Four of the World's Best Futurists(未来学家)

Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly is an author. His 1994 publication, Out of Control, discusses a future where machines and systems are so complex as to be indistinguished(难区分的) from living things.

His latest book What Technology Wants suggests that technology is not just a mixture of wires and metals but a living thing that has its own need. The book looks out through the eyes of this global technological system to discover what it wants.

Dr Michio Kaku

Dr Michio Kaku is a professor of theoretical physics at the City of New York and author of The Future of the Mind and Physics of the Future.

In The Future of the Mind , he explores the frontier of neuroscience. He predicts that one day we will be able to upload the human brain into a computer. In Physics of the Future, he predicts that glasses and contact lenses will be connected to the Internet and cars will become driverless with the power of the GPS system.

David Brin

Science fiction author and scientist, David Brin has received awards. In 1998, he won the Freedom of Speech Award for The Transparence Society. The book concerns threats to personal affairs and openness in the information age. In a world where the police monitor public places 24 hours a day with cameras and some credit companies can sell people's financial details to anyone willing to pay, Brin warns that surveillance(监控) technology will be used by too few people in the future. He argues that the tables should be turned and the public should have access to information like who is buying financial details from credit companies.

Dr Ray Kurzweil

Dr Ray Kurzweil is the main inventor of the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind. He is the director of artificial intelligence development at Google.

Over the past 25 years, a number of his predictions have come true. In 1990, he predicted a computer would defeat a human at chess by 1998.He predicts that by the 2020s, most diseases will go away and self-driving cars begin to take over the roads.

1.Whose book is discussing about machines and systems in the future?

A. Kevin Kelly's.    B. Dr Michio Kaku's.

C. David Brin's.    D. Dr Ray Kurzweil's.

2.Which of the following book won the Freedom of Speech Award?

A. Out of Control.    B. The Future of the Mind.

C. Physics of the Future.    D. The Transparence Society.

3.What's Dr Kurzweil's attitude towards his prediction of the 2020s?

A. Cautious.    B. Optimistic.

C. Doubtful.    D. Disapproving.

假定你是李华, 你的英国朋友Peter来信向你咨询如何才能学好中文. 请你根据下列要点写回信.

要点: 1. 参加中文学习班;

2. 看中文书刊、电视；

 3. 学唱中文歌曲；

 4. 交中国朋友。

注意：1.词数100左右；

 2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

 3. 开头语已为你写好。

Dear Peter,

I’m glad to receive your letter asking for my advice on how to learn Chinese well.

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Best wishes,

Li Hua

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。

There is many interesting idioms in China. Now let me to explain one of them, Ye Gong Hao Long. In ancient times there was the man called Ye Gong. He told everyone that he loved dragons very much．In his house almost everything decorated with dragon designs, including the walls, two window and doors. When a real dragon heard about his story, it was deeply impressing and decided to visit

Ye Gong. However, when the dragon stuck their head through one window,

Ye Gong was frightened and run away. Well, you see, this idiom is used to describe those people which appear to like something, and actually don't．

阅读下面材料，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。

Chinese Kung fu is a1.(tradition) Chinese culture. It is probably one of the earliest sports that use both2.(strong) and brain.

The theory of kung fu is based3.classical Chinese philosophy. Over its long history it has developed as a unique combination of exercise, practical self-defense, self-discipline, and art. It can date back to ancient times4.people used sticks to fight against wild animals and they gradually5.(gain) experience in self-defense.

Chinese kung fu is a large system of theory and practice,6.(combine) techniques of self-defense and health-keeping. In sports like track and field and boxing, an athlete7.(usual) has to retire from full participation in his 30s. That is because8.(injury ) suffered during years of active sport participation at a young age affect our ability to continue exercising in later life. In Chinese kung fu, however, a difference9.(make) between “external”(外部的) and “internal”(内部的) kung fu. It's said that in external kung fu, you exercise your muscles, bones and skin while in internal kung fu, you train your spirit, qi and mind. So the external body weakens later in life, but on10.contrary, internal kung fu continues.

I recently heard a story about a famous scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs（突破）. He was being interviewed by a reporter who asked him_______ he thought he was able to be so much more  ______ than the average person.

He responded that it all came from a(n)   ________  with his mother that happened when he was about 2. He had been trying to  _______   milk from the fridge when he __________ the slippery(光滑的) bottle, its contents running all over the kitchen floor.

