1. 难度:简单 | |
Basic information about three classical movies 1. Forrest Gump "Stupid is as stupid does," says Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks in an Oscar-winning performance) as he discusses his relative level of intelligence with a stranger while waiting for a bus. Despite his sub-normal IQ, Gump leads a truly charmed life, with a ringside seat for many of the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century... (Click here to show more) Rating: PG-13 (Under 13 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian ) Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance Directed By: Robert Zemeckis Written By: Eric Roth In Theaters: Jul 6, 1994 Wide On Disc/Streaming: Aug 28, 2001 Box Office: $ 330,000,000 Runtime: 142 minutes Studio: Paramount Pictures 2. Rain Man Self-centered, avaricious Californian Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is informed that his long-estranged father has died. Expecting at least a portion of the elder Babbitt's $ 3 million estate, Charlie learns that all he's inherited is his dad's prize roses and a 1949 Buick Roadmaster. Discovering that the $ 3 million is being held in trust for an unidentified party, Charlie heads to his home town of Cincinnati to ascertain who that party is. . .. (Click here to show more) Rating : R(Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) Genre: Drama Directed By: Barry Levinson Written By: Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow, David Rayfiel, Barry Levinson In Theaters: Dec 16, 1988 Wide On Disc/Streaming: Jan 1, 2000 Runtime : 133 minutes Studio :MGM 3. The Shawshank Redemption In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly proclaims his innocence. He's sentenced to a life term at the Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where another lifer, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman) , picks him as the new recruit most likely to crack under the pressure. But... (Click here to show more) Rating: R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) Genre: A Prison Drama Directed By: Frank Darabont Written By: Frank Darabont In Theaters: Sep 10, 1994 Wide On Disc/Streaming : Jan 27, 1998 Runtime: 142 minutes Studio: Columbia Pictures 1.Who is the director of Rain Man? A.Frank Darabont. B.Barry Morrow. C.Barry Levinson. D.Robert Zemeckis. 2.The type of The Shawshank Redemption is . A.prison drama B.romance C.love D.comedy 3.Which of the following persons is regarded to be unintelligent in the three movies? A.Andy Dufresne. B.Charlie Babbitt. C.Forrest Gump. D.Rain Man.
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2. 难度:中等 | |
There are at least 3 ,000 miles of waterways in Britain. On these canals and rivers, there are over 30,000 'houseboats'—boats that people use as homes. Around 10 ,000 of them are located in London. The earliest populations of Britain's 'boat people' have been living on the water since the canals were built during the industrial revolution. Since then, houseboat living has usually attracted people who prefer to live an alternative lifestyle. Houseboat communities are typically made up of people who are looking for a slower way of life and who want to be in touch with nature. Living on the water sounds romantic, but it is also hard work. There are daily things that need to be done, like bringing fuel and water on board and dealing with 'waste' water from kitchen sink, shower and toilet. In winter, living on a boat can be very cold and there is always a feeling of damp. Of course, most boats are quite small inside, so you don't have much space, especially if you are a couple, family or a group of friends. Despite these difficulties, the number of people living on Britain's waterways has increased by around 50 per cent over the past ten years. More and more families and young professionals are moving onto houseboats, not only because they like the idea of life on water.but also because it is much cheaper to buy or rent a boat than a flat or a house. There is a great sense of community on the waterways ; many boat people say that their neighbours are always ready to help them, and houseboat neighbours often become friends for life. This is quite a different story from people who live in flats or houses and may hardly know the people next door at all. 1.What does the underlined word "alternative" in paragraph 2 probably mean? A.Creative. B.Enjoyable. C.Non — traditional. D.Primitive. 2.From the third paragraph, we know that it is to live on the boat. A.inconvenient B.easy C.boring D.unforgettable 3.Which of the following information is not given in the text? A.There are lots of rivers and canals in Britain. B.Many people live on houseboats in Wales. C.Houseboat living become popular in the industrial revolution. D.People who live on houseboats are usually very friendly with their neighbours. 4.Why do many people choose to live on the water? Because . A.living on the water is romantic B.living on the water is easy and natural C.living on the water can avoid unfriendly neighbours D.living on the water costs less than living on the land
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3. 难度:困难 | |
Delhi has been the centre of a succession of mighty empires and powerful kingdoms in India. Numerous ruins scattered throughout the territory offer a constant reminder of the area's history, which makes the city always be a fascinating place for tourists. With the development of the city and more and more people moving, the city has expanded several times in size. That is why it is called New Delhi. New Delhi, a city with a population of over 20 million people, has its newest problem: never before has this city met with the worst air problem. Air pollution in Indians capital surged to its worst levels in years, covering the city in a thick smog that has become an annual public-health emergency despite government vows to solve the problem. Hundreds of flights were diverted, delayed and canceled over the weekend due to poor visibility, schools and offices were closed Monday and officials rushed to take emergency measures to try to reverse the eroding air quality. Millions of antipollution masks were distributed at schools, colleges, hospitals and markets. New Delhi, is engulfed each year as the weather cools and a thick haze builds up from the pollutants emitted from cars and coal-based power plants, swirling dust from construction sites and roads and smoke from crop stubble burning in neighboring states. Fireworks and firecrackers to celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali then arrives, leaving Delhi the world's most polluted city. The city's air quality index, which measures a mix of dangerous pollutants, registered an average score of 494 Sunday. That is the highest 24-hour average since Nov. 6 , 2016 , when it hit 497, according to data measured by the Central Pollution Control Board. 1.Which of the following is NOT true? A.Diwali is one of the most important festivals in India. B.The government did little to protect its citizens against the serious pollution. C.Such a serious air pollution in New Delhi appears on a regular basis. D.The index of the recent air pollution is not the worst in the history. 2.Who may not complain about the serious air pollution? A.The parents whose children have to stay at home. B.The pilots whose planes have been diverted or delayed. C.The manufacturers who produce antipollution masks. D.The officials who have to work out of their offices. 3.Which of the following phrases can replace the underlined word in paragraph 5? A.Sent out. B.Sent up. C.Sent in. D.Sent on. 4.The title of the passage should be . A.Problems Caused by the Development of New Delhi B.Dangerous Pollution Envelops New Delhi C.Antipollution Masks Are in Great Need in New Delhi D.Farmers in the Neighboring States are to Blame for Burning Crop Stubble
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4. 难度:中等 | |
It has been discovered that after the age of sixteen, the number of our brain cells begins to decrease at a speed of several million a year. They simply die off. In certain types of activity, the human brain is at its highest point in the early twenties, when it has collected enough information to be able to use the vast number of cells freely in the most effective way. Pure mathematics is one of the fields in which this happens, and we know that Albert Einstein made all his world-shaking discoveries between the age of about 20 and 25, and spent the rest of his life tidying them up and arranging them. But in certain other types of activity (of which being an author is perhaps one), experience is more important than sharpness of brain, and there one usually finds that a person reaches his or her peak much later in life. Besides sharpness of brain and experience, here is another thing that is very important, and that is wisdom. One can have a very quick, inventive brain and plenty of experience, but if one uses these foolishly, one harms both oneself and others. Wisdom does not always come with age ——there are plenty of foolish middle-aged people about ——but the average person tends to learn wisdom as he gets older, usually by making painful of embarrassing mistakes. Leaning to be wise is basically learning what is not possible ; and what is possible but so difficult that it is not worth all the trouble one has to go through to get there. Mostly, it is learning about human nature ; how real people behave and react, as against how one would like them to behave and react. One can read and hear lot of idealistic stuff about how to make the world a better place, which would be found if it was based on an accurate observation of human nature, but which is basically a waste of time because it is not. 1.According to the writer, the great discoveries made by Albert Einstein were mainly a result in . A.years of hard work B.sharpness of the brain C.rich experience D.his deep understanding of the nature 2.Some people achieve success much later in life because . A.their work often requires much experience B.they do not have a chance to show their talents C.they have to learn lessons from failures D.they fail to realize earlier the importance of hard work 3.The importance of wisdom lies in the fact that . A.it helps to avoid various mistakes B.it contributes to one's creativity C.it encourages one to go forward in face of difficulty D.it provides the right direction of efforts 4.The writer came to believe that . A.it is always a waste of time to make plans about the future B.it is human nature to make attempts on what looks impossible C.one should always challenge the impossible to push the society forward D.one has to use wisdom in deciding what is the best thing to do
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5. 难度:简单 | |
Looking for work? Tutors Wanted: Math / Science / Humanities + Test Preparation Job Posted: 2 days ago Wage: $27 – 30 per hour Job Type: Part-time Schedule: Afternoons, evenings, weekdays, weekends Job description: We're looking for tutors to join us before the next school year starts. Our suitable candidate will be able to assist middle and high school students with test preparation and academic work in Math, Science and / or Humanities. We'll pay for your training before this fall and can also offer flexible summer tutoring chances, including teaching group classes. Once our fall semester starts on August 21, we’ll have even higher demand for tutoring sessions on Sundays from 1 p. m. to 8 p.m. as well as from3 p. m. to 9 p. m. Monday-Thursday. What we offer: ※ Flexible scheduling. Tutors work from 15 to 30 hours per week depending on availability and student demand. ※ Free Sunday dinners during the academic year. ※ Fun staff gatherings ※ Health insurance reimbursement (补偿) for staff working over 30 hours per week. ※ We are 5 minutes’ walking distance from the Menlo Park Caltrain Station. Applicants must: ※ Have a good command of the subjects they tutor. ※ Be willing to tutor students through the full academic year. Application instructions: ※ Email us your resume (简历) ※ Tell us why you want to join Academic Trainers and describe your experience of tutoring students if you have any. ※ Let us know your scheduling preferences and potential start date. ※ Tell us which of the subjects you are able to tutor-Math, Science and / or Humanities. 1.Which period of time needs the most tutors during the academic year? A.Saturday and Sunday mornings. B.Friday afternoons and evenings. C.Monday and Thursday mornings. D.Sunday afternoons and evenings. 2.What can a tutor enjoy who works more than 30 hours per week? A.Comfortable accommodation. B.Free job training every month. C.Health insurance reimbursement. D.Free meals during the academic year. 3.What qualification should a suitable candidate have? A.He / She must tutor all the subjects part-time. B.He / She must be good at the subjects they tutor. C.He / She must have a previous tutoring experience. D.He / She must work every evening through the academic year.
