1 . A worrying rise in social media posts, suggesting that people leave their Halloween pumpkins in the woods to feed wildlife after October 31, has made wildlife experts concerned. Thousands of pumpkins are discarded in woods across Britain. While well-meaning pumpkin carvers might think they are doing the local animals groups a kindness, leaving your leftover jack-o’-lantern in the woodland is actually doing more harm than good.

“A myth seems to have built up that leaving pumpkins in woods helps wildlife, but behind it are many hidden issues.” said Paul Bunton, engagement and communication officer at The Woodland Trust, according to The Telegraph.

One of the main issues is that the leftover of the Halloween pumpkins are often eaten by already struggling hedgehogs(刺猬). In early November, hedgehogs are looking to gain as much weight as possible to survive their winter hibernation. However, eating pumpkin is harmful to their little hedgehog stomachs, leading to diarrhea and dehydration. This means they may struggle to put on weight, and in some cases can even be fatal.

Moreover, leftover Halloween pumpkins can contain candles and plastic decorations which can also be fatal to wildlife if mistakenly eaten. The rotting leftover can also attract less popular wildlife, such as rats, to an area. According to The Woodland Trust, the additional nutrients in the pumpkins can negatively affect the soil balance as well. “Pumpkin flesh can have a really harmful effect on woodland soils,plants, and fungi(真菌),” Bunton pointed out.

So what should you do with your beautifully carved pumpkin creation after October 31? Most experts recommend composting (堆肥) it yourself at home if you can, or asking if a local farm will accept it as a donation. You could even try some scientific experiments to produce more energy from the throw-away wasted. Either way, the hedgehogs will thank vou.

1. What does the underlined word “discarded” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Processed.

B．Recycled.

C．Deserted.

D．Preserved.

2. Why do hedgehogs try to eat so many pumpkins in early November?

A．To enjoy the sweet food.	B．To fill their stomachs.
C．To prepare for the winter.	D．To improve their health.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The additional nutrients in the leftover pumpkins.

B．The damages of candles and plastic in the pumpkins.

C．The attraction of the rotting leftovers to some wildlife.

D．Further explanation of the effect of leftover pumpkins.

4. What are people advised to do with the leftover pumpkins after Halloween?.

A．Stop leaving your pumpkins in the woods.

B．Keep your beautiful pumpkin creations at home.

C．Feed the hedgehogs with the leftover pumpkins.

D．Bury the pumpkins leftover deep under the ground.

2 . 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。

On the Internet, a sea of articles advise us how to make sleep perfect. Also, lots of advice columns tell us we’re sleeping wrong. Even     1     (bad), some experts claim that if you’re not sleeping right your life is going to be shorter. What makes us     2     (trap) in worries most is that we’re not getting enough, less than seven hours a   night. But there are two problems.

The first problem is that seven to eight hours of sleep, while recommended for adults, is just     3     average. It’s true that not getting enough sleep in the long term     4     (associate) with health problems. But a good night’s sleep can be different for different people. Some adults need eight,     5     some are just fine on six.

The second problem is that it can be misleading, especially for people who do have trouble     6     (sleep). For instance, nowadays, large numbers of adults are wearing sleep tracking     7     (device). It’s cool to see how much sleep you’ve gotten each night and to know what part of your night was spent in deep sleep or dreaming. But having all of that sleep data is causing some people to become worried or concerned,     8     is causing more sleep problems.

According to Dr. Colleen Carney, head of the Ryerson University Sleep Lab, the basic questions you should ask yourself are: Do I feel     9     (reasonable) well-rested during the day? Do I generally sleep through the night to dawn? Or, if I wake, do I fall back asleep easily? Can I stay awake through the day     10     unconsciously falling asleep? If your answers are yes, you probably don’t need to worry about your sleep.

3 . Preamble of《China: Democracy that works》

Published by the State Council on December 4, 2021

Democracy is a common value of humanity and an ideal that has always been cherished by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people.

