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    TOEFL is the most widely used language assessment exam for American universities. There are two major versions of the TOEFL test. The first is the iBT, or Internet-based Test. It is offered in most of the world and accepted by nearly every university and scholarship program in the United States. The other is called the Paper-based Test or PBT.1.

Here are some tips for getting started with TOERL:

Plan ahead —2.Do not expect a big lift in your test results in two weeks. There is no easy way to improve your score quickly. You will have to spend a lot of time and energy.

Master the basics first —3..If you score below 500 on the PBT or 70 on the iBT, study the fundamentals for a few months and come back to the TOEFL later.

Get a study guide It is easy to find study guides for the iBT. 4. The best study guides will have explanations in the answer key. PBT study guides are difficult to find because the test is being phased out.

5.— Remember, you are learning a language, not a test. You can improve your TOEFL part of your daily life. Some simple ways are listening to podcasts, watching movies, reading newspapers, sending and reading text messages in English, and writing online comments in English.

A.Know English well.

B.Use various resources.

C.It is still used in some developing countries.

D.Raising your score will take months of intensive work.

E.If you have a choice, take the iBT if it is not too pricey.

F.Pearson, Barron’s，ETS, and Kaplan all produce quality materials.

G.You should have at least an upper- intermediate English level before you attempt the test.

    An increasing part of the world is becoming artificially lit. Artificial light is often seen as a sign of progress: the march of civilization shines a light in the dark; it takes back the night. But some scientists argue that unnaturally bright nights are bad not just for astronomers but also for nocturnal (夜间的) animals and even for human health.

Now research shows the night is getting even brighter. From 2012 to 2016 the earth’s artificially lit area expanded by about 2.2 percent a year, according to a study published last November in Science Advances. However, the measurement does not include light from most of the energy–efficient LED lamps that have been replacing sodium-vapor (钠气灯) technology in cities all over the world ,says Christopher Kyba, a postdoctoral researcher at the German Research Center for Geosciences in Potsdam.

The new data came from a NASA satellite instrument called the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIRS). It can measure long wavelengths of light, such as those produced by traditional yellow-and-orange sodium-vapor street lamps. But VIIRS cannot see the short-wavelength blue light produced by white LEDs. This light has been shown to disturb human sleep cycles and nocturnal animals’ behavior.

The team believes the ongoing switch to LEDs caused already bright countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the U.S. to register as having stable levels of lighting in the VIIRS data. In contrast, most nations in South America, Africa and Asia brightened, suggesting increases in the use of traditional lighting.

In 2016, a study showed that one third of the world’s population currently lives under skies too bright to see the Milky Way at night. Between 2012 and 2016 the median nation pumped out 15 percent more long-wavelength light as its GDP increased by 13 percent. Overall, counties' total light production correlated with their GDP.

1.Which of the following can best describe artificial light?

A.Convenient but unnatural. B.Useful but energy-consuming.

C.Progressive but uncomfortable. D.Civilized but harmful.

2.What can we know about the already bright countries?

A.Traditional lighting is not used in those countries.

B.LED lights are increasingly used in those countries.

C.Efforts to reduce harmful light work in those countries.

D.People do enjoy stable lighting in those countries.

3.Why does the author mention “the median nation” in the last paragraph?

A.To show artificial light has an association with GDP.

B.To demonstrate GDP plays an important part in the median nation.

C.To stress the median nation was to blame for the light problem.

D.To suggest artificial light should be banned in the future.

4.Where is the passage most probably taken from?

A.A biology textbook. B.A book review.

C.A science magazine. D.A science fiction.

    I. M. Pei, one of the best-known architects of the 20th century, has died. He was 102. Born in China, Ieoh Ming Pei moved to the United States in 1935 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

Pei’s works around the world include museums, government buildings, hotels, schools and other structures built with stone, steel and glass. One of his best-known and most disputed works was built 30 years ago. Pei created a new entrance for the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris. Pei first spent four months studying the museum and French history. He then drew plans for a 21-meter-tall steel and glass id, with three smaller pyramids nearby. It was a very futuristic style of work for the 12th-century building.

A French newspaper criticized Pei’s pyramids as “an annex to Disneyland”. An environmental group said they belonged in a desert. Others accused Pei of ruining one of the world’s greatest landmarks.

Pei said the Louvre was the most difficult job of his career. He argued that he had wanted to create a modern space that would not take away from the traditional part of the museum. He said the glass pyramids were based on the works of French landscape architect Le Notre. They honored French history.

The pyramids opened in the spring of 1989. Over the years that followed, the structure came to be loved by most, if not all, of its critics.

Other well-known Pei buildings include the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester, Massachusetts, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Dallas City Hall in Texas. Pei officially retired in 1990. However, he continued to work on projects—including museums in Luxembourg, Qatar and his ancestral home of Suzhou.

1.What is true about the entrance created by Pei for the Louvre Museum?

A.Pei spent four mouths drawing plans for it. B.There are four pyramids in total.

