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。

Many people still remember the magic of Father Christmas from when they were children. As parents, they try to keep that magic alive for their children for as long as they can.

That is why Letters from Father Christmas could be the perfect book for those     1     regard Christmas     2     a special time of year. The man who wrote these letters is one of the most famous     3     (name)in English literature—J. R. R. Tolkien,       4     English writer, poet and university professor. The letters were Tolkien’s way of keeping Father Christmas alive for his four children, over a period of more than twenty years.

Every Christmas, an envelope with a North Pole stamp arrived. It     5     (address)to Tolkien’s children. The children must have been very     6     (excite)as they opened the letter to see who     7     could be from. Inside, they would find a handwritten letter from Father Christmas. The letters were also     8     (beautiful)illustrated—each must have taken its true author, Tolkien, a long time     9     (complete).

Letters from Father Christmas tells us that as well as     10     (enjoy)the adventures of Father Christmas, Polar Bear and other characters at the North Pole, we can all share the true spirit of giving at Christmas time.

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。

Cao Zhi, a prince of the state of Cao Wei,     1    (fall) in love with an official’s daughter. However, she married his brother, Cao Pi, and the prince became disappointed. Later, he composed an     2    (emotion) poem about the love between the goddess and mortal. In the poem, he praises the nymph (女神)     3     her beauty.

“Gazing at her from afar,

She shines like the sun     4    (rise) above the rosy mists (迷雾) of dawn;

Observing her close by,

She is as bright as a lotus emerging from clear ripples (涟漪).”

In the 4th century, Gu Kaizhi, a Chinese artist,     5    (move) by the story. He illustrated the poem and created     6     we call the Nymph of the Luo River.   Unfortunately, the original 4th painting was lost. However, artists made several copies of it,     7    (probable) during the Song dynasty. The painting is in     8     form of a long scroll (卷轴), which describes the plot in sections. Let's unfold the scroll and find out about this beautiful story.

In the beginning, Cao Zhi travels with a group of attendants and has to cross the Luo River. Here, Gu Kaizhi gives full play to his artistic     9    (imagine). Through clever composition and application of vivid colors, he describes the meeting between Cao Zhi and the nymph, Fu Fei. She flows lightly and stops when she wants to go.     10    (attract) by her charm, Cao loses his heart to Fu Fei.

3 . I never saw daffodils (水仙花) in Gaza.     1     When I was walking in the gardens, a line from Wordsworth’s poem came to mind: And then my heart with pleasure fills,/And dances with the daffodils.

My father used to say, “English is a window looking over the world.” He specialised in English Language and Literature. At home lively debates would erupt about literature or philosophy.     2     I was born into a refugee (难民) family as my father and grandmother had to leave their motherland for Kuwait because of war decades ago. When I was 13, my family travelled to Gaza but we had to stay there as a war broke out in Kuwait. I became a refugee for the second time. However, my parents were determined that my education was of the greatest importance.     3    

In the following years, I studied hard and finally worked as a research fellow to investigate the impact of conflict on health in the Middle East and North Africa. During this time, I attended an artistic workshop, which offered the skills to share my research findings through artistic media like poetry.     4     I didn’t find it difficult to write — I’d be walking along, and the lines just seemed to flow out of me.

Recently, a poem inspired by my research will be featured in the Creative Encounters exhibition, which forms part of the Cambridge Festival.     5     They bring a lightness and beauty, and within this lightness and beauty lies hope.

A．In this way, I rediscovered my love of poetry.

B．I specifically focused on the health of people in Gaza.

C．So they enrolled at the English Department of a top University in Gaza.

D．Despite the happy atmosphere in our home, a shadow lay across our lives.

E．They knew from experience that even if everything was lost education remained.

F．It was only when I came to University of Cambridge that I saw them for the first time.

G．While my research can’t express Gazans’ sufferings, my words can be a voice for them.

4 . Some literary characters capture the imagination of readers. Their adventures, experiences, talents and personalities make them _______. Detective Sherlock Holmes is one of these. Author Arthur Conan Doyle created Holmes in 1887 in his works. He was brilliant. Critically, his ability to notice _______, assemble them and draw conclusions amazed everyone. He first appeared in the story “A Study in Scarlet”The story also introduced Dr. John Watson and how he came to live with Holmes and be part of his life. Watson observes that many interesting people visit Holmes at various times during the day. Holmes informs Watson he is a “_______detective”. These people are clients, including _______ from Scotland Yard, who seek his help to solve difficult cases.

Watson narrates this first case which involves the murders of two men. The story has two parts. In the first part, Holmes solves the crime and captures the killer. The second part gives the backstory as to why the killer murdered his _______. It was a revenge (报复) killing for their part in the death of the murderer’s fiancee.

