1 . At Girls Build summer camp in Oregon, girls are learning how to use power tools like saws and drills. The camp is filled with construction excitement. Wearing hard hats and tool belts (腰带) wrapped twice around their tiny waists, girls are working on everything from pouring concrete planters to covering the roof of a sandbox. With every project they turn a pile of raw material into an actual structure.

Hughes, the camp’s director, says the girls can produce professional-quality products. She is a carpenter (木匠) with a degree in social work. While she’d like to see more women in the trade and the gender (性别) imbalance even out, she says more than any future career, it’s a sense of mastery and fearlessness the instructors are trying to pass along to the kids. “If something breaks, I want them to have the confidence to open that up,” Hughes says. “It’s our mission and objective to inspire curiosity and confidence in girls through the world of building.”

Alifanz, who sent her 8-year-old twins to Girls Build, says, “There’s not nothing they can’t do, but there’s nothing they can’t try. And that’s a lot for them to take away in a week.” Knowledge like that changes how they see the world built around them and they show appreciation of the actual effort that goes into making the world work.

But other parents ask the obvious question—is pairing pre-teens and power tools a good idea? Hughes stresses Girls Build is very concerned with safety, and instructors consider girls’ ages when pairing them with tools.

9-year-old Aleeyah takes pride in mastering these practical skills many adults are lacking. “I like it when you can be your own self, and it brings out who you really are,” says Aleeyah.

These girls are learning many things can be built, taken apart, and put back together. They don’t have to fit themselves into the designed world—they can build a world that fits them. And that knowledge is a pretty powerful tool to have in their belts.

1. Why are girls taught hands-on building skills in the camp?

A．To enhance girls’ social position.

B．To boost girls’ faith in their capacity.

C．To stimulate girls’ interest in woodwork.

D．To prepare girls for construction-related jobs.

2. What is the major concern of some parents about the camp?

A．Service.

B．Expense.

C．Security.

D．Discipline.

3. What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph?

A．Knowledge is power.

B．It’s never too late to mend.

C．There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

D．One must first sharpen one’s tools to do good work.

4. What is the text most likely from?

A．A fictional novel.

B．A career guidebook.

C．A project handbook.

D．A popular magazine.

2 . 4 Largest Art Museums in the World

Art museums offer the space to display a wide range of art, from sculptures to paintings. They are located all over the world. This article takes a look at the largest art museums by area.

The Louvre

The Louvre, located in Paris, is the largest art museum in the world. It is considered a historic monument. This building first served as a castle before becoming a royal residence. Under King Louis XIV, it was used to house two art academies. The Louvre Museum was opened with 537 paintings. Today, it is home to around 38, 000 pieces.

State Hermitage Museum

The State Hermitage Museum, located in St. Petersburg, Russia, is the second largest art museum in the world. It has a total area of 719, 480 square feet. This museum, one of the oldest in the world, is home to a collection of over 3, million pieces, including the largest painting collection in the world.

National Museum Of China

The third largest museum is the National Museum of China. Located along Tiananmen Square in Beijing, it covers an area of 700, 000 square feet. Its chief objective is to educate the public and promote the history and arts of China. The National Museum of China houses 1. 05 million pieces in its collection, including the heaviest piece of bronze ware—the 1, 836-pound Simuwu Ding.

Metropolitan Museum Of Art

The fourth largest museum in the world is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which covers an area of 633, 100 square feet. Today, this museum is in a building that is 20 times larger than the original and located on the border of Central Park. It is home to more than 2 million pieces. Additionally, it is known for its large collection of musical instruments.

1. What can we know about The Louvre?

A．It was once a military base.

B．It has the largest collection of paintings.

C．Members of the royal family once lived there.

D．Students majoring in art can receive education there now.

2. Which museum has the largest collection of art pieces?

A．Louvre.	B．State Hermitage Museum.
C．National Museum Of China.	D．Metropolitan Museum Of Art.

3. What is Metropolitan Museum Of Art famous for?

A．It is the oldest museum in the world.	B．It receives visitors most in the world.
C．It has the heaviest piece of bronze-ware.	D．It has a large collection of musical instruments.

3 . Columbia high school girls’ soccer team had lost every game in the season until a new ______stepped in two years ago.

Stuart Henley, a former soccer player and now a truck driver, ______the team and started training hard in February 2020. He ______the progress of the girls to team-building activities to help them bond on and off the field. He focused on the basics of football like passing, ______, and movement to try and bring the girls up to a good standard. His ______: coaches could give them guidelines, but girls ______what they felt they needed to work on.

