The discussion on renewable energy has been going on for at least a decade and people have relied on fossil fuels almost entirely for more than a century. However, the situation when fossil fuels were the most efficient and the cheapest source of energy has been left far in the past. Many countries such as Germany and Sweden have already made significant efforts to fix this situation, employing numerous power plants working on the renewable resources of energy. The most effective among these resources is geothermal（地热的）energy.
Geothermal energy does not depend on the world’s economic and political situation as strongly as fossil fuels do. Besides, extracting（提炼）fossil fuels adds to the price of energy produced from them. Therefore, geothermal energy is much cheaper than traditional ones, saving up to 80% of the costs over fossil fuels.
Being a renewable resource, geothermal energy produces less waste and pollution than traditional energy sources. In geothermal systems, carbon dioxide makes up about 10% of air produced. Overall, in order to produce the electricity that can be used for one hour, the geothermal systems produce 0.1 pound of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. For a comparison, a power plant producing from gas produces up to 2 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and those power plants that work on coal（煤）produce an astonishing 3.6 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Low costs is another reason why using geothermal power plants should be the first choice for many countries. Geothermal heat systems require 25% to 50% less energy for work compared with the traditional systems for heating or cooling. Besides, geothermal equipment is less big: due to the very nature of geothermal energy, geothermal power plants have only a few moving parts, all of which can be easily sheltered inside a relatively small building. What’s more, the life span of geothermal equipment is rather long. All these make geothermal power stations easy to build and keep.
1.Fossil fuels are more expensive than geothermal energy partly because _______.
A. it is free to use geothermal energy
B. the production of fossil fuels costs a lot
C. fossil fuels are nearly used up
D. geothermal energy doesn’t depend on political situation
2.According to Paragraph 3, what can be concluded from the comparison?
A. Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly.
B. Gas and coal are often used to produce electricity.
C. Coal is much more efficient than gas.
D. The geothermal systems don’t produce harmful gases.
3.Geothermal equipment is usually not as big as that of traditional energy because of______.
A. the life span of geothermal equipment
B. geothermal power plants
C. the nature of geothermal energy
D. the small buildings
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Many countries have benefited from geothermal energy.
B. Geothermal energy is well accepted.
C. Fossil fuels are being run out of.
D. Geothermal energy has many advantages.
On the morning of May 20, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. took off from a muddy airfield in New York and headed for Paris. During the first fourteen hours of flying, he had had some anxious moments. Sleet had gathered on the wings of the plane and the fog was so thick that he could hardly see the tips of the wings. However, he had come across equally dangerous flying conditions before. Of course, now that he was over the ocean, his parachute（降落伞）was useless. He had only one choice: he had to go on.
Although he had waited a long time to make this trip, he did not feel strange or nervous. He was accustomed to flying alone, and he had flown this route in his imagination many times. The idea of flying across the Atlantic had occurred to him one night when he had been carrying the mail between St. Louis and Chicago. That night, he told himself that a solo non-stop flight between New York and Paris was possible. He knew that airplanes capable of making the long flight over the ocean could be built. A man of skill and endurance could make his dream come true.
As he was recalling that night, he reduced the altitude of the plane. Close to the surface of the ocean, he found that the ice on the wings began to melt and the fog disappeared. For the time being, at least, he was safe. The steady sound of the motor seemed like music in his ears. He had perfect confidence in his plane because he knew that there was not a more dependable plane than his. The Ryan Aircraft Company had constructed the plane to meet his special needs. He had worked with the chief engineer of the company, Donald Hall, to produce the airplane as rapidly as possible. Although Hall had worked with the basic design of the Ryan airplane, he had had to make many modifications. As a result, it was a very special airplane. He had named it “The Spirit of St. Louis,” in honour of the St. Louis businessmen whose financial backing had made the trip possible. Besides their money, he had invested all of his own savings, which came to two thousand dollars, in the venture.
At 12 :10 on the afternoon of May 21, Lindbergh caught sight of the coast of Ireland. Now that the flight was almost over, he began to relax a little. Finally, after thirty-four hours in the air without sleep, he arrived at Le Bourget Field, in Paris.
1.According to Paragraph 2, Lindbergh Jr. didn’t feel nervous about the flight because of the following reasons EXCEPT that _________.
A. he was used to flying alone
B. he had waited a long time for the trip
C. he had imagined flying the route many times
D. his plane was specially designed
2.What can we infer from Paragraph 3?
