1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Observing the Earth provides a wealth of information,     1     benefits our daily lives. Now the European Union     2     (design) a so-called digital twin of the Earth, allowing scientists to run simulations (模拟) to predict extreme weather events and other impacts of climate change.

The program,     3     (call) Destination Earth, will use artificial intelligence and supercomputing to input and analyze climate data at high resolutions. It can predict a number of risks including storms, droughts and     4     (rise) sea levels. The program will allow scientists to create a simulation of the planet and its climate and then experiment with changes     5     different conditions. These include temperature, wind speeds and humidity (湿度). It can then observe the knock-on effects of these changes on a     6     (region) and global level. Destination Earth will also help monitor food     7     (secure), changes in the polar regions and global sea level rises.

Several climate simulation     8     (program) already exist, generally running at resolutions of around 100 kilometers. This makes predicting more localized impacts of climate change challenging.     9     Destination Earth team plans on building a supercomputing network which would allow for a far higher resolution, approaching just a few kilometers.

“Destination Earth is a key initiative for Europe’s green transitions. It will greatly improve our ability     10     (produce) climate models with reliability, allowing policymakers to reduce the effects of climate change, saving lives and reducing economic consequences in cases of natural disasters.” said Skordas.

2 . In February 2015, then 7-year-old Bryce Schottel had been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. He’d already been through three rounds of chemotherapy (化疗) and having a fourth one _________ him a lot. During that _________ time, his mother hoped that someone would act as Superman to _________ her son’s spirits, since we associate superheroes with _________ and kindness. So his mom posted his _________ online. Little did she know that a couple of days later, a Superman would really _________ her.

After _________ Bryce’s picture and story online, a policeman, Damon Cole, in Dallas _________ to help somehow. He decided to call Bryce’s family and ask whether he could visit Bryce or not. His family _________ agreed and couldn’t wait to see their son’s __________ . So, Cole drove 11 hours from Dallas to Bryce’s hometown of Smithton, Illinois, where he __________ the young boy at his home around 8 o'clock in the evening. He wore his __________ Superman costume as in the movies. Bryce and his mom couldn’t __________ someone had driven from so far away just to __________ an unknown boy.

Cole couldn’t leave without spending a bit of __________ time with Bryce. After all, he’d driven 11 hours from Dallas. The two __________ cards and enjoyed some video games together. Before Cole left, he gave the young boy a parting __________ , a Superman cape. Cole could hardly tell Bryce was __________ because he had such a(n) __________ attitude.

It’s not every day you get to meet Superman. But when you do, it’s guaranteed to bring __________ and hope.

1.

A．amazed

B．scared

C．doubted

D．excited

2.

A．casual

B．merry

C．tough

D．short

3.

A．lift

B．destroy

C．catch

D．break

4.

A．wealth

B．honesty

C．selfishness

D．bravery

5.

A．orders

B．conditions

C．suggestions

D．criteria

6.

A．say goodbye to

B．do harm to

C．get in touch with

D．play a trick on

7.

A．sharing

B．reading

C．designing

D．editing

8.

A．longed

B．refused

C．afforded

D．pretended

9.

A．partly

B．almost

C．reluctantly

D．wholeheartedly

10.

A．reaction

B．treatment

C．answer

D．performance

11.

A．annoyed

B．threatened

C．surprised

D．frightened

12.

A．stylish

B．historical

C．strange

D．identical

13.

A．confirm

B．believe

C．spot

D．predict

14.

A．cheer up

B．pick out

C．take out

D．bring up

15.

A．study

B．breakfast

C．bonding

D．story

16.

A．collected

B．made

C．watched

D．played

17.

A．medicine

B．gift

C．money

D．kiss

18.

A．sick

B．adorable

C．mean

D．special

19.

A．competitive

B．negative

C．positive

D．attentive

20.

A．independence

B．likes

C．sorrow

D．joy

3 . Do you know anyone born in the Year of the Tiger? What’s their personality like? Are they brave, strong and sympathetic? If so, then they are a typical “tiger”. In Chinese culture, tigers symbolize power, energy, protection, generosity and unpredictability.     1     . That is why you can see in China images of tigers on the walls of temples and houses to ward off (挡住) disasters and danger.

Tigers have an important cultural significance not just in China, but across Asia. In the book Life of Pi, Canadian writer Yann Martel chose a Bengal tiger as the partner for Indian boy Pi on his survival adventure in the Pacific Ocean.     2     . It takes the tiger as its main theme when it tries to combine Eastern elements with European design.