Obviously, the girls were onto something big in the new season. They ______the skills they had learned and teamwork into their ______, which led them to an ______run of eight games, until they were sadly beaten 3-2 by Wyrley Pumas Team. Although this means they have been _____ the league title, the team have still exceeded (超出) expectation by earning the ______to the county’s top division.

“Whatever brings you down will ______make you stronger, especially for girls.” Captain Chelsea said, “Stuart has really ______our girls the philosophy of playing soccer. We’re going into next season full of confidence and ready to compete against tougher ______, but for now we’re still very much enjoying our ______.”

1.

A．player

B．driver

C．colleague

D．coach

2.

A．recognized

B．rewarded

C．reorganized

D．founded

3.

A．applied

B．preferred

C．credited

D．adjusted

4.

A．shooting

B．cheering

C．walking

D．observing

5.

A．principle

B．dream

C．plan

D．virtue

6.

A．found

B．decided

C．watched

D．liked

7.

A．turned

B．divided

C．integrated

D．translated

8.

A．styles

B．training

C．rules

D．game

9.

A．embarrassing

B．unlucky

C．intense

D．unbeaten

10.

A．awarded

B．denied

C．saved

D．limited

11.

A．promotion

B．approach

C．solution

D．contribution

12.

A．hopefully

B．officially

C．fortunately

D．eventually

13.

A．brought

B．taught

C．left

D．reserved

14.

A．participants

B．winners

C．opponents

D．partners

15.

A．harmony

B．victory

C．company

D．dignity

4 . 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。

Born in a wealthy family, my nephew, Jack, leads such a thoroughly decent and cosy life that he hardly meets with cruel adversities. He has been dreaming of an adventure since he was young. At 18, Jack resolved to join an expedition     1     (advertise) in the newspaper, but the leader turned him down, thinking Jack was not     2     (qualify). Full of vigour, Jack never abandoned his dream for he was so enthusiastic about a great voyage. At 19, he joined the navy and     3     (assign) to be a steward with low wages. On a bitter cold day, the crew went aboard a massive ship bound for Atlantic Ocean. Jack was genuine, good-tempered and loyal and he wasn't selfish, cither. He often played the banjo for recreation. So those who were on the ship all liked him.     4     (fortunate). one day, the motor broke down and the ship got crushed on a huge iceberg. When the ship sank, their hearts also sank. At that time, the calm captain made a     5     (commit) to save them and commanded them to throw away     6     (they) belongings such as stoves, blankets, bats. cupboards and other pieces of furniture. Finally, they were fortunate enough     7     (escape) the ship. It was their endurance, resolution and perseverance     8     helped them survive. On the distant island, Jack managed to make fire with animal fat.     9     gave off a smelly smell and then he cooked sea animals. One month later, they were saved by a passing ship. In summary, it has been     10     unforgettable episode in Jack’s life.

5 . Bei Bei’s 2019 departure from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, to join the giant panda breeding program in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve, left a big blank for fans. What made the loss of the adorable panda even more upset was the belief that his mother, Mei Xiang, was too old to have more cubs. However, on August21, 2020, the 22-year-old proved experts wrong by giving birth to a healthy cub.

“Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife, and with the birth of this precious cub we are thrilled to offer the world a much-needed moment of pure joy,” said Steve Monfort, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “Because Mei Xiang is of advanced pregnant age, we knew the chances of her having a cub were slim. However, we wanted to give her one more opportunity to contribute to her species’ survival. I am incredibly proud of our animal care and science teams, whose expert knowledge and skills in giant panda behavior were vital to this conservation success.”

The zookeepers, who witnessed the “miracle” birth on the live panda camera, say Mei Xiang took to her new cub instantly and has since been seen lovingly caring for it. Nutrition is significant for the survival of the precious cub. Newborn pandas, which weigh just three to five pounds at birth, are unable to crawl or see for about two months. They, therefore, entirely rely on the mother’s warmth, milk, and protection. It will be several days before the cub, whose sex is still unknown, can be brought out from its mother for a thorough physical exam. However, thus far, the cub, which can be heard squawking on the live camera feed, appears to be perfectly healthy.

The newborn’s parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, are part of the Zoo’s cooperative breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Similar to its brothers and sisters-Tai Shan, Bao Bao, and Bei Bei-upon turning four, the new baby panda will be sent to China to try to increase the numbers of the endangered species, which currently total just 1,864 specimens in the wild.

1. Why was Bei Bei sent to China in 2019?

A．To reunite with his mother Mei Xiang in China.

