It might be hard at first glance to see what things like toothbrushes, tires, cigarettes, and shoes have in common. But look closer and you’ll find that, like so many objects in our daily lives, they’re often made to a greater or lesser degree of the magic stuff (东西): plastic.
That stuff is now a planetary problem. Sometimes, because the plastic is mixed with other materials — including other plastics, such as in shoes — it’s difficult or impossible to recycle. In many places, recycling or burying in a landfill isn’t an option, not to mention all the waste that ends up in rivers and oceans. And so, more often than not, after a short useful life, plastic objects enter what’s likely to be a centuries-long afterlife as rubbish.
They’re thrown into rivers and washed into the sea. They break down into tiny bits called micro plastics. Sea animals big and small eat those pieces. Some pieces get mixed in with sea salt and we wind up eating them, with uncertain effects. We breathe in even smaller pieces called nano plastics: Scientists recently discovered them on remote mountaintops and even in the Arctic, where they are carried by winds and mixed with rain and snow.
The magic stuff has now become the stuff of nightmares.
Increasingly the challenge is to have the former without the latter. “Reduce, reuse, and recycle” has been the environmentalists’ answer for half a century. Businesses that sell plastic products or packaging, however, have little motivation to encourage reducing or reusing, and recycling — once thought a cure-all — can be complex and expensive. But with plastic pollution now a global problem, the stakes (风险) are raised, and so is public awareness.
Plastic waste has started to worry us. Business owners are creating new options for avoiding it. The point is not to demonize（妖魔化）things that were invented for good reason and with good intentions; the point is to find a way to have our plastic and not eat it too.
1.Which of the following can best describe plastic in our life according to Paragraph 1?
A.Old-fashioned B.Widely-used
C.Harmful D.Useless
2.What can we infer about the solution to plastic pollution in the last 50 years?
A.It hasn’t worked properly.
B.It has been totally ignored.
C.It hasn’t gained support from the public.
D.It has encouraged the businesses to recycle.
3.Which of the following will the author agree with to solve plastic problem?
A.A ban on plastic production.
B.A law punishing plastic littering.
C.An alternative material replacing plastic.
D.A new method of using without pollution.
4.Where is the text most likely from?
A.A magazine. B.A guidebook.
C.A novel. D.A diary.
Dyslexia is a problem that interferes (干扰) with the ability to recognize words and connect sounds with letters when people read. People with this learning disorder may also have problems when they write. Dyslexia is not related to eyesight or intelligence. The problem involves (涉及)areas of the brain that process language.
Brain scientists are studying whether they can predict which young children may struggle with reading, in order to provide early help. John Gabrieli is leading a study of five-year-olds in about twenty schools. He says, “We partner with schools that have kindergartens. What we do is, for all the children whose parents permit them to participate, we give them a brief set of paper-and-pencil tests to look at which children appear to be at some risk for struggling to read.
So far, fifty of the kindergartners have been examined in a machine that shows brain activity. The scanner uses a high-energy magnetic (有磁性的) field and radio waves to “look” inside the body. Written tests which are often used in previous studies are not always able to identify dyslexia or other problems. Professor Gabrieli says, “Brain scans may offer a more scientific way to identify problems.
And with reading problems, early identification is important. Reading problems are not usually identified until a child is in the third or fourth grade. The later children are recognized as poor readers, the less these interventions can help. And, as Professor Gabrieli points out, poor reading can make education a struggle. Reading is everything. Even math and science require one to read textbooks.
1.What do we know about Dyslexia?
A.It results in poor eyesight.
B.It is related to brain activity.
C.It only causes reading difficulty.
D.It has an influence on intelligence.
2.What does the underlined word “interventions” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A.Approaches. B.Researches.
C.Instructions. D.Treatments.
3.How is Professor Gabrieli’s study different from early ones?
A.It is scientifically based.
B.It focuses on written tests.
C.It examines children’s brains.
D.It needs parents’ participation.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Dyslexia – a Learning Disorder Involving Intelligence
B.Dyslexia – a Problem Relating to Kindergartners
C.A Way Identifying Dyslexia at an Early Stage
D.A Machine Showing Brain Development
Ursula is a young bear who has lost her mother and becomes a teacher for a young boy called Teddy. Ursula is a very intelligent and kind bear. She must deal with an envious, bad-tempered nurse who has been with Teddy since his birth. She must deal with the loneliness she feels about being away from home. She must face her fears of the dark，and must prove she is a competent caregiver even though she is often put in nearly impossible situations through no fault of her own. Through all her trials and sufferings, Ursula shows her positive qualities and manages to tell us what really happened when Goldilocks came to Vaughn’s house.
