1 . 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。

In recent years, the world     1     (see) a number of natural disasters: hurricanes in the Caribbean and southern U.S., earthquakes in Mexico, and monsoons (季风雨) in southern Asia. These     2     (event) brought damage to communities. They also brought questions about what we can do to prepare     3     (we) for similar events. The best thing to do when facing a coming natural disaster is to pay attention to your area’s evacuation notices and take advantage of evacuation help. However, it’s possible to     4     (catch) by an unexpected emergency. When     5     (face) with those situations, what should you do to stay safe? How can you be better prepared? Every family should have an emergency plan     6     addresses the most likely disasters in their area. Practical     7     (survive) skills should also be part of every family’s plan. These skills need to be learned and practiced before things get hard. This is because you     8     (simple) won’t have time to read a survival book during     9     emergency.     10     (stay) calm is the most important thing a person can do during any emergency. A little fear is a natural and healthy response (反应) to a frightening event. But when fear runs unchecked, a person may make dangerous choices. It takes practice to learn to stay calm in frightening situations, but it can be done.

2 . The older you are, the less likely you are to swear (except in the car—studies say most people swear when driving). As we get older, swearing becomes part of the rich lexicon of language that we use to express ourselves, and while we might associate swear words with negative communication. Only eight percent of people actually swear to cause offence. “There are many other reasons that we swear, including positive uses like expressing excitement, emphasis.” says Dr Karyn Stapleton, a senior lecturer in Communication at Ulster University. “And there’s cathartic (宣泄的) swearing, which provides a means of releasing strong emotions, or feelings like anger, pain or frustration.”   

Cathartic swearing fascinates scientists as it shows some really interesting facts about bad language. Studies at the UK’s Keele University revealed that when under stress, a person can think of considerably more swear words than someone asked to do the same task when relaxed, and it’s now suspected that rather than being controlled by the normal part of the brain that handles language (the left cortex), swear words are actually processed by the limbic (边缘的) system that normally controls emotional thoughts. Be warned though—the more you swear in general speech, the less effective the cathartic effects of swear words are when you really need them!

What makes a word offensive is also very interesting. “The two main categories of swear words are bodily functions and religion—and that’s not just in English, it’s observed across many languages,” says Dr Robbie Love, lecturer in English Language at Aston University in Birmingham. “It’s like the brain has encoded these words with a special meaning so that it knows they are different in some way. I think there’s almost an innate human need to have some linguistic items that can be used to process intense moments.”

Generally though, we’re swearing less than we used to. Dr Love’s research found the use of 16 common swear words has declined by 27 percent over the last 20 years. According to a survey by the British Board of Film Classification, only 12 percent of those aged 55-64 swear regularly compared to 46 percent of 20-somethings. “It’s possible that as we get older we might have fewer uses for swearing. We don’t need it to bond with coworkers. Also, older adults have often had to spend some time restraining their language around children—no matter how our own feelings about swearing change, we still don’t want to expose children to it,” says Dr Love.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．People swear more easily as they get older.	B．People swear merely to release negative emotion.
C．Swearing often offends others.	D．Swearing is a way of expressing ourselves.

2. Which of the following facts about swearing is not correct?

A．person can think less swear words in relaxation than in pressure.

B．Swear words come from the brain system that controls emotional thought.

C．Bodily functions and religion are two types of swear words just in English.

D．People swearing more in daily life may not release their emotions well on necessary occasions.

3. How does Dr. Love feel about swearing?

A．Helpful

B．Offensive

C．Special

D．Indifferent

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Young people swear in order to connect with their coworkers.

B．Older people may swear less to create better language setting for children.

C．There are fewer swear words people use.

D．People swear less than they used to.

3 . While socializing comes naturally for some, it can be a struggle for others. Shyness is a normal, common personality trait (特征).     1    . If you’re often hesitant to engage in social situations, you may interact with those around you in a more comfortable way. We outline four strategies for overcoming shyness in life.

Get Excited About A New Adventure

You may have been shy most of your life.     2    . Working through shyness and developing increased confidence may seem like a discouraging task for you, but viewing the journey as an exciting adventure to parts unknown can be exciting and, in turn, may boost your self-esteem.

Pay Attention To Your Words

    3    . Talking to yourself in a negative way when describing yourself can damage your self-confidence. Consider replacing phrases like “I am shy” with “I am learning to be more comfortable” in social situations. This can go a long way toward moving from shyness to confidence.

Practice Mindfulness (正念)

Mindfulness involves drawing your attention to the present and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.     4    . In one study, participants in a mindfulness program experienced an improved view of their self-worth.

Take Small Steps

Getting started can be the hardest part of learning how to be more social for those who are shy.     5    . You can start out small. Try chatting with the teller at the bank or the person ahead of you in the checkout line. This can help you build confidence and work your way up to more difficult challenges.

A．If so, that’s a part of you that you’re used to

B．Sometimes the best path toward addressing a fear is exposure

C．Mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder

D．Taking time to tend to your appearance can make a big difference

E．How we communicate and characterize ourselves can be powerful

F．However, shyness can make it hard for people to connect with others and achieve their goals

G．But engaging with people doesn’t have to be practiced as an important work presentation

4 . Electrically powered vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft—flying cars are an idea whose time has not quite yet come, but is fast approaching. Many firms are offering various designs. None of these, however, will be Jetson-like family flying cars. Pivotal, based in Silicon Valley, by contrast has crafted something that people can purchase and pilot themselves. Helix is a single-seat vehicle, so “flying motorbike” might be more accurate. From next year, many people will be able to order one for personal use, though they will not be able to take delivery until June.

Marcus Leng founded Pivotal in 2011, and some back-of-the-envelope calculations he made suggested that electric lift-off of a human-carrying craft, using motors powered by the lithium-ion batteries ought to work. He thus built a model and flew it in the garden of his house in Warkworth, Ontario.

Now, after ameliorating it, the firm thinks it has something marketable. The aircraft has, nevertheless, changed little in its fundamentals over the years. It has two pairs of wings and eight propellers (螺旋桨), making it slightly resemble a squashed “H” when seen in the sky from below. And there is no undercarriage. Instead, its belly is curved in a way similar to a humpback whale’s, so it rocks to stability after landing.

Pilot’s licence or not, buyers will still need some training to fly a Helix. Pivotal insists on this. For the same reason, the craft’s software will stop the pilot doing anything that does not fit its safety rules. And if, despite this, something does go wrong, it is fitted with a parachute（降落伞）.

The Helix’s top speed is a respectable 100 kph, but its range is only 30 km. And refueling it is a bit of a pain. Filling up from the mains takes four and a half hours, though a special high-power system similar to those employed for electric cars can bring that down to 75 minutes. While Helix still doesn’t compare to the flying car from the Jetsons, it could be a step forward.

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．Helix has been used in Warkworth widely.

B．Flying cars won’t be allowed for personal use.

C．Leng was the first person to design flying cars.

D．Helix is only suitable for one person to drive.

2. What does the underlined word “ameliorating” in paragraph 3’mean?

A．Testing.

B．Driving.

C．Improving.

D．Repairing.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Helix’s relative devices.	B．Helix’s training process.
C．Helix’s safety measures.	D．Helix’s working principle.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards Helix?

A．Doubtful.

B．Objective.

C．Indifferent.

D．Cautious.

5 . On July 28, I retired from my position. After teaching for many years, I looked forward to kayaking (划独木舟) with my grandsons, seeing friends and traveling for leisure with my husband. But my body had other plans for me. A broken spine (脊椎) in my back took me down a path that upended my plans.

I have long had back pain. However, I pushed through the pain to do my work, which worsened my condition. Doctors urged an operation when increased disability meant I could not sit, stand or walk for a long time. But I wanted to see whether physical therapy (治疗) could create an easier option.

Indeed, hard work with a great physical therapist has let me improve my mobility, sitting and standing. But X-rays told a different story. My spine was unstable and bending. After careful consideration and a second opinion from another professional, I agreed to surgery yet in the near term. Needless to say, the past months have been tough and the way ahead will be even tougher. Kayaking with my grandsons in the peacefulness of the lake is all out of reach, for now.

When I met my physical therapist for the first time, I was a mess. He listened to me outline my history with tears and then calmly said, “You have to make friends with your body.” I have repeated that line to myself daily and worked to embrace my body. I have focused on gratitude. I’m grateful that I do not have a fatal disease. I’m grateful that the body I have remains alert to the world, loved by family and friends. I’m grateful that I am still myself.

I don’t know exactly how the future will play out. The surgeon assures me that I should be able to get in my kayak by summer. But I may have to make friends with a different body, one that is mine regardless of the shape.

1. Why did the author’s condition become worse?

A．She disliked physical therapy.

B．She hurt her back when kayaking.

C．She still worked despite back pain.

D．She was unwilling to have an operation.

2. What can we learn about the author from paragraph 3?

A．She forgot to kayak with her grandsons.

B．She decided to accept an operation right away.

C．She completely recovered after physical therapy.

D．She asked another doctor for advice on the operation.

3. What changed the author’s attitude towards her body?

A．Her wish to enjoy retirement life.

B．Her physical therapist’s advice.

C．Her worsening physical condition.

D．Her love for her family and friends.

4. Which of the following is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Learning to accept my body

B．Enjoying my retirement life

C．Fighting against my back pain

D．Being grateful for what I have

6 . Volunteer at the EcoTarium! We simply could not offer the programs and special events that make the EcoTarium a unique resource to our community without our diverse and dedicated corps of volunteers. To be considered for a more specific position, look through the volunteer listings below, and submit an application.

Zoo Ambassador Volunteer

Our zoo ambassador volunteers will assist the Zoology Department to connect with guests through engaging educational experiences about our animal residents. We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about animals and excited to interact with guests of all ages. Volunteers may also complete behavioral studies on numerous animals within the care of the EcoTarium to help enhance the welfare for our animals!

Animal Care Volunteer

Animal care volunteers will aid in all areas of husbandry (农牧业), including feeding, cleaning, record keeping, training animals, and behavioral observations. They will work with a variety of animals under our care, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The position is physically demanding and requires working in all weather conditions.

Education Program Volunteer

Through conversations and hands-on activities, education program volunteers help visitors make meaningful connections to our exhibits, encourage curiosity and scientific inquiry, and challenge visitors to dive deeper into the concepts explored at our museum.

Collections Volunteer

The EcoTarium seeks volunteers who are interested in making a contribution to science by uncovering lost specimens (标本) in the EcoTarium collection! Photograph, measure, and take notes on birds, eggs, seashells, or pressed flowers. This is an excellent position for a high school or college student considering a career in biology or lab science. It is also appropriate for citizen scientists of any age. It offers an opportunity to see examples of rare or extinct plants and animals.

1. What can an animal care volunteer do?

A．Collect lost specimens.

B．Learn to feed and clean animals.

C．Finish some studies on the exhibits.

D．Help elderly visitors interact with animals.

2. Which position most suits a biology major?

A．Collections Volunteer.	B．Animal Care Volunteer.
C．Education Program Volunteer.	D．Zoo Ambassador Volunteer.

3. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To list the advantages of volunteers.

B．To spread knowledge about volunteers.

C．To train more people to become volunteers.

D．To introduce some positions about volunteers.

7 . A man with advanced Parkinson’s disease (帕金森氏症) is now able to walk almost normally again thanks to electrodes implanted (电极植入) in his spinal cord (脊椎), researchers said on Monday. The medical first was achieved by Swiss researchers who had previously pioneered similar breakthroughs to help disabled people walk again.

“This could be a game-changing technology to help bring back movement in people with advanced Parkinson’s,” said David Dexter, research director at Parkinson’s UK.

Marc Gauthier, the 62-year-old patient who lives in France, has suffered from the brain disorder for about 30 years. Like more than 90 percent of people with advanced Parkinson’s, Mar c has had great difficulty walking. What are known as “freezing” experiences — during which patients are unable to move for a limited time, putting them at risk of falling — are particularly awful, Marc told AFP.

Much remains unknown about Parkinson’s disease, making treatment difficult. But the disease can seriously affect the lives of patients, sometimes keeping them to bed or a wheelchair. So when the opportunity came to go through an operation in Switzerland, Marc gladly accepted the chance.

“Now I can do whatever I want,” Marc says. “I can go for a walk and go out shopping by myself.” He adds that he can now walk much more easily — he is even planning a trip to Brazil — but it still requires concentration, particularly when climbing upstairs.