B．To satisfy fans' desire in Wolong Nature Reserve.

C．To give birth to a cub in Wolong Nature Reserve.

D．To make contributions to the breeding of its species.

2. What contributed most to the birth of the cub?

A．Mei Xiang's advanced age.	B．Mei Xiang's good physical health.
C．The efforts of the science team.	D．Careful management of the zookeepers.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．The cub was blind due to an unexpected rare illness.

B．The cub’s parents were looking after it at present.

C．Panda lovers saw the birth of the cub on a live camera.

D．The zookeepers were not sure about the sex of the cub.

4. How many pandas are mentioned in the text?

A．Four.

B．Five.

C．Six.

D．Seven.

6 . Are you crazy about something cool and delicious? Why not reach for one of the frozen treats around the world?

Parfait

A favorite in France is the parfait, which means “perfect”. This partly frozen dessert is made with egg yolks, sugar, whipped cream and often flavored syrup(糖浆). It is then served in a tall glass usually with ice cream and fruit in layers.

Turkish mastic ice cream(dondurma)

Like other kinds of ice cream, dondurma is made with milk and sugar. Thickening agents and flour are also added. These ingredients make the dessert so chewy that it’s usually eaten with a knife and fork!

Mango shaved ice

When mangoes are in season, it’s time for a summer favorite: mango shaved ice. For this delicious treat, shaved ice is covered with fresh mango cubes and milk. Some shops top it off with a scoop of ice cream.

Italian gelato

Many people consider gelato the best ice cream in the world. It’s made with a lower percentage of fat than regular ice cream and churned(搅拌) more slowly. This produces less air and gives gelato a richer quality. It’s often made with fruit flavors.

La Dame Blanche

This simple yet pretty dessert is from Belgium, a place known for its chocolate. The treat consists of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, topped with chocolate sauce.

1. Which of the following treats is difficult to chew?

A．Parfait.

B．La Dame Blanche.

C．Mango shaved ice.

D．Turkish mastic ice cream.

2. Where can you taste the treat with chocolate sauce?

A．France.

B．Turkey.

C．Belgium.

D．Italy.

3. What makes gelato the best ice cream?

A．Its shape.

B．Its quality.

C．The fruits it uses.

D．The procedure it is made.

7 . A months-long rescue operation to save giraffes from Longicharo Island’s rising water in Kenya recently concluded after delivering the last two stranded giraffes to safety at the Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy. Save Giraffes now partnered with Northern Rangelands Trust and local conservation agencies to transfer the Rothschild’s giraffes, one of the most endangered populations of giraffe.

To get the giraffes from the sinking island to the mainland nearly one mile away, community members built a “giraft”, a custom-made ship with tall sides, supported by 60 empty drums. The giraffes were transferred one at a time. “Water levels in Lake Baringo have been rising for some time, but in 2020 the rate of rise increased — flooding lakeshore homes, businesses, and threatening the lives of a small group of Rothschild’s giraffes on Longicharo Island, in Ruko Conservancy,” Northern Rangelands Trust said in a statement.

“At last, they can safely breed (繁殖) and bring back the population of the free-ranging Rothschild’s giraffes to their former home ranges in Baringo. It’s such a relief for all involved to have gotten them safely across to the mainland and we are sure they’re enjoying the space in their new home,” he said.

Rothschild’s giraffes were once widespread across Kenya, Uganda and southern Sudan, but numbers have decreased by 80%, leaving only 3,000 in the wild today. But there is hope, given by innovative (创新的) conservation teamwork such as this.

“Working with the communities in the area over the next several years, we will keep this combined group of giraffes safe, and as they breed, their numbers will grow over time, eventually rejoining their cousins in Uganda,” Save Giraffes Now said in a statement.

1. What does the underlined word “stranded” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Weak.	B．Trapped.
C．Lonely.	D．Frightened.

2. What can we infer about the community?

A．It is short of advanced equipment.

B．It operates very efficiently.

C．It works with the local government.

D．It aims to save all endangered animals.

3. Where did the Rothschild’s giraffes use to live?

A．Near Lake Baringo.

B．On Longicharo Island.

C．In Kenya, Uganda and southern Sudan.

D．At the Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The giraffes are endangered in Kenya.

B．Two giraffes have been saved in Kenya.

C．The Rothschild’s giraffes are finally found.

D．The population of giraffes decreased.

8 . I'm an early user of social media. For the most part, I've enjoyed the time I've spent on the site. But like many friends I know, I was also starting to feel like my visits to Facebook were just a waste of time.

