Magic (魔术) is believed to have begun with the Egyptians, in 1700 BC. A magician named Dedi of Dedsnefu was reported to have performed for the pharaoh (法老), or the king. He was also known to have entertained (使娱乐) the slaves who built the pyramids. The “Cups and Balls” trick that he was particularly good at is still performed by magicians all over the world today.
The ancient Greeks and Romans were also fascinated by the idea of magic. Actually, one of their main interests was the art of deception (欺骗). This explains why at that time the priests even built magic devices into their temples. These devices made it possible for doors to open by themselves and wine to flow magically out of statues’ mouths. This was done mainly to make people believe that the priests had unusual power.
Magic however, was not well accepted before the 1800s. Magicians were thought to be freaks(怪物) and, were only allowed to perform in a circus. It was in the 19th century that the magician Robert Houdin came along and changed people’s views and attitudes about magic. It was because of Robert Houdin that many magicians were able to add Dr. or MD to their names. Today magicians try hard to find new ways to show their practiced skills. Magic is now entertainment for families all over the world.
1. What is the best title for the passage?| A．Magical Tricks | B．A Great Magician |
| C．Magic as Entertainment | D．The History of Magic |
| A．amused | B．encouraged | C．attracted | D．moved |
| A．They performed magical tricks to entertain people. |
| B．They made the statues in the temples drink wine as they wished. |
| C．They treated the people with wine flowing down from statues’ mouths. |
| D．They built magic devices in the temples to make doors open by themselves. |
| A．Magic should be used only in temples. |
| B．Magic could only be performed in a circus. |
| C．Magic was performed by freaks and doctors. |
| D．Magic was the major daily activity for the pharaohs. |
| A．Magic began about 3,700 years ago. |
| B．Dedi of Dedsnefu performed magic for kings only. |
| C．Robert Houdin was the first magician to perform magic. |
| D．The “Cups and Balls” trick has been performed for about 1,700 years. |
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【推荐1】It's been a decade since the launch of Airbnb and Uber, now considered a part of life for many people booking trips and journeys. In that time, several boat sharing apps have been working hard to regulate how people rent boats or book activities on the water.
Many of them have a similar business model to Airbnb, where customers rent boats directly from owners. GetMyBoat is the market leader with over 130,000 boats. The founders had the idea when they were sailing in the Atlantic and noticed that large numbers of boats were unused.
The company has grown from having a presence primarily in the lop boating cities in the US to having boats available in 9 ,300 destinations across 184 countries. Since it first started, GetMyBoat has sent over 120,000 people out boating. This year, it is projecting to send 65 ,000 people out on the water, a dramatic increase from the 53 people who booked a boat in its first year back in 2013.
US competitors include Boatsetter, which has 25 ,000 boats available across the world. Parisian- based Click&Boal has 30,000 boats globally and in the Mediterranean, Samboat is a major player with 25 ,000 boats.
It's an obvious win for boat owners who are looking for ways to minimize （使最小化）the cost of owning a boat by renting it out. And modern technology means that the boat can find nearby customers without being registered to a specific boating agency as in the past.
Safety issues are very important. Boatbound failed after a customer lost a leg in an accident because the company didn't require that people hire captains with the boats, something that its competitors do.
The market is changing in that fewer people are seeking to buy their own boats, while the number of people who want to experience boating is growing. This new market is allowing people to search for and book water experiences that offer something new.
1. What impressed the founders of GetMyBoat during their sailing in the Atlantic?| A．The wide use of Airbnb. |
| B．The popularity of water activities. |
| C．The large quantity of unused boats. |
| D．The large number of boats in the world. |
| A．By listing numbers. |
| B．By making comparison. |
| C．By following the time order. |
| D．By referring to its founders' words. |
| A．Because the company couldn't find ways to minimize the cost of owning a boat. |
| B．Because the competitors lay too much pressure on Boatbound. |
| C．Because the company was in lack of modern technology. |
| D．Because of a safely accident resulting from the company's carelessness. |
| A．Few people can afford their own boats. |
| B．More people want to experience boating. |
| C．Few boat owners refuse cost-cutting offers. |
| D．More people have free time to try new things. |
Washington was created in 1790, when the Congress (the highest lawmaking body of the U.S.A.) decided to place the nation’s new capital in the east of the country. It was built half-way between the northern and southern states of America. And of course it was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States.
