1 . 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。

Henry Tyler made the catch of the year on the weekend. When he saw a young child hanging from a sixth-floor apartment balcony (阳台), Henry ran one hundred metres, jumped over a 1.2-metre fence, and held out his arms to catch the     1     (fall) child.

Eric Brown, only three years old, knocked Henry down when he fell. The boy is in the hospital and doctors say he'll be OK.

    2     Brown family live in an apartment building outside Toronto. On the day of the accident, Mrs. Brown was at work and Eric was at home with his father. They both fell     3     (sleep) while watching TV.

Eric woke up a little later when he heard children playing outside. He pushed a chair onto the balcony, and climbed up     4     (see) them. When he looked down, he     5     (accidental) slipped and fell over the edge. He hung on for a few minutes     6     screamed for his father, but his father didn't hear him.

Henry     7     (fix) his car when he heard the screams. He looked up and saw Eric hanging from the balcony. He quickly     8     (throw) his tools aside, and started running, arms out.

"He saved my     9     (son) life," said Mrs. Brown. "I don't know     10     to thank him.”

"I just didn't want the boy to be hurt," said Henry.

2 . New Year’s resolutions: turning vows to deeds

Luckily, for those who fail at seeing their resolutions through, there is always a way to achieve your desired goal. Through a carefully designed plan for action, there is a way to achieve your goals.     1    .

● Aim for what is in your control

The first thing to note is that New Year’s resolutions are not wishes!     2    . Ambiguous things like “I want to find love” or “I want to get a promotion” are unrealistic goals as they are determined by external forces that are out of our control. You cannot achieve what you can’t control. Only work towards achieving what you are capable of. For instance, since we have no say as to who gets a promotion at work, this desire of being promoted can be broken down into achievable goals of increasing productivity and being more assertive(自信果敢的).

●     3    

Just because we have set a goal that we need to achieve this coming year does not mean we should start it on the first day of the first month of the year. Starting anything is not easy, and it requires mental and physical preparation.     4    . That can lead to easy failure or giving up.

● Track your progress

Maybe there are some ways to know you are on course to achieve your goals.     5    . One can only be certain they are making headway on their resolutions if they have a way of determining their progress. To know we are headed towards the goal, we need to know how far we have come and how much further we have to go.

A．Have a game plan

B．Start when you are ready

C．Here are some easy steps to turn the written hopes into fruition

D．The best is to establish a method that quantifies your improvement

E．We have all made New Year’s resolutions that have not worked in the past

F．Avoid writing down things you desire but are not 100 percent in your control

G．To say you will start on January 1st is to start too early and without preparedness

3 . 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。

Humblebragging, a new word created by Harris Wittels, a comedic writer, refers to “a specific type of boast (吹嘘) that allows the speaker to broadcast their achievements     1     the necessary shame and guilt normally accompanying such claims.” In simpler terms, it’s a way to disguise (伪装) a boast with some humility.     2     it’s body image, money, or fame, humblebragging is finding     3     (it) way into our lives more frequently than before, thanks to social media.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, shows that people choose to humblebrag as an attempt     4     (impress) others. We often rely on this strategy to enhance our self presentation and     5     (ultimate) to have others respect us and view us in a more positive light. While we do need to rely on quite a bit of self-promotion to make others aware of our competences, humblebraggers are known for     6     (mix) self-promotion with humility or complaint.

The results in this study show that people perceive humblebragging not only as insincere, but less     7     (effect) than just straightforward boasting or complaining. According to this study, people who rely on this strategy do so to gain more popularity and respect from others. However, in     8     (real), they cause the complete opposite from recipients. What to do? The authors of the study conclude with the following statement, “    9     (face) with the choice to honestly boast or humblebrag, self-promoters should choose     10     former, and at least obtain the rewards of seeming sincere.”

4 . As the Internet is closely linked to almost every aspect of modern life, it’s difficult to avoid having some kind of presence online.

    1     It is like the evidence you might leave behind after going camping, such as remains of a campfire, your dinner scraps(碎屑), and the path you carved in the woods while hiking.

