1 . Nostalgia (怀旧) has become increasingly common in our current climate of accelerated, unexpected change. More and more Americans are turning back with longing to what feels like simpler, sweeter times. They collect cassette tapes, manual typewriters even decades-old video games.

Is it a mistake to get too obsessed with the past? Some psychologists warn that too much devotion to the so-called good old days is an escape from reality; it can indicate loneliness or that a person is having a difficult time coping in the present. Psychologist Stephanie Coontz argues that nostalgia distracts us from addressing the problems of modern life and contribute to anxiety, depression , insomnia etc.

But new studies suggest that a modest dose of nostalgia is not only harmless, but actually beneficial. They suggest it helps strengthen our sense of identity and makes us feel more optimistic and inspired. It is also a tool for self — discovery and memories are a psychological immune response that is triggered when you want to take a break from negativity. Interestingly, those happy memories can be particularly beneficial both to kids in their teens and to society's elders. Recalling our childhood reminds us of “the times when we were accepted and loved unconditionally," says Krystine Batcho, a psychologist. "That is such a powerfully comforting phenomenon, knowing that there was a time in life when we didn't have to earn our love." Nostalgia can transform even the most ordinary past into legends which warms the heart and the body. Let's not forget that nostalgia has been a source of inspiration to innumerable American writers. Mark Twain recalled his boyhood, writing, "after all these years, I can picture that old time to myself now, just as it was then： The white town drowsing in the sunshine of a summer's morning."

So go ahead, daydream a little about your best childhood friend, your first car, a long - gone family pct. As Dr. Sedikides says， "Nostalgia is absolutely central to human experience. "But at the same time, keep these words of wisdom from the great inventor Charles Kettering in mind as well： "You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time. "

1. What did some psychologists in paragraph 2 probably agree?

A．Nostalgia will cause some mental problems.

B．Nostalgia makes us devoted to the good old days.

C．Nostalgia shows you are trying to get rid of loneliness.

D．Nostalgia helps us cope with the difficult time we are going through.

2. There are many benefits of nostalgia except   ________

A．It can enable us to know ourselves better.

B．It can bring us some comfort when we recall.

C．We are likely to gain attention if we recall the happy childhood.

D．We can sometimes break away from negativity with happy memories.

3. What will be talked about in the following paragraph?

A．The bad influence of too much devotion to nostalgia.

B．The reasons why we should avoid nostalgia.

C．The bad memories that always stick around you.

D．The great changes nostalgia will bring to you.

4. What's the best title of the passage?

A．We all have a soft spot for nostalgia.

B．Nostalgia is actually good for you.

C．Don't be carried away by nostalgia.

D．There are many times when we like to recall.

2 . A few years ago, I bought a flat. It was a triumph of hope and determination over property prices, and the peak of a 20-year dream. The day I got the keys should have been the most exciting day of my life and yet, the second I opened the door, panic set in. I spent my first night as a homeowner in a hotel researching how to sell a flat and wondering if it was too late to change my mind.

I didn't sell my flat because I remembered why I had wanted it in the first place — but there are times when we get what we want and it simply isn't right. I've always found a strange disconnect between wanting something and getting it. Wanting is a place of possibility and, in a state of lack, the desire is strong. We imagine how this thing — a new job or relationship — can change our lives and at the same time forget that adding something to our life doesn't mean all our problems disappear. We create a narrative around the desire and, when we get it, and it is different to how we pictured it, we feel frustrated.

For me, this most often occurs in relationships. I have a habit of filling in the gaps with people, rather than getting to know them. I go on a date with someone and, instead of piecing them together brick by brick, I start to imagine what my life would be like with them in it. It shouldn't have been a shock that the reality in no way matched my fantasy — but it was. I knew I wanted out, yet part of me felt committed: this was someone I thought I had wanted for so long, I couldn't walk away, could I?

We tend to shame others for changing their minds. I think, however, it's far braver to move towards something that will bring happiness than to stay in a miserable situation to protect your pride. So, when someone tells you they've changed their minds, congratulate them on knowing themselves well enough, and being strong enough, to admit it. It takes a lot to come clean about getting it wrong, but the relief of doing so — of setting ourselves free from a personal-shaped hole, is worth it every time.

1. Why did the author spend her first night as a homeowner in a hotel?

A．The flat was under decoration.

B．She wanted to sell this terrible flat.

C．The flat was different from her desire.

D．She was too excited to sleep in the flat.

2. Which of the following is most advisable in relationships according to the author?

A．Filling in the gaps with people around you.

B．Getting to know others little by little naturally.

C．Imagining what the life would be like with others.

D．Spending plenty of time to promote the relationship.

3. What message does the author try to tell us?

A．Never change your mind.

B．Never give up your first-time dream.

C．It is worthwhile to protect one's own pride.

D．It is brave to step out of a miserable situation.

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

A．A new flat	B．A personal-shaped hole
C．A proud soul	D．An unexcepted accident

3 . Dear Dale,

I have a crush (喜欢) on a girl in my class, but I haven’t told her. I know being at high school isn’t the best time to start a relationship, but I can’t_________ myself.

Li

Dear Li,

Being a(n)_________is normally the time when we begin to think about_________,   and everyone always remembers their first_________.

However, there are a few things you should_________.

First, you must remember that a senior student’s top priority is to study as _________as possible. This means that if two students were to_________a relationship with one another, they may get distracted (分散注意力) from their _________.

And _________it might be nice to have a boyfriend or girlfriend to __________your life with, high school relationships don’t normally__________forever—your final grade will, __________

Second, you should consider your school’s __________. Many schools don’t allow their students to have relationships, so keep that in__________.

