Gold is one of the rarest materials on Earth and has always been considered a valuable and precious resource. It's very likely that someone in your family owns something made of gold, especially since China is one of the world's biggest buyers of gold jewellery. It's even in our smartphones - they contain parts made from this expensive material.
But where does this beautiful metal actually come from? The answer: outer space.
This August, Chinese scientists became the first in the world to witness gravitational waves（引力波）caused by the collision of neutron (中子）stars, reported Xinhua News Agency.
The sight was witnessed at China's Kunlun Antarctic Station at the South Pole, and Insight, China’s first X-ray astronomical satellite, also contributed to the discovery.
Although collisions of black holes have been recorded before, this was the first time that two neutron stars were known to have collided. It's believed that such collisions lead to huge explosions of energy, and even to the creation of precious metals such as gold and silver.
“The collision of neutron stars is like a very large gold factory in the universe,” Jin Zhiping，a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua.
According to an article published by space.com, scientists have long believed gold and other materials are created in this way, but it wasn't until the recent collision that their theory was confirmed.
“The origin of the really heaviest chemical elements in the universe had confused the scientific community for quite a long time,” Hans-Thomas Janka, a senior scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany, said in a news release. “Now, we have the first observational proof for neutron star mergers(合并) as sources.”
Indeed, the recently observed collision is thought to have produced an amount of gold that would weigh 10 times more than Earth, according to New Scientist
Don’t expect to be showered in gold any time soon, however. The collision actually took place 130 million years ago, taking all that time for the event's light to reach Earth.
But at least if you want to see a piece of space up close, all you have to do is to look at the ring on your mom's finger - or the smartphone in your pocket.
1.What's the author's purpose of writing the first two paragraphs?
A. To emphasize the rareness of gold.
B. To list some uses of gold in daily life.
C. To explain the reasons for the popularity of gold.
D. To interest readers about the source of gold.
2.What would the collision of neutron stars lead to according to Xinhua?
A. The creation of black holes.
B. The death of the stars.
C. The disappearance of gravitational waves.
D. The creation of gold.
3.What’s the text mainly about?
A. China’s Kunlun Antarctic Station does research into gold.
B. Collisions between two neutron stars result in gold
C. Collisions contribute to the discovery.
D. Gold is considered a valuable and precious rescource.
4.What can we learn from the article?
A. The amount of gold produced by the collision was very small.
B. The collision was the largest reported in history.
C. China played a big role in the new discovery.
D. The collision took place 130 years ago.
To a large degree，the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. In spite of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you
are—always!
Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic (神经兮兮的）art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things—all at once. We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments, so much that we end up anxious, frustrated, depressed, and hopeless. On the other hand, we also delay our happiness, often convincing ourselves that "someday" will be much better than today. Unfortunately, the same mental dynamics that tell us to look foward to the future will only repeat themselves so that "someday" never actually arrives. John Lennon once said，"Life is what is happening while we are busy making other plans. " When we are busy making " other plans" ，our children are busy growing up，the people we love are moving away and dying, our bodies are getting out of shape, and our dreams are slipping away. In short, we miss out on life.
Many people live as if life were dress rehearsal for some late date. It isn't. In fact, no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow. Now is the only time we have，and the only time that we have any control over. When our attention is in the present moment, we push fear from our minds. Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future—we won’t have enough money，our children will get into trouble, we will get old and die, whatever.
To combat fear，the best strategy is to learn to bring your attention back to the present. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life，some of which actually happened.” I don't think I can say it any better. Practice keeping your attention on here and now. Your efforts will pay off.
1.In the first paragraph, the author tells us to focus on_________.
A. the past B. the future
C. every day D. the present
2.Why do we often have some negative feelings?
A. Because we often forget what happened in the past.
B. Because we are often disturbed by what happened in the past and what will happen in the future.
C. Because we often pay attention to what is happening at present.
D. Because we often ignore what will happen in the future and what happened in the past.
3.The underlined word in the last paragraph means ________
A. depend B. deserve
C. determine D. defeat
4.The best title of this passage is___
A. Always live in the present moment
B. Never forget the past
C. Never complain about life
D. Always get prepared for the future
The editor of the new Cool Camping Britain guide chooses some of his favorite new finds in England, Wales and Scotland.
Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides
Is this Britain’s most beautiful campsite? From the grassy point looking seaward to the mountains, it’s not hard for campers to see how the island inspired The Lord of the Rings author’s fantasy landscapes. The campsite itself is as wild and wonderful as its setting.
Open April — September, from ￡5 per tent per night.
Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk
Deep in the wilds of north Suffolk, this seven-acre campsite has only been open for a few years, with two fields separated by a lake and surrounded by woodland. The position is perfect. It’s a great place to do nothing but get into nature. You can put up your tent in the bottom field or the woodland beyond.
Open Easter —October, from ￡10 per tent per night.
Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall
This site, by a lake, is all about simple pleasures. Located in the former mining village, it has a summerhouse（凉亭）with books and games for a rainy day. There are many animals including pigs, hens, goats and ducks on the farm and a pub just a 10- minute stroll away. There’s very little to do here, no bells and no whistles. Campfires are encouraged.
Open Easter — September, from ￡10 per tent per night.
Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Sciily
Its only campsite, Troytown, couldn’t be in a more remote position. Isolation is its greatest advantage — so bring plenty of books to read and don’t expect a phone signal. But at least one of life’s necessities is available. Lying on the hillside overlooking the bay and near the island of the Gugh, it might just win the prize for best beer garden view in England.
Open March-- October, from ￡7. 50 per tent per night,
1.Which of the following is TRUE about Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides?
A. It has been open for a few years. B. A beautiful lake surrounds it.
C. It offers the longest service. D. The rent of a tent per night is the lowest.
2.Which place can you choose if you like a simple farm life?
A. Cleadale, Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides.
B. Swattesfield, Thornham Magna, Suffolk.
C. Pleasant Streams Farm, near St Austell, Cornwall.
D. Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly.
3.In Troytown Campsite, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, you can’t ________.
A. contact others by phones B. view the bay from the hillside
C. get everyday necessities D. relax yourself by reading
I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly nervous. I fumbled(摸索) in my pockets to see if there were any cigarettes, which had escaped their search. I found one and because of my shaking hands, I could barely get it to my lips. But I had no matches; they had taken those. I looked through the bars at the guard. He did not make eye contact with me. I called out to him “Have you got a light？” He looked at me, shrugged and came over to light my cigarette. As he came close and lit the match, his eyes unconsciously locked with mine. At that moment, I smiled. I don't know why I did that. Perhaps it was nervousness; perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to another, it is very hard not to smile. In any case, I smiled. In that instant, it was as though a spark jumped across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls. I know he didn't want to, but my smile leaped through the bars and caused a smile on his lips, too. He lit my cigarette but stayed near, looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile.
I kept smiling at him, now thinking of him as a person and not just a guard. “Do you have kids？” he asked. “Yes, here, here.” I took out my wallet and nervously fumbled for the pictures of my family. He, too, took out the pictures of his family and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them. My eyes were filled with tears. I said that I feared that I'd never see my family again, never have the chance to see them grow up. Tears came to his eyes, too. Suddenly, without another word, he unlocked my cell and silently led me out. Out of the prison, quietly and by back routes, out of the town. There, at the edge of town, he released me. And without another word, he turned back toward the town.
1.What had happened to the man before?
A. He had been badly treated.
B. He had killed someone.
C. He had been searched.
D. He had been forbidden to get in touch with anyone.
2.Why did the man want to smoke cigarettes?
A. Because he was sure he was to be killed.
B. Because he wanted to ease his nervousness.
C. Because he wanted to talk to the guard.
D. Because he was used to smoking cigarettes.
3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The man was a heavy smoker.
B. The man smiled to please the guard.
C. The guard set the man free with permission.
D. The man hadn't thought the guard would set him free.
4.What do you think finally saved the man's life?
A. The smile. B. The cigarette.
C. The tears. D. The wallet.
So ill was she that it seemed unlikely that she would ________.
A. pull through B. pull together
C. pull out D. pull in
Pupils who pass the test will be _____ to the next grade.
A. promoted B. progressed
C. proceeded D. proposed
