1 . As a speaker of 10 languages I know the benefits of speaking more than one language. To start with, we need to dispel (消除) four common misconceptions about language learning.

You have to have a gift for learning languages.

No, you don’t.     1     In Sweden and Holland most people speak more than one language. They can’t just all be gifted at languages. In language learning it is attitude, not aptitude (天赋) that determines success.

    2    

Some immigrants to North America never learn to speak more than broken English. Yet we meet people in other countries who speak flawless English. With the Internet, language content is available to anyone with a computer.     3    

To learn a language you need formal classroom instruction.

Classrooms may be economical to run and a great place to meet others. They have the weight of history and tradition behind them. Unfortunately, a classroom is an inefficient place to learn a language.     4     A majority of school kids graduate unable to communicate in languages that they study for 10 or more years.

I would love to learn but I don't have the time.

How about the time you spend waiting in line or going for a walk? Why not use that time to listen to a language on your iPad? Once you get started, even 10 or 15 minutes a day will soon grow to 30 minutes a day, or one hour.     5     As I do, you will find the time.

A．That’s my experience.

B．Anyone who wants to, can learn.

C．Where you live is not a problem.

D．You need to speak in order to learn.

E．You have to live where the language is spoken.

F．The more students in the class, the more inefficient it is.

G．We simply have to change the way we go about teaching languages.

2 . When he was fourteen, his ambition was to run a pub, just like his dad.     1     With a chain of restaurants, a number of popular television series and best-selling cookery books, Jamie Oliver is a well-known name in every UK household. I'm a huge “Jamie fan”. I admire his passion for improving the food we eat and helping people change their lives.

    2     He took fifteen unemployed young people, with no previous experience of cooking, and trained them to be top-class chefs (厨师) in his restaurant, also called Fifteen. I remember one trainee, Lloyd Hayes. He left school with no qualifications and started getting into crime.     3     I think it's this kind of success story that makes Jamie and his projects so special.

Another special project is Jamie's Ministry of Food which he started in 2008. There are two aims: firstly, to teach people how to cook healthy, affordable food instead of eating fast food; secondly, to set up the Pass It On scheme: encouraging each person to pass on a recipe they learned to four other people.     4     Thousands of people have changed their cooking habits as a result — and I'm one of them. I've decided I'm not going to eat fast food anymore.

It's not only adults, but children, too. Jamie's School Dinners, one of Jamie's best-known projects, tried to improve food in schools and encourage children to eat well. It was difficult to convince some of the children, but in the end, many schools improved their menus.     5    

So, what's Jamie going to do next? Well, whatever it is, one thing is for sure, I'm not going to miss it!

A．And my children are going to eat their vegetables now.

B．I heard recently that she is going to teach people to cook.

C．Those four people then teach four more people, and so on.

D．I'm going to cook for my friends and take time to eat good food.

E．Jamie's first project, Fifteen, in 2002, aimed to help young people.

F．But in the last twenty years, chef Jamie Oliver has achieved far more.

G．But the project worked and Lloyd got a job as a chef in a top restaurant.

3 . Climate breakdown threatens to cause a global food production crisis. The UN forecasts that by 2050, feeding the world will require a 20% expansion in global water use for agriculture. It is hard to see how agriculture can feed the population of the planet, let alone toward the end of the century and beyond. Agriculture is a major cause of climate breakdown, and both river and air pollution. Industrial fishing is similarly driving ecological collapse in seas around the world.

However, at this critical time, farming (a new kind of food technology) is creating astonishing possibilities to save both people and the planet. Farming will enable the return of vast areas of land and sea to nature, greatly reducing carbon emissions (排放物). It means an end to the employment of animals, a stop to overfishing, and a dramatic reduction in cutting down forests and the use of pesticides (杀虫剂). It is the best hope for stopping the destruction of the planet and, if it is done right, it means cheap and abundant food for everyone.

