2 . When water is cold, people will find it uncomfortable to swim. Wetsuits(潜水服）can help keep people warm.    1    So wetsuits are important. In many water sports, you can find people wearing them.

The wetsuit doesn't have a long history. According to studies, the wetsuit only began during WWII when Italians started wearing wetsuits that were made of rubber. And it was widely believed in 1951, Hugh Bradner began working to improve the equipment.     2    

Now there are many kinds of wetsuits. Contrary to what some may think, wetsuits do not work by keeping the diver(潜水员）dry; they are designed to let water into the suit. This thin layer of water is trapped（保存）between the diver and the suit. And it's allowed to move between the skin of the diver and the inside layer.     3    And it can help keep the diver comfortable during the diving process. That's why it's important to have a nice, tight fit for a wetsuit.

    4    The shorter wetsuit often provides cover for the main part of people's bodies. This kind of wetsuit works well with boating, water skiing, swimming, etc. A longer wetsuit can completely cover the body, including long legs.With more protection for the body, it may be used in cool weather conditions.

Wetsuits can also differ in thickness. They range from about 0. 5mm to 8mm in thickness. It's true that thicker wetsuits are more likely to affect your movement.     5    Generally, the colder the water you plan to dive in, the thicker the wetsuit should be.

A．But they're much better at giving you warmth.

B．As for the difference, wetsuits can differ in size.

C．The history of the wetsuit is an interesting story.

D．This led to the development of a kind of new wetsuit.

E．Many wetsuits are very light and easy to wear and take off.

F．As a result, the water gradually warms up to body temperature.

G．And they can provide protection from the sun and cuts from rocks.

3 . Ryder was born with a serious illness and has never been able to walk. When he started attending preschool, he had to be _______ to the end of the road in the _______ to wait for his school bus by his parents every day. As Ryder was unable to _______ for this bus if he was late like his schoolmates, he would have to wait for up to 15 minutes out in whatever _______ there was. Although his father had _______ a patio (露台) umbrella at the end of his driveway to provide some _______ from harsh weather, he still would get wet.

Then his father _______ for help on Facebook looking to see if someone might have an old bus hut (小屋). After the post, he was suggested to reach out to the _______ class at Westerly High School.

_______ , he sent an email to Dan McKena, who had been teaching construction technology at Westerly High School, asking if he’d be ________ in this kind of project. Delightfully, Dan ________ with an “absolutely” and then he worked hard on the hut with his students for weeks.

The hut made of wood was ________ enough to shelter both Ryder and one of his parents or a nurse comfortably and was finally ________ to the home six weeks later. Now, Ryder ________ it every day and his parents wait inside it every day while they await his returning home. He considers the hut ________ and does like to hang out in it from time to time.

1.

A．pulled

B．walked

C．driven

D．pushed

2.

A．car

B．wheelchair

C．bus

D．plane

3.

A．dance

B．shout

C．rush

D．slip

4.

A．vehicle

B．scene

C．weather

D．class

5.

A．searched for

B．put up

C．taken over

D．found out

6.

A．shelter

B．help

C．benefit

D．hope

7.

A．fought

B．stood

C．cared

D．sought

8.

A．art

B．construction

C．music

D．literature

9.

A．Consequently

B．Obviously

C．However

D．Besides

10.

A．interested

B．satisfied

C．strict

D．depressed

11.

A．predicted

B．interrupted

C．delayed

D．responded

12.

A．big

B．bright

C．heavy

D．light

13.

A．fixed

B．borrowed

C．delivered

D．thrown

14.

A．changes

B．designs

C．plays

D．uses

15.

A．popular

B．fantastic

C．strange

D．flexible

4 . Whether you’re in the final research stages of a major paper, or on a Zoom (a calling app) call for work, a dropped WiFi connection at zero hour is something annoying.     1     One of the most common reasons it happens is that too many devices are connected.

    2     Now, with smartphones, iPads, smart TVs and so much more, it doesn’t take long for WiFi to hop aboard the struggle bus. Actually, even if a connected device isn’t actively sending or receiving data, it will still consume some of the available bandwidth. It means that if you have many devices connected, you can start to see slowdowns or drops in your WiFi connection.     3    

The first and easiest fix is to disconnect unused devices from your WiFi. The easiest way to do this is to simply change your WiFi password, which will kick everyone off. Then, you can allow only certain devices to rejoin.     4     It is workable to stop gaming or downloading a movie.

    5     First, run a speed test to check your current speed. (Google “speed test” to see a list of websites where you can do this.) You may have too many devices connected for the internet speed you’re paying for. If this is the case, contact your internet provider about upgrading to a higher speed. But you may want to try some of our other fixes first before spending the money.

