Today, giant pandas are considered to be one of the world’s best-known animals. People make huge efforts
The inspiration for WWF’s logo (标识) came from Chi Chi,
The panda has ever since become a symbol not just for WWF,
2 . On the night of the speech contest, I was worried about the shy girl. My heart
My palms (手掌) began to
But the moment that
| A．beat | B．sank | C．lost | D．broke |
| A．sure enough | B．worse still | C．above all | D．in addition |
| A．crying | B．warning | C．clapping | D．screaming |
| A．sweat | B．tremble | C．change | D．turn |
| A．try | B．pose | C．guess | D．slip |
| A．thought | B．admitted | C．ignored | D．noticed |
| A．confused | B．interested | C．surprised | D．challenged |
| A．loud | B．weak | C．tight | D．low |
| A．support | B．attention | C．vote | D．silence |
| A．determined | B．puzzled | C．relaxed | D．bored |
| A．crowded | B．hurried | C．bounced | D．flowed |
| A．started | B．ended | C．progressed | D．rested |
| A．sincerely | B．easily | C．wildly | D．eagerly |
| A．misted | B．hid | C．prevented | D．shaded |
| A．pushed | B．threw | C．pulled | D．lifted |
3 . In a world where acts of kindness often go unnoticed, a good story that has been discovered reminds us of the power of care and the effect it can have on someone’s life.
It all started with a “Kindness Week Challenge” given to Brennan by his 8th-grade teacher, Ms. Watkins. Little did he know that this challenge would lead to a wonderful friendship with 84-year-old Ms. Ann.
Brennan’s promise to send his little attractive things every day for a week developed a habit of checking up on Ms. Ann and sending gifts regularly(定期地), long after the challenge was over.
Their friendship has now lasted for over five years, and Brennan still visits Ms. Ann every month with flowers, cakes, chocolates, cards and more.
They talk about everything from his high school life to his college goals. The pair has found that they share a common love of chocolates. Ms. Ann always hopes to hear about what he’s doing and loves to share her own stories from a different time. They have become the best friends, with Brennan treating her as his great-grandmother.
Brennan’s mom, Traci, takes pride in her son. She said, “The best thing a teenager can do is to take care of the elderly. I’m so glad my son has added more sunshine to Ms. Ann’s life. I hope he always remembers the joy he’s brought her, and his fun talks with her, keeps his kind heart, and thinks of others.”
Ms. Ann’s daughter Emma, with her husband Gould, has a 2-year-old son. They are thankful for Brennan’s friendship as they cannot always be with Ms. Ann. Brennan’s kind heart has brought more sunshine into Ms. Ann’s life, and her encouraging words have helped to inspire(启发)him in return.
1. How did the task “Kindness Week Challenge” affect Brennan?| A．He discovered his love of chocolates. |
| B．He became a good friend of Ms. Ann. |
| C．He developed a habit of receiving gifts. |
| D．He learned how to choose attractive things. |
| A．Flowers. | B．Cakes. | C．Chocolates. | D．Cards. |
| A．His kindness to others. |
| B．His talent for telling stories. |
| C．His good performances at school. |
| D．His ability to earn money for the gifts. |
| A．Worried. | B．Sorry. | C．Thankful. | D．Surprised. |
4 . Poet Wadsworth Longfellow said “music is the universal language of mankind”, and there’s growing evidence that he was right. New research shows people with Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆) disease often respond to familiar music or song lyrics, even when their memories and ability to participate in conversation may be flagging.
Jonathan Graff-Radford,Doctor of Medicine,explains on The Mayo Clinic website why this may be: “Musical memories are often preserved in Alzheimer’s patients because key brain areas linked to musical memory are relatively undamaged by the disease.”
When English senior Ted McDermott was diagnosed with Alzheimer in 2016, his son Simon McDermott found Ted became verbally and physically violent as the disease progressed. Grateful for the resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Society, Simon and 80-year-old Ted made videos of their daily car duets (二重唱) for a fundraising ‘‘Singing for the Brain” program in 2019. Truly remarkable,considering that some days Ted didn’t recognize Simon.
The songs brought them to the attention of the public. In just a few months their efforts had considerable success on YouTube, raising over 100,000, and resulting in a contract with Decca Records for 80-year-old Ted. Although Ted has begun to decline a little in the last years, he always remembers the words to his favorite songs and is happy to go with Simon daily in the car to sing. Different music-related programs and projects are offered by the U.K. Alzheimer’s Society organizations. These programs are designed for people with Alzheimer to provide mental stimulation in a supportive social environment.