We are about to welcome one of the biggest economic transformations, of any kind, for 200 years. Arguments continue about plants against meat-based diets; however, new technologies will soon make these arguments irrelevant. Before long, most food will come neither from animals nor plants, but from micro-organisms (微生物).

Not only will food be cheaper, it will also be healthier. Due to the fact that farming creates food products built up from simple components rather than broken down from complex ones, hard fats and other unhealthy components can be screened out. Meat will still be meat, but it will be grown in factories rather than in the bodies of animals. Fats will still be fats, but food is likely to be better, cheaper and much less damaging to the living planet.

1. What is the major cause of sea ecological breakdown?

A．Food production.	B．Global farming.
C．Industrial fishing.	D．Climate breakdown.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about farming?

A．Its benefits.

B．Its security.

C．Its research.

D．Its limits.

3. What will provide the majority of food in the near future?

A．Sea animals.

B．Wild plants.

C．Micro-organisms.

D．Farm products.

4. Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude to farming?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Disapproving.

D．Unclear.

4 . Do you listen? Do you really listen? Is there more to listening than just hearing?

Listening is, by far, one of the most important aspects of communication. So often, you pay attention to your way of speaking, your _________ , your dialect, but neglect your ability to listen.

It is my _________ that people scream out or change the intended purposes of much of what they hear. Too often, we consider listening the _________ part of conversation, although it requires our focus, purpose, and active participation.

Listening means to give ear to, to pay attention to, to _________ , to witness, to hear with thoughtful _________ , or to understand.

The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and to be understood. The only way to understand is to _________ .

Learn to be an active listener. Give off positive body language._________ a willingness to socialize. Ask the right questions. Boost your _________ so that you can understand more and achieve effective listening.

Listening means we should respond, that we should be touched, that what we hear has a(n)_________ on us. I believe that history __________ itself only because no one listens the first time.

You were given two ears, but only one mouth, which is a gentle hint that we should listen more, because God knew that listening was twice as __________ as talking. Listening is the key building block in effective communications. Good listening skills are crucial, as listening is the fundamental __________ of all information.

Isn’t now the time to give the gift of listening to those about you? Given them your __________ attention. Use your God given __________ to become a better listener. For me, I’m going to put into __________ what I believe in my heart and become a better listener.

1.

A．sounds

B．words

C．gestures

D．movements

2.

A．conception

B．plan

C．purpose

D．requirement

3.

A．active

B．passive

C．basic

D．useless

4.

A．argue

B．quarrel

C．discuss

D．obey

5.

A．advice

B．attention

C．love

D．help

6.

A．ask

B．learn

C．try

D．listen

7.

A．Send

B．Present

C．Predict

D．Design

8.

A．courage

B．confidence

C．energy

D．knowledge

9.

A．impact

B．connection

C．emotion

D．difference

10.

A．makes

B．fails

C．repeats

D．destroys

11.

A．interesting

B．hard

C．much

D．long

12.

A．resource

B．material

C．source

D．element

13.

A．considerate

B．wide

C．extra

D．entire

14.

A．information

B．talents

C．messages

D．ideas

15.

A．effect

B．position

C．practice

D．service

5 . 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。

With the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste closed on Saturday in Jinan, Shandong Province, the country has sent a signal to     1     world that China will deal with issues concerning food security by reducing loss and waste in agriculture. With the theme of reducing food loss and food waste and promoting     2     (globe) food security, the three-day event     3     (hold) both online and offline attracted more than 300 participants.

The current world grain production is about 2.8 billion tons a year. Therefore, the loss of only one percentage     4     (be) equal to the loss of 28 million tons of food. This can feed about 70 million people.

In recent years, China     5     (make) great progress in controlling loss and waste in food, with main efforts including upgrading facilities and     6     (equip). In Shandong Province, China’s major grain producer, the Sinograin (中粮集团) grain storage site is equipped with 4,500 high-definition cameras and 280,000 temperature sensors     7     (ensure) that the stock (储备) is in the best condition. Data shows that during China’s 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) , about 13 million tons of food had been saved     8     (year) after production.

