1 . On June 9, 1870, Charles Dickens died at the age of 58. The next day, a headline in The New York Times read: “Death of the Great Novelist...Mourned by the People of Two Continents.”    1     Even today, the British novelist is loved by readers all over the world. Dickens created some of the most unforgettable characters in English literature. You must have heard of or even read some of his novels: Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities.    2    Since 1897, there have been more than 300 film and television adaptations of Dickens’ works.  

Natalie McKnight is a professor of humanities who studies Dickens and his works. She explains why the novelist has remained so popular. One important reason, she says, is that Dickens wrote from his heart.    3    Some of his works were written to make every reader think about how they could make a difference to their society. People always enjoy works that make them laugh out loud, cry and think, as Dickens’ novels do. Many other novelists in the 19th century wrote entertaining works.    4    Dickens wrote about situations and emotions that still interest people today.    5    His works led to many important social changes.  

It’s meaningful to remember this great writer. Will you read(or reread)some of his famous works?

A．Dickens’ early life was very hard.

B．Their works became the best sellers of that time.

C．The headline was not overstating the fame of Dickens.

D．A Tale of Two Cities has been sold more than 200 million copies.

E．He tried hard to produce emotional effects among his readers.

F．He used his pen to fight social inequality and give voice to the poor.

G．However, few of them worked as hard as Dickens to attract readers’ minds.

2 . Science fiction writers create an imaginary world. The way things work in your imaginary world will be based on actual science. So it’s important for you to be familiar with the scientific principles and inventions that are related to your creation. For example, if you’re writing about humans living on a planet with zero gravity, then you need to know the effects of zero gravity on the human body.

Then you have to figure out the exact rules of your imaginary world. And you have to follow them. If humans have evolved to breathe underwater in Chapter 1, your character can’t drown in a swimming pool in Chapter 3. If your robots write poetry but not fiction, then you can’t throw a novelist robot into Chapter 8. The issue here is maintaining your readers’ trust. That means the reader is willing to pretend along with you. If you start out with an ordinary detective novel and then throw in someone breathing underwater in the 6th chapter, your readers’ reaction might be, “What the hell!” The imaginative spell is broken. You’ve pulled the readers out of their imagination. The same thing happens if you change the rules halfway.

Part of your preparation work for the novel is to map out its world for yourself in great detail. Decide: the history of the world, the geography, what possibilities it offers, how everything works in the new reality, and how all of these factors affect the way your characters think, feel, and react to things. You don’t have to tell your readers all the rules in the first chapter. But you have to let your readers know enough to understand what’s going on. This also allows you to work out logical problems and contradictions before you start writing.

When you are writing, remember to make it feel real. You are inviting readers to visit a new world. They will want to be able to see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste what it’s like. Whether your novel is about a world without disease or an undiscovered planet, help your readers feel like they’re actually there.

1. What’s the relationship between actual science and science fiction?

A．Science fiction promotes the development of actual science.

B．Science fiction often reflects the development of actual science.

C．Actual science provides basic principles for science fiction.

D．Actual science limits the imagination described in science fiction.

2. How is the second paragraph mainly developed?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By analysing causes.
C．By following the time order.	D．By giving examples.

3. What can we know from the passage?

A．Readers of science fiction actually pretend the writers’ rules are true.

B．It is necessary to do some scientific experiments before writing science fiction.

C．It is more difficult to write science fiction than ordinary detective novels.

D．It is great to leave some contradictions in your science fiction.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to do scientific research.	B．How to write science fiction.
C．What to expect from science fiction.	D．How to raise interest in science.

3 . 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。

Valentine’s Day in China

It is really difficult to know the exact time    1     Western Valentine’s Day was introduced into China. However, Western Valentine’s Day is     2     (wide) celebrated in urban areas where there are a lot of commercial events, especially in big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Valentine’s Day is not so popular in small towns, small     3     (city) and the countryside.  

So far, Chinese people    4     (accept) the tradition of Westerners’ celebrating Valentine’s Day, such as     5     (exchange) gifts, having a romantic dinner, watching a movie in the evening or even registering a marriage if Valentine’s Day falls on a workday.  

