2020届高三《新题速递·英语》2月第01期 考点01阅读理解

一、阅读理解

1. 难度：中等

    Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, it has been held in more than 40 different cities. That gives Olympic fans quite a few possible travel destinations to choose!

Beijing, China

Olympic fans should consider visiting the Beijing Olympic Park to check out the special buildings of the so-called “Bird’s Nest” and “Water Cube”—the national stadium and aquatics center built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Popular historic places in Beijing include the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and Tian’anmen Square.

Innsbruck, Austria

Located in the heart of the Alps, Innsbruck is known as a great winter destination—which explains why it has hosted not one but two Winter Olympics. Known for its mountainous views, Innsbruck is the perfect stop for outdoor adventurers.

Mexico City, Mexico

This wonderful travel destination offers a wide number of popular museums, historic buildings, and public parks. People will love shopping for fresh meat and produce at the markets, taking a cooking class, and generally eating their way through Mexico City, which is especially known for its culinary (烹饪的) experiences that include both globally well-known restaurants and locally favored street carts.

Melbourne, Australia

Nearly half a century before Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics, Melbourne became the first Australian host city in 1956. Head to the “cultural capital of Australia”, located in Victoria on the southeastern coast, for an energetic cafe culture and art scene, Melbourne offers something for every type of traveler and everyone can enjoy an evening at one of the city’s many rooftop bars or a day of wine tasting.

1.Where will you go if you are fond of adventure?

A.Beijing, China. B.Mexico City, Mexico.

C.Innsbruck, Austria. D.Melbourne, Australia.

2.What can visitors do in Mexico City?

A.Enjoy wonderful culinary classes. B.Buy beautiful clothes and shoes.

C.Admire beautiful mountainous views. D.Visit special stadiums for the Olympics.

3.What can we know about Melbourne?

A.It is famous for all kinds of wine. B.It has many world-famous hotels.

C.It hosted the Summer Olympics twice. D.It can satisfy different travelers’ needs.

2. 难度：中等

    The new garbage sorting regulation has taken effect in Shanghai starting July 1. Many citizens are still confused about the classification of the four different types of trash. Thankfully, authorities have released an official guideline to clarify the new rules.

The guideline, published by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, provides a rather clear definition on the four kinds of waste: recyclable waste, hazardous (有害的) waste, household food waste and residual (剩余的) waste.

Hazardous waste, as the name suggests, includes assorted poisonous materials like used batteries, light bulbs, out-of-date medicines, paint and pesticides.

Household food waste, which is translated to “wet trash” in Chinese，refers to food leftovers, rotten food, pet food, fruit peels, remains of TCM herbs (中药) and flowers.

Paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles (纺织品) are counted as recyclable waste.

The definition of residual waste is a little confusing. Anything that is not listed above belongs in this category.

As specific as the new guideline is, residents still have a hard time sorting trash correctly and are finding it challenging to memorize them all. For instance, both plastic bottles and bubble tea or coffee cups are plastic materials. However, the former falls to the category of recyclable waste and the latter belongs to residual waste. To save the hassle, some netizens have come up with their own ways to sort trash.

“We should do this from a pig’s angle,” commented one netizen. “Those edible (可食用的) for pigs are household food waste. Those even pigs don’t want to eat are residual waste. If a pig consumes something and dies of it, then something must be hazardous waste. Those which can be sold and the money we gain can be used to purchase pigs are recyclable waste.” The new regulation has gone into effect on July 1. Those who do not sort their trash properly will be fined RMB200.

1.What do the old thrown-away sweaters belong to?

A.Residual waste. B.Hazardous waste.

C.Recyclable waste. D.Household food waste.

2.What does “wet trash” have in common?

A.They are completely wet. B.They all come from plants.

C.They can give off bad smell. D.They can break up easily.

3.What is the tone of the netizen?

A.Humorous. B.Serious.

C.Delightful. D.Uncertain.

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A.Shanghai bans four sorts of garbage.

B.Shanghai launches garbage sorting enforcement.

C.Citizens in Shanghai still question garbage sorting.

D.Citizens in Shanghai welcome the garbage sorting policy.

3. 难度：中等

    Detroit Hives is a non-profit organization that buys vacant lots in the city to transform into bee farms. Timothy Paul and Nicole Lindsey started the non-profit last year, focused on improving the Motor City’s “left behind” communities and educating people on bees.

Timothy got interested in honey and honeybees because of a cough he couldn’t shake. He was sick for months, until a store owner in nearby Ferndale recommended he try some local honey. Soon Timothy’s cough was gone. And he and Nicole found that abandoned urban sites often became illegal dumping grounds, contributing to an overgrowth of allergens (过敏原) — not to mention the mess. The couple began to think about how to settle that issue by producing local honey on vacant sites, and Detroit Hives was born.

To become certified beekeepers, Timothy and Nicole took two courses. They bought their first vacant lot for $340, with the aid of the Detroit Land Bank Authority community partnership program. From there, they built three hives and vegetable garden plots. Thousands of bees now buzz (嗡嗡) on the lot. “The neighbors say they wish we were there decades of years ago. That area had always been a place where people dumped garbage, so when we came here, we gave that area a sense of purpose. The neighbors keep an eye on the area to make sure that people don’t dump any more,” Lindsey said.

Currently, Detroit Hives has partnered with local Detroit Soup and a homeless shelter to provide local, raw honey and they also sell their sweet product. In addition, Detroit Hives spreads awareness about bees through public tours of the farm. The couple also speak at schools in the area. They aim to expand beyond their first farm this year.

1.What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 2?

A.The method of curing cough.

B.The inspiration for Detroit Hives.

C.The terrible environment in Detroit.

D.The medical value of local honey.

2.What can we learn about the couples’ work?

A.It enriched the variety of vegetables.

B.It disturbed the neighbors’ normal life.

C.It improved the environment in the area.

D.It enabled neighbors to live in harmony.

3.Why does Detroit Hives offer public tours?

A.To appeal to more customers.

B.To help expand their first farm.

C.To promote their honey product.

D.To help people learn more about bees.

4.Which of the following best describes the husband and wife?

A.Optimistic. B.Faithful.

C.Creative. D.Demanding.

4. 难度：中等

    As they reach school age, about 90 percent of children will have experienced a condition in which fluid (液体) fills the middle ear, muffling (使模糊) sound and sometimes causing infection. The fluid usually clears on its own, but if not, it can lead to a painful ear infection called acute otitis (中耳炎) media. In some cases the fluid can persist for more than a year, causing hearing loss during this period, and slowing down their development of language and social skills.

Diagnosis usually requires a visit to a specialist—but researchers have now developed an app that detects this fluid just as accurately, with only a smartphone and a paper funnel (漏斗).

Doctors typically detect the problem by peering into the ear for a visual assessment. Yet, this method has only a 50 percent accuracy rate. “Right now, if you bring your child to a pediatrician, or to any urgent care family doctor, the way they look at whether or not there’s fluid in the middle ear is by looking at the eardrum,” says Sharat Raju, a surgeon in the department of head and neck surgery at the University of Washington.

For a cheaper and more accessible alternative, researchers at the University of Washington turned to smartphones. First the user follows a template to cut and tape a piece of paper into a funnel, which can be placed between a smartphone and the patient’s ear. Next the app plays a chirping sound through the phone’s speaker; the sound waves bounce off the eardrum and hit the phone’s microphone, where they register and are analyzed by the app. An eardrum with fluid behind it will vibrate (振动) differently than if the middle ear is full of air, as it normally is.

To develop the app, the researchers first played chirps for patients with and without fluid in their ears. They recorded the echoes (回音), which indicate the eardrum’s mobility. Then they used a machine learning model to classify the returning sound waves, determining which audio characteristics indicated a normal ear and which suggested the presence of fluid. Once they tested the app on 98 children, ranging from 18 months to 17 years old, at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It correctly detected fluid in 85 percent of cases, and correctly identified fluid-free ears in 82 percent.

The researchers are currently trying to get FDA approval for the app, and have founded a company to commercialize it. They hope to make it available by the end of the year, to help parents track children’s ear health at home.

1.What do we know about the fluid from the first paragraph?

A.It is mostly part of children’s growth. B.It is unavoidable for any child.

C.It is a permanent physical condition. D.It is beyond any medical means.

2.What does the underlined word “pediatrician” refer to in Paragraph 3?

A.A hospital. B.A specialist.

C.A relative. D.An app.

3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A.The application of the app. B.The causes of the kid’s ear problem.

C.The purpose of developing the app. D.The experiment of the smartphone.

4.What do the researchers expect of the app?

A.It will upgrade the medical technology. B.It will hit the market in the near future.

C.It will help children do better academically. D.It will save doctors medical operations.

5. 难度：简单

    Castel dell'Ovo Tours

Castel dell'Ovo is one of Naples' most famous monuments. It offers sweeping views over the city and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

The Basics

The site on which Castel dell'Ovo now stands has a long history, beginning as a settlement for Greek colonists. The current castle was built in the 15th century, and today, the 19th-century fishing village of Borgo Marinari, known for its excellent seafood restaurants and marina （游艇停靠区）sits at the base of the castle.

The Egg Castle

The origin of the castle's name comes from a story about the Roman poet Virgil, who is said to have placed a magical egg in the foundations beneath where the castle now stands. As long as the egg stays well, Castel dell'Ovo will remain standing.

Things to Know Before You Go

•Castel dell' Ovo is a must-see for history and architecture enthusiasts.

•Admission to the castle and the museum is free.

•The inner halls of the castle are open to the public only during special events exhibitions; the ramparts (城墙)and towers are always open.

•There is a lift from the ground floor to the ramparts, making the castle accessible to wheelchairs.

How to Get There

Castel dell'Ovo is located in the Bay of Naples just off the coastal road. Bus 151 from the train station and 140 from the port stop at Castel dell'Ovo.

When to Get There

The castle is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The Prehistoric Museum is open only on weekends from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. As Naples is one of Italy's most visited cities, its sights can be very crowded in the high-season summer months. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds and to take advantage of the best light for taking photos from the castle's towers.

