It’s difficult to imagine now, but at certain points in the Earth’s history, ice covered the entire planet. This frozen Earth, nicknamed Snowball Earth, was “so severe that the Earth’s entire surface, from pole to pole, including the oceans, completely froze over”, said Melissa Hage, an environmental scientist at Emory University in Georgia.
In 1840, Louis Agassiz, a Swiss natural scientist, was among the first to acknowledge and provide evidence that the Earth had gone through ice ages. Joseph Kirschvink, an American geologist, later created the term “Snowball Earth” in a 1992 textbook.
Scientists believe that four severe ice ages occurred between 750 million and 580 million years ago, probably because the Earth’s lands were all located at or near the equator (赤道), which resulted in increased weathering (风化). Weathering is happening when wind and rain break down rocks and minerals on the planets surface. The process leads to decreased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which allows more heat to get away from the surface and into space, cooling the planet, causing the planet into a deep freeze.
The severe ice ages eventually melted away. Scientist believe that volcanoes continued to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere throughout the ice ages, eventually warming the planet enough that the water cycle could restart. As the Earth warmed and came out of its deep freeze. a huge explosion of life occurred. known as the Cambrian (寒武纪) explosion.
Will we see another Snowball Earth in our future? According to Hage, it’s unlikely, due to the spread-out of the continents. “Even with extreme winters, continental ice sheets would form, which would stop continental weathering and allow carbon dioxide to build up in the atmosphere, leading to warming rather than freezing,” she said.
1.How many severe ice ages occurred between 750 million and 580 million years ago according to the passage?
A.Three. B.Four.
C.Five. D.Six.
2.What do we know about the Earth according to the passage?
A.The term “Snowball Earth” was first used in 1840.
B.Millions of years ago, the Earths lands weren’t where they are now.
C.Weathering was the main factor of warming the Earth.
D.The Earth was completely covered with ice during the Cambrian period.
3.What probably led to the end of the ice ages?
A.Heat’s escaping. B.An unknown reason.
C.Carbon dioxide from volcanoes. D.A force from the outer space.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Snowball Earth: The End of the Life
B.Some Severe lee Ages in the Earths History
C.Frozen Earth: Another lee Age Is Coming
D.Snowball Earth: Will the Blue Planet Go White Again?
We spend 40 hours of our adult lives a week working, not including the time to and from the office. So it’s no surprise we become really good friends with our colleagues. We spend most of our time with them, after all. But times have changed and the way we talk to one another is ever-developing.
Now, many companies have internal instant messaging systems so that there’s less need to get up and walk round to speak to our colleagues. Emails fly around with numerous teams copied in, so everyone is in the loop (圈子). But what is the value of face-to-face conversation in the workplace?
New Zealand’s most admired wine brand. Villa Maria, knows the importance of conversation and how good communication can help strengthen a business from the inside out. Its newly launched campaign, called the Value of Conversation, explores what British people value the most about a face-to-face chat and how engaging with each other in person can make a difference in all areas of their lives.
Although nearly 1 in 5 British people find a quick email more efficient in their work, they still value the importance of speaking to their colleagues in real life and hearing their ideas, taking away any uncertainty and giving the opportunity for discussion. This is perhaps why, despite mostly preferring emails, nearly three-quarters of British people believe that speaking to people directly leads to better communication and improving work results.
Obviously, 85% of the people at the age of 18-24 believe that if someone is positive and confident during face-to-face conversations, it’s an indicator that they’re good at their job. So perhaps putting in a little extra effort to face-to-face conversations will pay dividends. If having a conversation in person could help you keep a pay rise, then it’ll be worth.
1.What makes the ways of the communication among office colleagues change?
A.The order from their bosses. B.The laziness of the colleagues
C.The convenience of using emails. D.The preference to doing work alone.
2.What is Villa Maria’s attitude towards face-to-face communication?
A.Doubtful. B.Positive.
C.Negative. D.Sympathetic.
3.Why do many British people still like speaking to others directly while working?
A.It can improve the relationship with others.
B.It can save them much time.
C.It can make people communicate more easily than sending emails.
D.It can contribute to better communication and improving work results.
4.What does the underlined phrase “pay dividends” in paragraph 5 mean?
A.Get rewards. B.Pay salaries.
C.Learn lessons. D.End relationships.
This summer, most Chinese citizens have been amazed by women wearing hanfu, or Han-style clothing, at subway stations, shopping malls, pedestrian streets or scenic areas. Hanfu has aroused a public attention in recent years, especially among young people.
In 2018, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CCCYL) set the third day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar, traditionally the birthday of the Chinese people’s mythological (神话的) ancestor the Yellow Emperor, as the annual Traditional Chinese Garment (服装) Day. It was aimed to promote classic Chinese culture, as well as “demonstrating cultural confidence”. Since then, the beauty of hanfu has gained more and more recognition and acceptance by common people.