There are many tourist sights in Washington. Perhaps the most important tourist sight is the Capital Building. This house is where is the Congress.
Another world-famous building in Washington is the White House. This is the home and office of the President of the United States. Most visitors are, however, surprised by how small the White House actually is.
Washington is also a great culture city. The Library of Congress contains one of the largest library collections in the world. The Smithsonian Museum holds the nation’s largest collection of cultural materials. And the John F. Kennedy Center is a famous center of art and culture. It has many great musical. and theatre performances throughout the year.
Now fill in the table with some information about Washington D.C.(注意：每空不要超过3个单词)
Washington D.C.
History and location | Created in | Lies halfway between states of America |
A capital city | Center of the | |
A popular tourist attraction | Another important tourist sight is | |
A | John F. Kennedy Center is a center famous for |
【推荐3】Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.
How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1900 the world's use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.
Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of years. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment.
1. What's the meaning for the word 'parchment'? ________| A．The skin of young animals. |
| B．A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals. |
| C．The paper used by European countries. |
| D．The paper of Egypt. |
| A．More jobs could be provided than before. |
| B．More people could be educated than before. |
| C．More books could be printed and distributed. |
| D．More ways could be used to exchange knowledge. |
| A．Around 1400. | B．Around 1900. | C．Around 400. | D．Around 900. |
| A．China. | B．Sweden. | C．Egypt | D．Japan. |
【推荐1】Basic Steps of CPR Everyone Should Know
Do you know how to offer first aid if a person has an accident and stops breathing but there is no doctor available at hand? Applying CPR is usually helpful when emergencies such as a heart attack occurs. Read this CPR guide now so you know what to do if someone is experiencing a life-threatening (威胁生命) emergency.
Step 1. Position your hands.
Make sure the patient is lying on his back on a firm surface. Kneel beside him and place your hand on the center of the chest. Keep your arms straight, cover the first hand with the other hand and interlock (紧扣) the fingers of both hands together. Keep your fingers raised so they do not touch the patient’s chest.
Step 2. .
Push the breastbone up and down to a depth of about 5 cm about 30 times, at a rate of 100 beats per minute.
Step 3. Give rescue breaths.
Make sure the airway is open, and pinch (捏) the nose so it closes. Gently raise the chin (下巴) upwards with two fingers of your other hand. Take a deep breath, put your mouth over the patient’s, and blow until you can see his chest, rise.Then remove your mouth from the patient’s and look along the chest, watching the chest fall. To get another breath, lift your head and breathe in deeply. Perform Step 3 again.
Step 4. Repeat chest compressions (按压) and rescue breaths.
Repeat the 30 chest compressions followed by the two breaths about five times, and then check for normal breathing. If that person is not breathing normally, continue performing CPR. If breathing restarts as normal, stay with the injured person until help arrives.
First aid is an important life skill that everyone should learn. The more people who learn CPR, the more lives can be saved in the future.
1. We should do CPR at once, when someone ________.| A．suffers an accident and stops breathing |
| B．is hit by a car and can’t move |
| C．is suffering a serious headache |
| D．has a serious bleeding |
| A．Interlock the fingers | B．Open the airway |
| C．Press the chest | D．Start the breath |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．describe the dangerous experience |
| B．encourage people to care for others |
| C．show the damage of a heart attack |
| D．explain the steps to apply CPR |
【推荐2】We hope you enjoy our list of the 4 best-selling albums of all time.
The Beatles—The White Album
US Albums Sold：24 Million
The While Album is English rock band, The Beatles, ninth studio album, which was released on the 22 November 1968. The album does not contain any images or text on the album cover, other than the band's name, as the band fell they wanted to make it different from their previous albums colourful artwork.
Eagles—Hotel California
US Albums Sold：26 Million
Hotel California is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Eagles, released in December 1976 and one of the best-selling albums of all lime. After Their Greatest Hits album, Hotel California became the biggest — selling American album. Hotel California won two Grammy Awards for Hotel California and New Kid In Town.
Michael Jackson—Thriller
US Albums Sold：33 Million
Thriller is the sixth studio album from a legendary singer, Michael Jackson. Thriller was released on November 30, 1982. The album produced seven hit singles, like Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller and The Girl is Mine, which all reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By the end of 1983, Thriller was the world's best-selling album, having sold 32 million copies worldwide.
