1 . Since 2016, China has decided to offer training programs to develop traditional handicrafts (手艺). For Liu Menglan and some other women from North China’s Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区) , the traditional handicrafts have changed their lives in a good way.
Back in 2015, Liu’s family lived on an income of 5,000 yuan. “We couldn’t ever afford the food for our sheep and didn’t have anything left at the end of the year,” Lju Menglan recalled. In 2017, she began to learn embroidery (刺绣)skills in a training program supported by the local government. Liu Menglan’s family earned almost 40,000yuan last year. Her family has moved into a new home.
According to the local government, 140 such training programs were carried out in 173 villages. “The skills helped 2, 895 women increase more than 6, 000 yuan every year,” said Bai Jingying, a local official.
For some women, traditional handicrafts, such as paper-cutting, sugar-painting and carving, have enriched their daily lives. Feng Suyan is another example. She is a local woman from Tuquan, and attended paper-cutting classes taught by Zhao Rixia, her teacher. “I started learning paper-cutting six years ago with Zhao. And now, when I see a new pattern, I would take a picture of it and cut it out,” said Feng. She is now good at paper-cutting and becomes an artist in this field. Whenever she is free, she will make a piece and share it on social media platforms.
1. What does the underlined word “he” in Para.2 refer to?| A．Bai Jingying | B．Liu Menglan. |
| C．Feng Suyan | D．Zhao Rixia. |
| A．5,000 yuan | B．30,000 yuan |
| C．40,000 yuan | D．6,000 yuan |
| A．Embroidery | B．Paper-cutting |
| C．Carving | D．Sugar-painting |
2 . According to the World Food Program, one third of the food of the world is lost or wasted. It’s up to some 1.3 billion tons every year, worth about $1 trillion. Moreover, a report in 2021 Sugests that 8 to10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (排放) are associated with wasting food.
“For our parents and the older generations,‘clearing your plate’ is more about saving some food for a rainy day.”Liu Jichen, founder and CEO of Clear Plate, an anti-food wasting program, told us.
The idea for Clear Plate came to Liu after one dinner at a restaurant in late 2017. The customers who finished all the food they’d ordered would be given a card, and then they could exchange their cards for rewards. “Yet it was limited to one restaurant’s actions, so I thought, why not try it on a larger scale (规模)? And how?” Liu wondered. And then he teamed up with some of his friends,founded a startup and developed the Clear Plate applet.
“The Clear Plate team is trying to deal with the issue (问题) of food waste. After a meal, users of WeChat take photos of their clean plates, post these on WeChat, collect points, and then exchange their points for gifts or charity donations,” Liu explained.
Starting in 2018, Clear Plate has now more than 4.3 million users with about 45 million participations in anti-food wasting actions, reducing food waste by 1,700 tons and carbon emissions by 6,600 tons. Liu’s determination represents a small change of the Chinese lifestyle and more people are turning toward a healthier, greener and more low-carbon lifestyle.
1. How much food of the world is wasted every year according to the World Food Program?| A．About 1 billion tons. | B．About 1.3 billion tons. |
| C．About 8 billion tons. | D．About 10 billion tons. |
| A．A plate. | B．A point. | C．A photo. | D．A card. |
| A．In 2016. | B．In 2017. | C．In 2018. | D．In 2021. |
| A．The program Clear Plate. |
| B．The World Food Program. |
| C．The world food wasting. |
| D．An introduction to WeChat. |
3 . After university in 2011, Samuel went to a rural primary school for native children, where, on his first day, another teacher told him, "Samuel, you don't have to do much, they're just Orang Asli-native children." This was what Samuel would spend years fighting against.
The Orang Asli community has struggled with poverty, melting into society, and losing their own identity and culture due to others' disregard of it. The main barrier in teaching these children was that many of the teachers thought that the native children were not worth their efforts. It was thought that whatever was taught would make no difference, so nobody bothered to try. The children themselves ended up believing these stigmas (污名), often doubting what they can achieve. Teachers skipped or slept in classes, and little effort was made to create an appropriate learning environment. Consequently, the school was one of the worst-performing in the district.
Samuel cared about his native students and accepted their culture, leading him to see their potential. However, he also came to see that they did not have equal opportunities compared to urban schools, due to the lack of facilities. So he set up a crowdfunding project to create a fully equipped 21st-century English classroom with tablets and computers. The Orang Asli children now learn technology, experience English and communicate in English with volunteers all over Malaysia and overseas.
Consequently, the students have improved in national standardized examinations, from a pass rate of 30% in English (2008-2012) to an average of 80% (2013-2017). These efforts have resulted in a shift of what local children are considered capable of academically.
