1 . How to be a good listener?

In the workplace, people don’t always say what they mean. Learning to become a better listener can greatly improve workplace communication. In addition, many people aren’t born with good listening skills. Even great listeners sometimes focus on something that makes them distracted (分心).     1     Here are several tips.

Don’t interrupt (打断) the speaker until he has finished. Interrupting a conversation wastes time.     2     So save your questions and comments until the speaker finishes talking.

Pay attention while listening.     3     Focus on the speaker’s tone of voice, eye contact, facial expressions and feelings to help you better understand the message.

    4     Use expressions, such as “I see,” “Go on,” “I understand,” and “Yes.” You can also nod your head or smile to give responses (回应) to the speaker. Sometimes you can even ask open-ended questions which encourage the speaker to talk more. For example, “What happened?” or “What are you going to do now?”

The workplace houses many different persons and no matter how kind you are, the possibility exists that someone would cause an unwanted reaction within you.     5     That is especially helpful when you are a starter in the workplace. Besides, good listeners learn from what is being said, so they are able to apply the information to work without making mistakes.

A．Provide feedback.

B．Stand in the other person’s shoes.

C．Listen to each word that the speaker is saying.

D．Therefore, learning how to be a good listener is important.

E．It would annoy the speaker and stop what he plans to express.

F．The best way to avoid it is to remind yourself your job is only to listen.

G．In that case, try your best to become a focus of attention in your workplace.

2 . Elevators (电梯) haven’t been updated much in 150 years but PLP Architecture wants to change that.

PLP’s IUMO, formerly known as the SkyPod, is an elevator that runs outside of buildings instead of inside. That means IUMO doesn’t just go up and down. It can turn and go in any direction the user requires. Unlike traditional elevators, IUMO runs on a track fixed onto the building’s outside.

In action it looks almost like a roller coaster-elevator hybrid as it goes up, down and circles around a building. However, the passengers inside IUMO aren’t rolling upside down with it. In fact, the futuristic elevator won’t even make your ears uncomfortable. IUMO works like a gyroscope (陀螺). The elevator car is totally stabilized (稳定), while the part that connects to the track is what turns. “It uses the same stabilization systems of high-speed trains,” PLP stated. “Driving this is a motor system similar to that used by roller coasters and Maglev trains.”

But the goal isn’t just to change elevators. It’s also to reimagine the experience of actually riding one. “Imagine such an elevator in which your journey begins at home, pauses at your favorite cafe and ends directly on your 55th-floor office,” PLP said.

The company believes that IUMO will be able to change the way buildings are designed in the future too. Traditional elevators, which require expensive equipment, already affect a building’s architecture.

“IUMO will allow for new types of buildings that, despite their height, match the city style,” PLP stated. “The elevator has been a primary influence on the shape and appearance of the modern city to date. We believe that the certain end of it will be the encouragement for the next chapter in the life of the city.”

1. In what way is IUMO special?

A．It makes passengers roll.	B．It goes up and down.
C．It runs inside the building.	D．It goes in different directions.

2. How will the passengers in the IUMO feel?

A．Comfortable.

B．Nervous.

C．Sick.

D．Excited.

3. What influence will IUMO have on the building?

A．Depth.

B．Architecture.

C．Application.

D．Material.

4. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．The elevator.

B．The shape.

C．The building.

D．The city.

3 . Accommodation is probably the most important parts of your vacation. With vacations made easy, you can have many choices. Look through the most popular destinations below.

Nashville, TN

Known as “Music City”, Nashville is one of the hottest spots to visit. There are different choices, so whether you want to be near the Grand Ole Opry and have a costly stay at the famous Gaylord Opryland Hotel, or would rather enjoy a more budget (预算)-friendly downtown Nashville hotel, you’re sure to run your vacation smoothly.

Lake Tahoe, CA

With amazing sightseeing cruises (船游), water sports activities, and the beauty of the largest Alpine lake in America, a Lake Tahoe vacation provides a memorable experience. After a day out on the lake, relax at a hotel in the area such as Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort, Destination Hotels & Resorts, or Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly one, you can stay at the Rodeway Inn.