Book Online or Call [phone]

1.When can you visit Castel dell'Ovo?

A.On weekdays from 9:00 am to 17:00 pm.

B.On holidays from 8:00 am to 13:30 pm.

C.On weekends from 8:00 to 13:00 pm.

D.On Sundays from 8:30 am to 19:00 pm.

2.What should you know before you tour Castel dell'Ovo?

A.Those with leg problems cannot tour the ramparts.

B.The tickets have to be booked in advance.

C.The towers can be visited only during special events.

D.It's easily accessible by bus from the train station.

3.Which statement of the following is true about Castel dell' Ovo?

A.The castle currently sits next to Mount Vesuvius.

B.The castle was originally named after the Roman poet Virgil.

C.The castle was originally built in the 19th century.

D.The castle is also named the Egg Castle.

6. 难度：中等

    Naomi Shihab Nye has lots of things to write about. She never seems to run out of ideas, Naomi writes poetry for young people and adults, but she is also the author of essays, children's picture books, songs, and a novel for teenagers.

Where does Naomi get her ideas? She sees poetry in the details of everyday life, like the way things smell or taste, the sounds of nature, the voices of her family, and the colors of a flower or a bird's wing or a strawberry.

Naomi's poetry is also often influenced by places she has lived in and visited. Naomi was raised by her Palestinian father and American mother. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, US, Jerusalem Israel; and San Antonio, Texas, US. Each of these places has its own unique features, which Naomi has described with her rich, descriptive language.

Naomi also writes about her double cultures and the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. Today, Naomi has settled down in San Antonio. She knows many people who have a Mexican-American identity, and she works their experiences into her poetry. Naomi focuses on the ways that people of different cultures and backgrounds are similar rather than different. She has even traveled to the Middle East and Asia to promote international goodwill through the arts. Naomi firmly believes in the power of writing to change the world and help people find common ground.

Naomi Shihab Nye began writing poetry as soon as she learned how to write. She published her first poem when she was only seven years old! Since that time, Naomi has written and edited more than 20 books. She often tells young writers to write about their daily lives—the things they observe and the feelings they have. That's a good reminder for a writer!

1.Which of the following best describes Naomi according to Paragraph 1?

A.Optimistic. B.Productive.

C.Generous. D.Traditional.

2.How does Naomi get her ideas?

A.By observing the world around her.

B.By visiting many different people.

C.By reading famous writers' works.

D.By comparing features of different places.

3.Where does Naomi live now?

A.In Missouri, US. B.In Mexico.

C.In Texas, US. D.In Israel.

4.What can we learn about Naomi from the last two paragraphs?

A.She has a strong sense of social responsibility.

B.She focuses more on cultural differences.

C.She lived a hard life in childhood.

D.She writes books for improving writing skills,

7. 难度：中等

    It is becoming more and more important for researchers to closely observe our sea life, with climate change and overfishing damaging our oceans. However, this is almost impossible since human presence scares the animals. Now, thanks to The Soft Robotic Fish, also called SoFi, researchers may not only be able to keep a close eye on the creatures, but also uncover undersea secrets that have been confusing us for centuries.

Built by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), the snow-white remote-controlled robot closely emulates real fish, complete with a flexible tail and two "fins". Though not the first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) created to observe the oceans, SoFi solves many of the issues that have hindered (妨碍)the usefulness of previous robots.

AUVs traditionally have had to be tied to a boat because radio frequency communications do not work well underwater. To solve the problem, CSAIL director Daniela Rus and her team used sound waves which can travel greater distances, allowing drivers using a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller to pilot SoFi from up to 50 feet away. To ensure SoFi can freely move around the ocean, a pump moves water from one balloon-like structure to the other through its soft rubber tail, while a controller fitted with a battery powers the robot through the ocean, unhindered by propellers (螺旋桨).

During test dives in Fiji's Rainbow Reef, SoFi moved alongside the sea life at depths of 50 feet for up to 40 minutes at a time, taking high-resolution photos and videos. Even more importantly, it was able to do so without causing any disturbance. The researchers say sometimes the fish would swim alongside the strange-looking robo- fish out of curiosity, while at other times they appeared completely unaware of its existence.

While SoFi currently only records videos, future versions will include sensors. "For us, this fish is magical," says Rus. “We imagine someday it might help us uncover more mysteries from the amazing underwater world that we know so little about."

1.Why was SoFi created?

A.To protect fish from being caught.

B.To stop oceans from being polluted.

C.To learn about the underwater world

D.To solve the issues AUVs have found.

2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “emulates” in Paragraph2?

A.Feeds. B.Catches.

C.Protects. D.Imitates.

3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A.The development of AUVs.

B.Working principles of SoFi.

C.How AUVs are used underwater.

D.SoFi's contribution to fish protection.

4.What is the main advantage of SoFi?

A.It will not scare real fish. B.It can record videos.

C.It is equipped with sensors. D.It cannot be seen by real fish.

8. 难度：困难

    A chance meeting between two men who realized they had both been abused in the same Surrey children’s care home has led to a campaign that has seen hundreds of former residents claiming they were also victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Music producer Raymond Stevenson, physically abused during his time at the Shirley Oaks home in the 70s, met a childhood friend last year who revealed he’d been abused in the institution. Within a few months, the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association(SOSA) was hundreds strong.

“We have been in contact with over 300 people and the stories we are getting are just terrible,” Stevenson says. “Every time we interview someone and hear about what happened to them, it brings tears to our eyes. Reliving(再现) some of the horrors they went through hasn't been easy.”

There have been two major police investigations into abuse at children’s homes in South London and three people including a swimming instructor, William Hook, have been condemned for offences relating to Shirley Oaks.

Another operation is currently on-going, but SOSA has lost faith in the authorities who they claim have covered up the whole picture of abuse in Shirley Oaks. “We don’t trust them and that’s why we have decided to do this campaign ourselves,” Stevenson explains.

A couple of weeks ago, dozens of former Shirley Oaks residents crowded into a Lambeth council(议会）meeting-the authority which ran the show until its closure the mid-1980s. Councilor after councilor spoke of their shame at what had been allowed to happen to children in their care.

Among the crowd was the award-winning author Alex Wheatle who has written about the abuse he suffered as a child at Shirley Oaks. “We have not come here to go to war with the council；we have come here to gain your support, ” Wheatle told the meeting.

The Shirley Oaks association is doing more than compiling evidence. It is using music to press its case. A song entitled “Don’t Touch It—It’s Mine” includes personal testimony(证词) from victims. “I was abused mentally, physically, emotionally and violently,” the track begins. “Of the original 16 of us, 12 have killed themselves...”

“We’re not going to be told lies anymore,” Stevenson explains. “We are not going to leave it in the hands of lawyers, politicians or council officials to tell us what happened to us. We want to discover it ourselves and we know music and dance and poetry are ways that can tell a greater story.”

1.What is the purpose of setting up SOSA?

A.To show sympathy for the abused children in society.

B.To reveal the abuse at a children’s care home.

C.To find the living victims from a care home.

D.To aid those people abused at a young age.

2.What can we learn from the passage?

A.The former victims depend much on the police for investigation.

B.Twelve of the sixteen children were killed in Shirley Oaks.

C.All the people committing offences in Shirley Oaks have been arrested.

D.The former local authorities must have neglected their duty.

3.What has been done by campaigners of SOSA?

A.Collecting evidence for the police.

B.Creating music for the campaign.

C.Going to war with the government.

D.Turning to lawyers for assistance.

4.Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A.SOSA sings for justice.

B.Child abuse in Shirley Oaks.

C.Terrible memories in Shirley Oaks.

D.A campaign to abuse the authorities by SOSA  .

9. 难度：中等

    As the most wonderful tools for learning and teaching English, iPads appeal to more and more students who use them to access online resources in their classrooms. With the help of the thousands of education and language apps available in Apple's app store, students make effective use of the iPad to learn in an interactive environment. Given below is a list of some of the best iPad apps for learning and teaching English.

Grammar Up

Grammar is the heart of any language and, thus, the Grammar Up app is one of the most highly recommended apps for English Learners. This app is specifically designed for people who want to improve their grammar, vocabulary and word selection. It consists of more than 1800 multiple-choice questions grouped under twenty different grammar categories.

Learn English The Fun Way

"Learn English the fun way" is an amazing app for grammar and matching lessons in which English learners get to do simple exercises such as matching an animal or a short description of something to its picture.

SpeakingPal

Recommended as one of the best apps for English educators and learners, SpeakingPal allows users to record and compare their speech with a native English speaker. This amazing app combines video with automatic speech recognition software that tests your English speaking skills. You just have to speak with a video character and get immediate response on how well you said and pronounced all your English words. In short, this app basically understands and rates your speech.

Wordflex Touch Dictionar

Turn your word-meanings search into a fun experience with the Wordflex Touch Dictionary app! Developed exclusively for iPad in association with the Oxford University Press, the Wordflex Touch Dictionary app converts your word entries into attractive trees which you can move, drag, share and reorganize using touch gestures. This app is among the best as it also contains audio pronunciations both in UK and US English, which is a great benefit for English learners.

iBooks

iBooks is a complete book library for the iPad users. It includes the iBookstore and allows users to download and read books for free. It also allows users to save their favorite classics for free. The app features a beautiful bookshelf on which you can browse various books; tap a book to open and read it, and add notes to your favorite paragraphs in the book. You can also create your own texts and upload them into the app.

1.Which app might be the best choice for a kid who is beginning to learn grammar?

A.Grammar Up B.Wordflex Touch Dictionary

C.Learn English The Fun Way D.SpeakingPal

2.Which of the following is Right according to the passage?

A.The Grammar Up app is the best recommended app for English learners.

B.Wordflex Touch Dictionary provides pronunciation in British and American English.

C.SpeakingPal allows users to compete with a native English speaker.

D.iBooks is a free book library for English learners and teachers.

3.What's the purpose of the text?

A.To advertise Apple's app store.

B.To attract users to iPad.

