1 . Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde’s latest project, GROW, involved installing (安装) thousands of blue, red and purple LED lights in a 2-hectare field of leek (韭菜) for both artistic and practical purposes. People driving by the town of Lelystad, in central Netherlands, at night, this time of year are treated to a fantastic sight—a 20,000 square meters field of leek glowing blue, red and purple. Thought up by Studio Roosegaarde, the unique artistic installation is designed both as an honor to Dutch farmers and as an inspiration for them to experiment with artificial light in outdoor farming. Daan Roosegaarde also wants GROW to send a hopeful light to people in these trying times, giving new meaning to the word “agriculture” as a living cultural artwork.

Nighttime ultraviolet (紫外线的) light has been used in glasshouse agriculture for a while now, especially in places where direct sunlight is scarce, but its use in outdoor fanning has so far been very limited. Ultraviolet light is known to help plants grow better, but Studio Roosegaarde is also testing a theory according to which certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light could reduce the need for pesticides by up to 50%.

“So we started to scan the plants with these wavelengths of light and then suddenly it started to dance, the light,” Daan Roosegaarde said. “You had these huge fields of fireflies, as if they were, and we were testing it and the magic started kicking in, so I think that’s when the worlds of science, art and design meet and enhance each other.” Solar-powered LEDs give ultraviolet light onto the leek plants, thus adding the effect of natural sunlight after sunset, and creating a wonderful sight at the same time.

GROW is currently only visible near Lelystad, but Roosegaarde plans to take the visually-impressive installation on the road to over 40 countries. Each country will have its own local or national crop and its own unique light recipe. Over the years, Studio Roosegaarde has created a number of fascinating installations, like the glow-in-the-dark bicycle path powered directly by the sun.

1. What does GROW probably refer to?

A．A project creating artworks.	B．A project installing LED lights.
C．A project producing pesticides.	D．A project building glasshouses.

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

A．Sufficient.	B．Enough.
C．Steady.	D．Lacking.

3. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．What artistic effects were caused by the project

B．Why the project GROW was conducted.

C．How Roosegaarde’s design idea came up.

D．How Roosegaarde’s theory was tested.

4. What does Roosegaarde think of the future of GROW?

A．It is promising.	B．It is pressing.
C．It is challenging.	D．It is demanding.

2 . Angela Pozzi didn’t like seeing plastic trash washing up on the shore near her home in Bandon, Oregon. She wanted to unite her community to clean it up, so she started an organization and called it Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea.

Volunteers help clean up Oregon’s 300 miles of shoreline. Then, using only plastics from the beach cleanup, Ms Pozzi and her staff and many, many volunteers create sculptures of sea animals. Ms Pozzi says, “I want to create sculptures that, hopefully, will make people consider their plastic purchases and be aware of how so much plastic ends up in the oceans.”

Since 2010, more than 10,000 volunteers have collected 21 tons of trash and helped create more than 70 works of art. Four traveling exhibits have displayed the sculptures in more than 18 places. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, hosted an exhibit through September 2018.

People have used plastics to create life-saving medical devices, inexpensive containers and gadgets, and toys, of course. But unlike wood, cotton, and other natural materials, plastics don’t break down into anything useful to other living things. Instead, they stay for years in landfills, waterways, and the oceans. The materials are harmful to some sea animals, such as turtles, sea lions, and birds. Some of these creatures eat plastic objects that look like food. Others become entangled (被缠住) in plastic nets or packaging.

Ms Pozzi gives credit to everyone who helps. “One person didn’t create these sculptures,” she says. “Some people have picked up the plastic; others have sorted the items by color. Still others have washed each piece of plastic trash. Volunteers have drilled holes or helped to make the small wire-stitched panels, while others welded (焊接) the giant frames. I do the heads and detail work, and my staff and I take all the pieces everyone contributes to finish the work.” Says Ms Pozzi, “Until we run out of plastic on the beach, the work will continue.”

1. According to the passage, Washed Ashore ________.

A．is an official organization	B．collects plastics for money
C．turns the waste into artworks	D．aims to prevent the use of plastics

2. What do the numbers in Paragraph 3 mainly tell us?

A．The long history of the organization.

B．The accomplishments of the organization.

C．The sculptures are popular in many places.

D．Many people are in favour of the organization.