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6. 难度:简单 | |
If there was a subject at school that made me anxious, it was science. Maybe that’s because in my tenth grade, I couldn't understand my physics teacher's instructions, causing me to accidentally set fire to the classroom. So, when my husband and I decided to home-school our daughters, we made a deal: he would teach science, while I would handle everything else. But that’s not how things have been going these past few weeks, since my husband has been too busy to teach the girls. Recently, while out on my morning hike before starting lessons, I noticed that the sky was a beautiful blue, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of flowers. That s why I decided that the day’s lessons would be taught outside, although I remembered that my daughters hadn't had any science classes from my husband for a while. I returned to the house to get the girls ready. We headed up into the forest, settling ourselves by a pond that rarely has any visitors. My daughter Saoirse started to pick up pond weeds and catch frogs, while my other daughter Ula looked at me, waiting to be instructed. I handed her a drawing board and colored pencils. "We wait, "I told her, " and see if something comes along. In the meantime, just draw what's around you.” We worked for more than an hour, hardly speaking. A bird flew across the water, and then settled in a front of a fallen tree. I quickly told Ula, worried that she’d not seen the creature. But she had, and she started drawing it. An hour later, she’d not finished her picture and I stared down at it. She drew the bird on her paper with amazing accuracy. But there was one other interesting fact about this drawing: she also drew me, sitting beside her. I realized, as I stared at this child's drawing of us watching a bird, how I'd lived for 40 years, gathered 10 years of higher education, and never understood the foundation of science before this moment. The foundation of science is a sense of wonder; it isn't about accurately reciting words from a textbook. It is first and foremost about stepping outside our busy lives and amazing at the world around us. 1.How did the author feel about science when in school? A.She was nervous about it. B.She was fond of it. C.She was confused about it. D.She was eager for it. 2.The underlined word“it” in Paragraph4 refers to“ ” A.the fallen tree B.the forest C.the bird D.the picture 3.Which of the following best describes Ula? A.She's very outgoing. B.She's good at observing. C.She's very hard-working. D.She shares interests with her sister. 4.What is the foundation of science in the author's opinion? A.Attention to accuracy. B.Curiosity about the outside world. C.Determination to find out the truth. D.Ability to understand teachers' instructions.
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7. 难度:中等 | |
Something strange has been happening to me lately: Women in the street have been telling me I'm brave. My act of courage isn't much-I just stopped coloring my hair. I had brown hair that started going gray when I was 30. So, like a lot of women, I started dyeing (染)it. It was expensive and time-consuming. And my hair grows fast, so I needed to go back to the hair salon(美发厅) every 5 weeks. Many people seem to enjoy holding onto their youth for as long as possible, giving off the impression that they don' t have much wisdom or many accomplishments. But our hair starts to turn gray and suddenly we start spending $500 or more a year to cover something our male colleagues don’t need to cover. Of course, People should do what they want with their own body -my mother is 91 and still has "blond" hair, and why not? I just wish more of us would feel that it was OK to be ourselves, because going gray has done more for me than saving me time and money. I like my natural hair, just as it is. I like how it has got curly and full again. It is recovering after years of being damaged by chemicals. I also like that it has given me some needed attitude in a society that makes youth seem so important, while being against maturity. It reminds me that I'm not a kid anymore - and this isn't a bad thing. Not being a kid anymore means I read the books I want, and not the books i feel I should read. It means not wasting my time at events I don' t need to attend when I’d rather be with my family and friends. When I see my hair in the mirror, it's a reminder that my time is limited, and I should spend it doing what matters. There's nothing shameful about growing older And pretending it's not happening is a way of giving up our power. I see my gray hair as a little act of rebellion(反叛)against the idea that people lose value as they age, instead of gaining it. I see gray hair as my "flag" and I'm letting it fly proudly. 1.How does the author feel about coloring hair? A.It shows people’s great courage. B.It is a good way to hold onto youth. C.It shows wisdom and accomplishments. D.It is not worth the time and money spent on it. 2.What should we do when we grow old according to the author? A.Give up our power. B.Pretend to be still young. C.Accept it and act positively. D.Read as many books as possible. 3.What is the authors main purpose in writing this passage? A.To explain why youth is valued. B.To share her opinion on growing older. C.To stress the importance of different attitudes. D.To analyze the advantages and disadvantages of aging. 4.Which can be the best title for the passage? A.Holding Onto Youth B.Dyeing Your Hair C.Gaining Value With Age D.Valuing Wisdom Of Age
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8. 难度:困难 | |
AIDS may be one of the most undesirable diseases in the world. Luckily, there is now hope for AIDS patients. According to a recent paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine,Chinese scientists have successfully used CRISPR technology -a method of gene editing-to treat a patient with HIV. While it may not have cured the patient fully, it still represents a huge step forward in fighting the disease. The patient was a 27-year-old Chinese man who was diagnosed with both AIDS and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (淋巴母细胞白血病), a type of blood cancer. Despite his bleak situation, doctors offered him a little hope: a bone marrow (骨髓) transplant to treat his cancer and an experimental treatment for his HIV. They used this chance to edit the DNA in bone marrow stem cells (干细胞) from a donor before transplanting the cells into the patient. Specifically, the treatment involved using the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to delete a gene known as CCR5, which encodes (给…编码) a protein that HIV uses to get inside human cells. Without the gene, HIV is unable to enter cells. Talking about the gene, lead scientist Deng Hongkui told CNN, “After being edited, the cells and the blood cells they produce have the ability to resist HIV infection.” Nineteen months after the treatment, the patients leukemia was in complete remission( 缓 解 ) and donor cells without CCR5 remained, according to the research paper. Though the transplant didn't cure the man’s HIV, it still showed the effectiveness of gene-editing technology, as there was no indication of any unintended genetic changes-a major concern with past gene-editing treatment experiments. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the United States, who was not involved in the study, praised the treatment. “They did a very creative experiment, and it was safe,” he told Live Science. “It should be viewed as a success.” Deng believes gene-editing technology could “bring a new dawn” to blood related diseases such as AIDS and sickle-cell anaemia ( 镰 状 细 胞 贫 血 ). “Thanks to this new technology, the goal of a functional cure for AIDS is getting closer and closer,” he said. 1.The underlined word “bleak” in Paragraph3 probably means “______”. A.hopeless B.unstable C.embarrassing D.unique 2.How did the treatment fight against HIV? A.By identifying and killing HIV. B.By changing the structure of HIV. C.By preventing HIV entering cells. D.By removing a protein HIV feeds on. 3.What is the result of the treatment? A.Gene-edited cells are able to resist HIV infection. B.The number of cells infected by HIV has decreased. C.CCR5 and other genes in the patient's cells are changed. D.Unintended genetic changes have taken place in the patient's cells. 4.What can we know about the experiment? A.It pointed out the problems of gene treatment. B.It provided a new way to cure AIDS patients fully. C.It could offer a safe treatment for blood-related diseases. D.It was the first example to use gene-editing tool to treat AIDS.
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9. 难度:简单 | |||||||||
Pre-College Program Admissions The Pre-College Program is now accepting applications for summer 2020. QUALIFICATION FOR 2020 The admissions committee is looking for mature, academically motivated students who meet both of the following criteria: 1. Will graduate in 2021 or 2022 2. Are at least 15 years old by Dec. 1,2019,and will not turn 19 years old before Jul. 31,2020 HOW TO APPLY Complete an online application and provide supplemental materials, including: 1. The $ 75 nonrefundable (不可归还的) application fee. 2. Counselor report:you can request a link be sent to your counselor(辅导员)in the application. 3. Transcripts (成绩单)from 9th grade to fall 2019 grades:this can include progress reports, report cards, and educational summaries from your high school. 4. If English is not your native language,submit scores from the TOEFL iBT or IELTS language proficiency exam along with your application. APPLICATION DEADLINE
1.Who would probably be admitted by the program? A.Terry, a boy born on October 2, 1999. B.Steve, a teenager to graduate in 2020. C.Cathy, a student aged 16 years old now. D.Lucy, a girl turning 15 on January 3, 2020. 2.What is unnecessary for native English speakers to provide when applying? A.The $ 75 nonrefundable application fee. B.Transcripts from 9th grade to fall 2019 grades. C.Progress reports and educational summaries from high school. D.Scores from the TOEFL iBT or IELTS language proficiency exam. 3.When should a student submit his regular application? A.Before Friday, March 15, noon. B.Before Friday, February 1, noon. C.Before Wednesday, May 15, noon. D.Before Friday, January 1, noon.
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10. 难度:中等 | |
How do you kill your time when you go to work? Most of us stare at our cell phones, and refuse to make eye contact with others. We just read, chat with others online or play games online. Or maybe we’re using the time between stops to do our makeup, catch up on emails, or read a few chapters of a book. However, Dina Alfasi takes a very different approach. Each day she has to travel hours on buses and trains to get to her engineering job at a hospital in Israel. Rather than look at her cell phone in silence, she uses one very special way to have connection with strangers. It is portraits of the people she meets on public transport every day that she is taking. The photographs catch those quiet and personal moments of people readying themselves for the day ahead. Some people lean (倚靠) their head against the window and go to sleep, some stare into space and have a daydream, and others sit quietly to read their documents or books. Each picture catches one tiny moment in people’s lives, ripe with potential for your imagination. It is wonderful for her to look at someone’s commute (上下班) and make up an entire story about the rest of their daily existence, from the father travelling with a baby to the woman welcoming a change. “What inspires me very much are the little moments that happen every day,” Dina told My Modern Met. “My work is to tell stories through a single portrait, and it proves that all you need is just to look around and find those magic moments.” 1.What will most people do when going to work? A.Enjoy reading a book loudly. B.Make eye contact with others. C.Have face-to-face talks with others. D.Concentrate on their mobile phones. 2.What makes Dina different from others? A.Staring into the space and having a daydream. B.Leaning against the window and relaxing herself. C.Using her mobile phone to appreciate pictures she draws. D.Drawing people while travelling on buses and trains to work. 3.Which word can best describe Dina Alfasi? A.Cool. B.Careful. C.Generous. D.Considerate. 4.What is the main idea of the text? A.Little moments make Dina special. B.Cell phone is used to take special portraits. C.Dina takes portraits of others when commuting. D.People go to work with different ways to kill time.