On this day, larger amounts of chocolate will be on sale in supermarkets,    6     compared with the case in the ordinary days, cinemas will be much     7     (busy) and the price of flowers can also be a lot higher. Many restaurants will have special menus, especially those in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. If you want to have a smooth     8     (celebrate) on Valentine’s Day, remember     9     (make) reservations as far in advance as you can.  

Chinese people have also made some changes to the Western way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. For some couples, the husband may prepare a hearty dinner or buy a fancy gift     10     his wife on this day to show his gratitude.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

I sat in the breakfast corner with my four-year-old son, Matthew, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. I was still recovering from a surgery. I hoped for strength and happiness. But the future seemed so hopeless.

Matthew jumped up from his spot on the kitchen floor. “Bird!” he shouted, rushing to the sliding door. Sure enough, there was a white dove seated on a rubber tree. It sat there a few moments, and then flew away. I’d never seen one in our neighborhood before.

When I dragged myself to the kitchen the next morning, the dove was back. This time it was with a mate carrying twigs (嫩枝), “Look, Matthew,” I said, pointing to the tree. “They’re going to make a nest.” The doves flew in and out of the courtyard all week, building on the top of the rubber tree. Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. Every morning, he’d run into the kitchen and take his spot by the sliding glass door, talking to the birds while they worked. As much as I was grieving (感到悲伤), I couldn’t help but look forward to the doves’ visits too. We watched their progress as if it were a real-life soap opera unfolding before us. Gradually, my pain disappeared, replaced by joy.

Then it all went wrong. The courtyard was a safe enough spot for a nest, but the rubber tree’s broad, thin leaves were far from stable. One night, a strong wind blew through, throwing the doves’ nest to the ground. I heard the twigs break apart. Nothing good ever lasts. I wouldn’t blame the doves if they never came back. But they returned. And they paid no attention to the pi le of sticks that had once been their nest. They started again from scratch, though the wind destroyed all their hard work. The next day, and the next, they renewed their efforts, as if nothing had happened.

注意：
1．续写词数应为150左右：
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Paragraph 1: I knew I had to do something for the poor creatures.

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Paragraph 2:“The birds were back!” Matthew announced.

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5 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in a row. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favorite shows stream (流播) directly to their television at their convenience.

This behavior is nothing new. In fact, binge-watching has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.

However, recent research suggests that out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back (一集接一集地), almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and 25% have neglected their household chores (家务活). Next we’ll be missing work!

Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of them are often associated with a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director, said, “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist (抗拒) watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?

The countless number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. However, when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning, then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, “A little of what you fancy does you good.”

1. How did the writer develop the first paragraph?

A．By giving a definition.	B．By telling a story.
C．By listing some examples.	D．By analyzing the cause and effect.

2. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “concurrently” in Paragraph2?

A．For convenience.	B．At the same time.
C．In detail.	D．Free of charge.

3. What Lindsey said in Paragraph 4 implies that ______.

A．people can’t control their feelings	B．people can’t resist the temptation of Bingeing
C．people have no patience to do work	D．people are addicted to waiting for a new episode

4. What advice did the writer give at last?

A．To keep online media from stopping functioning.

B．To enjoy entertainment as much as possible.

C．To learn life lessons from the episodes.

D．To watch episodes in a moderate way.

6 . On the first day of my new high school, I almost had a nervous breakdown. Everything about the school seemed so difficult. When I got home, my parents said, “You’re nervous and that’s okay. Everyone is afraid of high school.” I denied it. I wanted to be strong, so I refused to let anyone know about my fear, even my closest friends.

On the first day I was late for every class and was constantly lost. The school seemed like a puzzle that I couldn’t figure out. Was this how the whole year was going to be? I didn’t think I could rise to this challenge, especially carrying a huge backpack that I could hardly lift. It was so big that I could knock someone out with it!

Despite my fears, after the first week I finally had my schedule figured out. With the exception of falling up and down the stairs a couple of times and getting laughed at, high school was turning out to be not so bad. It was actually much better than middle school and much more challenging. Since then, I’ve been elected (选举) the vice monitor of my class, which wasn’t much of a victory since only three people ran for the four positions.

It is normal to be scared of a new school. Take a deep breath and relax. High school is not so frightening. Make sure you participate in some out­of­class activities because you’ll find it easier to make friends. Try to do your best, even if it isn’t straight A’s.