Generally, hanfu refers to traditional Chinese garments worn by the Han nationality before the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Historically, Han Chinese clothing has also influenced some of its neighboring cultural costumes, including the Japanese kimono, Korean hanbok, and clothing of Mongolia, Vietnam and Bhutan.
Hanfu appears elegant and beautiful, not only due to the thousands of years of culture behind its design. This traditional dress also stands out because of its remarkable craftsmanship, from fabric to decoration. Hanfu adopts more than 30 examples of Chinas invisible cultural heritage as well as Chinese arts and crafts under preservation.
Hanfu represents not only appreciation of the beauty, but also a continuation of traditional Chinese culture. Nowadays, more and more fashion designers look to hanfu for inspiration, producing fashionable examples of hanfu for a new era (纪元).
1.Why did CCCYL set the third day of the third month of the Chinese lunar calendar as the annual Traditional Chinese Garment Day?
A.To help design hanfu.
B.To promote China economy.
C.To remember the birth of the Yellow Emperor.
D.To encourage more people to know about classic Chinese culture.
2.Which countries cultural costumes have been influenced by Han Chinese clothing?
A.Japanese and Russian. B.Russian and British
C.Korean and Vietnamese. D.Mongolian and American.
3.What is paragraph 4 mainly about?
A.The rich culture of hanfu. B.The reasons for the beauty of hanfu.
C.The worldwide influence of hanfu. D.The popularity of hanfu among young people.
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A diary. B.A newspaper.
C.A novel. D.A guidebook.
Recommended Tours in the USA
Adventure is calling, and whether a challenging hike or an urban hotspot depends on you. We rounded up some of the best tours for you to enjoy.
The Havasupai Falls Tour, Arizona
Duration (时长): 10 hours
These gorgeous blue-green waterfalls can be found deep in the Grand Canyon (峡谷). The views are breathtaking, but to reach this paradise, you must be able to hike 10 miles there and back. We think this beautiful place is totally worth the effort to get there.
The Chicago Architecture Tour, Chicago
Duration: 8 hours
You’re going to take in the most famous buildings on the Chicago Architecture Tour. On this particular tour, you can also taste different wine, beer, or cocktails as you stretch your neck to enjoy the beauty of some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
The Library Hotel Tour, New York
Duration: 5 hours
The crowds and chaos of New York can be unbearable, but this cozy hotel offers the perfect escape for any bookish traveler. Stop by the large bookshelf that reaches up to the ceiling or head for the poetry garden with a friend, enjoying the sights of midtown.
The Foreign Cinema Tour, California
Duration: 8 hours
Combine your love of fine food and film at the Foreign Cinema in San Francisco, California. It plays a variety of movies, from Singin’ in the Rain, to Princess Bride, to Gravity. Guests can enjoy these screenings in a room with foods like oysters, sea bass, and sirloin beef steak.
1.If you want to go hiking, which tour is the best choice?
A.The Havasupai Falls Tour. B.The Chicago Architecture Tour.
C.The Library Hotel Tour. D.The Foreign Cinema Tour.
2.What can you do on the Chicago Architecture Tour?
A.Watch different kinds of movies.
B.Get a beautiful sight of waterfalls.
C.Enjoy the scenery of tall buildings.
D.Read books and chat with a friend in the garden.
3.What do these four tours have in common?
A.They are all tours in the city.
B.They are all short tours within a day.
C.They can let tourists enjoy all kinds of foods.
D.They are all sightseeing tours in the USA.
假如你是李华，你的英国笔友 Tom 正在学习中文，了解到中国四大名著(China's four great classics)的知识并写信与你交流。作为一名古典文学爱好者，你很高兴地回信给他， 介绍你最爱的四大名著中的某个人物(character)以及原因。
注意：
1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 可以增加适当的细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：
Journey to the West 《西游记》 A Dream of Red Mansions 《红楼梦》
Water Margin《水浒传》 Romance of the Three Kingdoms 《三国演义》
Dear Tom,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的作文。文中共有 10 处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1、答案请写在答题卷上；
2、只允许修改 10 处，多者（从第 11 处起）不计分；
3、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
4、答题符号、格式要规范：
One June, I helped my grandma water the freshly planted flowers around the house. She was so gentle with them no wonder they grew so fast. When all the work were finished, I ran to get my bike to ride for a while. As I was getting on it, however, I noticed there was anything new. I got off and kneel down on the walkway leading to our house. I found a single wild flower coming out of a crack by the walkway, without the water, soil or love.
The surprised new life hit me a lot. Sometimes in my own life, I felt my grow looked like grandma’s flowers, that were loved and cared for. At other times I felt as if I were that wild flower, growing by the walkway quiet and having to grow through the solid concrete. I realized that it doesn’t matter where you grow and it just matters that you grow.
