1 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. boom          B. enthusiastically        C. voiced             D. finds          E. sharply          F. racing G. fortune        H. distinctly                 I. venturing          J. deals            K. joined

Eight months ago, Meng Hu, 27, quit her job as a flight attendant in Guangzhou, China. She is now working full-time as a live-streaming host on Taobao.

“I’ve been talking nonstop,” Hu said, laughing. “My throat gets really hoarse. You need to talk a lot, because your mood is contagious (有感染力的). Only when you talk     1     can you get your audience excited.”

Hu is part of a rising class of creators in China who are     2     to get in on live-stream shopping, an emerging form of retail that has grown into an industry worth an estimated $66 billion. Although the trend has been part of Chinese internet culture for years, analysts say the coronavirus pandemic has brought it mainstream.

Even the Chinese government has     3     its support, calling the industry the “new engine” of e-commerce growth and encouraging live-streaming as a solution to unemployment, which has risen     4     in China due to the pandemic.

Live-stream shopping is a combination of entertainment and e-commerce. Viewers buy goods online from people who show off their latest     5    --from lipstick to laundry detergent--in real-time videos. Many compare the concept to the TV shopping channel, but the Chinese model is     6     more modern, mobile and interactive. Hosts can give their fans discount coupons(优惠券) and flash     7     in real time, while viewers can click to send their favorite stars virtual “gifts.”

Part of the allure(吸引力) of     8     into this world is the prospect of a big payday. Brands routinely announce tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in sales in a single sitting. Top influencers can earn millions of dollars a year, according to Taobao. And even well-known business leaders are getting in on the act.

For people like Hu, the live-stream host in Guangzhou, the ongoing     9     presents both “a chance and a challenge.”

“Viewers might have doubled, but there’s probably about seven or eight times more new live-streamers now,” she estimated. “So many people like me have     10     live-streaming, and are selling products and doing the same thing.”

2 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once.

A. physical   B. practical   C. popular   D. capable   AB. range   AC. blame AD. return   BC. concerns   BD. dropped   CD. shared   ABC. improvements

Born and raised in a digital age, today’s young people are generally tech savvy （技术娴熟的). But when it comes to basic life skills, they are less     1     than the older generation.

According to a recent study by YouGov, a UK-based market research firm, 69 percent of 18-24-olds in the UK have no idea how to bleed a radiator (暖气片换水). About 35 percent of them don’t know how to sew on a button, while about 11 percent don’t understand how to change a light bulb or iron clothes.

In fact, the problem is     2    by young people in the United States. According to a report by Forbes in 2014, most millennial (千禧一代) drivers don’t know how to check their tire pressure. Cooking is another basic life skill that has been     3     as millennials are much more likely to order food deliveries than previous generations.

Technology may be to     4     for this generational gap. “Skills at using phones and computers are the ones valued these days, and the     5     hands-on skills of yesteryear are now seen as functions that can be easily outsourced (外包),” Sandi Mann, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Central Lancashire, UK, told the Mirror.

Indeed,     6     in technology have made young people unfamiliar with many basic life skills. For example, with GPS always at hand, young people have had no need to learn how to read     7     maps,

However, this change has raised     8     among many people. “If you have your master’s degree and you can’t live within your means or go home from your job and feed yourself a nutritious meal, you’re not a complete graduate,” Chris Moore, a professor from Brigham Young University, US, told HuffPost.

That’s why there’s an increasing call for the     9     of “home ec” in the US, short for home economics, which teaches basic life skills like cooking and how to do laundry. It was very     10    in the early 20^th century, but was later taken out of schools and universities because of budget cuts. But recently, home ec was reintroduced in a small number of schools and universities.

3 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. address；B. emerged；C. harmoniously；D. withdrew E. complex； F. fashion；G. troublesome；H. understandably I. initial；J. harvest；K. novel

With the rapid growth of the aging population in China, the installation of elevators in old communities has gradually become an inevitable issue. A lot of neighborhoods are living no longer     1     due to the living ills of their six-story, elevator-less buildings.

Recently, a residential     2     in Hangzhou has come up with an initiative designed to     3     the problem as to how to raise funds for facilities much-needed by elderly residents, which are called “public transit elevators.” Pay one yuan, and you can take the ride once, just like taking a bus. The price remains unchanged whether you take the lift by yourself or with your whole family. From my perspective, this     4     solution is quite necessary, but still needs improvement.

The greatest concern is the price. Residents in old communities have been at odds with one another regarding how to most effectively distribute the necessary money with which to pay for the installation of elevators. Most residents living on lower floors are     5     reluctant to pay for an elevator to be installed given that it will likely end up occupying their common area of public space. For those living on higher floors, however, the lack of elevator can often be quite     6    , especially for the elderly. Therefore, although the installation charge has been cut down to a very low level by adding pay-to-use elevators, how to properly allocate(分配) the     7     costs involved remains to be negotiated. Another problem has     8     concerning who’ll ultimately pay for the ride, suppose two families share one elevator at the same time.

Much easier as it is to work things on paper, it requires a considerable investment of financial and material resources in its initial stage, and it will only be able to     9     subtle returns, at least in the short run, making it challenging for whatever authority to carry out the proposal.

