1 . The Right Electric Bike For You

The bicycle fever is back, but this time it has gone electric. According to NPD Group which tracks the bicycle industry, electric bike sales have more than doubled since 2019. And their popularity is still on the rise. Confirm your need and pick the electric bike that’s best for you.

MODEL	WHAT’S IT FOR?	WHO’S IT FOR?
Swagtron EB5	◆Such e-bikes are designed to make short trips, adding to the rider’s comfort and ability to see. The electric assistance allows you to travel easily and comfortably.	◆Those looking for alternatives to driving around the town. They’re lighter than most motorcycles. making them perfect for carrying groceries and laptops.
Specialized Turbo	◆These e-bikes use the same light structure and narrow wheels as conventional touring bikes. The electric motor makes it possible to cover longer distances.	◆Riders who are eager for more challenging cycling or want to extend the riding distance. The riding position may discourage those with back or neck pain.
RadWagon 4	◆With strong structure and fat wheels, they transport relatively heavy loads, which can be equipped with a seat or rack (支架).	◆Anyone who would prefer to transport large loads of groceries or packages(or even small kids) with something other than a car.
Ancheer EM	◆With stronger structure, bigger wheels, and suspension systems that absorb the impact of rough rides, they can handle rough landscapes.	◆Someone who wants to experience the excitement of riding down dirt tracks but also wants a bit help from an electric motor.

1. Which magazine is this text probably taken from?

A．Techlife News.	B．Muscle & Fitness.
C．How It Works.	D．Consumer Reports.

2. Which is most suitable for someone who wants to challenge long-range tours?

A．Swagtron EB5.

B．Specialized Turbo.

C．RadWagon 4.

D．Ancheer EM.

3. What can we learn about the electric bikes?

A．Designs of ‘electric bikes are based on travel purposes.

B．Electric bikes are more popular than conventional bikes.

C．Riders of these electric bikes put speed in the first place.

D．The trend of electric bikes replacing cars can’t be prevented.

2 . 教育部发文要求每个中小学生都要参与志愿服务。寒假将至，假设你是校学生会主席李华，请你在校英语报上发表一封倡议信。内容包括：
1.志愿者活动的益处；
2.可以开展的志愿者活动；
3.发出倡议。
注意：1.写作词数应为80词左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear schoolmates,

Volunteering is playing a crucial role in students’ overall development. With the approach of winter vacation, it’s high time that we took up volunteering.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours Sincerely,

Li Hua

3 . For the holiday gathering, you may be wondering how you’re going to pull it off. Before we go into the specifics, a few words of general advice: You don’t have to throw the party your parents did.     1    

We talked to a party-planning expert, Miller. Here’s her advice on how to host a stress-free holiday gathering without losing your mind.

    2    

The best way to avoid being exhausted is to be prepared. Many seasoned hosts set their tables several days in advance. “Always pretend your event is a few days before.” Miller says.    3     She recommends cleaning the house, rounding up an extra dining chair and buying drinks a few days in advance.

Pick a serving setup. 

Before you choose your menu, determine your serving style.     4     If you’ve got the space for it, a family-style meal — where people sit around a table and food is passed on big plates — can cut down on the need for complicated decorations. “Food can be part of the design, so you’re not going crazy with flowers or anything,” she says.

Embrace a mixed menu. 

The pandemic has made takeout an option not only for family dinners, but also for entertaining, because many restaurants now offer specific holiday dinner dishes to take home.     5     “You can do a party with literally no cooking,” Ramos says. “I like to live in the in-between, but it’s up to you.” Time- and stress-savers include relying on make-ahead dishes.

A．This is your show.

B．Dress the house in your own style.

C．Be prepared with a carefully worked-out plan.

D．You can get great food from so many local places.

E．Throw a party that isn’t on the holiday itself.

F．Buffets are good if you don’t have a large dining table.

G．There is always work you have to do at the last minute.

4 . Cities are difficult to navigate (导航) at the best of times, but for people with disabilities they can be like courses with hurdles and bring inconvenience to disabled people.

A UK national travel survey found that adults with mobility difficulties took 39% fewer trips than those with no disability in 2017. Yet that could change as devices and cities grow smarter. Assistive tech is playing a big role in the transformation. The global value of the industry is expected to increase from $14 billion in 2015 to $30.8 billion in 2024, according to Zion Market Research.

