| 1. 难度：简单 | |
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UNIQUE AND WEIRD NEW YEAR EVE TRADITIONS Germany In some parts of Germany, they do bleigiessen, or lead （铅）pouring. Pour a dollop（团）of molten lead in cold water and whatever shape forms may be telling about the year to come. A heart shape, naturally, means love will come your way. A crown predicts wealth and fortune. A star indicates happiness. But if you see a cross in the lead? You're as good as dead! Latin America If you're in Latin America, make sure you have some colorful underpants to ring in the new year. End — of — the — year partiers put on colorful underwear to ensure certain types of outcomes for the following year. Red for love and yellow for success. Naples, Italy Neapolitans like throwing things out of windows, at least on New Year's Eve. Furniture, kitchen machines, grandma. Well, maybe not the last one. Let's hope not, anyway. This tradition is meant to symbolize an out — with — the — old gesture and getting a brand new beginning for the new year. These days people are a bit more mindful about what they toss down to the street below. Spain In 1909, winegrowers in the Alicante region of Spain had a brilliant idea: start and promote an annual tradition that would involve people having to buy and eat more grapes. One must cat 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to encourage prosperity for the coining year. Now, it's u popular custom in Iberia. But the problem is that one has to cat a grape for each bell strike at midnight. 1.What does a cross shape mean? A.Love. B.Wealth. C.Happiness. D.Misfortune. 2.What's new about Neapolitans' tradition? A.They hate using furniture. B.They throw their grandma out of windows. C.They are more careful about what to throw. D.They like making gestures in front of the window. 3.Which country has the tradition of eating grapes? A.Germany. B.Brazil. C.Italy. D.Spain.
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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Russ Fee was asleep inside his tent last summer in Canada's Banff National Park when a series of screams shocked him awake. Throwing on his shoes and grabbing a lantern his wife had handed him, he ran out to investigate. Despite the darkness, he could make out a neighboring tent. Backing out was a wolf, dragging something in his teeth—a man. Moments earlier, Elisa and Matt, were asleep with their two young children when the wolf tore into their tent. "It was like something out of a horror movie," Elisa recalled. For three minutes, Matt threw his body in front of Elisa and the boys and fought against the wolf. At one point, Matt got the upper hand, but the wolf turned the tables and dragged Matt outside while Elisa was pulling on his legs trying to get him back. It was then that Russ Fee entered the picture. He ran at the beast, kicking it in the hip. The wolf dropped Matt and emerged from the tent. Fee felt like he had hit someone that was way out of his weight class. Before the wolf could turn its anger on Fee, Matt, his arms bloodied, restarted the battle. The men threw at the wolf with rocks, forcing it back. Then the families fled to the shelter of the Fees, minivan and called an ambulance. "Attacks are so rare that a person here has a greater chance of being killed by a dog, lightning, a bee sting, or a car collision with a deer than being injured by a wolf" said Matt. Fee did think about drawing back, if less heroic, during the heat of battle. The moment the wolf locked eyes with him, Fee said, "I immediately regretted kicking it." 1.What were the two families doing in the park? A.They were making a horror movie. B.They were camping in the wild. C.They were studying wolves. D.They were investigating the park. 2.How did Matt escape from the wolf? A.By Fee's kicking the wolf from behind. B.By turning the table on the wolf. C.By placing his hand tightly on the wolf. D.By his wife's pulling his legs. 3.What can be inferred from Paragraph 5? A.Many deer are killed by vehicles. B.Dogs are people's friends in need. C.Wolves seldom attack people there. D.People are often attacked by wolves. 4.Which word can best describe Fee in the story? A.Brave. B.Responsible. C.Indifferent. D.Clever.
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| 3. 难度：困难 | |
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If you're one of the millions of those who use escalators each year, you are probably deeply familiar with the vertical grooves（竖凹槽）that cover each stair. Few of us have stopped to consider why they exist, though. In fact, it's one of the everyday things we take for granted.
