21．
　　Search and rescue operations are underway in the US to help people affected by dozens of huge wildfires. Large areas in California, Oregon and Washington — three states on the west coast of the country-have been badly (1)      . Thousands of homes have been destroyed and more than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes for (2)      . Around 35 people have died and many more are injured.
　　The first blazes started in August. It is common for fires to happen in (3)      and rural areas at this time of year in the US. It is known as "fire season" and happens between June and September. However, this year's wildfires are some of the worst on (4)      . Three of the blazes in California are now among the biggest in the state's history. Once they started, strong winds caused the flames to spread quickly.

22．
　　There are several causes for the fires. Some were started (1)       by people, and others were caused by lightning strikes or electrical equipment. Yet experts say the fires are particularly bad this year because of climate change. Climate change is the long-term changes in world weather patterns, (2)       rising temperatures. In recent years, California has experienced a drought (a long period of time without rain) and very hot temperatures. This month, heatwave in California saw temperatures (3)       49℃ in Los Angeles county. This hot, dry weather creates ideal conditions for wildfires to spread. Another cause is the lack of forest management. This involves burning dead trees in a controlled way so that when a fire does start, there is less (4)      for it to burn, and it can be more easily controlled.

39．　　The National Gallery in London has introduced an "art route" that people must follow round the gallery. Are set routes actually a better way to enjoy museums and galleries? Or should people be (1)       to view exhibitions in any order they choose?What do you think — are set routes better?
Yes — people will get more from their visit
　　Experts spend years learning about the items in their museums and galleries. They know the best order in which people should see the exhibits, so that visitors can enjoy and learn about them. (2)      , if there was an exhibition of a painter, the works could be arranged to show visitors how their style developed through their career. If a person is on an art route, they won′t (3)      any important pictures, and will be guaranteed to see everything. The experience will be enjoyable for the visitor, and they will have their own space in which to appreciate great works.
No — freedom is part of the fun
　　Most exhibitions are already (4)      in some kind of order. However, not everyone wants to look at the same things in the same way. Some visitors just want to enjoy a few pieces and then leave. Besides, if everyone follows the same route, some people might take a long time looking at one object and (5)       everyone down. Equally, if a visitor wants to study something for more time, they may feel pressured by people behind them. One of the great joys of exhibitions is (6)       noticing something. When a visitor is drawn to an object, it can feel special and they can learn about it by themselves. If everyone is following the same route, this is less likely to happen, so the experience will not be as much fun.

40．　　In modern-day society having a smartphone is considered normal, even essential. Most teens can't imagine living without a mobile, yet I still don't own one. Why?Because my mother does not consider it (1)n      . This may seem unreasonable to many, but sometimes I agree with her. Of course, I experience the downside often enough. I feel a bit left out, when everybody in class talks about a post they saw the other day. Very often I feel embarrassed when I must (2)e      why I can't be part of online groups.
　　During lessons our teachers like working with mobile phones. I do have a little Nokia phone though, and I phone my father who works (3)a      nearly every day. I've grown up without constantly messaging someone or posting something and sometimes even going weeks without a mobile!I do feel angry that people are always telling me they have (4)p       on me because I don't own one.
　　Being an outsider in this world of technology, I sometimes feel I'm the only one that notices the (5)c       in people when they get a smartphone. I've been to many birthday parties where everyone spends more time on their phone than talking to one another and I've seen my friends completely stuck in their online world. It makes me sad that so many people lose themselves in a world that doesn't (6)e       and ignore the people around them.
　　I enjoy the freedom I get from not being available all day long and I feel able to spend most of my free reading or doing (7)s      interesting. Maybe one day I will get a smartphone, but I am not going to be unhappy because I don't own one. So trust me, when people say that it's better to have a smartphone, they' re wrong!

41．Dear Mr Henshaw,
　　I finished Beggar Bears in two nights. It is a really good book. At first, I was surprised because it wasn't funny like your other books, but then I got to thinking (you said readers should think) and decided a book doesn't have to be funny to be good, although it often helps. This book did not need to be funny.
　　In the first Chapter I thought it was going to be funny. I guess I expected it because of your other books and the mother bear was teaching her cubs to beg from tourists in Yellowstone Park. Then when the mother died because a stupid tourist fed her a cupcake in a plastic bag and she ate the bag, too, I knew this was going to be a sad book. Winter was coming on, tourists were leaving the park and the little bears didn't know how to look for food for themselves. When they hibernated (冬眠) and then woke up in the middle of winter because they had eaten all the wrong things and hadn't stored up enough fat, I almost cried. I sure was relieved when the nice ranger (护林员) and his boy found the young bears and fed them and the next summer taught them to hunt for the right things to eat.
　　I wonder what happens to the fathers of bears. Do they just go away?
　　Sometimes I lie awake listening to the gas station"pingping", and I am upset because I am afraid something might happen to Mom. She is so little compared to most moms, and she works so hard. I don't think Dad is much interested in me. He didn't phone when he said he would.
　　I hope that ____________.
Sincerely.
Leigh Botts

42．Write an email of at least 60 words according to the situation given. (根据所给情境, 写一封不少于60个词的电子邮件, 标点符号不占格)
You are planning a reading club on line, so you decide to invite a friend of yours to join you by email.
(你正在筹备一个在线阅读社团, 你决定通过电子邮件邀请一个朋友加入．)
In your email, you need to…
introduce your plan of the reading club.
talk about what kind of books you are going to read.
give the reason(s)why you want to run the club.
(注意:文中不得出现考生的姓名、校名及其他相关信息, 否则不予评分．)