We cannot end hunger     9     we do not deal with the high levels of food loss and waste. Cooperation and innovations (创新) in business models, technologies and digital solutions could all contribute     10     reducing food loss and waste.

6 . Fast walkers may live longer than dawdlers (缓慢的人)— regardless of their weight, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Leicester University analyzed data on 474, 919 people with an average age of 52 in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2016. They found women who walked briskly had a life expectancy of 86.7 to 87.8 years old, and men who kept up the pace had a life expectancy of 85.2 to 86.8. Slow walkers hadn’t much encouraging prospects (前景): women had a life expectancy of 72.4, and men of 64.8 years old, if they were more leisurely in their movements. According to the paper, published last week, that ratio held true even if the fast walkers were severely overweight. It does not necessarily mean fast walkers will live longer. Experts say it suggests walking speed could be a simple way for doctors to judge their patients’ general health alongside other tests.

It is hardly the first study holding up walking speed as a powerful evidence that appears to improve and determine our health.

In 2011, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study by Stephanie Studenski, who found the same: walking speed was a reliable predictor of life expectancy.

In 2013, US researchers found walking pace was linked to lower heart disease risk and longer life expectancy. In 2018, a study from the University of Sydney found picking up your walking pace to even an “average speed” could cut your risk of premature death by a fifth.

And Tom Yates, the physical activity professor at Leicester who's behind the latest study, has been publishing findings on this connection for years.

In 2017, he analyzed the same UK Biobank data and found walking speed appeared to affect the risk of dying from heart disease — concluding that the slowest walkers were twice as likely to suffer a heart-related death compared to quick walkers.

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

A．Casually.

B．Quickly.

C．Actively.

D．Energetically.

2. What does the paper published last week show?

A．Most fast walkers are overweight.

B．Fast walkers have a simple way of living.

C．Walking speed can help doctors know about their patients’ general health.

D．Doctors will surely have better ways to cure their patients of their illness.

3. What did US researchers find?

A．Walking slowly is bad for people's health.

B．Walking speed can predict a person’s life expectancy.

C．People won't die early by increasing their walking pace.

D．Lower heart disease risk is determined partly by walking pace.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Fast Walkers May Have a Long Life Expectancy

B．Life Expectancy Is Determined by Exercise

C．Researchers Try to Improve Life Expectancy

D．The Public Doubt Researches on Walking Speed

7 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter

While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.

1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?

A．Yellowstone National Park.	B．Joshua Tree National Park.
C．Grand Canyon National Park.	D．Virgin Islands National Park.

2. What do we know about the Grand Canyon National Park?

A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there.	B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs.
C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter.	D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather.

3. Which activity is mentioned in all of the parks?

A．Hiking.

B．Skiing.

C．Swimming.

D．Hunting.

8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

An article describing the attitude of post-1990s generations toward life has     1     ( recent ) become popular on Chinese social media. By using the phrase “ Buddha-like   youngsters ”（佛系青年）, the author     2     ( show ) that some of the post-90s generations have seen through life and kept     3     casual and calm attitude toward life. “They have become more casual and cared     4     ( little ) about life’s choices.”

“It is fine to have something or not, there is no need to fight for or win anything, and they are easy     5     ( satisfy ),” says the article. A classic example is that Buddha-like youngsters do not care about     6     ( choose ) what to eat or where to spend a holiday.

The phrase has been received well by netizens    7     it was first created. The original Wechat post has been read more than one million     8     ( time ) and then read more than 60 million on Sina Weibo till now.     9     ( it ) sudden appearance and quick popularity show that the post-90s generations are under great pressure. “ We should pay attention     10    their needs and create a suitable environment for them to develop,” says Xu Hua, professor of the School of Sociology and Political Science of Anhui University.

9 . Besides, it’s vital that you ________ your table manners.

A．minded

B．mind

C．to mind

D．minds

10 . —Jason, you said you would work harder the next term.
—That’s for sure. ________.

A．I have no idea

B．I am a man of my word

C．I agree with you

D．I understand what you mean