3. Which can best describe plastics according to the passage?

A．A double-edged sword.	B．A threat to living things.
C．More stable in landfills.	D．Food for sea creatures.

4. Why does Ms Pozzi introduce the specific process of creating the sculptures?

A．To teach it to readers.	B．To show its difficulty.
C．Because she feels very proud.	D．Because it is an art by teamwork.

3 . In a weightless, microgravity environment like space, how can someone with sight or mobility problems navigate in the space station? As scientists continue to push the boundaries of spaceflight and the possibility of human life on other planets, how can we build space infrastructure (基础设施) friendly to all humans？

The Mission AstroAccess project aims to answer these questions, starting with a historic parabolic (抛物线的) flight that took off from Long Bench on Oct. 17, 2021. A group of 12 disabled scientists, students, athletes and artists launched into a zero-gravity environment as a first step. To get a better idea of what is needed for more inclusive (包容的) space travel, AstroAccess plans to conduct a series of follow-on parabolic flights after the first launch. On these flights, a plane flies up to an altitude of around 32, 000 feet and then begins a descent at about 4 miles per second. This quick descent creates a microgravity, weightless effect lasting roughly 30 seconds. Afterwards, the plane climbs back up to a stable altitude, and repeats the process again.

The 12 AstroAccess Ambassadors selected for this first microgravity flight included four blind or low-vision Ambassadors; two deaf or hard-of-hearing Ambassadors；and six with mobility disabilities, all carrying out various tasks in the weightless environment. One of the challenges was seeing whether all members could perform basic safety and operational tasks. The crew also tested whether sound beacons (声信标) could be used for blind members to direst themselves, They are also investigating how American Sign Language will be impacted by microgravity.

“My whole career goal is to make the average person able to go to cuter space, where you don’t have to be a crazy trained astronaut with perfect physical abilities and health to visit cuter space,” said Brenda Williamson, head of the AstroAccess logistics committee. “I grew up on Star Trek, so the idea of exploration is really important.”

1. Why is the Mission AstroAccess project carried out？

A．To expose the disabled to zero gravity.

B．To train a group of disabled astronauts.

C．To involve all humans in spaceflight.

D．To build mobile space infrastructure.

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

A．Going down.

B．Going up.

C．Taking off.

D．Touching down.

3. What do we know about the 12 selected Ambassadors？

A．They all have mobility problems.

B．They communicate by sign language.

C．They do scientific research in the lab.

D．They perform tasks in weightlessness.

4. What does Brenda Williamson think of the project？

A．Meaningful.	B．Successful.
C．Unrealistic.	D．Challenging.

4 . Under the background of the slow growth of its total population to 1.44 billion, China has seen a sharp rise in older adults over the past decade, solidifying the country’s rapidly aging pattern, the latest national census (人口普查) data shows. The population on the Chinese mainland increased by an average of 0.53 percent annually during the past 10 years to 1.41 billion, compared with an annual growth rate of 0.57 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to the 7th national census published by the National Bureau of Statistics.

“The growth of the total population has slowed down but remains at a steady pace,” Ning Jizhe, head of the bureau, said at a news conference. “Based on trends in recent years, China’s population will grow at an increasingly slow rate in the future while remaining above 1.4 billion.” The increasing elderly population has become a defining feature of the past decade.

Ning said an aging society will set the tone for China's population structure for a long time, presenting challenges and opportunities. “A graying population will pile pressure on supply of labor force and social services, as well as adding to families’ elderly care burden. But more elderly people could also motivate consumption of products and services targeting this age group, and advance the development of some technologies,” he said.

Ning added that those between the ages of 60 and 69, who are equipped with knowledge, experience and skills and are generally in good health, make up nearly 56 percent of all older adults. “Their potential to continue making contributions to society and playing a constructive role is big,” he responded to a question on the outlook for raising the retirement age and carrying out other potential measures aimed at addressing the aging trend. Some population economists also said the latest number and proportion (比例) of elderly are largely within predictions, and the aging trend will continue for a long time.

1. What does the 7th national census data show?

A．The aging population of China has risen rapidly.

B．The annual growth rate has increased by 0.04%.

C．The annual growth rate was 0.57% during the past 10 years.

D．The total population of Chinese mainland increased to 1.44 billion.

2. What does Ning Jizhe say about the growth of graying population?

A．It is beyond predictions.	B．It brings few advantages.
C．It has sharply slowed down.	D．It will increase pressure on family.