Of course, the obvious move would just be to steer clear of Facebook and other social media sites. But as a writer, I have to use social media several times a day. And once I'm in the site, it's almost impossible to take no notice of those notices reminding me of posts in my personal feed（信息推送）. I felt like I had to find the one or two meaningful posts that made my social media feed worth the time.

Then I came across a post by Melissa Hartwig, the founder of the Whole30 program. In the post she said "Don't act like social media just happens to you; make it work FOR YOU."

It hit home with me. I immediately set out to change the way I was using social media. I hid and unfollowed groups and accounts（账户）that were not adding something active to my life. I didn't stop to think. I just clicked my way through the feed.

I'm not burying my head in the sand. I continue to follow people whose opinions on different topics differ from my own, but their words are interesting and open-minded.

Then I limited my interaction（互动）on social media. Unless I had something to say, I no longer interacted. A study found that inactive use of social media has a bad effect on our mood, while active use—sharing thoughts and commenting on others' posts—improved mood.

The result? I can say without doubt that I no longer worry about getting into a time-wasting vacuum（真空）. That's because my feed is nowhere near as bottomless as it once was.

1. Which word can best replace the underlined part "steer clear of" in Paragraph 2?

A．Share.	B．Explore.
C．Quit.	D．Improve.

2. What made the author want a change?

A．His friends' influence.	B．A sentence in a post.
C．The Whole30 program.	D．A talk with Melissa Hartwig.

3. How did the author change his use of social media?

A．He set a time limit.

B．He hid his own accounts.

C．He interacted less with others.

D．He no longer read different opinions.

4. What can we learn about the author's change?

A．It met great difficulties.	B．It was a waste of time.
C．It attracted more friends.	D．It got a satisfying result.

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。

An ancient culture dating back more than 5,000 years proved China’s early exchanges with other societies, experts say.

Experts believe the Majiayao culture had a close     1    (connect) with other various cultures. They put it forward at a recent meeting     2     was held in Gansu Province. With more than 5,000 years of history, it plays an important role in the development of the Chinese civilization (文明). This culture spread to Central Asia through     3     is now China’s Xinjiang Province,     4    (bring) rice from China to the west.

Swedish expert Johan first     5    (investigate) cultural sites in 1924. In the 1940s, Xia Nai named the sites after the Majiayao, with painted pottery (彩陶) as     6    (it) most special feature. Some experts point out that the Majiayao culture     7    (obvious) shares similarities with the cultures of some parts of the Black Sea. People from these cultures used pottery     8    (make) human head sculptures.     9     addition, some Central Asian features also appeared on the painted pottery of the Majiayao.

Actions     10    (take) to protect the Majiayao culture by building museums, organizing meetings and doing more research so far.

10 . I was out of work when I was in Key Largo. Though I was in ______ times, I chose to enjoy my life. I ______ taking walks in the morning, which became a large part of my ______ lifestyle.

I walked out of my house for my little walk at about 7:30 one morning. I usually ______ sneakers (运动鞋) for walking, but I decided to ______ with other shoes that day. While walking through the neighborhood for a while, I ______ my feet were starting to hurt. But I ______ the peaceful walk so much that I went on.

______, I felt like dancing. So I did. Some people passing by seemed a little ______ but amused (逗乐) by my early morning dance. I politely ______ as I continued my dance.

My ______ went to how grateful I was to be here. I ran through all the things I ______: my health, my great friends, my family, etc. I believed that my thanks ______ the dance I was performing.

I have spent my life searching for my ______ here on earth. I have been looking for the meaning of life. But now I fully understand that my true purpose is to spread this joy and show that the happy and peaceful ______ is for all of us who truly seek it.

1.

A．new

B．hard

C．serious

D．dangerous

2.

A．loved

B．finished

C．suggested

D．imagined

3.

A．stressful

B．strange

C．curious

D．peaceful

4.

A．wore

B．bought

C．threw

D．left

5.

A．experiment

B．option

C．journey

D．match

6.

A．guessed

B．realized

C．dreamed

D．believed

7.

A．experienced

B．doubted

C．enjoyed

D．planned

8.

A．Luckily

B．Secretly

C．Similarly

D．Suddenly

9.

A．surprised

B．moved

C．pleased

D．interested

10.

A．waved

B．refused

C．pointed

D．circled

11.

A．reason

B．effort

C．mind

D．question

12.

A．own

B．offer

C．save

D．share

13.

A．made up

B．differed from

C．came across

D．turned into

14.

A．choice

B．purpose

C．wealth

D．decision

15.

A．result

B．lesson

C．life

D．role