One of the things that could transform lives is a smart walking stick designed by engineers from Young Guru Academy (YGA) in Turkey. The WeWalk stick has a sensor that detects hurdles above chest level and uses vibrations (振动) to warn the user. It can be paired with a smartphone to help navigation, and is connected with a voice assistant and Google Maps.

Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, says that connecting the stick to the Internet of Things and smart city solutions makes it user-friendly. “As a blind person, when I am at the Metro station I don’t know which is my exit ... I don’t know which bus is approaching ... which stores are around me. That kind of information can be provided with the WeWalk,” he says.

“The smart walking stick is really an exciting initiative that will make a huge difference to some people,” says Anna Lawson, the director of the Center for Disability Studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. “But they are very expensive ... they’re not going to be available to the vast majority of disabled people,” she added.

Bryan Matthews, a lecturer at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, shares the concerns about cost. He says there should also be a focus on inclusive design, and anything that helps people navigate their environment is positive.

1. What does “that” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．The survey that compared adults’ mobility.

B．The smart industry that is booming.

C．The fact that the disabled traveled less.

D．The role that the assistive tech plays.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The working principles of the WeWalk stick.

B．The introduction of the WeWalk stick inventors.

C．The transformation caused by the WeWalk stick.

D．The benefits brought about by the WeWalk stick.

3. What’s the purpose of quoting Ceylan?

A．To show the value of smart tech.

B．To urge more attention to the blind.

C．To increase the potential market share.

D．To encourage tech research and development.

4. What is the disadvantage of the WeWalk stick?

A．Confusing instructions.	B．Poor navigation.
C．Inclusive designs.	D．High prices.

5 . The incident took place, believe it or not, on the playground. I was something of a football player, but I had never been a good player, far less a great one. I played for the mere physical joy that I got out of the game, but I played with a will, and put my whole heart into the game. The result was that, though I had plenty of energy and enthusiasm, I was never picked for my college team.

Let me confess frankly that this was only because there was another player in the same position who happened to be much better than me. I considered myself the better sportsman, but he was certainly the greater player. So I never grumbled or complained. I was content to wait and bide my time.

And at last my patience was rewarded. It was for me a very special day. Our team had shot up into the final and was meeting its rival(竞争对手). Our star­player sent word at the last moment that he was ill and he could not take the field. Imagine the astonishment in the college camp! The thought was that the game was as good as lost, and so also, I confess, did I for this player was our trump card(王牌): That is what everybody always said. However, something had to be done, and that something had to be myself! The captain called me up almost apologetically for having failed to recognize my greatness before, and—there I was, on the playground, greeted by the cheers of my friends, and a few jeers from those who had little faith in my prowess.

I can tell you that I played like a demon(魔鬼). I was here, there and everywhere—now leading the attack, now falling back to help the defense. It was indeed a thrilling moment in my life. For a time, I was the center of all attention, the object of universal applause, and “the observed of all observers”. And, believe it or not, it was I who put in the winning goal. It marked the top of a glorious day. Even now I look back on the episode with unmixed pleasure and satisfaction.

1. What can you learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?

A．He was chosen into the college team.

B．He intended to be a professional player.

C．He performed better than any other player.

D．He showed great interest in playing football.

2. How was the author’s patience rewarded?

A．He received the captain’s sincere apology.

B．He helped his school team to enter the final.

C．He was finally considered as the trump card.

D．He became a replacement for the sick player.

3. Why did the author say it was a thrilling moment in his life?

A．He showed off his patience to the fullest.

B．The audience applauded his performance.

C．The audience observed players attacking.

D．He played attentively in the final match.

4. What can we learn from the author’s experience?

A．Patience is the best treatment.	B．Care and diligence bring luck.
C．Great hopes make a great man.	D．Opportunity is for the prepared.

6 . 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。

“Where’s the rest of my paper?” thundered an angry Papa Bear, storming into the living room. It didn’t take him long to find Brother Bear and the sports section.

“I just borrowed it.” said Brother. Papa snatched it up and plumped down in his easy chair. Brother wandered into the kitchen looking for sympathy from Mama Bear. “Gee,” he said, “what’s eating him?” “Your father looks forward to his evening paper,” Mama said, “and he has a perfect right to be annoyed when half of it is missing — and furthermore, thank you not to refer to your father as him!”