When his mother came in,   _________shouting at him or giving him a lecture, she said, “Robert, what a great and wonderful    ______   you have “drawn”! I have  _________  seen such a huge pool of milk. Well, the damage has already been  ________ . Would you like to get down and    ______   in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up？”

His mother then said, “ You know, what we have here is a   ________ experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two    _______ hands. Let’s go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can _______it .” The little boy learned that if he  _________  the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful   _______   !

This scientist then said that it was at that moment that he knew he didn’t need to be   _______  to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just  ________  for learning something new, which is,   _________, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment “doesn't   _______  ,” we usually learn something  ________  from it.

1.A. why    B. what    C. when    D. how

2.A. active    B. absent    C. creative    D. honest

3.A. idea    B. experience    C. accident    D. defeat

4.A. buy    B. replace    C. remove    D. protect

5.A. fell    B. lost    C. escaped    D. dropped

6.A. in honor of    B. instead of    C. in spite of    D. in place of

7.A. picture    B. mass    C. map    D. mess

8.A. rarely    B. happily    C. frequently    D. angrily

9.A. got    B. suffered    C. done    D. received

10.A. jump    B. play    C. enjoy    D. handle

11.A. failed    B. successful    C. fantastic    D. painful

12.A. strong    B. tiny    C. thin    D. expert

13.A. get    B. put    C. try    D. make

14.A. controlled    B. analysed    C. broke    D. held

15.A. cure    B. teaching    C. lesson    D. instruction

16.A. concerned    B. ready    C. athletic    D. afraid

17.A. situations    B. chances    C. times    D. turns

18.A. after all    B. above all    C. first of all    D. in all

19.A. do    B. finish    C. go    D. work

20.A. lovable    B. severe    C. valuable    D. interesting

Five steps to better handwriting

Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it’s time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? 1. Here are five steps that really work!

Get a great grasp

Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. 2. Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.

Let the lines be your guide

Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). 3. Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.

Slow down

If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it’s hard to control where you stop and start your letters.

Lower the pressure (压力)

4.That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don’t hold the pencil too tightly.

5.

Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it’s not schoolwork, you’re still using the skills you need to control your pen better.

A. Play games

B. Ask for more advice

C. So “a” should be half the height of a capital “A”.

D. You’ve been writing since you were a little kid.

E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.、

F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.

G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.

When introducing American universities, some of the first institutions to mention are the Ivy League schools. Originally, the Ivy League was an athletic conference made up of 8 private institutes of higher learning in northeastern United States. However, as time went on, these schools also became known for their excellence in academics besides athletics. Included in the Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and Harvard University. These 8 schools have been recognized as some of the best colleges and universities in the United States.

Harvard University is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The university includes a number of graduate and professional schools, as well as a college for undergraduates. In 2012, Harvard ranked number one in US News’ ranking of national universities again. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institute of higher education in the United States. It can be said that first there was Harvard, then the United States of America. Also, Harvard’s library contains the oldest collection of books in the United States as well as the largest private collection in the world. Harvard has also been described by Forbes Magazine as one of the “billionaire universities” as of their recent list of 469 billionaires, 50 received a degree from Harvard.

Harvard College (the institute for undergraduate students) is one of the most famous schools in the United States. It offers over 40 undergraduate fields of study, including astrophysics(天体物理学), mathematics, neurobiology(神经生物学), etc. And the financial aid program there is amazing. Even though the tuition is about $ 37,576, and there are other expenses throughout the year, about 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid. Out of those students, over 90% of them had their full need met. And the policies for international students are the same for U.S. citizens.

Harvard College is very selective, as it only admits about 6% of their applicants. For admission into Harvard College, it is required that students take the SAT or the ACT, as well as SAT Subject Tests. Harvard will also look at other factors during admission such as your application essay, high school transcript, work experience, GPA (Grade Point Average), your interview, recommendations, and most importantly, your character and personal qualities.

1.What are the Ivy League schools famous for?

A. Athletics and location.    B. Academics and history.

C. Financial aid and training.    D. Athletics and academics.

2.Why is Harvard called one of the “billionaire universities”?

A. Because nearly one ninth of the billionaires once studied in Harvard.

B. Because there are 50 billionaires in Harvard.

C. Because people can get a lot of money from Harvard.

D. Because 469 billionaires sponsor Harvard.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. 90% students in Harvard have their full need met.

B. About 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

C. Harvard College is the institute for graduate students.

D. The policies for international students are different for U.S. citizens.

4.To be admitted by Harvard, you need ________.

