1 . There are those who save every takeaway container. There are others who throw away every takeaway container and later wish they hadn't clone so. Wouldn't it be great if these two people could do each other a favor and just swap （交换）?

Across the world, those with too much "junk”, and those who can't get enough of it, are exchanging and sharing their stuff online on a network called Freecycle. On Freecycle, people can swap with others who live within a few miles of them. All you have to do is list whatever you have to give away or whatever you're looking for. Take a quick visit to the website, and you can get your hands on a baby stroller, a dictionary, or a pair of shoes. Just sign up and make sure you turn up to collect your new-- or , rather , old—item.

“Freecycling" isn't just a trend, though. It's becoming the accepted way of doing things. If your child has grown up, what better way to deal with his or her stroller than to give it to another kid? And if you're moving house, your expensive necessities, even beds and cupboards, can just be freecycled.

Admittedly? a lot of the items carry warnings, such as “TV with remote control missing” or ^saucepan （no lid）”. And some listings are a bit bossy, too, as in “ladies' shoes — must be collected TONIGHT! !

It's also possible to get a bit addicted to Freecycle. A "bamboo cocktail bar"， a   “cupboard with 20 very small drawers”, a huge pile of ^squares of cloth, great for craft projects! It all sounded so good to one of my flatmates that she became an example of a ^Freecycle addict”. But that didn't matter, of course. Everything she got could later be freecycled off again.

1. Why does the author mention two kinds of people in paragraph 1?

A．To lead to the topic of Freecycle.

B．To compare their different habits.

C．To call on people to help each other.

D．To help them exchange takeaway containers.

2. What can people do on Freecycle?

A．Buy cheap things.

B．Make friends online.

C．Store their own things.

D．Offer unwanted items for free.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Everything on Freecycle is expensive.

B．My flatmate has nothing to do with Freecycle.

C．It is possible to get useless things from Freecycle.

D．It is easy for some people to get crazy about Freecycle.

4. What can we say about freecycling?

A．It is not a possible trend.	B．It is win-win for some people.
C．It can cause some problems.	D．It is likely to produce waste.

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。

Would you like    1    （get）in touch with your friends? Do you send a text    2    make a phone call? A new study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that you    3    （call）instead of    4    （send）a text. Calling makes you feel more connected to your friends.

Scientists asked 200 people to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone. Many people    5    （think）that a phone call would be more awkward. But    6    （actual）, hearing someone's voice made the experience    7    （good）.

According to the study, people like to text because they can have more control. They can think about their message before they send it, and they won't be cut off or interrupted while messaging.

But    8    the other hand, texting can make    9    hard to understand the true meaning of a conversation. Making a phone call is more natural. You don't need to overthink the possible meanings behind the words and punctuation    10    can be useful in a text.

3 . 3 Things That Can Happen When You Quit Social Media

Social media brings you much fun. But if you’re spending too much time on social media, it can be hard to imagine life without it.     1    Here are some things to expect when you do that.

You’ll get more work done, and you’ll do it faster.     2    When you click back and forth between Facebook and an important project, your work time may be lengthened by as much as 40 percent. That's a high price to pay for a few likes and comments.

    3    As social media has become easy to access, we often feel forced to pay attention to what is happening on our news-feeds anywhere and at any time. The desire to be constantly aware of what’s going on online leads to an increase in cortisol, the stress hormone (压力荷尔蒙).     4    Staying away from social media makes you less affected by cortisol, leaving you calmer and more focused.

You’ll sit less. Sitting all day can be as dangerous for your health as smoking. And after a long day at work, we are increasingly using our free time to check social media — from a seated position. People will say, “Wow, I didn’t realize I was sitting an extra 90 minutes each day because of Facebook”.     5    

A．You’ll get more sleep.

B．You’ll feel less stressed.

C．Without social media, you’ll have more creative ideas.

D．This can bring unfavorable effects on the brain like reduced memory.

E．Staying away from social media frees up your time for healthier activities.

F．However, there are many reasons to consider taking a break from social media.

G．Putting aside social media, you’ll find your productivity levels increase a lot.

