A big sandstorm hit northern China several months ago. It covered many cities with thick clouds of yellow dust（尘土）.
The storm, which came from Mongolia, was the largest sandstorm in China in the past 10 years. Many flights and classes were canceled because the visibility（能见度）was lower than 500 meters.
A big sandstorm, from Mongolia, hit northern China several months ago. It was the largest sandstorm in China in the past 10 years. Many flights and classes were canceled because the visibility（能见度）was lower than 500 meters.
The storm was the result of warm and dry weather in the area, together with the strong winds from Mongolia. “There has been little rainfall so far this spring and the temperature is rising. So now it is a worrying time for sandstorms.” said an expert from Beijing.
In recent years, sandstorms haven’t been as common in northern China as before. The land with desertification has been falling by 7,585 km² per year in China, and the area of sandy land has been decreasing by 1,284 km² a year. This is thanks to China’s Three-North Shelter Forest Program（TNSFP 三北防护林工程）which started in the 1970s. Millions of trees have been planted in northern China to prevent sandstorms and protect the environment since 1980.
Besides, China has a color-graded weather warning system for sandstorms, with red meaning the most serious, followed by orange and yellow. Therefore, people would have time to get prepared for the sandstorm.
 |
| A．Cold, and wet weather, together with the strong winds. |
| B．Warm, dry weather and the strong winds. |
| C．Warm, wet weather and the strong winds. |
A． | B． | C． |
| A．In the 1980s. | B．In the 1970s. | C．In the 1960s. |
| A．Red. | B．Orange. | C．Yellow. |
| A．We have taken some action to prevent sandstorms. |
| B．Sandstorms have never changed. |
| C．The weather is getting worse and worse. |
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【推荐1】Lonely old people now can buy “grandkids” by using an app named Papa. Through the app, elderly people can ask young people to come and visit them.
Elderly people, who may have lost touch with their own family, can also ask their rented(租用的) grandchildren to do chores and drive them around.
The elderly people can use Papa on the smartphone. If they don't have a smartphone, they can make a phone call. To use the service, the elderly people have to contact Papa first through either of the ways. The workers of Papa will provide advice for them for free and pair(配对) college students with them. Usually, the app costs the elderly people $15 an hour.
Most Papa Pals make about $20 to $30 per visit. The visit lasts around three hours. Andrew Parker, the founder of the service, says that Papa can also provide the service for people in need.
1. Through the app Papa, elderly people can ask young people to help with chores.2. The elderly people without a smartphone can also enjoy the service of Papa.
3. The elderly people should pay $10 for the service per hour.
4. Most Papa Pals can make about $20 to $30 per visit.
5. Papa only provides the service for the elderly people.
【推荐2】Forest bathing began in Japan in the 1980s. It is a practice called shinrin—yoku, which can be translated as “taking in the medicine or air of the forest”. It has recently grown more popular worldwide. When people take time in the natural green world to “be” in a fully present way, studies show it does good to health.
One of the good things of taking a walk in nature is getting away from screens. When we enjoy nature, we keep ourselves away from computers or mobile phones. We take a break and allow ourselves to get strength and energy back. During forest bathing, we are slowing down, stopping making quick decisions, experiencing the pleasure of nature through all of our senses, enjoying being alive and enjoying just the present moment.
In fact, forest bathing is also becoming a more and more popular way of treating stress (压力). Forest bathing is believed to help those experiencing stressful situations. In one recent study, people who formed the habits of walking through forests had lowered blood pressure (血压) and got out of worries.
At the same time bathing in forest air produces more natural killer—NK cells (细胞) in our blood. Our body uses these NK cells to fight illness. One Japanese study showed a rise in the number and activity of these NK cells among people who forest bathe. Plants and trees in forests can also send out something called phytoncides (植物杀菌剂). This tree oil can not only protect plants and trees themselves, but also help people sleep well, lift mood and attention, bring joy and boost health.
Forest bathing needs repeated practice. It’s not a one-and-done quick fix. Studies in England on green spaces showed that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature helps with good health. It doesn’t matter if you break up the two hours into shorter walks in a local park filled with lots of trees or spend an afternoon in a forest.