Social engagement and keeping your brain active, along with a healthy diet and exercising, may seem like obvious good habits to follow for your health in general. They’ve also been proven to be factors in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer.
It’s never too late to start taking care of your body and your brain — so make music appreciation or singing part of the routine of your loved one struggling with Alzheimer. As William Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of love,play on.”
1. What does the underlined word “flagging”mean in paragraph 1?| A．Getting worse. | B．Doing well. |
| C．Developing slowly. | D．Changing quickly. |
| A．To explain the cause of Alzheimer. | B．To lead in the main topic of the text. |
| C．To show the structure of the brain. | D．To provide evidence for the research. |
| A．He has learned new life skills. | B．He has recovered his memory. |
| C．He has got enough fund for his disease. | D．He has improved the quality of his later life. |
| A．80-year-old Ted defeats Alzheimer’s disease. |
| B．The power of music for Alzheimer’s patients. |
| C．Poets inspire Alzheimer’s patients with music. |
| D．A good habit to follow for your physical health. |
A Chinese spacecraft flew down through the Martian sky on Saturday, May 15, 2021, becoming the country’s first probe (探测器) to land on a planet other than Earth. The lander,
“The Mars landing of the Tianwen-1 mission is a total success,” Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, announced.
Tianwen-1,
At about 100 meters above the Martian surface, the craft hovered (盘旋)
You know how when big things in your life aren’t going well, the little things bother you more? Yet one tiny kind act that appears in the path may easily light up your whole life and give you hope again.
Like many people during the pandemic, my husband, Paul, had been laid off. I was still working, but my job would likely be ending soon too. I was worried about money, Covid-19 and our future. That’s when our mailbox really started getting to me.
The mailbox, relic from the previous homeowners, had already been in rough shape when we moved in. The paint was faded. The metal pole holding up the box was rusted. It stood at the end of our long driveway, far enough away from our house. Every time I saw it, it just reminded me of all the problems in my life. “I wish we had a better mailbox, ”I found myself thinking as I pulled out of the driveway. I probably would have forgotten all about it if it were not for the news we got one morning.
“Shelly just texted, ”Paul said. Shelly was a neighbor and a good friend. “A girl drove her car right into the mailbox. Completely mowed it down. ”I sighed, heart almost falling apart. “Shelly saw it happen. The driver, just a teenager, wasn’t hurt, but she was really upset, ”Paul added.
As much as I wanted a new mailbox, getting it would be expensive. “That certainly wasn’t in the budget, ”I thought. I guess it’s true what they say: Be careful what you wish for.
I went to work in low spirits. While doing the usual tasks, I received a text from Shelly again, “That teenage girl named Audree came by and repaired your mailbox.”
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。
Upon reaching the driveway, I was totally shocked at what I saw.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
With the help of the note, we called at Audree’s home.
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7 . Still waiting for your letter to arrive by owl (猫头鹰)? Don’t worry. You can still lose yourself in the magical world of Harry Potter, just by following this four-day route.
Day 1 Overview Edinburgh
It was in Scotland’s capital city that J.K. Rowling started to plot the adventures of Harry and his fellows. With stoned streets, winding alleys(小巷) and medieval(中世纪的) architecture, the city certainly has a few things in common with the settings from the books and films. She wrote the early chapters in various cafes around the city’s Old Towns.
Day 2 Overview travel to Fort William
Travel by train from Edinburgh to Glasgow and from there, and you can take the West Highland Line to Fort William. This is a great way to see some famous spots from the window, including the mysterious Rannoch Moor, the place where Death Eaters board the train in the movie Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.
Day 3 Overview all aboard the Hogwarts express
Witness the sweeping cinematic scenery straight out of the eight successful films by booking a seat on the Jacobite Steam Train, which travels from Fort William to Mallaig along the West Highland Line. Stop for lunch in Mallaig and then make the return journey to Fort William. Please be sure to book the steam train in advance, as it is a very popular experience. It opens for the season in April.
Day 4 Overview lakes and valleys
In the films, mysterious, misty landscapes frame(衬托) the background of Harry’s tale, so it’s no surprise that the producers chose the Highlands for many scenes. Spend a day wandering through some of these beautiful spots and feel the magical atmosphere.