A．What can you do about it?

B．Sometimes that’s all that’s required.

C．Finally, you may need to upgrade your connectivity.

D．People deal with this modern inconvenience all the time,

E．Cutting back on heavy WiFi use temporarily can also help.

F．In general, this is a very good solution to a dropped WiFi connection.

G．Back in the day, the average household had a computer or two to connect.

5 . We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ (器官) of the body in the head. But a brain can mean so much more.

To tease is to make fun of someone. But a brainteaser is not one who makes fun of someone else’s brain. A brainteaser is a puzzle that makes you think.

To understand the next brain expression you first need to know the word “drain”. As a verb, to drain means to remove something by letting it flow away. So, a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But a brain drain is when a country’s most educated people leave their country to live in another.

Next, we have a brainchild. A brainchild sounds like a really smart kid. But it isn’t. A brainchild is an idea that one has without any help from others. If you have a really great idea, it is your brainchild — no one else’s.

However, if many people are responsible for a great idea, you can say they brainstormed it. It is a process of thinking creatively about a difficult topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products.

But if you can’t find a solution to a problem, you may have to rack your brains. In this way, you may find a solution. Sometimes, you have to rack your brains, trying to remember someone’s name.

Now, if people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new ideas by using repeated pressure in a forceful way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way.

1. What can we learn about a brain drain?

A．It refers to a brain disease.	B．It means a very difficult puzzle.
C．It may put a country at a disadvantage.	D．It means something that flowed away.

2. Which of the following explains the saying that they brainstormed the idea?

A．They got the idea quickly.	B．They thought up the idea together.
C．They thought poorly about the idea.	D．They didn’t know how to use the idea.

3. What does the underlined phrase “rack your brains” mean?

A．Think hard.	B．Become smarter.
C．Create new things.	D．Touch your head.

4. How does a man do if he is brainwashed?

A．He thinks very clearly now.	B．He looks at things passively.
C．He is under a lot of pressure.	D．He is forced to accept new things.

6 . When I was growing up in Minnesota, Joe Versus the Volcano was one of my favorite movies. I ________ to be swept away to an island. But as I found myself in La Palma ________ on the Cumbre Vieja eruption in the Spanish Canary Islands, I quickly ________ that there’s nothing romantic about volcanoes or being trapped on an island.

I had come ________ — an N95 mask, baseball cap, and a swimming mask. But nothing could prepare me for the invasiveness of the volcanic ________ . It fell from the sky like a rainstorm, lining streets, ________ doorways and windowsills, and filling my ears.

It wasn’t long before the airlines canceled all flights. When ________ began panic, buying all the ferry tickets as I was interviewing residents about their futures, I realized I had ________ the boat.

For two days, I wandered ________ streets awaiting the resumption of travel, carrying a backpack and feeling progressively stuck and at times ________ . And then I realized I was being given the ________ for deeper insight. Here I was ________ what the local people were feeling: uncertainty, frustration, and tiredness from living next to an erupting volcano with no end in sight.

Like the people of La Palma, I ________ others to get me through — from the English woman who ________ me a bag of oranges from her garden to the minister of the church who let me use the bathroom after being trapped at the top of a mountain.

As I finally left, I realized how ________ I was to have experienced the humanity of the people in La Palma in the face of crisis. I know it’s what will pull them through it.

1.

A．seemed

B．pretended

C．refused

D．longed

2.

A．recording

B．checking

C．reporting

D．focusing

3.

A．guessed

B．realized

C．agreed

D．imagined

4.

A．excited

B．disappointed

C．prepared

D．confused

5.

A．rock

B．ash

C．lava

D．smoke

6.

A．covering

B．blocking

C．breaking

D．destroying

7.

A．managers

B．actors

C．tourists

D．residents

8.

A．driven

B．forgot

C．cleaned

D．missed

9.

A．broad

B．beautiful

C．empty

D．crowded

10.

A．panicked

B．satisfied

C．relaxed

D．inspired

11.

A．ability

B．chance

C．talent

D．right

12.

A．studying

B．noticing

C．writing

D．experiencing

13.

A．relied on

B．appealed to

C．dealt with

D．believed in

14.

A．lent

B．gave

C．sent

D．sold

15.

A．upset

B．smart

C．anxious

D．grateful

7 . When Byron Thanarayen and his wife Melissa returned to their home recently, their 13-year-old dog named Chucky was completely wet. The couple assumed the dog had splashed around in his water bowl and made a mess in the house. When no evidence could be found inside, they turned to their security footage (录像).

