1 . I remember when Kamala Harris became Joe Biden’s running mate, it seemed funny how many people pronounced her name incorrectly. On one occasion, a news host became upset when being corrected, and purposely called her Kumbaya.
I am no stranger to this issue as many of my students are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and sometimes their names are difficult for me to pronounce, even after asking them how to say it. Many students seem unwilling to correct me when I attempt to learn their names correctly. The other thing I’ve seen in growing numbers is students “adopting” an English name. It’s much more common than many think, for people to change their names in order to fit in.
This is especially the case when it comes to seeking jobs. Racial and cultural minorities often attempt to avoid discrimination hiring by hiding racial cues on the resume including changing their name. This is referred to as “resume whitening”. Research shows almost 50 percent of black and Asian job applicants did so.
Xian Zhao from the University of Toronto researches ethnic name pronunciation, saying that many people don’t understand that habitually pronouncing an unfamiliar name inaccurately is a form of indirect discrimination. It sends a message that “you are the minorities” says Zhao. “You are not important in this environment, so why should I take time and my effort to learn it?” On the other end, those with ethnic names frequently don’t correct people, even when their names are pronounced wrong repeatedly, feeling it is better just to keep the peace and not stand out for their names are difficult.
It is important to try to pronounce everyone’s name as they pronounce it. This communicates respect of them as a person and their culture. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat their name so that you can learn to pronounce it properly. This is usually appreciated.
1. How do the author’s Asian students respond when their names are incorrectly pronounced?| A．They attempt to laugh at it. | B．They tend to accept it. |
| C．They offer to correct the author. | D．They agree to change their names. |
| A．A change in work environment. |
| B．A ban on racial discrimination in workplace. |
| C．A practice of using Western names in job seeking. |
| D．A boast about one’s educational background in the resume. |
| A．Ethnics accept their names being mispronounced to save trouble. |
| B．Ethnics fight effectively with the discrimination against their names. |
| C．Many westerners pronounce ethnic names incorrectly on purpose. |
| D．Many westerners make efforts to pronounce ethnic names correctly. |
| A．Critical. | B．Uncaring. | C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous. |
2 . The age range between about 13 and 19 is an important time in an individual’s life.
First, participate in extra-curricular activities. Schools give students opportunities for staying active. Pick an activity that appeals to you such as athletics, academic clubs, or special-interest clubs. Extra-curricular activities build character through team work, time-management, and competition. Don't be too worried if you aren't very good at what you like, for the important thing is passion.
Besides, volunteer.
Third, use your summer for academic programs. Getting a head start at college could mean sacrificing your summer vacation. Various universities offer programs for future college students based on interests such as journalism, photography, art, sports, etc.
Finally, know when to ask for help and advice. Being responsible and independent does not mean being alone.
| A．Make sure your maturity level and interests are leveled. |
| B．Making and meeting goals can motivate you to progress. |
| C．Huge steps are taken within that period. |
| D．They give teenagers the chance to earn college credits. |
| E．Offering help is a symbol of kindness. |
| F．It will drive you to put in your best effort. |
| G．Taking on new tasks and meeting goals will be hard work. |
An organization has taken measures
Chopstick culture in Shanghai
After opening as a commercial port, Shanghai is proud
At least 1.8 billion people
4 . Maaseik, a city in Belgium, has opened an exhibition of about 200 relics and treasures of the Tang Dynasty(618 AD - 907 AD), showing China’s golden age of ancient civilisation (文明) .
The exhibition, which opened on May 11 and will continue until Oct. 20, is part of the city’s effort to create a centre of Chinese culture. Belgian Princess Mathilde formally announced the beginning of the exhibition, titled: China’s Golden Age: Treasures from the Tang Dynasty”.
The items, including gold plates and silver wares for royal families, Tang Dynasty tri-colour glazed figurines (小雕像) of women and paintings, have recently been on exhibit in the Dutch city of Assen.
All of the exhibited items are from Shaanxi Province, China. Its provincial capital Xi’an was the most populous (人口众多的) city in the world and once the capital of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang period is generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilisation-requal to, or better than that of the earlier Han Dynasty(202 BC-220 AD), a golden age of Chinese culture.