1. Where did J.K.Rowling first start to create Harry Potter?| A．In Mallaig. | B．In Edinburgh. |
| C．In Glasgow. | D．In Fort William. |
| A．Have lunch earlier than usual. | B．Learn about the return ticket. |
| C．Make a reservation beforehand. | D．Take a training course in April |
| A．Day 1. | B．Day 2. | C．Day 3. | D．Day 4. |
8 . Most students do an IQ test early in their school career. Even if they never see their results, they feel that their IQ is what determines how well they are going to do in life. When they see other students doing better than them, they usually believe that those students have a higher IQ and that there is nothing they can do to change facts. However, new research into EQ suggests that success is not simply the result of a high IQ.
While your IQ tells you how intelligent you are, your EQ tells you how well you use your intelligence. Professor Salovey suggests that when predicting someone’s future success, their EQ might actually matter more than their IQ. For example, have you ever wondered why some of the smartest students in your class, who you think deserve good grades, sometimes end up failing exams? Perhaps their failure is because of their low EQ.
It is generally believed that people with high EQs are open to new ideas and have positive attitudes towards life. They are also less likely to be troubled by problems. On the other hand, there is little doubt that people with low EQs often have problems getting on with other people and dealing with difficult situations; thus they have a harder time surviving in life.
The good news is that most social scientists agree that EQ has a lot to do with education. Compared with IQ that seems to be fixed the moment you were born, EQ could be improved with right approaches. Some are trying to study the possibility of improving a person’s EQ, especially when it comes to“people’s skills”, such as understanding and communication.
To get ahead in the world and lead a happy successful life means getting on with other people and being able to understand and react to situations in the best way. This requires a high EQ—the higher the better.
1. Most students think others’ better performance in studies is due to_____.| A．high IQ | B．teachers’ assistance |
| C．good luck | D．hard work |
| A．Only EQ determines someone’s future success. |
| B．EQ plays a more important role in one’s future success. |
| C．Some smartest students fail exams because of their low IQ. |
| D．The most intelligent students deserve good grades. |
| A．Refuse new ideas. | B．Be troubled by problems. |
| C．Have a negative attitude. | D．Get along well with others. |
| A．Education. | B．Parents. |
| C．Friends. | D．Environment. |
9 . The National Gallery
Description:The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.
Layout:The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).
1. In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?| A．The 20th | B．The 17th |
| C．The 18th | D．The 13th |
| A．In the East Wing. | B．In the main West Wing. |
| C．In the Sainsbury Wing. | D．In the North Wing. |
| A．Charing Cross. | B．Leicester Square. |
| C．Embankment. | D．Piccadilly Circus. |
10 . The British has obeyed the “keep to the left” rule for long. Have you ever wondered why? There is a historical reason for this: it’s all to do with keeping your sword hand free! In the Middle Ages you never knew who you were going to meet when travelling on horseback. Most people are right-handed, so if a stranger passed by on the right of you, your right hand would be free to use your sword if required.
Indeed the “keep to the left” rule goes back even further in time; archaeologists have discovered evidence suggesting that the Romans drove carts and wagons on the left, and it is known that Roman soldiers always marched on the left. This “rule of the road” was officially sanctioned in 1300 AD when Pope (教皇) Boniface Ⅷ declared that all pilgrims (朝圣者) travelling to Rome should keep to the left.
This continued until the late 1700s when large wagons became popular for transporting goods. These wagons were drawn by several pairs of horses and had no driver’s seat. Instead, in order to control the horses, the driver sat on the horse at the back left, thus keeping his whip hand free. Sitting on the left however made it difficult to judge the traffic coming the other way, as anyone who has driven a left-hand drive car along the winding lanes of Britain will agree!
In Britain there wasn’t much call tor these massive wagons and the smaller British vehicles had seats for the driver to sit on behind the horses. As most people are right-handed, the driver would sit to the right of the seat so his whip hand was free. Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. This rule was incorporated (并入) into the Highway Act of 1835 and was adopted throughout the British Empire.
1. What probably happened in the Middle Ages?| A．Passers-by walked on the right. | B．Strangers fought every time they met. |
| C．People would be attacked by strangers. | D．Tourists travelled everywhere without limit. |
| A．Recognized. | B．Designed. | C．Explained. | D．Postponed. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Indifferent. | C．Negative. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．What Is the “Keep to the Left” Rule? | B．Why Do the British Drive on the Left? |
| C．Where Was “Drive on the Left” Carried Out? | D．When Is the “Keep to the Left” Rule Popular? |