Eagles—Their Greatest Hits
US Albums Sold：38 Million
The No. 1 best-selling album in the world of all time is, Their Great Hits, by the Eagles. This is their first compilation （汇编）album, released in 1976, which contains a group of songs from their first four albums, covering the period of 1971 - 1975.
1. Which album came out last?| A．The Beatles—The White Album |
| B．Eagles—Hotel California |
| C．Michael Jackson —Thriller |
| D．Eagles—Their Greatest Hits |
| A．It made the albums in Hotel California. |
| B．It had two albums in the same year. |
| C．sold 38 million copies of Their Greatest Hits in UK. |
| D．It had many songs better than The Beatles. |
| A．To attract a lot of people. |
| B．To show the band's special taste. |
| C．To let the buyers make it colourful artwork. |
| D．To differ from the band's other albums. |
I joined a crowd that ran from terminal to terminal in search of a flight out. Eventually, I found six strangers willing to rent a van with me. We drove through the night to Washington, where I took a train the rest of the way to Providence.
The real problem, of course, is that incidents like this happen every day, to everyone who flies, more and more often. It really gets to me, though, because for eight years I was on the other side, as a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines(TWA).
I know the days are gone when attendants could be written up if we did not put the lines napkins with the TWA logo in the lower right-hand corner of the first-class diners’ trays. As are the days when there were three dinner options on flights from Boston to Los Angeles in economy class. When, once, stuck on a tarmac (机场停机坪) in Newark for four hours, a planeload of passengers got McDonald’s hamburgers and fries by thoughtfulness of the airline.
I have experienced the decline of service along with the rest of the flying public. But I believe everything will change little by little, because I remember the days when to fly was to soar (翱翔). The airlines, and their employees, took pride in how their passengers were treated. And I think the days are sure to come back one day in the near future.
1. Many people crowded the terminal because ________.| A．they were ready to board on the planes |
| B．something was wrong with the terminal |
| C．the flights to the Northeast were canceled |
| D．the gate agent wouldn’t help the passengers |
| A．by air | B．by van | C．by train | D．by underground |
| A．Incidents happened to those who fly quite often. |
| B．The writer used to be a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines. |
| C．Even a small mistake might cause complaints from passengers in the past. |
| D．McDonald’s hamburgers and fries were among regular dinner options. |
| A．The writer lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. |
| B．The writer thought the service was not as good as it used to be. |
| C．The writer with other passengers waited to be picked up patiently. |
| D．Passengers would feel proud of how they were treated on the plane. |
【推荐1】This is always a busy time of year, but please don’t forget to recycle as much as you can.
| Put in Your Recycling Bins: Greetings cards and envelopes Cardboard --- this includes all the boxes your presents came in but please remove any plastic packaging. Cans and tins --- empty food tins and drink cans. Plastic bottles --- all plastic bottles including fizzy drinks and cider bottles, as well as milk, shampoo, cleaning and washing-up liquid bottles. Newspapers and magazines --- don't forget to recycle the TV listings, yesterday’s newspapers. |
| Christmas trees can be recycled in your fortnightly Garden Waste Collection Service as long as they are small trees chopped into pieces no bigger than 3 inches or 75mm in diameter. For disposal of larger trees please take these to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centers. Please note the Garden Waste Collection Service is suspended between 26th December and 6th January. |
| Glass bottles and jars --- empty wine bottles can be taken to the bottle bank together with beer bottles and pickle （泡菜）jars. Clothes and shoes --- don't throw your old clothes away, and take them to your local clothing recycling bank. |
| Please Do NOT Place in Your Recycling Bin: Gift wrap --- Christmas gift wrapping does not contain much paper. It is often layered with foil（箔纸）and plastic which can’t be recycled. Plastic carrier bags --- please do not put your recyclables in these as it makes it difficult to sort the contents. Drinks cartons --- owing to the costs and environmental impacts associated with transporting these, it is more cost-effective to recycle them right here. Plastic Packaging--- Although plastic packaging may have symbols which suggest it can be recycled, it is made of different types of plastic and there are no cost-effective ways to recycle it at present. |