She stomped out of the kitchen.

“Why not? He’s a him, isn’t he? Gosh,” said Brother, “what’s eating her?”

What was “eating” Mama was Sister Bear. Sister had been on the phone with Lizy Bruin for almost an hour.

“But Mama!” she protested when she was told to say good-bye.

“Don’t But Mama’ me!“ said Mama Bear. “This is not your private phone. You’ve had all day to talk to Lizy at school, and you’ll have all day to talk to her tomorrow. So hang up that phone now!”

Sister did as she was told.

“Phew!” breathed Brother as he fell into the seat beside Cousin Fred on the school bus.

“Tough morning?” asked Fred.

“You better believe it!” said Sister, taking the seat Lizzy had saved for her.

The four compared notes on the way to school. The children agreed that while there was no doubt that their parents loved them, they were a little difficult to get along with sometimes. They nagged (唠叨); they said no a lot; and they never wanted kids to have any fun.

“Hey,” said Brother as they got off the bus, “what are we going to do for the Parents Night Talent Show?” “Don’t know,” said Lizzy. “Let’s think about it”

When the four searched their brains, Brother snapped his fingers and said, “I’ve got it! Remember what we were talking about just now?” “Sure,” said Fred. “We were saying how grownups can be a big pain.”

Paragraph one:

“Well,” said Brother, “let’s put on a play about that, and call it...”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph two:

Despite the difficulties in the preparation, especially costumes, their big day came finally.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

Hot pot, as a traditional Chinese folk dish,     1     (become) a favorite dish throughout China since at least the Han Dynasty,     2     is particularly true during winter months. There are different     3     (style) of hot pot with differently flavored thick soup in China, from spicy hot pot in Sichuan, seafood-based hot pot in Guangdong to mutton hot pot in Hong Kong. No matter what your     4     (prefer) is, Chinese hot pot has something to interest you.

The spicy hot pot featured in Sichuan is probably the most famous among the native Chinese. When     5     (visit) Chongqing, you will have     6     opportunity to taste authentic (真正的) Chinese hot pot. Chongqing hot pot is known as má là (“numb and spicy”) due     7     the inclusion of Sichuan peppers and is unique in the types of meat and the types of sauce     8     (use) for its base.

Though the flavor of Chinese hot pot varies from region to region, the dining customs are similar. Hot pot is     9     (typical) served in a metal bowl at the center of the dining table. As the soup in the pot is cooked at almost boiling point, the ingredients (原料)     10     (add) into the boiling thick soup. The ingredients can vary from thinly-sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, and cabbage, to seafood, fish balls and tofu.

8 . I was with my father at a clinic near his home for a routine blood test. An elderly woman came in and sat on a ________ room chair. She settled into the seat opposite my dad and smiled at him and he smiled back ________. He was 77 years old and had been living with Alzheimer disease for several years. It’s a disease that ________ your loved ones, slowly, day by day and the memory loss is painful and ________.

After a while, she started singing the tune My Heart Will Go On. Since Alzheimer disease also has a(n) ________ to damage a person’s patience, I couldn’t help thinking that this little woman was playing with fire. Her singing began gently. I glanced at Dad to see his ________. His smile was gone, and he was ________ right at her. I couldn’t read his expression initially, but it seemed to be something like ________. I wondered if he was lost somewhere in his memory, or maybe he was trying to figure out whether this was someone he should ________. Slowly, the woman’s singing got louder and her eyes closed with ________. Now Dad looked a little shocked. Still, I watched nervously, noticing the ________ of an angry outburst and was considering my options on how best to ________ in. Instead, his face changed, and the tension ________ in his eyes. He no longer looked confused.

When her song ended and the waiting room became ________, the woman opened her eyes. My dad was still looking directly at her. “That was beautiful,” he said. ________, she smiled and said, “Thank you.”

1.

A．living

B．waiting

C．fitting

D．consulting

2.

A．secretly

B．gratefully

C．slightly

D．coldly

3.

A．steals

B．destroys

C．cheats

D．panics

4.

A．limited

B．regular

C．temporary

D．merciless

5.

A．expectation

B．standard

C．tendency

D．symbol

6.

A．performance

B．response

C．gesture

D．message

7.