C.To distinguish some apps for English learning.

D.To introduce some apps for English learners and educators.

10. 难度：中等

    Nothing good generally comes of a conversation that start with the words, "I think you should probably sit down before I tell you this.”

And so it came to pass. Away for Christmas, we got a call from kind friends at home, our neighbour's house had caught fire while they were out. The fire didn't spread to our house but the smoke very much did.

It's weeks of either throwing out, or sending away for specialist cleaning, every single thing into which smoke could have permeated(渗透)because the particles(微粒) are an ongoing health risk and washing isn't enough. Anything soft—sofas and carpets and children’s teddy bears, clothes—is suspected. We will be seeing in the New Year in a decidedly minimalist fashion.

What I didn't expect to feel, however, is this lucky. Friends and neighbours have come together with incredible generosity. We will never again underestimate the closeness of the village community in which we live, or the innate kindness that is most people's natural reaction to trouble, and are grateful to be reminded of so much that is good. But that's not the only thing I've learned. For in a sense, we have a chance to start again.

The surprise on being forced to think about what might urgently need replacing is how short the list of essentials seems; how much we must have been hanging on to out of habit, and how much we have been conditioned to think was important.

It's all too easily assumed that family history lives in tangible(有形的)things— old photographs, a dress bought decades ago for a night heavy with memories — but that's not quite right. These things were only reminders of what we already carry with us in head and heart.

Walking through the house, sweeping up the broken glass, I realised that the answer to the old question of “What would you save in a fire? ” is actually that nothing really matters but each other.

1.What happened to the author's house?

A.It caught a fire.

B.It was affected by a fire.

C.It was broken into by friends.

D.Its windows were broken.

2.What does the underlined word "suspected" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A.something that may be damaged.

B.something that may not be genuine.

C.something that may not be so good.

D.something that may be dangerous.

3.What did the author expect to feel?

A.People around him were cold to others' trouble.

B.His friends and neighbours were so generous.

C.People in his community were close to each other.

D.He was so lucky to find much that was good.

4.How will the author probably feel when the New Year finally comes?

A.Worried. B.Surprised.

C.Excited. D.Contented.

11. 难度：中等

    When I was a child, our dining room had two kinds of chairs — two large ones with arm rests and four small ones without. The larger ones stood at the ends of the table, the smaller ones on the sides. Mom and Dad sat in the big chairs, except when one of us was away; then Mom would sit in one of the smaller chairs. Dad always sat at the end, at the "head" of the table. Sitting where he did, Dad was framed by the window through which the yard could be seen with its trees and grass. His chair was not just a place for him at table; it was a place in which he was situated against the yard and the trees. It was the holy(神圣的）and protected place that was his, and ours through him.

After Dad retired, he and Mom moved out into a small flat. When thy came to visit me at their old house, Dad still sat at the end of the table though the table was no longer his but mine. Only with my marriage to Barbara, did I hear a voice questioning the arrangement. She requested, gently but firmly, that I sit at the head of the table in our home. I realized then that I was head of the family, but I also felt unwilling to introduce such a change. How would I feel sitting in that "head" place in my Dad's presence? And how would he handle it? I was to find out on the occasion of our youngest child's first birthday.

Mom and Dad arrived for lunch, and went into the dining room. Dad moved toward his usual seat in front of the window. Before he could get around the side of the table, I took a deep breath and said, "Dad, this is going to be your place, next to Mom, on the side." He stopped, looked at me and then sat down. I felt sad, and angry at Barbara for pushing me to do this. It would have been easy to say, "My mistake, Dad. Sit where you always sit, ” But I didn't.

When he and Mom were seated, Barbara and I took our places. I don't know how Dad felt. I do know that, though removed from his usual place, he continued to share his best self with us, telling stories of his childhood and youth to the delight of his grandchildren. As I served the food, our lives experienced a change, which we continue to live with.

It wasn't easy, but I sense that there is also something good in the change which has occurred. I am beginning to learn that "honoring one's father” is more than the question of which place to occupy at the dining table. It also means listening, wherever we sit and whatever positions we own, to the stories Dad longs to tell We may then, during these magical moments, even be able to forget about whose chair is whose.

1.Why did Dad always sit in the big chair at the end of the table before he retired?

A.Because the chair was large enough for him.

B.Because sitting there he could see the trees and grass in the yard.

C.Because it was the holy seat for the head of the family.

D.Because the chair was comfortable with arm rests.

2.What do we know from the second paragraph?

A.The writer's parents moved out because the house was too old.

B.The writer didn't want to hurt his father’s feelings.

C.The writer's wife was rude to his parents.

D.The writer didn't dare to refuse his wife's request.

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A.Dad felt upset after being removed from his usual place.

B.The writer was satisfied with the new seating arrangement.

C.Dad continued to tell stories to cover his embarrassment.

D.Dad didn't appear to mind where he sat.

4.What does the writer intend to tell us?

A.Respecting Dad is more than the question of dining seat.

B.It is not easy to go against parents' wishes.

C.Think twice before you act.

D.Every coin has two sides.

12. 难度：困难

    Even a small increase in light activity such as washing dishes, or walking around the house might help prevent an early death among older adults, researchers say.

“It is important for elderly people, who might not be able to do much moderate intensity（强度）activity, that just moving around and doing light intensity activity will have strong effects and is beneficial,” said Ulf Ekelund, who led the research.

Published in the BMJ, the latest research was based on a review of eight studies involving a total of more than 36,000 people with an average age of almost 63 years. Participants were followed for five to six years; 2,149 deaths were recorded. All of the studies involved monitoring the physical activity of individuals who had activity trackers, and the studies did not rely on self-reporting, which, the experts noted, could be unreliable.

For each study participants were split into four equal-sized groups, based on the total amount of time spent actively, and the risk of death assessed, taking into account factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. This was then repeated for an amount of activity at different levels of intensity. The results were analyzed together to give an overview. The team found a greater amount of activity was linked to a lower risk of death. The results held for different intensities of activity. The team said the study supported the message “sit less and move more and more often”.

However, the study had limitations. It only looked at the situation for middle age and older adults, most of whom lived in the US or Europe, and some of the effect could be due to those people with a higher risk of death being less likely to be related to physical activity. Physical activity levels also were only measured over one period of time.

Dr Gavin Sandercock, from the University of Essex, said the results suggested moving more brought bigger benefits than simply reducing the time of sitting, another factor measured in the study.

“This study reinforces the important message that getting the least active people to do even just a little bit more physical activity can have important public health benefits,” he said.

1.Which of the following may Ulf Ekelund suggest elderly people do?

A.lying on the sofa reading.

B.Doing a little gentle gardening.

C.Going out to hike with friends.

D.Playing basketball sometimes.

2.What can we know about the research?

A.It lasted about 8 years.

B.The researchers admitted they used fake data.

C.The participants didn't include younger people.

D.Some participants died because of doing too much physical activity

3.What is the author’s attitude towards the researchers' conclusion?

A.Doubtful B.Critical

C.Supportive D.Neutral

4.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “reinforces” in the last paragraph?

A.Highlights B.Conveys

C.Excludes D.Denies

13. 难度：简单

    KQED is a Public Broadcasting Service station in California, US. The station is owned by Northern California Public Broadcasting. Some of its radio programs are as follows:

●The Cooler

As one of the most popular programs among young listeners, the Cooler is a podcast (博客) about pop culture stories and music, presented in a smart, fun and personal way. Come and join us on our journey.

Time: MON-THU, 8 pm—9 pm.

● Here & Now

A live production, in cooperation with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young

Time: MON-THU, 11am—1 pm

● Mind Shift

The Mind Shift podcast explores the innovations (创新) in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. They cover topics like how teachers are developing surprising methods to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts is helping kids develop reading skills.

Time: THU-SUN, 7 pm—9 pm

● Living on Earth

Living on Earth is a weekly news and information program about the world's changing environment, ecology, and human health. If there's something new about climate change, environmental politics or environmental quality and human health, you can count on Host Steve Curwood and the LOE public radio news team to keep you up to date.

Time: WED, 9 am—10 am

1.At what time can the audience enjoy pop culture stories?

A.Tuesday, 8 pm—9pm. B.Wednesday, 9 am—10 am.

C.Friday, 8 pm—9pm. D.Sunday, 7pm—9pm.

2.From which radio program can listeners pick up news at noon?

A.The Cooler. B.Here & Now.

C.Mind Shift. D.Living on Earth.

3.Which of these topics might be covered in Living on Earth?

A.Education policies. B.Economic problems.

C.Human population. D.Global warming.

14. 难度：简单

    Dressed in a dark blue waterproof (防水) jacket, outdoor shoes and a small backpack, 25-year-old Ye Tian tries to get in an abandoned coking plant in Beijing.

An intern (实习生) for a German company in Beijing, Ye is among thousands of youth interested in city adventures, which they call urban exploration-4urbex' for short.

The aim of this trending (流行) hobby is to explore structures — usually abandoned ruins or hidden areas of the manmade environment. Urban explorers are interested in these sites because they can understand cities from a different angle. Ye, for example, said he enjoyed the contrast between Beijing's two sides.

Widely known scenic spots and historical sites can only reflect the bright side of the city, or what the city wants you to see, Ye said. “But abandoned places show you the past (that is) hidden deep in people's memories."

In the eyes of Pan Ran, who is in her early 30s and works in Canada, an abandoned building can also evoke (引起，唤起) the spirits of those who lived and worked there.

“There are diaries and letters recording the owner's lives,” she said. “And one time, I found a whole box of 8-millimeter videotapes of a family?

Pan couldn't watch the tapes at the site, as the power supply had been cut. She didn't take them away with her either, as there is a very important rule of urbex that you can't remove any souvenirs from a site", Pan said.

While urban exploration can get people to extraordinary places that few have visited, it's sometimes dangerous. Climbing up tall buildings and tip-toeing through abandoned structures can sometimes be a life-threatening affair.

Injuries and even death are not unheard of within the urbex community.