    2     This footprint tends to fall into two categories, depending on whether you’re leaving an active digital footprint or a passive one. An active digital footprint is data you leave on the Internet because you intended to do so, such as emails and text messages, comments you’ve left on articles or videos, and social media posts.     3     Unintentional data can be cookies and tracking data created by web browsing activity, geolocation data generated when using maps, your IP address and so on.

In some cases, there’s a legal use of your digital footprint. Some website owners and advertisers collect information about your online habits and purchasing preferences to better accommodate your need. But the data can also be used by hackers, criminals and other malicious actors.     4     Besides, criminals can gather enough information about a person to target them for fraud.

It’s inevitable to leave some sort of digital footprint in your wake online. To reduce the risk, avoid using your primary email address when creating online accounts. Don’t overshare your personal life.     5    

A．In the case of your digital footprint, the evidence you leave behind is data.

B．You can create disposable（一次性的）email addresses to avoid the risk.

C．Perhaps the biggest risk people face online is having their identity stolen.

D．Likewise, your passive digital footprint is created by your unintentional data.

E．And not giving websites the right to sell your data may also minimize the risk.

F．Increasingly, websites are adding privacy tools to restrict the use of your personal information.

G．The degree to which you leave traces of your online activities is referred to as your digital footprint.

5 . Unfortunately, there are a lot of environmental issues today, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t help to make changes—especially if you’re a kid!    1    It helps you get more resources at your fingertips than your parents could have found in an entire library when they were young.

    2    They clean and process certain kinds of waste so that the materials can be reused. Help the adults in your home by organizing and regularly delivering the recycling to the recycling truck.

Kids grow out of clothes, toys, etc. It is a waste of the world’s precious resources if you get a new backpack just because you are bored with the old one. The same goes for anything you use or consume.    3    

The energy your house uses for things like hot water, air conditioning, and lighting is made at different kinds of power plants, each of which processes a particular type of fuel to turn it into energy.    4    For example, hydroelectric(使用水力发电的) power is cleaner than coal-burning power. Do your part by using as little energy as possible.

Ask your parents to purchase 3 or 4 reusable shopping bags. These will drastically reduce the amount of paper or plastic shopping bags coming home from the grocery store.    5    Anyway, you can even take home your paper towels and plastic baggies for recycling.

A．They cost little.

B．Nothing you do is ever small.

C．Take the Internet for example.

D．Some fuels are cleaner than others.

E．Look after and appreciate what you have.

F．Recycling programs are available practically everywhere.

G．As for your own items, start using a reusable lunch box for school.

6 . The New York Times reported that phone calls have made a comeback during the pandemic. Verizon, an American wireless network operator, told the Times that it’s now handling an average of 800 million wireless calls daily during the week. That’s more than double the calls made on Mother’s Day, which is one of the busiest days of the year for phone calls.     1     Similarly, AT&T Inc. reported that the number of cell calls has increased by 35%.

    2     And there’s nothing like creating a big family get-together by cramming everyone on a screen. It’s great that you can see the people you’re talking to.

But sometimes, something gets lost when video is involved. Video calls and apps are “undeniably brilliant,” writes the Guardian. “But there’s a performance involved, distractions, and people coming and going. If you want to actually say something to someone, just call them.     3    ”.

If you are old enough, you might remember having one phone for the whole family. “The shared family phone served as an anchor for home,” Luke Fermandez, a computer-science professor at Weber State University says. “With smartphones, we have gained mobility and privacy.     4    ”

But now so many of us are turning back to our phones to find family. In Dickinson, the city council members shared the city phone book in late March to call residents to check in. Council member Katie Pinkie wrote in the Dickinson Press, “They shared stories of faith, friendly and health. The people I called to check in on ended up helping me more.     5     “What would happen if we all used this time of the social distancing to reconnect the old-fashioned way?” Landline or mobile phone, start dialing.

A．Before Caller ID, you did not know who was calling.

B．Many of us are also talking to our families on video chat.