San Antonio, TX

Explore the historic city of San Antonio, TX, through its rich activities, attractions, and historical monuments. There are hotels such as the Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk and the Super 8. So, whether you want to swim in the outdoor pool at the Omni Hotel or stay close to the airport at the Hilton Garden Inn, you can find one suiting your needs.

Pigeon Forge, TN

The Great Smoky Mountains area is the perfect place to experience beautiful sightseeing. You can enjoy a wonderful view and drifting (漂流) adventures at the Creekstone Inn, Pigeon Forge, TN; or enjoy a more low-key experience at Econo Lodge Sevierville.

1. Which destination can attract tourists interested in history?

A．Nashville, TN.	B．Lake Tahoe, CA.
C．San Antonio, TX.	D．Pigeon Forge, TN.

2. What is the similarity between Nashville, TN and Lake Tahoe, CA?

A．They are of a long history.

B．They can be toured by boat.

C．They are known for country music.

D．They have cost-effective hotels to choose from.

3. What is the purpose in writing the text?

A．To provide hotel information for tourists.

B．To list different ways of spending holidays.

C．To encourage tourists to the US for their vacation.

D．To introduce a website of tourist attractions in the US.

4 . We all know reading can teach you facts, and knowing the right thing at the right time helps you be more successful. But is that the whole reason just about every smart, great person you can think of, from Bill Gates to Yu Minhong, credits much of their success to their reading? Of course not.

In fact, beyond simply educating us, books have more benefits (好处). They provide inspiration, guide our decisions, and sometimes even change our lives. Reading a good book can be so amazing that you forget about your troubles for a while. On top of that, reading helps us understand people from different walks of life. It gives us a window into their minds and hearts. Reading has many positive effects on your body as well. Research shows that people who read are less likely to suffer from anxiety. Regular readers also have lower rates of heart disease than those who do not read at all or only watch television. It works better and faster than other methods of relaxation, such as listening to music or drinking hot tea.

Of course, you are reading right now, but sorry, it doesn’t count. The most important benefits come from devoting the time and attention to longer, deeper content. What type of reading is best for the brain? They believe that reading a novel closely to study literature and thinking about its value is an effective exercise in the brain, more effective than just reading for pleasure. Don’t go fooling yourself into considering a look through Facebook as a brain workout.

I use Goodreads to track how many books I read, and try to increase the number every year. If you are inspired to get through more novels this year too, keep an eye on your brain’s performance too, to see if it’s making a difference. I can safely say that you’ll be amazed at the result!

But seriously, have you read any good books lately? Let me know in the comments.

1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．Great persons like reading.

B．Reading enriches people’s life.

C．Reading has far more benefits than listed.

D．Bill Gates and Yu Minhong have good credit.

2. What do we know about reading according to paragraph 2?

A．It frees us from trouble.

B．It helps us better understand others.

C．It is a useful way to treat heart disease.

D．It can take the place of physical exercise.

3. Which of the following reading activities benefits you most?

A．Turning to books for fun.

B．Looking through articles online.

C．Going through newspapers every morning.

D．Thinking about its value while reading a novel.

4. Which may be the best title for the text?

A．It’s never too late to read.	B．Deep reading works better.
C．A good book is a good friend.	D．There is no easy road to reading.

5 . The space community is taking the orbital debris (碎片) threat increasingly seriously these days. Multiple satellite “mega-constellations (巨型星座)” are in the works, making space traffic management and space-junk removal more pressing issues than they’ve ever been.

For instance, SpaceX has already launched more than 1,700 satellites for its Starlink broadband constellation. The company ultimately wants to launch around 30,000Starlink satellites into orbit. One Web has launched more than half of the satellites for its planned 648-member constellation, which may also grow beyond that initial number as time goes on.

In addition, satellite construction costs continue to fall, allowing more and more people to get satellites up and operate them—including folks with very little experience in the field. This opening of the final frontier is generally a good thing, but it further highlights the need for responsible action when it comes to satellite operation. In 2019, for example, the Space Safety Coalition (SSC) laid out a set of proposed voluntary guidelines designed to control space junk over the coming years.

