1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Charles Dickens

It has been 150 years since Charles Dickens died, 184 years since his first work was released to the public and 156 years since his last completed book came out. In all of this time, these novels have never been out of print. Dickens may have left us, but his work remains timeless,     1     (fascinate) the majority of those who open their pages.

Most people have read, watched or at least heard of Dickens’ stories, but what makes him and his work so popular? Since he began novel writing in his 20s, Dickens constantly produced quality classics. Year after year his awaiting fans were not left     2     (disappoint) as their minds were fed with complex tales of romance, crime, hope and despair.

In the Victorian era he lived in, much of the work Dickens produced     3     (model) on the literature before him. He was one of the first writers of the time     4     (portray) honest examples of working-class people, giving many something to relate to. He focused on unfolding the good and bad qualities of characters which allowed his readers to follow their journeys and understand     5     they may have acted in the unusual or shocking ways that they did.

Any Dickens fans will know the diverse and outrageous (耸人听闻的) characters coming to life between the pages.     6     was special about this novelist’s ability in imagining these characters’ stories is that it comes from his own life’s path.     7     a young boy left to take care of himself in a workhouse to the wealthy figure he became through his writing successes, he knew what it was like to see in different lights. This deep understanding of his characters gave his fictional stories the strong element of believability     8     is needed in a good novel.

Over a century and a half later, Dickens’ themes can be relevant to today’s world problems. His words and imagery have been transformed further into the media of modern film, television and even musical adaptations.     9     set in a time unfamiliar to readers today, his work still enables everyone to relate to the love, hardship and sense of family that pours from the narratives. It is this aspect     10     has carried Charles Dickens into the 21st century.

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。

There are several qualities of literature. One of them is its description of     1    (true) and beauty. Some truth and beauty remain unnoticed     2    a sensitive human soul brings them to our attention. A hundred men may pass a field and     3    (see) only dead grass; but a poet stops, looks deeper, sees truth and beauty, and writes. “Yesterday’s flowers am I.” One     4    (read) it is capable of seeing the beauty that     5    (hide) from his eyes before. Another quality is its appeal to our feelings and imagination. Its attraction lies     6    (much) in what it awakens in us than what it says. When Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus asks in     7    presence of Helen, “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?” he opens a door through     8    our imagination enters a new world, a world of love, beauty and     9    (hero). In general, literature is the written record of man’s     10    (think) and feelings, and the history of the human soul.

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。

The launch of an English translation of Confidence Comes from Effectiveness: A Foreigner's Wuhan Diary     1     (hold) last Friday. The book, first     2     (publish) in Arabic and then in Chinese, tells how the author Adham Sayed, a Lebanese exchange student in China,     3     (throw) himself into working with Chinese people during the city's lockdown last year.

In Sayed's view, China's putting the     4     (safe) and health of its people first is the reason for winning the battle. His foreign perspective,     5     (globe) vision and Western way of thinking make a consistent narration. He weaves in the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and reveals China     6     a responsible country. It also shows the world how people in Hubei have made great sacrifices for China     7     (overcome) the pandemic.

This book,     8     original intention was to help people remember the history of the pandemic and to carry forward the spirit, is described as a record of     9     the author saw, heard and thought during the terrible moments of the crisis.     10     (it) English version will play a positive role in telling China's story to the world.

4 . 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。

Chinese Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan opened a WeChat public account, reaching hundreds of thousands of followers.

The account named “Mo Yan”     1     （update）every week. On Monday night, Mo     2     （thank）his readers and followers in a video to celebrate the 100th day. When     3     （ask）how he felt communicating with young people, Mo said that his heart was filled with young people's     4     （view）on life, the world and history. “To my delight, I've become     5     （young）in spirit than before.” Mo said.

The articles published on the account cover many topics, some of     6     talk about literature and how to overcome difficulties in life, while others touch more ordinary subjects like pets and his personal experiences.

Writing has often been mentioned in articles. Many people asked Mo about his methods and suggestions on writing. Mo told them not to be worried and that writing is     7     lifetime job. They can take writing novels like writing letters to their families at the beginning.

Most of his followers consider that the writer is     8     （humor）and easy-going. “He did give me many useful suggestions on     9     （get）along with parents and even my choice of life. I am longing to make friends with him as I feel he is so close     10     us,” one netizen surnamed Yu told the Global Times on Tuesday.

5 . 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。

Shu Lin’s Grand pa, a children’s picture book     1    (illustrate) by British-Chinese artist Yu Rong, was on show at the London Book Fair on Tuesday, sparking heated discussions about how to better tell Chinese     2    (story) to international readers.

This book tells a story about Shu Lin, a Chinese immigrant (侨民) girl,     3     finds it hard to gain acceptance in her new school, until her grandfather saves the day. The book creates a painting style that is both classical     4     modern.

Shu Lin’s Grand pa, published in     5    (China) and in English, was listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal this year.

Nowadays, many across the world     6    (be) eager to learn about China through stories about Chinese civilization and contemporary China. At the London Book Fair on Tuesday, Chinese children’s bestsellers staged a brainstorming event on how to bring Chinese-themed books     7     the world audience.

“The rich illustrations combined with the celebration of Chinese culture which Shu Lin’s Grand pa represents made for a thought-provoking read: It has     8    (real) given me the desire to visit China, in particular to explore the     9    (tradition) ink artwork,” said Marianne Simon, an MA (文学硕士) student     10    (major) in publishing and creative writing at Kingston University.