What they saw made the blood freeze in their veins. Chucky was walking near their backyard swimming pool when he stumbled (绊倒) and fell in. Since the dog is so tiny, he was unable to get a purchase on the slick sides of the pool.   Instead, he paddled around, searching in vain for a way out. After a few desperate moments, the couple's other dog appeared on the scene. Jessie is a 7-year-old dog who became noticeably upset when she saw her friend struggling to keep his head above the water. She began circling the pool's edge, following Chucky as if she was encouraging him not to give up.

For 34 minutes, Jessie worked to rescue her friend. She repeatedly tried to grab hold of the smaller dog with her mouth, but Chucky kept slipping out of her grasp. Finally, after several failed attempts, Jessie succeeded in grasping Chucky's neck and dragging him out of the pool.

When Byron and Melissa realized Jessie was a hero, they were unspeakably grateful for their sweet girl! “We still struggle to watch that video today, just thinking of what could have happened if Jessie was not there,” Byron said. “I'm really proud of her, considering she is the youngest.” The family now plans to install a pool cover to keep their pets safe. Thankfully, they have a wonderful life-dog on duty just in case anything ever goes wrong!

1. What was the couple's first thought finding their messy house?

A．Someone had broken in.

B．The dogs had been too naughty.

C．They had forgotten to clean the house.

D．Chucky had swum again in the swimming pool.

2. How did the couple feel when they found the evidence?

A．Shocked.	B．Scared.
C．Excited.	D．Annoyed.

3. What did Jessie do to help her friend?

A．She encouraged him to stay above the water.

B．She circled the pool's edge to find a way out.

C．She used her mouth to pull him out of the pool.

D．She ran out immediately to ask others for help.

4. Which words can describe Jessie?

A．Clever and inspiring.	B．Wise and energetic.
C．Naughty and lazy.	D．Brave and loving.

8 . Benefits of Reading to a Dog

Here are five great reasons why your kid should read to a dog.

Dogs create a stress-free environment

It's hard to be really stressed(焦虑) around a cozy, friendly dog. Classrooms can be tense for kids who aren't great readers or presenters.     1    

Your kid won't even know she's building her vocabulary

    2    Without even knowing it, she'll be building her vocabulary, becoming more interested in books and improving her oral skills. Kids may also become more active to read aloud in other settings, as they get better at reading out loud to a dog.

A confidence-booster(增幅器)

Dogs are nonjudgmental. Kids will feel less self-conscious about reading aloud to them rather than, say, a judgmental human being.    3     .Thus they will be less afraid to read aloud in class.

Dogs like what your kid likes

Wanna talk about video games? Woof! Mermaids? Woof! A favourite cartoon? Woof! Dogs are interested in whatever your kid is interested in.

    4     They're not going to roll their eyes when your kid reads the Pokemon Go manual to them for the hundredth time. In fact, they'll just woof for more.

Petting a dog reduces stress and can even improve movement skills

Just grooming(梳毛)can help to improve a child's movement skills.

    5    Petting or hugging a dog also provides valuable breaks in reading, which gives children a chance to process what they've just read.

A．It's also been proven to reduce anxiety

B．They'll listen for hours and never get bored

C．Reading to a dog makes the whole situation less stressful

D．Keeping a dog as a pet also improve a child's confidence

E．As kids read to a dog, they feel as if they're in a formal environment.

F．Kids who read out loud to dogs become more confident in their reading skills

G．Reading to a friendly dog is a great way for your child to practice her pronunciation

9 . 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。

I’m not Chinese, but I love Chinese New Year. There are many fun New Year     1     (celebrate), but nothing quite matches the excitement of the lion dance which can wake up the spirit     2     (complete).

The sound of the drums,       3     you can feel throughout your entire body, is quite inspiring. The two performers are very flexible. But it is actually very difficult as the lion head is very heavy and being the     4     (low)part of the lion is tiring as he has to bend his back and also carry     5     person in front sometimes. The lion head is made with paper over a bamboo frame,       6     (cover)in gauze (纱布), and decorated with beautifully-colored materials.

The lion dance     7     (believe)to have first appeared in the Qianlong Emperor's dream during his Southern tour, and he ordered an animal     8     (make)in the likeness of his description and used in festivals from then on.

I love all about the lion dance. The other day, I saw a film about a left-behind teenager who insisted on pursuing his dreams despite difficulties and     9     (succeed)in lion dance. As Master Xu translates: “Heaven has made us talents; we’re not made     10     vain.”