"In the beginning, I was pretty audacious and believed the riskier the places you go, the better photos you get," said Du Tianyu, 22. "But that is not necessarily the case. After doing my calculations, I learned to stop when I reach the limit."

1.According to the text, why do urban explorers like to visit abandoned places?

A.To escape the crowdedness of cities.

B.To take breathtaking pictures.

C.To appreciate different aspects of a city.

D.To know about the lives of the people who left.

2.What does Pan say is an important rule of urban exploration?

A.Don't take things from a site.

B.Don't buy souvenirs when exploring structures.

C.Only explore abandoned sites with long histories.

D.Share travel diaries or journals within the urbex community.

3.The underlined word “audacious” in the last paragraph probably means_____ .

A.cautious B.adventurous

C.passionate D.curious

4.What's the best title for the passage?

A.Travel in Big Cities B.Visit a City's Historical Sites

C.Experience a City's Life D.See a City's Secrets

15. 难度：中等

    Research published in the journal High Temperature found that an hour-long soak in hot water produced similar blood sugar responses to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity.

Sound too good to be true? While the research on these effects is still initial (初步)，there is a plausible explanation for this.

"It seems that activities that increase heat shock proteins (热体克蛋) may help to improve blood sugar control and offer an alternative to exercise," the lead study author Steve Faulkner wrote. “These activities—such as soaking in a hot tub or taking a sauna (桑拿) — may have health benefits to people who are unable to exercise regularly. to an hour- long session of cycling or an hour-long session in a 40℃bath.

The scientists discovered that both groups were better able to control their blood sugar levels in the 24 hours following their soak were approximately 10 percent lower than those of the participants who exercised.

Researchers say this implies that “passive heating" (a means of rising your body temperature) could assist in lowering blood sugar levels. Passive heating can affect proteins in the body called heat shock proteins, which helps regulate blood sugar. People with diabetes (糖尿病) tend to have lower levels of heat shock proteins. Passive heating can raise these levels.

It's critical to point out a few limitations of the study. For starters, the experiment only monitored men, so it's difficult to say if the same effect would happen in women. It also only included 14 volunteers, which was an extremely small sample size. More research needs to be conducted before scientists can come to any official conclusion. And, of course, you should still continue exercising regularly.

That being said, the study does offer some more promising insights (见解) into the healing effects of hot water.

1.What does the underlined word “plausible” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Strange. B.Ridiculous.

C.Reasonable. D.Confusing.

2.What can we know about the research by the U. K.'s team?

A.Cycling made no difference to blood sugar levels.

B.People with diabetes usually have higher levels of heat shock proteins.

C.14 lean and 14 overweight men were involved in the research.

D.A 24-hour tracking and monitoring was carried out after the one-hour activities.

3.How should scientists improve this study?

A.By extending the study period.

B.By changing the research method.

C.By including women in the research.

D.By adding more scientists involved in the investigation.

4.Which of the following best expresses the author's main point of view?

A.When you run a fever you get passive heating.

B.Passive heating can raise levels of heat shock proteins.

C.The research is of significance in spite of some imperfection.

D.You need either a hot bath or regular exercise to keep healthy.

16. 难度：简单

    The new garbage sorting regulation has taken effect in Shanghai starting July 1. Many citizens are still confused about the classification of the four different types of trash. Thankfully, authorities have released an official guideline to explain the new rules.

The guideline, published by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, provides a rather clear definition on the four kinds if waste: recyclable waste, harmful waste, household food waste and residual (剩余) waste.

A team from the U. K.'s National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine examined 14 lean and overweight men and analyzed their metabolic (新陈代谢) health. The participants were either assigned

Harmful waste, as the name suggests, includes various poisonous materials like used batteries, light bulbs, out-of-date medicines, paint and pesticides.

Household food waste — which is translated to "wet trash” in Chinese — refers to food leftovers, rotten food, pet food, fruit peels, remains of TCM herbs (中药) and flowers.

Paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles (纺织品) are counted as recyclable waste.

The definition of residual waste is a little confusing. Anything that is not listed above belongs to this category.

As specific as the new guideline is, residents still have a hard time sorting trash correctly and are finding it challenging to memorize them all. For instance, both plastic bottles and bubble tea or coffee cups are plastic materials. However, the former falls to the category of recyclable waste and the latter belongs to residual waste. To save the hassle, some netizens have come up with their own way to sort trash.

"We should do this from a pig's angle," commented one netizen. "Those edible (可食用) for pigs are household food waste. Those even pigs don't want to eat are residual waste. If a pig consumes something and dies of it, then something must be harmful waste. Those that can be sold and the money we gain can be used to purchase pigs are recyclable waste."

The new regulation came into effect on July 1. Those who do not sort their trash properly will be fined RMB200.

1.What do the old coats that you want to throw away belong to?

A.Harmful waste. B.Wet trash.

C.Recyclable waste. D.Residual waste

2.What is the common point of "wet trash"?

A.They can be broken down easily. B.They all come from plants.

C.They all have bad smells. D.They all have poisonous materials.

3.What is the tone of the netizen like?

A.Serious. B.Humorous.

C.Delightful. D.Uncertain.

4.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A.The four sorts of garbing are forbidden in Shanghai.

B.Shanghai garbage sorting enforcement begins.

C.people are still confused about garbage sorting.

D.The netizens in Shanghai support the garbage sorting policy.

17. 难度：简单

“Museum of the World” Travel Plan

Here’s the travel plan for some of the more unusual museums on our “Museum of the World” tour. I’ll send you the full itinerary (行程) next week. The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) (Boston, USA) shows what it describes as “art too bad to be ignored”. The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience. As part of the visit, we’ll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures.

The Devil’s Rope Museum (in Mclean, Texas) and The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum (in Lacrosse, Kansas) both claim to have the best barbed (有刺的) wire collections, telling the story of the wire’s role in the development of America. We’ll be visiting both of these.

The Washington Banana Museum (Auburn, Washington, USA) contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as “the world’s most perfect fruit.” During a guided tour around the museum, we’ll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, and that banana is now the US’s number-one selling fruit.

The Hair Museum (Avanos, Turkey) is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum manager selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop.

The Hair Museum(Avanos, Turkey)is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you’re one of them, you’ll be invited to stay in his guest house.

1.What do these four Museums have in common?

A.They are all located in the USA. B.They accept exhibits donated by visitors.

C.They exhibit the things with a long history. D.They show some odd things around the world.

2.What does The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) show?

A.Complete collections of barbed wire.

B.A large number of samples of people’s hair.

C.Some really terrible but noticeable art works.

D.Some beautiful portraits drawn by famous people.

3.Why was Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone mentioned in paragraph 4?

A.To explain the origin of bananas.

B.To arouse visitors’ interest in the museum.

C.To emphasize the importance of the exhibition.

D.To compare the value of bananas and telephones.

18. 难度：简单

    Following Christmas dinner, my family was relaxing around the table. We had all enjoyed traditional turkey and sweet potatoes lightly shining with brown sugar. The good cooking smells still filled the air; and the oven remained warm. My sister, our chef, was enjoying the admiration.

My nephew, never one to sit still for long, began dribbling (运球) his basketball around the table. Upon nearing Dad, he stopped — almost uncertainly. With shaking wrinkled hands, Dad had reached out for the ball. The boy, confused, looked up and over at us.

I watched my father closely to see what he would do. The twinkle in his eyes shone brighter than any Christmas lights. Holding the ball and reaching forward with a playful smile, Dad bounced it and then caught it.

This action was repeated. Gently throwing the ball away, Dad began a game of catch. The ball continued to be passed through eager pairs of outstretched hands. Cries of “Over here!” rang through the warm kitchen. Dad’s active participation was remarkable to me, for he had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, which had robbed him of many memories and the recognition ability. Despite this, Dad clearly recognized the ball and what you could do with it.

In my younger years, playing with Dad was rare. To his credit, Dad worked hard and provided for us. He was very private and never showed nor shared much emotion; his game of choice was chess, which he did eventually teach me how to play. As an adult, I had become a caregiver as Dad declined. Connecting moments between father and son had been few and far between before he took the basketball.

I’m not sure how long we played catch. What I do know is that our game ended all too soon, and it was time to face the reality of dirty dishes piled high on countertops. The moment, though, will certainly last forever.

1.What can we know about the family’s Christmas dinner?

A.Dishes were cleaned up. B.All food was sugar-free.

C.It was a sweet moment. D.It was disturbed by the game.

2.Why was Dad’s active participation in the game remarkable to me?

A.He rarely played basketball. B.He had severe Alzheimer’s disease.

C.He had astonishing skills. D.He played with family members.

3.How was Dad getting along with kids in earlier years?

A.He often accompanied kids. B.He was willing to share feelings.

C.He forced kids to learn chess. D.He seldom interacted with kids.

4.What can be the best title for the passage?

A.A game of catch B.A devoted father

C.A dinner of reunion D.A bond between father and son

19. 难度：中等

    A star athlete at the college where I work recently stopped by my office. After committing a few unforced errors during a weekend match, she suffered severely by self-criticism.

This student, like many I teach, strongly believes she should be able to control the outcomes of her life by virtue of her hard work. In her mind, “Nothing can stop me but myself”. So when these students fall short of what they imagine they should accomplish, they are filled with self-blame, reasoning, “If my accomplishments are mine to control, my failures must be entirely my faults, too”, which makes it extremely difficult for them to move on.

We often owe young adults struggling with failure to their parents’ overprotection of them from discomfort. But there is another factor at play: a message transmitted by indulging (纵容的) parents who have falsely promised them that they can achieve anything if they are willing to work for it. However, the cruel reality of life is that you can do everything in your power — and still fail. Then what should be done to help?

Psychologists Luthar and Kumar urge parents and teachers to spend time helping students find purpose, or goals they genuinely love to pursue and that make an impact on the world, which may help them gain greater life satisfaction and become more psychologically mature. Besides, instead of allowing our kids to beat themselves up when things don’t go their way, we might all question a culture where one is considered lazy without full devotion. The point is to remind them that life has a way of sucker-punching (出其不意) us when we least expect it. It’s often the people who learn to say “stuff happens” who get up the fastest.

