green our habits. Buy reusable plates, but not single-use ones. Buy home tissue (纸巾) not made of materials which may lead to destruction (破坏) of forests. Buy glass cups instead of paper ones.

In the community, we could help keep its plants healthy. Take part in tree-planting projects or grass-cutting activities to help plants grow well.

Our actions alone can’t save the planet, but the above ways and habits can help.

1. What puts so many animals in danger?

A．Cold ice.

B．Waste pieces.

C．Bad weather.

2. Why should we use a digital meal planner?

A．To avoid wasting foods.

B．To cook delicious foods.

C．To keep foods fresh.

3. What does the word “reusable” in the passage mean?

A．That can be kept long.

B．That can be used again.

C．That can be thrown away.

4. Why does the author write this passage?

A．To describe the future of the planet.

B．To encourage an environment friendly life.

C．To introduce shopping places for green products.

3 . We were on our way! In Wyoming we would have a new home. It was 1980 and my husband Gary and I were driving to Wyoming with our kids. After driving all day, we were hungry. So we stopped at a restaurant to have dinner.

After the dinner, we were on our way again. Suddenly our vehicle hit ice on a bridge. As soon as the car started to slide, Gary touched the brakes (刹车) but failed to control the car. We were thrown from side to side against the guardrails (护栏).It took some time before we slid to a stop, but unfortunately our car was totally destroyed.

Only minutes later, a car stopped by and the driver asked how he might help. With his help, my husband was able to have our car taken to Rapid City. Then he drove us to a hotel in the city. He made sure we were safe before he said goodnight and left. The next morning, the driver returned and drove us to find our car so that we could take back our valuables. He lost at least half a day of work, all for a family he had never met and would never see again.

With no car, our family finally arrived in Gillette, where we had no friends. Though we were a little lonely, we all felt lucky and thankful to the amazing stranger whose service made such a difference to our family.

1. Why did the family go to Wyoming?

A．They liked to go traveling.

B．They had a restaurant to run there.

C．They would have a new home there.

2. What happened to the author’s car?

A．It hit ice on a bridge.

B．It was touched by a car.

C．It slid into the river.

3. Why did the driver come back the next morning?

A．To repair the family’s car.

B．To say goodbye to the family.

C．To help the family get their valuables.

4. What kind of person was the driver?

A．Helpful.

B．Honest.

C．Humorous.

4 . Most Popular Projects

1. Where will a volunteer teach English?

A．In Costa Rica.

B．In Ghana.

C．In Nigeria.

2. What will volunteers do in Ghana?

A．Dig water wells.

B．Help build houses.

C．Talk with people.

3. How long will it take to finish these two projects?

A．2 weeks.

B．3 weeks.

C．5 weeks.

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。

Egyptian radiologist Ahmed Hassan liked the design and architecture of China’s     1     (remark)Temple of Heaven so much that he decided to build a replica (复制品) of Beijing’s historic monument with matchsticks.

In his free time, while exercising his hobby of building models of landmarks with matchsticks, Hassan spent more than two months     2     (work) on the Temple of Heaven. He finished the whole replica of it using about 22,000 matchsticks which he thought is one of the key landmarks and tourist     3     (attract) of Beijing, the capital of China.

The over 600-year-old monument covers     4     area of 270 hectares and     5     (consider) one of the largest existing architectural complexes in the world. Just as the original circular building is     6     (complete) wooden with no nails, the Egyptian radiologist used only matchsticks, white glue and a cutter blade to build the replica of the temple.

Hassan,     7     returned to his old hobby in 2013,     8     (produce) more than 20 replicas of monuments from Egypt, Britain, France, Denmark and Russia over the past few years. He said that building a matchstick model of the Temple of Heaven wasn’t an easy job, for it was his first time     9     (carry) out a replica of a landmark from Asia in general and China     10     particular.

6 . I’m a second-year student of Coventry University. For more than a year, I have been volunteering for SHOUT, a text-based _______ health support service.

This time last year, we all watched the COVID-19 unfold across the country. I had planned to work in the summer vacation, but this became _______ when the first lockdown began. My days became a(n) _______ of watching the news and wishing I could do something. Fortunately, I learned about SHOUT in an email from my university’s volunteering team _______ the charity needed more volunteers, due to the increase in _______ they were receiving since the pandemic (流行病) began. I applied instantly.

SHOUT volunteers _______ as a listening ear to anyone who needs support, at any time, with their mental health. The service supports them and encourages self-care techniques to keep people _______ during the pandemic. This service was especially important during lockdown, when clinical services were often _______. As volunteers, we never give advice; often our texters just need someone to _______.

