|
In 2003, Mary Marggraff was a 47-year-old California mother, devoted to school committees and car pool schedules. But after losing her trusty notebook and buying a new one, she had an inspiration. “It was blank,” says Marggraff, now 64. “What else could I fill it with?” Soon she was thinking about her childhood love of flying, and next thing she knew, she determined to register in flight school. “In my first class, all the students were single men half my age. I felt like a housemother attending a fraternity (兄弟会), but I loved it too much to walk away.” she says. Marggraff earned her first pilot’s license in 2005. Six years and four additional licenses later, her addiction to being in the air changed into something grander: a desire to go to space. To move closer to her starry dreams, Marggraff got a part-time job as a mission support representative at Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s commercial space line. In that role, she attended space-related gatherings where she educated people about the future of universe voyages. Though space tourism isn’t quite a reality yet, Marggraff has already begun space training in expectation of being on one of Virgin’s early flights. “I’ve completed acceleration force exercises,” she says, “which require getting inside a machine, spinning around at 2,500 miles per hour, and trying not to black out. ” Marggraff’s training has meant more than getting her wings — it’s expanded her sense of what the future may hold. “It turns out I’m capable of much more than I imagined,” she says. “I used to think it’d be a miracle if I got my first license. Now I’ve completed nearly 1,000 hours of flight! I'm rotten in the kitchen and I burn anything I iron, but if you need someone to land a plane, call me.” 1.Why did Marggraff register in flight school? A.To break away from car pool schedules. B.To fill her new blank notebook. C.To pursue her childhood dream of flying. D.To prove women are equal to men in flying. 2.What did Marggraff do after earning 5 licenses? A.She got into space on one of Virgin’s early flights. B.She instructed people in how to make universe voyages. C.She tried in vain to overcome faintness from high speed. D.She received space training in preparation for space tourism. 3.What does Marggraff benefit from her space training besides getting a license? A.It proves her a miracle. B.It increases her self-confidence. C.It wins her a qualification. D.It improves her imagination. 4.Which of the following words can best describe Marggraff? A.Aggressive and hopeful. B.Creative and fragile. C.Energetic and sensitive. D.Considerate and persistent.
|
|
|
The Ig Nobel Prize, a spoof (滑稽模仿) of the actual Nobel Prize, exists to award the 10 strangest research projects of the year that bring you fun and make you think. The following are three of them in 2019. Medicine Prize: Pizza It’s one of the world’s most popular foods. According to the Ig Nobel Medicine Prize winner, eating more pizzas can lower the risk of cancer and heart disease — if your pizza is loaded with fruits and veggies. These provide flavonoids (类黄酮) to fight against certain diseases. So, if you’re a pizza enthusiast, you now have one more reason to love it! Economics Prize: Dirty Money Paper money, the most frequently passed items on the planet, is known to pick up all kinds of bacteria. Which country’s currency is the dirtiest? An international team compared seven countries’ paper money. The Romanian Leu was the only one to carry all three types of bacteria tested. And the US Dollar was also a finalist. Perhaps this will make cashless payments more popular. Biology Prize: Cockroach Cockroaches (蟑螂) are well known for their survival abilities, but few folks know they can sense magnetic fields. More surprisingly, an international team found that dead cockroaches have more magnetic properties (磁性) than live ones. That’s because magnetic properties decrease when the temperature gets higher. So if you can stand cockroaches, they may be good magnetic sensors. 1.What do the three prizes have in common? A.They are well-known to the general public. B.They are entertaining and unusual. C.They’ve gained the recognition of the Nobel Prize. D.They are stranger than any other project in previous years. 2.What can we learn from the passage? A.People with heart disease should eat more pizzas. B.US Dollar is relatively dirtier than Romanian Leu. C.Dirty paper money leads to cashless payments. D.Dead cockroaches are better magnetic sensors than live ones. 3.In which column can you find this passage in a newspaper? A.Discovery. B.Sports. C.Health. D.Business.
|
|
|
你校正在组织英语作文比赛。请以身边值得尊敬和爱戴的人为题，写一篇短文参赛，内容包括: 1.人物简介；2.尊敬和爱戴的原因。 注意:词数100左右； ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
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. 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。 Today I tried cooking a simply dish myself. I like eating frying tomatoes with eggs, and I thought it must to be easy to cook. My mom told me how to preparing it. First I cut the tomatoes into pieces but put them aside. Next I broke the eggs into a bowl and beat them quickly with chopstick. After that I poured oil into a pan and turned off the stove， I waited patiently unless the oil was hot. Then I put the tomatoes and the beaten eggs into pan together. ＂Not that way，＂ my mom tried to stop us but failed. She was right. It didn’t tum out as I had wished.