①high school transcript           

②a good application essay

③living permit                  

④to take the SAT or the ACT

⑤health certificate               

⑥good personal qualities

A. ①②③    B. ④⑤⑥

C. ①③⑤    D. ②④⑥

Your local grocery store is a psychological minefield (布雷区)，where even the bananas are ripe with mystery.

1.Southpaws (左撇子) have an invisible advantage

You've probably seen that stores keep go-to items produce, meats, dairy on the outer edge. But did you notice that most of them are set up to make you run counterclockwise (逆时针)? Ninety percent of us are right-handed, so we buy more when it's counterclockwise.You'll also often find the dairy section in the back-left corner: Because dairy is likely on your list, stores make sure you take the longest route to get there.In fairness, it's also a more convenient place to put a fridge.

2.Everything is in its place

It's safe to say that nothing you see on a shelf is there by chance.The cookies on sale at the end of a passage are likely the result of smart product placement.More expensive items are usually placed at an adult's eye level, while colorful treats and other products for kids are positioned lower to catch the attention of children.

3.Time goes by so slowly

Stores rarely have windows or clocks.With no reference to the outside world, customers can easily lose track of how long they've been there so that they can buy more.Grocery stores may use another trick to control your sense of time: small floor tiles (瓷砖).

1.Why do stores usually put dairy in the back-left corner?

A. To make people buy more.    B. To attract people's attention.

C. Because it is a quiet place.    D. Because most people are right-handed.

2.You are more likely to find toys________.

A. in corners    B. at the end of a passage

C. at an adult's eye level    D. on lower shelves

3.Why are there usually no windows or clocks in stores?

A. They are useless.    B. To make customers stay longer.

C. There is no space for them.    D. To allow customers to enjoy themselves.

4.Which can be the best title for the text?

A. Advantages of stores    B. Secrets of stores

C. How to shop in stores    D. How to operate a store

Mark was a great kid from a tough neighborhood. Crime, drugs, fighting and poverty: You name the problem and his neighborhood had it. A scholarship fund provided his tuition to Catholic High, where he was a great baseball player.

Mark struggled in the classroom, though. He was bright, just behind, due to a more than difficult home environment. But there were problems finding the time for all he needed to do. After-school tutoring seemed impossible because of baseball practice. Some suggested Mark abandon sports and concentrate on “schooling”. But, in reality, if he was going to attend college he would need his sports; so to miss practice and then perform any less than at his best on the field was not wise.

A fellow teacher, Mrs. Jones, offered to tutor Mark in math at her home. I asked Mark to come to my house for other areas of work. No one paid us. Mrs. Jones summed it up this way: “Pay day doesn’t always come on Mondays”.

When we were not working with Mark to improve his skills for the ACT, the coach and Mark’s dad took him to various colleges to talk with both baseball and football program coaches. He settled on the college that offered him scholarships to play both sports. But he needed a good ACT score.

It takes months to receive the results of college entrance exams. One afternoon after school, while I was grading papers in my room, there was a noise outside the door.

Mark came in, lifted me out of the seat behind my desk, spun(旋转) me around in the air, and yelled over and over: “I’m going to college! I’m going to college!”

“I guess you got your scores!” I asked.

“Well, yeah!” he laughed. “And guess what? I got one point more than I need to be admitted. One point extra. Thank you! Now, where’s Mrs. Jones? I’ve got to tell her too!”

Until that moment, I had never quite understood what the expression “Pay day doesn’t always come on Mondays” meant. But it was clear to me the instant Mark ran into the room to announce his news. No amount of money could ever replace my spin in the air at the hands of a boy who finally had a chance at a better life.

1.Mark had difficulty in learning mainly because ________.

A. he spent most of his spare time practicing baseball

B. his family couldn’t afford any tutoring for him

C. his parent didn’t care about his study

D. he was constantly involved in the crimes in his neighborhood

2.According to the article, which of the following is false?

A. The teachers offered to tutor Mark free of charge.

B. Theft was a problem in Mark’s neighborhood.

C. Mark owed his success in passing ACT to his teachers.

D. Mark went to college mainly due to his good ACT score.

3.The underlined word “settled on” in the fourth paragraph probably means _____.

A. was accepted by    B. reached a final decision about

C. paid a visit to    D. became familiar with

4.What is the best title for this passage?