4 . Living together with other students may be a wonderful experience for you. If you can deal with it well, you and your roommates will probably enjoy a happy life and even build a lifelong friendship.     1    

Choose your roommates carefully if you are given permission. Combining the living spaces of several students into one location can be an exciting and beneficial experience for the outgoing students.     2    

Divide the bills equally. Some students are far less responsible than their roommates.     3     Resentment is quick to build when everyone has to pay the bill for a fellow student who can't seem to pay his share of the money.

Carry your part of the load. Everyone has to clean the bathroom and the kitchen sometimes. Don't avoid your part of responsibility. Student accommodation can get messy and it involves everyone to keep tidy and healthy.

    4     Put your roommates' interests above your own. Life will be far more enjoyable when everyone is concerned about the feelings, property, and studies of each other.

Be open and honest. Hostility between roommates may cause problems that can't be fixed. Everyone brings different standards and expectations to group living.     5     Disagreements can be managed when you are willing to both be open and listen to others.

A．They tend to let their part of the finance slide.

B．Here are a few tips for student accommodation.

C．It is quite easy to get along with outgoing students.

D．Think about someone else before you think about yourself.

E．It's in everyone's best interest to put them into the open.

F．If you are on the shy side, or prefer a quiet group, pick quieter roommates.

G．Telling a lie or saying rude words to your roommates may hurt their feelings.

5 . Teenagers are especially likely to suffer loneliness. Here are some suggestions for speeding a recovery from loneliness.

Reach out to others, but start small. A smile and a friendly greeting for the student behind you in line at the cafeteria won’t make you best friends.     1     It also can make it easier to interact the next time.

Find a safe place to make connections. If going to the school dance makes you feel like you just don’t belong, try joining a special­interest group. Maybe it’s the drama club or the marching band.     2    

Find other ways of making connections. Lonely people hunger for acceptance and friendship. Sometimes feeling accepted and liked comes more easily when you do something for others.     3     Teach a child in reading. Take notes for a disabled classmate. You might be surprised at the connections you make after reaching out in these ways.

    4     Loneliness is an absence of quality friendships, not of a particular quantity of friends. That’s why it’s important to know how to select a friend. The best friendships are those based on similar values and attitudes.

You get what you expect, so expect the best. If you expect others to be friendly, you will behave in similar ways.

    5     It goes away as teens learn how to find their way through their social world and connect with others.

A．But it will make you both feel pretty good.

B．So consider becoming a volunteer.

C．Some teens aren’t so adaptable, however.

D．Encourage people to be friendlier to you.

E．Choose the right people.

F．For most young people, loneliness is only temporary.

G．Look for a group that allows you to join in gradually and cheerfully.

6 . An act of kindness doesn't have to be a grand gesture. Even those small acts of kindness can make a difference in someone's day. That was just the case for Amie Mickey when she____________a bumper sticker on her car reading: You Matter.

Amie started to do this several years ago. At first, she wondered if people would________________it. However, much to her surprise, she began seeing a flood of____________every time she hit the road. More often than not, people________________slowly near her car would roll down their windows, raising their____________________,waving and smiling. Sometimes, she even found some sticky notes left on her windshield saying things like “You________________too! “Once while she was driving down the highway, she became____________when a man driving a sports car at a high speed pulled his car alongside suddenly, waving and mouthing, “You matter!” Though it took her some time to recover from the________________, she still felt happy. Last year, someone____________________her car while she was waiting for her friend in the car by the roadside, saying to her, “It is a(an)________________sticker. I’ve seen various stickers before, but none of them have touched me as your sticker has done. “The two small words on the sticker seem simple enough, but they really struck a chord with many complete strangers who___________to catch sight of the sticker.

Stories like Amie's really________________the rest of us. Sometimes a kind word or gesture may lift our____________and it doesn't cost a thing except for a little extra thought. Maybe it means offering a friend a hug, praising the children when their children________________well in school, helping someone out or volunteering at animal shelters or shelters for the homeless. Acts of kindness are waiting everywhere. Small as they seem, they can make a____________impact on the world, and help form general goodness.

1.

A．tore up

B．picked up

C．fixed up

D．put up

2.

A．watch

B．overlook

C．notice

D．neglect

3.