The Red-headed League is on many people’s lists of their favorite stories _______ Sherlock Holmes. In this story, red-headed businessman Jabez Wilson wants Holmes’ help. Several weeks before, Wilson’s young assistant, Vincent Spaulding, had _______ him to reply to a newspaper ad. The ad offered _______ paid work to a red-headed man. Wilson gets the job and is paid 4 pounds a week for short periods of afternoon work. _______ suddenly without notice the job stops. Wilson wants Holmes’s assistance to discover what happened. Holmes ________ a description of Spaulding and goes to see him at Wilson’s shop. He notices that the knees of Spaulding’s trousers are ________. Then Holmes taps on the pavement ________Wilson’s shop. Next he calls a police inspector and the director of the bank that is behind Wilson’s shop. The four men hide in the dark bank vault (金库) and wait. Soon two men, one of whom is Spaulding, ________ from a tunnel cut into the vault’s floor and are captured. The two men had ________ the Red-headed League to keep Wilson away while they dug the ________ to the bank vault.

1.

A．imaginable

B．intelligible

C．powerful

D．unforgettable

2.

A．criminals

B．processes

C．details

D．expressions

3.

A．consulting

B．investing

C．conducting

D．enquiring

4.

A．natives

B．detectives

C．officials

D．rivals

5.

A．colleges

B．partners

C．relatives

D．victims

6.

A．including

B．representing

C．involving

D．praising

7.

A．urged

B．helped

C．warned

D．forced

8.

A．dearly

B．fully

C．highly

D．earnestly

9.

A．Therefore

B．Furthermore

C．Meanwhile

D．Then

10.

A．turns to

B．asks for

C．takes down

D．works out

11.

A．dirty

B．ordinary

C．special

D．wet

12.

A．on top of

B．at the back of

C．in front of

D．in the middle of

13.

A．escape

B．emerge

C．run

D．keep

14.

A．invented

B．organized

C．supervised

D．commanded

15.

A．yard

B．wall

C．hole

D．tunnel

5 . 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 more word than you need.

A. community       B. emerging       C. address       D. effortlessly       E. vehicle       F. encouraged I. challenge       G. noticeably       H. welcoming       J. prioritized       K. lack

The Power of Poetry

“Thank you for leading us to these places of comfort,” one participant said. “It helped me feel connected to a greater sense of being, which is so needed during these times.” Her words echoed (和……共鸣) many of the participants’ feelings in Finding Comfort, the first installment of the Hope Storytelling Project.

We were inspired to create the project, a series of virtual poetry workshops held in partnership with the Cambridge Public Library and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, for a simple reason: to create     1     through poetry.

In this time of social isolation and uncertainty, the need for meaningful connections is more apparent than ever. The longer the pandemic continues, we, as a nation, are quickly realizing how there is a(n)     2     of tools to fight the growing feelings of loneliness. Therefore we decided to use poetry as a(n)     3     for connection: to cultivate a safe space where free expression is     4    , different opinions are tolerated, and sharing stories offers therapeutic reflection. Through the combination of introspective writing and open group discussions, we have built a model in which poetry can directly     5     feelings of loneliness.

One of the most powerful and simple ways of dealing with emotional issues is communicating and listening to others with our undivided attention and open minds. Therefore, in designing the Hope Storytelling Project, we     6     designing our workshops for that particular purpose—to use poetry as a way to heal through individual reflection and group discussion. Divided into five parts (Finding Comfort, On Perspective, Approaching Emotion, Being a Witness and A New Hope), the Hope Storytelling Project seeks to guide participants through different forms of writing poetry, and finally, to uplift each other and create a sense of unity.

In our first workshop, participants shared childhood stories, memories about loved ones, and about the things they missed, such as hiking, going to work or simply hugging a friend. In the span of an hour, the virtual space felt     7     more tight-knit, warmed by shared poems and experiences. As we closed, many participants noted how this workshop     8     offered the space to simply write, listen and connect.

It is time to recognize how powerful creative expression, through mediums such as poetry, can be in times of despair, and we believe all aspects of poetry—reading, writing and sharing—can serve as an incredible cure for loneliness. In times like these, poetry will     9     us to imagine and to consider our journeys within the collective landscape, and we can use this to heal and to create meaningful connections. Poetry can be a(n)     10     medium of comfort and beauty, reminding us of how we were all closely connected, even in isolation.

6 . Sometimes a book comes along that isn’t just “interesting” or “well done”— it’s a book where it seems like the author looked into your brain and wrote a book specifically for you. A book like that for me was released this week. It’s called 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet, written by editor Pamela Paul.

Paul lists 100 things we used to do that the Internet has either changed or taken over completely: writing letters, print newspapers, the joys of being bored, and not having all the knowledge in the world in your pocket.