One recommendation is that all satellites operating above 250 miles be equipped with propulsion(推进) systems, allowing them to get away from possible collisions (碰撞). The SSC also recommends operators who control satellites in low Earth orbit should include in their launch contracts a requirement that rocket upper stages should be got rid of in the atmosphere shortly after liftoff.

More active debris-fighting strategies could also be part of the solution. Removing just a handful of rocket bodies or dead satellites every year could help us keep our space-junk problem under control, according to some studies. And researchers around the world are developing and testing ways to do just that, using nets, harpoons(鱼叉) and other methods.

The space-junk issue is a global one, so governments around the world should have conversations about how to deal with it. Let’s hope the talks, the decisions and the tech end up outpacing the problem.

1. What do the two examples in Paragraph 2 illustrate?

A．Orbital debris ensure satellite safety.

B．Constellations consist of many satellites.

C．Space is becoming increasingly crowded.

D．SpaceX has higher capacity to explore space.

2. Why can more people send satellites into orbit?

A．Experience in this area is rich.

B．Satellites are cheaper to make.

C．Satellite operations require little skills.

D．Space is accessible to common people.

3. What is an effective way to control space junk?

A．Remove dead satellites from orbit.

B．Cooperate in monitoring satellites.

C．Operate satellites at a fixed height.

D．Recycle a rocket shortly after liftoff.

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

A．Space junk cleanup

B．The risks of space junk

C．Space debris and satellites

D．Guidelines for space safety

6 . The power of modern electronic media-the net, mobile phones and video games to capture the attention of the human mind particularly the young mind and then distract it, has lately become a subject of concern. We are, say the worriers, losing the ability to apply ourselves properly to a single task, like reading a book in its entirety or mastering a piece of music on an instrument with the result that our thinking is becoming shallower

Nicholas Carr, the American writer, has explored this theme for his new book The Shallows, in which he argues that new media are not just changing our habits but our brain too. It turns out that the mature human brain is not an immutable seat of personality and intellect but a changeable thing, subject to “neuroplasticity” (神经可塑性). When our activities alter so does the architecture of our brain “I’m not thinking the way I used to think,” writes Carr. “I feel it most strongly when I’m reading.” Years of internet use have, he suspects, dented his ability to read deeply to absorb himself in books: “My brain wasn’t just drifting. It was hungry. It was demanding to be fed the way the net fed it.” He describes getting fidgety when faced with a long text: “When we go online, we enter an environment that promotes cursory reading, hurried and distracted thinking, and superficial learning.”

Carr cites research by Gary Small, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA, who concluded that constant exposure to modern media strengthens new neural pathways while weakening older ones. Just five hours of internet use is enough to awaken previously dormant parts of the brain’s prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮层), concluded Small. For Carr, this is proof that the net can rewire the mind. He sees dangers. Deep thought, the ability to immerse oneself in an area of study, to follow a narrative, to understand an argument and develop a critique, is giving way to skimming. Young users of the Internet are good at drawing together information for a school project, for example, but that does not mean they have digested it.

1. The underlined word “dented” in paragraph 2 means ______.

A．strengthened

B．exhausted

C．stimulated

D．damaged

2. In his new book, The Shallows, Nicholas Carr believes that ______.

A．five hours of net use can rewire the mind

B．modern electronic media help focus users attention on the task

C．electronic media have affected his fulfillment of reading books

D．our brain evolves when fed with information and knowledge from the net

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．The sharper the attention, the sharper the memory.

B．Nicholas Carr’s book on the subject is a bestseller.

C．Superficial thinking and learning are associated with the new media.

D．Years of internet use do harm to people’s management over multi-tasking.

4. What is the overall danger of the Internet that Carr pointed out in the last paragraph?

A．Young users cannot digest information from the Internet.

B．Using the Internet will cause damage to our prefrontal cortex.

C．Constant internet use will impair our intensive reading ability

D．The Internet can waste young users’ time to an alarming extent

7 . Dance To Give Back

American Dance Movement has a mission to sponsor or support dance education programs which expose children in underserved communities with access to the lifelong benefits of dance education.