3. What is Ning Jizhe’s attitude to the graying population?

A．Objective.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear.

D．Negative.

4. What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．The aging trend brings problems

B．An aging society presents opportunities

C．China’s population gets old as growth slows

D．Measures are to be taken to tackle the aging trend

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文

A Girl with Stage Fright

It was obviously going to be one of those days. Students were preparing for a singing contest actively. Paul, a music teacher, made comments on the students' performance at the end of a rehearsal（彩排）. A girl named Lisa did the poorest preparation. Paul was very annoyed and entirely frustrated with her. He doesn't recall how he closed the rehearsal, but he's sure the words he chose were not words that would lift the girl's spirits but rather satisfy his selfish need to punish her for the poor performance.

The moment Paul dismissed the students, Lisa, the very reserved freshman girl, made a path straight toward him. She looked him right in the eye and said, "I hate you!" Paul was taken aback and frightened by the passion and honesty in her voice. Though entirely shocked, he was somehow able to collect himself and stay calm. He looked her right in the eye and said, "Well, that's a shame, but it's my duty to remind you and inspire you. " She didn't react, but rather stormed away, her anger unchanged.

Several days later, they had the occasion to speak in private. Lisa asked if Paul remembered the time she told him that she hated him. How could he forget? She went on to admit quite openly and honestly that it was herself, not him, who she hated. The moment got heavy and she began to tell him of her fear and pressure when standing on the stage. She believed that no matter how well she prepared, she would perform terribly on the stage. Paul became aware that she had serious stage fright and also realized that maybe he had done something improper several days ago. Then he talked to her patiently and sincerely, hoping to help her build the confidence.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 开头已给出。

The day before the contest, she was practising for the singing competition alone.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

However, the next morning, when she stood on the stage, her face turned pale.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . _________ you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

A．Once

B．If

C．Because

D．Unless

7 . 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。

The annual League of Legends World Championship, commonly referred to as “Worlds,”     1     （feature）qualifying professional teams from across the globe competing over a prize pool of $2,225,000. On Saturday, Chinese team defeated South Korean team and     2     （eventual）won the 2021 League of Legends World Championship in Iceland. The Chinese players     3     （award）the world champion for the first time in history. Due to the pandemic, there was no     4     （admit）to the live competition this year, but millions of audiences tuned in online to watch the game.

The International Olympic Committee is introducing new events     5     （make）the games attract more young people, so why not go further and let national teams compete at video games?

In fact, compared with most mainstream sports, electronic sports     6     “Fortnite” are more popular. But     7     critics may consider is that e-sports are not proper sports. Some of them even offer moral objections, too. In their opinion, they are     8     （violence）. Prince Harry has even called for "Fortnite” to be banned for this reason. Surely, at a time of global disharmony, it is a bad idea to make simulated（模拟的）killing     9     Olympic sport. The Olympics aim to promote peace.

Yet video games are highly competitive, with professional leagues     10     （head）for packed stadiums.

8 . My brother Joe liked driving cars. He was especially _________speed. It was enough to make mother _________.

As a little boy, Joe would often say to me. “Sister, when I am old enough to drive my own car, I will fly so fast that angels will run scared.” With a big grin (咧嘴笑), he would _________ the scene. I could have told him it would _________ happen. But I didn’t tell him that.

Joe was born blind. But he could _________ like anyone. I didn’t want to be the one to _________ Joe’s dreams._________ would do that for him, soon enough. Up to then, didn’t he _________ his happiness？

Growing up is a _________ between disappointment and surprise, between dreams and reality. When Joe was 12, I think he knew he would never get a license (驾照). As with the other hard facts of life, he seemed to accept it without question or sadness, as if it were __________ more than a card drawn at random (随机地).

One hot summer day when he was 16, Joe, with the help of stick, found his way to my stepfather’s car.

He felt the heat of the __________, opened the door and climbed in. Under the seat, he discovered 6 cans of beer. And he drank all. He found the keys, shouted, “Hooweeee!” and __________ it up.

I have heard various versions (版本) of this story. They all __________ this: the car’s engine __________. My mother fainted. My stepfather rushed outside.

__________, for everyone, the Ford didn’t move an inch. But to this day, Joe still swears (发誓) that when he found those keys and fired that old engine up, he heard the angels.

1.

A．lacking in

B．doubtful about

C．fond of

D．afraid of

2.

