1 . A language corpus (语料库) is a huge collection of texts taken from print, video, audio and other sources. It is a powerful tool that can help you learn more about English words and phrases.

The Corpus of Contemporary American English, or COCA, contains over one billion words from 1990 to 2019. And it has many ways to help learners find out more about how words are used.

How to use COCA

First, you will need to register with COCA to use the collection. You can register for two kinds of accounts. A free account limits you to 20 searches for words within any 24- hour period. A paid account will give you 200 searches within any 24-hour period.

Here are the steps for using COCA to find examples of how a word is used. We will use the word profound to show this.

·On the home page. type the word profound in the white search box on the left side of the screen.

·Click “find matching strings” just below the search box. This will take you to a new web-page.

·On this new page. you will see the word profound in blue. Click on it.

·You will now see a page with 100 examples using the word profound, and the word profound is shown in green. The source of each example is shown on the left side.

·If you click on the source on the left, COCA will show you a larger part of the text containing the example.

·If you want to see more examples, click the two forward page arrows >>at the top or bottom left. This brings you to the next 100 examples. In this way, you might find more kinds of sources for the examples.

1. What is COCA?

A．A textbook on American English changes.

B．A report about the development of English.

C．An Essential tool for beginners of English.

D．A database of Contemporary American English.

2. What is the disadvantage of a free account?

A．Only 200 searches available.	B．Less usage within 24 hours.
C．Only 20 examples per word.	D．Difficulty in applying for an account.

3. How can you find a broader source for each example?

A．Reenter this word on the home page.	B．Click another page with 100 more examples.
C．Click on the left side of the relevant example.	D．Click page arrows at the top or bottom left.

2 . A blind fish living within a Mexican cave system’s deep, enduring darkness still maintains some ability to sense light. As the cave fish no longer seem to rely on an internal daily cycle and some sleep very little, biologist Inca Stein-dal and her colleagues were keen to see if their bodies can still regulate cyclically through time. Most animals on Earth have an internal clock for this the circadian rhythm (昼夜节律) that uses light levels to make our bodies fit in with our planet’s day and night cycles. This rhythm is then used to cycle through different biological processes that can influence our behaviour, such as our hunger cycles.

The Mexican blind cave fish live in a complex of over 30 isolated caves, within which they have each independently adjusted to the dark.   Their bodies are extra sensitive to vibrations (震动), allowing them to sense changes in water currents for navigation (导航) in compensation for their limited or complete lack of sight. This adaptation occurred despite the fish from each cave evolving from the same species with fully functioning eyes. This ancestral group still lives in the surface waters in the El Albra region of Mexico and some parts of the Southwestern US.

Steindal and her team took tissue samples from the blind cave fish, from three isolated caves, and their surface relatives and tested the cells in different conditions. They detected the activation of several molecular (分子的) clock mechanisms when the cells were exposed to light, even in the cave fish cells. “Non-visual light detection is maintained at a fundamental cell-based level,” the researchers explain,although the cave fish cells did not respond as strongly as those cells from surface fish. While there were some similarities between the fish from the different caves compared to their surface relatives, there were also differences that confirm their biological clock changes each evolved independently of one another via different molecular mechanisms.

“We have provided proof that despite being blind, cells from the Mexican blind cave fish can detect light and make their clocks fit in with a light/dark cycle,” Steindal and her colleagues conclude. The team hopes these can help us learn more about the circadian rhythm and provide an easier way to study animal adaptations to dark environments.

1. As to the cave fish, what did Steindal and her fellows try to find out?

A．If they have a circadian rhythm.	B．If they rely on an internal daily cycle.
C．If they need to sleep.	D．If they are able to sense light.

2. What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?

A．The Mexican cave fish’s ancestors had normal vision.

B．The Mexican cave fish’s home is in the dark deep sea.

C．The Mexican cave fish have adapted to darkness.

D．The Mexican cave fish have trouble navigating.

3. Which of the following can support the conclusion of the study?

A．Cave fish’s unique molecular structures.

B．Non-visual light detection in cave fish cells.

C．The cave fish’s adjustment t0 molecular clock mechanisms.

D．Biological clock changes evolved independently.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Why Do the Mexican Cave fish Live in the Darken“

B．A Blind Cave fish Can Still Perceive Light.

C．How Can the Mexican Cave fish Fit in with the Day Cycles?

D．The Biological Clocks of the Life in the Sen Are Constantly Changing.

3 . It was the day I graduated from university. The car I was driving ______ an old black truck, bending the driver’s door of my car. It was my dad’s car which I shouldn’t have been driving, but now I had ______ it.