In the West, lions are considered as the king of all beasts. Brave warriors were given the name “the lion”. But tigers are also seen as a very powerful animal.     3     , you can say to them, “easy tiger” in English. Another famous phrase is “Eye of the Tiger”, which means fierceness and strength.

    4     . If you ask my mom, she will tell you that my most precious toy while growing up was my toy tiger. I first learned about the beauty of tigers as a child, while watching animal documentaries. As a young animal lover, I felt so sad that they were an endangered species and I wanted to protect them. I hope that more people can learn about tigers.     5     .

Just like tigers serve as a symbol of protection in Chinese culture, I do hope my favorite animal will live freely in the eco-friendly environment.

A．Tigers mostly live in Asia

B．They are fearless creatures

C．If you want someone to calm down

D．One of my favorite animals is tiger

E．While you are afraid of this fierce animal

F．Another example is French fashion brand KENZO

G．I also expect to protect their habitats from further destruction

4 . Blind boxes or mystery boxes have taken China's toy scene by storm. The idea is quite simple. The customers know they are getting a toy, but won't know what specific toy they are getting until they open the box. It is a bit like gambling (赌博) only without the risk of leaving empty-handed.

One such company to take an important role in this particular market is Pop Mart. By the end of 2020, the company had more than 100 shops and over 1000 vending (售卖) machines as well as an online store. The popularity of Pop Mart's products has made it 33-year-old founder Wang Ning a billionaire.

The idea for blind boxes was inspired by gashapon (扭蛋) from Japan, which are vending machines that give out a capsule containing a mystery toy. Although the toys inside Pop Mart's blind boxes are relatively cheap, costing less than two dollars to make, they sell for around eight dollars. The majority of its customers are between the ages of 18 - 35, typically young adults with over 7 5 percent being female.

Young adults may not play with dolls in the way that kids might, instead, they choose to display them. Sometimes as a symbolic extension of their personalities or just to show off something cute. Some blind boxes contain more limited-edition toys, which entice more serious collectors to keep buying more boxes in the hope that they can get the one that they want. Some consumers have collected over a thousand dolls. If each cost eight dollars, two thousand dolls would mean that she spent around sixteen thousand dollars on dolls.

Blind boxes have been compared to gambling, which can be addictive. While blind boxes have received criticism, no actions have been taken against them yet.

1. What is popular with Chinese young adults?

A．Getting cheap toys.

B．Buying blind boxes.

C．Opening mystery gifts.

D．Showing off something cute.

2. What does the underlined word "entice" in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Force.

B．Attract.

C．Raise.

D．Command.

3. Which of the following best describes buying blind boxes?

A．It is gambling.

B．It is beneficial.

C．It is easily-addicted.

D．It is special in China.

4. What is the author's attitude towards mystery boxes?

A．Supportive.

B．Indifferent.

C．Sceptical.

D．Objective.

5 . There is a cute animal living in the rainforest of Central and South America. Hanging out in the trees is its regular routine. It eats plenty of leaves every day to maintain its body temperature, keeping its organs working. It has three toes and walks slowest. The giant panda is second slowest, and two-toed sloths (树懒) come in third. People are curious about why they walk slowest.

Three-toed sloths rely on leaves merely. They have evolved finely tuned strategies for coping with this restricted diet. Firstly, they get as much energy from their food as possible. Secondly, they have a multi-chamber stomach that takes up a third of their body. Thirdly, they can spend five to seven days, or even weeks, processing a meal.

The other distinguished feature of three-toed sloth is that they use as little energy as possible. They spend most of their time eating, resting or sleeping. They get down from the treetops once a week for a bathroom break. When sloths do move, it is not very fast. It would take a sloth about five minutes to cross an average neighborhood street.

This unhurried approach to life means that sloths don’t need very much muscle. In fact, they have about 30% less muscle mass than other animals of their size. They also use less energy to keep themselves warm because their body temperature can change by about five degrees Celsius, less than a cold-blooded reptile, but more than most mammals. These physical and behavioral adaptations minimize the sloth’s metabolic rate (新陈代谢率). Three-toed sloths have the slowest metabolism of any mammal.

Moving slowly has allowed sloths to grow in their treetQp habitat. But it also made the sloths themselves a great habitat for other organisms, including algae (藻类), which provides a little extra camouflage (保护色) and maybe even a snack.

1. What similarity do sloths and pandas have?

A．Walking slowly.	B．Living in the rainforest.
C．Having identical appearances.	D．Enjoying eating bamboo leaves.

2. What is special about three-toed sloths?

A．They frequently get down from trees.	B．They have rather small stomachs.
C．They eat a variety of foods.	D．They digest food slowly.

