Fever, coughing, sore throat… most of us at one time or another have had these symptoms. What causes them? In fact, many diseases are caused by viruses, including some deadly ones like AIDS, SARS and COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus pneumonia, outbreak in China.
What are viruses? How can viruses cause so much trouble? Viruses are very small particles (颗粒) which are about one millionth of an inch long. Unlike human cells or bacteria, viruses aren’t living organisms- they can't reproduce on their own. Instead, they invade the cells of living organisms to reproduce, spread and take over.
Virus can infect every living thing- from plants and animal down to the smallest bacteria. For this reason, they are always a potential danger to humans. Viruses lie around our environment all of the time, waiting for a host cell to come along. They can enter our bodies by the nose, mouth, eyes or breaks in the skin. Once inside, they try to find a host cell to infect. For example, HIV, which causes AIDS, attacks the T-cells of the immune system.
But the basic question is, where did viruses first come from? Until now, no clear explanation for their origin exists. "Tracing the origins of viruses is difficult, "Ed Rybicki, a scientist at the university of Cape Town in South Africa, told Scientific American, "because viruses don' t leave fossils and because of the tricks they use to make copies of themselves within the cells they've invaded.”
However, there are three main theories to explain the origin of viruses. First, viruses started as dependent organisms, then became parasites(寄生者)。Second, viruses evolved from pieces of DNA or RNA that "escaped" .from larger organisms. Third, viruses co-evolved with their host cells, which means they existed alongside these cells.
For the time being, these are only theories. The technology and evidence we have today cannot be used to test these theories and identify the most reasonable explanation. Continuing studies may provide us with clearer answers or future studies may find that the answer is even more mysterious than it now appears.
1.What can we learn about viruses from the text?
A.Viruses are really small living organisms.
B.Viruses have nothing to do with the common cold.
C.Viruses can't reproduce unless they find a host cell.
D.Viruses enter our bodies mainly through our mouths, noses and hair.
2.Why are viruses always a potential danger to humans?
A.TH most infect all the living things around us.
B.They prefer evolving with the cells in our body.
C.They can copy human's DNA and evolve successfully.
D.They can enter our body far more easily than other living things.
3.Which of the following might explain the origin of viruses?
A.They evolved from the DNA of animals.
B.They evolved along with their host cells.
C.They evolved from the fossils of large organisms.
D.They evolved from parasites to independent organisms.
4.What can we conclude from the last paragraph?
A.The author is confident about future virus research.
B.Viruses will become more like bacteria as they evolve.
C.Viruses live longer in human host cells than in animals.
D.It may take a long time to understand the origin of viruses.
“What kind of rubbish are you?” This question might normally cause anger, but in Shanghai it has brought about complains over the past week. On July 1st, the city introduced strict trash-sorting regulations(垃圾分类制度) that are expected to be used as a model for our country. Residents must divide their waste into four separate categories and throw it into specific public bins at scheduled times.
Violators(违规者) face the possibility of fines and worse. They could be hit with fines of up to 200 yuan($29)。 For repeat violators, the city can add black marks to their credit records, making it harder for them to obtain bank loans or even buy train tickets.
Shanghai authorities are responding to an obvious environmental problem. It generates 9 million tons of garbage a year, more than London's annual output and rising quickly. But like other cities in China, it lacks a recycling system. Instead, it has relied on trash pickers to examine carefully through the waste, plucking out whatever can be reused. This has limits. As people get wealthier, fewer of them want to do such dirty work. The waste, meanwhile, just keeps piling up.
Many residents appear to support the idea of recycling in general but are frustrated by the details Rubbish must be divided according to whether it is food, recyclable, dry or hazardous, which can be confusing, though there are apps to help work it out. Some have complained about the rules surrounding food waste. They must put it straight in the required public bin, forcing them to tear open plastic bags and throw it by hand. Most annoying are the short windows for dumping trash, typically a couple of hours, morning and evening. Along with the monitors(监控) at the bins, this means that people go at around the same time and can keep an eye on what is being thrown out. After all, no one wants to look bad.