Most important of all, be who you are, whether you’re a“fool”， an athlete, or a lower grader. Don’t try to pretend to be someone you’re not. Now you know the secret of my success.

1. What is the main reason for the author’s fear on his first day in high school ?

A．He was unable to work out the puzzle.

B．His schoolmates were unfriendly to him.

C．He was not familiar with the new surroundings.

D．His schoolbag was too heavy for him to carry.

2. What can we infer from the author’s first day’s experience?

A．He didn’t know the right way to class.

B．He got to school before classes began.

C．He was fond of the school immediately.

D．His home was very far from the school.

3. What can be learnt about the author after his first week at school?

A．He was still not accustomed to the schedule.

B．He was gradually used to the new school.

C．He found high school not so challenging as he had imagined.

D．He ran for monitor of his class against three other students.

4. What is the secret of the author’s success according to the passage?

A．Making more friends.

B．Being who he really is.

C．Getting straight A’s at school.

D．Joining in out­of­class activities.

7 . Gitanjali Rao, Colorado teenager who invented mobile device to test for lead (铅) in drinking water, was Time’s Kid of the Year for 2020. The magazine announced the award on Thursday, citing Rao’s ability to apply scientific ideas to real-world problems and her desire to motivate other kids to take up their own causes.

It was just the latest recognition for Rao, 15, who was named last year to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. She won praise in 2017 after she responded to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, by creating a device named Tehys, using carbon nanotube sensors to detect (探测) lead in water. The Lone Tree, Colo., native was named America’s Top Young Scientist when she was in the seventh grade. She went on to cooperate with scientists in the water industry to try to get the device on the market.

More recently, Rao has developed a phone and Web tool named Kindly, which uses artificial intelligence technology to detect possible early signs of cyberbullying (网络欺凌).

“You type in a word or phrase, and it’s able to pick it up if it’s bullying, and it gives you the choice to edit it or send it the way it is,” Rao told Time. “The goal is not to punish people. As a teenager I know teenagers tend to become very angry sometimes. Instead, it gives you the chance to rethink what you’re saying so that you know what to do next time around.”

Rao was chosen in part because of the way she has followed up her technical work with efforts to get other young people to work on solving the problems they see.

“I don’t look like your typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that it’s an older, usually white man as a scientist,” she told Time. “My goal has really shifted, not only from creating my own devices to solve the world’s problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it.”

1. What made Gitaniali Rao Time’s Kid of the Year for 2020?

A．Her desire to guide other kids.

B．Her invention of testing lead in water.

C．Her idea of making devices commercial.

D．Her excellent personal ability and desire to encourage other children.

2. What is the function of Rao’s Web tool “Kindly”?

A．To make sure the security of the network.

B．To punish teenagers’ wrong thoughts.

C．To use artificial intelligence technology.

D．To type a word or phrase on the Internet.

3. Why did Rao say “anyone can do it” in the last paragraph?

A．A white man can work as a scientist.

B．We ought to set a goal at an early age.

C．We are supposed to inspire others to do the same.

D．Everybody may succeed in solving world’s problems.

4. In which section of newspaper may this text appear？

A．Health.

B．Science.

C．People

D．Entertainment.

8 . Volunteers in New York call on people to donate their used iPads to help poor patients keep in touch with their families online.

Some people with COVID-19 died alone in hospital physically _________ from their friends and family, which is a heartbreaking situation. This terrible reality _________ on a group of volunteers. Their goal is to connect patients with family members who are unable to be present ___________ hospital restrictions (限制) on visitors. They plan to collect used iPads from across the country and donate them to _________ in communities where the need is extremely _________. Nicolas Heller, a 31-year-old volunteer, said thousands of people had_________ from the disease in isolation (隔离) without the comforting words or _________ from a loved one. Heller is collecting used iPads for patients who do not _________ smart phones capable of video chatting.

By Friday morning, the volunteer group had _________ 375 used iPads from donors (捐赠者) nationwide. So far, 300 of the iPads have been __________ donated to Brooklyn’s University Hospital of Brooklyn. The volunteers were amazed by the donors’ __________. What the volunteers are doing is __________ people’s iPads that are not used anymore to help those patients in hospitals. These iPads can __________ medical staff to communicate with patients from outside of the room, decreasing their __________ of being exposed to the virus.