Still we have to place ourselves in the position in which we can best serve the greater society and by this, treat the issue in a more reasonable     10     so as to minimize any potential losses.

4 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.increased               B.skipping                  C.limit                 D.informative               E.harmless F.escaping                 G.glued                       H.hopeless          I. preferred                  J.inactivity            K.available

To Binge or Not to Binge?(要不要熬夜追剧?)

What are your plans for this weekend? In addition to completing homework, you may take time to catch up with friends, visit your grandparents and maybe even catch up on your     1    TV series. If you've downloaded or streamed the show, you may settle into your favorite fictional world by binge-watching several episodes or even an entire season.

You probably feel that most of your days are spent “binge-studying”, so why not reward yourself by     2     into another reality for a little while? What's the harm, right? Well, according to researchers, binge-watching, defined as watching at least 2.3 episodes in one sitting, may be more than a     3     escape.

Do you frequently spend hours in the evenings and on weekends completely absorbed in the fictional lives of TV characters? All of those hours of     4     could be turning you into an unhealthy couch potato. Studies have shown that side effects such as fatigue and obesity could be in your future.

In addition to physical health concerns, there could also be mental and emotional impacts, such as     5     feelings of loneliness sadness and depression. Some people may use watching TV as a means of escape from such feelings, but that is likely to make the problem worse in the long run.

Of course, if you're sitting around for hours with your eyes     6     to a screen, there is another obvious concern --you're missing out on lots of other important stuff! You may be missing time with friends and family, missing out on other activities that you enjoy,     7     out on school responsibilities, and possibly even missing meals and losing sleep.

When this starts happening, you know you have a problem.

Don't get me wrong. TV is an entertaining and sometimes     8     activity. It can even help you improve your English (or other languages) and help you learn about other cultures.

The reality is, with more and more TV series now     9     for streaming, there is nothing but our own willpower to stop us from binging. So when you sit down to watch a show, decide in advance to     10     the number of episodes you'll watch. Besides, it's always better when good things last longer.

5 . Direction: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. sign     B. expands     C. sustainability     D. investigate     E. flexible     F. admitted       G. costly     H. passed       I. extends     J. submit     K. revelations

The Japan that can’t keep up

The spotlight has cost losses of Kobe Steel, Japan’s largest steelmaker, whose customers include Ford Motor and Boeing. Its market of $ 2.7 billion is about $ 1.7 billion less than before it admitted to the fake data. As the criticism over Kobe’s behavior     1    , Japan’s reputation for excellence may be the biggest loser.

Japanese manufactures were once held in awe (敬畏) for their mastery of     2     manufacturing and continuous improvement, which revolutionized business practices the world over. But an increasing number of companies in China, South Korea, and elsewhere are now capable of competing with — and often beating — Japan’s long-established enterprises, forcing them to scramble (争抢).

The latest     3     of just how desperate many Japanese companies have become to stay ahead of foreign rivals: Kobe Steel Ltd.     4     this month that for years it had faked data on the quality of its aluminum, copper, and steel products. Now Kobe Chief Executive Officer Hiroya Kawasaki is leading an internal committee to     5     quality issues. And the U.S. Department of Justice has requested Kobe Steel     6     documents related to the data, the company said, adding that it will cooperate.

Unfortunately for Japan Inc.’s reputation as a trusted supplier, such     7     have repeatedly commanded headlines. Japan obviously doesn’t have a monopoly on corporate shenanigans (诡计), but fraud is particularly     8     for the nation because its flagship manufactures have banked for years on a reputation for quality. “Japanese manufactures are very aware that their brand, their reputation, the     9     of their business rest on quality,” an expert says.

Two major factors seem to be pushing the nation’s manufactures to cross the line. First, Japanese companies face enormous pressure from upstart Chinese rivals. Secondly, a whistle blower protection law     10     in Japan in 2006 has increased the chance of wrongdoing coming to light — and the digitization of records and internal conversations has made it easier for incriminating data to be passed along to regulations or authorities.

6 . 选词填空

A) challenge     B) honor        C)financially          D) shock               E) controlling F)broaden        G) manage     H) pushed               I) experiences        J)   abroad          K）.appreciating

Each year, thousands of Chinese middle school students go to study in foreign countries such as the US, the UK, Australia and Japan.

“Chinese children hope very much to go abroad to get a wider view, less competition in studying, or family     1     ” said ChenYi, a Chinese writer, who had lived in the US for 16 years. In the talk, Chen told more than 300 parents and their children that life in foreign countries could be hard for young people. “They have to face a culture     2     and language problems.”

However, these are not always the most difficult things. To most children,     3     themselves while studying alone in a foreign country is a big     4    .

Zhang Jia, a 16-year-old student entered a high school in Melbourne, Australia last October. To his surprise, his teachers there hardly     5     students to study. And usually there wasn’t any homework.

“In this educational system, we have more free time and space to think,” said Zhang. “But if you don’t know how to     6     your time and money, you will not live an easy life.” Some of his friends spent their whole year’s money in the first two months of the new term. And they didn’t pass their exams either.

“Studying     7     at an early age can help students learn foreign languages quickly and     8     their minds. But the students and parents should know about the challenges,” Chen said. “If you want to study abroad, try to talk to someone with     9     in foreign countries. Make sure that you are ready for it both mentally and     10    ”