| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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The story of chocolate begins with the discovery of America in 1492. Columbus was the first European to come into contact with cacao. Columbus was struck by how much value the Indians placed on them as he did not know the beans were used by currency. It is unlikely that Columbus brought any of these beans back to Spain and it was not until about 25 years later that Cortez grasped the commercial possibilities when he found the Aztecs using the beans to make the royal drink “chocolatl”. The Spanish, in general, were not fond of the bitter drink so Cortez and his followers made it more palatable by adding sugar and later cinnamon(肉桂) and vanilla(香草) were added. Spanish monks( 僧侣) let the secret out back home and, although the Spanish hid it from their neighbors for a hundred years, finally chocolate’s popularity grew until it was their fashionable drink at the French court(宫廷) and the wise choice of customers at London meeting houses. The cacao tree is strictly a tropical plant only in hot, rainy climates. Thus, its cultivation (培育 ) is limited to countries not more than 20 degrees north or south of the equator ( 赤 道 ). The cacao tree is very delicate and sensitive. It needs protection from the wind and requires a fair amount of shade under most conditions. This is true especially in its first two or three years of growth. A newly planted young cacao tree is often sheltered by a different type of trees. It is normal to plant food crops for shade such as bananas, or coconuts. Rubber trees( 橡胶树) and forest trees are also used for shade. Once established, however, cacao trees can grow in full sunlight, provided there are fertile soil conditions and intensive farming. With cutting and careful cultivation, the trees of strains will begin bearing fruit in the fifth year. With extreme care, some strains can be stimulated to produce good crops in the third and fourth year. The process of turning cacao into chocolate hasn’t changed much since the late 1800s, when the Swiss learned to make fine unsweetened chocolate. Mixed with cocoa butter and other ingredients and then “purified”, the finished result is shaped, cooled, packaged by machine, distributed, sold and of course, eaten! 1.Why didn’t Columbus bring beans back to Spain at once when he found cacao? A.Because he couldn’t afford to buy the cacao bean. B.Because he didn’t know how to turn cacao bean into chocolate. C.Because he was not aware of the commercial value of cacao bean then. D.Because Spaniards then didn’t favour the chocolate that the Aztecs originally drank. 2.The underlined word “palatable” in paragraph 2 probably means _______. A.affordable B.agreeable C.patent D.portable 3.Which of the following is correct about cacao tree? A.Cacao trees require hot, rainy climates and adequate sunlight. B.Cacao trees need a lot of looking after to be used commercially. C.Cacao trees won’t produce fruit until the fifth year. D.Cacao trees can grow well in all continents.
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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Definition of adult learning vary, but according to the European Commission, it is defined as all forms of learning undertaken by adults after having left initial education and training, however far this process may have gone. Education and training are important factors in achieving the strategic goal of raising economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion. However, with some expectations, implementation(实现，履行) remains weak. Most education and training system still largely focus on the education and training of young people and limited progress has been made in changing systems to mirror the need for learning throughout the life span. An additional 4 million adults would need to participate in lifelong learning. Recent research confirms the importance of investing in adult learning. Research on older adults indicates that those who engage in learning are healthier, with a consequent decrease in health care costs. Europe’s key economic challenge is to raise its growth and employment performance while preserving social cohesion(凝聚力). Rapid progress in other regions(地区) of the world shows the importance of innovative (创新的), advanced and quality education and training as a key factor in economic competitiveness. General levels of competence must increase, both to meet the needs of the employment market and to allow citizens to function well in society. Europe is facing unheard-of demographic changes that will have a major impact on society and on the economy and consequently on education and training provision and needs. The European population is aging: over the next 30 years the number of younger Europeans(up to 24 years old)will fall by 15%. One in three Europeans will be over 60 years old, and about one in then will be over 80. Raising the overall level of skills of the adult population by offering more and better learning opportunities throughout adult life is important for both efficiency and equity reasons given the challenges identified above. Not only does adult learning help make adults more efficient workers and, better-informed and more active citizens, it also contributes to their personal well-being. 1.What dose the author say about adult learning? A.It reduces health care costs greatly. B.The young need take it seriously. C.It hasn’t been given enough attentions. D.More adults have realized its importance. 2.What must we do to do well in today’s society ? A.Upgrade(提高) general levels of our abilities B.Face various challenges bravely. C.Copy what other regions have done. D.Be sensitive to the labour market. 3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 refer to? A.Change in the education system B.Changes in the job market C.Changes in the population D.Changed in society