Several years ago, said Dirk Verlaak, vice-mayor of Maaseik, his city and Assen teamed up to host history and culture exhibitions of China’s first two imperial dynasties, the Qin (221 BC-207 BC) and the Han. The Chinese relics and treasures attracted 350, 000 visitors in Assen and 190, 000 in Maaseik.
“Westerners don’t know much about China’s ancient civilisation and history, and we hope the new exhibition in Maaseik can attract more visitors,” said Verlaak.
1. Maaseik held the exhibition in order to ________.| A．make money | B．educate people |
| C．attract foreign visitors | D．spread Chinese culture |
| A．Dirk Verlaak is interested in Chinese history |
| B．All the items in the exhibition are from China |
| C．Assen attracted more visitors than Maaseik several years ago |
| D．This is the first time that Maaseik has held such an exhibition |
| A．Doubtful | B．Content | C．Worried | D．Disappointed |
| A．Tang Dynasty Treasures Exhibited in Belgium |
| B．Tang Dynasty Treasures Discovered in Belgium |
| C．Chinese Culture Goes around the World |
| D．Chinese Civilisation Attracts Foreigners |
5 . Convincing someone to change their mind is really the process of convincing them to change their tribe (部落). If they abandon their beliefs, they run the risk of losing social ties. You can’t expect someone to change their mind if you take away their community too.
The way to change people’s minds is to become friends with them, to combine them into your tribe, to bring them into your circle. Now, they can change their beliefs without the risk of being abandoned socially.
The British philosopher Alain de Botton suggests that we simply share meals with those who disagree with us: “Sitting down at a table with a group of strangers has the incomparable and odd benefit of making it a little more difficult to hate them without punishment. Prejudice and conflict between groups of people from different nations or races feed off abstraction. However, during a meal, something about handing dishes around, unfolding napkins (餐巾纸) at the same moment, even asking a stranger to pass the salt makes us less likely to hold the belief that the outsiders who wear unusual clothes and speak in distinctive accents deserve to be sent home or attacked. For all the large-scale political solutions which have been proposed to ease racial or cultural conflict, there are few more effective ways to promote tolerance between suspicious neighbours than to force them to eat supper together.”
Perhaps it is not difference, but distance that produces tribalism and unfriendliness. As proximity increases, so does understanding. I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln’s quote, “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” Facts don’t change our minds. Friendship does.
The Japanese writer Haruki Murakami once wrote, “Always remember that to argue, and win, is to break down the reality of the person you are arguing against. It is painful to lose your reality, so be kind, even if you are right.”
When we are in the moment, we can easily forget that the goal is to connect with the other side, cooperate with them, befriend them, and integrate them into our tribe. We are so caught up in winning that we forget about connecting. It’s easy to spend your energy labeling people rather than working with them.
The word “kind (family and relatives)” originated from the word “kin (old fashion of family and relatives).” When you are kind to someone, it means you are treating them like family. This, I think, is a good method for actually changing someone’s mind. Develop a friendship. Share a meal. Gift a book. Be kind first, be right later.
1. People are likely to change their mind when they ________.| A．change their beliefs | B．are made friends with |
| C．move to a new community | D．are given somewhere to go |
| A．pleases people with different beliefs or accents |
| B．makes people focus on eating rather than conflicts |
| C．brings benefits to the people having dinner together |
| D．promotes understanding and tolerance among people |
| A．Nearness. | B．Action. | C．Communication. | D．Politeness. |
| A．breaking down one’s reality is easy |
| B．kindness is more important than right |
| C．arguing and winning are not important |
| D．losing one’s identity is a painful process |
6 . It’s currently December and Christmas is almost here. And what better way to spend time with your loved ones than sitting down to watch some classic Christmas movies? Listed below are four films that will make you laugh, cry or both this Yuletide (圣诞节期间).