The driver climbed out of his truck, slowly and ______ , and looked at the damage. I sat there crying. My lip was bleeding because I’d bitten it. He was in a hurry to leave, so we managed to exchange names and phone numbers before he ______ . I inspected the ______ door, with tears flowing down my face. But I knew I must go home sooner or later.

My mom ______ when I walked in the door, “What on earth happened?” I hung my ______ and my eyes were filled with tears. I replied, “I ______ Dad’s car.” She rushed to Dad who was cooking. “Stop cooking. We’re not going to eat. Jean has destroyed your car.” He looked at Mom and ______ said, “Is she hurt?” My mom said, “No, ______   biting her lip.” “Well, then, what does that have to do with eating dinner?” He flipped a burger, then put his arm around me and said, “Let’s go in and ______ all about this, if you’re sure you’re all right.” I nodded. I pressed ______ to my lip while my dad smiled at me and whispered, “The car can be ______ , but our emotion cannot.”

I graduated that evening with my family in ______ . University taught me what is important in books. Dad taught me to value what is ______ in life.

1.

A．beat

B．found

C．attacked

D．hit

2.

A．changed

B．decorated

C．destroyed

D．abandoned

3.

A．carefully

B．curiously

C．considerately

D．creatively

4.

A．showed off

B．went away

C．gave in

D．got up

5.

A．harmonious

B．identical

C．broken

D．remarkable

6.

A．wandered

B．screamed

C．danced

D．laughed

7.

A．fag

B．key

C．head

D．hand

8.

A．rejected

B．transformed

C．preserved

D．crashed

9.

A．quietly

B．suddenly

C．sincerely

D．negatively

10.

A．as for

B．except for

C．along with

D．in spite of

11.

A．hear

B．plan

C．celebrate

D．reward

12.

A．dirt

B．ice

C．blood

D．cash

13.

A．invested

B．produced

C．monitored

D．repaired

14.

A．particular

B．advance

C．attendance

D．person

15.

A．relevant

B．strong

C．impressive

D．vivid

4 . Remember Malcolm Gladwell’s famous “10,000-hour rule” from his bestselling book Outliers? It proposes that achieving mastery in any field requires roughly 10,000 hours of practice, emphasizing the importance of early professionalization and intensive practice for becoming an elite in a particular field.

This approach, known as “deliberate practice”, encourages setting goals from a young age, investing time and specializing in a specific field. On paper, it sounds like a good path to success, but when we look at the lives of elite athletes, musicians and scholars, we find a different story. In reality, many individuals who have risen to the top of their respective fields took a more diverse and winding route. They often explored a wide range of activities, gained a broad skill set, and only specialized at a later stage in life. In other words, the idea that one must know one’s specialization from a young age is fundamentally wrong.

Studies have shown that an approach called the “sampling period” is often more effective for achieving success. During this phase, individuals try various activities, gain diverse skills, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and only choose a field to specialize in once they have a clearer understanding of their passions and abilities.

Elite athletes, for example, rarely specialize in a single sport at a very young age. Instead, they engage in a variety of sports during their formative years, which allows them to acquire broad physical skills and discover their interests and talents. These early diversification experiences provide valuable lessons that can be applied to their chosen sports.

Consider the journey of Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. At the age of 6, he dabbled in rugby, skiing and wrestling, only returning to tennis later. The trial period benefited him not just because he found his true passion but also because his experiences in various sports enriched his tennis game with a unique set of skills.

1. What does the author think of “10,000-hour rule”?

A．It’s effective.

B．It’s costly.

C．It’s unpractical.

D．It’s unproven.

2. “Deliberate practice” stresses the importance of the following aspects except ______.

A．early goal-setting

B．diverse skills

C．focused practice

D．field specialization

3. Why is Roger Federer mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To show the difficulty to be an elite athlete.

B．To prove the advantage of the “sampling period”.

C．To give an example of applying “deliberate practice”.

D．To tell us one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

4. Which statement would the author probably agree with?

A．Kids should try many kinds of activities.	B．Passion can be found at a young age.
C．Many failures can lead to successes.	D．Learn to be an athlete since young.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What are the speakers talking about?

A．Benefits of exercise.

B．Ways of keeping fit.

C．Tips for losing weight.

2. What does the scientific journal say about keeping fit?

A．Regular mild physical activity works better.

B．Working out at the gym is the most rewarding.

C．Avoid eating after doing intensive (高强度的) exercise.

3. What does Rashmi do to stay fit?

A．He works out at the gym.

B．He runs in the park.

C．He goes cycling.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What problem does the woman face?