A．attention

B．strangers

C．confusion

D．trouble

4.

A．running

B．driving

C．walking

D．riding

5.

A．voices

B．hats

C．shoulders

D．thumbs

6.

A．count

B．share

C．value

D．matter

7.

A．frightened

B．frustrated

C．embarrassed

D．disappointed

8.

A．parking

B．speed

C．incident

D．event

9.

A．approached

B．blocked

C．repaired

D．cleaned

10.

A．important

B．special

C．typical

D．skeptical

11.

A．happened

B．occurred

C．managed

D．offered

12.

A．shock

B．inspire

C．delight

D．satisfy

13.

A．feelings

B．thoughts

C．spirits

D．minds

14.

A．work

B．exercise

C．conduct

D．behave

15.

A．reliable

B．subjective

C．positive

D．brief

7 . "Smile!" I shouted, holding a yellow sign up on a busy street in Seattle. We were three thousand miles away from home on a Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteerism Road Trip. We had two aims. One was to try out our new "Smile!" signs and see how much kindness and joy we could spread in Pike Place Market. The other was to raise $80 by doing street performances, enough for gas to Portland and a small hotel room.

We weren't sure how people would react (回应) to our signs. I nervously raised up our signs and shouted, "Hi, there!" to a young couple. They looked over and felt confused. Then they read our signs and broke into a smile. Before long, some tourists wanted to take a photo with us and some strangers stopped to ask us about our signs.

In fact, we paid so close attention to our "Smile!" project that we forgot the other aim. Before we knew it, the sun was setting, and we had no money for our trip to Portland. We sat down to watch a blind musician play the guitar while thinking about what to do. He was packing up when a passing crowd kicked down his change bowl. He stumbled (绊倒) into the crowd. We rushed to help him, but another man moved more quickly to help him.

Once the musician had his money safely returned, we ran over to meet the strange helper and said, "We just wanted to praise you for your good deed." He smiled, looking at our signs. "Your trip reminds me of something similar I once did when I was young," he said. "Look! I'd like to donate (捐赠)." We told him, "No, thanks! We are fine. We've collected plenty of money." We lied. "Please let me donate. It will make me feel like I'm a part of this adventure," he insisted. And then the stranger opened his wallet and pulled out four $20 bills. The money was exactly what we had intended to raise that day. We were astonished. It seemed as if he had known somehow.

1. What's the main purpose of the road trip?

A．To spread kindness and joy.

B．To invite more people to join in the trip.

C．To raise money for a trip to Portland.

D．To encourage people to take happy photos.

2. How did people react to the "Smile!" signs later?

A．Disappointed.

B．Worried.

C．Interested.

D．Moved.

3. According to the last paragraph, why did the strange helper want to donate money?

A．Because he felt pity for the author.

B．Because he wanted to join in the project.

C．Because he hoped to help the homeless.

D．Because he felt sorry for his impoliteness.

4. What does the underlined word "astonished" in the last paragraph most probably mean?

A．Tired.

B．Satisfied.

C．Frightened.

D．Surprised.

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

With busy life, it can be hard to find time to volunteer.However, volunteering brings you lots of benefits.The more you volunteer, the more benefits you will gain.Of course, volunteering does not have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy days.Giving in simple ways can not only help those in need but also improve your health all happiness.

One of the better-known benefits of volunteering is that it allows you to connect to your community, boast your social skills and make it a better place.Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals and organizations in need.And volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the others you choose to help.

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health.Almost everyone has to fight against stress, anger and anxiety.The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have a profound effect on your overall psychological well-being.Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person.Working with pest and other animal has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

Volunteering can also advance your career.If you are considering a new career, volunteering can help you get experience in your area of interest and meet people in the field.Even if you are not planning on changing careers, volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace, such as teamwork, communication, problem solving, project planning, task management and organization.You might feel more comfortable stretching your wings at work once you have developed these skills in a volunteer position first.

9 . Byrd is in her eighth year of teaching at Wilder Elementary in Mansfield. She has taught fifth grader Fisher Croney every year since he was in kindergarten. Fisher _______ in the class by helping in Byrd's classroom whenever he has free time after class.