Taking a quick walk through nature and rushing through the activity to get back to work, let’s say, may not be as helpful. Nor is it advised to play loud music as you walk. Forest bathing shows a different way of life. You’re walking through nature in a forest and taking your time. You’re noticing feelings and staring more of a relaxing and meaningful life.
1. According to the passage, during forest bathing people may ________.| A．think only of the past moment | B．make decisions more quickly |
| C．spend less energy to take exercise | D．keep themselves away from worries |
| A．risk | B．improve | C．harm | D．offer |
| A．people should form a habit of walking in nature |
| B．playing light music while walking can be helpful |
| C．walking for at least 2 hours every time is necessary |
| D．NK cells and phytoncides are both produced in plants |
| A．How can we enjoy forest baths in nature? | B．Is it helpful or unhelpful to forest bathe? |
| C．Forest bathing is a great help from nature. | D．Forest bathing is a way to change nature. |
【推荐3】Have you ever seen a road map of the United States? It looks a lot like a spiderweb. The countless roads connect nearly every city in between. Getting around is easy: just jump in a car and hit the road! A hundred years ago, driving across the country wasn’t quite so easy. Most “roads” were just small dirt trails (泥泞小道). Cars often broke down, got stuck in mud, or hit on big or small rocks in the middle of the roads.
In the 1920s, the United States government created new highways to make driving easier. One highway stretched about 2400 miles (3,862 km) from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. Its name was Route 66, but many called it the “Main Street of American”. It goes through eight American states.
Museums, motels, and shops are found along Route 66 in every state the route passes through. Route 66 is also full of unique art historic gas stations, and theaters. In addition, travelers can see live shows such as a Native American dance. One thing is for sure — you won’t be bored on Route 66!
1. The passage shows the changes of American roads by ________ in the first paragraph.| A．asking a question | B．comparing the past and now |
| C．showing us a map | D．telling a story |
| A．a dictionary | B．a newspaper |
| C．a travel magazine | D．a history book |
| A．It was quite easy to drive across America 100 years ago. |
| B．The length of Route 66 is about 2400 km. |
| C．The “Main Street of American” starts from Chicago and ends in Santa Monica. |
| D．We know that Route 66 covers seven states of America. |
| A．Theaters. | B．Live shows. | C．Museums. | D．All above. |
【推荐1】The Community Children’s Trash-sorting (垃圾分类) Competition will be held in the community next Saturday and there are more and more children joining in this competition.
Children’s Trash-sorting Competition
Theme: Trash-sorting
Age Group: Children between eight and sixteen
Personal information (in English only):
Full name, age and full address including phone number and e-mail must be provided while signing up.
The competition will be held in two rounds.
First Round: Answer race — The host will ask questions about trash-sorting and children will have to answer them as soon as possible. The person who answers the question correctly and fastest can get one point.
Second Round: Actual operation (实践操作) — The children will be given real trash, and they have to sort those trash in a limited time.
Finally, the judge (裁判) will count how many points each person can get and decide the winner(s).
Prizes:
The 1st Prize: One person — $600 and a fully-paid trip for the winner.
The 2nd Prize: Two persons — $300 each and a fully-paid trip for the winner.
The 3rd Prize: Three persons — A certificate (证书) for each winner.
1. Who can take part in the competition according to the passage?| A．Eric, a 26-year-old boy. | B．Ann, a 17-year-old schoolgirl. |
| C．Susan, a middle-aged woman. | D．Jordan, a 13-year-old student. |
| A．When the competition is. | B．The number of the rounds. |
| C．Where the competition is. | D．Who holds the competition. |
| A．In a storybook. | B．In a notice. | C．In a science book. | D．In a travel guide. |
【推荐2】As a 10-year-old boy living in Mumbai, Angad Daryani often had problems breathing during football matches because of the thick smog (烟雾) around India’s big cities. “When I used to play outside in Mumbai, India, I’d always be coughing because of the pollution,” says Daryani, who is now 23 years old.
India has the world’s worst air pollution. Home to 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, India’s bad air kills more than one million people each year. “In India, you notice a big difference in energy levels compared to in US cities, which may largely result in the air pollution,” says Daryani. “You get tired as soon as you wake up because of the pollution.”