A. Pay Day Will Come Some Day.

B. Practice Makes a Better Life.

C. Relationships between Teachers and Students.

D. Never Give up on Yourself.

1.Which film is the most suitable for a high school student interested in science fictions?

A. I Feel Pretty.    B. Traffik.    C. Genesis.    D. Le Redoutable.

2.If you are a big fan of film star Michelle Williams, you will choose to watch _______.

A. I Feel Pretty    B. Traffik    C. Genesis    D. Le Redoutable

3.Which of the following statement is true about the film Le Redoutable?

A. The story happens in Great Britain.

B. The film lasts more than two hours.

C. It intends to discuss the nature and value of free will.

D. It's a love story between a film director and an actress.

听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。

1.What is the speaker talking about?

A. Dream.    B. Reality.    C. Relationship.

2.What can we know about Cathy?

A. She likes sailing.    B. She is an old woman.    C. She is afraid of storms.

3.What does the speaker want to do?

A. Save all creatures.    B. Participate in exploring Mars.    C. Live for several hundred years.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.Why can’t Mr.Parker answer the phone?

A. He is not in.    B. He has a meeting.    C. He is making a call.

2.When does the conversation take place according to Shanghai time?

A. At 9:00 in the evening.    B. At 2:00 in the afternoon.    C. At 9:00 in the morning.

3.What has Mr.Parker known about Mr.Jacob before the call?

A. Schedule.    B. Phone.    C. Email address.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.What are the speakers going to do?

A. Buy books.    B. Go to the park.    C. Visit the temple.

2.What does the woman think is different from her country?

A. History.    B. Regulations.    C. Buildings.

3.How can the speakers go there?

A. By taxi.    B. By bike.    C. By subway.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.Why does the woman consider putting off getting a Master’s Degree?

A. To learn Chinese.    B. To work for some time.    C. To earn much money.

2.What can we infer about the man?

A. He has been to China.    B. He isn’t interested in Chinese.    C. He has got his Master’s Degree.

3.What will the man do if given a chance?

A. Visit China again.    B. Give up his present job.    C. Finish the graduate program.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1.Where does the conversation take place?

A. On the bus.    B. At the bus stop.    C. In the Capital Museum.

2.What does the woman mean?

A. He took a wrong bus.    B. He should have asked her earlier.

C. He should have reached the stop earlier.

3.What will the man do?

A. Take a taxi.    B. Walk back 30 meters.    C. Get off the bus at the next stop.

What will the man do?

A. Go shopping.    B. Watch a game.    C. Feed the bulls.

How much does the man withdraw?

A. $100.    B. $105.    C. $110.

What does the woman probably do?

A. A doctor.    B. A professor.    C. A policewoman.

What makes the man think Kim Yu-Na comes from South Korea?

A. Her name.    B. Her language.    C. Her appearance.

What does the man often do on weekends?

A. Go on picnics.    B. Stay at home.    C. Have a barbecue.

假定你是李华，两年前你作为交换生住在美国的Alice家里。今年你的好友Han Mei也作为交换生赴美，希望也能住在她家。请你根据以下要点提示给她写一封电子邮件。

1．感谢Alice的照顾；

2．是否愿意接受Han Mei住在家中；

3．邀请Alice来中国。

注意：1．词数100左右；

2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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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：在错的词下画一横线，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。

This morning my American friends Jack and I went to the temple fair holding in our city. When we arrived at the park, we were amazed at that we saw. There were such many different performances and booths selling tradition handicrafts. Since there were lots of games to play, food to eat, and performances to see, we spend at least six hours walking through crowds of people. Jack said he had great time because he not only tasted numerous kinds of local snacks and another dishes but also enjoyed live dragon and lion dances, waist drum dancing and other folk performances. We came back of home at about seven p.m., tired and happy.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

As the effects of global warming, rising seas and natural disasters become more serious 1. before, some local communities are taking action. Among them is one community in Florida 2. local people and government officials are proving successful in protecting 3. (coast) cities from the dangers of rising sea levels.

The community has studied how much sea levels will rise and has suggested 4. (way) to address the problem. It has persuaded the state government 5. (ban) new developments on land near the coastline and recommended building sand dunes (沙丘) along beaches. Kristin Jacobs, one of the group’s founders, decided to take action in 2008 after it became 6. (gradual) clear that her state’s 27 water authorities couldn’t agree on joint (联合的) action.