My volunteering ________ have had a huge positive impact on my mental health. I have been able to gain new   ________ from gardening to instructing. In a voluntary capacity, the pressure is off. If I’m struggling, my teammates will always encourage me to rest and   ________ for a while. And when I’m feeling strong, I can get involved again and ________ other people in their time of need.

The skills I’ve gained by volunteering have given me the ________ to successfully apply for an internship (实习生) with Coventry University. I strongly believe volunteering has changed my life, and I encourage everyone to ________ opportunities to change theirs too.

1.

A．physical

B．mental

C．good

D．public

2.

A．important

B．meaningful

C．urgent

D．impossible

3.

A．repetition

B．task

C．example

D．expectation

4.

A．asking

B．considering

C．explaining

D．warning

5.

A．messages

B．invitations

C．suggestions

D．comments

6.

A．train

B．act

C．play

D．study

7.

A．separate

B．optimistic

C．nervous

D．safe

8.

A．inaccessible

B．influential

C．inexpensive

D．informal

9.

A．talk

B．guide

C．listen

D．plan

10.

A．impressions

B．experiences

C．interests

D．encouragements

11.

A．chances

B．jobs

C．incomes

D．skills

12.

A．sleep

B．calm

C．relax

D．travel

13.

A．record

B．support

C．instruct

D．accompany

14.

A．opportunity

B．expense

C．confidence

D．knowledge

15.

A．look for

B．deal with

C．take up

D．think over

7 . If you’re interested in staying healthy as you age — and living longer — you might want to add a different set of muscles to your workout routine; your creative ones.    1    . And studies show that participating in activities such as singing, theater performance and visual artistic skill could support the well-being of older adults, and that creativity, which is related to the personality of openness, can lead to greater longevity (寿命).

Think—and travel—outside the box

“People who travel tend to be more creative,” said Darya Zabelina, a psychology professor at the University of Arkansas. Traveling encourages people to reexamine their models of reality. Some studies show that travelers have more creative success, and that people who enjoy unfamiliar experiences perform better on open-ended questions calling for many ideas.     2    .

    3    

Generating ideas is one part of the creativity, but knowledge is required to identify the ones that will work. Even if mental speed declines, a person’s base of knowledge is well-preserved as it expands over time.

“You have more to draw on,” said Nye, who thinks her creativity improved when she reached her 60s.

Mine adversity (逆境)

    4    . New Yorker Tobi Zausner discovered her mature painting style only after a severe drug poisoning. Following a battle against cancer, she became a psychologist and wrote a book about adversity followed by creative breakthroughs, When Walls Become Doorways.     5    . They increased their inspiration by sharpening their senses and increasing their emotional sensitivity (敏感性).

A．Apply knowledge

B．Identify creativity

C．Facing up to challenges can inspire creativity.

D．Research suggests creativity may be the key to healthy aging

E．Travelers can reach different destinations to broaden their horizons

F．Performance on these tests may predict aspects of real-world creativity

G．An example in the book is a study of artists who had experienced illnesses

8 . “I think therefore I am”— mind over matter. What you expect from yourself and the world makes a big impact on the results of your efforts.

From a neuroscience perspective, the brain will believe anything you tell it, right and wrong. Research has shown that this phenomenon can have huge benefits when we approach a significant or difficult task. “We do know there’s the mind-body connection, which isn’t kind of mysterious or magical, and that this is in itself changing our physiology,” said David Robson, a science writer. “Think that you could catch up in a race or that your public speaking anxiety could help you perform better.”

Expectations, even negative ones, are meant to help our brains navigate (理解) a complicated world by simplifying our predictions of the wide range of outcomes to any situation. Those negative expectations can help us anticipate and avoid danger, but they aren’t always up to date with the context that surrounds us. And when you’re in the face of a challenge, inaccurate information can create obstacles of its own. Pessimistic thoughts really just put you in a position where you’re more vulnerable to actually experiencing that unpleasant or negative outcome.

Setting more positive expectations and hopefully acquiring the rewards starts with how you talk to yourself. When baseball players step up to the plate, they tell themselves they will knock it out of the park. Being aware of your thoughts and how you talk to yourself about a challenge can make a big impact.

We tend to see ourselves and our obstacles in two ways. Either our abilities are fixed or can grow, and our obstacles are a threat or a challenge. Shifting focus to believe that we can see difficulties as a challenge to be met rather than a threat to be avoided has been shown to result in more success. If you interpret that situation as a challenge, your physiological response will empower and equip you to be more creative and effective.

Having realistically optimistic expectations does better equip each of us to take up a challenge with our best resources, experts said.

1. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The outcome of pessimistic thoughts.

B．The connection between the mind and body.

C．The advantages of positive expectations.

D．The pros and cons of negative expectations.

2. What will make baseball players more positive when games begin?

A．Thinking out loud.

B．Stepping up to the plate.

C．Challenging themselves.

D．Improving their abilities.

3. According to the text, what can promote greater success?

A．Avoiding threats and troubles.

B．Removing our obstacles in the way.

C．Shifting our focus to something else.

D．Regarding difficulties as challenges.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A history book.

B．A fantasy novel.

C．A science & wellness paper.

D．A sports & health report.

9 . Buying furniture is easier than ever. You can even order a new table and chairs online without ever leaving home. But did you ever think about how furniture is made? The process begins with trees but now researchers have found a better way: growing it in a lab instead of a forest. Instead of cutting down trees and adding to deforestation, Velasquez-Garcia said, “If you want a table, then you should just grow a table.”

The research group found a way to actually grow plant tissue (组织) — wood and fiber — in a lab that is similar to the way cultured meat is grown. While there is still a long way to go to actually grow a table, the team was able to grow structures from cells from zinnia leaves.

Making furniture and other items from biomaterials could eliminate cutting down trees in forests. “The way we get these materials hasn’t changed in centuries and is very inefficient,” said Velasquez-Garcia. “This is a real chance to avoid all that inefficiency.”

There are other benefits to using lab wood too. Lab grown wood can be handled to take on any shape — like 3 D printing — so it may be possible to build a table without glue or screwing parts together.

Beckwith, a mechanical engineering PhD student, was inspired by a visit to a farm to try to make land-use more efficient and environmentally sound. “That got me thinking: Can we be more strategic (战略上的) about what we’re getting out of our process? Can we get more yield for our inputs?” she told MIT News. “I wanted to find a more efficient way to use land and resources so that we could let more farmlands remain wild, or to remain lower production but allow for greater biodiversity.”

Today, the two largest uses of trees are to make wood products and paper. When new biomaterials become readily available, forests will lose their economic value and will be preserved for their environmental, health, and recreational value. These researchers, like Velasquez-Garcia, are speaking for the trees.

1. What does the author think of growing furniture according to Paragraph 1?

A．It turns out to be convenient.

B．It’ll cut down daily expense.

C．It might have a bright future.

D．It’s as important as making furniture.

2. What does the underlined word “eliminate” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Risk.

B．Fancy.

C．Remove.

D．Delay.

3. What is the purpose of Beckwith’s growing furniture?

A．To make large profits.

B．To keep biodiversity.

C．To increase production.

D．To use wild resources.

4. What’s the key to protecting forests?

A．Wide use of new biomaterials.

B．Less use of wood products and paper.

C．Making effective forest laws.

D．Caring more for the environment.

10 . “Life is a practice of flexible performances,” said a Canadian college senior who won a competition for her feeling on the theme “How COVID-19 changed your senior year”. The competition, sponsored by a nonprofit organization, invited high school and college seniors to record a video that answers the question. Participants included 379 students in 49 countries, but it was the words of a 19-year-old film student that stole judges’ hearts in the competition.

A student at John Abbott College, April Judd used humor and creative words to describe what life was like moving back in with her family and missing the chance to say goodbye to all her friends at the arts college. Her inspiring message details how students can use this experience to their advantage and “shape the universe into the future they want to see”. The terrible disease actually drove April to find the good aspects in what our world is going through. “In the chaos that our world is experiencing right now, it’s really easy to get caught up in the negative,” the senior said. “We are all truly in this together and are all able to change and mature so as to make this world a better place.”

Patricia Cogley, host of the competition, said, “For many college and high school seniors in the graduating class, the disease has obviously changed their final year. But, true to our mission, the competition gave the young around the world the opportunity to showcase their creativity and ideas for a better future, despite this challenging and unprecedented (前所未有的) time.”

Not just seniors, anyone can draw inspiration from April’s uplifting message, which won hers $1,000. Especially take note of her conclusion, which was delivered with a smile; “We got this —or, at least we will — eventually!”

1. What does the author say about April?

A．She majored in performing art in college.

B．She was worried about the future.

C．She lived with her parents in her senior year.

D．She said goodbye to friends before graduation.

2. Why did April win the competition?

A．She was very humorous.

B．She saw beauty in the tough time.

C．She expressed feelings honestly.

D．She answered the question smartly.

3. What do we know about the competition?

A．It required a video entry.

B．It attracted juniors worldwide.

C．It was held in Canada.

D．It was sponsored by Patricia.

4. What message does the author want to convey in the text?

A．People should be united in the crisis.

B．The disease affected people severely.

C．The young must show their creativity.

D．People will surely overcome the difficulty.