能力自测

完形填空

When 16-year-old Grayden Brunet joined the Sackets Harbor, New York, volunteer fire department in 2017, he was the youngest on the team by 20 years. He was so 1 to follow his dad’s footsteps that he made two classmates, Niklas Brazie and Dalton Hardison, join the team, too.

A few years later, all the older fire fighters 2 their jobs because of fearing COVID-19. Suddenly, the three teens became the only 3 of the Sackets Harbor volunteer fire department. They were the ones dealing with heart attacks or car accidents. They were the ones 4 COVID-19 patients to hospitals quickly.

“We went from not even having our licenses ( 许可证 ) to 5 people’s lives,” Hardison told CBS.

As for the teens, they couldn’t give up. 6 they did, Brunet told reporters, “The community would lose the ambulance ( 救护车 ).”

The three teens tried their best alone for a year until five more teens joined them. All of the five new members decided to 7 their neighbors in the town of 1,300. “When they call 911, they’re expecting someone to help them,” says Sophia DeVito, who was 16 when she joined.

The 8 is challenging. One night last autumn, the team answered two ambulance calls and a fire. They got home at 5:30 a.m., just two hours before school started.

“It’s really hard coming back from the 9 and having to take a math test,” Grayden’s younger brother Gannon told reporters.

But they don’t mind the difficulties. And the 10 on the faces of 911 callers when they meet their rescuers? Priceless, says Cooper Antonson. “A lot of people ask, ‘Wait, how old are you?’”

阅读理解

A

Seville, Spain

City to give heatwaves names

Seville, in southern Spain, is set to become the first city in the world to name heatwaves (very hot weather) and grade their severity ( 严重程度 ). The idea is to warn people of possible dangers. Heat waves in Spain have become more frequent in recent years, which has been linked to climate change (long-term changes in world weather patterns).

Northern Italy

Heat

Five regions in northern Italy have declared a state of emergency ( 紧急事件 ) because of the worst drought ( 干旱 ) in 70 years. The dry areas, which are around the River Po, will be given more than £30 million of government money to help people. People have also been told to use less water. The city of Milan has closed its famous fountains and the production of hydroelectric power (power made using water) has fallen.

Japan

Free noodles for young voters

To encourage more young people to take part in Japan’s elections, a restaurant chain is offering voters free noodles. People with proof that they voted can eat as many noodles as they like for two weeks. Only about 40% of young people vote in Japan, and the company hopes its free food offer will increase that number.

Zinave National Park, Mozambique

Rhinos return after 40 years

Rhinos have returned to Mozambique for the first time since they disappeared there more than 40 years ago. As part of a conservation ( 保护 ) project, 19 white and black rhinos were transported around 1,000 miles by road into Mozambique from neighbouring South Africa. The purpose of the project is to move 40 rhinos to Mozambique over two years.

B

After much attention has been paid to it for days, Jinhua Xiaoshun Primary School in Jinhua, has finally given up its terrible practice. Earlier than that they let pupils wear headbands ( 头环 ) to “text their brainwaves ( 脑波 )” to “stop them from being distracted ( 使分心 )” in class.

The school has not made any announcement about the event yet, but the maker of the headbands said in an announcement that their products could help pupils pay attention to their lessons, not control their thoughts.

According to the company’s advertisement, the headbands work by testing the brainwaves of pupils, and then show different colors that stand for different levels of distraction. If that is true, the headbands can easily keep information about the pupils. It means they could control students. Maybe neither the school nor the company had that purpose, but in fact, they did control the pupils.

Besides, even if a pupil is distracted for a few minutes in class, is that a big problem? Probably not. It is a kid’s habit to stay active, and very hard for them to concentrate ( 专心 ) for the whole 45 minutes in class.

Whether a pupil can pay attention to the teacher in class depends mostly on whether the teacher can give interesting lessons and tell stories that the pupils are interested in. In order to let pupils pay attention, the proper way is to let teachers improve the quality of their teaching so that classes are interesting, instead of testing whether the pupils pay attention.

Luckily, the local government has realized it was wrong to do so and stopped the practice of the school. Maybe it is helpful for children to concentrate, but please remember that the pressure should be on the teacher, not on the pupils.