C．Everybody had a handle on everyone else’s business field.

D．However, the value of the home has been reduced considerably.

E．Nothing can beat a comforting human voice straight into the ear.

F．They gave me a sense of purpose for the week and unknowns ahead.

G．In addition, the length of calls is up 33% now compared to an average day before the outbreak.

7 . If you’re a chronic procrastinator (慢性拖延者), you’re familiar with the pain and stress that goes hand in hand with leaving things to the last minute. Even if you want to accomplish or finish a task, you’re probably having trouble getting started in the first place!     1    .

Start your day with the hardest tasks. Make yourself a plan in the morning and pick the hardest task first. You’ll be most energized in the morning once you’ve eaten breakfast and woken up fully.     2    . You’ll feel better once it’s done, and then you can move on to a few easier tasks for the rest of the day.

    3    . It can be astonishing to think about finishing a whole essay or getting through an entire week’s worth of tasks. Instead of thinking about everything you have to do like one big barrier, break it all down into tiny pieces. You’ll be able to get started on the smallest crumb and go forward from there.

Tackle your most important task for 15 minutes. Instead of thinking about the total number of hours you’re about to work for, just start.     4    . This will deal with the fear factor, and you'll likely spend much longer than 15 minutes on your task before you stop working again.

Promise yourself you’ll get a reward when it’s done. You’re probably scared of the next however many hours you need to finish this task. Just tell yourself that when it’s over, you get to celebrate with one of your favorite things.     5    

A．Write a to-do list to set goals first.

B．Break tasks down into small parts.

C．There are several ways that can help you.

D．Stop punishing yourself for procrastinating.

E．Tell yourself you’ve only got to do it for 15 minutes.

F．Handle your hardest thing on your schedule right then.

G．Use that expectation to push yourself through the pain.

8 . Communicating with the elderly can often be challenging. However, there are techniques you can use.

Be aware of the person’s health issues. Older adults may have health problems that add difficulty to speaking and understanding.     1     For example, they may have hearing problems, speech problems, and memory loss. These factors complicate communication.

Pay attention to the environment in which you are communicating. Be sure to evaluate the environment in which you are communicating, which might have an effect on hearing and speech problems. Is there any disturbing background noise? Are many people speaking in the same room?     2     If you sense any disturbance, try to move to a more peaceful and quiet location.

    3     Older adults may have trouble hearing. Direct your speech at the individual’s face—not to their side. Do not eat your words: move your mouth and pronounce each word carefully and precisely.

Adjust your volume appropriately. Learn to adapt your voice to the needs of the individual. Evaluate the environment and how it relates to the person’s hearing abilities.       4     Treat the individual with respect by articulating and speaking at a comfortable volume that is suitable for both of you.

Take it slow, be patient, and smile. A sincere smile shows that you are understanding. It also creates a friendly environment in which to communicate. Remember to pause between sentences and questions. Give the individual an opportunity to understand and digest information and questions.     5    

A．Employ visual aids, if possible.

B．Speak clearly and make eye contact.

C．Don’t shout simply because the listener is older.

D．Avoid the confusion of mixed ideas and questions.

E．Ask the older adult if the place is comfortable for them.

F．This is a particularly valuable technique if a person has memory loss.

G．Make sure you consider the person’s health before you engage in communication.

9 . Desperate to help his 96-year-old mother to speak her mother tongue again, Keith McDermott made an appeal on social media and was met with a flood of kind responses. The old lady, Ray, was moved to tears after talking on the phone with one of the enthusiastic respondents in Welsh.

Ray moved to America after meeting her husband when she was only 18, hence waving goodbye to her life in Wales. She continued to speak Welsh with her mum-keeping a little bit of home. But she lost her beloved mum four decades ago and hadn't spoken Welsh ever since.

Despite suffering from short-term memory loss and sometimes not remembering what she has done recently, Ray's childhood memories in Wales remain clear. “She wants to return but I know, given her age, such long-distance travel is out of the question.” said Keith, “Once she mentioned ‘I wish I could speak Welsh again but I suppose I never will.’ It was then that I thought I should make her wish happen.”