A. The pilot listened to music as he reduced the altitude of the plane.
B. The trip was made possible thanks to the financial support from some businessmen.
C. The plane got its name in memory of a non-stop trip.
D. The chief engineer designed the airplane independently to meet the pilot’s needs.
3.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. beautiful decorations B. regular repairs
C. small changes D. careful arrangements
4.Which of the following would be the best title?
A. Wings Across the Atlantic
B. A Solo Non-stop Flight of 24 Hours
C. The Spirit of St. Louis
D. An Outstanding Pilot—Charles A. Lindbergh Jr.
China now has 52 sites included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which was established to safeguard unique and irreplaceable cultural and natural sites around the world. Let’s have a look at some of them, which may give you some clues on your next travel plan.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is located in Lintong county, near Xi’an city, capital of Shaanxi province. A total of 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors, chariots and horses, and hundreds of bronze weapons have been unearthed from it. Many state leaders and experts worldwide believe that the discovery of the mausoleum is a major archeological find and can be called the eighth wonder of the world, paralleling Egypt’s pyramids.
Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement
Gulangyu Island, known in the local dialect as Kulangsu, is located on the entry of the Jiulong River, facing the city of Xiamen. The island was occupied by at least a dozen countries, including Great Britain, France and Japan. As a result, Western culture grew rapidly there in the 19th century, especially music. With such a harmonious blend of Western music and Eastern culture, Gulangyu is naturally referred to as the “island of music”. It is famous for its outstanding musicians and musical instruments.
Qinghai Hoh Xil
Hoh Xil, which means “beautiful girl” in Mongolian, is located in the north-eastern end of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve is China’s largest and the world’s third largest uninhabited area. Because of the high altitude and fierce weather, it is impossible for people to live there, and therefore, it is a paradise for wildlife and home to more than 230 species of wild animals including endangered species such as the Tibetan antelope, which is recognized as the National Class I Protected animal.
Huangshan Mountain
Huangshan, known as “the loveliest mountain of China”, lies in the south of Anhui province in eastern China. The scenic area covers 154 sq km, and is famous for its peaks, rocks, pines, clouds and springs. It also has a rich cultural heritage. Xu Xiake, a famous traveler of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), visited Huangshan twice, and described it in a poem, calling it the best of all mountains in China. Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters and photographers.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A. Qinghai Hoh Xil is the largest uninhabited area in the world.
B. Kulangsu was occupied for not less than a dozen years.
C. Mausoleum is located in the capital city of Shaanxi province.
D. Huangshan Mountain is well known for its magnificent scenery.
2.Why is Qinghai Hoh Xil a paradise for wildlife living there?
A. Because endangered species are well protected there.
B. Because it is large in size with beautiful scenery.
C. Because it is located on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
D. Because tough weather and environment make no people live there.
3.Where does the passage most probably come from?
A. A travel guidebook B. An entertainment magazine
C. A science fiction D. A history textbook
假如你是李华。来自澳大利亚的交换生Kenton首次离家来中国读书，因生活上和语言交流上有困难，他萌生了回家的念头。不知如何是好的他在某网站上发帖求助，请你据此给他回帖。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Kenton,
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I am looking forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
The problem of “white pollution” was caused by using plastic is becoming increasingly serious, on which plastic shopping bags play an important role. In China, about three billions plastic shopping bags are consumed every day, that results in a great waste of resources and heavy environmental pollution. Lucky, the government has put a nationwide ban on the use of free plastic bags, demand that no stores or supermarkets should provide customers with free plastic bags. The rule will undoubtedly reduce use of plastic bags or promote the awareness of environmental protection. It was highly suggested that everyone turns to cloth bags and shopping baskets.
This summer I travelled from noisy Beijing to Wuzhen, a beautiful village in Zhejiang Province. Unfolded before me was 1. unique image of this water country—the stone bridge and the water flowing, all like fairy tales to me.
However,2. impressed me most was not the natural scenery but the scene of a grandma bathing a little baby in a wooden basin with the door open. My friends couldn’t help 3.(take) pictures of them. To my surprise, the grandma smiled and waved at us. All of a sudden, my heart was filled with 4. (warm).
I shared the photo and my 5. (forget) experience with my friends. They were 6.(simple) moved as I was, but at the same time they reminded me of the unpleasant experiences in big cities. We feel embarrassed to see people quarreling in public because they 7. (step) on accidentally by strangers.
According to a recent survey 8. (make) in November 2016: 45 percent of the residents don’t know the names of their neighbors; 63 percent have never devoted 9. (they) to talking to their neighbors; 67 percent think that the relationship between them and their neighbors is just so-so, or even bad.
Wouldn’t it be beautiful to say hello to our neighbors who just came back 10. work give them a smile?