3. What can be inferred about sloths in paragraph 4?

A．Their physical movement is faster than a cold-blooded animal’s.

B．Their temperature is lower than other mammal’s of their size.

C．Their muscle mass is more than other animals’.

D．Their metabolism is the slowest of reptile’s.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Why do three-toed sloths walk slowly?	B．Where is the habitat of three-toed sloths?
C．What is the eating habit of three-toed sloths?	D．When will three-toed sloths come down from trees?

6 . It is common to see a barista (咖啡师) create coffee art, but it is a whole different situation doing the same thing with tea. Han Zheming has managed to perfect the skill, creating tea art in cups, or dian cha in Chinese, which used to be a ritual (仪式) during the Song Dynasty.

Over the past six years, the 40-year-old Han has used tea and spoons to create nearly 200 patterns based on ancient paintings. “It is like adding bells and whistles to tea and giving people a stronger sense of occasion, so drinking tea is more fun,” Han says. Actually, it is his intention that brings the old ritual back to modern life and has more people appreciate its charm. Dian cha enhances the taste of tea. “It is similar to the foam on top of a cup of coffee, except that it is made of tea rather than milk,” Han says.

Chinese tea culture started to enjoy popularity during the Tang Dynasty and boomed throughout the Song Dynasty. “From nobles and scholars to common people, tea is just like other absolutely necessary items, such as rice, oil and salt,” said Wang Anshi, a Song politician and thinker.

Different from the method of making tea during the Tang period, in the Song Dynasty, the popular way of making tea was through dian cha. The process begins with hot water being poured over fine powdered tea creating a paste (浆糊), then more hot water is slowly added as the tea is constantly whisked (搅拌) by hand with a bamboo stick.

The action of pouring hot water slowly is called dian, hence the name dian cha, which was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of Runzhou district, Zhenjiang city, Jiangsu province, in 2019. It is believed that this method later spread to other parts of East Asia, including Japan, where similarities can be seen in the way matcha is prepared today.

1. Why did Han use tea and spoons to dian cha?

A．To perfect his painting skills.	B．To make tea drinking complicated.
C．To realize his dream of being a barista.	D．To restore amazing traditional customs.

2. What did Wang Anshi say about tea?

A．It could be easily seen in the street.	B．Its shared effects with rice and salt.
C．It was merely popular among the rich.	D．It was a necessity for almost everyone.

3. Which step accounts for the name of dian cha?

A．Pouring hot water slowly.	B．Preparing fine powdered tea.
C．Using a bamboo stick to whisk.	D．Creating a paste with cold water.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Creating coffee art in cups.	B．Spreading Chinese tea culture to Japan.
C．Bringing tea culture back to modern life.	D．The introduction to dian cha in the Tang Dynasty.

7 . The Four Most Exciting New Films in April

Petite Maman

The heroine of Petite Maman is eight-year-old Nelly. After her grandmother's death, Nelly plays in the woods near her mother's childhood home, and meets Marion, a girl of her own age and with remarkably similar features. The pair play together every day, becoming close friends. “Whether you are six or 60, the story will pierce your heart, broaden your mind and gladden your soul,” Mark Kermode wrote in The Observer. Released on 22 April in the US.

Operation Mincemeat

In 1943, as British forces were preparing to invade Sicily, a group of intelligence officers made a complex plan to throw the enemy off the scent. Released on 15 April in the UK and Ireland, 27 April in France and 11 May in the US.

Downton Abbey: A New Era

BBC Culture's Caryn James adored the first Downton Abbey, which was luxurious. The sequel (续集) promises to be even more luxurious and attractive. In a storyline, the Dowager Countess reveals that she has inherited a villa in the south of France, so the family heads down to the Riviera to investigate. Released on 29 April in the UK and Ireland and 20 May in the US and Canada.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

In the third of five planned Fantastic Beasts films, Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander fight with the dark forces of Gellert Grindelwald. Steve Kloves, who wrote the Harry Potter scripts (剧本), has joined Rowling as co-screenwriter this time, so maybe they can make up some of the old magic. Released on 8 April in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and 15 April in the US and Canada.

1. What do we know about Petite Maman?

A．It will give you regrets.	B．It is intended for children.
C．It will bring pleasure to your heart.	D．It is released in the US and Canada.

2. Which film may a war-movie-goer prefer?

A．Petite Maman.	B．Operation Mincemeat.
C．Downton Abbey: A New Era.	D．Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

3. When will the British enjoy their favorite magic film?

A．On 8th April.

B．On 15th April.