To date, our community grants(补助金) have:

·Provided support to 89 dance programs in 32 states

·Given access to the life-long benefits of dance to 167,00＋ children

·Supported dance programming in school, through after-school instruction

Did you know that National Dance Day raises money for American Dance Movement and you can too?

Funding received through sponsorships and donations on National Dance Day provides the necessary support for our community programs. American Dance Movement makes grants to community organizations, providing dance education programs to children in underserved communities within the US. Through its grant recipients, American Dance Movement seeks to give children the experience of dance, educate them about the many styles of dance, and to expose them to the lifelong benefits that dance has to offer.

In doing so, American Dance Movement is able to:

·Increase access to high-quality dance education across the United States

·Support dance programs that provide an outlet for creative expression, benefiting children with life skills that go beyond the dance class

·Increase appreciation for dance

·Share the benefits and joy of dance, particularly to those who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to experience it

Not only does National Dance Day provide free access to dance for everyone, it also allows the community to come together and raise money fora great cause. Your fundraising event can help contribute to our shared vision and mission, and passion for dance. American Dance Movement will also formally recognize anyone who fundraises for the foundation on the National Dance Day page as an official “National Dance Day Supporter”.

1. What has American Dance Movement done?

A．Trained professional kid dancers.

B．Instructed school dance programs.

C．Set up many branches across the country.

D．Supported many global dance programs.

2. What can we learn about American Dance Movement?

A．It is held especially for dancers.

B．It falls on different day every year.

C．It is accessible to every dance lover.

D．It helps more kids to appreciate dance.

3. What does the author call on people to do?

A．Make donations to the project.

B．Join American Dance Movement.

C．Celebrate the National Dance Day.

D．Choose dance as a form of exercise.

8 . It was a bright May afternoon along the coast. Bauer and his 13-year-old daughter, Ava, were taking _______ of it. They were driving with the windows down as they headed home on a narrow bridge. Suddenly, the calm was _______ by the squeal (摩擦声) of tires.

Not far ahead of them, a truck was _______ from one lane (车道) to the other. It crashed into a concrete barrier, and _______ hanging over the railing (栏杆) of the bridge. Bauer stopped the car _______ to avoid it.

The truck driver’s door opened. A man climbed out and _______ to the ground. Bauer ran up beside him. He pointed down, saying something in Spanish. In the water was a car seat, a girl, about two years old, _______, floating on her back and screaming.

Matters quickly went from bad to frightening when the girl _______ onto her stomach. Bauer waited for the driver to do something, but he didn’t. Maybe he was _______.

Bauer jumped into the water without __________. He swam to the girl and lifted her out of the water. Standing, he laid her against his shoulder and knocked on her __________ with his hand. Come on ⋯ come on ⋯ Wake up! __________, her eyes were opened now, focused on him. He pulled her close, hugging her to protect her from the __________. Minutes later, the girl was sent to __________. The girl suffered a broken shoulder but was otherwise uninjured.

Ava Bauer was __________ by her father’ actions that four months later she became a cadet (实习生) firefighter so that she, too, could save lives.

1.

A．advantage

B．hold

C．possession

D．charge

2.

A．deserted

B．ignored

C．influenced

D．ruined

3.

A．sliding

B．following

C．parking

D．approaching

4.

A．hid

B．waited

C．rested

D．appeared

5.

A．in time

B．by chance

C．on purpose

D．in vain

6.

A．dropped

B．hurried

C．wandered

D．returned

7.

A．embarrassed

B．terrified

C．excited

D．relaxed

8.

A．rolled over

B．stood up

C．calmed down

D．set off

9.

A．discouraged

B．puzzled

C．shocked

D．ashamed

10.

A．permission

B．difficulty

C．doubt

D．hesitation

11.

A．back

B．stomach

C．head

D．chest

12.

A．Slowly

B．Surprisingly

C．Hopelessly

D．Immediately

13.

A．loneliness

B．hunger

C．cold

D．tiredness

14.

