1 . I began a new job in a new city six months ago. Big moments of changing like this have a way of dragging up deep, hidden fears we don’t face in our longer periods of stability.     1     .I was constantly losing sleep, had lots of panicky doubt, and even some regret when I thought about the job I just left.

Change is risk. Our primitive brains translate risk into danger, and our survival as a species depends on avoiding it. Though philosopher Nietzsche famously said, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger”, the risk that it could kill you can easily cause anxiety.     2     . Me, no exception.

Unluckily, there are always big changes we must face at some point.     3     . The first thing I did when I doubted myself and my decision to take a new job and move to a new city was talk to people who know and care about me. So blinded was I by change-caused anxiety that I had lost sight of my common sense. I reached out to my friends and my old boss. They gave me so much good advice that I wrote it down and referred to it often in those early weeks.

    4     . Simply thinking about the past challenges where you came out on top is a reminder that you will do so this time as well. Sometimes our greatest difficulties become our greatest moments of success.

Change, while requiring adjustment—sometimes painful adjustment—often finds its way back to balance. Change and struggle are usually the only ways to get to someplace better.     5     . So, the sooner you discover what helps you adjust, restart, and succeed during change, the easier it will be to bag the next peak.

A．Crisis is also opportunity

B．Change also never goes away

C．I also managed to learn from the past

D．That’s how species and individuals live together

E．I managed poorly at the beginning of this change

F．That’s why we are so restless when faced with changes

G．That means finding the wisdom that helps us make the change

2 . Can People Really Learn to "Speed Read”？

There never seems to be enough time to read these days. With so many books and articles—especially on social media——the ability to read faster could be a life-changer.     1    The problem is that true speed reading without any loss in comprehension isn't supported by the science.

“Speed reading is not actually possible," said Elizabeth Schotter, a scientist at the University of South Florida.    2     You have to first see the word, understand its meaning, relate the word to its context, and then figure out where to point your eyes next.

Some books and classes train people to read whole passages all at once by scanning text in a zigzag（之字形）pattern. These methods suggest that our eyes make wasted movements when looking back and forth over words. But studies find that the limit to reading comprehension is the ability to recognize words.     3    

In recent years, numerous apps have claimed they can boost reading speed. These apps display text just one word at a time, one after another at a certain rate.     4     But again, the eyes sometimes have to go back and reread words to fully grasp text. Research has found that your eyes pick up important information beyond the word in focus, which is simply not possible if you can only read one word at a time.

    5    You probably can't dramatically increase your speed, but research suggests you can get a little faster by improving your vocabulary and simply reading more. Good thing there's plenty to read. Enjoy it.

A．So is there a way to become a faster reader?

B．Is the scientific community doubtful about speed reading?

C．So adjusting eye movements probably won't help you read faster.

D．Most people who claim to be speed-reading are actually skimming.

E．That way, your eyes are forced to focus on the word in front of you.

F．Reading is a complex task that requires cooperation between mental systems.

G．That is why so many classes, books and apps claim they can get you to read faster.

3 . Lapland's reindeer (驯鹿) grow well in winters of -30℃ and even colder. So when rain falls instead of snow during the coldest months in the Arctic,it makes food hard to get for them. Now one of the best-loved symbols of Christmas is probably dying out. Numbers have fallen by over half in the last two decades as the place warms at four times the global average rate.

The animals are used to pull sleigh (雪橇) rides for tourists. The rides are part of Lapland winter wonderland experiences in thousands of British tourists each year. But this year the working herd had to be moved 60 miles further north due to the absence of snow. As a result, they can't be provided in some areas, making it hard for people to earn a living.

Lapland is often described as Europe's last great wilderness, home to lynxes, brown bears, wolverines and golden eagles. Tourism is a big part of the economy, and the town of Rovaniemi is also the "official home of Santa Claus". But changing climate (气候) is threatening its tourism industry. A report by The Finnish Climate Change Panel warns of flooding and increased rainfall, with Rovaniemi most at risk. Firms that rely on snow "will have great effects on visit levels" and these industries may be forced further north.

Erkkila of the Arctic Husky Park in Rovaniemi says: "Tourists see pictures of the Santa Claus village covered in snow and when they get here they think, 'Is this the winter wonderland?'." The Husky Park bought a wheeled cart (车) six years ago as a replacement for sleigh rides when the snow fails.

In the past it was thought the Arctic was warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. But a report published last week by scientists showed the rate is actually four times the global average.

1. What causes the drop in Lapland's reindeer population?

A．Cold winter.	B．Polluted habitats.
C．Heavy snow.	D．Rising temperatures.

2. What does the underlined word "they" in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Rides.

B．Animals.

C．Experiences.

D．Tourists.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Lapland is home to various wildlife.

B．Increased rainfall threatens Rovaniemi.

C．Rovaniemi is official home of Santa Claus.

D．Changing climate affects Lapland's tourism.

4. What does Erkkila say about tourists to Rovaniemi?

A．They feel excited.	B．They are disappointed.
C．They enjoy themselves.	D．They prefer wheeled carts.