C．On 22nd April.

D．On 29th April.

8 . 阅读下面材料。在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A new study has found that all women need to lower their stress levels for a strong and happy marriage.

A team of researchers     1    (lead) by James A. Coan, at University of Virginia, has found that women under threat who hold their husbands’ hands show signs of immediate relief, which     2    (see) on their brain scans in the recent research.

Coan,     3     assistant professor in the University of Virginia Neuroscience Graduate Program and the Department of Psychology, and his team     4    (conduct) the study involving several couples who rated themselves as     5    (high) satisfied with their marriages.

The researchers designed a functional MRI(核磁共振成像) study     6     16 married women were subjected to the threat of a very mild electric shock while they by turns held their husband’s hand, the hand of a male stranger or no hand at all. The MRI was able to show     7     these women’s brains responded to this handholding     8     a threatening situation.

The researchers noted a large decrease in the brain     9    (respond) to threat as a function of spouse(配偶) handholding, and a     10    (limit) decrease as a function of stranger handholding.

9 . Five Skills for Qualified Employees in 21st Century

Technical and technological skills will take on greater importance.     1     Qualified employees are expected to understand and fix systems from computer systems to product distribution systems to plumbing systems.

    2     The ability to gather and absorb seemingly unrelated information, and then use that knowledge, understanding, and perspective to guide the organization’s development in the long run, will be vital.

Numbers and measurement will be important, of course, but smoothing the flow from month to month, from quarter to quarter will be essential for highly profitable long-term performance. Practically every company will have to move away from today’s obsession with looking ahead only as far as the next financial reporting period.

Ability to organize will definitely be important in the corporation of the future.     3     Like resources, workflow, marketing mix, financial opportunities, and much more, all will demand high levels of organization and reorganization.

Communication skills—careful listening, clear writing, close reading, plain speaking, and accurate description will be invaluable. In tomorrow’s fast-paced business environment there will be precious little time to correct any misunderstandings.     4    

The top employees of the coming century will be flexible, creative and motivated. They will seek balance, growth and fulfillment in both their work and home environments.     5     Otherwise they will find themselves barriered by lack of qualified people to accomplish the organization’s work.

A．Long-term vision will be in demand.

B．There will be a growing need for these.

C．Persuasive skills will be used in many ways.

D．Removing misunderstanding is a piece of cake.

E．Everywhere there will be a need to put things in order.

F．The corporations of the future must respond to these needs and desire.

G．Communication breakdowns may well become a deadly corporate disease.

10 . Dry skin

• Probably not eating enough...

Essential fats: To be in the best condition, skin requires fats, in particular the essential omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Dry skin can be a sign that you’re not getting enough of them. These nutrients are called “essential” because the body can’t make them—you have to get them in your diet—and the very best way to boost your intake is to eat more nuts, seeds and oily fish.

Zinc (锌)： One of the clinical signs of zinc deficiency is dry skin. So eat more wholemeal bread, lean red meat, seafood, baked beans, spinach and pumpkin seeds.

Mid-afternoon energy crash

• Probably not eating enough…

Protein: This provides your body with long-lasting energy, avoiding blood sugar crashes. To get more protein, tuck in to lean meat, low-fat dairy products and nuts at lunchtime.

Skipping meals or having long gaps between them also causes blood sugar levels to drop, so try to ensure you eat something every two to three hours even if it’s just a yoghurt.

Dark circles under eyes

• Probably not eating enough...

Antioxidants (抗氧剂): These super nutrients help block some of the damage done to our skin. A diet that lacks the antioxidants, vitamin C and E in particular, can worsen dark circles and eye swelling. Tuck into leafy green vegetables, fruit and nuts to tackle it.

Iron: When your iron levels are low, red blood cells cannot attach to oxygen, which makes dark circles. Get more iron from leafy greens, lean red meat and whole grains.

Acne(痤疮)

• Probably not eating enough...

B vitamins: Studies have found that upping your intake of these skin-friendly nutrients can improve acne. The richest source of B vitamins are whole grains, which means eating more oats (燕麦) and wholemeal bread.

1. When lacking in protein, you’ll suffer from ______.

A．dry skin	B．mid-afternoon energy crash
C．dark circles under eyes	D．acne

2. Which is the cause of dark circles?

A．Low blood pressure.	B．Blood sugar crashes.
C．Excessive intake of antioxidants.	D．Blood cells’ failing to attach to oxygen.

3. Which contains the richest B vitamins?

A．Wholemeal bread.	B．Low-fat diary products.
C．Leafy green vegetables.	D．Baked beans.