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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American writer A.N.DEVERS was at a rare-book fair in New York City in 2015 when she noticed a Joan Didion title selling for just $25. Then she saw the price tag of a novel by the equally famous Cormac McCarthy: about $600. “I realized we don’t value women’s work the same way we do men’s,” Devers says. “It’s depressing. But it’s also exciting, because I can do something about it.” Three years later, after moving to London and joining the U.K.’s booming rare-book trade, Devers opened the red doors of her new bookstore, the Second Shelf. Located in a quiet courtyard off the busy streets of London’s Soho, the store almost exclusively stocks rare books by women (alongside a handful of male-authored books about women). The focus is modern fiction: Elizabeth Bowen novels, romances by Rosamunde Pilcher, poetry by Ntozake Shange. Devers’ skill for finding overlooked jewels was polished during a childhood of Visits to yard sales in towns across the U.S., a result of her family’s following her father’s Air Force job. Some of her most sought-after recent finds were works by Miriam Tlali, the first black woman to publish a novel in South Africa. Devers hit on her 1975 debut in a charity store and quickly sourced and sold 15 more Tlali books. In collecting these works, the Second Shelf is correcting a historical imbalance that has allowed women’s literary achievements to be eclipsed. Bookdealers have tended to be men; much of the trade’s early material was collected by “country gentlemen who ran estates and amassed libraries of books to show their wealth and intelligence,” Devers says. She argues that they’ve been like their peers in other male-led creative industries — including television, film and the news media — in that “they focus on themselves.” That past contributes to a plain absence of women’s work among the books considered to be valuable cultural objects. In January, the Second Shelf went viral (走红) on Twitter after Devers pointed out that only nine books by women appeared in a list, produced by a trade website, of the 500 biggest sales at auction in the books-and-paper field last year. Even among more recently published works, a 2018 study found, titles by women are on average priced 45% lower than books by men. In recent years, calls have gone out to read only books by women for a year and for universities to expand their curriculums. The observance of Women’s History Month in the U.S. has also made March a time for publishers to suggest fitting reading lists. Devers’ shop is the physical site of that movement challenging the current situation. “We’ve been taught to find value in something really narrow,” she says. “It’s time to explore something different.” 1.The first paragraph tells the readers _________. A.why Devers named her shop the Second Shelf B.how Devers was exposed to rare book trade C.what motivated Devers to open the Second Shelf D.where Devers first came across women’s literary works 2.The underlined word “eclipse” in the fourth paragraph means_________. A.fully exposed B.partially concealed C.seriously treated D.roughly explained 3.Which may explain the absence of the great literary works by women? A.The trade used to be dominated by men. B.Women writers’ ideas conflict with the bookdealers’. C.Males tend to be productive in the creative industry. D.The majority of male readers don’t read modern fiction. 4.What can be inferred from the passage? A.In recent years, university curriculums have emphasized books by women. B.Women’s History Month has pushed women writers to be more productive. C.More physical bookstores like Devers’ are needed to change the situation. D.The Second Shelf is helping turn a page for women in literature.
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| 4. 难度：中等 | |
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Though technology has considerable wonderful benefits, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our addiction to technology and overall cell phone addiction is becoming too common. However powerful it is, it does have a power-off button.1. ● Powering-down prevents the fear of missing out. Scientifically speaking, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has been recognized as a recently rising psychological disorder brought on by the huge increase in technology addiction. The premise(假定) is simple.2.Within this constant stream of information, our fear of being left out continues to grow. Turning off social media and learning how to live in the moment are both important skills in this modern world. ● Powering-down promotes creation over consumption. Essentially, most of our time is spent in one of the two categories: consuming or creating. Certainly, technology can contribute to creating. For example, this article was written (created) on a computer. But most of the time we spend in front of technology is spent consuming (playing video games, browsing the Internet, watching movies, listening to music).3. It needs more creating. It needs your passion, your solution, and your unique contribution. Power down and begin contributing to a better world because of it. ●4. If we power down for a while, we can learn something about ourselves. We will learn we are far more addicted to technology than we would have guessed. But that is the nature of addiction, isn’t it? We can never fully realize our level of addiction until the item is out of sight. The only way to truly discover technology’s controlling influence on our life is to turn it off, walk away, and sense how strong the pull is to turn it back on. ● Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you. Our world may be changing, but the true nature of life is not. Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you.5.The conversations are natural and authentic. And the love is real. But if we are too busy staring down at our screen, we’re going to miss all of it. A.It has a negative effect on our creativity. B.Our world doesn’t need more consuming. C.The experiences in life will never repeat themselves. D.The following are some important reasons to unplug. E.Our social media are filled with everything happening all around us. F.Powering-down helps remove unhealthy feelings of envy and loneliness. G.Technology addiction can only be understood when the object is taken away.