4 . Recent research discovered that a low-cost computer training program can help older persons drive less dangerously.

“We developed a training program, called Drive Aware, which could be used by anyone who has a computer,” says Jing Feng, co-author of the study and a professor of psychology at NC State. “Drive Aware is a cognitive (认知的) training program for older persons that helps them notice traffic risks more effectively. The purpose of our recent study was to see how much Drive Aware changes trainees’ driving behaviors once they get behind the wheel.”

The researchers found 27 persons aged 65 and up to test Drive Aware. In a driving simulator (模拟器), all of the study participants (参与者) experienced a basic driving exam. The “active training” group was made up of nine of the study participants. Every two weeks, the active training group had two Drive Aware trainings. A group of nine additional study participants was asked to take “passive training”. This group watched videos of others receiving the Drive Aware instruction. This happened twice, with each lasting about a week. The control group, which was made up of the remaining nine study participants, received no training. After that, all 27 study participants performed a second driving exam in the simulator.

The study participants in the active training group experienced 25% fewer “unsafe incidents (事件)” following the training, according to the researchers. There was no obvious change in the number of dangerous incidents among study participants in the passive training and control groups.

“This testing was done with a fairly limited number of study participants,” Feng says. “If we can succeed in getting the fund, we’d like to further our testing with more people to clearly prove how effective this training is at reducing accidents among older drivers.”

1. What does the underlined phrase “get behind the wheel” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Take a risk.	B．Start a program.
C．Drive a car.	D．Use a computer.

2. What was the “passive training” group required to do?

A．Experience no training.	B．Receive two Drive Aware trainings.
C．Take three driving tests.	D．Observe videos of Drive Aware trainings.

3. How did the researchers arrive at their testing result?

A．By quoting former figures.	B．By investigating car accidents.
C．By operating the driving simulator.	D．By comparing participants’ performances.

4. What is Feng’s attitude towards the testing?

A．Unclear.

B．Worried.

C．Positive.

D．Doubtful.

5 . The Most Breathtaking Theaters in the World

Shakespeare's Globe Theater（London, UK）

The original Globe Theater was built by Shakespeare's company in 1599, but was destroyed by fire in 1613. A replica was built in 1997 just meters from the original site. The new 857-seat structure has several modern features. It has the first and only straw roof permitted in London since the great fire of 1666.

Shakespeare's Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London; +44 20 7902 1400

Margravial Opera House（Bayreuth, Germany）

Built in 1745, the UNESCO-listed Mareravial Opera House is regarded as the finest baroque theater in Europe. The stage has a depth of 27 meters and was the largest in Europe until 1871. Much of the original materials remain, along with original structures, such as the twin staircases.

Margravial Opera House, Opernstrasse 14. Bayreuth, Germany; +49 9 21 7 59 69 22

Teatro Amazonas（Manaus, Brazil）

There can't be many theaters located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, and the Teatro Amazonas is certainly the most breathtaking. The theater was built in 1895 and was designed by Italian architect Celestial Sacardim. Work took 15 years. largely thanks to the decision to source supplies from all over the world

Amazon Theater, Centro, Manaus, Brazil; +55 92 3622 1880

National Centre for the Performing Arts（Beijing, China）

The National Centre for the Performing Arts（NCPA）, built in 2007, is an arts centre in Beijing. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu, the NCPA is the largest theatre complex（建筑群）in Asia. The NCPA includes value in both ancient traditional Chinese architecture and modern architecture. It was specially designed to improve the red walls of ancient buildings and the Great Hall of the People in order to fit in with the surroundings.

NCPA, No. 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing; +86 010 6655 0989

1. Where does the theatre with its longest survival time lie?

A．In London.

B．In Bayreuth

C．In Manaus.

D．In Beijing

2. Which of the following was designed by an Italian architect?

A．Shakespeare's Globe.	B．Margravial Opera House.
C．Teatro Amazonas.	D．National Centre for the Performing Arts.

3. How is National Centre for the Performing Arts special?

A．It features modern architecture.	B．It receives worldwide supplies.
C．It is a multifunctional theatre	D．It matches its surroundings.

7 . Declining in the past several decades, the multigenerational household seems to find its way back in recent years. Different generations of the same family live together in one household for a whole range of reasons. The most popular belief is that multigenerational households today come about because young adults won't fly the nest. While there is some truth in this, “adult children yet to leave home” was only the third-most-common driver.

Grandparents are now moving across town to be closer or to live with their grandchildren so they can provide childcare during the day. Likewise, some people are inviting their elderly parents to live with them so they could take care of them. “Care arrangement support” was the second-most-common driver for multigenerational living.

Finance pressure in getting higher education, workforce employment and the cost of housing encourage the younger generation to delay leaving the parental home. Changes in government policies on child, aged and disability care can also have impacts on people's decisions. This is actually the last straw which breaks them.