While some Florida government officials doubt whether the climate will become hotter or 7. (cold), the people 8. (live) in these locations are certain of the need to protect their communities.

At present, coming up with ways to fight against the effects of climate change under an limited budget 9. (be) a pressing concern. Only time will tell whether these coastal communities will succeed in 10. end.

In storm-ravaged (风暴肆虐的) Santa Clarita, California, last March, Martinez approached Runner Road carefully. A ______ creek(小溪) had flooded it. Martinez, driving a Toyota SUV, ______ he’d be OK. Big ______. Halfway across, the rushing waters grabbed hold of his vehicle, sweeping it off the road. It finally ______ a good 80 feet away, when the ______ somehow lifted the SUV and put it into the ground at a 45-degree angle. Shaken, and trapped inside with the water rising quickly, Martinez was certain he was going to ______.

On the road right behind Martinez were a delivery ______ and his niece. They ______ the horror unfold, and when Martinez’s SUV came to ______ in the middle of the pouring creek, the man leaped to ______. First, he grabbed heavy-duty (结实的) ______ from the back of his van and tied the unsteady SUV to ______ posts. Then he climbed on the top of Martinez’s ______ and hit a rear window with his fists. Frustrated, he ______ to his niece and yelled, “Give me a ______!”

Over and over he hit the rock into the ______ very hard, but in vain. “We were scared that something else was going to come down and take the SUV, take him, take my uncle,” Krystina Reyes, 27, said. But her uncle’s name was not publicly known.

Reyes’s uncle shouted to Martinez to ______ away from the window. He ______ and threw the rock. ______, the glass broke. Soon, a soaked Martinez went out of the window, and the men escaped to dry land.

Martinez was saved by a(n) ______ delivery driver.

1.A. deserted    B. swollen    C. forbidden    D. floated

2.A. warned    B. ignored    C. figured    D. delighted

3.A. mistake    B. luck    C. deal    D. fortune

4.A. stopped    B. continued    C. pushed    D. pulled

5.A. thunder    B. cloud    C. water    D. rain

6.A. prepare    B. live    C. jump    D. die

7.A. judge    B. policeman    C. salesman    D. driver

8.A. talked    B. watched    C. hesitated    D. brushed

9.A. head    B. stretch    C. rest    D. select

10.A. fetch    B. earn    C. send    D. act

11.A. rocks    B. ropes    C. branches    D. posts

12.A. remote    B. straight    C. nearby    D. movable

13.A. vehicle    B. window    C. truck    D. van

14.A. turned    B. opposed    C. objected    D. treated

15.A. foot    B. hand    C. fist    D. rock

16.A. bottom    B. window    C. house    D. road

17.A. move    B. rise    C. fly    D. hide

18.A. picked up    B. put away    C. put forward    D. leaned back

19.A. Finally    B. Exactly    C. Frequently    D. Unluckily

20.A. unfair    B. unhappy    C. unknown    D. unable

Do you know some surprising innovations (创新) came from World War I? Here are some introductions to you.

1. Daylight Saving Time The idea of fiddling with (拨弄) the clock has been around since ancient times, but it was not until World War I that governments around the globe officially adopted daylight saving time. Why? To save resources such as fuel and extend the workday for the war effort. 1., and the Allies followed shortly after. To clear up confusion about the concept, the Washington Times used a comic strip to explain the first “spring forward” in the United States in 1918.

2. Blood Banks 2., but doctors rarely performed them before World War I, when they were accomplished by transfusing blood directly from one person to another. Captain Oswald Robertson, a U.S. Army Reserve doctor consulting with the British army, recognized the need to stock blood before casualties (伤亡) occurred. .

3. Hollywood With so much of Europe in the line of fire, the European film industry had to scale back (相应缩减) dramatically. 3.. Hollywood was still in its early stage, but its studios soon made fortunes producing wartime movies. The war itself provided material for countless movies in the 1920s and ’30s, including Wings, the winner of the first Academy Award for Best Picture.

4. Plastic Surgery 4.. British army surgeon Harold Gillies and his colleagues performed more than 11,000 operations, mostly on soldiers suffering from facial wounds from gunshots. 5..

There were other innovations made during World War I, such as wristwatches, modern passports, zippers, drones, etc.

A. The Germans did it first, in 1916

B. That opened the door for the Americans

C. Blood transfusions (输血) date back to the 1600s

D. Gillies’ operation became successful immediately

E. World War I left thousands of men scarred and maimed (伤残的)

F. Gillies became known as the father of modern plastic surgery

G.. After World War I the blood banks appeared in the United States.