No one is an island. __________, we can make the world warmer.

1.

A．separated

B．prevented

C．protected

D．suffered

2.

A．depends

B．insists

C．looked

D．weighs

3.

A．because of

B．instead of

C．regardless of

D．apart from

4.

A．universities

B．clubs

C．hospitals

D．companies

5.

A．unbelievable

B．pleasant

C．strange

D．urgent

6.

A．recovered

B．died

C．escaped

D．learned

7.

A．hope

B．touch

C．worry

D．advice

8.

A．hire

B．provide

C．own

D．share

9.

A．received

B．bought

C．sent

D．gave

10.

A．frequently

B．nicely

C．correctly

D．smoothly

11.

A．generosity

B．friendship

C．duty

D．knowledge

12.

A．get hold of

B．take charge of

C．make use of

D．take notes of

13.

A．force

B．allow

C．advise

D．encourage

14.

A．cost

B．moment

C．risk

D．right

15.

A．Treated

B．United

C．Greeted

D．Taught

9 . Argentina lies in the South America. There are many festivals in Argentina during the year. Therefore, you can enjoy the different interesting festivals when traveling there.

First of all, we should talk about the Tango (探戈) Festival inArgentina, which is held in the capital of this country — Buenos Aires, from February to March. You ought to know that Argentina is the home of tango, so Argentinians admire this dance very much. Even if you cannot dance perfectly, you should join the people and try to perform this dance.

The next festival in Argentina is Open Polo (马球) Tournament. You should go to Palermo to see this festival in Argentina. This festival is held every year and is the most important polo tournament in Argentina.This kind of sport is considered the most important in Argentina.

Attending this festival in Argentina, you will be able to communicate with different people and admire the fascinating competition between the teams of different countries, such as Argentina, England, Australia, as well as the US. This festival in Argentina is usually held between November and December every year. So don’t miss the opportunity if you travel to Argentina at this time.

The other festival in Argentina is the Semana Musical Liao Liao. This is a festival of classical music. The festival was created in 1993 and is held at the Liao Liao Hotel, near Bariloche. The festival is held yearly in October. So if you admire this kind of music, you should travel toArgentina in October.

There are also many carnivals in Argentina in summer. Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about festivals in Argentina into just one article. We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye-catching.

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

A．Entertainments in Argentina	B．Festivals in Argentina
C．Travel to Argentina	D．A brief introduction to Argentina

2. From the passage, we know that the Tango Festival        .

A．is organized by the government

B．welcomes everyone to take part in it

C．is held in summer

D．holds parties for different dances

3. Which of the following is a sports festival?

A．Open Polo Tournament.	B．Every carnival in Argentina.
C．The Tango Festival.	D．The Semana Musical Liao Liao.

4. If Tom wants to enjoy a classical music event in Argentina, he should visit        .

A．Buenos Aires in spring	B．Palermo in April
C．Palermo in winter	D．Bariloche in October

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The skies were dark. A strong wind was blowing hard, cutting my face like a sharp knife. Rain fell in big drops and thunder and lightning flashed across the skies. I shook with cold and fear as I walked through the streams of muddy water. Some people were rushing by, completely wet in the heavy rain.

Along the way, I saw some schoolchildren holding their heavy schoolbags tightly and rushing home. I also saw that some road repair work had been abandoned(遗弃) by workers. Obviously the workers had left in a hurry because of the storm. There were few signs and it was hard to see what was on the road. There were pieces of wood and metal and it looked like a hole had been dug and hastily covered with planks(木板).

I moved on but suddenly stopped as I heard some sounds. It sounded like children crying. I quickly turned back and went back to the place from where the sounds came. I was terrified! To my sadness, I found that two small children had fallen into the gaping(裂开的) hole on the road. The planks had moved away with the force of the rushing water. I could barely see the children as it was dark all around me. I told them that I was going to get help and ran. I was not sure of what to do or where to go but decided to go to the nearest house for help. I knew the man well, Mr Lee, who lived there and got along well with his neighbors.

注意：
1．续写词数应为100左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I called Mr Lee and told him about the problem.

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The children’s parents were shocked to hear of what had happened.

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