So Keith, 70, posted on social media in the New York Welsh area asking for any Welsh speakers that could speak Welsh with his mum. And he was touched, as well as a little shocked, to receive over 30 responses within half an hour. Keith thanked everyone and eventually asked Melisa to give his mum a phone call. “Speaking with Melisa, her (Ray's) Welsh was a little rusty. A few more Welsh conversations and I think she'd be fluent again,” added Keith.

“When you have a parent in their nineties, you will find you two have something in common: you're both old, so I am very sympathetic to my mother's feelings of loneliness and isolation (孤立). I'm feeling it myself.” Keith hopes to set up more Welsh phone conversations for his mum and Melisa has promised to send Ray some short stories in Welsh to remind her of her life in Wales.

1. Why did Keith post a message on social media?

A．To gather American Welsh speakers.

B．To help his mum speak Welsh again.

C．To slow down his mum's memory loss.

D．To track down his family's Welsh origin.

2. How did Keith feel after seeing the responses?

A．Surprised and moved.	B．Concerned and thankful.
C．Sympathetic and excited.	D．Astonished and isolated.

3. What is conveyed in the story?

A．Social media contribute to closer family ties.

B．Mother tongue means more than a language.

C．Childhood experiences shape one's later life.

D．One will be more sensitive when getting older.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A community noticeboard.

B．A health magazine.

C．A language-learning website.

D．A local newspaper.

10 . Architecture is amazing. It has changed the way I look and interact with the world and my environment.   It has trained me to be hyper-sensitive (过度敏感) to the built environment, to recognize problems and find solutions that an untrained eye would never notice.

As much as I love this profession, it is very easy to get lost in architecture. I get so focused that I have forgotten about everything else. Luckily my passion for cycling kept me sane (清醒的) while I was becoming an architect. I faced a lot of obstacles and challenges taking a bicycle ride across the United States. Looking back, cycling across the America was actually one of the smartest things I ever did.

I have actually bicycled across the continental USA twice; East to west. Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean, both times. Bicycling across America isn’t as hard as you think.

I rode alone on my first trip in 2005 from Virginia Beach to the coast of Florence, Oregon. In the end it was 4,547 miles over the course of 77 days.

I left for the second trip in 2007 with my two best friends from Bar Harbor, Maine to Portland, Oregon, which was a 4,886 mile ride over 90 days. At that time, I fell in love with the idea of leaving the east coast behind, starting a whole new life and career in a new city. I ended up in Portland. After arriving in town on a bike, I eventually found a job, a place to live and an amazing dog.

I share all this not to convince anyone to go biking across America, but only to share how doing this has changed my life. Architecture has given me a wonderful life and career but it isn’t everything. Thankfully I have also been very passionate about: my friends, traveling, bicycles, punk rock, technology, the internet, my dog, and even yoga. My architecture background has definitely sweetened my relationship with all those things.

Becoming an architect is a noble pursuit, but you should keep pursuing everything else that you are passionate about. It will enhance your architecture career and ultimately make you a more interesting person, which in my opinion is really more important than being another silly architect.

1. What’s the advantage of cycling according to the author?

A．Changing his negative attitude to architecture.

B．Keeping himself focused on his career all the time.

C．Enabling him to find solutions without training.

D．Making him a much better architect and person.

2. What does the author think of his two cross-country bike trips?

A．They are harder than what he expected before.

B．They show the benefits of riding with friends.

C．They give him some extraordinary experiences.

D．They guarantee him a new life and career in Portland.

3. What can be inferred from Paragraph 6?

A．Don’t get completely lost in your hobbies.

B．Don’t abandon hobbies for your profession.

C．Don’t feel ashamed of stopping your hobbies.

D．Don’t weigh your family against your profession.

4. In the last paragraph, the author reminds us to ________.

A．take up the pursuit of becoming an architect

B．find what we are really passionate about

C．appreciate other people’s good intentions

D．avoid our career taking over other pursuits