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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I was going to see my grandma Ruthy. Approaching her apartment, I was suddenly seized with the _______ that I was going to die one day. I walked in to see my grandmother sitting on the sofa, _______ and pale. Once she would have _______ me in her huge bear hug, but now it seemed like the sofa was going to have her _______ alive. I knew I was supposed to hug her but I wanted to _______ . I didn't want to even make eye contact with this woman that I had loved so _______ , because if I did, maybe death would _______ from over her shoulder and touch me too. My grandmother, dying of cancer, _______ pulled herself to the edge of the sofa and _______ herself up and said, "So where are we going for dinner? '' I turned to my mom ________ I didn't know what food went with dying. The next minute, we ended up ________her off the sofa, down the steps, into the car, and driving to the closest ________. She hadn't managed solid food in weeks, and could ________ do a sip(一小口) of water due to the pain. But she ordered a large cup of beer. We ate and she drank. ________ , there was no death. There was no cancer. There was a moment like that in every ________ . Then we said ________ . I was waiting for the icy cold hand of ________on my heart. But I didn't feel it, because she had ________ a shield(防护物)around me ---the meal. The last ________ my grandma Ruthy taught me is that one day, I'm supposed to look over my shoulder and say, "Hello, Death. Before we go, I'm going to have one more ________.'' 1.A.depression B.terror C.surprise D.anger 2.A.clumsy B.hungry C.tiring D.weak 3.A.wrapped B.packed C.contacted D.comforted 4.A.locked B.split C.swallowed D.bitten 5.A.check B.scream C.stand D.flee 6.A.slightly B.deliberately C.dearly D.secretly 7.A.reach out B.run away C.look away D.set out 8.A.smoothly B.unwillingly C.casually D.slowly 9.A.dressed B.straightened C.gave D.fastened 10.A.when B.although C.because D.unless 11.A.dragging B.rushing C.carrying D.inviting 12.A.restaurant B.park C.supermarket D.clinic 13.A.carefully B.barely C.freely D.easily 14.A.From time to time B.From then on C.For a long while D.For a moment 15.A.meal B.conversation C.party D.celebration 16.A.sorry B.goodbye C.hello D.thanks 17.A.fate B.God C.death D.life 18.A.built B.remove C.bought D.refused 19.A.skill B.concept C.story D.lesson 20.A.hug B.beer C.talk D.trip
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| 6. 难度：中等 | |
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语法填空 Kenya signed an 1. (agree) with China in 2013 to construct a new standard railway from Nairobi to Mombasa, part of 2. will run through the Tsavo National Park. The section of the railway that passes through the park is being built at a raised level 3. (allow) space for underpasses(地下通道) for the animals. The Tsavo National Park is home to Kenya’s 4. (large) elephant group, according to non-profit organization the Tsavo Trust. It says there were over 12,000 elephants in the Tsavo National Park in 2011. Robert O’brien is Assistant Director of the Tsavo National Park at the Kenya Wildlife Service. He says monitoring the elephants’ movements will help also to reduce the conflict 5. wildlife and humans, which has been 6. key issue in this area. Sospeter Kiambi, an office worker of the Kenya Wildlife Service elephant programme, 7. (say) the project is 8. (potential) dangerous for both elephants and people, but he also says that 9. (authority) will make full use of this exercise and avoid 10. (make) silly decisions to damage the relation to wildlife. In all, projects like this one could help elephants and humans live together a little more harmoniously.
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| 7. 难度：中等 | |
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假定你是高中学生李华，代表自己班级，邀请Dr.Frost给班级同学做一场关于“如何保持身心健康”的在线讲座。请你写一封信，发出邀请。 要点如下：1.时间，地点2.主题,可简述原因3.期望与感谢 注意：1.词数80左右； 2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Dear Frost， ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours, Li Hua
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| 8. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。 Jo: 15 years old, Amy’s sister, whose ambition is to be a great writer Amy: 11 years old, Jo’s little sister, who had burned Jo’s manuscripts(手稿) on purpose Laurie: 15 years old, a boy next door, the sisters’ friend “There! Jo is a bad sister. She promised I should go skating this time, for this is the last ice we shall have.” Amy complained. “Don’t say that. You were very naughty, and it is hard for Jo to forgive you for deliberately burning her precious little book. Don’t say anything till she’s cheered up. Go and be a nice girl.” “I’ll try,” said Amy and after a hurry to get ready, she ran after Jo and Laurie. Jo saw Amy coming along, but she turned her back. She heard Amy had some trouble putting her skates(溜冰鞋) on, but she ignored her and went slowly down the river, taking a bitter, unhappy sort of satisfaction in her little sister’s troubles. Jo allowed her anger to grow strong and take possession of her. Laurie did not see Amy, for he was carefully skating along the shore, examining the ice with his hockey stick(曲棍球球棍). As He turned the bend(转弯处), he shouted back... “Keep near the shore(河岸). It isn’t safe in the middle.” Jo heard, but Amy was struggling to her feet and did not catch a word. “No matter whether she heard or not, let her take care of herself.” Jo murmured. Laurie had disappeared round the bend, Jo was just at the turn, and Amy, far behind, striking out toward the smoother(光滑的) ice in the middle of the river. 注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为 120 左右； 1. 至少使用 5 个短文中标有下划线的关键词语； 2. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。 Paragraph1： For a minute Jo stood still with a strange feeling in her heart, then she resolved(决心) to go on, but something held and turned her round. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph2: Shivering, dripping, and crying, Jo got Amy home with Laurie’s help, and after an exciting time of it, Amy fell asleep, rolled in blankets before a hot fire. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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