This year marks the centenary of the CPC. Since its founding in 1921, the Party has taken wellbeing for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as its abiding goals, and has made continuous efforts to ensure the people’s status as masters of the country. China is a country with a feudal (封建的) history dating back several thousand years that descended into a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society after the Opium War of 1840. Over the past hundred years, the Party has led the people in realizing people’s democracy in China. The Chinese people now truly hold in their hands their own future and that of society and the country.

The people’s status as masters of the country is the essence of people’s democracy. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, with a deeper understanding of China’s path to democracy and the political system, the Party has developed whole-process people’s democracy as a key concept and striven to translate it and relevant democratic values into effective institutions and concrete actions.

Whole-process people’s democracy integrates process-oriented democracy with results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy with substantive (本质上的) democracy, direct democracy with indirect democracy, and people’s democracy with the will of the state. It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It is a true democracy that works.

Democracy is a concrete phenomenon that is constantly evolving. Rooted in history, culture and tradition, it takes diverse forms and develops along the paths chosen by different peoples based on their exploration and innovation.

The best way to evaluate whether a country’s political system is democratic and efficient is to observe whether the succession of its leaders is orderly and in line with the law, whether all the people can manage state and social affairs and economic and cultural undertakings in conformity with legal provisions, whether the public can express their requirements without hindrance, whether all sectors can efficiently participate in the country’s political affairs, whether national decision-making can be conducted in a rational and democratic way, whether people of high caliber in all fields can be part of the national leadership and administrative systems through fair competition, whether the governing party is in charge of state affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and whether the exercise of power can be kept under effective restraint and supervision.

Democracy is not a decorative ornament, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. Whether a country is democratic depends on whether its people are truly the masters of the country; whether the people have the right to vote, and more importantly, the right to participate extensively; whether they have been given verbal promises in elections, and more importantly, how many of these promises are fulfilled after elections; whether there are set political procedures and rules in state systems and laws, and more importantly, whether these systems and laws are truly enforced; whether the rules and procedures for the exercise of power are democratic, and more importantly, whether the exercise of power is genuinely subject to public scrutiny and checks.

Democracy is the right of the people in every country, rather than the prerogative of a few nations. Whether a country is democratic should be judged by its people, not dictated by a handful of outsiders. Whether a country is democratic should be acknowledged by the international community, not arbitrarily decided by a few self-appointed judges. There is no fixed model of democracy; it manifests itself in many forms. Assessing the myriad political systems in the world against a single yardstick and examining diverse political structures in monochrome are in themselves undemocratic.

In the richly diverse world, democracy comes in many forms. China’s democracy is thriving alongside those of other countries in the garden of civilizations. China stands ready to contribute its experience and strength to global political progress through cooperation and mutual learning.

1. Which of the following is the foundation of people’s democracy in China?

A．Fighting against the feudal power which held the nation backwards.

B．Striving to translate Whole-process democracy and relevant democratic values into effective institutions and concrete actions.

C．Asserting their power to rule the country effectively.

D．Ensuring that the public can express their requirements without hindrance and all sectors can efficiently participate in the country’s political affairs.

2. In which way could we tell if a country is in most aspects,ensuring people’s political life fully democratic?

A．Its democracy being rooted in history, culture and tradition as well as taking diverse forms based on exploration and innovation.

B．Even a little bit of shade from the feudal history has been swept away while continuously revoluting its democracy for the better.

C．Teenagers willing to take an active part in political activities such as the Simulated CPPCC.

D．People are able to exercise their rights within the scope of the law unhinderedly (不受阻地).

3. How can we better enjoy the advantage of Whole-process people’s democracy?

A．Observing whether the succession of its leaders is orderly and in line with the law.

B．Raising our status as masters of the country with concrete actions.

C．Always innovating for a better future, not only for ourselves but also for our democracy.

D．Persisting in the Party’s strong leadership.

4. What is the main idea of this paragraph?

A．A full and accurate foreword introducing existing circumstances of democracy.

B．An informative official document giving people knowledge on democracy in China.

C．An introduction of how democracy works in China.

D．Telling people what are thus how to distinguish various kinds of democracy.