The Swiss team, led by surgeon Jocelyne Bloch and neuroscientist Gregoire Courtine , implanted a complex system of electrodes called a “neuroprosthesis (神经假体)” at important points along Marc’s spinal cord. The neuroprosthesis was first tested on animals, and then implanted in Marc, who has used it for roughly eight hours a day over nearly two years.

The Swiss team has expanded their experiment to a group of six Parkinson’s patients, aiming to know how it could help others, given the disease affects people in different ways. However, treatment using the implant could be quite expensive, potentially limiting how many patients would have access.

1. What is David Dexter’s attitude to the Swiss breakthrough?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Doubtful.

C．Positive.

D．Unclear.

2. What can Marc do after the surgery?

A．Volunteer as a tour guide in Brazil.	B．Run to his heart’s content.
C．Go to the supermarket alone.	D．Make a phone call while climbing the stairs.

3. What do we know about the surgery?

A．It was first tested on Marc Gauthier.	B．It is hardly affordable for ordinary people.
C．It has been performed on many patients.	D．It was done by researchers in the UK.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Spinal Implant Allows a Parkinson’s Patient to Walk Again

B．Parkinson’s Patients Have to Deal With Difficulties in Life

C．Swiss Experts Have Created a Drug to Treat Parkinson’s

D．New Technology Prevents People From Developing Parkinson’s

8 . 假设你校英语报就“我心中的偶像（Idol in my heart）”展开征文活动，你对该话题很感兴趣，拟投稿。你的短文必须包含以下内容：
1、谁是你心中的偶像？
2、你为什么会崇拜他（她）？
结合一个具体事例说明偶像在你成长过程中对你的影响。
注意： 词数100左右。
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . Daniel Devlin lives in the same house as his children and sees them every day — yet he is unable to recognise them at all.

Mr. Devlin, 46, from London, is living with a strange condition called prosopagnosia (脸盲症), also known as face-blindness, meaning he struggles to recognise faces — even those of his own family. He has to memorise his family’s voices and body language in order to know who they are. But reading voices and body language doesn’t always work. He has even mistaken another boy for his son when picking his children up from school before.

Mr. Devlin said, “Humans have a special ability to recognise people by seeing their faces. I really don’t have this ability.”

Maybe a good way to imagine what it’s like to have prosopagnosia is to try and recognise people by what their hands look like. Every person has different hands, but if someone showed you a photo of someone’s hands, you might struggle to recognise who the person is, even if that person turns out to be someone you know very well.

“I just thought that everyone was the same, or maybe I just wasn’t putting in as much effort as others to remember people. If I saw my wife somewhere unexpected and she pretended not to know me, then I’m not sure whether I would know it was her.”

Though Mr. Devlin now knows he has had the condition all his life, his disease was only found a few years ago by chance. He said, “I heard a programme about face-blindness on the radio and realised that was what I had.”

It is thought that the condition affects up to one in 50 people. Some people with prosopagnosia may only struggle to recognise a familiar face, but in more severe cases sufferers cannot distinguish a face as being different from an object.

1. What is the problem that Daniel Devlin has?

A．He often mistakes other boys for his son.

B．He has difficulty recognising people’s faces.

C．He can’t remember the faces of many strangers.

D．He can’t distinguish the voices of different people.

2. The underlined word in paragraph 2 can be replaced by ________?

A．situation

B．feature

C．illness

D．characteristic

3. According to the text, Mr. Devlin _________.

A．is always able to recognise his wife

B．once thought he was the same as others

C．had face-blindness after he was badly hurt

D．knew a lot about face-blindness from the very beginning

4. What type of writing is the article?

A．Science fiction.	B．A news report.
C．A medical report.	D．Popular science.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How did Mrs. Albright feel about being interviewed at first?

A．Anxious.

B．Unhappy.

C．Touched.

2. What is special about Mrs. Albright?

A．She is a record holder.

B．She is both blind and deaf.

C．She was badly hurt in the war.

3. When was Mrs. Albright born?

A．In 1920.

B．In 1922.

C．In 1943.

4. Where did Mrs. Albright learn about the power of kindness?

A．From her husband’s experience.

B．From a book written by her sister.

C．From a saying of a famous author.