That said, there’s no__________that you can’t make friends with a person you have a crush on. __________, the other girl or boy may not even feel the same way about you—but that doesn’t mean you can’t be good__________.

In the meantime, __________on your studies more than your love life—at least until you graduate from senior high school.

It may seem like you have no__________to do what you want right now. But once all the hard work of being a senior is over, you'll be free to__________whoever you like.

Dale

1.

A．complain

B．control

C．forgive

D．decide

2.

A．adult

B．man

C．teenager

D．boy

3.

A．friendship

B．romance

C．feelings

D．favour

4.

A．lesson

B．friend

C．love

D．school

5.

A．consider

B．worry

C．avoid

D．present

6.

A．easily

B．freely

C．smoothly

D．hard

7.

A．end

B．permit

C．perform

D．develop

8.

A．schoolwork

B．relation

C．situation

D．trouble

9.

A．when

B．while

C．unless

D．since

10.

A．tell

B．relate

C．share

D．connect

11.

A．prove

B．last

C．reach

D．achieve

12.

A．however

B．but

C．therefore

D．still

13.

A．rules

B．requests

C．demands

D．situations

14.

A．record

B．line

C．mind

D．diary

15.

A．doubt

B．study

C．report

D．reason

16.

A．Above all

B．After all

C．In all

D．First of all

17.

A．friends

B．lovers

C．students

D．schoolmates

18.

A．rely

B．decide

C．judge

D．focus

19.

A．right

B．room

C．freedom

D．time

20.

A．battle

B．tolerate

C．accept

D．date

4 . It was the day after Christmas 33 years ago. My wife gave birth to our first child. We were full of appreciation to have Joseph John Mazzella II , also called JJ, sleeping peacefully in the cradle(摇篮)next to our bed.

We had been on the road showing off our little baby to all of the grandparents and great—grandparents. It had been a busy Christmas and hard on my wife who was still recovering from her operation. Now we were back in our tiny flat trying to get a few extra hours of sleep before starting the day.

Just then I heard JJ stirring in his cradle. I leaned over and picked him up before he started to cry and then carefully stole out into the living room so that my wife could keep sleeping. I picked up a bottle and sat in our rocking chair with JJ in my arms. I rocked quietly and fed him in the living room while he looked up at me with his loving eyes. I spoke softly to him but also felt a little nervous and scared as I watched him. How was I going to take care of him? I was a new father and had no idea what the future had in store for us. I rocked and rocked. But luckily, I had so many elders to help me.

After a few minutes I saw the sun slowly rising in the sky outside my window. The bright light was shining down from the heavens making the freshly fallen snow shine with beauty that touched my soul. As I watched it, my fear escaped and I felt such a sense of peace, harmony, love and joy. The Christmas spirit had entered my heart and I smiled. I knew then that whatever the future would hold, it would be smooth as long as I kept love in my heart. New life is precious and I believed my child would be grateful, too and bring us new sunshine in the future.

1. How did the couple feel about the birth of JJ?

A．Appreciative.

B．Calm.

C．Helpless.

D．Disappointed.

2. Why did the author carry JJ to another room?

A．To look for a bottle.

B．To appreciate the sun.

C．To make him sleep again.

D．To avoid disturbing his wife.

3. What's the author's attitude towards his family's future when he saw the sunrise?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Uncertain.

D．Unconcerned.

4. What does the text mainly show?

A．The family's difficulty.

B．The mother's pain and fear.

C．The baby's life experiences.

D．The father's love and responsibility.

5 . It’s hard to overstate just how much Writer’s Digest has survived to make it to its centennial. The Great Depression. World War II. The many wars and societal revolutions of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. The technological revolution and the creation of the internet. The shift from being family-owned business to a corporation with investors. And most recently, global pandemic(流行病).

It is because WD survived all that, that I view this anniversary issue as a love letter to every single person who has contributed to keeping WD alive over these amazing, and tough, and change-filled 100 years. Thank you to the Rosenthal family for starting a magazine—a community—like this. To the publishers, editors, and all the other behind--the-scenes folks who made sure each issue over the many decades was the best it could be, thank you for your hard work and long hours. To the absolutely incomparable list of writers who shared their wisdom, insights, and encouragement: This magazine was made better by your contributions.

But most of all, this is a love letter to our readers. You give the magazine purpose and the motivation to keep going. Without you, WD wouldn’t exist, so on behalf of all the current and former WD staffers, we offer our sincerest thanks.

You’ll see a collection of new columns coming in 2021. We are thrilled to have Bryan Washington, award-winning author of the short story collection Lot and the new novel Memorial, as our first guest columnist. The WD team started planning this issue more than a year ago and putting it together has been a joy. We hope you find as much pleasure and inspiration in reading it as we found in creating it. See you in year 101.

1. What does the underlined word “centennial” mean?

A．The first publication.	B．The collection version.
C．The 100th anniversary.	D．The opening ceremony.

2. What do we know about Writer’s Digest from the text?

A．It has a long list of guest columnists.

B．It was once a family-owned business.

C．It is financially supported by the community.

D．It contributed to the technological revolution.

3. What can we infer about the author?

A．She used to be a novelist.	B．She is with Writer’s Digest
C．She was a business owner.	D．She is one hundred years old.

4. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the text?

A．To express gratitude.	B．To promote sales.
C．To introduce a magazine.	D．To employ new staff.

6 . 你校正在开展“向民族英雄学习”的活动。请你给学校英语报写一篇短文，谈谈你“心中的民族英雄”内容包括：
1. 英雄人物简介；
2. 成为你心中英雄的原因；
3. 向英雄学习。
注意：1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 短文题目与首句已写好，不计入总词数。

The National Hero In My Heart

As we know, most people have a national hero or heroes in their hearts.

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