21．
　　lt is often said that the best way to solve a hard problem is to sleep on it. Is it (1)      ? A new study shows it is.
　　The scientists at Northwestern University, US, found that sleeping is useful in both strengthening and reorganizing memory. This can help you solve problems.
　　The scientists did a(n) (2)       on 57 university students. They asked students to solve 42 difficult puzzles on the first day. Students worked on each puzzle while listening to different music. The scientists (3)       students to remember the music they heard while solving the puzzles. Finally, there were (4)       six puzzles that the students hadn't solved.

22．
　　The students then went back home to sleep. They were given special sleep-observing and music boxes. The music boxes played music (1)       with the unsolved puzzles while the students fell asleep. At the moment they were able to dream and reorganize their memories.
　　The next morning, the students (2)       to try the unsolved puzzles. The scientists found 55 percent more students could solve them. The music made the memories they had of the puzzles while they were sleeping (3)      . It allowed them to "work" on the puzzles in their sleep.
　　In an earlier time, studies of both people and animals have shown that sleep can not only strengthen memory, but also help us organize and send information. This study offers more(4)       of these findings. So next time when you face a difficult problem, sleep on it. Play some music to make yourself think of the problem.

38．Friday, 19 August, 1768
　　With the help of Seamen Francis, John and Samuel, I have managed to go aboard Endeavour. He's small, and his company is over 80 in number. It's a wonder I have not been discovered.
　　It's a good hiding place I've got, in a small boat Endeavour carries. I can look over the boat without being noticed. But it is difficult, lying day and night.
　　The wind blows the ropes against the deck, and the ship's bell rings regularly. I thought it could never be so noisy on a ship. But it is.
　　I've got chickens as neighbours. They cluck in cages day and night. I'm glad of their company.
　　Captain Cook gathered the seamen and read the Articles of War aloud. Captain is a clean man with cold eyes.
Sunday, 21 August
　　I had a stomachache again. I wish my father would come aboard and take me home. I'm tired, wet and hungry. Father knows by my letter that I've run away from the farm. But I believe he would not come. Father is so disillusioned that he hasn't talked with me for several weeks. All my brothers are excellent students. Only I could not focus on my studies. Father has no use for a son who will not learn well.
Thursday, 25 August
　　I shall be patient. Father thinks me hopeless when it sticks with a plan. He says I run from everything. Well, I did run from school and the farm. But I had a good excuse. Although hiding on the boat isn't pleasant, I am better off than I was with the farmers. I shall show father that I won't give up easily. That I am good for something. That I am more than a farmer's boy.
　　The rain has stopped. At last we set a sail. Now there are new sounds to join with the others. The sea is waving, the flags are clapping, the seamen are singing out. Fine sounds. Sailing sounds.

39．Read the passage and fill in the blanks with proper words. (在短文的空格内填入适当的词, 是其内容通顺, 每空格限填一次, 首字母已给．)
　　I was cycling and saw a person about 250 meters ahead of me. I could tell I was cycling a little f(1)      than him. I decided to catch up with him. I had about a kilometre to go on the road before turning off.
　　I started cycling more and more quickly. After a while, I was o(2)       about 100 metres behind him, so I really sped up and tried my best.
　　Finally, I passed him. On the inside, I felt so d(3)      . I defeated him! But he didn't know we were racing.
　　After l passed him, I felt so happy and rode on. Soon I found that I had missed my turn and had to r(4)      .
　　Isn't that what happens in life when we compete with others, trying to outdo them or trying to show that we are more s(5)      or more important?We think it is an exciting moment, so we spend our time and e(6)       running after them and miss out on our own paths.
　　The problem with an unhealthy race is that it's a never ending cycle. There will always be s(7)      ahead of you in one way or another. What you should do is just run your own race and wish others well.
　　Wherever you go, no matter what the weather is, always bring your own sunshine.

40．Read the passage below and answer the following questions. (根据文章内容回答下列问题)
　　Joe Hammer loved basketball. One afternoon on his way to a basketball game, he was walking and dreaming about playing college basketball the following year.
　　At the same time as Joe was walking to the game, Kim Glen was walking to his car. Kim felt tired. He knew it was time to stop working so hard. Kim got into his car and headed home. He was driving down Seventh Avenue when he had a heart attack. Kim's car hit Joe so hard that Joe was thrown five feet into the air.
　　Joe woke up in a hospital room. When he learned that both his legs were broken, he realized his college basketball dream were over. Joe did what the doctors told him, but his progress was slow. When he left the hospital, Joe was sent to a center for physical therapy (理疗).
　　A week after he arrived there, he met Sunny Chen. Sunny had been a coach before. His legs were paralyzed (瘫痪) from a skiing accident. Although Sunny couldn't move his legs, he coached a basketball team called the Suns. Everyone on the team played from a wheelchair. Sunny invited Joe to join them. Joe played badly, but for the first time since the accident, he stopped feeling sorry for himself.
　　After becoming a part of the Suns, Joe improved quickly. Basketball was like medicine for him. And whenever Joe became sad or angry, Sunny was there to comfort and help him. The day before Joe left the center, he had dinner with Sunny. He asked Sunny how he managed to be so happy, confident and generous, even with his paralysis.
　　Sunny smiled and said, "It was quite simple. ___________"

41．Write at least 60 words according to the given situation(根据以下情景写一篇不少于60个词的短文, 标点符号不占格)
新学期带来了新变化．"双减"新规(The new rules)提出:减轻义务教育阶段学生过重作业负担和校外培训负担, "双减"后, 你的生活有了什么变化?请给学校的校长(Headmaster)写一封信, 从课后作业、学校活动和业余生活三方面谈谈你是否满意现在的变化以及还有何烦恼, 并请对方给你的烦恼提些建议．