|
|
|
After typhoon, I went to the disaster-stricken area to look after rescued animals. There I met Lucy, another _________. Lucy operates an animal _________ center. When I came to her website, I _________ a picture of Victor, a dog. I asked Lucy about Victor. She told me that she rescued Victor from a _________ man who’d thrown him around or put him into a tiny box. Victor had _________ on Lucy’s lap for several hours while she assured him he was safe and _________ to find him a loving home. I decided to _________ Victor. I renamed him “Chase” for his _________ for chasing everything. Months later, Chase’s love for people and his _________ nature led us to earn a therapy-dog certification and start a __________ program at the local ________. Kids read out to Chase to __________ their skills. Sometimes, even a kid who is __________ with reading will be comfortable doing so to a dog. One little girl jumped up and down when she saw Chase entering the library. Her joyful enthusiasm made me __________ . When Chase greeted’ her with a __________ , she clapped and said, “Look, Mommy, he’s bowing!” Chase gave her his undivided __________ while she read him a story. When her time was up, she signed up to read again. I’m grateful for everything about Chase that made this girl jump so __________. I hadn’t __________ him to bow; he’d bowed naturally. I’d known the library visits would be about helping kids learn to read. But I hadn’t realized what a __________ builder those visits would be for kids who were shy or didn’t fit in. Chase was also a wonderful ambassador (形象大使) for dogs—teaching kids to be loving and __________ to animals. 1.A.journalist B.teacher C.doctor D.volunteer 2.A.health B.rescue C.treatment D.recovery 3.A.studied B.took C.viewed D.commented 4.A.noble-minded B.ill-willed C.bad-tempered D.kind-hearted 5.A.trembled B.depended C.slept D.barked 6.A.promised B.managed C.failed D.pretended 7.A.support B.adopt C.accompany D.meet 8.A.hope B.talent C.desire D.passion 9.A.gentle B.boring C.competitive D.ambitious 10.A.writing B.comforting C.reading D.learning 11.A.library B.school C.hospital D.nursery 12.A.manage B.examine C.search D.practise 13.A.arguing B.dealing C.struggling D.working 14.A.weep B.smile C.think D.stay 15.A.bow B.gift C.wave D.hand 16.A.benefit B.interest C.affection D.attention 17.A.sadly B.truly C.happily D.properly 18.A.asked B.trained C.invited D.chosen 19.A.experience B.confidence C.appreciation D.fortune 20.A.rude B.familiar C.loyal D.caring
|
|
|
You’re growing up. That means you’re probably experiencing lots of changes, all at once. Your body is changing. It might even seem as if your entire self is changing. It can be confusing and even scary. 1.. And it’s good! Growing up means that you can do more, learn more, and start to make your mark on the world. In order for that to happen, your body produces chemicals called hormones that help both body and mind grow. Hormone levels change constantly, rising and falling. 2.. But it’s partly to blame for intense emotions, surprising reactions, and mood swings. Because of the way your brain develops, it is somewhat ruled by emotion now and through your teen years. As a result, growing up can seem like an emotional roller coaster! 3. Take care of yourself. If you eat right, sleep enough, and get good exercise, your brain will be much more able to deal with the stress. 4.. When you feel your moods swinging or you’re upset, or confused, some quiet time will allow you to gather your thoughts and get calmer. Practice relaxing your body and take a deep breath when you wake up and when you go to bed. 5.. Plus, when stuff happens during the day, you’ll be able to calm yourself quickly with a deep breath or two before you react. Your body is changing. A.Work out regularly to keep physically fit. B.Take a time-out. C.But the truth is,it happens to every teen. D.It will help you fall asleep------and start the morning right. E.Here are a few things you can do to make the ride smoother. F.This changing is needed for your body’s development. G.Usually,these feelings settle down when you realize what is going on.