1. What should we do before putting the cardboard into recycling bins?
| A．Taking out the gifts. | B．Separating it from plastic packages. |
| C．Emptying the packages. | D．Collecting the boxes. |
| A．Because it can’t be recycled at present. |
| B．Because the symbols on it advise us not to do so. |
| C．Because it is made of different types of plastic. |
| D．Because cost-effective ways to recycle it have not been founded. |
| A．The Christmas is the season for recycling. |
| B．All empty bottles can be put into the recycling bins. |
| C．There is a recycling center for the old clothes and shoes. |
| D．Christmas trees must be kept for future use. |
【推荐2】Apples are packed with amazing health benefits: weight loss, heart protection, lowering your risk for diabetes, and many more. Not only are they good for you, but they taste yummy too! The only problem is that the slices we pack for lunch are always an unappetizing brown by the time we dig them out of the fridge. Apple slices turn brown because the enzymes(酶) called polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the fruit’s flesh react with oxygen in the air. The reaction makes the fruit go from a soft yellow to a rotten-looking brown.
Fortunately, there is an apple you can pick up at the grocery store that won’t turn brown for a while — the Opal apple. Opal apples are naturally low in PPO, which means they’ll stay fresh and white long after you cut them. Serious Eats even tested the claim, and after sitting out unwrapped for more than six hours, the apple had barely any browning. And here’s why apples have those little spots on their skin, too.
You may ask if genetic modification plays a role in keeping the fruit’s browning flesh at bay. In fact, you may even ask if Opal apples are safe to eat because they can do something most apples can’t. But, according to the Opal website, they’re the first apple to be verified by the Non-GMO Project, the gold standard for certification. “We understand that some consumers are concerned about genetically modified organism (GMO) products and felt it was important to clarify the natural non-browning characteristic is just that — natrual,” said Keith Mathews, CEO of FirstFruits Marketing, in a press release.
The Opal apple is actually a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Topaz apple, and it’s crisp with a sweet, floral flavor. Plus, it still has all the health benefits that every other apple has. Although FirstFruits Marketing does not publish nutrition facts for the Opal apples, the yellow apple’s nutrition value should be similar, if not the same, to every other apple at the supermarket.
Even though there’s no published data on Opal apples and their antioxidant(抗氧剂) content, it’s safe to assume that, much like their apple cousins, their white flesh is still a good source of antioxidant that’s found in greater concentrations inside the fruit instead of on the peel. And Opal apples may even preserve the antioxidants better than other apples simply because they don’t brown as quickly. The oxidation process actually steals some of the apple’s antioxidant content. If you’re now considering trying the Opal apple, it will never let you down.
1. What will happen to the ordinary apple slices put in the air?| A．They will turn brown. |
| B．They will lose all nutrients. |
| C．They will produce toxic substances |
| D．They will make people more appetizing. |
| A．It is rich in nutrition. |
| B．It contains less PPO. |
| C．It is genetically modified |
| D．It has no spots on its skin. |
| A．Opal apples are unsafe to eat because of its unique. |
| B．Keith Mathews doubts if the Opal apple is natural. |
| C．Some people are concerned the safety of the Opal apple. |
| D．The Opal apple is the only one certified by the Non-GMO Project. |
| A．Negative. | B．Objective. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Positive. |
【推荐3】Every year there is a Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It is the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone has to prepare things. They buy pork, beef, chicken, fruits and many other things. And they often make a special kind of food — “dumplings”. It means “ come together ”. On the day before the festival, parents buy new clothes for their children. Children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival Eve (除夕), all the family members come back to their hometown. This is a happy moment. Some sing and dance, some play cards and others get the dinner ready. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time.
1. Which is the most important festival in China?| A．The Mid-Autumn Festival. | B．The Spring Festival. |
| C．Children’s Day. | D．Dragon Boat Day. |
| A．In March or April. | B．In May or June. |
| C．In January or February. | D．In July or August |
| A．Chicken | B．Dumpling | C．Fish | D．Beef |
| A．Look up. | B．Help yourself. | C．Be happy | D．Come together. |
| A．give each other the best wishes | B．buy each other presents |
| C．sing, dance and play cards | D．get together |
【推荐1】Have you always wanted to make your lifestyle more sustainable? Here are a few tips that community activists, zero-waste experts and eco-friendly shop owners recommend specifically for the pandemic (疫情) .
