Scientists in New Zealand have found fossilized (化石的) leg bones from a penguin believed to have been about the size of an adult human. The previously undiscovered giant penguin species likely stood about 1.6 meters tall and weighed up to 80 kilograms.
The penguin existed about 60 million years ago. The bones are believed to be from the oldest of several species of giant penguins that lived after dinosaurs died out. A fossil hunter found the bones last year in the Waipara River bed near the city of Christchurch. The bones are from the animal’s legs and feet. Scientists confirmed that the bones came from a newly discovered species.
Paul Scofield is senior curator (馆长) at New Zealand’s Canterbury Museum. He co-wrote a paper on the discovery. He said that the bones are an important find. They show that the species is similar to another giant penguin found in Antarctica in 2000. The latest discovery, he said, helps show a clear connection between the two areas during the Paleocene period. This period lasted from 66 million to 56 million years ago.
Scofield said the penguins were able to grow larger after entering a new development period following the extinction of dinosaurs, sea reptiles and huge fish. Scofield added that the giant penguins became extinct within 30 million years, as large mammals began to rule the waters.
John Cockrem is a penguin expert at the country’s Massey University who was also not involved in the research. He said the discovery helps add to what we know about giant penguins. He said it also confirmed New Zealand as the penguin center of the world.
New Zealand is believed to have been home to many giant bird species that later disappeared. These included the world’s largest parrot, a giant eagle and an emu-like bird called the moa. Recently, Canterbury Museum announced the discovery of an unusually large parrot believed to have lived about 19 million years ago. Scientists say the bird stood about one meter tall.
1.What is special about the penguin found in New Zealand?
A.The place it lived in. B.The age of its existence.
C.Its species and size. D.Its shape and habits.
2.Why did the giant penguins die out?
A.Large mammals controlled the sea.
B.They were killed out by huge fish.
C.Climate changes were not fit for them.
D.They grew too large to feed themselves.
3.What do we know from the last paragraph?
A.All kinds of penguins live in New Zealand.
B.Many giant birds used to exist in New Zealand.
C.The world’s largest parrot lives in New Zealand.
D.New Zealand owns the most bird species in the world.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Similar Penguin Fossils Have Been Found Again
B.An Ancient Creature Has Been Found in New Zealand
C.Some Giant Penguins Appeared after Dinosaurs Died Out
D.Scientists Found Bones from Giant Penguin in New Zealand
Vaping can be just as damaging to your health as smoking. But the minute you kick the habit, you’ll feel a difference.
Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes-e-cigarettes. Vaping became mainstream in the United States in the late 2000s. When e-cigarettes first hit the market, people believed they were a safer choice to tobacco cigarettes. We now know, however, that vaping, like smoking cigarettes can be quite damaging to your health-and equally addictive.
Kids and teenagers are especially attracted to vaping, thanks to attractive flavors. Vape use in high school students rose by 900 percent between 2011 and 2015.
Quitting vaping can be difficult, just like trying to stop smoking. There are some immediate, though often temporary, negative effects. The positive ones soon outpace the negative, however.
In as little as 20 minutes, your heart rate returns to normal, your blood pressure drops, and your circulation starts to normalize. Your breathing may improve, too.
Daily e-cigarette doubles a persons risk for a heart attack. If you quit, however, the risk begins to fall very quickly. Also, vaping, like cigarette smoking, can blunt your senses, reducing your ability to smell and taste. After just 48 hours without vaping, you may begin to notice your ability to taste and smell food has improved. Nicotine affects more than your brain: new research suggests nicotine can raise your blood sugar, too.
Smokers often have a troublesome cough or make a breathless sound when they breathe that many refer to as a smokers cough. Smoking even e-cigarettes can badly harm your lung health and make fighting off infections difficult. Quitting, however, will help your lungs recover. After one month, your lung capacity improves.
There will come a day when the bad habit of vaping won’t have any lasting influence on your body and your health.
1.What did Americans think of e-cigarettes?
A.They were cheaper. B.They were fashionable.
C.They were less harmful. D.They were environment-friendly.
2.What makes vaping popular among kids and teenagers?
A.Its taste. B.Its price.
C.Its shape. D.Its colour.
3.What does the underlined word “blunt” in paragraph 4 mean?
A.Destroy. B.Benefit. C.Sharp. D.Dull
4.What does the author intend to do by writing the text?
A.Introduce the use of e-cigarettes.
B.Point out how e-cigarettes harm kids.
C.Encourage people to refuse e-cigarettes.
D.Compare e-cigarettes with traditional ones.
Last night, when I went to see my grandmother, she was sitting alone at the nurse station with her word search book. My grandmother was sitting at the desk with her book but no pencil just staring at the letters as if she was trying to find the word. I came to her and said hello.
Usually, she at least knows I am connected to her somehow but this time, she looked at me with doubt. I introduced myself and told her that I was her granddaughter. “I don’t know who you are,” she said.” Do you want to go outside?” I asked. “okay,” she said.
We got her things and I wrapped it all in a blanket we would use as a tablecloth. I asked her if she could hold it while I pushed her wheelchair and held her cup of tea.
She held her hands out and I placed the cloth bundle (捆) on her lap. I put the cloth on the table and she helped smooth it down-then I put the rest of the items on the cloth..