A．She can’t turn on her computer.

B．She can’t open a document.

C．She can’t handle her work.

2. When did the woman’s problem occur?

A．Yesterday morning.

B．Last night.

C．This morning.

3. What does the man ask the woman to do?

A．Send him an email.

B．Come to his place.

C．Give him a call.

7 . Liu Zhihua has become a star at a ski resort in Urumqi. Dressed in her baby blue suit and white helmet, she blends in with the other skiing _______, moving smoothly among them. _______, she is already 87 years old this year.

Though a _______   skier now, Liu only _______ the sport when she was 72. “The beginning was challenging. I experienced _______ in my waist and legs. However, with _______ practice, I found my footing,” Liu recollects. _______the fear of falling became a turning point, and _______ her interest blossomed into a(n) _______ to the sport.

When asked about the ________ she had come across during her years of skiing, Liu ________ that she fell over while going down a slope due to a lack of experience. “But skill comes from practice. Just get used to it,” she says.

Despite being the oldest ski enthusiast at the resort, Liu thinks she is just as ________ as younger skiers. “No one can ________ your age when everyone’s in a ski ________ and with snow caps and goggles on,” says Liu with a smile.

For Liu, sports have brought health and ________ into her life. “I don’t think age has much to do with my mindset. Old or young, I have been brave and optimistic.”

1.

A．fans

B．enthusiasts

C．supporters

D．admirers

2.

A．However

B．Still

C．Although

D．Instead

3.

A．clumsy

B．fluent

C．frequent

D．practical

4.

A．show up

B．show off

C．took off

D．took up

5.

A．pain

B．relief

C．delight

D．comfort

6.

A．occasional

B．irregular

C．persistent

D．permanent

7.

A．Overcoming

B．Overstating

C．Rejecting

D．Refusing

8.

A．generally

B．gradually

C．typically

D．spiritually

9.

A．trend

B．addition

C．practice

D．addiction

10.

A．setbacks

B．disadvantage

C．progress

D．process

11.

A．reviews

B．recalls

C．confesses

D．confronts

12.

A．struggling

B．hard

C．energetic

D．fruitful

13.

A．confuse

B．tell

C．talk

D．divide

14.

A．costume

B．custom

C．stock

D．suit

15.

A．contentment

B．agreement

C．calmness

D．attractiveness

8 . As archaeologists (考古学家) examined ancient tombs in Turfan in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics. Though hardened from over 1,000 years, there sat little dumplings.

Exactly who invented dumplings remains a mystery. But some scholars suspect they were first spread by nomadic (游牧的) Turkic peoples living in western China and Central Asia. This is thought to be the case because “manti,” meaning “dumpling” or “steamed bun” in many Turkic languages, appears to be the root word for dumpling in several other languages. Ancient Turkic people probably filled their dumplings with meat. But it’s unclear when this practice began, or whether they learned the art of dumpling-making from others. However this happened, dumplings certainly gathered steam in ancient China.

Dumplings continued to take off and diversify in China over the next thousand years. Instead of the traditional meat filling, some communities chose vegetarian (素食) dumplings. People developed new cooking methods. The relationship between Chinese dumplings and those in other areas is tricky to trace, but food historians have made their best guesses based on available clues.

Besides Turkic tribes, some scholars believe that the Mongol Empire also contributed to the spread of dumplings, perhaps introducing them to parts of Eastern Europe. These dumplings could have come by way of China or directly from some of the Turkic peoples the Mongols hired to run their empire. One theory is that this gave rise to dumplings like pelmeni in Russia, pierogi in Poland and vareniki in Ukraine. The Mongol Empire also controlled Korea and might have likewise introduced dumplings there. Later, after Chinese dumpling varieties were introduced to more countries, English speakers began calling them dumplings, which means “little lumps”. During the Second World War, Chinese “jiaozi” were brought to Japan. So what about the Italian dumpling-like pasta? Some historians think it might be brought by Arab conquerors.

It’s unlikely that all dumpling dishes came from the same root tradition. However, we can appreciate the mysterious historical web that made dumplings so various.

1. What made Turkic peoples suspected to first spread dumplings?

A．The languages they used.	B．Their eating habits.
C．Their dumpling-making skills.	D．The newly found tombs.

2. What does the phrase “gathered steam” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Originated.	B．Stabilized.
C．Got well-cooked.	D．Became popular.

3. What does paragraph 4 focus on?

A．The spreading process of dumplings.

B．The possible origins of dumplings.

C．Differences between various dumplings.

D．Reasons for the popularity of dumplings.