But it is a little complicating when you think about it. Sure, the deep, grey lines make an escalator's metal stairs more appealing to the eye. But regular stairs don't have grooves like these; why do escalators need them? Is it because of the movement? It turns out those grooves serve a more functional purpose. And, yes, it does have to do with the movement, as well as with general cleanliness! Anyone who has ridden an escalator knows that the steps everlastingly circulate from the top to the bottom. You've surely noticed the ridged yellow lip at the top of the escalator. But here's what you may not have noticed: As an escalator's steps flatten, this ridge—also called the comb plate—sweeps away any trash or litter that might have fallen on the stairs. Those grooves lock the step and comb plate together, which makes it harder for any dangerous materials to slide underneath the lip. This prevents foreign objects from getting stuck in that gap, potentially causing the escalator to stop, or worse, break down completely. That's not the only reason why the grooves were created, though. They are also a good place for water to pool together, protecting you from a bad fall on the slick surface. So the next time you step on an escalator, take a moment to appreciate those metal grooves. They exist to make sure you get to your office meeting on time. 1.What are the first two paragraphs trying to say? A.Millions of people use escalators every year. B.Few people think much about the grooves. C.Escalators are complicated machines. D.Grooves make the stairs look better. 2.The ridge is mainly designed to____ A.clean off dangerous objects. B. keep the stairs in movement. C.flatten the steps. D.lock the steps. 3.What does the underlined word "slick” mean in Paragraph 4? A.Smooth. B.Sticky. C.Steep. D.Slippery. 4.What's the passage mainly about? A.The importance of escalators. B.The reasons for grooves on stairs. C.The look of grooves in escalators. D.The safe ways of riding escalators.
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| 4. 难度：困难 | |
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Over a million children have developed some form of intellectual （智力） disability over the past two decades after being exposed to chemicals including flame retardants, pesticides, lead, and mercury, a study has revealed. The study focused on the four chemicals, which can be crossed from a mother to her unborn baby through the placenta（胎盘）and cause neurodevelopmental damage. The researchers looked at data from past studies, including blood samples taken from women of childbearing age and 5-year-olds. Over the period, flame retardants, resulted in 738,860 cases of intellectual disability and an estimated 162 million lost IQ （智商）points, followed by lead at 330,684 cases, pesticides at 111,830, and mercury at 8,860. In recent years, pesticides and flame retardants have overtaken lead and mercury as the chemicals responsible for the biggest loss of IQ among children. The researchers believe this is due to regulations cutting down the use of these chemicals. For instance, lead has been banned from gasoline, paint and drinking water systems in the U.S. and plants are not allowed to pump out mercury. The researchers acknowledged limitations to their study, including that the exposure-response relationships might not relate to all populations. Positively, they found a huge drop in the estimated loss of IQ points among children. Lead researcher Abigail Gaylord, commented: "Our findings suggest that our efforts to reduce exposure to heavy metals are paying off, but that harmful exposures in general continue to represent a terrible risk to people's physical, mental, and economic health. "Unfortunately, the minimal policies in place to remove pesticides and flame retardants are clearly not enough," she said. She also added. Frequently opening windows to let persistent chemicals found in furniture electronics, and carpeting escape, and eating certified organic produce can educe exposure to these harmful things" 1.Which contributes most to the loss of children's IQ? A.Flame retardants. B.Pesticide. C.Lead. D.Mercury. 2.Where does the passage probably come from? A.A school report. B.A science fiction. C.A scientific research. D.A chemistry book. 3.What is the drawback of the research mentioned? A.It has received bad response from all populations. B.It has no previous information to refer to. C.It covers only part of the population. D.It is not supported by government policies. 4.What's the best title for this passage? A.Four chemicals harming children. B.Regulations cutting down the use of heavy metals. C.Environment risking people's physical and mental health. D.Children IQ lowered by exposure to harmful chemicals.
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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For many, holiday celebrations mean large meals shared with family and friends, but such feasts can generate huge amounts of food waste, harming the environment and overusing natural resources—unless mindful merrymakers take steps to control the amount. 1. Be mindful of what you already have Try keeping food in glass jars. Using this method, you can make all the food in your kitchen visible, easily remembered and consumed. 2.. Nothing gets lost in the back of a shelf. 3. Stick to a planned holiday menu before heading to the grocery store. A clear idea of who will be gathered and exactly how much food to prepare will save a lot of tossing out later. Be mindful not just of how much to purchase, but the items themselves. Use leftovers wisely It may be impossible to get everyone into the clean plate club. 4. Freeze and repurpose leftovers by using them as basic ingredients for other recipes or send extras home with guests. Keep track of the scraps（残羹） Along with turkey bones, use holiday scraps such as vegetables, meat and fish bones to make soup. For pet-safe dishes, allow your dog to clean plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Consider composting（堆肥） 5. . These materials can be composted, which will keep them out of landfills, where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. A.Shop smart B.Plan a menu C.That doesn't mean leftover food has to go waste D.Some of your family or guests may not like the food E.Following are some tips on reducing food waste during holidays F.Organize your dry food on one row and use refrigerator drawers G.Food scraps and yard waste make up more than 28 percent of waste