The Cottage in the Woods is a story of love, hope, prejudice, envy and faith, and author Katherine Coville writes with amusing humor and a healthy dose (剂量) of truth. There are enough twists and turns to satisfy just about anyone, and the book features (以…为主要内容) fun characters from many well-known children’s fairy tales and nursery rhymes, including Old Mother Hubbard, and Edgar Pig. Every once in a while, you read a book that leaves a lasting impression on you; this is one such book.
1.What can we know about Ursula from the first paragraph?
A.She fears darkness.
B.She never feels lonely.
C.She often messes things up.
D.She lives with a nurse since her birth.
2.What does the author think of Ursula?
A.Pitiful. B.Lovely.
C.Brave. D.Aggressive.
3.The language of the book is ______.
A.plain and dull B.sharp and critical
C.childish and simple D.humorous and factual
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Ursula was in troubles and managed to solve them.
B.The Cottage in the Woods is a good story worth reading.
C.The character in the Cottage in the Woods becomes popular.
D.Ursula, a poor bear, is leading a tough life in a small cottage.
Best Walking Tours in NYC
Manhattan to Brooklyn NYC Walking Tour
Start in front of the Tweed Courthouse in Manhattan before making the journey across the well-known Brooklyn Bridge, catching views of landmarks like the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty along the way. Once on the other side, you’ll explore the neighborhood known as Dumbo.
The Superhero Walking Tour of NYC
Whether you’re a fan of Batman, Spiderman or the Fantastic Four, discover the inspiration behind those comics with stops at the Empire State Building, a popular location in countless superhero adventures; the Flatiron Building, which served as Peter Parker’s workplace the Daily Bugle; and the Chrysler Building, where Spider-man would frequent to look out for the bad guys. Small Group Photography Walking Tour of NYC
During this group tour, a professional photography instructor will take you to a unique destination of your choosing — options include Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square at night — and provide hands-on instructions on how to best capture lasting memories of your trip.
Chinatown Food Tour and Historic Downtown Walking Tour
It’s a tour of exploration of New York’s diverse culture. Start in Chinatown, which is home to plenty of Chinese restaurants, as well as Vietnamese, Thai and Malaysian restaurants. From there, head down towards the Financial District, where your tour guide will walk the group through New York’s Dutch historic sites, all the way back to the days when Wall Street was an actual wall.
1.Which tour will you take if you are a fan of Spider-man?
A.Manhattan to Brooklyn NYC Walking Tour.
B.The Superhero Walking Tour of New York.
C.Small Group Photography Walking Tour of NYC.
D.Chinatown Food Tour and Historic Downtown Walking Tour.
2.Which of the following does Small Group Photography Walking Tour provide?
A.Comic books.
B.Shooting skills.
C.Delicate souvenirs.
D.Language training.
3.What will you do on Chinatown Food Tour and Historic Downtown Walking Tour?
A.Watch Chinese films.
B.Take a financial course.
C.Experience Dutch culture.
D.Enjoy traditional American food.
假定你是学生会主席李华，你校的交换生Peter已学习中国象棋长达一年，特发邮件向你询问将由学生会举办的中国象棋大赛的情况。请你回复邮件，内容包括：
1.举办比赛的目的；
2.比赛的时间和地点；
3.建议他报名参加并说明理由。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好。
参考词汇：中国象棋大赛Chinese Chess Contest
Dear Peter,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每向中最多有两处。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.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
About eighth years ago, I went to visit my grandfather during the summer holiday, who lived in a small village. One Saturday afternoon, my grandfather asked me climb a nearby mountain with him. At first, I ran fast, leaving my grandfather behind. However, about twenty minute later, I felt so tired that I stopped run and eventually chose to sit down for a rest. Soon, my grandfather reached when I was. He looked for me and asked, “Have I noticed the beautiful flowers along the way?" I kept silently. My grandfather smiled, "My dear, you are not in a race and on a journey.” After that, my grandfather and I had walked slowly, appreciating the scenery and laughing along the way.