Start with your own mask
Still using disposable (一次性的) masks or N95s? Hoiyin Ip, an environmental activist in Orange County, suggests you transition to a cloth mask that you can wash along with the rest of your laundry. They are reusable, sustainable and generally more comfortable too.
Eat smart
You may be tired of your own cooking and eating at home. When ordering takeout, Ip suggests asking the restaurant to keep its plastic cutlery (餐具).“Before you walk away with your to-go bag, check, look into your bag to see if you have this stuff, and give it back to the restaurant,”Ip said.
Electronic waste
Once your electronic device has worn out, recycle it. Battery collections in California are down a third compared to last year, he said, because many collection spots have closed or reduced hours. He advises collecting old batteries in a bag and recycling them at a drop-off location near you.
Buy in bulk
Environmental advocate Monica Campagna is creatively adapting by purchasing large quantities of her essentials — like rice, pasta and cereal — and refilling a reusable container at home. While she doesn’t get rid of disposables altogether, buying in bulk avoids lots of small plastic bags, and the bigger bags can be reused.
1. Why does Hoiyin Ip suggest using cloth masks?| A．Generally, there is no need to wash. |
| B．You can spend little money on them. |
| C．They are sustainable and more comfortable. |
| D．They’re strong enough to reuse for a long time. |
| A．Walk away with your to-go bag. |
| B．Don’t take away the restaurant’s cutlery. |
| C．Do your best to cook and eat at home. |
| D．Order takeout to avoid waste. |
| A．still use disposable masks or N95s |
| B．usually go to the restaurant to eat |
| C．throw old batteries into dustbins |
| D．purchase large quantities of your essentials |
【推荐2】Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel confident about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your writing is improving. Besides, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it. Write these achievements in your journal.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will have more confidence in yourself.
1. What is important to learn English?| A．To read English every day. |
| B．To make a record of your mistakes. |
| C．To buy a dictionary. |
| D．To practice English every day and make a record of your achievements. |
| A．be patient |
| B．make mistakes |
| C．express your ideas in English |
| D．understand everything all at once |
| A．To communicate in English. |
| B．To worry about making mistakes. |
| C．To think about what has been done after classes. |
| D．To make a record of your achievements. |
| A．It is very important to learn a second language. |
| B．Some people learn a second language easily while other people do not. |
| C．There are ways to help you learn a second language more easily. |
| D．Don't worry about making mistakes when learning a second language. |
【推荐3】I received my autoimmune disease diagnosis (自身免疫疾病诊断) in 2009, and for the first few months, I was in a very bad place. I was suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks on a daily basis. I was no longer able to function as a “normal” person. During that time, all I could do at best was to move about the house trying to do some easy housework, and prepare meals.
After a few months on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, my intense tiredness improved and I slowly regained some energy. That is when I tried to follow my doctor's advice to exercise.
I clearly remember my first attempt. I was still weak, but somehow, I thought that if I could push through and pretend I had a normal life that things would get better. So, I went out and started running in the little neighborhood park. Unfortunately, I didn't last even five minutes and came back home, totally crashed. It took me several days to recover. After that first brush with exercise, I understood that I would have to start slow.
I began going on daily walks with my husband around the block. Slowly, we went further and further, and my strength came back progressively.
After walking, I started to attend yoga classes. I remember barely making it through my first class. My muscles were weak and trembling (颤抖) by the time I rolled up my mat. But I was also so happy to be able to get out of the house, mix with other people and have a social life!
After yoga, I ventured into activities a little bit more strenuous (费力的), but still gentle on the joints. I was going to the swimming pool to do laps and riding my bike. Recently, after almost four years on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, I was finally able to start exercising regularly with a personal trainer.
1. What may the author learn from her first attempt to exercise?| A．Darkest hour is just before the dawn. |
| B．Where there is will, there is a way. |
| C．More haste, less speed. |
| D．Practice makes perfect. |
| A．Helpless but fun. | B．Tiring but rewarding. |
| C．Amusing but challenging. | D．Relaxing but disappointing. |
| A．Exercising contributes to good health. |
| B．Mood plays a vital role in one’s recovery. |
| C．Doctor’s advice should be strictly followed. |
| D．Connecting with people makes little difference. |