A．rushing

B．laughing

C．pointing

D．staring

8.

A．confusion

B．desperation

C．blankness

D．caution

9.

A．worry about

B．hear of

C．date with

D．call on

10.

A．purpose

B．strength

C．emotion

D．respect

11.

A．instruction

B．outcome

C．effect

D．possibility

12.

A．step

B．check

C．give

D．join

13.

A．increased

B．filled

C．eased

D．divided

14.

A．delightful

B．silent

C．bright

D．harmonious

15.

A．In public

B．In turn

C．In relief

D．In return

9 . Have you ever travelled somewhere without noticing the route you took or the people and landmarks you passed?     1     A lot of us run around on autopilot (自动驾驶), which means we do things without being aware that we’re doing them, lost in our thoughts instead.

Mindfulness is about training the mind to be in the present moment — to be more aware of what is happening now, rather than what has already happened or what might happen next.

    2     Mindfulness can be traced back to the religion of Buddhism but it’s now practiced by people of all religions, as well as people who don’t follow any religion.

    3     Becoming more aware of the present can help us enjoy the world around us. It encourages us to appreciate things we might take for granted. According to the University of Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre, mindfulness can teach us to spot difficult emotions and thoughts and deal with them more easily.     4    

An important part of mindfulness is tuning in to the five senses — being aware of what you can see, hear, touch, smell and taste. You can try this throughout the day — for example, when going for a walk or eating your dinner.     5     Mindfulness requires practice, and lots of people find that sitting quietly and focusing on their breathing helps.

A．It is about observing our thoughts, feelings and surroundings.

B．These are the only ways to help us stay focused on the present.

C．Maybe you’ve swallowed your breakfast without noticing what it tastes like.

D．Mindfulness can improve our concentration, relationships and mental health.

E．We can choose to set aside our worries and concerns that aren’t helpful to us.

F．Despite these emotional benefits, mindfulness sometimes leads to physical harms.

G．Activities that require you to use your hands can also help you become more mindful.

10 . No doubt that humans have widely changed, developed, and exploited (开发) much of the natural world for our own ends. But how much of the land surface remains free of our often-harmful influence?

In a new study, scientists compared figures from four different sets of data using different kinds of methods and classification (分类) systems to answer this question. On average, the researchers say roughly half (48 to 56 percent) of the world’s land shows “low” influence of humans. While the figures may inspire many—stressing the vast expanse of significantly untouched lands that can still be protected through conservation measures—the study also shows just how much of the Earth has already been occupied and used by humans.

In fact, only about a quarter (20 to 34 percent) of the planet’s ice-free land surface shows “very low” signs of human influence, the researchers say, and the parts of the planet that we have left alone up until now constitute (构成) some of the least livable places on Earth. In other words, whether through urbanization, forestry, agriculture or other means, humans have applied the most influence on biodiverse land that presented ripe and easy opportunities for immediate human needs; in contrast, roasting deserts in the world’s hottest places, or frozen wastelands in its coldest spots, have been ignored.

Even so, the researchers say the results shown here give us a strong, clear marker that we can use to help structure existing and future conservation efforts by preventing disturbance on existing low influenced areas, meanwhile, recovering areas for conservation in land that has already been exploited too much.

“The encouraging takeaway from this study is that if we act quickly and decisively (果断地), there is a slim window in which we can still conserve roughly half of the Earth’s land in a relatively untouched state,” says biologist and lead author of the study, Jason Riggio.

There’s a chance, right now, to draw a line in the sand, and say “no more”.

1. Why was the new study carried out?

A．To find out why humans exploit nature.

B．To figure out the land free from human influence.

C．To prove humans are harmful to nature.

D．To clarify the Earth is not occupied by humans completely.

2. Which places are influenced most by humans?

A．Woodless lands.	B．Ice-free lands.
C．Places with biodiversity.	D．Places with warmth.

3. What can we do based on the research?

A．Make use of the unlivable area through different means.

B．Remove the influence on the previous disturbed area.

C．Attempt to have no bad effect on the “untouched” land.

D．Reconstruct the overexploited land with forest and agriculture.

4. What’s the writer’s attitude towards the untouched land?

A．It should be urbanized immediately.	B．It should be covered with plants.
C．It should be free from humans and animals.	D．It should be undisturbed and preserved.