The Grinch (2000)
This is a Christmas must-watch and one of Jim Carrey’s best performances. It was also originally a children’s book written by Dr Seuss, which I would recommend reading! It’s the story of a green monster who wants to ruin Christmas, but who in the end discovers the power of love and generosity. It sounds cheesy and cliché (陈词滥调), but I promise it’s a great film with plenty of laughs along the way.
Love Actually (2003)
While this is not a personal favourite of mine, people in the UK absolutely Jove this film. It has a star-studded cast, featuring actors and actresses such as Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman. It might be a little difficult to follow as there are lots of different sub-plots, so I recommend watching a dubbed version (配音版) in your native language. However, the heart-warming elements of the film make it worth watching.
Home Alone (1990)
This blockbuster (轰动一时的电影) is one of my favourite films of all time and I would watch it all year round if I could. It tells the story of a boy, Kevin, who is left alone in his house when his large family forget to take him on vacation with them. While the family are away, burglars (小偷) try to rob the house and Kevin must protect his home by setting traps. The trips, falls and traps will have you laughing out loud as you watch a 10-year old boy outsmart two grown men.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
You can’t have Christmas in an English-speaking country without watching this film. It’s not funny like Home Alone or The Grinch, but it is incredibly touching. It’s about a man who claims to be Santa, but nobody believes him except a lawyer and a little girl. The storyline may seem a little childish, but you can enjoy it at any age. I cry every time I watch it and I’m 21!
1. In which film can you see Jim Carrey’s wonderful performance?| A．The Grinch. | B．Love Actually. |
| C．Home Alone. | D．Miracle on 34th Street. |
| A．It’s one of the authors favorite films. |
| B．We’d better watch a clubbed version. |
| C．It’s a film about the power of love and generosity. |
| D．Some handkerchief papers are necessary when you watch it. |
| A．They are very touching. |
| B．They are only fit for children. |
| C．They are funny and make people laugh a lot. |
| D．They are popular and tell a story about kids. |
On Aug 27, 2020, Zhao Minghui, an associate professor at Qingdao Agricultural University’s College of Life Science, posted a “seeking marriage” notice online looking for a nine-month-old mate (配偶) for
In the post, he described the cat
A research team, led by Zhao, cloned the cat for scientific study using a technique known as cell nuclear transfer. It is a special cat, the first one
The clone, born on Dec 24,
8 . I’m Naomi Shah, and today I’ll be talking to you about my research involving indoor air quality and asthmatic（哮喘） patients. 1.6 million deaths worldwide. One death every 20 seconds. People spend over 90 percent of their lives indoors. And the economic burden of asthma go beyond that of HIV and tuberculosis（肺结核） combined.
Now these statistics had a huge impact on me. I started researching, and I soon found that indoor air pollutants were the main causes. But soon after, I developed a novel mathematical model that essentially measures the effect of these environmental pollutants（污染物） on the lung health of asthmatic patients.
I have a volunteer subject in the audience today, Julie. And all of Julie’s data has been pre-entered into my interactive software model. So Julie’s going to her doctor’s office to get treated for her asthma. And the doctor has her sit down, and he takes her peak breath flow rate. I’ve entered it up into the interactive software model. I’ve also entered in her age, her gender and her height. Any users just clicked on “lung function report” and it’ll take them to this report that I created. When the doctor sees this , maybe he would say, “Wow, we need to give her steroids（类固醇), medication and so on.”
But I want everyone here to reimagine a world where instead of prescribing steroids and medication, the doctor turns to Julie and says, “Why don’t you go home and clean out your air cleaner. Clean out the air dusts in your home, in your workplace, in your school. Stop the use of incense and candles. And if you’re remodeling your house, take out all the carpeting and put in hardwood flooring.” Because these solutions are natural, these solutions are sustainable, and these solutions are long-term investments -- long-term investments that we’re making for our generation and for future generations.
So I’m very passionate about this research and I really want to continue it and expand it to more diseases besides asthma, as well as more pollutants. To know more relationship between them is my main task. But before I end my talk today, I want to leave you with one saying. And that saying is that genetics loads the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger（扳机）.