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| 6. 难度：困难 | |
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The first time I went hunting wild geese with my father, I couldn't catch them no matter how hard I tried. Every time I tried to approach them, _______ the wild geese started flying away before I could get close. It _______ me a lot and I turned to my father for help. Hearing my trouble, my father _______ at a wild goose standing at the highest point and said, “That wild goose is a sentry （哨兵）,which we call the wild goose _______ . It will give an alarm to the other wild geese as long as it finds something _______ . “That's _________it is so hard for you to catch them. Listen, boy! Go and _______ the slave on purpose now, and then hide there motionless." Not quite understanding why, I _______ to have a try. I picked up a piece of stone from the ground and threw it at the slave. As _______ , it gave an alarm to its companions __________ . The wild geese resting there fled in all __________ , but they flew back soon when they found nothing happened. I followed my father's instructions to repeat this __________ for a few times. ____________, a few wild geese thinking they were fooled started __________ the slave. Repeatedly, almost all the wild geese thought the slave gave false __________ and began to attack the slave. The poor slave was pecked （啄）all over with cuts and scratches. "You can approach the geese now," __________ my father. So I got close to the wild geese again. The slave saw me, but it took no __________this time. Maybe it was just __________ caring. __________, I raised my gun and got a good harvest. The tragedy often occurs in this ____________: the loyal are misunderstood while the misunderstood cannot stick out. 1.A.somehow B.anyway C.somewhat D.anyhow 2.A.surprised B.touched C.annoyed D.entertained 3.A.aimed B.laughed C.stared D.pointed 4.A.father B.soldier C.slave D.leader 5.A.unlucky B.unusual C.informal D.incorrect 6.A.when B.how C.why D.where 7.A.start B.beg C.kill D.watch 8.A.refused B.offered C.pretended D.decided 9.A.suggested B.expected C.reported D.whispered 10.A.suddenly B.immediately C.carefully D.angrily 11.A.directions B.forms C.methods D.shapes 12.A.trick B.word C.plan D.idea 13.A.Actually B.Finally C.Obviously D.Especially 14.A.blaming B.teasing C.hating D.attacking 15.A.meaning B.shouting C.warning D.feeling 16.A.answered B.explained C.repeated D.reminded 17.A.courage B.notes C.action D.pictures 18.A.busy with B.tired of C.angry at D.used to 19.A.Hopeless B.Careless C.Heartless D.Speechless 20.A.way B.order C.time D.situation
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| 7. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读下而材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确 形式。 Do you love those shoes but can't decide whether to buy the brown 1. the blue? In the near future, you may not have to decide. A new technology from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSALL) uses reprogrammable ink 2. (change) the color of ordinary objects. The system, named "PhotoChromeleon", uses special dyes that change color when 3. (expose) to UV light. "This special type of dye will 4. (able) a very large number of options that could improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce overall waste," 5. (say) CSAIL postdoctoral researcher Yuhua Jin. "Users could personalize their belongings and appearance on a daily basis, 6. the need to buy the same object multiple times in different colors and styles." Past projects 7. (involve) reversible color-change technology have only been able to go from transparent to one color and back again. PhotoChromeleon is unique because it can change between 8. (color). "It's interesting, and it's a cool idea," says Warren Jasper, a professor of textile engineering of the MIT research. "But for it to become commercially workable, the researchers will need to deal with how to keep the colors from 9. (fade) in the sun. And if they want to scale up, they'll also need to find 10. more environmentally friendly way to get rid of the waste."
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| 8. 难度：中等 | |
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作 文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的 噌加、删除或修改。 增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。 删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。 修改：在错的词下划-横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。 注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限—词； 2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。 I’ve always been fond in collecting stamps since I was a child. As far as I'm concerned, collecting stamps is a meaningful hobby, help me to learn a lot of. Besides, dealing with my collection of stamps not only gives me great satisfactions but also helps relax yourself under the great pressure of studies. What's more, I even earned money by selling stamps and my collection will be more valuable as time goes by. Therefore, my parents are strongly against it. They consider it waste of money and they also think that sorting out my stamps may take up too much of my time, that should be spent on my studies. What can I talk them into supporting my hobby?
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| 9. 难度：困难 | |
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今年寒假后各校都未能如期开学，宅家网上学习（learning at home online） 是大家的共同记忆。假如你叫李华，你的美国朋友David也将开始宅家学习，想 分享你这段经历，请电邮告知，主要内容是： 1.上网课的优点； 2.上网课的弊端； 3.你的感悟。 注意：1.词数100左右。首尾已给出，不计入总词数； 2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Hello, David! It's sad to know that you'll have to have classes at home. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Best wishes! Yours, Li Hua
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