A．cheerful

B．disappointed

C．interested

D．worried

3.

A．locate

B．imagine

C．experience

D．seek

4.

A．really

B．definitely

C．fortunately

D．never

5.

A．act

B．dream

C．drive

D．see

6.

A．achieve

B．light

C．refuse

D．darken

7.

A．Story

B．Life

C．Dream

D．Car

8.

A．deserve

B．realize

C．satisfy

D．change

9.

A．difference

B．balance

C．war

D．mix

10.

A．nothing

B．anything

C．something

D．all

11.

A．metal

B．keys

C．seals

D．stick

12.

A．opened

B．began

C．fired

D．turned

13.

A．come up with

B．come down to

C．get reduced to

D．catch up with

14.

A．broke

B．exploded

C．roared

D．burst

15.

A．Definitely

B．Hopefully

C．Amazingly

D．Fortunately

9 . Jerry was born on October 14, 1966. Shortly after birth, he was discovered to have a heart defect (缺陷) and quickly had an operation to save his life. Although he always thought his childhood to be “normal”, there were quite a few things that made him a little different. He couldn’t do heavy farm work like his brothers and his classmates called him “grape juice” because his lips would turn purple in gym class.

After another operation, Jerry went on to live a very full life. He studied in a technical school and met his love after graduation. They married in 1989, and in 1993, the first light of Jerry’s life was born.

Growing up with Jerry as my dad was the greatest blessing of my life. He was always full of life and light, making anyone around smile. He never wanted to draw attention to his medical condition. Even many of his close friends and co-workers were unaware of his heart problem. To all of us he was just a normal guy — that was just the way he wanted it.

I didn’t know or understand my father was sick until he was placed a pacemaker (心脏起搏器). Despite several times of unconsciousness, and 19 days’ stay in ICU, he managed to celebrate Christmas with us and even work as usual. With his wide laugh, I soon adjusted to a “new normal” father. The progress and life, as we now know, came to a grinding halt one night after he came down with a cold.

He was picked up by a helicopter. The nurse said my dad was in good spirits throughout the trip, cracking jokes and making her laugh. When he was unloaded, his eyes rolled back and was unresponsive. The man who loved his life and family was gone.

My dad taught me many lessons. But probably the most important one was in his death. I know as I celebrate his incredible life, he will be looking down on me with smile.

1. What’s paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．Jerry’s family and friends.	B．Jerry’s first operation.
C．Jerry’s birth and childhood.	D．Jerry’s love for life.

2. What is “the first light” of Jerry’s life?

A．His graduation.	B．His marriage.
C．His brother.	D．His child.

3. What does the underlined phrase “a grinding halt” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．A sudden stop.	B．A turning point.
C．A bright stage.	D．A quick recovery.

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

A．Smile at Death	B．Silent Love from Father
C．Grow up Against Heart Defect	D．A “Normal” Father with a Big Heart

10 . Let’s Celebrate!

No matter what kind of culture you come across, there’s always a reason to celebrate! Check out four amazing festivals around the world.

	Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival Every June people get together in Wisconsin,USA, to honor cheese (奶酪).The celebration lasts three days and it's full of different events for the whole family. There are concerts, free cheese tasting, the Big Cheese Parade and Big Cheese Breakfast, etc.
	La Tomatina Every August, Buiol, Spain, hosts a festival where the world’s biggest hour-long food fight takes place. Around 20,000 people take part in the event, throwing over a hundred tons of tomatoes at each other in all. What a juiced-up celebration!
	Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival Are there any festivals to celebrate in winter？Sure! Come to Harbin, China. It is home to Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival. The festival starts on January s every year. During the month-long festival, people can enjoy the largest and most beautiful ice and snow sculptures (雕塑) in the world.
	Monkey Buffet Festival The Monkey Buffet Festival is on the last Sunday of November. It is a great day for monkeys in Thailand. People there think monkeys can bring good luck to them. So, to thank monkeys, they have this special festival to feed them.

1. What can people do in Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival?

A．Throw fruits.

B．Play with animals.

C．Enjoy music.

D．Go snowboarding.

2. Which festival lasts the longest time?

A．Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival.	B．La Tomatina.
C．Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.	D．Monkey Buffet Festival.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．In a science report.

B．On a sports website.

C．In a grammar textbook.

D．In a culture magazine.