A．school

B．hospital

C．home

D．hotel

15.

A．relieved

B．annoyed

C．surprised

D．inspired

9 . Every new exercise routine comes a new risk of injury, whether it’s injuring a muscle from lifting or developing knee pain from running. Some people are unwilling to exercise for fear of injury.    1    There are estimated 8.6 million sports-related injuries each year in America. However, with the right methods, you can develop a well-rounded exercise routine, one that enlarges the benefits while reducing the risk of injury.

    2    One very common issue in runners is knee pain, which is often called “runner’s knee.” To prevent it, for some people, it’s useful to warm up before running. Another common overuse injury among runners is stress fractures (骨折). This often happens when a runner tries to add too many miles too quickly, without taking enough rest days.

Both of these injuries tend to happen because runners did something out of the ordinary compared to what they were trained to do. Take rest days, build up your mileage (里程) gradually and combine regular strength training.    3    

As with other injuries, the risk increases toward the end of a workout. It’s very essential to listen to your body.    4    When it comes to making progress in a workout routine, continuous exercise with a gradual progression is strongly recommended.

Exercise can put someone at risk of injury.    5    There should be a balance between pushing yourself to get better and pushing yourself toward an injury. So encourage yourself to do something that you are confident in doing.

A．These fears are based on facts.

B．Turn to a mixture of sports doctors.

C．This type of exercise can increase the risk of injury.

D．Therefore, the risk of hurting yourself will decrease.

E．But not exercising puts someone at risk of poor health.

F．Adjust in time, especially when tiredness starts to affect your form.

G．Runners may come across two main sorts of injuries related to overuse.

10 . McDonald’s food holds plenty of secrets, and McNuggets are no exception. The boxed, bite-size bites of chicken are one of the fast food producer's most popular menu items. But there’s something even the most devoted nugget (鸡块) consumers may not know: every nugget that comes out of Mickey D’s is guaranteed to be one of four distinct shapes.

Don’t worry though, it’s not some strange chicken plot. It’s the result of a carefully planned process that occurs in McDonald’s factories. A Business Insider video, using continuous shooting mode from a McDonald’s factory in Canada, offers an inside look into nugget production. Before it goes to the fryer, the ground chicken breast meat that will become McNuggets goes through a “rolling cookie cutter” machine. The cutter ensures that the nuggets-to-be are all the same width and one of four shapes. The shapes are the “boot,” the “bell,” the “ball,” and the “bone” (or “bow tie”).

But just how different are the four shapes? How do you tell your boots from your bow ties? Well, the ball is round, as you might expect. The bone/bow tie looks less like either of those things than like a somewhat bent rectangle (矩形). The bell is diamond-shaped, and the boot really does look somewhat like a wide boot with a thin toe.(Or like a hook, if you turn it over.) Though the shapes are somewhat less distinct after the batter (稠面糊) is added, see if you can still identify them the next time you get your McNugget fix.

But why have special shapes at all? A curious consumer posed the question. A company representative replied that the shapes and their similar sizes ensure that they all take the same time to cook, which is necessary to ensure food safety. Plus, the shapes are fun for kids, and easy to dip for everyone!

And why is four the lucky number? Well, the Q &. A page claims that “three would’ve been too few. Five would’ve been, like, silly or unreasonable.” Honestly, though, we doubt McDonald’s consumers would have really cared either way.

1. How are the McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets’ shapes formed?

A．They are processed by a cutting machine.

B．The four shapes are made by machine freely.

C．Some batter is added to the chicken breast meat.

D．They are the natural forms of the chicken breast meat.

2. What do we know about the shapes of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets?

A．The ball and the bell are of the same size.

B．The bone shape is most attractive to small kids.

C．The regular shapes make processing easier and safer.

D．The different shapes can arouse people’s imagination.

3. What is the author’s attitude to the number four of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets?

A．Positive.

B．Disapproving.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncaring.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The history of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets.

B．A warning against eating McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets.

C．The introduction of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets’four shapes.

D．An explanation of the processing of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets.