| 1. 难度：简单 | |
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Christmas may be the time of year for giving and spending time with loved ones, but not everyone feels an overwhelming sense of joy when festivities begin. Thousands of Reddit users have revealed the things they hate about Christmas. PETER: It causes a heavy financial burden. “Having to spend a substantial (大量的、实质的) amount of money on family members. I have to buy gifts for my grandparents, my parents, my siblings, my wife’s parents and her siblings, the dogs...and one cousin, because we do Secret Santa amongst the cousins. I love Christmas, but it costs me too much!” MCCAIN: Exams ruin everything. “In the UK we have our exams in January so that your Christmas holiday can be used to study. I didn’t have an enjoyable break until I finished university.” SUSAN: Awkward family gatherings. “Having everyone point out that I’m still single at family gatherings as if I’m unaware.” JANET: Choosing presents. “I don’t really want items anymore, so I don’t expect anything on Christmas, but I am expected to give gifts, but I usually just don’t know what to give.” ELIZABATH: Shopping hell. “I hate the way people act when shopping for Christmas. It’s almost like Black Friday every weekend at the big stores.” JACKSON: Feeling like you have to buy presents. “The pressure of buying gifts. Can’t we just enjoy each other’s company without comparing who bought the better stuff?” Mr Green: Christmas jingles. “I pretty much can’t stand most Christmas music.” Prof Smith: It’s too commercial. “The commercialization of it. Even as an atheist (无神论者), I think the Christ part has been taken out of it.” Dr Martin: Putting up decorations too early. “People put up Christmas decorations way before Christmas.” CAROL: The office Christmas party. “My office Christmas party. We have to pay to go and it’s so boring. Saying that you don’t want to attend is like pulling teeth.” 1.Who is possibly forced into a marriage? A.Dr. Martin. B.JACKSON. C.SUSAN. D.PETER. 2.What do JACKSON and JANET have in common? A.They hate to spend much money on Christmas gifts. B.They have to give gifts to everyone in the family. C.They are happy to compare gifts while purchasing. D.They are faced with the problems caused by gift giving. 3.What do we know from the passage? A.Exams follow the Christmas holiday in Britain. B.Christmas music makes too much noise. C.People are clear about what Christmas gifts to buy. D.Colleagues enjoy their office Christmas parties a lot.
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| 2. 难度：简单 | |
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A girl, who made headlines around the world when she survived almost two weeks alone in the Siberian wilderness, has won a Russian children’s beauty contest for her bravery. Karina Chikitova, who clung (抱着) on to her loyal puppy, fought to stay alive in a forest full of brown bears and wolves. The promising ballerina celebrates her 10th birthday on Boxing Day and has already won the Mini Miss Yakutia contest. In August 2014 she was found after a dozen days and nights lost in the remote taiga, sleeping on a bed of long grass and eating wild berries to stay alive. Karina had followed her father into the woods but he had no idea she was trailing him. Then just four years old, she hugged her puppy Naida for warmth in the shivering (颤抖的) cold before the dog found its way home to a remote village, urging rescuers not to give up, and to go and find the little girl. Karina’s trial was seen as so remarkable that a statue was erected (竖起) of her and the dog in regional capital Yakutsk. A popular children’s book was also written about her, and her fame as a Mowgli seems to have led this remote village girl to amazing new opportunities. Karina was “excited” after she easily won the Mini Miss contest in a social media poll for her rare experience when she was little, making her a young ambassador for Yakutia, Russia’s diamond region, the coldest inhabited place in the world. She is seen as a promising ballerina, already studying full time in Yakutsk, some 350 miles from her home. “I want to become a ballerina and dance Swan Lake,” she said. “I have also learned how to play the piano.” Bilingual Karina is doing well at school, where she has a talent for maths, and is learning English to add to her fluent Yakut and Russian. When she was found, her rescuer said: “She was sitting deep in grass, completely silent. I didn’t actually notice her. She saw me and stretched her arms forward. I picked her up. She was dead scared.” Later Karina said: “It was Naida who rescued me. I was really scared. But when we were going to sleep I hugged her, and together we were warm.” 1.How did the girl get lost in the wildness? A.She traced her father there but he was not aware of it. B.She was forgotten there by her careless father. C.She followed her little dog and lost the way. D.She loved running around and got lost. 2.Why did the girl win the Children’s beauty contest? A.Her exceptional talent in ballet dancing. B.Her whole-hearted devotion to academic performance. C.Her inspiring survival in the wildness. D.Her impressive charm and prettiness. 3.What can we infer from Paragraph 3? A.Karina was highly thought of by the public. B.A best-seller became Karina’s favorite. C.A statue was built in honor of Karina’s hometown. D.A handsome amount of money was awarded to Karina. 4.Which words can best describe this girl? A.Courageous and hesitant. B.Confident and honest. C.Arrogant and fortunate. D.Diligent and ambitious.
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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Connie Monroe clicks a button, turns her wrist and watches as her neighborhood floods. The reed-covered shorelines are first to go. Then, the baseball fields at Fleming Park. By the time seawater reaches the senior center, it has covered streets, flooding more than a dozen complexes that she can see. Monroe moves her head up and down, side to side, taking in the simulated (模拟的) view. This is what could happen to Turner Station, a historic African American community, as sea levels rise. “Everything’s underwater. The school is underwater. Our house is underwater,” Monroe says. A frown (皱眉) forms below the virtual reality headset. “Is the water really supposed to get that high?” Climate change presents many challenges to coastal communities, but one of the most worrisome problems is: how do you show people — and convince them — of a possible future? “It’s one thing to hear or read the news that sea levels could rise as high as 7 feet in Maryland by the end of the century under worst-case situations, but it’s another to imagine what that will look like in your own backyard,” says Jackie Specht, the coastal science program manager. “And if it’s hard to imagine, it’s hard to face and prioritize.” Communicating the realness and immediacy of the climate threat is important to climate researchers and those aiming to prevent its causes. But it’s also paramount to communities faced with coming changes that are already unavoidable. Climate projects need public support and input. That’s why Monroe and other residents at this recent community meeting are being directed to sit in metal chairs, put on virtual reality headsets and watch their homes flood. Virtual reality is an immersive (沉浸式的) experience that can trick the human brain into thinking it’s real. But tricking people is not the goal of the sea level rise simulation being used at Turner Station, says Juliano Calil, one of the program’s developers. The goal, he says, “is to help folks visualize the impacts of climate change and the solutions, and also discuss the trade-off between them.” 1.What would you see in Turner Station as sea levels rise? A.Shorelines covered by reeds. B.Baseball fields used as parks. C.Streets blocked with bricks. D.Buildings drowned in water. 2.What does Jackie Specht suggest in Paragraph 5? A.People are relatively safer in their backyards. B.People don’t feel on the scene through the news. C.The severity of disaster is beyond imagination. D.The sea level is bound to rise 7 feet in Maryland. 3.Why is the virtual reality experience provided in the community meeting? A.To prove climate threat. B.To seek public backing. C.To help scientific research. D.To introduce VR technology. 4.Which of the following best explains the underlined words “the trade-off” in the last paragraph? A.The balance. B.The conflict. C.The business. D.The similarity.
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| 4. 难度：中等 | |
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From talking robots to driverless vehicles, technology has become so advanced that the previously impossible seems to occur on a daily basis. And yet-we still have no cure for the common cold. Why can't we stop the common cold? According to Peter Barlow, a scientist at Edinburgh Napier University, the main challenge lies in the many different types of cold viruses that belong to the rhinoviruses(鼻病毒). There are at least 160 types.They mutate(突变) so easily that they quickly become resistant to drugs, or learn to hide from our immune systems. In other words, a single cure isn't likely to work on every type of cold. However, researchers from Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco, have found a possible answer. They discovered a protein(蛋白质) that the viruses need. All the viruses were unable to replicate(复制) inside cells without a gene that produces a specific protein called SETD3. To identify the gene which produces the specific protein, researchers used a gene-editing technique to test all genes in the human genome (基因组). Namely, they randomly disabled a single gene in each of the cells, so that the cells lacked one or another of every gene in our genome. These genetically modified cells were then exposed to the rhinoviruses, which cause the common cold. The team then looked at which gene was missing in cells that continued to grow. As it turned out, the one that stood out was SETD3, which makes a protein of the same name. Carette said the plan is to find a drug which can temporarily disable the protein, instead of producing genetically modified humans. “We have identified a fantastic target that all rhinoviruses require and depend on. Take that away and the virus really has no chance,” said Carette. 1.Which does Peter Barlow think is a problem for fighting the common cold? A.The poor immunity of patients. B.The large variety of viruses. C.The lack of enough cures. D.The side effects of drugs. 2.What do we know about the gene-editing study in Paragraph 4? A.All genetically modified cells survived B.Some genes in our genome were ignored C.It located the gene responsible for SETD3 D.It exposed the harm of the rhinoviruses. 3.How should we stay away from the common cold according to Carette? A.Apply gene-editing to human genes B.Avoid contacts with colds patients C.Prevent cold viruses from mutating D.Develop a drug to switch off SETD3 4.Which of the following is the best title for the text? A.Potential defense found for cold viruses B.Secrets behind the human genes C.Real causes of the common cold D.Puzzles over rhinoviruses solved
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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A new device is helping those who are blind to see. It does this in a new way by helping them experience the world around them. The technology is called Orion, manufactured by a company called Second Sight. 1. From being able to see absolutely nothing to suddenly seeing little flickers of light, the blind can move around alone, telling where a doorway is and where the sidewalk begins or ends. 2. One is a small device placed in the brain. There is also a video camera on sunglasses and a processing device carried in a person’s clothes. When the user points the camera, a signal goes to the processor and then back to the glasses. The glasses then communicate wirelessly with the device in the brain. The information causes a pattern to develop in the part of the brain called the visual cortex (皮质). 3. And it all happens in seconds. Jason Esterhuizen is one of just two people in the U.S. testing this technology. He lost his eyesight after a car accident. He never thought he would be able to see light or movement again. But with the movement of a switch, his world suddenly grows brighter. 4.For example, it is easier and safer for him to cross the road because he can look down and just follow the white line that's painted on the road. Researchers believe that one day this technology could benefit people who have lost their vision because of illnesses like glaucoma (青光眼) or diabetes. 5. A.It may also help those with poor vision or who were born blind. B.The new technology generally uses several parts. C.He is amazed to have the functional vision again. D.It is meant to help these people regain some independence. E.He can do everyday activities that he once could not. F.In this way, users detect movements and shapes of light. G.It basically performs the functions of what the eye normally does.
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| 6. 难度：中等 | |
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The term “the imaginary audience” was invented by American child psychologist David Elkind in 1967. It is defined as a psychological state in an adolescent, _______ by the belief that people around are eagerly watching or listening to him or her. This is because _______ are aware of the physical changes _______ in their bodies. And they are _______ concerned with how everyone is _______ these changes. The _______ of the imaginary audience are common. Teens would repeatedly change their clothes to look _______ to others. Or they would follow different ongoing _______ that may help them fit into society. If wearing checkered shirts and jeans is the current fashion, teens would_______ like that just to give a good ____________ on their imaginary audiences. Teens also worry about the ____________ mistakes they make in social settings. A blackhead could make an adolescent girl ____________ all day as she feels that she is being watched and ____________. ____________, in reality, there are only a small percentage of people who are actually interested in how somebody else ____________. Though “the imaginary audience” is considered to be a ____________, it is a natural process in which an adolescent tries to develop a better understanding of his or her ____________ with the world. As an individual's perception (理解) of the world ____________, he or she will gain more ____________ viewpoints on his or her roles among people, rather than imaginary ones. Thus, the effects of imaginary audiences will gradually ____________. 1.A.misled B.held C.driven D.represented 2.A.adults B.teenagers C.elders D.professors 3.A.occurring B.fighting C.hiding D.meeting 4.A.suddenly B.gradually C.strongly D.randomly 5.A.viewing B.facing C.accepting D.making 6.A.causes B.requirements C.examples D.results 7.A.elegant B.plain C.sweet D.smart 8.A.events B.trends C.tips D.principles 9.A.dress B.behave C.talk D.live 10.A.comment B.assessment C.impression D.instruction 11.A.strangest B.biggest C.fastest D.slightest 12.A.wonder B.relax C.sweat D.laugh 13.A.judged B.refused C.attracted D.reported 14.A.Therefore B.However C.Moreover D.Instead 15.A.sounds B.feels C.smells D.looks 16.A.disorder B.relief C.pity D.blessing 17.A.competition B.association C.comparison D.satisfaction 18.A.reduces B.shows C.works D.matures 19.A.narrow B.permanent C.realistic D.personal 20.A.run out B.fade away C.set in D.come back
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| 7. 难度：中等 | |
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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 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), first conducted in 2000, 1.(be) an international assessment hosted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics, and science literacy every three years. The latest 2018 PISA found 2. 15-year-olds in Beijing, Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang (B-S-J-Z) ranked No.1 in all three core subjects. 3. were followed by students from Singapore and China’s two special administrative regions — Macao and Hong Kong. The top OECD countries were Estonia, Canada, Finland and Ireland. The OECD's PISA 2018 4. (test) around 600,000 15-year-old students in 79 countries and regions on reading, science, and mathematics. The main focus was on reading, with most students doing the test on computers. In B-S-J-Z, socio-economically 5.(advantage) students outperformed disadvantaged students in reading 6. 82 score points in PISA 2018. This is not 7. (significant) different from the average difference between the two groups (89 score points) across OECD countries. School principals in B-S-J-Z reported more staff 8.(short) and less material deficiency than the OECD average. In almost every education system, girls expressed greater fear of failure than boys, and this gender gap was considerably 9.(wide)amongst top-performing students. In B-S-J-Z, students spent 31.8 hours in the classroom on average, 10. (rank) fourth among all 79 countries and regions. The learning efficiency of students in B-S-J-Z ranked 44th, 46th and 54th for reading, math and science, respectively, and the students' satisfaction about learning only ranked 61st.
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| 8. 难度：中等 | |
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。 增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。 删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。 修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。 注意： 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词； 2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。 We all agree that we should recycle less — at home, in the office or when out and about. But for material to be actually recycled, they first need to find their way to the right waste stream so that they can be then collected and taken to the right place for recycling. This is what the process of sorting allows us to do it. For effective recycling we need effectively sorting — and this needs to happen first, in our own home and second, in dedicated sorting plants to that waste collected from our doorstep and collecting points is taken. When you put a plastic bottle in the right recycling bag and bin, you are helped sort recyclable waste so that the right material can be fed into the right recycling process. Unless sorting does not happen, a lot of recyclable materials can end up in landfills or be burned, with valuable resources lose from our economy. Sorting at home is first step towards recycling.
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| 9. 难度：中等 | |
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假定你是李华，你们班的英国交换生Candy在汉语水平考试（HSK）口语测试中发挥失常，未能拿到二级口语证书。她很沮丧，请你写封邮件安慰她，要点如下： 1. 表示理解并肯定其付出的努力； 2. 帮助其分析失利原因； 3. 鼓励其继续为目标奋斗。 注意： 1. 词数100 左右； 2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯； 3. 开头和结尾已为你写好。 Dear Candy, _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours, Li Hua
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