6 . 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。

What would you do if you couldn’t hold the hands of someone you love? That is the problem 17-year-old Stella Grant and William Newman face.

The book Five Feet Apart by US authors Rachael Lippincott, Tobias Iaconis and Mikki Daughtry     1    (tell) the story of two young cystic fibrosis (CF, 囊肿性纤维化) patients who fall in love     2    their illness, forcing them to stay two meters away from each other     3     (avoid) cross infection.

Grant is a CF patient who shares how she lives with this disease on YouTube to deal with her illness and tries to live     4    normal life. After experiencing her older sister’s     5    (die) and her parents’ divorce, she is determined to stay alive for the sake of her broken family. While she is living in the hospital, she meets another CF patient, Newman,     6    is on a drug trial to try and get rid of a bacterial infection in his lungs. Grant     7    (initial) dislikes Newman because he is someone who likes to break rules and take     8    (danger) risks, but after she helps him get back to     9     (follow) his treatments, they begin to fall for each other.

This book is not just about the romance between the     10     (character), but also describes a lot of other relationships such as family and friendship. These are two very important parts of everyone’s life.

7 . 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。

A yellow teddy bear, found in a dustbin half a century ago,    1    (become) a star exhibit of the Benaki Museum of Toys in Athens since the museum opened in 2017. The adventurous bear,    2     important collection item in Europe associated with childhood, has also reached China through a children's book written by Greek     3    (educate) and author Eleni Geroulanou. In her fairy tale Once upon a time, a bear,    4     has been translated into Chinese and published by China's Hebei Children's Publishing House, the teddy bear wanders around the city     5     search of his home. He     6    (eventual) finds a new home and family in the embrace of Maria Argyriadis, a Greek researcher of toys who picks up the bear from the dustbin.

Along with the museum opening its doors in 2017, people were delighted to see the book    7    (print) in Greek. In 2019 at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy, a Greek publisher showed the book to a Chinese publisher, who     8    (touch) by the story and decided to publish it in China. Due to the pandemic, Geroulanou has not been able to visit China yet, but she is looking forward to, when things get better,    9    (meet) with Chinese readers of her book. She says that both Greece and China have rich cultures and traditions dating back to ancient times, and     10     there is so much to learn from each other.

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。

While English speakers look back to the time of Shakespeare and Milton 400 years ago as a Golden age, Chinese look back far     1     (far), to the Tang dynasty 1, 200 years ago as their Golden age of literature.

A key feature of Chinese poetry is     2     it is concise (简洁的). Each character places a thought, an impression, an image. Emphasis is put on use of rhythm and sometimes in a     3     (balance) look of the characters so that it is     4     (visual) pleasing on paper.

Amazing 48, 000 poems have survived from the many Tang dynasty poets. After the Tang, poets struggled     5     (establish) a modern style that was not rooted in the glories of the past. Later the style of the Song dynasty did become a popular form. So many people enjoy such     6     (popular) because it was more fluent and less rigid than that of the Tang.

Many poems contain specific events from Chinese history, and that makes understanding these poems     7     challenge to non-Chinese. Translating Chinese poems into English     8     (cause) all sorts of problems. For many years, writers have tried to convey the spirit of poems     9     different ways. Although much is lost in translation, the core (核心) meaning can     10     (catch) and appreciated.

9 . 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。

Our everyday lives are filled with stories with their significance in showing us how we think about     1    （we）and the world. They concern every part of our daily lives as we chat, read books, browse the Internet, send text messages, listen to music and catch up or favorite television shows. Scientists tell stories by creating     2    （theory）that use current information to provide an explanation of a     3    （nature）phenomenon.

We live storied lives.

Stories are     4    （particular）beneficial for children. We often think of stories     5       a way to entertain young children or teach them to read, not     6    （recognize）that the story is the way that children make sense of the world. One of the most important ways in     7     families can support their children is to immerse them in stories and regularly surround them with oral and written stories as well as stories     8    （tell）through dance. music. film and art. What's more, sharing stories with children, thus enabling them to tell stories, imaginary and real,     9    （be）critical to the development of thinking. Not only do children learn about literacy，     10     they also learn how to think and figure out the significance of events.

10 . 阅读下面材料, 在空白处填入适当的内容 (一个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式.

A Journey to the Center of the Earth is an 1864 science fiction novel by rules verge. The scientific knowledge in the book is old, but this has nothing to do with the     1     (popular) of the book.

There are three main     2     (character) in the book: axes, the narrator of the story; his uncle, Professor Lidenbrock, the scientist of geology, and Hans, their     3     (faith) Iceland guide.

The Professor was     4     impatient person, but he insisted on continuing the journey, and finally     5     (manage) it. Hans was silent and incredibly calm. As long as the Professor was hiring him and paid his wage     6     (regular), he could do anything for him, despite the seemingly hopeless situation. His faith, courage and excellent skills saved the other two companions for several times.

One day, the Professor found a book,     7     described the way down to the center of the Earth. He and his companions got equipped immediately,     8     (start) their adventurous journey. What was waiting for them? Well, we can only figure this out by reading the book.

The book is a short one. Some words in it may be difficult     9     (understand). But don't worry! Not knowing these words will not stop us understanding the plot. And the rest are easy. Therefore, it should be a suitable book     10     high school students and the fans of science fiction.