1.What does the underlined phrase “by virtue of” in paragraph 2 mean?

A.in addition to B.in spite of C.by means of D.for fear of

2.The author believes that young adults find it hard to struggle with failure because __________.

A.they are not taught how to deal with difficulties

B.they are short of the ability to handle failure

C.they are under the protection of their parents

D.they are misled by their parents’ false message

3.What did psychologists Luthar and Kumar urge parents and teachers to do?

A.To teach students how to avoid faults.

B.To lead students to set their truly loved goals.

C.To help students to discover a path to success.

D.To allow kids to blame themselves.

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.Students don’t care about failure at all.

B.Students are sure to succeed if they try their best.

C.Students should bear all the failures on their own.

D.Students with positive attitudes can move on more easily.

20. 难度：简单

    Some cities and lawmakers are resisting crime-fighting tech owing to bias (偏见) and accuracy concerns. Police departments around the U.S. are asking citizens to trust them to use facial recognition software as a handy tool in their crime-fighting toolbox. But some lawmakers — and even some technology giants — are against it.

Take the western Massachusetts city of Springfield, where many residents are Latino or black. Springfield police say they have no plans to use facial recognition systems, but some City Council members are moving to block any future government use of the technology anyway.

At an October hearing on the subject, Springfield City Councilman, Orlando Ramos, defended the technology. “The facial recognition technology does not drop a net from the sky and put you to prison,” he said, noting that it could serve as a useful investigative tool. However, he doesn’t want to take any risks. “It would only lead to more racial discrimination.” he said, citing studies that found higher error rates for facial recognition software used to identify women and people with darker skins.

Similar debates across the country are highlighting racial issues and concerns about the technology’s accuracy. Axon, which supplies body-worn cameras nationwide, had already formed an artificial intelligence ethics board (伦理委员会)that concluded facial recognition technology isn’t yet dependable enough to justify its use on police cameras. Axon Chief Executive Rick Smith said, “Even if facial recognition software was perfectly accurate, the ability to track people raises privacy concerns. “Do we want everybody who walks near a police officer to get their face identified and logged in a database?” he said.

Nevertheless, Todd Pastorini, general manager at biometric forensics (生物取证) company DataWorks Plus, said it’s the “extremely effective” method of running images through photos to help identify a suspect. “Society and the public are going to get frustrated, if governments refuse to adopt a technology that keeps improving”, he said. In his eyes, facial recognition hits are just one part of an investigation.

1.What is Orlando Ramos’ attitude towards facial recognition?

A.Hopeful. B.Cautious. C.Ambiguous. D.Tolerant.

2.What is one focus of the debates about facial recognition?

A.Gender discrimination. B.Speed limit.

C.Accuracy rate. D.Steadiness control.

3.What does Rick Smith think of facial recognition?

A.It appears to cause prejudice. B.It brings about privacy concerns.

C.Its technology is reliable. D.Its accuracy needs improving.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

A.Facial recognition tool meets with resistance.

B.All the people disapprove of facial recognition.

C.Facial recognition is the only tool of investigation.

D.Governments should ban facial recognition.

21. 难度：简单

Coolest Bookstores in the World

Where did you buy your last book? Chances are that you bought it on the Internet. But if you did, you missed the remarkable experience of browsing in a real bookstore. These days bookstores offer lots of great books and plenty more.

Eslite Dunnan Store

Time magazine once named Eslite Dunnan Store in Taiwan province, China "Asia's best bookstore". One visit to the store tells you why. The store, spread across five floors, offers a combination of restaurants, music and over 200,000 books. With its comfortable reading spots, visitors sometimes say it's like a library. Others have called it the "7-Eleven of bookstores" because it's open 24 hours a day.

Book Garden

The world's biggest bookstore is Tehran, Iran's Book Garden with 700,000 square feet of space. In addition to restaurants and a theater, the Book Garden features a park on the roof. Visitors can pick up one of 1,000 free books to read while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine from the Book Garden's rooftop park.

Saraiva Bookstore

Rio de Janeiro's Saraiva Bookstore might be the world's most colorful bookstore. The visible upper level is lined with books arranged by their colors. This rainbow effect provides a color welcoming for shoppers as they arrive. A rainbow path also leads young readers into the children's section.

Liberia Acqua Alta

Venice, Italy, is a city surrounded with water. Its books are displayed in all things related to water such as boats, bathtubs to protect them when the shop floods during high tide. It overlooks one of Venice's many canals, and the smell of old books fills the air.

1.Which bookstore provides a special reading place on the roof?

A.Eslite Dunnan Store. B.Book Garden.

C.Saraiva Bookstore. D.Liberia Acqua Alta.

2.What do we know about Saraiva Bookstore?

A.It is open twenty-four hours a day.

B.Shoppers can paint books with color.

C.It greets people with colorful books.

D.Shoppers can find a rainbow there .

3.Why are the books in Liberia Acqua Alta kept in boats?

A.Because the store is known for floods.

B.Because they match canals in Venice.

C.Because the store is surrounded with water.

D.Because they can be preserved from water.

22. 难度：简单

    Runners never forget crossing the finishing line at their first marathon, and that will be especially true for Mike Kohler. When Kohler crossed the starting line in Fargo last Saturday, he thought he was going to run 13.1 miles, his first half marathon. Six hours later, he had "mistakenly” completed his first full marathon, 26.2 miles.

Kohler, a 26-year-old plumber (水管工) who now lives in West Fargo, had lined up for the half marathon that he hoped to complete in 150 minutes. He didn't realize he was in a starting fence with the full marathoners. Several miles later, Kohler began to realize he was on the course for the full marathon. "The 8-mile mark was when I figured out that I had made a mistake," he said. "Between then and 13.1, I debated with myself about what I should do.”

At some point — he doesn't remember when — he doubled down on the distance. "After I decided I was going to keep going, the thought of quitting didn't come back. Run, walk, or crawl, I wanted to finish," he said.

Until Saturday, Kohler's longest race was a 10-kilometer run, just over 6 miles. Even the most casual marathoners do a training run of 18 miles before the race. From his experience, he said he learned one thing: sometimes people can do more than they think they can.

After his long race, he went right back to work, put in a 10-hour day and then boarded a flight to Scotland for a vacation. "I was pretty sore, but I found the more I kept moving, the less sore I was, so I tried my best to go about life normally — minus running,” Kohler said from Glasgow. "I needed a break from that for a bit."

Not for too long, though. He's already considering the Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon in October.

1.When did Kohler realize that he made a mistake?

A.Before starting the race.

B.After running 8 miles.

C.When being with the full marathoners.

D.While lining up for the half marathon.

2.Which of the following best describes Kohler?

A.Determined. B.Cooperative.

C.Open-minded. D.Well-prepared.

3.What can we infer from the text?

A.He went to Scotland to get a break from work.

B.He had never trained for the full marathon before.

C.He decided to complete the race at the 8-mile mark.

D.He was debating with himself when he finished the race.

4.What might be the best title for the text?

A.Life Lies in Movement

B.Life Means Never Quitting

C.One Can Always Do More Than He Can

D.One Mistakenly Runs Full Marathon Not a Half

23. 难度：中等

    A population of the world's most aggressive mosquito species was almost completely wiped out by an experiment on two islands in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, according to a study published.

The experiment successfully reduced the female Asian Tiger Mosquito population — the main source of bites and disease spread — by up to 94%, reducing the number of reported human bites by 97%.

One of the Chinese study's researchers, Xi Zhiyong, a professor at Michigan State University, has been a longtime pioneer in this field of study. Running a mosquito factory in southern China, he previously attempted to use sterilized male mosquitoes to mate with unaltered females which developed normally. In the new study, published by the International Journal of Science, Xi and his colleagues attempted to cut mosquito numbers even further by limiting both males and females' ability to reproduce. The results were so successful that they nearly killed the entire female mosquito population on the two islands.

It isn't the first attempt by researchers to reduce mosquito populations across the world. In 2018, scientists from the Imperial College of London used gene-editing tools to make female mosquitoes sterile, while males developed normally and continued spreading the genetic mutation (突变).Experts said the Asian Tiger Mosquitoes are particularly hard to kill using traditional population control methods, such as pesticides (杀虫剂) and removing stagnant (不流动的) water where the insects lay their eggs.

Mosquitoes create grave threats to human health beyond just bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the insects as "one of the deadliest animals in the world," due to their ability to rapidly spread deadly diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. There is currently no effective vaccine or treatment for most mosquito-spread diseases, leaving controlling the insects' populations one of the most effective control methods, according to the International Journal of Science. “A new tool like what's being described in this paper is very much needed” said Stephen Dobson, a professor of medical insectology at University of Kentucky.

1.What does the underlined word "unaltered" in paragraph 3 refer to?

A.Unchanged. B.Undivided.

C.Unadopted. D.Unfinished.

2.Why do mosquito populations have to be controlled?

A.Mosquitoes cause genetic changes in humans.

B.Mosquitoes spread some deadliest diseases.

C.Mosquitoes limit people's ability to reproduce.

D.Mosquitoes make traditional vaccines ineffective.

3.What has been the most successful way of reducing mosquito numbers?

A.Editing genes in female mosquitoes.

B.Sterilizing male mosquitoes before mating.

C.Limiting both genders' reproduction ability.

D.Using pesticides and removing stagnant water.

4.What can we learn from Stephen Dobson's words?

A.The things described in this paper are not practical.

B.A better way of mosquito control is yet to be found.

C.Xi Zhiyong' s method has proven to be very effective.

D.A new tool is needed in order to improve Xi's research.

24. 难度：简单

    Maybe it's because it was our first purchase as homeowners. The salesman must have spotted just how green we were, so he began persuading. And soon he led us to a classic leather chair. All these years later, I remember he used words like rich and handsome, the thing every living room needed.

We believed him. So we bought that chair — just less than $100, a great deal in the 1970s for a young couple!