C.It’s in a style of the 12th century. D.It took 30 years to complete the work.

2.What can we infer from Pei’s words in Paragraph 4?

A.The glass pyramids were originally designed by Le Notre.

B.The glass pyramids were based on the French landscape.

C.The glass pyramids were in harmony with the Louvre.

D.The glass pyramids reflected both French and Chinese style.

3.What were most people’s attitudes towards Pei’s pyramids years after its opening?

A.Indifferent. B.Puzzled.

C.Critical. D.Favorable.

4.What do we know about Pei according to the passage?

A.He was hardworking, optimistic and easygoing.

B.He spread Chinese traditional architecture to the world.

C.He created many great works both in China and other countries.

D.He was the most outstanding architect of the 20th century.

    I've handled chopsticks skillfully for decades. While it used to amuse me, it mildly annoys me now that Chinese react with astonishment to see a foreigner handle them—as if someone from a country that put a man on the moon would somehow be incapable of handing two simple sticks. As you can see, China’s influence stretched far and wide long before opening-up in the late 1970s or today’s Belt and Road Initiative. So the idea that most foreigners cannot use chopsticks is, simply put, fiddlesticks.

My first exposure to chopsticks came way back in the 1960s via the elementary piano tune known as Chopsticks, which aroused my curiosity as to what the word meant. Not long afterward, my parents introduced me to Chinese food at King Fong Cafe in Omaha, Nebraska, which, I only learned recently, was among the landmarks of the heartland city’s once-thriving Chinatown in the early 1900s.

In fact, I have undergone special kuaizi training (improving skills, for example, by constantly picking up peanuts when I lived with my Chinese tai chi master) and experimentation (exploring the use of chopsticks to snap up popcorn and donuts; I’m working on ice cream).

But there’s one western food for which chopsticks are truly a godsend: salads. After moving to China in 2014, I bought a salad at a convenience store, and the clerk handed me kuaizi. I refused at first, but then thought, “All right” and gave it a try.

Amazingly useful! I could pick and choose each small piece much more carefully, without having to move awkwardly trying to spear (刺) the crispy carrot or cherry tomato and then move it mouth ward.

Another clear advantage of these simplest of tools is that they regulate the pace and volume of eating. It's much harder to “pig out” by shoveling food with chopsticks than with a fork and spoon.

However, in the spirit of globalization, let’s not overlook the finer points of knife and fork. In fact, a handy thing about the fork is that everyone can basically use it with each hand. I dare to say that, for Chinese and foreigners alike, switching hands while using chopsticks is not so readily done with confidence.

1.What makes the author feel unhappy about using chopsticks?

A.The comments on chopsticks from foreigners.

B.Incapacity to handle two simple sticks.

C.The idea that foreigners don't like chopsticks.

D.Reaction of Chinese on seeing him using chopsticks.

2.What does the underlined word “fiddlesticks” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A.nonsense B.reasonable

C.acceptable D.shameful

3.What is the advantage of chopsticks according to the passage?

A.They can let people wolf down food easily.

B.They can spear the crispy carrot or cherry tomato.

C.They can be amazingly useful to eat western food.

D.They can help users control the pace and volume of eating.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A.Me and Chopsticks B.Chinese Kitchen Culture

C.The Globalization of Chopsticks D.Two Sides of Chopsticks

Island Lobster (龙虾) Company Open

Owners Katie and Thom Werner opened Island Lobster Company earlier this week. It’s located on Peaks Island in the space formerly occupied by Peaks Island House.

The 64-seat establishment is a trap-to-table restaurant. The Werners are serving lobsters that they’re trapped and hauled in with their own boat. You can see a copy of their menu on their website.

Coals Pizza Opens Today

Coals Pizza is scheduled to open today at 5 pm. Coals is located at 114 Preble Street in the former Portland & Rochester space. This is Coals’ only location outside of New York. They specialize in grilled pizza. You can see their full menu online.

Luke’s Lobster

The seafood spot, which will soft open for dinner on Wednesday, is a major milestone for the lobster company that first launched in Manhattan in 2009. Started by Cape Elizabeth native Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster debuted in New York City’s East Village, and went on to make its mark in 10 cities across the U.S.— plus Japan and China.

Under Construction: Twist

A new food truck called Twist is under development Twist is a collaboration between Melissa Lombardi, a former manager at Woodford F&B and Dan Zarin, the longtime writer of the Breakfast Serial column. Twist will be serving customized ice cream and shakes made to order.

1.What is special in Island Lobster Company?

A.It serves freshly caught lobsters. B.It is the only location outside of New York.

C.It is a milestone for the lobster company. D.It serves customized ice cream and shakes

2.Where should you go if you want to have pizza?

A.Peaks Island. B.114 Preble Street.

C.Portland & Rochester space. D.New York City's East Village.

3.Which restaurant has opened a branch in China?

A.Island Lobster Company. B.Coals Pizza.

C.Luke's Lobster. D.Twist.