Byrd also _______ Fisher's mother, Shannon Croney, as an acquaintance. They would occasionally chat at their boys' baseball games. She had heard that Croney was having some _______ problems. In January 2019 Croney received a routine blood test and found her kidneys （肾）were not _______ normally. After going through a string of tests, doctors could not figure what caused her kidneys to _______. But Byrd didn't know what the _______ was until she saw a Facebook post from Fisher around Christmas of 2019. It was _______ to help his mother find a kidney. Byrd did not _______ to help. In March, Byrd, learned that she and Croney were a close _______ Even doctors were ________ that they were not related in blood.

Byrd was in the hospital for ________ in June. She was never ________ about the transplant（移植）. Actually, she felt honored that her donation enabled another person to live a totally ________ life.

Today, both women are doing well. They are turning their ________ to another member of their community, who is also sick and ________ a kidney transplant.

1.

A．gives out

B．stands out

C．looks about

D．sits about

2.

A．learned

B．met

C．taught

D．knew

3.

A．family

B．behavior

C．communication

D．health

4.

A．functioning

B．growing

C．forming

D．beating

5.

A．miss

B．ache

C．fail

D．improve

6.

A．schedule

B．issue

C．offer

D．opportunity

7.

A．intended

B．allowed

C．persuaded

D．urged

8.

A．respond

B．hesitate

C．confirm

D．attend

9.

A．encounter

B．relative

C．neighbor

D．match

10.

A．excited

B．embarrassed

C．surprised

D．relieved

11.

A．surgery

B．practice

C．recovery

D．training

12.

A．curious

B．nervous

C．certain

D．frank

13.

A．normal

B．casual

C．strange

D．dependent

14.

A．back

B．faith

C．attention

D．respect

15.

A．in favor of

B．in memory of

C．in recognition of

D．in need of

10 . Have you ever found yourself waiting at the stop for your bus to arrive and have a stranger ask a commonplace (普通的) question? Or have you stood in line waiting for a coffee and feel the need to just look over to the person next to you and ask about the weather?

This is small talk, and despite the name, it’s actually a big part of daily life.

“Small talk may seem trivial (微不足道的), but it’s a natural way for people to connect. It may seem like a waste of time. But it serves a vital role in our social interactions (交往). Big relationships are built on small talk,” Lindy Pegler, who has a master’s degree in psychology, wrote on Medium.

In fact, we spend a lot of our time making small talk. Often, we find ourselves making small talk with the same people on a regular basis. Coming up with small conversations is the foundation (基础) of these relationships.

The benefits of such conversations can actually contribute to our happiness and benefit our lives as a whole. In a study cited by The New York Times, researchers found that having a healthy number of acquaintances (相识的人) and maintaining these relationships contribute to one’s sense of belonging to a community.

So how does one start making small talk? It can be as simple as complimenting (称赞) one’s shirt, asking about their day or commenting on the traffic. “First and foremost, small talk is an act of politeness,” Pegler noted. “Our small talk at our first meeting is our chance to show who we are,” she added.

Who knows where this can lead? Nowadays, the small connections we make can lead to big results. You might find someone who has a common interest, or maybe even someone who turns out to be a close friend. There is one thing for sure: making small talk can brighten our day – even if it’s just a nice comment or a thoughtful question.

So the next time you find yourself waiting for the bus or checking your watch while you wait in a line, take the opportunity to look up and talk to someone around you. After all, it takes a small connection to lead to a larger one.

1. What does the writer intend to do by asking questions in paragraph one?

A．To show his confusion on the theme	B．To argue over the seriousness of talking
C．To attach importance to talking	D．To lead to the topic of the passage

2. What does Lindy Pegler think of small talk?

A．It is a pointless conversation.	B．It wastes too much time.
C．It is connected with your social status.	D．It contributes to good relationships.

3. How do regular social interactions with acquaintances influence people according to researchers?

A．They help people develop communication skills.

B．They bring people happiness and a sense of belonging.

C．They allow people to improve their manners.

D．They help people find out who they are.

4. What are people advised to do when making small talk?

A．Start with casual topics	B．Start with serious topics
C．Make it important and deep.	D．Choose pleasant surroundings.