1. What did the teacher's words suggest about the native children?| A．They were intelligent. | B．They were hopeless. |
| C．They were unfriendly. | D．They were independent. |
| A．The poverty of local people. | B．The lack of facilities in his school. |
| C．The unfair treatment of the native kids. | D．The unsuitable teaching methods. |
| A．The change of native students. |
| B．The importance of learning English. |
| C．The improvement of native education. |
| D．Samuel's work for the native kids. |
| A．Respect makes a big difference. |
| B．The academic performance comes first. |
| C．Everyone deserves access to education. |
| D．One method can't apply to each situation. |
4 . Masks that helped save lives are proving a deadly danger to wildlife, with birds and sea creatures trapped in the shocking number of thrown-away facial coverings. Single-use masks have been found around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide. Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose. “Face masks aren’t going away any time soon — but when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals,” Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said.
In Britain, a gull was rescued by the RSPCA after its legs became tangled in the straps of a mask for up to a week. The animal welfare charity took it to a wildlife hospital for treatment before its release.
The biggest effect may be in the water. More than 1.5 billion masks made their way into the world’s oceans last year, accounting for around 6,200 extra tonnes of ocean plastic pollution, according to environmental group Oceans Asia.
Conservationists in Brazil found one mask inside the stomach of a penguin after its body was washed up on a beach, while a dead puffer fish was discovered caught inside another off the coast of Miami. French campaigners found a dead crab trapped in a mask near the Mediterranean.
Masks and gloves are “particularly problematic” for sea creatures, says George Leonard, chief scientist from NGO Ocean Conservancy. “When those plastics break down in the environment, they then enter the food chain and impact the entire ecosystems,” he added.
There has been a shift towards greater use of reusable cloth masks as the pandemic has worn on, but many are still using the lighter single-use varieties. Campaigners have urged people to bin them properly and cut the straps to reduce the risk of animals becoming trapped. Oceans Asia has also called on governments to increase fines for littering and encourage the use of washable masks.
1. What does the underlined word “decompose” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Burn away. | B．Produce. | C．Break down. | D．Improve. |
| A．The environmental group saves many animals. |
| B．Sea wildlife is fond of feeding on face masks. |
| C．Measures should be taken to protect sea wildlife. |
| D．Masks thrown around finally do harm to human. |
| A．By increasing fines for throwing masks. | B．By preventing the public using single-use masks. |
| C．By working with campaigners’ groups. | D．By washing face masks frequently. |
| A．Wildlife Faces a Threat from Face Masks | B．Face Masks can Harm the Environment |
| C．Animal Protection Organizations Matter | D．Government should Ban Littering Face Masks |
5 . The Rockford police chief and some city officials want to put video cameras in all 100 police cars. They think this will reduce the number of lawsuits (诉讼) filed against the city. In the last five years, Rockford has paid out more than five million dollars to settle about four lawsuits.
The chief said, “If cameras had been in those cars, we wouldn’t have had to pay any money. We’re always pulling over drunks of drug users who try to fight the police officers or shoot them. Then they always say that the police started basting them first or started shooting at them first.”
The cost of fixing cameras will be about $500 per car. The city council (市正厅) will make a final decision on the proposal (提议) next Monday. Ten of the 13 council members, when asked about the proposal, said that they liked the idea. One member said that it is money-saving and it makes common sense. If this is agreed, cameras can be fixed in all the cars within six weeks.
The police officers fully support camera use. One office said that too many people think the police are liars; cameras would show citizens that the police tell the truth. “The money that we’ve been spending on lawsuits will be better spent our more cameras,” said one officer.
The citizen response to the idea of police car cameras is mixed. One person said that the police should have started doing this years ago when video cameras were invented (发明). But an elderly man said that cameras might be misused. “These police are trying to stick their nose into everything,” he said. He was going to attend the council meeting to stop the proposal. He hoped that other citizens would join him.
1. What is the purpose of fixing video cameras in cars?| A．To help settle about 40 lawsuits. | B．To reduce the number of crimes. |
| C．To please officials of the city council. | D．To collect evidence in favor of the police. |
| A．The council will turn it down. | B．Most council members support it. |
| C．Ten council members question it. | D．Ten council members will tell the truth about it. |
| A．He makes no comment. | B．He is strongly against it. |
| C．He thinks it needs to be improved. | D．He doubts whether it is practical. |
6 . Kumar is ten years old and works with his father in New Delhi. Every morning, while carrying plastic bags on his shoulders, he runs into children walking to school, ashamed at not being in a school uniform like them. Kumar is one of India’s five million school dropouts. These are the children of villagers who moved to New Delhi but end up living in slums (贫民窟). Many of them, like Kumar’s father, can’t afford to send their children to school. Others are not able to provide birth certificates for their children, which are necessary for school admission.