How we loved that chair! It always occupied a place of honor in our various living rooms, moving with us from our first tiny house to our beloved new house.

Somehow, conversations were better on that chair, and life was more fun around it. Three daughters spilled their secrets on it. Old friends seemed to be attracted by it on those wonderful occasions. Crazy as it sounds, that leather chair seemed to have — well, powers. All for good.

At first, we didn't really care that the leather was showing signs of wear or that it had lost its sheen (光泽). But in our most recent move, when the chair was moved in our new living room, it suddenly looked terribly lonely sitting close to newly painted walls and a couple of shiny new tables.

My husband and I tried but still we couldn't ignore the rough spots. Our chair had a skin disease. Even our adult kids raised eyebrows, urging us to at least remove the chair to some dark comer of the room. Neither of us could imagine such a retirement for it.

So we had an inspired idea. We'd call in an upholsterer (修理工) to give our old chair a whole new life. Our friend Joe studied the chair and then took out a simple leather conditioner. He explained that although it wouldn't work miracles, it would definitely get our weary chair looking younger again. It certainly doesn't look new, but its seat and back are shining, and some of its deeper wrinkles have lightened.

Best of all, it's back in the living room, looking like a wise old friend to the furniture around it. And, yes, there it will stay.

Because some things, like some people, just deserve a happy old age.

1.How did the salesman persuade the author into buying the chair?

A.By thinking highly of the author.

B.By saying that the author was green.

C.By describing how great the chair was.

D.By comparing the chair with others.

2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A.Sweet memories with the chair.

B.Various functions of the chair.

C.People's comments on the chair.

D.Family activities and parties of friends.

3.Why did the author finally decide to repair the chair?

A.Because he was persuaded by Joe.

B.Because he didn't have enough money.

C.Because it showed signs of hardness.

D.Because it couldn't match his new house.

4.What can we learn from the text?

A.East or west, home is best. B.From saving comes having.

C.It is never too late to mend. D.Old friends and wine are best.

25. 难度：简单

    Occasions like anniversaries, weddings and reunions call for special event venues （场地）.The following places may have a way out. There's no need to spend money creating atmosphere at special event venues. It's built right in!

Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage

415 E. STREET, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501

Events, like great music are born of inspiration. Featuring a 13,600-square-foot facility that will seat 275 guests with private event space, we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional experience with a rock and roll twist for each of our guests.

Business Expo Center

1960 S. ANAHEIM WAY, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA 92805

The Business Expo Center is Orange County's premier event venue in Anaheim, California. Our flexible 36,000-square-foot expo center is home to space for conferences, trade shows and celebrations. We pride ourselves on providing a memorable experience with excellent flexibility, services, and cost savings. We won't charge customers for on-site parking and provide high-speed Wi-Fi.

Automobile Driving Museum

610 LAIRPORT STREET, EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245

Centrally located in the South Bay beach community of El Segundo, California, the ADM offers a wonderful venue for private parties and corporate events. Conveniently located 5 minutes south of LAX, right off the 405 and 105 Freeways, the 610 Lairport space has a vintage feel surrounded by our primary automobile collection. We offer several different venues inside and outside our facility for diverse events. To better our service, reservations are needed.

Yamashiro Hollywood

1999 N. SYCAMORE AVE., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90068

Yamashiro Hollywood is a restaurant and therefore, all food and beverages must be handled in house. However, guests are allowed to bring in outside wine and champagne for a corkage fee.

1.What can you do in Business Expo Center?

A.Enjoy free parking.

B.Bring in outside wine.

C.Experience a rock and roll twist.

D.See some automobile collections.

2.Which venue do you need to book in advance?

A.Business Expo Center.

B.Yamashiro Hollywood.

C.Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage.

D.Automobile Driving Museum.

3.What do the four venues have in common?

A.They offer optional places.

B.They are open to special events.

C.They are located in the same state.

D.They enjoy convenient transportation.

26. 难度：中等

    Kyle Cassidy and three other members of the Annenberg Running Group were stretching on the grounds of the University of Pennsylvania, waiting for a few latecomers. The Penn colleagues and other community members meet three days a week for a roughly 30-minute jog and an occasional lecture. That's right― during some runs, one of them delivers a talk. Topics range from the brain to Bitcoin.

But on this day last January, it would not be their normal run. The first clue that something was off was the man who sprinted past them. "Running at an amazing pace," Cassidy told Runner's World admiringly. Cassidy discovered why the sprinter was so fleet of foot when another man ran by, yelling, “Help! He took my phone and laptop!"

At that, the group did what running clubs do: They ran, trailing the suspect down the streets of Philadelphia until he ducked into a construction site. The runners split up. Cassidy ran around to the far side of the site to cut the thief off while the others wandered the neighborhood hoping he had dumped the loot （赃物）in a backyard.

No luck. So they decided to ask residents whether they'd seen the guy. When they knocked on the door of one row house, they were in for a surprise. Unknown to them, he had already emerged from the construction site—and was hiding behind a bush by that very house. As the owner opened the door, the suspect darted out from behind the bush ... and right into the arms of campus police, who'd joined the chase shortly behind the runners.

The members of this running group are not hard-core athletes. But they do understand the benefit of a little exercise. ''Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat," Cassidy told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "But occasionally it can be useful, and here was one of those opportunities."

1.Why do the group members gather together?

A.To do some stretching. B.To have a regular run.

C.To deliver a lecture. D.To cover some topics.

2.What does the underlined word "sprinted" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A.Dashed. B.Pushed.

C.Jumped. D.Escaped.

3.We can infer that the success of the chase is mainly due to____ .

A.the assistance of the runners B.the owner of the row house

C.the campus police on patrol D.the joint efforts of the people

4.Which of the following best describes Cassidy?

A.Athletic and generous. B.Courageous and ambitious.

C.Helpful and humorous. D.Thoughtful and demanding.

27. 难度：困难

    Food experts say washing could spread the germs on your turkey in the kitchen sink or nearby food. But it's been a challenge trying to convince cooks to stop rinsing （冲洗）off raw poultry. Germs that can make people sick are common in the guts of healthy poultry and are legally allowed to be on raw turkey and chicken. The assumption is that nobody eats their poultry raw, and that thorough cooking will kill the bacteria.

The do — not — wash raw poultry advice from the USDA is relatively new and perhaps hasn't caught on because it goes against the common belief that washing makes things clean, said Chapman. Benjamin Chapman, a study author and food safety expert at North Carolina State University, said the instinct to wash raw poultry goes back at least decades when people relied more on visual clues to spot problems with poultry. Meanwhile, washing hands and surfaces are also important.

But food preparation is a complicated act, and germs from poultry can be spread even if it's not washed, especially when birds are removed from packaging.

The USDA-funded study stresses that point. Researchers sprayed raw chicken with a harmless strain of E. coli （大肠杆菌）and watched volunteer cooks at test kitchens. Among those who washed their raw chicken, about a quarter ended up spreading the bacteria to their lettuce. But even some of those who did not rinse the chicken got germs on the lettuce. And there are other opportunities for germs to survive on turkeys: melting and cooking.

To ensure a bird is thoroughly cooked, they say to use a thermometer to check that the deepest and thickest parts of it have reached 165 degrees. Even after the meal is cooked, you aren't out of the danger zone. To keep turkeys and other leftovers safe, experts say they should be refrigerated after two hours.

1.People don't accept USDA's advice because____.

A.the advice is relatively new

B.cleaning seems more trustworthy

C.cooks clean the turkey before cooking it

D.heat can kill most germs and no one eats raw food

2.What can be concluded from Paragraph 4?

A.Food packages carry germs.

B.Hands and surfaces are easy to get E. coli.

C.Germs from a turkey can be spread whether it is washed or not.

D.Multiple methods should be applied to food to get rid of germs.

3.Which way may help to cook a turkey safely?

A.Rinse off the turkey before it is heated.

B.Keep the turkey away from the lettuce and refrigerator.

C.Wash hands and packages before taking out the turkey.

D.Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey.

4.From which section of a magazine is the text probably taken?

A.Culture. B.Science.

C.Education. D.Medicine.

28. 难度：困难

    Microplastics are everywhere in our environment. It's hardly surprising that the tiny fragments have also been found in humans. A new study shows that Americans are consuming as many as 121,000 particles each year.

Measuring 50 to 500 microns in length, microplastics come from a variety of sources, including large plastics that break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Therefore, much remains unknown about the common existence of these materials within the human body, as well as their impact on human health.

Hoping to fill in some of these gaps, a research team led by Kieran Cox, a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, looked at 26 papers assessing the amount of microplastics in commonly consumed food items, among which are seafood, sugars, salts, honey, alcohol and water. The team also evaluated the potential consumption of microplastics through inhalation （吸入）using previously reported data on microplastic concentrations in the air and the Environmental Protection Agency's reported respiration rates. Based on these data, the researchers calculated that our annual consumption of microplastics via food and drink ranges from 39,000 to 52,000 particles. When microplastics taken in through inhalation are taken into account, the range jumps to between 74,000 and 121,000 particles per year.

The authors of the study found that people who drink exclusively from plastic water bottles absorb an additional 90,000 microplastics each year, compared to 4,000 among those who only consume tap water. "This shows that small decisions, over the course of a year, really matter and have an impact." Cox says. The new study, according to its authors, was the first to investigate "the accumulative human exposure" to microplastics. But in all likelihood, the research tells only a small part of the entire story. Collectively, the food and drink that the researchers analyzed represent 15 percent of Americans' caloric intake. The team could not account for food groups like fruits, vegetables and grains because there simply is not enough data on their microplastic content.

For those worried about microplastic consumption, cutting down bottled water is a good place to start. But to the heart of the problem, we have to stop producing and using so much plastic.

1.What makes it difficult to know microplastics commonly exist in the human body?

A.The quality. B.The quantity.

C.The shape. D.The size.

2.How did Kieran Cox's team calculate the potential consumption of microplastics?

A.By studying papers. B.By comparing the impacts.

C.By analyzing the data. D.By conducting experiments.

3.Which of the following is true according to the text?