1.Why does the author mention the question “What kind of rubbish are you?” in the first paragraph?
A.To blame the new rules.
B.To advocate a good rule.
C.To lead in the topic of the text.
D.To tell us people’s complains in Shanghai.
2.What is the main direct environmental problem in Shanghai?
A.The massive traffic. B.The increasing garbage.
C.Lack of a recycling system. D.Lack of trash pickers
3.What makes the residents upset most about the rules?
A.Short scheduled time for throwing the trash.
B.Being fined when blamed due to improper behavior.
C.Being observed by monitors when throwing the garbage.
D.Complex distinction among the four categories of trash.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.How To Sort Out Trash In Our Life.
B.People In Shanghai Meet New Challenge.
C.Shanghai Authorities Solved An Environmental Problem.
D.Different Attitudes Towards The Trash-sorting Regulations.
Addyson Moffitt is an 8-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, Maurine Chelagat is a 9-year-old from a village in Kenya called Bartabwa. It might not seem as if the girls have much in common, but when they met at a dinner two years ago, in Kansas City, they instantly hit it off. ''We had this one little red ball to play with,'' Addyson told others. ''We didn't have any electronics or phones, no iPads or TV. It was just us playing.''
The dinner was hosted by the nonprofit group World Vision International. In some parts of the world people must walk several miles each day to collect water from a stream or another water source. Often, the water is polluted, World Vision builds wells, pipelines, and rain catchers in these communities. Addyson was at the dinner because her family supports World Vision. Maurine was there because her village been without clean water. World Vision fixed that by building a water station there. Addyson was inspired by Maurine. "People helped Maurine so she could have clean water, and kids are dying because they don't have. Races are one way World Vision raises money to pay for its water projects. Runners pledge to run a have it, "she says. ''I want to help.''
Races are one way World Vision raises money to pay for its water projects. Runners pledge to run a race, often a 26-mile marathon or 13-mile half marathon. They ask people to support them by donating to World Vision. Addyson decided to run the 2017 Kansas City Half Marathon for World Vision. At age 7, she was one of the youngest-ever runners in the race, and had to get special permission to participate.
Addyson spent four months training with her parents, waking up before 6 a.m. to run. Meanwhile, she started fundraising. She carried a jug of water around her neighborhood, to park conversation about World Vision's work, She bused tables at a restaurant for tips. She asked friends to make donations as birthday presents. By October 2017, when Addyson ran the race, she'd raised more than $20,000. She's the youngest person in World Vision history to raise more than $10,000. In 2018, she ran again-and raised $36, 000. But Addyson's work is not finished. "My goal is for every kid to have clean water," she says.
1.What does the underlined phrase "hit it off" in the first paragraph mean?
A.had a quarrel B.did homework together
C.played jokes on each other D.got along well with each other
2.Why could Addyson and Maurine meet at a dinner?
A.They met each other only by chance.
B.Both of their villages are in need of clean water.
C.They both were invited by World Vision International.
D.Addyson wanted to help Maurine through World Vision.
3.What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A.Addyson tried her best to raise money.
B.Addyson trained hard to run Half Marathon.
C.World Vision held many races to raise money.
D.Addyson had donated lots of money to World Vision.
4.Which word can best describe Addyson?
A.brave B.caring C.understanding D.grateful
If you’re single this Valentine's Day, don't settle for another night of being alone. Single ladies and dudes can celebrate, too. Below, five holidays from around the world to celebrate instead of Valentine's Day this year.
Singles Awareness Day
In the U.S., we have “Singles Awareness Day”--a humorous anti-Valentine's Day celebrated on February 14 or 15, depending on your preference. On these days, singles toast their uncoupled status.
Ystävänpäivä or Friendship Day
Finland has a more ideal take on Valentine's Day: February 14 is considered Ystävänpäivä or “Friendship Day”, which is marketed as a celebration of friends. (We'd recommend adopting this holiday if you're looking for an occasion to hang out with your best friends.)