As I’m a longtime accumulator of random knowledge, certain entries on the list—Being the Only One, Figuring Out Who That Actor is—hit me where live; remembering detailed facts is no longer   nearly as impressive when everyone has the capability to find the answer in seconds.

On and on the list goes, with every minor shift adding to the pile. What this book does so well is illustrate the growth of that pile; while any individual item might be no big deal, the collected set is significant. It’s a list of ways in which the world now is different from the world then.

Obviously, Paul isn’t saying that everything back then was better. Time marches on, after all. and it’s tough to argue against the many benefits that the Internet has brought into our lives. But that isn’t really the point. It’s not about whether it used to be better. It’s that it used to be different.

100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet is a fun read for those of us who share some of Paul’s memories and experiences. We remember what it was like and we like to remember. The landscape has shifted, and no doubt it will shift again as technology’s advancement continues apace. This book serves as a reminder of the simple truth that when gains are made, sometimes something is lost.

1. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To review and recommend a good read.

B．To comment on the effect of the Internet.

C．To argue for the viewpoint of a new book.

D．To urge the readers to value what they have.

2. Which might be entries on Paul’s list?

A．Maps and Eye Contact.

B．E-pay and Compact Disks.

C．Postcards and Homeschooling

D．Bad Photos and Washing Machines.

3. What does the underlined phrase “hit me where l live” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Prove what I’m good at.

B．Introduce how I grew up.

C．Describe the place I live in.

D．Speak out what is on my mind.

4. What conclusion has the author drawn after reading Paul’s book?

A．Things in the past are better.

B．There’re no gains without pains.

C．The internet is a double-edged sword.

D．Technology is constantly changing the world.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Who is probably the man?

A．A teacher.

B．A writer.

C．A student.

2. What does the man like best about Daniel Finds a Poem?

A．Its words.

B．Its illustrations.

C．Its topic.

3. Where will the woman likely get a copy of the book?

A．From a secondhand store

B．From an online bookshop.

C．From the school library.

8 . What is the book mainly about?

A．A little girl's school life.

B．A special teacher's life

C．Two close friends

9 . Joseph Conrad, a famous English novelist, said that his goal as a writer was “to make you hear, to make you feel, and above all, to make you see. That, and no more, is everything.”     1     Often it leaves a single sharp impression to be turned over and over in the mind. After finishing the story, the reader should have something to think about: the humor of life, its ironies, or the unpredictability of human behavior.

    2     The first and most obvious level is conveyed through the plot. Plot refers to the sequence of events, to the actions of the characters and the situations in which they are involved. To explain the plot, then, is to tell what happened in the story and to whom. In some short stories, plot is the dominating element. In other short stories, plot plays a very minor role.

In Hemingway’s story, The Old Man and the Sea, however, we must approach the content on another level.     3     To understand and appreciate the story, the reader must be able to identify its general topic or theme. The next step is to identify the device by which the author comments on this theme.     4    

Readers cannot appreciate a short story fully unless they react not only to what has been said but also to how it has been said.     5     Style grows out of the writer’s own personality and can be seen in the choice of words and phrases, the arrangement of sentences, the rhythm and tone. Structure refers to the architecture of the story, the way in which the details are selected and arranged to produce the desired effect.

A．They must look for style and structure.

B．In complex stories, careful readers may not always agree with the author.

C．The impact on the reader comes from the sudden and unexpected response.

D．A good short story tries to give the reader a sense of the actual experience.

E．Finally, the reader should be able to explain the insights which the author has given into the theme.

F．The impact of the story comes from the insight it gives us into the needs and desires of youth and old age.

G．In order to read a short story with full understanding, the reader must approach the content on two levels.

10 . Life has a way of shaping us. Life can make you doubt or question your purpose.    1    . I have seen this in my own life.

Poetry prepared me for my purpose. I did not see this initially, so I tried taking a different direction.    2    . I finally left behind my failures and fully launched into my destiny.

In my journey towards purpose, poetry became my safety net. Poetry was my outlet from bullying by peers, which gave me low self-esteem.    3    . For every important moment in my life, I wrote poetry. During tough times, I wrote poetry. I connect with poetry on a deep level.

However, writing poetry lacks financial stability.    4    . In America, I was an assistant teacher for kindergarten. When living in China, my job was an English teacher. The work I did was similar. I inspired children, giving them my love, my time and my heart. Still, poetry brought me joy.    5    .

Where you are is preparing you for your purpose. Your purpose is waiting for you!

A．I pursued teaching instead

B．I started writing poems at age 5

C．My original plan never worked out

D．The only person standing in your way is you

E．It showed me how to make sense of the world

F．Poetry is my voice to be seen, heard and known

G．However, when you live out your purpose, you are unstoppable