|
|
|
Volunteering Is Fun One afternoon I was sitting at home feeling so bored. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I wanted to meet people and have new experiences so I decided to start volunteering. I searched on my computer and found a website where I could volunteer on a farm in France. My time working on a farm was a new experience for me. It was basically a free holiday as food and accommodation were provided. However, it was not my typical holiday as I had to look after fifteen horses and sleep at the top of a tower in a castle! I was an awful farmer but it did not matter because I made some great friends. However, you do not need to go abroad to volunteer. I have had plenty of adventures at home as volunteering can become a hobby. For example, I love singing so I had a good laugh waving my arms in an attempt to conduct my local choir. I did slowly improve and it felt great to conduct the choir in a concert. At university, I organized a concert for charity with my friends. It was really fun finding bands and raising money for a cause we believe in. It is true that you feel good volunteering but there are also other advantages. I once volunteered as a server at a charity sports event where the organizers gave me cupcakes to thank me for my services. I also volunteered in a charity shop so I found loads of nice cheap clothes to update my wardrobe(衣柜). While this is all fun, my favorite aspect of volunteering is creating and sharing stories. My terrible attempts at farming have given me hilarious stories to tell! Talking to volunteers from different countries and backgrounds has also helped me learn more about the world. I feel thankful to have had so much fun with many nice people thanks to volunteering. 1.Why did the author want to be volunteer? A.He wanted to taste new life and make friends. B.He felt ashamed of himself. C.He wanted to be a farmer. D.He wanted to go abroad. 2.The underlined word“hilarious”in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to“_____”. A.sad B.critical C.awful D.funny 3.What volunteering work did the author do? A.Taking care of sheep. B.Helping in an Italian farm. C.Helping in a charity shop. D.Conducting a choir in a sports event. 4.How does the author feel according to the last paragraph? A.Curious. B.Anxious. C.Grateful. D.Cautious
|
|
|
Plastic-Eating Worms
Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms’ chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass — apparently broken down by enzymes (酶) from the worms’ stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017. Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms’ ability to break down their everyday food — beeswax — also allows them to break down plastic. ＂Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, ＂she explains, ＂The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. ＂ Jennifer DeBruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)? Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team’s findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic.＂ 1.What can we learn about the worms in the study? A.They take plastics as their everyday food. B.They are newly evolved creatures. C.They can consume plastics. D.They wind up in landfills. 2.According to Jennifer DeBruyn, the next step of the study is to . A.identify other means of the breakdown B.find out the source of the enzyme C.confirm the research findings D.increase the breakdown speed 3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the chemical might . A.help to raise worms B.help make plastic bags C.be used to clean the oceans D.be produced in factories in future 4.What is the main purpose of the passage? A.To explain a study method on worms. B.To introduce the diet of a special worm. C.To present a way to break down plastics. D.To propose new means to keep eco-balance.
|
|
|
FOUR BEST BOOKSHOPS IN LONDON Looking for something to read while in London? If so, you’re in luck: the British capital happens to have an incredible collection of bookshops. Daunt Books Are you going on a trip and want to read a novel or nonfiction book set in the place you’re headed? This bookshop arranges books by country, so it’s easy to find anything by place. (83 Marylebone High Street. Monday-Saturday: 09:00-19:30; Sunday: 11:00-18:00.) Foyles Books Dig, if you will, the picture: four miles of shelves holding up to 200,000 books. This legendary (传奇的) bookshop is impossible to leave empty-handed. It was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest bookshop on the planet. (107 Charing Cross Road. Monday-Saturday: 9:00-21:00; Sunday: 11:30-18:00.) Hatchards In the year 1797, this London bookshop—the oldest in the city today—first flicked on its lights. It stocks an excellent selection of fiction, nonfiction, history and other genres. (187 Piccadilly Street. Monday-Saturday: 09:30-20:00; Sunday: 12:00-18:30.) London Review Bookshop There’s an excellent selection of history, philosophy, politics, new fiction and many other genres here. Plus, there’s a nice cafe in which you can crack open that tome (巨著) for the first time and start reading. (14 Bury Place. Monday-Saturday 10:00-18:30; Sunday 12:00-18:00.) 1.Which bookstore was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records? A.Daunt Books. B.Foyles Books. C.Hatchards. D.London Review Bookshop. 2.What is special about Hatchards? A.It has a long history. B.It has 200,000 books. C.It has a cafe. D.It has both fiction and nonfiction books. 3.Which place should you go to if you want to enjoy reading with a coffee? A.83 Marylebone High Street. B.107 Charing Cross Road. C.187 Piccadilly Street. D.14 Bury Place.
|
|
|
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。 Missus Sommers one day found herself the unexpected owner of fifteen dollars. It seemed to her a very large amount of money. For a day or two she walked around in a dreamy state as she thought about her choices. Her daughter Janie was wearing worn shoes and needed new ones. She would buy cloth for new shirts for the boys. Her daughter Mag should have another dress. And still there would be enough left for new stockings for her children. The idea about how to spend the dollars made her restless with excitement. On the day she planned to go shopping with the money, she ate a light meal- no! Between getting the children fed and the house cleaned, and preparing herself to go shopping, she forgot to eat at all! When she arrived at the large department store, she spotted a pile of silk stockings at the entrance. A sign nearby announced that they had been reduced in price a young girl behind the counter asked her if she wished to examine the silky leg coverings. She smiled as if she had been asked to inspect diamond jewelry, and started to feel the soft, expensive items. Missus Sommers picked up a black pair and looked at them closely. Two red marks suddenly showed on her pale face. She looked up at the shop girl and said proudly, “Well, I will buy this pair.” Missus Sommers changed her cotton stockings for the new silk ones in the ladies’ rest area. She had let herself be controlled by some machine-like force that directed her actions and freed her of responsibility. How good was the touch of the silk on her skin! Then she put her shoes back on and put her old stockings into her bag. Next, she went to the shoe department, where she tried on a pair of new boots. Her foot and ankle looked lovely. She could not believe that they were a part of herself. 注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右； 2.至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语； 3.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好； 4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。 Paragraph 1： After buying a pair of new boots, she walked into the clothing department. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2： She was about to leave the store when a kid running around reminded her of something. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|
|