5 . Urbanization refers to the migration of the population from rural regions to cities.    1    Therefore, migration isn’t a new phenomenon. And as the cities harvest most of the benefits of science and technology urbanization continues to take place. As a result, the cities and its suburbs extend to the rural as along their boundaries     2    

Urban expansion is linked to a number of factors. Lower housing costs in the suburb have attracted many to settle in these areas. There has been an increasing investment of infrastructure like transport and electricity in the suburbs.    3     The increase in family income of an average person has raised his standard of living. Driving private cars from the suburb to the city is affordable for many people.

On the other hand, expansion is featured by smaller populations, less traffic jams and noise pollution.    4     People are willing to live in expansion where they find life quieter and more peaceful than in cities.

    5     Some view expansion as a venue where, public money, is being spent on excessive (过度的) infrastructure outside the urban areas. People living in urban expansion go to cities in their cars. This has resulted in heavier traffic on the toads, leading to traffic jams, an increase in the levels of air pollution and car accidents.

A．This brings convenience to life.

B．This spread is named as urban expansion.

C．Expansion has been criticized for some problems.

D．Therefore, these areas have increased in number quickly.

E．Overall, urban expansion is a phenomenon that can be avoided.

F．Despite anti-expansion views, urban expansion has its own benefits.

G．Man has always moved to newer places for better opportunities and pay.

6 . Society tells us we should socialize to the fullest, and that those who are surrounded by people are the most successful and the happiest. These days, we’re almost always connected, whether in person or through our phone screens and online social networks. But there’s something to be said for solitude (独处) Being alone “ doesn’t necessarily mean ” being lonely”. In fact, spending time by yourself is an essential element of self-care.

Around the globe, different cultures have wide-ranging perspectives on what it means to spend time alone. If you live or have spent time in the United States, you’re probably aware that Americans tend to reject solitude. For many younger people, weekends are packed with social activities, ranging from brunch with friends to dinner parties to game nights to drinking at bars and everything in between.

The United States isn’t the only place where you’ll find a heavy emphasis on social time. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom is known for being an extremely extroverted (外向型的) country. A survey of Brits found that more than half had never done and would be unwilling to do activities like going to theme parks or seeing live music alone. Most Brits spend almost twice as much of their leisure time socializing with others a as they do being alone.

The home can be a place of rest, relaxation and recharge-that is, if you live by yourself or have the space to be alone in your home. The country in which people are least likely to live alone is India, at about 4 percent of the population. China is also quite fond of multiple-person households, with only about 10 percent of people living by themselves. In more collectivist cultures like these, many aspects of life revolve(围绕) around community. Thus, spending time alone isn’t as ingrained (根深蒂固的) as a social convention in places like these, and the good of the group takes priority over the needs of one person.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．People can benefit more from solitude.	B．People tend to socialize more nowadays.
C．Bring alone generally equals being lonely.	D．Being alone enables people to be carefree.

2. Which of the following best describes young Americans?

A．Imaginative and wild.	B．Sensitive and energetic
C．Outgoing and sociable.	D．Optimistic and dutiful.

3. How does the author prove his point?

A．By making a summary.	B．By drawing comparisons.
C．By explaining a concept.	D．By providing examples.

4. Why are most Chinese people more likely to live together?

A．Because they share a specific culture.	B．Because they lack some local customs.
C．Because they possess enough home Space.	D．Because they give priority to their own needs.

8 . 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。

Canadians are extremely enthusiastic about renewable energy, and public opinion is     1     (clear) moving towards a clean energy vision for the future. But when you look at the latest polls, there are still some major obstacles to aggressive climate action.

You’ve probably heard that most Canadians want governments to do more on climate. That’s what two-thirds of the public tell pollsters when     2     (ask). But the same two-thirds will tell you they’re pretty satisfied and think Canada is doing a decent job dealing     3     climate change.

It’s not because Canadians aren’t worried. Three quarters of the public are concerned and the level of worry is rising — half of us now describe climate change as a “very serious threat.” But most people think we’re already pulling     4     (we) weight. Just 25 percent of Canadians think we’re doing less than our “fair share.”