1. What does the underline word “subject” probably refer to in Paragraph 3?| A．The research leader. | B．The research participant . |
| C．The research instructor . | D．The research designer. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Favorable |
| C．Critical | D．Disapproving |
| A．She had better use incense and candles. |
| B．She should have the air cleaner replaced . |
| C．She has got to take steroid and medication. |
| D．She is supposed to carpet the floor with hard wood. |
| A．To show the author’s passion. |
| B．To stress the significance of the environment. |
| C．To emphasize the urgency to deepen the research. |
| D．To introduce the research between diseases and pollutants. |
9 . When I woke up on Aug 4, 2016, there was only one thing on my mind: what to wear. A billion thoughts appeared through my brain in the closet (衣橱). Not only was it my first day of high school, but it was my first day of school in a new state; first impressions are everything, and it was important for me to impress the people who I would spend the next four years with.
After carefully hunting my closet, I proudly came out in a dress from Target. The soft cotton was comfortable, and the specially designed shoulders added a little of fun. Yes, this cloth was the one. An hour later, I felt powerful as I headed toward room 1136. But as I entered class, my jaw dropped to the floor.
Sitting at her desk was Mrs Hutfilz, my English teacher, wearing exactly the same dress as me. I kept my head down and tiptoed(踮着脚尖) to my seat. I made it through my simple introduction speech until Mrs Hutfilz stood up, jokingly saying that she liked my style. Although this was the moment I had been afraid of from the moment I walked in, all my anxiety surprisingly melted away, and the students paid attention as I shared my story. My smile grew as I laughed with the students. After class, I stayed behind, talked to Mrs Hutfilz and make a humorous and real communication.
Looking back four years later, the ten minutes I spent afraid of giving my speech were really not worth it. My first period of high school certainly made the day unforgettable in the best way and taught me that Mrs Hutfilz has a brilliant sense of style!
1. Why did the author pay great attention to her clothes on the first day of high school?| A．She followed her father’s advice. |
| B．She was unconfident about herself. |
| C．She cared too much about her appearance. |
| D．She wanted to make a good impression. |
| A．It was her first day of primary school. |
| B．She was satisfied with her first day dress. |
| C．Her teacher was unhappy because she wore the same dress with her. |
| D．She made a conversation with her English teacher in class. |
| A．Anger. | B．Confusion. | C．Pride. | D．Awkwardness. |
| A．To share a memorable experience. |
| B．To explore the troubles with dressing. |
| C．To introduce her stylish English teacher. |
| D．To stress the importance of first impressions. |
10 . You may not know a lot of people when you start high school. Even if you know some freshmen (新生) , you still feel nervous that you don't know any upperclassmen or teachers. How are you going to make friends among this sea of unknown faces?
Most high schools hold a freshman orientation before school actually starts, which is helpful not only because you can know your way around the building and get to meet some of your teachers, but also because you get to meet fellow freshmen. That way, when you show up on your first day of school, you may already recognise a few familiar faces. When you talk to your new classmates, you'll probably find that a lot of them are feeling just like you are. They're all new to the school and don't know what to expect. Talking about a common concern with them can help you develop friendships.
The work in high school is something that freshmen are probably worried about. The work in high school builds on what you learnt in middle school, giving you a more advanced knowledge of many subjects. So you may find you have more work to do or that it's a bit more challenging. If you ever find your work too difficult, teachers can give you extra help.
High school also has more extracurricular activities than middle school does such as clubs, music and theatre groups and sports teams. This is a good time to explore your interests and try new things.
High school gives you the chance to learn how to manage your time, to develop your social skills and interests, and more importantly to be more independent and responsible.
1. What does the underlined word “orientation” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Training. | B．Game. |
| C．Discussion. | D．Examination. |
| A．The learning task. | B．The ability to make friends. |
| C．The relationship with teachers. | D．The freshman orientation. |
| A．build up healthy bodies | B．develop friendships |
| C．develop the interests | D．improve their learning ability |
| A．Freshmen at high school. | B．Freshmen's parents. |
| C．Middle school students. | D．Upperclassmen in high school. |