However, two yellow buses — equipped as mobile schools with teaching materials such as books, whiteboard, pens and toys are helping them. They are part of the government’s project which started in 2003. The books and school bags are free. Every morning, the yellow bus mobile schools arrive near selected slums. “If the children can’t go to school, we have to take the school to them, to their doorstep,” said Sharma, a mobile school teacher. Sharma said that at first parents hesitated to send their children to the mobile school because they were afraid that their children would be cheated. It took the teachers a long time to build their confidence.
Financed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in India, the mobile schools project has helped reduce the number of dropouts from 25 million to 5 million. The children are proud because the mobile school comes specially for them. It has changed their lives and given them hope. After joining the bus school, eleven-year-old Meena is very happy with her new life. Although she is young, she understands that education is the key to escaping the poverty. So impressed by her progress, other mothers were convinced to let their daughters attend the mobile school.
The mobile school teachers provide children with primary education to get them up to the level and then they go on with their studies in public schools.
1. What keeps Kumar from going to school in New Delhi?| A．His father has been uneducated. | B．He has no birth certificate of his. |
| C．His family has no enough money. | D．He has no interest in learning. |
| A．Proud. | B．Tolerant. | C．Impressed. | D．Skeptical. |
| A．They’ve cost India a lot. | B．They have been fruitful. |
| C．They’ve come to an end. | D．They are inconvenient. |
| A．Kindergarten. | B．Primary school. |
| C．Junior high school. | D．Senior high school. |
7 . On January 22nd, 2021, China said it has established a new monitoring and research center for greenhouse gases and carbon neutrality(碳中和) in order to contribute more to fighting climate change. The official announcement of the Monitoring and Assessment Center for GHGs and Carbon Neutrality (温室气体及碳中和检测评估中心), located in Beijing, was made by the China Meteorological Administration. It is expected to play a vital role in providing both technical and scientific support for researchers. The center will gather top scientists in the field from both home and abroad. Apart from providing ways to achieve carbon neutrality, it will also be helpful to make technological breakthroughs in the next three to five years.
The center is tasked with creating a system to evaluate the effectiveness of the country’s efforts to fight climate change. The recruitment (招募) of staff members is expected to be finished in the next two months. A scientific steering committee will also be started in April to guide the center’s operation.
China is determined to peak(达到峰值) its carbon dioxide emissions(排放) before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. One of the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic is that humankind must pursue a green development path and green lifestyle. China will lower its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by more than 65 percent from the 2005 level and increase its share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25 percent. By 2030, China will also increase its forest stock by 6 billion cubic meters from the 2005 level, and bring its total installed capacity (装机容量) of wind and solar power to over 1.2 billion kilowatts.
The establishment of the center proves China’s determination to pursue a green development road. It’s a concrete action that China has taken to fight the climate challenge. Carbon neutrality, or a net-zero carbon footprint, means reading a balance between carbon emissions and removing pollutants through carbon sinks and other offset (补偿).
China has sped up research and development of equipment to monitor greenhouse gases and carbon neutrality and achieved encouraging results. However, there is still a long way to go to reach the top world standard.
1. Why did China start the Center?| A．To produce more greenhouse gases. |
| B．To gather more scientists worldwide. |
| C．To contribute more to fighting climate change. |
| D．To introduce top scientists in carbon neutrality. |
| A．In January. | B．In March. | C．In April. | D．In May. |
| A．In 9 years. | B．In 16 years. | C．In 39 years. | D．In 65 years. |
| A．China’s new contribution to climate battle. |
| B．China peaks its carbon dioxide emissions. |
| C．The Center’s recruiting new members. |
| D．Installed capacity of wind and solar power. |
8 . Some Questions About Coronavirus
How long does coronavirus last?
Every case of coronavirus is different, but experts have a general idea of how long the typical course of the illness lasts. Most people can expect to recover within two weeks after the onset of symptoms, but more severe cases could last up to six weeks — and for some, dubbed “Covid long haulers,” symptoms can linger for months.
What are the symptoms of the coronavirus?
Symptoms of the coronavirus can seem a lot like the flu. Initially, a fever, cough, and shortness of breath emerged as the three most common symptoms of COVID-19. Now, other signs such as muscle pain, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell are on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) symptoms checklist.
How long does coronavirus live on surfaces?
Though the conronavirus is typically transmitted through the air via respiratory droplets (from an infected person sneezing or coughing) rather than by touching objects and materials, the virus can still remain viable on variety of surfaces, according to the CDC, though it’s not exactly clear for how long.