Black Day
April 14 in Korea is known as Black Day, a holiday where singles gather in local restaurants and drown their sorrows in cheap, but delicious bowls of jajangmyeon--- a Chinese-Korean noodle dish swimming in chunky black bean sauce, and topped with pork and veggies. The holiday has been popular over the last decade, and we can't say we're surprised. It's hard to be sad about being single when you're dipping into a bowl of something that delicious.
Single's Day
November II marks Singles' Day in China, an unofficial holiday that started in the 1990s as a protest Valentine's Day and that's now a day where singles buy stuff--a lot of stuff- for themselves. In 2013, China's biggest online shopping company took in more than $5.75 billion in online payments on Single's Day-two and a half times the total American retailers（零售商） netted on Cyber Monday the same year.
International Quirkyalone Day
Another option for singles looking to get in on the celebratory action on February 14? International Quirkyalone Day, a “do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit," according to the official site. The founder of the event swears her holiday is not an anti- Valentine's Day; instead, it's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. "In other words, it's a day to do whatever you want, with whoever you want. We can get behind that and have a great time.
1.Which of the following holidays would you like to celebrate if you like delicious food?
A.Singles Awareness Day. B.Ystävänpäivä.
C.Black Day. D.Single’s Day.
2.What would Chinese people like to do on Single's Day?
A.Shopping online. B.Whatever they like.
C.Hanging out with families. D.Gathering in local restaurants.
3.In which part of a website will the text be?
A.Business B.Opinion C.Lifestyle D.Culture
假定你是育才中学的学生会主席李津，受美国亚特兰大ELCA高中（Eagle's Landing Christian Academy）学生会主席Peter邀请，计划9月底带领10位成员赴该校进行为期—周的交流，请你给对方写一封邮件咨询并介绍相关准备工作。
内容包括：
1.感谢对方的邀请；
2.询问相关准备（具体日程安排、需要携带的物品）；
3.简介准备的中国文化展
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头已给出。
Dear Peter，
I'm Li Jin, Chairman of the Student Union of Yucai Middle School.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Li Jin
阅读表达
I've had plenty of friends throughout my life, but I always felt like I was missing that one big friendship that so many other women seemed to have. As an only child, I had always longed for a sister. As an adult, all I wanted was a true best friend to fill that vacancy.
When I was thirty-two, I was living my dream as a stay-at-home mom and then my world came crashing down. On a Tuesday afternoon in May of 2018 I was diagnosed with a stage-two cancer. My days of dates, trips to the zoo, and lazy mornings at home with my twenty-one-month-old son turned into appointments with doctors, terrifying body scans and a whole lot of uncertainty.
Over the course of eight months I got cycles of treatment. While the pain and side effects were almost unbearable, the fear and anxiety that developed were even worse. My husband and parents were an amazing support system. However, I still felt depressed because it was impossible for them to figure out what I was going through both physically and emotionally. But I couldn't expect them to. Plus, I wanted to be strong for them so that they could in turn be strong for my son. I never missed having a sister more than I did during that time.
Eventually I found myself wishing for a "cancer friend" so that I could relate to someone who knew what I was going through. I would sit in the ward and look around the room, trying to find someone to befriend. I met some wonderful people, but somehow I never connected with them. Later, I continued to try to find a "cancer friend"; but in vain. So gradually I became despondent about the potential for finding such a friend.
Unexpectedly, I found what I needed in the most unlikely places. In my son's preschool, I met with a young mum called Leah, who also had a cancer. We had much in common and became the closest friends. We sometimes compared our situation to having been to war. We went to battle for our lives and found it became easier for us to do it together.
1.What caused the author' s world to crash down? (No more than 10 words)
2.Why was the author still depressed though she had family members' support? (No more than 10 words)
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 mean? (No more than 5 words)
4.What did the author and Leah gain from their friendship? (No more than 15 words)
5.What do you learn from the author' s story? (No more than 20 words)