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11. 难度:困难 | |
Every year, thousands of teenagers participate in programs at their local art museums. But do any of them remember their time at museum events later in life? A new report suggests that the answer is yes – and finds that alumni (毕业生) of arts-based museum programs credit them with changing the course of their lives, even years after the experience. The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Walker Art Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles recently asked researchers to conduct a study to find out how effective their long-standing teen art programs really are. They involved over 300 former participants of four programs for teens that have been in existence since the 1990s. Alumni, whose current ages range from 18 to 36, were invited to find out how they viewed their participation years after the fact. Among the alumni surveyed, 75 percent of alumni rated the teen program experience as the most favorable influence on their own lives, beating family, school and their neighborhoods. Nearly 55 percent thought that it was one of the most important experiences they’d ever had, regardless of age. And two-thirds said that they were often in situations where their experience in museums affected their actions or thoughts. It turns out that participating in art programs also helps keep teens enthusiastic about arts even after they reach adulthood: 96 percent of participants had visited an art museum within the last two years, and 68 percent had visited an art museum five or more times within the last two years. Thirty-two percent of program alumni work in the arts as adults. Though the study is the first of its kind to explore the influence of teen-specific art programs in museums, it reflects other research on the important benefits of engaging with the arts. A decade of surveys by the National Endowment for the Arts found that childhood experience with the arts is significantly associated with their income and educational attainment as adults. Other studies have linked arts education to everything from lower drop-out rates to improvement in critical (批判性的)thinking skills. 1.What does the underlined phrase “the experience” in Paragraph 1 refer to? A.Joining in childhood art programs. B.Shifting the course of children’s life. C.Memorizing the time at museum events. D.Conducting arts-based museum programs. 2.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about? A.The aim of the study. B.The result of the study. C.The method of the study. D.The process of the study. 3.What can be inferred from the study mentioned in the text? A.No other studies about the benefits of arts exist. B.Love for arts may keep long in kids’ whole life. C.Age matters in how people view their art experiences. D.Most kids participating in art programs will work in arts. 4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A.How can Art be Connected to Our Life? B.Can Art Education Affect Our Income? C.Should Kids Walk into Art Museums? D.What Should Art Museums do for Kids?
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12. 难度:困难 | |
Described as the world’s most environmentally friendly protein(蛋白质), Solein is made by applying electricity to water to release bubbles of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Living microbes (微生物) are then added to the liquid to feed on the carbon dioxide and hydrogen bubbles and produce the Solein, which is then dried to make the powder. It’s a chemical change process similar to beer brewing. The dried Solein has a protein content of 50 percent and looks and tastes just like wheat flour. “It is a completely new kind of food, a new kind of protein, different to all the food on the market today in how it is produced as it does not need agriculture.” Dr Pasi Vainikka, the chief manager of Solar Foods told The Guardian. The process used to produce Solein—changing hydrogen and carbon dioxide is amazing, as the wonder food can be produced anywhere in the world. It’s also 10 time-efficient than photosynthesis (光合作用), and 10 to 100 times more environment and climate-friendly in water use than animal or plant-based food production. “Solein also contains all the essential amino acid (氨基酸),but because it is produced using carbon and electricity, it does not require large amounts of land to produce, ” the Solar Foods website explains. “Another unique characteristic of Solein is that it is able to take carbon directly from carbon dioxide without needing a source of sugar.” While Solar Foods does not expect Solein to challenge conventional protein production methods in the next two decades, it does expect it to become a “new harvest” for humanity, which is significant considering so far we have only relied on plants and animals for sustenance. The Helsinki-based company plans to open its first Solein factory at the end of 2021 and increase production to two billion meals per year by 2022. 1.Why is Solein described as environmentally friendly? A.Because it is man-made by using electricity. B.Because it contains all the nutrition people need. C.Because it is made consuming less land and energy. D.Because it is produced from water and carbon dioxide. 2.What does Solar Foods expect of Solein? A.It’ll have a rewarding future. B.It’ll reach consumers in 2020. C.It’ll challenge traditional protein production. D.It’ll be a complete replacement for plants and animals. 3.What does the underlined word “sustenance” in last paragraph mean? A.survival B.food C.material D.support 4.Where is this text most likely from? A.A textbook. B.A novel. C.A magazine. D.A brochure.
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13. 难度:简单 | |
The Worlds' Best Bookshops There's nothing like being surrounded by books, wherever you are. Here are the finest oases of literature that travellers can bring you. Daikanyama T﹣site | Tokyo It is well worth visiting even if just to admire the building's beautiful, crisscrossed architecture. Once you've had your fill of roaming three floors' worth of bookshelves, there's the bar, the coffee shop, or even the video rental space to give you more reason to stay just that little bit longer. Grab a book, order a beer and dive into its pages. I could have stayed hours here. City Lights | San Francisco The three﹣storey establishment publishes and sells titles in poetry, fiction, translation, politics, history and the arts. It hosts events and readings, and runs a non﹣profit of the same name that aims to promote diversity of voices and ideas in literature. It's opposite Vesuvio, a bar frequented by Kerouac and other Beat﹣generation writers and artists. Shakespeare and Company | Paris I made a special trip to the Left Bank for this one when I was in Paris. It has two floors packed with English﹣language texts, and I was particularly struck by any spare wall space devoted to notes from visitors ﹣ heartfelt messages to a loved one, dedications to the shop itself, or a quote from a favourite author or philosopher. Hutatma Chowk | Mumbai A few years ago I visited India, investigating Rudyard Kipling's connections with the country. I spotted a cheap copy of The Jungle Book on one of the tarp﹣covered book stalls at Hutatma Chowk (Martyrs' Square). The booksellers here are like amateur librarians, able to lay their hands on almost any title you ask for. To me, those well﹣thumbed (翻旧了的) books spoke volumes about the changes of Mumbai's readers in the 150 years since the city gave us Kipling. 1.In which bookshop can you buy a drink while visiting? A.Daikanyama T﹣site. B.City Lights. C.Shakespeare and Company. D.Hutatma Chowk. 2.What can be learned about the book stalls at Hutatma Chowk? A.People can meet Rudyard Kipling there. B.They sell the cheapest books in the world. C.The book owners are amateur librarians. D.The sellers are familiar with the books. 3.What do the four bookstores have in common? A.They are beautifully designed. B.They are three﹣storey buildings. C.They offer book lovers good experience. D.They are frequently visited by great writers.
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14. 难度:简单 | |
Howard Weistling wanted to be a comic strip (连环漫画) artist. But when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army. After flight engineer training, Howard was shipped off to Europe. On his maiden flight, his plane was shot down over Austria. The entire crew of eight men landed safely. But a farmer found Howard hiding in his barn and turned him over to a prison of war camp in Barth, Germany. It was freezing and the men almost starved to death eating the guards' garbage. Hungry and homesick Howard coped the only way he knew how. He drew a comic strip. The book, made of cigarette wrappers bound together with scrap metal, was sent around the camp. Every couple of days he would add a new panel. One panel at a time would be passed around the whole camp. And they'd have something to look forward to. After an entire year of this, they woke one morning to find their guards gone. They fled and Howard finally got to go home. Just lucky to get out alive, he left the book behind. Back home in California, Howard soon had a wife and kids to feed so he had to set aside his dream of becoming an artist. He took a job as a gardener instead. Morgan shared his father's artistic gifts. At 15 his parents sent him to art school. And Howard got to see his son become a well﹣known painter before he died in 2002. That's how, seven decades after the war, when a stranger in New York googled the name "Weistling," he found Morgan online. "I get an email from a gentleman and he says, ‘I think I may have some drawings your father did when he was a POW (prisoner of war) in World War II,'" Morgan recalls. "‘Would you like them?' And I just stared at that email and started crying." Luckily Howard had engraved his name on the comic book, which is how the man from New York City had connected with Morgan. A couple of days later when it arrived in California, Morgan couldn't believe it. "It was like getting my father back," Morgan says. "It was like him being able to tell me the story over again ﹣ only this time it was real in my hands." 1.The passage details Howard's life as a POW to show that . A.war cannot stop his pursuit of success. B.passion for art helped ease his sufferings. C.loss of freedom encouraged his creativity. D.misery drives him to fight against his fate. 2.What can we infer about Howard's comic strip in prison? A.It satisfied prisoners' curiosity. B.It aroused the guards' sympathy. C.It was popular among the prisoners. D.It raised prisoners' confidence in freedom. 3.What contributes to the stranger's success in finding Morgan? A.The email from a gentleman. B.Howard's experience in the war. C.Morgan's recalling of his father. D.Morgan's status in the field of art. 4.What can we infer about Morgan from the last paragraph? A.He didn't believe the stranger's story. B.He was excited to get the comic strip. C.He couldn't wait to tell others his good news. D.He hadn't heard about his father's war stories.
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15. 难度:中等 | |
Your brain isn't necessarily the same age as the rest of you. Now, it may be possible to predict how quickly a person's brain will age throughout life based on tests taken when he or she is three years old. A person's biological age may be a better indicator of their health than their real age. Brain age can be measured using brain scans and machine﹣learning to determine if a person's brain looks older or younger than the average healthy brain for people of the same age. To find out if brain age might reveal anything about a person's health in midlife, Max Elliott at Duke University in North Carolina and his colleagues assessed the brains of 869 adults in New Zealand who have undergone regular medical and cognitive (认知的) testing since they were 3 years old. When the volunteers, all aged between 43 and 46, underwent MRI brain scans, the team found that their brain ages ranged from 23 to 71. Those with older brain ages performed worse on tests of cognition, memory and IQ. The researchers also found that some people have a very advanced brain age but their bodies seem to be ageing slowly, and vice versa (反之亦然). However, the team found that those who had the highest scores on cognitive tests when they were 3 years old went on to have the youngest﹣looking brains. This suggests we might be able to tell who is at risk of accelerated brain ageing early in life. Researchers hope that predicting brain ageing earlier in life could allow treatments for conditions like dementia (痴呆) to be started sooner. This means treatments might have a better chance of working. We don't yet have a way to treat brain ageing, but given the known benefits to the brain of healthy eating and exercise, these aren't a bad place to start. 1.What helps predict the speed of one's brain ageing? A.One's health condition. B.A test result at the age of 3. C.The actual age of one's brain. D.A machine for medical check. 2.What is the purpose of Elliott's research? A.To find out why people look older or younger. B.To measure people's brain age at different stages. C.To discover whether brain age can be measured by machines. D.To explore the relationship between brain age and future health. 3.What is Paragraph 4 mainly about? A.The influence of cognitive tests. B.The procedure of Elliott's study. C.The information about volunteers. D.The findings of the brain research. 4.What do the findings of the research imply? A.We should test our brain age earliest possible. B.People suffering dementia can go on working. C.Brain ageing could be predicted at an early age. D.Healthy eating and exercise can cure brain ageing.
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16. 难度:中等 | |
One of the most popular beliefs in parenting is the so﹣called Mozart effect, which says that listening to music by the Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart can increase a child's intelligence. Some pregnant women have even gone so far as to play Mozart recordings on headphones pressed against their bellies. And it's not hard to see how Mozart's name became associated with accelerated development. He was history's greatest child genius, performing astonishing music for kings and queens at an age when many of us were content with tuneless singing "I'm a Little Teapot". So, if you have kids or you're expecting to have them, how seriously should you take the Mozart effect? Will the child who doesn't listen to Mozart in the cradle (摇篮) be limited to an ordinary life? Are you a bad parent if your kids don't know about any works of Mozart? Relax. There is no scientific evidence that listening to Mozart improves children's cognitive abilities. The whole idea comes from a small study done in 1993, which found that college students who listened to Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K 448)showed some improvement in a test of spatial (空间的) skills. This finding was later described as something extremely amazing by a musician, Don Campbell, in a book. Campbell's claims about the super powers of Mozart's music were repeated endlessly in the media and fueled a craze for Mozart﹣based enrichment activities. In 1998, for example, the governor of Georgia in the USA requested funds to send classical﹣music CDs to all parents of newborns in the state. Since then, scientists have examined the claim that Mozart increases intelligence and found no evidence for it. The original experiment with college students was reviewed in 1999, and the increase in the students' spatial skills was found to be negligible. In 2007 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research asked a team of experts to examine the scientific literature regarding Mozart and child development, and they found no reason to believe that it increased intelligence. 1.People relate Mozart to children's intelligence development because he . A.owned extraordinary music talent. B.could perform music as a child. C.offered music to pregnant women. D.was an royal Austrian composer. 2.What can we know about the small study in 1993? A.It added to the popularity of Mozart's music. B.It found no evidence for supporting Mozart effect. C.It helped college students make academic progress. D.It urged Georgia's governor to spread classical music. 3.What does the underlined word "negligible" probably mean? A.Sudden. B.Insignificant. C.Average. D.Steady. 4.What can be the best title for the text? A.New Findings: Mozart Effect to Be Proved. B.Secrets Uncovered: History of Mozart Effect. C.Does Listening to Mozart Make Kids Smarter? D.How Does Mozart Improve Kids' Intelligence?
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17. 难度:中等 | |
When Ariyah Georges was born 15 weeks early, she weighed only one pound, 12 ounces. Her mother, Jovan, knew how important breastfeeding was, especially for a premature (早产的) baby like Ariyah, so she began pumping milk to feed her through a tube. But two days later, Jovan felt dizzy and feverish — 104 Fahrenheit degrees, in fact. She had a blood disease and was close to full shock. She was separated from others for nearly two weeks at the regional Northern Virginia hospital where she'd delivered. During that time, she could still pump breast milk, but Ariyah couldn't consume it because of the risk of infection. Without it, the newborn was particularly easily affected by diseases. There are many cases like this, which creates the need for the milk donation. Enter donor milk breast milk purchased by hospitals for mothers who aren't able to produce enough milk on their own, due to health complications, stresses, or other factors. The milk comes from milk banks, organizations that collect and screen breast milk from those women willing to donate. Usually processed in intensive-care units, the milk is only available by prescription. In recent years, both milk banks and the use of donated human milk have risen swiftly in the United States. In 2011, 22 percent of NICUs used donor breast milk; four years later, that number doubled to nearly 40 percent, and went even higher for the most intensive NICUs — as much as 75 percent. There are 23 milk banks in the United States recognized by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, or HMBANA, double the number that existed five years ago. But as the demand for donor milk rises, banks must find more charitable donors — a task made more complicated by informal networks of milk sharing that happens online. And many of the most vulnerable infants are still not being reached. 1.Jovan couldn't feed her baby Ariyah on her breast milk because_______. A.Ariyah was a premature baby B.Jovan couldn't produce enough milk C.Jovan was separated from others D.Jovan was in poor health. 2.By telling the story of Ariyah and her mother, the writer wants to______. A.tell us what to do if mothers cannot produce enough milk. B.remind us of the importance of breastfeeding the newborn. C.introduce the topic of an increasing need for donated human milk. D.warn us against the risk of the newborn being affected by diseases. 3.How is the writer's idea mainly developed in Paragraph 4? A.By following time order. B.By listing statistics. C.By giving examples. D.By making predictions. 4.What problem are milk banks now faced with? A.It's difficult to find enough charitable donors. B.networks of milk looking for donors online are informal. C.The milk purchased from milk banks cannot reach infants' home. D.The number of women willing to donate breast milk are decreasing.
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18. 难度:中等 | |
If you're a book lover, you have a pile of books on your bedside, or a bookshelf in your library with a “to read” sign on it. Yet you can't stop yourself from adding to the pile. This can lead to feelings of guilt over your new purchases. But I'm here to tell you to stop worrying. What you have is an antilibrary, and it's a very good thing. The term comes from writer Umberto Eco. He is the owner of a large personal library. He separates visitors into two groups: those who react with “Wow! What a library you have! How many of these books have you read?” and the others who get the point that a private library is not something to show off but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection an antilibrary. If you think you already know everything about a subject, you're cutting yourself off from a stream of information at an artificial point. So a growing library of books you haven't read means you're consistently curious about the unknown. And that attitude is a great foundation for a lifelong love of learning. So don't feel guilt over your unread books. Those books will be there for you when you do want them, and as you build your library of read and unread books, you can start using it as you would use a bigger library. Certain books may become references more than read-throughs. Or you may find that a book you bought five years ago has special relevance today. Letting the role of books evolve in your life is a healthy sign of curiosity. That's good for you and good tor the world around you. 1.What does the underlined word "antilibrary in Paragraph 2 refer to? A.Feelings of guilt over new books. B.A pile of books on the bookshelf. C.The collection of unread books. D.A large personal library. 2.Which of the following will the writer agree with? A.The unread books you bought years ago are of no use. B.You don't have to read every book from cover to cover. C.Read books are of more use than unread books. D.You shouldn’t purchase new books until the unread ones are covered. 3.What does the writer think of someone having lots of unread books? A.Approving. B.Doubtful. C.Critical. D.Indifferent.
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19. 难度:困难 | |
Since App Store was set up, it has been selling consumers one simple thing — choice. Whether you wanted to play games, read the news, or do a thousand other things, there was something for whatever you desired. Then something funny happened. Logging into the App Store today is like going into a shopping mall with only a coupon (优惠券) for one thing: There's so much choice; it might be easier to give up than to choose. It isn't consumers who are burdened, though. Too much content of all kinds also has economic effects. When countless choices are available, it causes pressure, pushing prices down and driving us a bit crazy. So what is the way forward? It may well be to tum less choice itself to the marketing strategy. There are already signs that this is happening. Firstly content companies are looking to prevent their offerings from getting lost in the tons of stuff. Most obvious is Disney, which is planning to open its own streaming service next year. The point is to narrow the focus so that those seeking Disney cartoons will have one place to go, rather than being around various services. Yet if that represents a careful first step, there are more extreme options too. Consider the idea of a wine club: from tens of thousands of bottles each year, subscribers (用户) pay someone to select the most interesting ones. Perhaps what comes next for digital content is similar — carefully selected offerings from trusted sources that put choices in the hands of someone else in order to get rid of the anxiety of choosing. Up to now, too much choice in digital media has only one solution: the algorithm (运算法则). But we've seen the trouble with algorithms on You Tube. They feed you only what you've already said you like, not things you may not know you're into. Worse, they have a tendency to serve up disturbing content. The way forward can't simply be more or better algorithms. Instead, it's time for digital companies to start thinking about how to put limits on things: on how much we can use a device, or what we are available to choose from. As we move further into the digital revolution, what people ask for is clear: Less. 1.What will too much choice of content on the market result in? A.The shutdown of companies. B.Anxiety of consumers. C.Poor quality of products. D.Negative influence on economy. 2.Why is Disney planning to open its own streaming service? A.To improve its marketing strategy. B.To help people focus on less choice. C.To encourage more people to visit Disney. D.To provide consumers with various services 3.In what way may a wine club and digital content in the near future be similar? A.Someone else will be employed to make a choice for consumers. B.Both of them will offer only a few options. C.Consumers will refuse to choose from too many options. D.Both of them will make a change about their products. 4.What do we know about the algorithm? A.It manages to offer what consumers will possibly like. B.It helps to remove disturbing content from digital media. C.it offers consumers things based on what they've said they like. D.It'll solve the problem of having too much choice.
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20. 难度:中等 | |
What's that one thing you really should do, but keep putting off? We all have them: time-consuming, or difficult chores we're afraid of and drag out until the last minute — if we complete them at all. But what if we could drive ourselves into those boring tasks by pairing them with something we really enjoy? Research suggests that combining the things we want to do, with the thing we should do, could be a nice trick to reach our goals. The method is known as "temptation bundling" and it allows you to combine two differing, but complementary activities at the same time. "I only let myself get a footbath when I'm doing some work," says Katherine Milkman, a professor of behavioral economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Another example? Going to your favorite restaurant but with a difficult colleague, or someone you're supposed to spend time with, such as a relative. In short, it's pairing something you like with something you don't like, offering you incentive to do something you might be putting off. Exercise is one activity routinely treated as a boring task — so Milkman used it in an experiment to know how temptation bundling works in reality. In her experiment. Milkman encouraged students to exercise while listening to addictive, page-turning audiobooks. One group, which could only access the audiobooks while at the gym, were 51% more likely to exercise than the control group, which were able to listen when they liked. Another group, whose access to the audiobooks was not restricted but who were merely encouraged to bundle the activities, were 29% more likely to exercise than the control group. The benefit of "temptation bundling" comes from doing two things at once that go well together, says Milkman. "The secret is to bundle tasks that require different effort. For instance, if one task requires focus or concentration, you want the other not to be too distracting — reading while listening to a podcast is very difficult, for example, while cooking and listening is more realistic." Milkman adds. 1.Temptation bundling can help us to______. A.avoid delaying what should be done in time. B.solve two problems at a time. C.put what we have learned into practice. D.improve our ability to face a chore. 2.The two percentages 51% and 29% in paragraph 6 show that_____. A.many people treat exercise as a boring task. B.most people consider listening to audiobooks a boring thing. C.combining two activities at the same time can contribute to each other. D.the control group do the worst in dealing with physical exercise. 3.Which of the following is true according to this passage? A.Cooking and listening can be combined because neither needs focus. B.Combining two differing, but complementary tasks is popular among us. C.Milkman's experiment shows that temptation bundling is effective. D.Temptation bundling is suitable for reading and listening to a podcast. 4.This passage is intended to tell us_____. A.what benefits pairing two tasks will bring us. B.how to get a boring task completed. C.what tasks can be paired with each other. D.how to identify the bad habit of putting off.
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21. 难度:中等 | |
Barbican Art Gallery A world-class arts and learning center, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theater and many visual arts from Egypt. Tickets: Adult: £10 online/£12 at the door 13-17 years old: £6 online/£8 at the door Children aged 12 and under: Free Opening Times: Sat.—Wed.: 10 a.m.—6 p.m.; Thu.一Fri.: 10 a.m.一9 p.m. Review by Laura Miller: I have just watched To Kill a Mockingbird here. The play and actors were fantastic. Nice and clean ladies' toilets with hot water. During the interval, they were selling the usual ice cream and drinks. Not all staff were friendly, but most were. I would come again to watch another show or even the same one. The British Museum A museum of the world, for the world. Discover over two million years of human history and culture. Some of the world-famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies. Admission and opening times: Free, open daily 10 a.m.—17:30 p.m. The Museum is closed on Jan. 1, Good Friday (April 10, 2020) and Dec. 24, 25 & 26, but open every other day of the year. Review by Robert James: I arrived at the main entrance line at 10:45 a.m., waited patiently as it rolled forward for a few minutes. Now 11:30 a.m. with two thirds of the line to go, another 30 minutes to wait and with knowledge that I had to go downtown shopping by 1 p.m., I turned on my heels and left. 1.How much will a couple with kids of 11 and 14 pay for online tickets of the Art Gallery? A.£20. B.£26. C.£32. D.£36. 2.What did Miller like best about Barbican Art Gallery? A.Dance. B.Film. C.Music. D.Theater. 3.What do the gallery and the museum have in common? A.Both offer free admission. B.Egyptian exhibits are on display. C.They're open all year round. D.They're located downtown.
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22. 难度:中等 | |
Parker Stewart, a 16-year-old from Sayre School, a college preparatory school in the United States, knew last year that he wanted his independent study on the environment to have a broad impact on the community. In order to "reduce the carbon footprint," Stewart planned to produce enough solar energy to power the school's science labs. Now his plan is set to happen. The installation of 30 solar panels is scheduled for late January. As he began his research on solar energy, he discovered a useful phone app. By entering an address, he could find out how much sunlight the location receives each day. Based on how much sunlight it receives, Stewart found that his school building was the desired position. At the suggestion of his science teacher, Debbie Wheeler, Parker first performed an energy audit(测算)of the science lab to see how much energy a typical lab uses per day. Then, he started his research, contacting a local installer of solar panels, Synergy Home, to do the job. Parker lacked money for launching the project, so he convinced Sayre's head of school to fund him after explaining the benefits of solar power for the school and community. Since Sayre provided the initial seed money to provide supplies and the purchase of one panel, the project has grown to include a total of 30 panels. They are expected to generate enough energy to run all four of the science labs on campus. "It feels like a dream to think that an idea I had resulted from my AP Environmental class would have this kind of impact," said Stewart, expressing gratitude for Wheeler's help. Wheeler said the success of the project was due to Parker's efforts and willingness to follow through on the project from start to finish. “I've had other students talk about environmental initiatives on campus, but Parker had the persistence to make it happen," she said. 1.How did the app help Stewart start his project? A.To find an ideal location. B.To conduct an energy audit. C.To look up specific information. D.To introduce financial aids. 2.Who invested in Stewart's project at the beginning? A.Sayre School. B.His parents. C.Synergy Home. D.His community. 3.What inspired Stewart to do his solar power project? A.The phone app he discovered. B.The air pollution in his community. C.A suggestion from his science teacher. D.An idea from his Environmental class. 4.What contributed to Stewart's success according to Wheeler? A.His wisdom. B.His bravery. C.His willpower. D.His independence.
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23. 难度:中等 | |
Rescue workers and thousands of volunteers are not the only ones who have won hearts and minds for their heroic efforts in the search for survivors after Tuesday's powerful earthquake in Mexico. Fifteen dogs from the navy's canine(军犬)unit have assisted this week in the rescue efforts at the sites of collapsed buildings across Mexico City, where more than 50 people have been pulled alive from the ruins. Of the canine heroes none is more famous or loved than Frida, a six-year-old white Labrador who in her distinguished service has won praise for her ability to detect people who have been trapped by various natural disasters. Over her admirable career she has found 52 people including 12 survivors in Mexico and other Latin American countries. This week, Frida and Evil and Echo—two Belgian Shepherds that have also been specially trained for rescue efforts一were sent to the site of the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen School in southern Mexico City. Equipped with goggles that protect her eyes from dust and smoke, boots to prevent damage to her paws while she climbs over rough ruins, Frida took to her work looking every bit the part of the ruins. If Frida detects the presence of a survivor, she is trained to bark to alert rescue workers but if she detects a corpse she stops suddenly before proceeding, her handler explained. Eleven children were rescued from ruins at the school but this time human rescue workers rather than the dogs were the ones who located them. However, that hasn't stopped Frida from becoming a social media star and reaching a new level of fame this week. Videos and other social media posts that highlight the work of Frida and her impressive record of detecting people trapped by natural disasters spread quickly online. While she has yet to detect anyone trapped in the ruins this week, she and other rescue dogs are continuing to work tirelessly, searching through spaces that humans cannot reach. With the possibility that there are still people trapped alive, time will tell whether she adds to her rescue record. 1.Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A.Severe earthquakes in Mexico B.Undertaking rescue work. C.People waiting for rescue D.Special rescuers in Mexico. 2.What makes Frida a social media star? A.Her rescue records and tireless work. B.Her cooperation with the rescue team. C.Her cool appearance with some special devices. D.Her ability to search spaces beyond humans' reach. 3.What does the underlined word "corpse" in paragraph 5 probably mean? A.An article of clothing. B.An unconscious animal. C.A dead person. D.A special signal. 4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that_______ . A.Frida will achieve nothing B.Frida will probably work miracles C.more dogs will be sent to the area D.the rest of the rescue will be done by dogs
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24. 难度:中等 | |
Hybrid cars, also called hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), are cars that use more than one source of energy to run. They differ from the majority of cars on the road today in several ways. The main difference is that HEVs run on gasoline and electricity. An HEV car has a battery-powered motor as well as an engine that runs on gasoline. A hybrid car is a bit more expensive to produce than a regular car even though its engine is smaller. The reason for the greater expense is that the engine is more complex. It has specialized mechanisms that allow it to operate using gasoline and electric power. It also contains a computer that works differently from those of regular cars. Even though it is more expensive to purchase, it costs less to own than gas-powered cars. When an HEV car is at a stoplight or going at a speed below 15 miles per hour, its special computer tells it to run just on electric power. When the computer senses that the car needs more power, it puts the gasoline engine back to work. The computer is constantly deciding whether the car will use electricity, gas, or a combination of the two. Because the HEV has electric power to help it run, it uses much less fuel than most cars. In fact hybrid cars are the most fuel-efficient cars that exist today. They can get from 50 to 60 miles per gallon on average. The high mileage saves money for the car owner and conserves precious supplies of petroleum. Hybrid cars help the environment in other ways too. For example, when the HEV is using electric power, it does not send out poisonous smoke that pollute the air. Despite the differences between hybrid cars and regular cars, HEVs offer the same feel as regular cars. They handle the same way and speed up and stop in the same way too. HEVs, though, are generally smaller than gasoline-powered cars. Their rounded, aerodynamic frame helps add to their fuel efficiency but unfortunately does not add to the amount of space inside the vehicle. 1.Which statement best explains the characteristics of an HEV? A.Safe and reliable. B.Expensive but long-lasting. C.Smaller engine, greater power. D.High price, low carbon. 2.The transformation between the gasoline and electricity in an HEV is operated by ________. A.the engine B.the battery C.the computer D.the driver 3.For what purpose was the HEV invented? A.To save energy. B.To provide better service. C.To lower the expense of purchase. D.To give the drivers a different feeling. 4.Where does the passage probably come from? A.A health report. B.A science magazine. C.A vehicle advertisement. D.A travel journal.
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25. 难度:中等 | |
Here list some biggest and best bookstores in Beijing: Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore It is the one of the best bookstores in Beijing and largest chain bookshop in China with thousands of branches. It offers a large collection of books involving politics, economics, literature, education, art and science, with a total number of nearly 200,000 books. VCDs, DVDs and digital reading materials can also be found in the bookshop. Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:30 Location: No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District (next to Oriental Plaza) China Bookstore As one of the best bookstores in Beijing, it is not a very big one, but it offers many traditional Chinese literature works. The new books here are at an 80% discount normally, while there are some second hand books as well at much cheaper prices. Additionally, you will find an impressive selection of books on Chinese painting, calligraphy and photography. Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays) Location: No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore This is the best one from which to buy Chinese language learning books of all levels. There are also dictionaries, encyclopedias, linguistic books and reading materials from which to choose. Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays) 09:00 - 16:00 (Weekends) Location: Chengfu Rd, Haidian District Beijing Book Building There is a great variety of books from which you may choose. In this biggest bookstore in Beijing, you will find books written in English in the basement, and there are many Chinese language learning materials on the third floor. The personnel in the bookshop are very helpful, and they speak English. Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:00 Location: No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District 1.Where are you most likely to find affordable new books at a lower price? A.Chengfu Rd, Haidian District. B.No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District. C.No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District. D.No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District. 2.Which bookstore has the longest opening hours on weekdays? A.China Bookstore. B.Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore. C.Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore. D.Beijing Book Building. 3.What is special about Beijing Book Building? A.It sells Chinese language learning books. B.It features the largest variety of books. C.It has many floors and sections. D.Its staff can communicate in English.
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26. 难度:中等 | |
The killdeer, a small bird known for its high-pitched(声调高的)call, could lead to the cancellation(取消) of one of Canada’ biggest music festivals. The first hint of trouble for Ottawa’s Bluesfest, an outdoor festival that draws around 300,000 people each year, came last week after workers at the site found one of the birds.It had laid four eggs nearby, effectively claiming the main stage area as its nesting ground.“This is one of the most challenging problems we’ve been presented with, but we feel we can work through this,” said Mark Monahan, executive director of the festival.“Anything that changes the schedule has a major effect, so we’re taking it very seriously.” The discovery meant that government officials rushed to protect the nest and the eggs, hiring a security guard to watch over them 24 hours a day. Environmentalists were also brought in.“We don’t know when the eggs might hatch,” said Monahan. What is known is that the young killdeer will likely leave the nest soon after they are hatched, leading many to hope that the eggs hatch in the next day or so. The festival is now seeking permission from Environment Canada to relocate(搬迁)the nest some 50 meters away or take it to a wildlife center.Moving the nest would also ensure the bird and its young would be protected during the festival’s 11-day run, said Monahan. It’s highly likely that the festival’s thousands of attendees would cause huge problems for the bird and its eggs.Monahan was confident that the festival would go on as planned, however.“Most of the people we’re working with are looking for a positive solution,” Monahan said.“There is no one saying that the festival can’t go on.” As news of the dilemma spread, it left residents divided. Some supported the bird, saying that moving the nest might result in the eggs being abandoned.Others expressed annoyance that protecting the eggs of the small bird, which is widespread across North America, was risking an annual festival that contributes millions of dollars to the local economy. The killdeer’s tendency to build its nest in open fields or flat areas has caused issues in other areas of the US: earlier this year, construction of a health center in Wisconsin was temporarily stopped after a killdeer and its four eggs were discovered. 1.What can we learn about Bluesfest? A.It is the first music festival in Canada. B.It is an important event for music lovers. C.It is a music festival held every two years. D.It is a challenging outdoor activity in Ottawa. 2.What was especially challenging for Bluesfest this year? A.Pressure from the government. B.Disagreements with the public. C.The need to protect the bird’s eggs. D.The lack of experience in hosting the event. 3.How did the festival plan to deal with the problem? A.Move the nest to another place. B.Ask government officials for help. C.Seek advice from environmentalists. D.Hire security guards to protect the eggs. 4.The underlined word “dilemma” is closest in meaning to “______”. A.a difficult situation B.an extreme situation C.a dangerous situation D.an encouraging situation
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27. 难度:中等 | |
Being highly successful in any field is pretty rare. It takes a combination of natural talent, luck, determination, and plenty of outside support for someone to make it big in sports, entertainment, or business. But what if competing is all that matters to you, whether you are likely to succeed or not? This was the goal of Michael Eddie the Eagle Edwards, and that he reached that goal was an amazing achievement. Born in the U.K. in 1963, Michael was an enthusiastic downhill skier whose dream was to compete for Britain in world-class competitions. He would have liked to represent his country in the 1984 Winter Olympics, but there were a large number of downhill competitors, and Edwards didn't qualify. Seeing his chance elsewhere, he switched to ski jumping. Ski jumping didn't cost nearly as much, and there was almost no competition for a place on the Britain team. But number of hurdles (障碍)could have meant the end of Edwards' dream. He weighed more than most competitors, which put him at a disadvantage. He had no financial support for his training. Poor eyesight meant that he had to wear glasses under his goggles (护目镜)- not a good thing when they steamed up at high altitudes. But he couldn't let any of this discourage him. He saw himself as a true lover of the sport who simply wanted the chance to compete. Winning wasn't the point. Having the opportunity to try was all he cared about. And nothing could stop him from trying. In the end, Edwards took 55th place in the 1987 World Championships. He then went on to the Calgary Olympics in 1988, where he finished last in both of his events. Many athletes would have been embarrassed by this result, but he is proud of his achievement to this day. His determination to fight against all the odds made him a global hero, and in 2016, the inspiring film Eddie the Eagle was made about his life. 1.What is the purpose of the first paragraph? A. To add some background information. B. To uncover the secret of success. C. To expect an answer from readers. D. To introduce the topic. 2.Why did Michael Edwards choose ski jumping? A. It took less skill. B. The equipment was cheaper. C. There was little competition. D. It was easy to win the championship. 3.After the Calgary Olympics, Edwards _________. A. felt he had reached his goal B. was embarrassed by his results C. switched to film making D. was glad it was over 4.What made Michael Edwards outstanding? A. His determination to win. B. His enthusiasm for the sport. C. His attitude towards the Olympics. D. His ability to overcome physical disabilities.
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28. 难度:简单 | |
Modern people are paying more attention to exercise and many celebrities are leading the trend, while in ancient China there were also many fitness lovers. Lu You: chosho As a noted productive poet, Lu You from the Song Dynasty wrote more than 20,000 poems in his lifetime. According to historical records, he lived to 85 years old, the longest living poet in the Song Dynasty. However, Lu You was weak as a child. During his later years, Lu You started the body building called chosho. Chosho was quite popular in ancient times, which was not roaring or whistling, but an elegant, serious and skillful health method. People opened their body, breathed in deep and then breathed out with a long and loud cry in rhyme. Su Dongpo: long run, five kilometers per day The great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, or Su Shi preferred to take long runs, and he thought that only by moving your body regularly could you have a strong body. He would slow down when he breathed hard, and speed up when his breath balanced. Su Dongpo would run until he was sweaty, hot, blood circulating and limbs feeling refreshed. Huyan Zan: cold bath There was an annual festival in November during the early Tang Dynasty (618-907)called "Pouring cold", where a group of strong men, nearly bare, sang and danced in the street while crowds poured cold water on them. The festival, a sacrifice to god, was thought to be helpful to body building. During the Song Dynasty, Huyan Zan recovered the tradition by removing the singing and dancing parts and keeping the pouring cold water part, as a way to exercise his kids' physical bodies. 1.What would Lu You do when doing chosho exercise? ______ A.Scream after opening his body. B.Make a long and loud roar. C.Whistle for a long time. D.Breathe deep and shout with a rhyme. 2.While Su Dongpo was running, he ______ . A.adjusted his running speed according to his breath B.kept running at a high speed all the way C.would run until his body was tired D.practiced Qigong during the course of running 3.Why did Huyan Zan have his kids do a cold bath? ______ A.To teach them the hardship of life. B.To honor his general-inherited family. C.To make them have a healthy body. D.To expect them to have a long life.
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29. 难度:中等 | |
Growing up in England with a British father and a Chinese mother, I've enjoyed food from both countries ever since I was able to hold a knife and fork and chopsticks! Mum has sweet memories of the food from her home town in Sichuan, and often cooks spicy dishes.Thanks to this, Dad has come to love hot pot! But there are still some dishes that Dad dare not try even after many years of marriage to my mother. Even today he still does not take to eating things like chicken feet. But I enjoy that sort of food myself. Last week, I went to the butcher's and asked, "Do you have pigs' ears?" "No," the butcher said, pulling at his own ears, "just these ordinary ones." He must have thought I was joking. Dad can cook a super "full English breakfast" of bacon, eggs, beans, sausages and toast with butter. Mum and I just have to find a way to get him into the kitchen! He also does a typical Sunday roast.We all love roast beef and vegetables. I'll never forget my first visit to China. Mum encouraged me to try different kinds of food. But just when I thought I could deal with all Chinese food, I came across stinky tofu, a horrible grey thing that looked and smelt like a burnt sports shoe. I gathered all my courage to take a bite and was amazed to find it wasn't so bad. It reminded me of blue cheese, a similarly strong smelling type of food you either love or hate. Maybe I'll fall in love with stinky tofu, someday. People say that one man's meat is another man's poison, but I feel at home with food from both my cultures. 1.What can we learn from this passage? ______ A.I have enjoyed the food from two cultures since a little child. B.Because of my Mum, Dad loves all kinds of Chinese food. C.We all like roast beef and vegetables except Mum. D.I have fallen in love with the stinky tofu now. 2.What kind of person did the butcher probably think the author was? ______ A.Generous. B.Mean. C.Humorous. D.Serious. 3.What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 probably mean? ______ A.Resist. B.Like. C.Allow. D.Mind. 4.What's the passage mainly about? ______ A.Comparing two different cultures. B.Trying some different foods. C.Different eating habits in China and Britain. D.The eating experiences of a mixed-race family.
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30. 难度:中等 | |
The development of a V-shaped fuel-efficient airplane design known as the Flying-V will be funded by Dutch national carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. To improve the sustainability (持续性) of air travel, the Flying-V was developed by researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, also known as TU Delft. Its futuristic design puts the passenger cabin into the wings. It's said the plane will use 20% less fuel than the Airbus A350-9-while carrying a similar number of passengers. "In recent years, KLM has developed as a pioneer in sustainability within its airline industry," said Pieter Elbers, CEO and president of KLM. "We are proud of our progressive relationship with TU Delft". "Air travel is contributing about 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions (排放物), and the industry is still growing, so we really need to look at more sustainable airplanes," said TU Delft project leader Roelof Vos. "We cannot electrify planes, as electrified airplanes become way too heavy and you can't fly people across the Atlantic on electric airplanes- not now, not in 30 years," Vos said. "So we have to come up with new technologies that reduce fuel burning in a different way." "We've been flying traditional airplanes for decades now, but it seems like they are reaching the limit in terms of energy efficiency," he said."The new design actively contributes to the lift of the airplane, and creates less air drag." The plane's increased fuel efficiency is largely a result of its design, Vos explained. The researchers hope to fly a model this September, Vos said, while the new cabin design will be open to the public at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in October. The completed plane is expected to enter service between 2040 and 2050. 1.What can we infer from the text? ______ A.Flying-V was developed by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. B.Researchers at TU Delft have raised enough money. C.20% of the passengers will sit in Flying-V's wings. D.KLM plays an important role in sustainability. 2.Why sustainable planes are needed? ______ A.To save electricity. B.To reduce global CO₂ emissions. C.To make air travel more affordable. D.To develop air industry. 3.How does the Flying-V save energy? ______ A.It's the V-shaped design that makes a big difference. B.The idea of electrified airplanes is applied to its development. C.It depends on a kind of more efficient fuel. D.Its futuristic design leads to a limited number of passengers. 4.What's the purpose of the text? ______ A.To instruct us the importance of environment protection. B.To inspire us to explore the unknown area of technology. C.To inform us of the fuel-efficient Flying-V. D.To appeal to us to raise fund for technology.
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31. 难度:中等 | |
Scientists think they have the answer to a puzzle that confused even Charles Darwin: How flowers evolved and spread to become the most important plants on earth. Flowering plants, or angiosperms (被子植物), make up about 90% of all living plant species,but how they did this has been a mystery. New research suggests it is due to genome (基因组) size. Hundreds of millions of years ago,the earth was dominated by ferns (蕨类)and conifers(针叶树) - they were the main plants on the earth. Then, about 150 million years ago, the first flowering plants appeared on earth. They quickly spread to all parts of the world. Why angiosperms were successful and diverse on earth has been debated for centuries.Charles Darwin himself called it a "mystery", fearing this apparent sudden change might challenge his theory of evolution. Kevin Simonin from San Francisco State University in California US and other researchers analyzed data held by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, on the genome size of hundreds of plants, including flowering plants, gymnosperms (a group of plants including conifers) and ferns. They then compared genome size with anatomical (结构上的) features. This provides "strong evidence" that the success and rapid spread of flowering plants around the world is due to "genome downsizing". By reducing the size of the genome, which is contained within the nucleus (核) of the cell, plants can build smaller cells. The researchers say genome-downsizing happened only in the angiosperms, and this was "a necessary condition for rapid growth rates among land plants". 1.What do we know about angiosperms? ______ A.They are superior in number among all living plant species. B.They controlled the earth for hundreds of millions of years. C.They challenge Charles Darwin's theory. D.They are extinct plants in the world. 2.It can be implied that ______ . A.Simonin works in the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew B.Simonin is probably an American biologist C.Darwin was confident of his theory of evolution D.Darwin succeeded in figuring out the flower evolution 3.What contributed to the success and diversity of angiosperms? ______ A.The weaker ferns and conifer. B.The larger nucleus. C.The stronger cell. D.The smaller genome. 4.What can be a suitable title of this passage? ______ A.Why were gymnosperms successful on earth? B.What puzzle confused even Charles Darwin? C.Why angiosperms dominated the earth? D.When angiosperms outnumbered conifers and Ferns?
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32. 难度:中等 | |
If you’ll be taking vacation time in the coming year and plan on flying, here are some shopping tips for you. Those who fly first class and don’t care what airline tickets cost are excused from this lesson. When to buy If you are shopping for domestic (国内的) flights, check prices on Tuesday afternoons. This is an old tip but still useful because most US carriers continue to release sales on Tuesday morning, and competitors quickly drop their fares to match the better deals. When to fly Weekdays continue to be generally cheaper times to fly than weekends for most flights. In the US, the cheapest days are typically Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. A good itinerary (Ðг̱í) for the expensive US spring break travel period is Tuesday to Saturday; it will save you money over weekend-to-weekend travel. Where to fly We continue to see good deals to Boston and Denver and more and more nice prices to Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C. As for Europe, there have been surprising deals throughout the fall and those will continue into the winter. Direct vs. connecting flights Compare the price of direct with connecting flights. Sometimes adding a stop to your route will save you money. An example: an Francisco to Raleigh/Durham: $553 direct, $362 one-stop. You’d better think twice about the direct flight for San Francisco to Raleigh. Compare, compare, compare Stifle the impulse to go to your favorite airline site to purchase tickets without doing any comparison. Example: Let’s say you want to fly from New York to London and figure your favorite US legacy carrier will get you there for the best price. Airline price: $554 round-trip. However, the comparison site also showed a cheaper flight from the same legacy carrier ($521). See what you’re missing when you fail to compare? 1.When can you possibly find the best price for flights within the US? A.On Monday morning. B.On Tuesday morning. C.On Tuesday afternoon. D.On Sunday morning. 2.What does the underlined phrase “stifle the impulse” in the last but one paragraph mean? A.Feel free to do something. B.Hold off on doing something. C.Get well prepared for something. D.Make quick decision on something. 3.Who is the text intended for? A.Those who usually choose first class for their flights. B.Those who want to find suggestions on where to fly. C.Those who are traveling during the spring break. D.Those who are looking for the best airline ticket prices.
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33. 难度:中等 | |
The snow was falling. The schools were over earlier than usual, but much to my surprise my appointment wasn’t canceled. And so I went, feeling especially heroic. Snow or no snow, I’d be on time for my scheduled donation at the local blood center. When I got there, I discovered four more “hero-types” were already there, with machines quietly collecting their lifesaving gifts. Seeing them made me believe that while I was proud to be there, I wasn’t a hero. And any silly heroic thoughts quickly disappeared as I lay back in my own donor chair and began my donation. I was ready to make a difference in the life of someone I’ d never meet. My wife Karen is a donor, too. She’s been on the bone marrow (骨髓) list for fifteen years, ever since she signed up to provide bone marrow to a child. That little girl died before Karen’s bone marrow could help her, but Karen was called again recently as it turned out she might be a match for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she’d still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. “Yes,” she said and then immediately began answering questions in preparation for the pages of paperwork to follow. It was a race against time. I wish I could say this race was won, but again it wasn’t. Last week Karen gave blood and next week I’ll make my usual donation. I’ll clear an afternoon from my schedule and call for an appointment. Whatever blood product they need whole, I’ll gladly give. I don’t know whose life my donation may affect, but it really doesn’t matter. And sadly, while so few among us actually take the time to donate, Karen and I always will. 1.What can be inferred about the author from the first paragraph? A.He is quite fond of taking risks. B.He is a man who always keeps his word. C.The snow almost ruined his appointment. D.He never thinks donating blood is a heroic deed. 2.What influence did other donors have on the author? A.They changed his attitude to himself. B.They helped him find joy in donating. C.They made him feel it a duty to donate. D.They strengthened his belief not to be a donor. 3.What does the passage say about Karen and her bone marrow donation? A.She has been found a match to nobody. B.She decided to join in it over 20 years ago. C.She fell in trouble when she came to paperwork. D.She has already met with two failures in donation. 4.Which of the following shows the author’s opinion? A.More people should have become donors. B.The donation itself should have been made easier. C.Receivers should have been introduced to donors. D.More blood products should have been developed.
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34. 难度:中等 | |
For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram. Not long ago, the 11-year-old girl discovered that her mom had been posting her photos for much of her life. “I’ve wanted to bring it up. It’s strange to see myself up there, and sometimes there are pictures I don’t like of myself,” she said. Like most other modern kids, Cara grew up under the influence of social media. Facebook, Twiter and YouTube were all founded before she was born. Instagram has been around since she was a toddler (学步儿童). While many kids may not yet have accounts themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams have been organizing an online presence for them since birth. It is a shock to know that details about their lives have been shared online without their permission or knowledge. And this has become a common experience for many teenagers. Recently a parenting blogger (博主)said that despite her 14-year-old daughter’s horror at discovering that her mother had shared years of highly personal stories and information about her online, she simply could not stop doing it. But it’s not just crazy mommy bloggers who share their children’s information on social media. Plenty of average parents do the same. There’s even a special word for it: sharenting (晒娃). Almost a quarter of children begin their digital lives when parents upload their prenatal sonogram scans (产前超声波扫描) to the Internet, according to a study conducted by the Internet-security firm AVG. The study also found that 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own unique digital identity. 1.How does Cara feel about her mom’s behavior? A.It’s supportive. B.It’s appropriate. C.It’s annoying. D.It’s favorable. 2.Who is most likely to share children’s information? A.A quarter of students. B.Some crazy doctors. C.Kids under the age of 2. D.Many ordinary parents. 3.What can we learn from Paragraph 4? A.Fathers don’t like to share their kids’ information on social media. B.25% of children begin their digital lives before they are born. C.The word “sharenting” can be found 10 years ago. D.AVG is the name of an internet company. 4.What can be a suitable title for the article? A.Growing up on the Internet B.A New Term Born C.Parents Addicted to Blogging D.The Children’s Horror
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35. 难度:中等 | |
We have heard some interesting ways that 5G wireless technology might change our lives in the future. 5G, short for the 5th generation mobile communication technology, promises Internet speeds between 50 to 100 times faster than current 4G systems. While 5G is set to be used in some limited areas of America this year, much of the world is not expected to receive widely available service until 2023. One project in Britain, however, is already testing this superfast technology on an unlikely group of Internet users-cows. The project was developed by American technology company Cisco Systems. It also receives money from the British government. Cisco says the program seeks to explore the future of 5G connectivity in rural areas around the world. Testing areas were set up at farms in three rural areas of England. The cows are equipped with 5G-connected devices (装置) that link up to a robotic milking system, which uses sensors and machine learning to fully automate the process. System designers say technology takes over after a cow feels ready to be milked and walks toward an automatic gate. The device is designed to recognize each individual cow. It then positions equipment to the right body position for milking. During the process, machines release food for the cow as a reward. Other 5G technology tools include automated brushes that turn on when the cow rubs up against them. Sensors also control the amount of light to the cows’ living areas depending on the weather. And, an automatic feeding system makes sure the animals always get enough to eat. Duncan Forbes, head of the project, told Reuters that the project shows the farm’s cow operations can be greatly improved with 5G technology and that the experiment provides strong evidence that 5G technology can be widely used in the future, not just on farms in Britain, but in rural communities across the world. 1.What is the purpose of Cisco Systems’ program? A.To win financial support from British government. B.To test the effects of 5G technology on animals C.To promote its technological development in Britain D.To expand the future use of 5G in rural communities. 2.What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 3 refer to? A.The project. B.The company. C.The technology. D.The group. 3.What can we learn about 5G according to the text? A.It is no worse than 4G in terms of speed. B.It is already widely available in the world. C.It enables cows to control their own milking. D.It is based on sensors and machine learning. 4.In which section of a newspaper may this text appear? A.Entertainment. B.Lifestyle. C.Education. D.Technology.
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36. 难度:简单 | |
Hands-on activities can enrich a trip by creating fond memories and instilling knowledge about the local culture through interactivity.In Japan,a wide range of activities are offered to tourists at single workshops,many open air museums,as well as craft villages across Japan. Fruit picking Typical duration:30 to 60 minutes Typical price range:800 to 3000 yen Many farms across Japan offer fruit picking opportunities to tourists.The common procedure is for the visitor to get charged for a certain time period during which he/she can pick and enjoy the fruits on the spot.Typical fruit available for this activity include strawberries,apples and grapes. Cheese/butter making Typical duration:40 to 60 minutes Typical price range:600 to 1000 yen Cheese and dairy products are commonly made in northern Japan,especially in Hokkaido.Some farms offer cheese and butter making workshops.Visitors usually learn how to make the product and consume it on the spot.The Furano Cheese Factory is one place that offers such workshops. Washi paper Typical duration:30 to 60 minutes Typical price range:500 to 1000 yen In many workshops,for example at one near Ainokura Village,tourists can experience how washi paper is made.At other establishments,such as the Kyoto Museum of Traditional Crafts and Takumi no Sato,it is possible to make crafts such as fans and lanterns using washi Paper. Tatami making Typical duration:About two hours Typical price range:500 to 1000 yen It's possible to try Tatami making at many places in Japan including Otaru and Hakone.Tatami mats are made of straw and measure roughly 180 cm×90 cm.Few establishments offer workshops whereby you can make a small piece of Tatami and take it home as a souvenir. 1.Which of the following activities takes the longest time? ______ A.Fruit picking. B.Cheese/butter making. C.Washi paper. D.Tatami making. 2.Where can visitors make dairy products? ______ A.In Hokkaido. B.Near Ainokura Village. C.In the Kyoto Museum. D.In Otaru and Hakone. 3.What can we infer about hands-on activities from the text? ______ A.Visitors can take part in the activities for free. B.People can take home the end products as souvenirs. C.They all involve actually doing a particular thing. D.They can offer people rich culture about their hometown.
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37. 难度:中等 | |
Recently,as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his high school team,I was starting to feel sorry for myself and for him.His team was facing adversity(逆境)on the court and he was playing in a hostile environment-it was the opponent's home gym filled with their supporters,and Nathan's team was trailing(落后)for three quarters of the game.As for me,I had been dismissed from my job earlier in the day. During my drive home,I kept telling myself that I will find work again in a short time-I am confident in my experience and abilities.This is the same belief that I tried to instill in my son. The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan's team still trailing.I saw the determination on his,as well as his teammates'faces as they fought back to not only tie the game(平局),but then go ahead by three points.Then,a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again.With a tie game and seconds on the clock,Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence,he proceeded to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him.The other player was called for a foul(犯规). As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points,I saw the focus and determination on his face,there was no room for self doubt.Nathan was able to tune out all the distractions and nail the free throw with such skill,it was as if he had done it a thousand times. As I sat there,my heart bursting with pride,it dawned on me.I had taught him perseverance in the face of adversity,and he had just taught me the same lesson.That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court.He will play in the finals,but it doesn't matter if he wins or loses,at this moment,we both won. 1.What did the author estimate his son's team would be like at first? ______ A.The team would lose at home court. B.The team would finally win. C.The team would win the championship. D.The team would lose at visiting court. 2.Which of the following words can best describe the author? ______ A.Self-doubting and pessimistic. B.Self-confident and optimistic. C.Hardworking and intelligent. D.Easy-going and warmhearted. 3.What does the underlined phrase"tune out"in Paragraph 4 mean? ______ A.Avoid B.Focus. C.Create D.Receive. 4.Which of the following is the best title for the text? ______ A.Life Goes Just Like Playing Basketball. B.It Matters Whether to Win or Lose. C.A Lesson in Life and Basketball. D.Father And Son in Life.
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38. 难度:中等 | |
'There's no place like home. 'This English saying has much truth in it:the best place to be is surrounded by our treasured possessions and our loved ones and with a roof over our head. And for many young adults, it's the only affordable place to stay; somewhere where they can receive first-class service from mum and dad. But this comes at a price! In some countries, it's quite traditional for people in their late teens and early 20s to live at home with their parents, but in other places, flying the nest to start their own independent life is very desirable. But there's been a growing trend, in the UK at least, for young people to return home to live-or not to leave home at all. A survey by a price comparison website found that 18% of adult children in the UK said they were moving back home because of debt, compared with 8% last year. More young people had lost their jobs, and others couldn't afford their rent compared with the previous year. So, it's easy to see why they're increasingly becoming home birds. The BBC's Lucy Hooker explains that many returning adult children enjoy home comforts. But for the 'hoteliers', that's mum and dad, the survey found the average cost to them has gone up sharply, and that they are sacrificing luxuries and holidays to look after their 'big kids'. Emma Craig from Money supermarket says " they're trying to look after their children more. If your child comes home and you see them struggling financially, you feel more awkward asking them for rent or to contribute. It tugs on your heartstrings more. " With parents splashing out around £1, 886 on takeaway food, buying new furniture and upgrading their Wi-Fi for the benefit of their offspring, it's easy for the returning children to put their feet up and make themselves at home. That's before they learn a home truth-that one day it might be their own kids who'll be checking into the hotel of mum and dad! 1.Which proverb might present the young British's living conditions? ______ A.A lazy youth, an awful age. B.East or west, home is best. C.Two heads are better than one. D.Nothing comes wrong to a hungry man. 2.Which might be the reason for the increase of home birds? ______ A.The popularity of living independently. B.Looking after their old parents. C.The increase of unemployment rate. D.Their parents' financial offer. 3.What's Emma Craig's attitude towards home birds? ______ A.Doubtful. B.Uncertain. C.Objective. D.Understandable. 4.What is the last paragraph mainly about? ______ A.Returning to live with parents comes at a price. B.Parents are willing to receive their returning children. C.Flying the net is becoming popular at present. D.Home birds take it for granted to live with their parents.
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39. 难度:中等 | |
A company called Compass Pools has some good news for height and swimming enthusiasts.Recently, the company announced their novel design-a first of its kind 360-degree pool which is set to be placed on a skyscraper in London.The Infinity London will be the first and only building in the world to include this cutting-edge pool design. The pool will be laid on top of a 55-story skyscraper and will allow people to float over 200 meters above the London skyline with unobstructed(无障碍)views of the city. The entrance to the pool is hidden.People began to raise questions about how anyone would get inside the pool. Compass Pools explains: "Swimmers will access the pool through a rotating spiral(螺旋)staircase based on the door of a submarine, rising from the pool floor when someone wants to get in or out." But that is not the only unique technology of the pool.The designers found a way to make sure the wind doesn't blow the water down to the streets.They included a built-in anemometer(风力计)to monitor the wind speed. It is linked to a computer-controlled building management system which will also take care of the temperature of the water. Alex Kemsley promises that this unique pool will surpass expectations."Swimming in the SkyPool at The Shard,it's quite a strange feeling to have helicopters flying past at your level but this pool takes it a step further," he says."Putting your goggles(防水镜)on and with a 360-degree view of London from 220m up, it really will be something else-but it's definitely not one for the acrophobic(恐高)!" While the exact date of the construction is not clear yet, if things go well, it may begin in 2020.The location has yet to be confirmed too. 1.What can we learn from the first paragraph? ______ A.The Infinity London is the only building to swim in. B.Swimmers can enjoy the views of London in the poo1. C.The pool is located on the first floor of a skyscraper. D.Compass Pools has built many 360-degree pools in the world. 2.What does the underlined word "that" in Paragraph 3 refer to? ______ A.The pool floor. B.A built-in anemometer. C.The door of a submarine. D.The entrance to the poo1. 3.Who might not be suitable to swim in the SkyPool? ______ A.People who enjoy flying. B.People who lose weight. C.People who fear heights. D.People who have poor sight. 4.What can we know about the SkyPool at The Shard? ______ A.It is not certain when people can swim in it. B.Its exact location of the construction is clear. C.Swimmers can expect its designs easily. D.It's impossible to monitor the temperature of the water.
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