Fired by his own experience of the influence of air pollution on his health, Daryani is one of a growing number of entrepreneurs (企业家) hoping to clean up India’s skies. “Air pollution kills seven million people worldwide every year, but we don’t take it as seriously as Covid-19,” he says. For Daryani, there is no time to waste — India must urgently reduce pollution to protect people’s health. “Turning all cars into electric will take at least 30 years. During this time, cities will be filled with air pollution,” he says. “We have to purify (净化) air in a local manner.”
His solution to the problem is a simple one — develop a low-cost system that can capture (捕获) the pollution so it can be turned into something useful like building tiles (砖). While studying engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, Daryani designed an outdoor purifying system that removes pollution from the air. The system only sucks the pollution in and collects it in a box, leaving clean air in its place.
Daryani has also started designing a new device that can capture carbon dioxide in the hope it can start to reduce the greenhouse gas from the air. “Future generations need to feel like they have a future,” he says.
1. Angad Daryani ________ when he was a kid.| A．lived in a big city in US | B．coughed because of the bad air |
| C．used to play basketball | D．have trouble breathing at home |
| A．India has better energy levels than American cities. |
| B．The bad air leads to lots of deaths every year in India. |
| C．People feel tired when getting up because of the pollution. |
| D．India has more polluted cities than any other country. |
| A．it is too expensive | B．it will take a long time | C．there are no cars | D．India is short of electricity |
| A．产生 | B．消除 | C．吸收 | D．替代 |
| A．A chemistry book. | B．A society magazine. | C．A sport newspaper. | D．A travel ad. |
【推荐3】It might be strange to wear clothes made of plastic bottles. But in fact, some clothing companies are already making clothes like these.
The fashion company of Alia Juma’s showed its newest collection at a workshop in Shanghai. Eighteen clothing kinds from the collection were made of recycled plastic bottles. “We realized that billions of water bottles are thrown into oceans every year and it would take hundreds of years to break down. We should use them to improve the environment,” said Alia Juma, the company’s designer. “Five bottles can make a shirt, 10 a dress, and 20 a short coat.”
Many other fashion companies are finding similar ways to save our planet these days. The process is rather simple. First, the plastic bottles are washed and cut into small pieces. Then they are melted (熔化) and shaped into small balls. Then the balls are melted again to form threads (线). People can then use the threads to make different kinds of clothes.
According to Juma, it takes 67,000 bottles to produce 1 ton of threads. This cuts down carbon emissions (碳排放) by 4.2 tons and water use by 6.2 tons compared with the normal way of making threads.
Some people might have wondered about wearing something made of plastic bottles. But in fact, clothes made of plastics can be even better than those made from common materials. Plastic threads can also be made into different materials, such as cotton, silk, or even wool. It seems that this innovation (创新) may lead to a greener future of fashion.
1. Why do fashion companies make clothes with plastics according to the passage?| A．In order to protect our earth. |
| B．In order to make more money. |
| C．In order to recycle plastic bottles. |
| D．In order to make clothes-making more fashionable. |
| A．崩塌 | B．分解 | C．融化 | D．打碎 |
| A．The ways to save our planet. |
| B．The process of making plastic clothes. |
| C．The companies of making plastic clothes. |
| D．The kinds of clothes-making with plastic bottles. |
| A．Plastics can only be used to make clothes. |
| B．People don’t like the clothes made of plastics. |
| C．The future of plastic clothes making is cheaper. |
| D．Plastic clothes making may lead to a new future of fashion. |
【推荐1】What does it mean to be green? “Green” is more than just a color. It also means taking special steps to protect the environment—the water, the land, and the air we breathe. Why green? Plants are green, and without them the earth wouldn’t be such a lovely home for us human beings.
Sometimes people call ours a “throwaway society”. That means we are always throwing away old things and buying new ones. Many times, if you no longer need something, someone else just might need it. For example, if your brother is old enough not to play with his plastic bike, why not give it to another family who has a little kid so that they don’t need to buy one? And one less large plastic toy doesn’t need to be produced.
Recycling (回收利用) has never been easier. Many organizations will pick it up right in front of your house and some towns even require (要求) it. Tell your mom or dad you want to become “Chief of Recycling” for your family. Now that you know what things you can recycle, find a place to keep them. Make sure you encourage everyone in your house to think whether things can be reused or recycled before they’re thrown away.