C

Washington is home to lots of trees—it is the Evergreen State, after all—and lots of fireplaces and wood-burning stoves too. But what if you lived there and couldn’t cut wood or couldn’t afford to pay someone to do it? Luckily, three men cut trucks of wood—then give it to those in need. Shane McDaniel and his twin sons, Harrison and Henry McDaniel, 21, are happy to lend an ax ( 斧头 ).

The idea came from Shane McDaniel. He told msn.com. “I used to cut wood with my dad. He just loved doing it,” says Shane, 48. He and the twins spent the summer cutting wood. The result was a great wall of wood piled up around their house in Lake Stevens, 35 miles outside of ­Seattle. In fact, it was sixty feet long, ten feet high, and ten feet wide. To buy that much would cost about $10,000.

It was too much for the McDaniels to use themselves, and when the weather turned cold that November, Shane started thinking of others. He posted online: “If you are in need of firewood and can’t afford it, please tell me! If you know someone who burns wood, and they’re looking at a cold house this holiday season, please help us help them. Please help me and my boys make sure no one goes cold.”

The reply was immediate. Single mom Katelyn Ticer, 29, and her four-year-old daughter depend on a wood-burning stove to get warm, so it was a relief to receive much firewood from the McDaniels before the holidays. “To get that much wood brought me to tears,” she told msn.com. “So much stress and worry is off my shoulders. I couldn’t be more thankful.”

D

On September 21st, the Batman Franchise ( 特许经营权 ) entered its 80th year, a day now known as Batman Day. This day seemed special because of homesick movies, comics ( 连环画 ), and the shining of the bat sign in different countries across the world.

Batman was brought into the DC Comics (a famous Comics company) because they wanted to build another hero on the success of Superman. They turned to the artist Bob Kane for help and Bob Kane came up with the idea of Batman, but another artist, named Bill Finger, drew the character of Batman actually.

The first comic of Batman came out in 1939 in the DC Comics books. These were followed by television shows and the first full-length movie in 1989. The movie was really popular. Over the years, there have been around 11 Batman movies and TV shows, along with the continued Batman comic books by DC.

Bill Finger created the character wearing dark clothes. However, Bob Kane hid Finger’s name and denied ( 否认 ) the fact that Finger had a part in creating Batman. In fact, no one knew who Finger was. Kane went on to live a rich life, and Finger died early. Finally, in a movie named “Batman and the Bill”, Finger’s work became well known.

Did you know that the name Gotham City (the home of Batman) was suggested by Finger who opened a telephone book and accidentally pointed at someone’s name!

任务型阅读

A

根据短文内容回答问题。

The world’s largest recorded freshwater fish has been caught by Cambodian fishermen in the Mekong River. It is a giant stingray ( 黄貂鱼 ) measuring in at 4m from nose to tail and weighing 300kg. The stingray was one of southeast Asia’s largest species of fish. It was caught by accident when it ate a smaller fish that had taken a hook ( 钩 ).

A research team of experts weighed and measured it and returning it unharmed to the river. The earlier record for a freshwater fish was a 293kg Mekong giant catfish, caught in Thailand in 2005. It was fitted with an electronic tag ( 标签 ) before its going back into the river to allow scientists to follow its movements and actions.

The giant Mekong River is an important natural home for different species large and small, but project leader Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist from the University of Nevada in the US, said the river’s underwater ecosystem ( 生态系统 ) was poorly understood.

More than 1000 fish species call the Mekong home and the stingray is not the only giant staying in the dirty waters—the giant catfish and giant barb also reach up to 3m long and 270kg in weight. The study group said in a report that the faraway location where the stingray was caught had pools up to 80m deep and could harbour even bigger fish.

But they also warned that underwater video footage showed plastic waste even in the deepest part of the Mekong, along with “ghost nets”. They are fishing nets that given up by fishermen but that are still able to catch fish.

Environmentalists have long voiced worries about dam building along the Mekong River that could destroy fish populations.

The famous waterway starts in China and runs south through parts of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, feeding 60 million people.

B

阅读短文，并根据所读内容填空，每空一词。

I Go on the Same Vacation Every Year—Here’s Why

When we first paid money to live in a house on an island, in Southern New Jersey, I never thought that my family would continue to go there every summer for so many years. I’ve been taking the same beach vacation for more than half of my life and for most of my children’s lives. Here’s why you might want to start taking the same vacation every year, too.