There are admittedly problems with multigenerational living. One of the bigger complaints about it is that not everyone helps. While adult children do help out with chores, they simply do housework for themselves, instead of being responsible for the whole family. Complaints about chores, however, pale in comparison to those about lack of privacy in the family home. This is the result of a combination of family members not respecting personal boundaries but also of many housing designs that are not suitable for multigenerational needs.

Despite the attention given by the public to this household form, little is known about it, particularly the experiences of those who choose to live in them. Whatever it is, there are pros and cons to multigenerational living, just like living alone.

1. Why do different generations live together according to the most popular opinion?

A．Elderly parents can't get plenty of care.

B．Young adults can take good care of parents.

C．Adult children wouldn't like to leave home.

D．People are tired with so much childcare now.

2. What is the final driver for multigenerational living?

A．The education background.

B．The advantages of a big family.

C．The rising concern about parenting,

D．The government policies related.

3. What's the biggest problem of the multigenerational household?

A．It ruins the people's independence.

B．It is a threat to the modern society.

C．It affects the privacy of family members.

D．It encourages young adults to live alone.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Narrowing the generation gap

B．Having to live under one roof

C．Finding a multigenerational family

D．Keeping traditions from dying out

9 . For 30 years we have been told how temperatures have been rising rapidly to unheard of levels. This is causing polar ice to melt, sea-levels to rise and has brought about a dangerous increase in extreme weather events. These intense climatic changes would likely present challenges to our society and environment.

The causes of climate change are mainly anthropogenic (人为的) in nature. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The increased amount of gases which absorb heat has led to more heat being kept in the atmosphere, causing global warming.

The certainty of global warming can be seen through some of the natural phenomena like the effect on crops and extreme weather conditions around the world. The most recent assessment report says that the earth’s average temperature has risen by 0. 74 degrees in the period from 1906 to 2005, and that the average temperature will continue to rise. There have also been more violent downpours, sea levels have risen and the ice at the world’s poles and on its mountains is melting. The rising sea level is flooding the low-lying countries in Asia and small islands in the Pacific. This may lead to the displacement of millions of people, loss of millions of land and consequently billions of dollars.

Troubled by the serious situation, world leaders came together for the 2015 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Paris. The climate talks led to 196 countries reaching a landmark agreement that will, for the first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to address global climate change. That was certainly an encouraging step forward for our earth and mankind!

As the world leaders continue to commit themselves to monitor our sick planet, we need to continue to take small steps to heal the world. We are left with not much of a choice. If only we could just pack our bags and migrate to Mars!

1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The information of industrial revolution.

B．The greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

C．The reasons of climate change.

D．The result of extreme weather events.

2. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．We have made great achievements.

B．Some measures are still required to take.

C．Mars is suitable for people’s living.

D．Some countries will receive urgent aid.

3. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Long Live Planet Earth!

B．Environment Changes Rapidly!

C．What Serious Global Warming!

D．How Important the UN Agreement Is!

4. Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?

A．	B．
C．	D．

10 . Although billions of locusts(蝗虫) appearing on East African countries greatly panicked farmers in 2020, they managed to see through this unexpected crisis. “Their success primarily results from a technology-driven anti-locust operation,” said Mr. Cressman, an officer in the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Normally, these locusts live alone across the deserts of North Africa, Southwest Asia and the Middle East. But when rains arrive, they change from a slightly brown into a deep yellow and form groups of more than 15 million insects per square mile. Such quantities of locusts can consume the equivalent amount of food in a single day as more than 13 000 people.

Locust trackers in Sudan and Eritrea find the insects by using a tablet-based program to transmit data to authorities so experts can design appropriate control strategies. But people who want to use this system might encounter a technological problem: The version of the tablets that the locust-tracking program was written for is not manufactured and newer tablets are unsuitable for the software.

Rather than rewriting the locust-tracking software for newer tablets, Mr. Cressman thought creating a simple smartphone app would make anyone collect data like an expert. He sought help from Dr. Hughes, who had already created PlantVillage to track a crop pest. Borrowing from this blueprint Dr. Hughes and his colleagues completed eLocust3m, which anyone with a smartphone can use. The app presents photos of locusts at different stages of their life cycles, which helps users diagnose what they see in the field. The locations are then automatically recorded by GPS and algorithms(算法) double check submitted photos. If necessary, pesticide-spraying aircraft will take position.

The F.A.O. estimates that this effort in East Africa has prevented the loss of agricultural products with a commercial value of $ 1.5 billion, saving the livelihood of 34 million people.

1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?

A．Summarize the previous paragraph.	B．Provide scientific data for readers.
C．Add some background information.	D．Introduce a new topic for discussion.

2. What may trouble potential tablet-based program users?

A．The low adaptability of the software.	B．Too many versions of new tablets.
C．The complex process of transmitting data.	D．The urgency of rewriting the software.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．Cressman created a smartphone app.

B．ELocust3m is based on PlantVillage.

C．Operating ELocust3m needs much training.

D．Users should record where they find locusts.

4. Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?

A．

B．

C．

D．