Vinegar is great. It makes salad, fries and dumplings taste better, and you can even clean your windows with it. And now, according to scientists, it may even help the planet’s population survive climate change.
Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have found that growing plants in vinegar makes them more resistant to droughts. This could mean that in the future, worries about climate change affecting the world’s supply of food will be much lower.
The discovery was made after the researchers studied the Arabidopsis, a plant known for its ability to survive in dry weather. It was found that when the plant was placed in drought-like conditions, it produced a chemical called acetate(醋酸盐)—the main component of vinegar.
After discovering this, the scientists experimented further by adding acetate to the soil of other plants, and they stopped giving them water completely. After leaving the plants for 14 days, they found that the ones treated with acetate had survived, while the untreated plants had dried up and died. It’s hoped that this simple method of survival could soon be used to help farmers in dry countries keep their crops alive.
Jong Myong Kim, co-author of the study, tells Popular Science magazine that he’s already been in touch with people all over the world who are interested in trying this simple and cost-effective method out for themselves from flower growing companies to amateur gardeners. Although at this point keeping thirsty plants alive isn’t as easy as just pouring vinegar over them, Kim says he and his team are working on making the process as simple as possible. “Now we are trying to cooperate with some farmers, and also some companies, to make a method to apply this system,” he says.
And for those of us who always forget to ask our neighbors to water our plants when we go away, hopefully this means the end of returning home from a trip to find our favorite flowers have died.
1.What is mentioned as a feature of the Arabidopsis?
A. It produces acetate in wet conditions. B. It is mainly composed of acetate.
C. It can survive in nowhere but desert. D. It can be tolerant of drought.
2.The scientists experimented further by adding acetate to the soil of other plants to _______.
A. find a simple way of keeping the crops of farmers alive
B. add acetate to the soil of other plants to stop watering
C. check the effectiveness of the acetate to resist drought
D. treat the dried-up plants by adding acetate to them
3.What is the author’s attitude to the discovery?
A. Objective. B. Unsupportive.
C. Indifferent. D. Optimistic.
4.What does the text mainly tell the readers?
A. Vinegar May End Hunger B. Vinegar Keeps Plants Living Forever
C. How to Survive Climate Change D. Plants Need Water
A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself： I volunteered, got involved in various clubs, and graduated with honors. I was so excited to start a new chapter(篇章)of my life. I had totally packed two weeks before it was time to leave.
Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn't like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep. I was so homesick and I didn't know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a ton of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn't think how lonely I felt.
Soon after, I began to limit food，and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution for my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.
How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A's. That's why I want to share my story－to help other students feel less lonely.
1.How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?
A.She was as normal as before.
B.She couldn't wait to leave for the college.
C.She was afraid to leave her home.
D.She didn't enjoy her mother's company.
2.What is the author's problem at the beginning of studying in the university?
A.Her weight. B.Her bad study habit.
C.Her diet. D.Her homesickness.
3.Which can best replace the underlined phrase "distract myself" in paragraph 2?
A.achieve my dream B.improve my studies
C.take my attention away D.earn money by myself
4.What is the main purpose of the author's writing the passage?
A.To look back at her past life. B.To help girls to lose weight.
C.To increase her own confidence. D.To help lonely college students.
From American Express, wedding guests will, on average, spend﹩673 on each wedding they attend this year. It includes airfare (﹩225), hotel (﹩170), dining out (﹩116)and dressing up (﹩95) and the gift. If you have weddings to attend this year, here are some tips for you to avoid breaking the bank．
1. Book flights in advance
The moment you decide to attend a wedding is the time to check flight prices at the best time. Plane fares are higher in the summer, especially in July and August. Booking in advance will save you money, as will watch for sales on lower-cost carriers like JetBlue and Frontier. You can check Google Flights for a calendar of prices showing the cheapest days to fly from apps like Hopper to get rea-time alerts when a fare is at its lowest price point．
2. Don't blow your budget on the gift
If you've got the money, an expensive gift is lovely. But there's no need to take out loans to prove your love for the happy couple. Skip an expensive necklace by giving (an appropriate amount of) cash instead. To save on the gift, consider making one: A photo album or scrapbook of memories with the bride and groom shows how much you care. You could also share the gift with other guest(s) or even make gifts with DIY ideas by yourself to save money．
3. Use old dresses and suits
You don't always have to be on a new dress for a wedding. While men have the option of repeating their suits, women are more likely to spend money on new clothes for the special occasion. But before you take out your wallet, consider reinventing something already in your closet. Belts, colorful scarves, shoes can bring life to any outfit.