Staying in our comfort area

Foreign destinations ( 目的地 ) are great for you to get relaxed and learn new things. My family is lucky to take vacations during spring break and other holidays as well, but there’s nothing more relaxing than our repeat vacation. I don’t feel the need to climb a mountain or see a world wonder during this trip. All I want to do is to bring a book and a beach chair.

Hope of old favorites

One thing that keeps us coming back to the same location every summer is our family tradition of revisiting our favorite destinations and activities at the Jersey Shore: swimming under water, driving boats, sharing fresh seafood dinners, and enjoying special vacation foods. On the Ocean City Boardwalk, we have the warm popcorn at Johnson’s, and the pies at Manco & Manco’s.

Fun for all ages

Our repeat vacation is changed as our family has grown—and grown older. My oldest son was in college and my daughter was in grade school when we started going to the Jersey Shore; now they’re both married, and their spouses ( 配偶 ) come along, too. My youngest son wasn’t born yet the first time we paid money to live in a beach house; then he was a baby on the sand, and now he’s a teen learning to surf.

Same time next year!

The end of vacation is always a little sad, but another highlight ( 亮点 ) of having the same vacation every year is knowing that we’ll be able to do it all again, the exact same way, next year! Planning a yearly vacation? Do these things before you leave for vacation to keep your home safe...

Go on the Same Vacation Every Year

Introduction

My family started to 1 money to live in a house on an island many years ago.

I’ve been taking the same beach vacation for 2 of my life.

Destinations

We are lucky to take vacations during spring break and other holidays, 3 .

I don’t enjoy climbing a mountain or 4 a world wonder during this trip.

Favorites

Every summer, we revisit our favorite destinations and activities at the Jersey Shore.

We 5 swimming under water, driving boats and sharing fresh seafood dinners.

We go to the Ocean City Boardwalk to 6 the warm popcorn at Johnson’s.

All ages

As our family has grown—and become 7 , our repeat vacation is changed.

When we first paid money to live in a beach house, my youngest son was not 8 .

Conclusion

Although we always end the vacation a little 9 , we can do it all again every year.

Do these things before leaving for vacation 10 that you can keep your home safe.

C

根据短文内容从方框中选出五个可以填入文中空缺处的句子选项，使短文内容通顺完整。

We have found plastic in the ocean and in animals like birds, fish and whales. But for the first time, scientists have found plastic in human poop ( 大便 ) , USA Today reported. The findings came from a study led by scientists from Environment Agency Austria. 1 The volunteers wrote down what they ate for a week and then provided a stool sample ( 大便样本 ) for testing.

2 About 20 very small plastic pieces were found in every 10 grams of stool. “The smallest plastic pieces can enter the blood and may even reach the liver ( 肝脏 ),” said Philipp Schwabl, who took part in the research. 3 They’re not sure how the plastic got in the volunteers’ bodies, either. But most of the volunteers said they drank from plastic bottles and also ate seafood that could include plastic from ocean pollution.

In fact, plastic is everywhere around us. Every year, lots of plastic waste goes into the ocean. 4 Most of the pieces stay in the ocean. Others can spread into the soil, and air. Could plastic in the air fall onto food and get into the human body?

Some past studies may also give us a clue. 5 And even some drinking water has been found to have tiny plastic pieces in it.

能力自测答案与解析

完形填空

2017年，当 16 岁的格雷登·布鲁内特加入纽约萨克茨港志愿消防部门时，他是消防队中近20年来最年轻的成员。他很高兴能追随父亲的脚步，以至于他鼓励两个同学也加入其中。

1. C 下文表示“他让两个同学也加入了团队”，上文对应表示：他很高兴能追随父亲的脚步。

2. D 由because of fearing COVID-19可知，此处表示：所有老消防队员因为害怕COVID-19 而“放弃”工作。give in意为“屈服”；give away意为“赠送；泄露”；give out意为“分发”；give up意为“放弃”。