Scientists have recreated a 1985 study of birds in Peru that shows climate change is pushing them from their natural environment. Thirty years ago, researchers studied over 400 kinds of birds living on a mountainside in Peru. In 2017, researchers looked again at the bird populations. They found that almost all had moved to higher places in the mountain. Almost all had decreased in size. And, the scientists say at least eight bird groups that started at the higher elevations (高地) had died out completely.

The researchers say the birds might have moved up the mountain because of temperature changes. Or changes to food sources may have forced them to go higher. The findings were published in a science journal. The 1985 research has documented birds and other animals moving up in elevation (高地) in reaction to warming temperatures. Mark Urban, a biologist at a university, said this recent study was the first to prove that rising temperatures and moving to avoid them can lead to extinction.

In 2016, Fitzpatrick, director and a co-writer of the study passed his notes, photos and other records to Benjamin Freeman. Freeman has been researching tropical birds for more than 10 years. He set out in August and September of 2017 to copy Fitzpatrick’s study. His team used the same methods, searching the same places in the same time of year.

Freeman’s team wanted to see how things had changed for the bird groups since 1985. The average temperatures on the mountain had risen 0.42 degrees Celsius. His team placed 20 sound recording devices on the mountain to record the sounds of birds that might not easily be seen.

Freeman said that the birds moved an average of 98 meters further up the mountain. He believes that temperature is the main cause of the birds’ movement. Fitzpatrick noted that birds used to living in areas with little temperature change may be especially at risk because of climate change. He said, “We should expect that what’s happening on this mountain top is happening more generally in the Andes, and other tropical mountain ranges.”

1.How many kinds of birds lived in Peru 30 years ago?

A. At least eight bird groups.    B. More than 400.

C. Over eight bird groups.    D. Less than 400.

2.Why did the birds move up the mountain?

A. To avoid temperature changes.

B. To find more food sources.

C. To adapt to extreme temperature.

D. To react to the increase of other kinds of animals.

3.How did Freeman and his team record the sound of birds not easily being seen?

A. They had the temperature rise 0.42 degrees Celsius.

B. They moved an average of 98 meters further up the mountain.

C. They placed 20 sound recording devices on the mountain.

D. They kept on listening to the sound happening on this mountain top.

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A. Two teams used the same methods to do researches.

B. Scientists documented birds and other animals moving up in elevation.

C. Scientists have been researching tropical birds for more than 10 years.

D. Rising temperature made almost all birds in Peru become extinct.

The 67th Miss Universe beauty pageant (选美比赛) will take place December 16 in Bangkok, Thailand. The competition will include young women from around the world representing their countries. But one South American country, Chile, will not be represented by a native Chilean. Instead, Andrea Diaz, a native of Venezuela (委内瑞拉) will have that honor.

Diaz grew up in Valencia, Venezuela. She began training as a model at age 12 at a school there. At 19, she won a pageant organized by her town’s baseball team. As Diaz moved along her career path, she also moved away from home. She went first to Panama, and later to Mexico, for modeling jobs. In 2015, she settled in Chile, where most of her family members now live. The 27-year-old woman told the reporter, “I represent the new Chile. This is an inclusive (包容的) country where immigrants come in search of opportunities.”

Thousands of people leave Venezuela each day to escape a lack of food and medicine in the country. Its economic crisis (危机) has created an almost 1 million percent inflation (通货膨胀) rate. Many beauty pageant hopefuls have left Venezuela and have found work in modeling and media fields. Diaz is one of several Venezuelan beauty pageant competitors representing countries other than their homeland.

A recent Miss Earth pageant had two Venezuelan models who competed for other countries, including Jessica Russo. Russo represented Peru just one year after moving to the country. She said, “My dream of being a beauty queen is not going to stop just because I arrived in a new country.” The 22-year-old competitor did not make it into the Miss Earth finals. But she is not giving up. She says she hopes to one day win a competition for Peru, the country where her mother was born.

1.Who can take part in the beauty pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand?

A. Only young women from Chile.

B. Only young women from the university in Venezuela.

C. Young women from Venezuela.

D. Young women from all over the world.

2.What nationality is Diaz now?