One of the really     5     (worry) trends in public opinion is the number of people who think tackling climate change is already a lost cause. About half the public think we won’t be able to limit climate impacts “before it’s too late.” Just 35 percent have     6     (confident) in governments creating policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

And another big obstacle is     7     the majority doesn’t yet have a mental picture of the possible pathways forward.     8     there is good news in the latest public research. Canadians’ vision of the future is shifting rapidly. There is     9     (mass) support for renewable energy, across all demographics and across party lines. Meanwhile, support for fossil fuel expansion     10     (decrease).

9 . Live-stream marketing: A rural rags-to-riches story?

For many years, quality agricultural products were unable to sell in faraway provinces.     1     It prevented them from accessing a wider, urban client. In most cases, because farmers failed to directly reach consumers, their heavy physical labor resulted in very little income. In this regard, live-stream marketing may appeal to young migrant workers and convince them to return home in the countryside.     2    

In Yunnan Province, southwest China, live-stream marketing is currently the most popular way of pushing local products to consumers across the country.     3     It is turning the smartphone into a new farming tool by fashioning new shopping centers. Live-streaming has greatly boosted the province’s produce sales in the past two years. We now have a great business model in place, combining products with high-quality live stream platforms and support packages from the government.     4     Anyway, the continuous development of live-stream marketing is ready to play a big role in raising rural incomes in relatively backward provinces like Yunnan. E-commerce live-streaming is doing pretty well nowadays, but farm produce only accounts for a small share, mainly due to the lack of experienced hosts and infrastructure in rural areas.

    5     How to grow live stream marketing for farm products? Short videos or live-streams, the key is to meet consumers’ demand. High-quality products alone aren’t enough; they must consider buyers’ preferences as well.

A．There arises a question.

B．Government policies and guidance should follow up.

C．The expansion of 5G technology is a vital contribution.

D．The biggest barrier is lack of efficient marketing channels.

E．China has a tradition of intensive cultivation and a huge rural population.

F．But we should establish a complete supply chain based on strict standards.

G．Once back they can introduce more digitally advanced approaches to agricultural management.

10 . In the autumn of 1853 Thomas Butler Gunn got lost — temporarily rather than physically. On a visit to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, and isolated from the outside world, his diary quickly divorced the time order of reality. Wednesdays are repeated and days go mislabelled. It took around a fortnight, and renewed contact with civilization, for Gunn to restore his weekly bearings.

The episode (经历), says David Henkin, suggests how fragile a sense of time can be — especially when it comes to weeks. Unlike months or years, these seven-day groupings have no real basis in astronomy. People from Nigeria to China have lived well without them.

And yet the week has become the measure not only of routine, but even of wisdom. “Weekly rhythms have become so thoroughly absorbed into ordinary human experience,” Mr Henkin writes, “that forgetting what day it is constitutes a singular symptom and feeling of disorientation (迷失方向).” His new book shows how the week came to rule the world.

But when newspapers, factory schedules and weekly paydays were all rarer, the weekly structure was less important. People got confused. As late as 1866, the Louisville Courier mentioned a man getting drunk on Friday because he thought it was Saturday.

As towns grew and society became more complicated, citizens “became differently and more intensely week-oriented, in ways we can now recognize as modern”. When his local charity met on Wednesdays in 1859, and choral concerts were scheduled for Fridays, James Fiske of Massachusetts couldn’t afford to mix up his days. Japan formally adopted the seven-day system only in 1873; all the same, a character in a novel by Haruki Murakami is as sure of something “as I am sure that today is Wednesday”.

1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To clarify a concept.
C．To record some experience.	D．To make a prediction.

2. Why can a sense of week be so fragile?

A．Because it does rule the world.	B．Because it is tightly related to reality.
C．Because it is not used very often.	D．Because it is not based on astronomy.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．The influence of abusing the week.

B．The change of weekly rhythms.

C．The disadvantage of using the week less.

D．The importance of changing the weekly structure.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the use of the week?

A．Positive.

B．Intolerant.

C．Negative.

D．Unclear.