3. B 结合上文提到的所有老消防队员离职，由第五段提到的三个青少年努力坚持了一年，直到五名新成员加入的内容可知，此处是说，这三个青少年成为了萨克茨港消防队唯独的成员。

4. C 上文提及他们是处理心脏病发作或车祸的人，下文对应表示：他们是将 COVID-19 患者快速送往医院的人。

5. B 上文提及“他们是处理心脏病发作或车祸的人”，本句对应表示：我们从甚至尚无执照就开始，到拯救人们的生命。

6. A “青少年放弃做志愿者”与“社区将失去救护车”是条件与结果关系，用if引导条件状语从句。

7. C 由上文“三个青少年努力坚持了一年，直到五名新成员加入”可知，下文对应表示：他们都决定为小镇邻居服务。

8. D 由上文报道的青少年志愿者消防队帮助社区救急和救人的内容以及下文提及的一晚上接到两次救护车任务和一次救火任务的内容可知，此处是说，消防队志愿者这项工作很有挑战性。

9. A 上文提到One night last autumn, the team answered two ambulance calls and a fire.故可知此处是说，It’s really hard coming back from the calls and having to take a math test，即，处理危机情况回来还要参加数学考试真的很困难。

10. C 由“很多人问，‘等等，你多大了？”可知，上文对应表示： 911 呼叫者遇到救援人员时的表情呢？用looks描述面部表情。

阅读理解

A

四则新闻：西班牙塞维利亚市给热浪命名；由于干旱，意大利北部宣布进入紧急状态；日本一家餐饮连锁为年轻选民提供免费面条；莫桑比克一国家公园犀牛回归。

1. B 细节理解题。由第一则新闻Seville, in southern Spain, is set to become the first city in the world to name heatwaves (very hot weather) and grade their severity.可知，西班牙城市塞维利亚给热浪命名。

2. A 推理判断题。由第二则新闻Five regions in northern Italy have declared a state of emergency because of the worst drought in 70 years. The dry areas, which are around the River Po, will be given more than £30 million of government money to help people.可知，意大利正努力抗旱。

3. D 细节理解题。由第三则新闻To encourage more young people to take part in Japan’s elections, a restaurant chain is offering voters free noodles.可知，该餐馆为选民提供免费面条是为了鼓励年轻人参加选举。

B

一所小学让学生佩戴头环以监控其脑波，从而阻止他们分散注意力。当地教育主管部门制止了这种不当行为。帮助孩子集中注意力的初衷是正确的，但教学的压力应该在老师身上而不是学生身上。

1. C 细节理解题。由第一段中They let pupils wear headbands to “text their brainwaves” to “stop them from being distracted” in class.可知，学校要求学生佩戴头环是为了帮助他们在课堂上更好地集中注意力。故答案选C。

2. A 细节理解题。由第三段中Maybe neither the school nor the company had that purpose, but in fact, they did control the pupils.可知，作者认为头环的确控制了学生。故答案选A。

3. D 推理判断题。由第五段中...the proper way is to let teachers improve the quality of their teaching so that classes are interesting...可知，老师应该提高他们的教学质量。故答案选D。

4. B 推理判断题。由最后一段中Luckily, the local government has realized it was wrong to do so and stopped the practice of the school.可知，短文以讲述“不当举措已被终止”结束全文。

C

在华盛顿州，冬天不少人用壁炉和燃木炉子取暖，但有人无法砍柴或无力付钱买柴火。幸运的是，麦克丹尼尔一家为需要的家庭提供了免费柴火。

1. C 细节理解题。由第一段中Luckily, three men cut trucks of wood—then give it to those in need. Shane McDaniel and his twin sons... are happy to lend an ax.可知，肖恩·麦克丹尼尔和他的双胞胎儿子把柴火送给有需要的人。故答案选C。

2. A 细节理解题。由题干关键词came up with the idea定位至第二段，由The idea came from Shane McDaniel.可知，Shane McDaniel想出了这个主意。故答案选A。

3. D 细节理解题。由第三段中的He posted online...可知，肖恩·麦克丹尼尔是在网上发布的消息。

4. B 推理判断题。由第四段中To get that much wood brought me to tears... I couldn’t be more thankful.可知，Katelyn Ticer对McDaniel一家表示谢意。故答案选B。

D

9月21日是《蝙蝠侠》系列问世80周年，这一天被称为“蝙蝠侠日”。在这一天中，全球不同国家的人都被有关蝙蝠侠的怀旧电影、漫画和蝙蝠标志所包围。

1. C 细节理解题。由第二段第二句中...Bob Kane came up with the idea of Batman...可知， Bob Kane想出了蝙蝠侠的创意。故答案选C。

2. C 推理判断题。由题干关键信息the first Batman comic定位至第三段，由其中The first comic of Batman came out in 1939 in the DC Comics books. These were followed by television shows and the first full-length movie in 1989.可知，第一批蝙蝠侠连环画出现在电视节目之前。故答案选C。