How is coronavirus spread?
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person, usually through close contact (within six feet). Being near an infected person who coughs, sneezes, or talks can expose you to their respiratory droplet carrying the virus — and they can spread the virus even if they don’t have any symptoms yet. If those virus-containing particles are inhaled (吸入) or land in your eyes, nose or mouth, you could become infected.
1. How long does coronavirus stay on surfaces?| A．Two weeks. | B．Six weeks. | C．Months. | D．Unclear. |
| A．contacting close (within six feet) |
| B．being near an infected person |
| C．talking with a healthy person |
| D．inhaling some virus-containing particles |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Education | D．Travel. |
9 . Audiences may be ready to return. Will they have anything to watch? It is turning out to be a long pause.
Cinemas across the West closed in March and, despite attempts to reopen in the summer, the box office has not recovered. From October 9th Cineworld, the world's second-largest chain, will temporarily shut its 536 Regal theaters in America and its 127 British ones. AMC, the biggest, will cut the opening hours at some Odeon cinemas in Britain.
Early in the pandemic the problem was audiences. In March Disney's "Onward" closed as people refused to breathe the air with a crowd of strangers. Business got harder when governments ordered theaters to shut.
As countries have cased （解除）restrictions and audiences prepared to return, cinemas are finding little to show them. In China, where Covid-19 seems under control, studios have resumed pumping out hits. But Hollywood will not risk premiering （首映）costly blockbusters （大片）while many markets, including New York and California, remain closed, and cinema-goers cautious. Most big titles have been postponed.
Nine months without income would be disastrous （灾难性的）.America's National Association of Theatre Owners predicts that seven out of ten small or medium-sized cinema companies will go bust （破产）,which it has urged Congress to approve.
Both AMC and Cineworld are likely to stop a contract or file for going bust, believes Moody's, a ratings agency; AMC could run out of cash by January. Share prices of Western operators have dropped sharply this year, and are now worth a fifth as much as five years ago. Chinese ones have done better.
1. Which company will reduce the opening hours in Britain?| A．Cineworld. | B．Odeon. |
| C．AMC. | D．Hollywood. |
| A．Government's restriction. | B．Films' attraction. |
| C．Audience's attitude. | D．Operators, signing contracts. |
| A．They are applying for going bust. |
| B．They are complained by the audiences. |
| C．They will offer the audience more big titles. |
| D．They put off premiering most big blockbusters. |
| A．A few famous film companies. | B．Covid-19's effect on the cinemas. |
| C．The global economic situation. | D．Audience's desiring for films. |
10 . Baby Yoda Joins Oregon Firefighters in Battling Wildfires
“Because of all these photos, people are now seeing the human faces behind the wildfires," Tyler Eubanks excitedly told the Washington Post. "It is giving firefighters a huge confidence which is something that's really needed right now."
Sasha agrees, "It's a wonder how one small gesture can create a wave of kindness." She says Carver is excited that everyone likes Baby Yoda and happy that the first responders-many of whom have been unable to see their families for weeks-have a “little friend" to give them a comfort.
The toy, along with a note saying, "Thank you, firefighters. Here is a friend for you, in case you get lonely. Love, Carver," was handed to volunteers on September 12th, 2020. The thoughtful gift brought tears to their eyes. "The fires were close to us, and everyone was really high on emotion," says Tyler Eubanks. "We were all really touched that Carver wanted to give a companion to the people who were out there risking their lives to fight the wildfires.”
Eubanks delivered the toy to a group of firefighters working to contain a 25-acre flames in Colton, Oregon. She had originally intended to take a few pictures of the Baby Yoda in action for Carver, and then bring back the toy to the donation site. However, the firefighters decided to hold on to the doll and share it to lift the spirits of firefighters across the state.
"He's been a really big encouragement” said Jaebyn Drake, a firefighter with the Oregon Air National Guard. "A lot of the people on my crew, I showed them the note and everything, and they just loved it. A couple of people broke down in tears ... It just really meant a lot to us, and it was really emotional for a lot of people.”
1. What is Baby Yoda?| A．A pet. | B．A doll. | C．A card. | D．A baby. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Annoyed. | C．Surprised. | D．Moved. |
| A．It was kept by the firefighters. |
| B．It was taken a few pictures. |
| C．It was delivered to Washington Post. |
| D．It was brought back to the donation site. |
| A．Baby Yoda was clever and popular. |
| B．Their work time was very long. |
| C．The firefighters were all homesick. |
| D．Baby Yoda meant a lot to them. |