A. Chile.    B. Venezuela.

C. Panama.    D. Mexico.

3.What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

A. Economic situation in Venezuela is becoming better and better.

B. Women in Venezuela have to work as models in their country.

C. Venezuelan beauty competitors have to represent other countries.

D. Venezuelan beauty hopefuls have found work in educational fields.

4.What does the underlined word “it” mean in the last paragraph?

A. Her dream of being a beauty queen.    B. Not giving up.

C. The place where her mother was born.    D. Moving to a new country.

I became a magician by accident. When I was nine years old, I learned how to make a coin disappear. I’d read The Lord of the Rings and gone into the adult section of the library to be buried in fantasy literature but young enough to still hold out hope that you might find a book of real, actual magic in the library. The book I found taught basic techniques, and I tried to practice.

At first the magic wasn’t any good. It was just a trick—a bad trick. I spent hours each day running through the secret moves in front of the mirror. I dropped the coin over and over, a thousand times in a day, and after two weeks my mom got a carpet and placed it under the mirror to muffle (消音) the sound of the coin falling again and again.

One day I made the coin disappear on the playground. We had been playing football and were standing in the field behind the school. A dozen people were watching. I showed the coin to everyone. Then it disappeared. The kids screamed. Everyone went crazy.

A few years later, I staged an underwater escape in the river that flowed through the middle of the campus of the University of Iowa, where I went to school. I stood on a boat in the middle of the river wearing nothing but biking shorts. The sky was dead and gray, and the water was cold at the surface, and colder in the depths below.

Technically, I succeeded. I jumped into the water, sank to the bottom, and escaped from the locks and the chains before swimming to the surface. But it didn’t feel like a success.

1.What do we know about the author?

A. He became a magician in one day.

B. He found wonderful techniques in the library.

C. In order to become a magician he never stopped practising.

D. He looked through every section of the library to search for a useful book.

2.Why did the author’s mother bring a carpet home?

A. To encourage him to clean the house.

B. To make the sounds less noisy than before.

C. To have guests clean their shoes on entering the house.

D. To decrease the number of cleaning the house.

3.How did the author make the kids scream?

A. By playing football with them.    B. By making the showing coin disappear.

C. By practising his techniques more frequently.    D. By providing hands-on practice.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A. The Magic Trick that Changed My Life    B. A Nineteen-year-old Magician

C. What Can Give You a Magic Life?    D. A Brief Introduction to a Magician’s Life

Kirby Wildlife Park — Keeper Experience

Due to the large number of inquiries from people interested in working with animals, Kirby Wildlife Park has set up the unique ‘Keeper Experience’ package. The fantastic experience is available to anyone over the age of 18 who is reasonably fit. We regret that for health and safety reasons, participants who are pregnant, in a wheelchair or suffering from illnesses cannot take part.

A typical day

9:15        Arrival

9:30         Health and Safety Briefing

10:00        Apes and Monkeys

While cleaning out the enclosure (围场) you will find out about how enclosures are enriched with novel items and new smells to stimulate (刺激) the animals’ senses and imitate their natural environment.

12:00       Lunch

14:00        Big Cats

On the highlight of most volunteers’ day, you will feed the cats and learn about their nutritional needs. The keeper will give you an introduction to how cat behaviour can be read to get an idea of their welfare and health.

16:30        Meet the Team

Meet more of the staff and learn how you can get further involved with work at the park. Learn about our animal adoption plan, what it takes to be a good keeper and where to obtain the right qualifications for a career in animal welfare.

Booking and cancellation

The Keeper Experience is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Full payment is needed when booking.

Cancellations must be made more than fourteen days before the event, or you won’t receive a full refund.

1.What kind of people can experience working with animals in Kirby Wildlife Park?

A. A boy over 18 sitting in a wheelchair.    B. A man who is quite healthy.

C. A woman carrying a baby in her arms.    D. A girl under the age of 18.

2.When can you know something about an animal adoption plan?

A. At 12:00.    B. At 9:30.

C. At 10:00.    D. At 16:30.

3.What is the requirement of cancelling a booking of the Keeper Experience?

A. The cancelling is available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

B. Anyone can cancel a booking throughout the year.

C. A booking must be cancelled over two weeks before the event.

D. You can cancel a booking with a full refund at any time.

假设你是李明，请你写一封信给校长，包括以下内容:

1. 目前学校体育设施(sports facilities)状况的不足；

2. 体育设施对学生的重要性；

3. 提出建议。

注意:

1. 字数 100 左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

3. 开头已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing this letter to you to express my concern about the sports facilities in our school.

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