A.Drinking less plastic bottled water helps to take in fewer microplastics.

B.The study is among the earliest to investigate human exposure to microplastics.

C.Cox's team gained comprehensive information of microplastics taken in by humans.

D.People consume 74,000 to 121,000 particles of microplastics per year from food and drink.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.The Potential Problems of Microplastics

B.Microplastics Coming From Various Sources

C.Microplastics Found Within Human Bodies

D.The Impact of Microplastics on Human Health

29. 难度：中等

    Bull Run Regional Park

Thus family- friendly park is around 30 miles from the District. Bull Run is a history fan's delight：It provides access to the nearly 20-mile Occoquan Trail, which was used during the war. The trail is one of many hiking options on the 1,500-acre grounds. Each cabin($85 to $95 per night) accommodates six people and offers such luxuries（奢华）as electricity, heat and swing.

Savage River Lodge

Savage River Lodge-about three hour drive from the District-- specializes in a solid roof and a side of luxury. Savage River is surrounded by more than 700 acres of thick forest, and popular activities include fly-fishing. biking, hiking and cross -country skiing. Cabins start at $250 per night.

Cherry Hill Park

Given its proximity (邻近) to the District, this family-owned campground is particularly appealing to visitors who are traveling to the area via recreational vehicle. It also offers buses to the subway and organizes sightseeing tours as well as daily educational sessions. Guests can play mini golf, go fishing, or hit the basketball court. Cabins start at $99 per night.

Maple Tree Campground

Maple Tree Campground is about a 90-minute drive from the District. Come to this campground for nature's evening show: It always has really pretty sunsets. While there's no electricity, guests can use a wood stove for heat and cooking. Field tent sites start at $8 per night and tree cottages $65 per night

1.What's the minimum cost for a group of 10 to stay at Bull Run Regional Park for one night?

A.$85. B.$95

C.$170 D.$850

2.Which tour spot is suitable for people traveling by public transport?

A.Cherry Hill Park. B.Savage River Lodge.

C.Bull Run Regional Park. D.Maple Tree Campground.

3.The passage most probably appeals to those who are         .

A.planning a business trip B.seeking a weekend getaway

C.fond of online shopping D.interested in geography study

30. 难度：困难

    In the trailer (拖车式房屋)，Sischo was refreshing the snails ‘(锅牛）accommodations--an  ongoing routine that takes days of careful work. He had found a dozen of Achatinella bulimoides--a third of the world's population of the species. Once every individual was accounted for, he cleaned the cage and packed in new leaves. The work took much trouble, but the responsibility, he said, was like “a heavy weight sitting on you.”

The trailer is very vulnerable. It’s designed to keep away would-be thieved, and to resist hurricanes. But a fire could easily destroy it, or a disease could sweep through it. Last September , a mystery pathogon（病原体）appeared to have entered the trailer on leaves fed to the snails, killing almost an entire species. As sad as the event was, there’s no good way to insure against future catastrophe. The snails can’t simply be spread among zoos or other facilities: they need special equipment, experienced handlers, and a diet of native Hawaiian plants.

Consequently, it can be hard for the snails' minders to relax, even when they are outside the trailer. “How do you switch off when your decisions mean existence or extinction?" Sischo said. While action lightens the burden, yet with animals whose natural history is largely unknown, that action can be dangerous. "If you do it wrong, the snails die.”

Snails are neither intelligent nor beloved. Sischo's friends sometimes tease him about being "the strange snail guy' ; strangers ask why he cares. It's hard to convince people, but he insists that if he can just get them in the trailer, they will understand why the Achatinella bulimoides are worth saving. "People melt," he said“When you show them that the entire population is in this chamber, it hits them."

1.What is the trailer used for?

A.Accommodating guests B.Sheltering snails

C.Planting vegetables. D.Alarming thieves.

2.What does the underlined word “vulnerable" mean in paragraph?

A.Quite. B.Safe.

C.Easily affected. D.Well protected.

3.What is the snail minders' attitude towards their job?

A.Relaxed. B.Confident.

C.Cautious D.Disapproving

4.Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A.The Last of Its Kind B.The Worst of Times

C.Mourn Its Loss D.Resist Possible Dangerous

31. 难度：中等

    In the old days, when you had to drive to a movie theater of to to a video store to get some entertainment, it was easy to see how your actions could have an impact om the environment.You were hopping into your war, driving across town and coughing out emissions（排放）and using gas all the way.

But now that we’re used to staying at home and streaming movies, we might get a little cocky. After all ,we’re just picking up our phones or maybe turning on the TV. You’re welcome.Mother  Nature.

Not so fast, says a recent report from the French-based Shit Project. Watching a half-hour show would lead to 3.5 pounds of CO2 emissions. That’s like driving 3.9 miles. According to "Climate Crisis: The Unsustainable Use of Online Video," digital technologies are responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, and that energy use is increasing by 9% a year. Stored in data centers, videos are transferred to our terminals such as computers, smart phones, etc. via networks: all these processes require electricity whose production consumes resources and usually involves CO2 emissions.

In the European Union, the Eureca project lead scientist, Rabih Bashroush, calculated that 5 billion downloads and streams of the song "Despacito" consumed as much electricity as the countries of Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic used in a single year.

Streaming is only expected to increase as we become more attached to our devices. Online video use is expected to account for 80%of all internet traffic by 2022 according to CISCO. By then, about 60% of the world's population will be online.

You're probably not going to give up your streaming services, but there are things you con do to help lessen the impact of your online use.

Here are some tips:

※Disable autoplay for video on social media.

※Stream over Wi-Fi, not mobile networks.

※Watch on the smallest screen you can.

※Don’t use high-definition（高清）video on devices.

1.It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that people think           .

A.they should welcome Mother Nature

B.watching movies at home is more fun

C.it is inconvenient to drive to a movie theater

D.streaming at home avoids possible emissions

2.We may learn from the text that         .

A.3.9 miles may produce 3.5 pounds of CO2

B.digital technologies account for 4% of electricity use

C.Online video use makes up 80% of all internet traffic

D.60% of the world’s population watch videos online

3.Why are the five countries mentioned in paragraph 4?

A.To praise their energy-efficient practice.

B.To prove the poverty of the five countries

C.To stress the popularity of the song “Despacito”

D.To show the high energy use of downloads and streams

4.How can people help to save energy when streaming?

A.Use high-definition videos. B.Turn off video autoplay

C.Stream over mobile networks. D.Watch movies on bigger screens.

32. 难度：中等

    Picture a lecture session at a business school and your probably imagine students gazing at screens filled with equations（方程式）.What you might not expect is students attempting to sing “O clap your Hands”. But Bartleby was treated to this delight on a visit to Saïd Business School in Oxford earlier this year.

There was a catch. Some of the students had to try conducting the chorus. The first to take the challenge was a rather self-confident young man. It didn’t take long for him to go wrong. His most obvious mistake was to start conducting without asking the singers how they would like to be directed, though they had the expertise and he was a complete beginner.

The session, organized by Pegram Harrison, a senior fellow in entrepreneurship（企业家精神）, cleverly allowed the students to absorb some important leadership lessons. For example, leaders should listen to their teams, especially when their colleagues have specialist knowledge.

Other business schools have also realized that their students can learn from the arts. At Carnegie Mellon University , Leanne Meyer has introduced a leadership-training programme that includes poetry and a book club. She believed that involvement in such pursuits can help develop empathy（同理心） in future leaders and that the programme benefits students in terms of how they promote themselves to recruiters（招聘人员）.

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has trained many great dramatists. It also offers training courses for managers. “Acting about finding the truth in the character and in yourself.” says Walker-Wise, one of RADA'S tutors. Being a manager involves a lot more than just setting targets. It requires empathy and a knowledge of human nature. An education in the arts might help develop those qualities. Above all, the students on Harrison's Course were experiencing something Bartleby never expected to see in those attending an MBA lecture they were having fun.

1.What does “this delight" in paragraph 1 refer to?

A.Singing in a business class. B.Visiting Said Business School

C.Picturing a lecture session. D.Gazing a screens full of equations.

2.Which of the fallowing best describes the session by Pegram Harrison?

A.Common and influential. B.Educational and effortless.

C.Challenging and instructive. D.Controversial and practical.

3.What should a leader do based on the conducting experience?

A.Offer promotion opportunities. B.Value team members’ opinion.

C.Set specific targets. D.Control every step.

4.How does acting contribute to being a manager?

A.It provides entertainment. B.It develops goal-setting skills.

C.It exposes the truth in business. D.It helps understand human nature.

33. 难度：简单

    By the end of the year, editors of New York Times have picked the 4 best books of 2019, including fiction and non-fiction. Let’s see which one will take your fancy.

Disappearing Earth

By Julia Phillips

In the first chapter of this novel, two young girls vanish, sending shock waves through a town on the edge of the remote and mysterious Kamchatka Peninsula. What follows is a novel of overlapping short stories about the different women who have been affected by their disappearance. Each tale pushes the narrative forward another month and exposes the ways in which the women of Kamchatka have been destroyed — personally, culturally and emotionally — by the crime.

No Visible Bruises

By Rachel Louise Snyder

Snyder’s thoroughly reported book covers what the World Health Organization has called “a global health problem”. In America alone, more than half of all murdered women are killed by a current or former life partner; domestic violence cuts across lines of class, religion and race. Snyder reveals pervasive myths (restraining orders are the answer, abusers never change) and writes movingly about the lives (and deaths) of people on both sides of the equation. She doesn’t give easy answers but presents a wealth of information that is its own form of hope.

Midnight in Chernobyl

By Adam Higginbotham

Higginbotham’s superb account of the April 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is one of those rare books about science and technology that read like a tension-filled thriller. Filled with vivid detail and sharply etched personalities, this narrative of astonishing incompetence moves from mistake to mistake, miscalculation to miscalculation, as it builds to the inevitable, history-changing disaster.