Now she was just staring at me as if confused, as if trying to figure me out. “Do you know who I am?” I asked. She said, “I don’ t really know.”“ I am your granddaughter,” I said. “I am not sure what that is. I don’t know, I don’t know you,” she said.
I think of my friend whose mother has not known him for years, has no recollection (记忆), and doesn’t speak any more. It is a painful sight for all those living who remember. I am grateful that my grandmother is still so present. I have a sinking feeling that our days are numbered.
For now, she is still here, still says thank you, and still loves me from a deep and secret place. Tomorrow, I will see her and she may or may not know me-and that will be okay. I still know her.
1.What was the author’s grandma doing when she visited her?
A.She was writing stories. B.She was training herself.
C.She was preparing to eat out D.She was waiting for the author.
2.What can we infer from the dialogue between the author and her grandma?
A.Her grandma didn’t trust her. B.Her grandma refused her help.
C.Her grandma didn’t recognize her. D.Her grandma could look after herself.
3.The author mentioned her friend because her grandma ________.
A.had only a few days to live B.was in a better condition
C.was treated the way he did D.had a similar experience to his mother
4.What’s the author’s probable attitude in the text?
A.Treasuring the present. B.Expecting the future.
C.Feeling hopeless. D.Loving life.
Land of fire and ice: Iceland
Join an unforgettable tour of Iceland’s splendid landscapes, timed to arrange four days filled with volcanic and geological adventure, and evening opportunities to see the Aurora Borealis.
Day 1: Vatnajokull Glacier (冰川)
Today you’ll take a walk on Europe’s biggest ice cap-Vatnajokull-which has around 30 glaciers flowing out from it. No experience is necessary to take part in the hike. It’s discouraging to think that the glacier is retreating due to rising world temperatures, and in future years the glacier may be gone. If you prefer a relaxing morning you can explore the surroundings of the farm stay and head to the Thorbergur Centre.
Day 2: Secret lagoon (泻湖) and Reykjavik
This morning we make our way to the Lava Centre which is an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition describing volcanic activity, earthquakes and the creation of Iceland over millions of years. After our visit, we will continue to the Secret Lagoon natural hot springs, located in the small village called Fludir, giving you the opportunity to relax in the warm waters before travelling to Reykjavik.
Day 3: Reykjanes peninsula (半岛)
Head out to the Reykjanes Peninsula. It is a land-born, highly volcanic counterpart of the Mid-Atlantic Spreading Ridge where two tectonic plates part at an average rate of 2.0-2.5 cm/yr. Four volcanic systems and fissure (裂缝) groups line the peninsula from SW to NE. They contain open fissures, normal faults, high-temperature fields and volcanic fissures.
Day 4: Depart Reykjavik
Today is departure day and time to say “sjaumst”. Your group departure transfer will take you to the airport for your flight home.
1.Which of the following may make you feel worried?
A.Taking part in the hike.
B.The future of the glacier.
C.Walking on Europe’s biggest ice cap.
D.Exploring the surroundings of the farm stay.
2.What may visitors do at the end of the second day?
A.Go to the Lava Centre. B.Visit natural hot springs.
C.Take a bath in hot springs. D.Stay the night in the small village.
3.On which day can you see two moving plates?
A.Day 1. B.Day 2.
C.Day 3. D.Day 4.
假设你是校学生会主席李津，美国一学生访问团将于暑假来你校访问参观。请你写封邮件，将本次安排告知该访问团的负责人Mr. Smith，并征询他的意见。活动安排如下：
（1）体验中国绘画；
（2）品尝特色午餐；
（3）观看地方戏表演。
注意：（1）词数不少于100；
（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
（3）开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Mr. Smith,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Jin
阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。
Most of us probably dreamed about becoming an astronaut when we were little. But how many of us actually became one, or are at least working toward it?
The advice ''Always follow your dreams'' is something that is typically easier said than done.
But still, this is the one piece of advice that Alyssa Carson wants to share with her peers. This 17-year-old girl from the US has become one of the candidates for NASA's 2033 project to go to Mars.
Carson has dreamed of going to Mars since she was only three years old. Watching an astronaut-themed cartoon and learning that humans have only been to the moon but not Mars， Carson decided that she wanted to be the first one to do so. Since then, she has worked hard toward this goal. Now 17, Carson is continuing with her space training while still taking on her high school work like a ''normal'' teenager, except that she studies all her subjects in four languages—English, French, Spanish and Chinese.
''I don't think there's anything specific that makes it easier for me or makes it something that others can't do, '' Carson said in an interview with Uproxx News. ''I've just really focused myself on what I want to accomplish. ''
And Carson is willing to make sacrifices for her dream. She's fully aware of the danger of the mission and the possibility that she might never be able to come back. She also accepts the fact that she can't get married and start a family. But Carson believes that it's all worth it, summarizing her view with this ancient Greek proverb she once quoted? ''A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they’ll never sit in. ''
So after all the hard work that Carson has done and all the sacrifices she's made, every — thing still boils down to the simple phrase, ''follow your dreams''. And while some people's dreams may sound out of this world, in Carson's case, they literally (毫不夸张地) are.
1.What will happen to Carson in 2033 if everything goes well? (no more than 8 words)
2.Why did Carson decide to be the first one to go to Mars? (no more than 20 words)
3.How does Carson differ from other students for the school work? (no more than 10 words)
4.How do you understand the underlined sentence? (no more than 20 words)
5.What do you think of the girl? And why? (no more than 25 words)