4. Which of the following best describe dumplings according to the passage?

A．Delicious.

B．Diverse.

C．Unusual.

D．Regional.

9 . In his 1936 work How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie wrote: “I have come to the conclusion that there is only one way to get the best of an argument — and that is to avoid it.” This distaste for arguments is common, but it depends on a mistaken view of arguments that causes problems for our personal and social lives — and in many ways misses the point of arguing in the first place.

Carnegie would be right if arguments were fights, which is how we often think of them. Like physical fights, verbal (言语的) fights can leave both sides bloodied. Even when you win, you end up no better off. You would be feeling almost as bad if arguments were even just competitions — like, say, tennis tournaments. Pairs of opponents hit the ball back and forth until one winner comes out from all who entered. Everybody else loses. This kind of thinking explains why so many people try to avoid arguments.

However, there are ways to win an argument every time. When you state your position, formulate (阐述) an argument for what you claim and honestly ask yourself whether your argument is any good. When you talk with someone who takes a stand, ask them to give you a reason for their view and spell out their argument fully. Assess its strength and weakness. Raise objections (异议) and listen carefully to their replies. This method will require effort, but practice will make you better at it.

These tools can help you win every argument — not in the unhelpful sense of beating your opponents but in the better sense of learning about what divides people, learning why they disagree with us and learning to talk and work together with them. If we readjust our view of arguments — from a verbal fight or tennis game to a reasoned exchange through which we all gain respect and understanding from each other — then we change the very nature of what it means to “win” an argument.

1. What is the author’s attitude toward Carnegie’s understanding of argument?

A．Critical.

B．Supportive.

C．Tolerant.

D．Uncertain.

2. Why do many people try to avoid arguments?

A．They lack debating skills.	B．They may feel bad even if they win.
C．They fear being ignored.	D．They are not confident in themselves.

3. What does the underlined phrase “spell out” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Defend.

B．Explain.

C．Conclude.

D．Repeat.

4. What is the key to “winning” an argument according to the author?

A．Sense of logic.	B．Solid supporting evidence.
C．Proper manners.	D．Understanding from both sides.

10 . On October 20th comes “Killers of the Flower Moon” from the director Martin Scorsese. At nearly three and a half hours, its length is nearly double that of the average film last year. Even movie fans struggle to concentrate for that long. During the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, some viewers dozed off. Afterwards there was a mad dash (and long queue) for the toilets. When did watching a film become such a labor?

Film-makers started producing long-lasting movies at a rapid pace in the early 1960s. Cinema was booming and filmmakers wanted to distinguish their art from television. Epics surpassing the three-and-a-half hour mark graced the silver screen. Back then, audiences enjoyed an interval while the projectionist prepared the reels for the next act. Runtimes of popular films experienced ups and downs over subsequent decades. But they have ballooned since 2018.

Movie series is one driver of this trend. Studios want to squeeze the most out of their costly intellectual property, but they are competing with streaming platforms for eyeballs. The hope is that a spectacular, drawn-out blockbuster (大片) will tempt audiences away from the small screen and into cinemas. This approach has often paid off: “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), which showcased Marvel superheroes remarkably with a runtime of three hours, achieved the highest box office revenue among all films in that year.

Anything that attracts people away from their sofas to see a film in theatres is good news for cinemas. But lengthy runtimes also pose a “fundamental problem”, complains Clare Binns of Picturehouse, a British cinema group and film distributor. Long movies can mean abandoning two showings per night, which hurts ticket sales and profits.

Another explanation for longer films has to do with directors’ growing influence. Who would dare tell the likes of Mr Nolan to shorten his masterpieces? Streamers, which do not have to worry as much about concision because viewers can pause whenever they like, may attract big names with deep pockets and promises of creative freedom. “Killers of the Flower Moon” will debut on AppleTV+ after its theatrical release.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A．Movie fans tend to have a dislike for long movies.

B．Movie theaters should provide adequate restrooms.

C．The average movie fan cannot focus for over three hours.

D．Long movies affect audience engagement and physical comfort.

2. What does the underlined word “ballooned” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Expanded with air.	B．Made great profits.
C．Enjoyed great popularity	D．Increased rapidly in length.

3. Why does the author mention the movie “Avengers: Endgame”?

A．To demonstrate the trend of longer movies.

B．To highlight the success of Marvel series.

C．To illustrate the strong appeal of movie series.

D．To emphasize the studio-streaming platform contest.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Movie Marathons: Past and Present	B．Long Movies: Impacts and Reasons
C．Filmmaking: Challenges and Rewards	D．Streaming Platforms: Promising and Profitable