1.How much does a wedding guest spend on the gift on average?
A.﹩673 B.﹩225
C.﹩67 D.﹩95
2.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.People always wear their new clothes at the wedding.
B.Men are more likely to wear new clothes to attend a wedding.
C.It saves you money to creatively wear old clothes.
D.Ladies tend to wear their favorite suits for a wedding.
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To help people save money while holding their weddings.
B.To give some tips on saving money to attend a wedding.
C.To introduce general expenses of attending a wedding.
D.To state some aspects to be considered while holding weddings.
Many students ask for advice about improving their English. There are three basic questions.
The first question is about real English. Li Hao from Hubei wrote, “I enjoy watching English films and listening to real English songs. But it takes along time. What do you think?”
This is a great way to learn English! Talk about the film or song with your friends, and guess the meaning of the new words. Just enjoy yourself!
The second question is about speaking. Sam, form Suzhou wrote, “Our school has a foreign teacher. But I’m shy and can’t speak to her. What should I do?”
When I visit China, lots of people in the street say, “Hello! How are you? Where are you from? Do you like China?” These are good questions to start a conversation. Many people are shy when they speak English, so before you begin, takes deep breath and smile! Smiling always helps.
The third question is about vocabulary. Oliver, from Anhui wrote, “I want to remember all the new words. I write them down, but I forget them quickly. What should I do?” Try to remember eight or ten words a day. Write them on pieces of paper and place them in your bedroom. Say the words when you see them, and change them every day. And when you’re shopping, how about counting the English words, or saying the English names for everything you see?
1.How many basic questions do the students often ask?
A.Two. B.Three. C.Four. D.Five.
2.What should you do if you are shy to speak English?
A.Watch English films. B.Write down the words first.
C.Listen to real English songs. D.Take a deep breath and smile before you begin.
3.What is Oliver’s problem?
A.He’s too shy to talk with others. B.He’s not able to count English words.
C.He can’t remember new words. D.He doesn’t know what real English.
4.What’s the best title of this passage?
A.How to learn English. B.Talking about English films.
C.Advice about English writing. D.The way of beginning an English conversation.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
A light knock on the door brought me from my kitchen. Because we had just moved into the neighbourhood, I couldn’t imagine who it would be. Opening the door, an old man stood there, who was dressed in dirty clothing and wearing dirty rubber boots. His hand hung a plastic bag.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Would you like to buy some fresh garden vegetables?” His blue eyes were hopeful.
“Are they from your garden?” I looked inside his plastic bag and saw some carrots with soil.
“Yes,” His voice was soft. “And I can get some apples from a tree in my yard. Would you like some of those, too?”
My heart softened, and I wondered if he is badly in need of the bit of money. With a sigh, I said, “Please step inside and I’ll get my money.”
The next day, he knocked at our door again. This time, my little four-year-old daughter got there first. “Oh, hello. Would you like to come in for tea?" Without a second thought, the old man stepped inside and held out a broken basket with several bruised (擦伤的)apples. “From my tree,” he said, removing a worn cap. “You might like to make a pie. ”
The three of us sat at the kitchen table and drank our tea. It was obvious that my daughter liked hosting a visitor in her never-ending questions. “What is your name? Where do you live? Why are your clothes so dirty?”
The homeless-looking man laughed as he answered each question. His name was Mr. Locket and he lived around the corner. His wife had passed away several years before, and his children all lived far away. He was lonely. His need for company had sent him door to door selling fruit and vegetables. Ours was the only door opened to him that day.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3.续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已经为你写好；
4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
When he finished the tea, he said he had to go home and promised to return the next day.
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Paragraph 2：
Several years later, a small envelope was delivered to our home—a letter from the old mans daughter.
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假定你是李华，你校将组织在校师生本周六去游乐场(amusement park)游玩。请写封邮件邀请外教Bryan同去，内容包括：
1.出发时间、地点；
2.游玩的项目(划船、骑车、喂鱼等)；
3.表达期待。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Bryan,
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Yours,
Li Hua