Almost everyone likes traveling. But next time before you travel around the world, take a look at your own backyard. Is there a place where you could plant a tree or put in a little fruit or vegetable garden? If so, get there and get your hands dirty. Then you can watch with pride as your tree takes root, and your garden plants grow into big plants full of ripe, red tomatoes or tiny, juicy blueberries. Who knew being green would taste so good?
1. In the first paragraph, the writer introduces the topic of the passage by ________.| A．telling an interesting story | B．explaining the word “green” |
| C．giving some special examples | D．telling an exciting joke |
| A．people shouldn’t produce any plastic things |
| B．people can get anything they want from others |
| C．people always throw away the used things and buy new ones |
| D．people can’t get anything they want from others |
| A．recycle things all by yourself |
| B．ask your family to use the old things all the time |
| C．find a place to keep the things that can be recycled |
| D．throw away your old things |
| A．create a green environment | B．make a lot of money |
| C．get your hands dirty | D．have a free time |
【推荐2】People often remember what they were doing when they heard the news of important events in history. In America, for example, many people remember what they were doing on April 4, 1968. This was an important event in American history. On this day, Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. Although some people may not remember who killed him, they remember what they were doing when they heard the news.
Robert Allen is now over 50, but he was a school pupil at that time. “I was at home with my parents,” Robert remembers. “We were eating dinner in the kitchen when we heard the news on the radio. The news reporter said ‘Dr. King died just 10 minutes ago.’ My parents were completely shocked! My parents did not talk after that, and we finished the rest of our dinner in silence.”
More recently, most Americans remember what they were doing when the World Trade Center in New York was taken down by terrorists. Even the date—September 11, 2001—has meaning to most Americans.
This was a day Kate Smith will never forget. She remembers working in her office near the two towers. “Damon, one of my colleagues, shouted that a plane just hit the World Trade Center! I didn’t believe him at first, but then I looked out of the window and realized that it was true. I was so terrified that I could hardly think clearly after that.”
1. Why did Robert and his parents keep silent during the dinner that day?| A．They hated Martin Luther King. | B．They were too surprised at Dr. King’s death. |
| C．Robert was having a fight with his parents. | D．They never talked much over the dinner. |
| A．Scared. | B．Excited. | C．Happy. | D．Curious. |
| A．Not all Americans know who killed Martin Luther King. |
| B．Robert Allen was in his twenties when Martin Luther King died. |
| C．April 4, 1968 and September 11, 2001 are two special dates in American history. |
| D．The World Trade Center event is a terrorism event. |
| A．listing reasons | B．giving examples | C．using numbers | D．drawing graphs |
| A．Do you remember these important history events? |
| B．Interesting facts about Martin Luther King and the World Trade Centre |
| C．What were you doing when it happened? |
| D．People with amazing memory |
【推荐3】There are lots of objects that we see in the sky. During the day we see the sun. After the sunset in the evening, we see mostly the stars. Not all the lights in the sky that we see are really stars.
Of course, we see the moon. Some of the other lights in the sky are planets(行星). Planets go around the sun like earth does.
Sometimes we can see a shooting star. Shooting star looks like a star that is moving quickly across the sky. Some people believe that seeing a shooting star will bring them good luck. It's hard to find shooting star because they run fast.
The correct name for shooting star is meteor(流星). Space has lots of little objects. These can be rocks in space from old planets. These objects can be very small, they are called meteorites(陨石). When meteorite gets close to the earth, it gets pulled towards the earth by gravity(重力). Earth is surrounded by atmosphere(大气层). Atmosphere is made up of air and clouds. Meteorite burns in the earth's atmosphere. This makes the short bright moving light in the night sky. A meteorite then turns into meteor.
1. At night the sky is filled mostly with ________.| A．the moon | B．the planets | C．the stars | D．the sun |
| A．all the lights in the sky that we see are really stars |
| B．space has lots of little objects and they can be rocks from old planets. |
| C．when a meteorite is near the earth, it gets pushed from the earth by gravity. |
| D．shooting star looks like star that is moving slowly across the sky. |
①It is pulled towards the earth by gravity.
②The burning gives off bright light.
③A meteorite gets close to the earth.
④It burns in the earth's atmosphere.
| A．③④②① | B．③④①② | C．③①④② | D．③②①④ |
| A．In a diary. | B．In a science magazine. | C．In an advertisement. | D．In a novel. |