Exhalation

By Ted Chiang

Many of the nine deeply beautiful stories in this collection explore the material consequences of time travel. Reading them feels like sitting at dinner with a friend who explains scientific theory to you with no airs and graces. Each thoughtful, elegantly crafted story poses a philosophical question; Chiang arranges all nine into a conversation that comes full circle, after having travelled through remarkable areas.

1.Which of the following tells about the violence from a husband to a wife in a family?

A.Disappearing Earth B.No Visible Bruises

C.Midnight in Chernobyl D.Exhalation

2.How may readers feel when reading the book Midnight in Chernobyl?

A.Delighted. B.Awkward.

C.Tense. D.Calm.

3.What kind of book is Exhalation?

A.A folk tale. B.A biography.

C.A love story. D.A sci-fi story.

34. 难度：简单

    On a freezing December morning Matthew Warwick, then a 20-year-old college student, climbed on the edge of Waterloo Bridge in London. That morning, Matthew escaped from a mental health hospital, where he’d been diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder. He headed straight to the bridge, convinced that his disease was a life sentence.

Hundreds of people passed by. Only one man called Alex Owen, then 25, calmly and quietly walked to Matthew’s side.

“You’re alright, man? Why are you sitting on a bridge?”

At first Matthew wanted Alex to leave him alone, but something in Alex’s calm, down-to-earth manner struck a chord. Matthew felt faith, like he could talk to him.

“It’s cold here. Why not have some coffee in a warm cafe? Everything will be OK.” For the first time after the diagnosis Matthew felt perhaps it really might. He climbed back.

The police, having received calls from passers-by, were waiting there. They quickly put him into a police car, in case he was to panic and jump. He lost sight of Alex, the person who’d brought him hope.

Matthew ended up back in hospital. Eventually, he was well enough to return to university and finish his degree. Over the next six years, Matthew often thought about the stranger who had talked him round. Eager to thank him in person, he posted a Facebook message nicknaming the good man Mike. His #Find Mike post was shared millions of times around the world, as far as Canada.

Matthew was overexcited when Alex called him two weeks after his post. They had a reunion, finally having that coffee they had first planned all those years ago.

“Many people walked past, but because of Alex’s kindness and sympathy, I’ve lived a good life.” Matthew said.

1.Why did Matthew climb up the bridge?

A.He was badly treated in the hospital. B.His disease made him lose hope.

C.He wanted to draw people’s attention. D.He studied poorly in the college.

2.What does the underlined phrase “struck a chord” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.Touched his heart. B.Drew his attention.

C.Aroused his interest. D.Blew his mind.

3.Which of the following best describes Alex?

A.Diligent. B.Strong-willed.

C.Caring. D.Generous.

4.How did Matthew find Alex?

A.By visiting homes door-to-door. B.By calling their friends.

C.By asking the police. D.By posting a message online.

35. 难度：困难

    Robert F. Kennedy once said that a country’s GDP measures “everything except what makes life worthwhile.” With Britain voting to leave the European Union, and GDP already predicted to slow as a result, it is now a timely moment to assess what he was referring to.

The question of GDP and its usefulness has annoyed policymakers for over half a century. Many argue that it is a mistaken concept. It measures things that do not matter and misses things that do. By most recent measures, the UK’s GDP has been the envy of the Western world, with record low unemployment and high growth figures. If everything was going so well, then why did over 17 million people vote for Brexit, despite the warnings about what it could do to their country’s economic prospects?

A recent annual study of countries and their ability to convert growth into well-being throws some light on that question. Across the 163 countries measured, the UK is one of the poorest performers in ensuring that economic growth is translated into meaningful improvements for its citizens. Rather than just focusing on GDP, over 40 different sets of criteria from health, education and civil society engagement have been measured to get a more all-round assessment of how countries are performing.

While all of these countries face their own challenges, there are a number of common themes. Yes, there has been an economic recovery since the 2008 global crash, but in key indicators in areas such as health and education, major economies have continued to decline. Yet this isn’t the case with all countries. Some relatively poor European countries have seen huge improvements across measures including civil society, income equality and environment.

This is a lesson that rich countries can learn: When GDP is no longer regarded as the only measure of a country’s success, the world looks very different.

So what Kennedy was referring to was that while GDP has been the most common method for measuring the economic activity of nations, as a measure, it is no longer enough. It does not include important factors such as environmental quality or education outcomes — all things that contribute to a person’s sense of well-being.

1.Robert F. Kennedy is cited because he _______.

A.praised the UK for its GDP B.identified GDP with happiness

C.misinterpreted the role of GDP D.had a low opinion of GDP

2.It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that _______.

A.the UK is unwilling to reshape its economic pattern

B.many people in the UK don’t think much of GDP as the measure of success

C.the UK will contribute less to the world economy

D.policymakers in the UK are paying less attention to GDP

3.Which of the following is true about the recent annual study?

A.Its results are inspiring. B.It is sponsored by 163 countries.

C.Its criteria are questionable. D.It removes GDP as an indicator.

4.What is the author’s attitude towards GDP as the most common measure of a country’s success?

A.Favorable. B.Indifferent.

C.Critical. D.Defensive.

36. 难度：困难

    This year marks exactly two centuries since the publication of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Even before the invention of the electric light bulb, the author produced a remarkable work of fiction that would foresee many ethical(道德的) questions to be raised by technologies yet to come. Today the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) raises fundamental questions: “What is intelligence, identity, or consciousness? What makes human conscience(良知)？”

What is being called artificial general intelligence, machines that would imitate the way humans think, continues to evade(难倒) scientists. Yet humans remain fascinated by the idea of robots that would look, move, and respond like humans, similar to those recently on popular sci-fi TV series such as “West World” and “Humans”.

How people think is still far too complex to be understood, let alone reproduced, says David Eagleman, a Stanford University neuroscientist. “We are just in a situation where there are no good theories explaining what consciousness actually is and how you could ever build a machine to get there.”

But that doesn’t mean essential ethical issues involving AI aren’t at hand. The coming use of autonomous vehicles, for example, raises difficult ethical questions. Human drivers sometimes must make split-second decisions. Their reactions may be a complex combination of instant reflections, input from past driving experiences, and what their eyes and ears tell them in that moment. AI “vision” today is not nearly as complicated as that of humans. And to foresee every imaginable driving situation is a difficult programming problem.

Whenever decisions are based on masses of data, “you quickly get into a lot of ethical questions,” notes Tan Kiat How, chief executive of a Singapore-based agency that is helping the government develop a voluntary code for the ethical use of AI. Along with Singapore, other governments and mega-corporations are beginning to establish their own guidelines. Britain is setting up a data ethics center. India released its AI ethics strategy this spring.

Only when we can make sure that the thinking of intelligent machines reflects humanity’s highest values will they be useful servants and not Frankenstein’s out-of-control monster.

1.Why did the author mention Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein at the beginning of the passage?

A.Because it has remained popular for as long as 200 years.

B.Because it fascinates AI scientists all over the world.

C.Because it has sparked serious ethical controversies.

D.Because it involves some concerns raised by AI today.

2.In David Eagleman’s opinion, our current knowledge of consciousness ________

A.helps explain artificial intelligence. B.can be misleading to robot making.

C.inspires popular sci-fi TV series. D.is too limited for us to reproduce it.

3.The solution to the ethical issues brought by autonomous vehicles ________

A.can hardly ever be found. B.is still beyond our power.

C.causes little public concern. D.has aroused much curiosity.

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A.AI’s Future: In the Hands of Tech Giants

B.Frankenstein, the Novel Predicting the Age of AI

C.The Conscience of AI: Complex But Unavoidable

D.AI Shall Be Killers Once Out of Control

二、完形填空

37. 难度：中等

    One day, Luke Fortune drove from Oregon to Portland, where he parked his car in a paid garage overnight. The next morning, he ____ the car’s window had been broken, along with his ____ for the future: his computer was ____. “Everything important to me was on that computer,” said Fortune. “I felt ____.”

Two days after the ____, another young man called Fortune. Masoud Almazrouei was an exchange student from the United Arab Emirates. He’d been ____ by a man who said he had a computer for sale. Only $200. Almazrouei ____ a computer, so he bought it, took it home, and turned it on. Within seconds, he saw files and photographs. “I wondered who would ____ a computer with all of this on it,” he said. “I ____ it could be stolen.”Almazrouei found what appeared to be the owner’s phone number and called it ____.

“He told me the story and said it was his fault. I thought it was a ____. I told him if he really had the ____, he should take it to the police,” Fortune said.

___, a police officer called Fortune to say that a man had dropped the computer off and had said he was ____. He passed on the man’s number.

Fortune called and thanked Almazrouei and ____ paying him a reward of $200 —the money he was out. Almazrouei ____.

When a report about the two young men’s story made it to the local papers, Almazrouei received a(n) ____ from Wim Wiewel, the president of the university where Almazrouei is studying. Impressed with his student’s ____, Wiewel gave Almazrouei a new computer. “We thought since you ____ the computer, we should give you a computer so that you’ll have one,” Wiewel told him. “We’re very ____ you.”

1.A.expected B.concluded C.discovered D.remembered

2.A.dreams B.skills C.decisions D.imaginations

3.A.robbed B.hidden C.broken D.gone

4.A.respectful B.depressed C.ridiculous D.regretful

5.A.theft B.conflict C.adventure D.emergency

6.A.inspired B.reminded C.interviewed D.approached

7.A.operated B.needed C.possessed D.assessed

8.A.return B.like C.sell D.throw

9.A.realized B.predicted C.admitted D.guaranteed

10.A.unwillingly B.cautiously C.immediately D.automatically

11.A.mistake B.catastrophe C.misunderstanding D.trick

12.A.chance B.computer C.bravery D.experience

13.A.Besides B.However C.Afterwards D.Therefore

14.A.sorry B.moved C.lucky D.terrified

15.A.enjoyed B.practised C.succeeded in D.insisted on

16.A.ignored B.refused C.hesitated D.withdrew

17.A.invitation B.apology C.warning D.call

18.A.virtue B.achievement C.independence D.determination

19.A.took back B.paid back C.gave back D.held back

20.A.tired of B.proud of C.curious about D.concerned about