3. D 细节理解题。由第四段中In fact, no one knew who Finger was. Kane went on to live a rich life, and Finger died early. Finally, in a movie named “Batman and the Bill”, Finger’s work became well known.可知Finger生前默默无闻，无人知晓，他去世后一部《蝙蝠侠和比尔》才使得他为蝙蝠侠这一人物所做的贡献为人所知，也就是说他去世后才出名，故选D。

4. B 主旨大意题。全文从纪念《蝙蝠侠》系列问世80周年开始，讲述了《蝙蝠侠》问世的时间，介绍了主创人员以及相关秘事，由此可知，本文主要谈及《蝙蝠侠》的历史。

任务型阅读

A

柬埔寨渔民在湄公河捕获世界上创纪录的最大淡水黄貂鱼。湄公河是1000多种鱼类的家园，但它们正面临某种危险：废弃的渔网仍可网住鱼，而湄公河沿岸修建大坝可能会破坏鱼类资源。

1. 300kg. 由It is a giant stingray measuring in at 4m from nose to tail and weighing 300kg.可知，被捕获的黄貂鱼重300公斤。

2. By fitting the stingray with an electronic tag. 由第二段It was fitted with an electronic tag before its going back into the river to allow scientists to follow its movements and actions.可知，科学家通过给黄貂鱼安装电子标签跟踪貂鱼的动作和行为。

3. More than 1000. 由第四段More than 1000 fish species call the Mekong home...可知，1000多种鱼类生活在湄公河。

4. They do harm to fish. Because they can still catch fish. (答案多维，符合常理即为正确)

5. From China. 由最后一段The famous waterway starts in China...可知，湄公河从中国发源。

B

从第一次在新泽西州南部的海岛上租房子度假起，本文作者及其家人每年夏天都会去那座海岛租房子度假。本文从多个方面介绍了他们之所以几十年不变地在同一个海滩度假的原因。

1. pay 由第一句中When we first paid money to live in a house on an island可知，在started to后对应填入动词原形pay。

2. most 由第一段中的I’ve been taking the same beach vacation for more than half of my life…可知，用most替换more than half。

3. too 由第二段中的My family is lucky to take vacations during spring break and other holidays as well…可知，用too替换as well。

4. seeing 由第二段中I don’t feel the need to climb a mountain or see a world wonder during this trip.可知，应改see为seeing，enjoy后接动名词。

5. go 由第三段中…swimming under water, driving boats, sharing fresh seafood dinners…可知，用go swimming替换swimming。

6. have 由第三段中…we have the warm popcorn at Johnson’s…可知，在to后对应填入动词原形have。

7. older 由第四段中的Our repeat vacation is changed as our family has grown—and grown older.可知，对应填入older。

8. born 由第四段中My youngest son wasn’t born yet the first time we paid money to live in a beach house...可知，第一次在海滩租房子时，最小的儿子还未出生。

9. sadly 由第五段中The end of vacation is always a little sad…可知，对应用副词sadly修饰动词end。

10. so 句意：请在休假前做好这些事情，以确保您的房屋安全。so that是一个固定结构，意为“以便”。

C

科学家在人类粪便中发现了塑料微粒，这很可能与塑料废品进入海洋有关。

1. D 上文提到奥地利科学家通过研究首次在人类粪便中发现了塑料，下文提及测试中志愿者(volunteers)相关信息，由此可知，空格处应填D项，即科研人员跟踪调查了八位志愿者。

2. F 上一段结尾提及研究中的大便样本，故本空承接上文，应选F。

3. E 由下文They’re not sure... either(他们也不确定……)可知，本空应填入与not sure相关的信息，故只有E项符合。

4. A 上文提及每年大量的塑料废品进入海洋，下文提及这种微粒大部分留在了海洋中，可见该空应填入与海洋、塑料废品及塑料微粒有关的内容，故选A，即海洋中阳光和海浪把塑料废品分解为微粒。

5. C 上文提及过去的一些研究可能会给我们提供线索，下文提及甚至一些饮用水也发现了塑料微粒，由此可知，空格处应填入与研究和食品中的塑料微粒有关的内容，故本题选C。 k1LnuH5navq7NmBkp7gVBQDtCD0QcQa3RaraDrVCHUI74Cl8NjpguhTcqR3CMRd0