Lightning is one of the most powerful weather forces to hit Earth. These huge electricity that strike (撞击；击打) during storms can cause destruction and death. Lightning can heat the air around it to temperatures five times hotter than the surface of the sun.
Lightning is very common. It is estimated (估计) that every second, about 100 lightning strikes hit the surface of the Earth.
Lightning can be deadly. It is difficult to keep exact records on how many people die from lightning each year throughout the world. Some experts estimate that about 2, 000 people die each year from lightning. Others say the number could be as high as 24, 000.
So how to stay safe during a lightning storm is important. Experts at the weather gov (政府) website, give tips on staying safe if lightning comes your way.
Outdoor lightning storm
If you are outside, you should take cover, which means finding a safe shelter for protection. During a lightning storm, no place outside is safe. If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you. Most lightning victims (受害者) are in open areas or near a tree.
Nowhere to hide
If you are outside during a lightning storm and there is no safe shelter, these actions may reduce your risk:
●Immediately leave high land areas, such as hills or mountains.
●Never lie flat on the ground.
●Never shelter under a tree sitting in the open.
●Immediately get out of any bodies of water and stay away from those areas.
●Stay away from objects that can conduct electricity, such as wire fences, tall buildings, power lines or windmills.
Indoor lightning storm
Stay off wired phones, computers and other equipment that can put you in direct contact with electricity.
●Avoid any areas with running water.
●Remain indoors but stay away from windows and doors.
●Do not lie on concrete (混凝土) floors or touch concrete walls.
1. What characteristics does lightning have?| A．Deadly. | B．Common. | C．Powerful. | D．All of above. |
| A．100 | B．6000 | C．600 | D．1000 |
| A．庇护处 | B．最高点 | C．最低点 | D．休息间 |
| A．we should stay at the mountain | B．a big tree in the open air is a perfect place to stay |
| C．we can play computer games as usual | D．we should keep away from the water |
| A．How does Lightning Happen. | B．How to Stay Safe During a Lightning Storm. |
| C．Bad Influences of Lightning. | D．How to Help the Lightning Victims. |
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【推荐1】The locusts (蝗虫) in East Africa continue plaguing (造成麻烦) Asian countries such as Pakistan after they “visited” Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
On Thursday, it’s reported that China will send an army of 100,000 ducks to Pakistan to help eat out the locusts there. By Thursday noon, the 100,000 ducks ready to eat locusts in Pakistan has been one of the hottest topics of Sina Weibo. There has been much discussion on domestic social media (国内社交媒体) networks about the problem. Besides ducks, many also suggest sending hens, while some make it further by advising catching the locusts, to cook and eat them.
The hen and duck strategy was used in 2000. When the Xinjiang suffered its worst locust plague in 25 years. An “army” of about 700,000 hens, roosters and ducks were transported from Zhejiang province to Xinjiang and helped defeat the locusts quickly.
However, neither the duck nor hen strategy can always be useful. Hens and ducks are good at picking locusts and eating them, but this time the locusts from Africa are mostly grownup ones that can fly up to 2,000 meters in the sky. It is unrealistic to expect hens or ducks to eat all the locusts alone.
The best way of controlling a locust plague lies in the preventive (预防的) stage. One opinion among scientists is that the locust plague this year has much to do with the EL Nino effect of 2019, which caused heavier rainfall in East Africa, which in turn resulted in more locust eggs hatching.
The same effect caused droughts (干旱) in Australia and South America, an important reason why the wildfires in Australia have been so bad. It might be old talk, but it really is time to control climate change.
1. Which farm bird isn’t mentioned in the passage?| A．Hen. | B．Rooster. | C．Duck. | D．Turkey. |
| A．The locusts has “visited” Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. |
| B．The 100,000 ducks are ready to eat locusts in Pakistan. |
| C．The locusts in East Africa continue plaguing Asian countries. |
| D．Africa would send a lot of army men to Pakistan on Thursday. |
| A．Sending roosters to Pakistan. |
| B．Making less discussion about the problem. |
| C．Catching the locusts, to cook and eat them. |
| D．Using domestic social media to solve the problem. |
| A．The hen and duck strategy. | B．Picking locusts by humans. |
| C．Flying up to 2,000 meters to catch locusts. | D．Controlling a locust plague. |
| A．Rainfall in East Asia. | B．Droughts in North America. |
| C．The wildfires in New Zealand. | D．The locusts in East Africa. |
【推荐2】Today there are more fires than in the past. Over 100,000 wildfires burn each year in America. Russia has 20,000 to 35,000 wildfires every year. Australia has on average 60,000 each year. These fires destroy huge areas of forests and burn hundreds of homes.
Many experts believe _______. The first is climate change. Recent weather has been warmer and drier. This leads to dangerous fire conditions. When lightening strikes, dry grass easily catches fire. Hot winds add to the problem. The wind spreads a fire quickly. In 2010, Russia had the hottest and driest summer in a century. In just one month, 500 fires destroyed over 2,000 homes. Some people lost their lives.
Traditional fire-fighting practices are another reason for the increase in fires. In America, firefighters used to quickly put out every fire. They didn't allow the grass and trees to burn. As a result, today many forests have thicker vegetation(植被). Thicker vegetation means more fuel for fires. also, without fires from time to time, forests become overcrowded and unhealthy. Some trees are dead. The dead wood then easily catches fire. So surprisingly, America has many more fires today partly because of its past fire-fighting practices.
Scientists now understand that a fire can be a natural part of healthy forest. As a result, countries like Australia allow more fires to burn naturally. Sometimes, fire fighters even start fires to get rid of dead wood. Of course, they carefully control the fires. The fire thins out old trees. This allows sunlight to reach the ground. As a result, fires help new trees to grow. Therefore, if a fire is not a serious threat to people, firefighters may let it burn naturally.
1. Today _______ has the most wildfires each year according to the passage.| A．Australia | B．America | C．Russia | D．China |
| A．lightening spread the fire | B．there was much fuel for fires |
| C．there were not enough firefighters | D．it was unusually hot, dry and windy |
| A．there are several reasons for this sudden increase in fires |
| B．people have done too many terrible things in recent years |
| C．stopping fires is difficult for people |
| D．careless people cause some fires |
| A．there are fewer wildfires | B．trees and grass become thicker |
| C．the weather becomes warmer and drier | D．sunlight reaches the ground to help forests |
| A．Fires are serious threats to human beings. |
| B．Australian firefighters don't put out fires. |
| C．Fires can play an important role in forests. |
| D．It's difficult for firefighters to control the fires. |
| A．Not all the fires in the forests must be put out. |
| B．People's carelessness leads to dangerous fires. |
| C．Australia allows all the fires to burn naturally. |
| D．There are 2000 fires in Russia in 2010. |
Some countries have a large number of earthquakes. Japan is one of them.
A terrible earthquake happened in Assam, India, in 1986. The land near Shillong suddenly moved 1.5 feet to one side, and then back again.
| A．But others do not have many. |
| B．Sometimes they break more buildings than the earthquake itself. |
| C．It continued to act like this 20 times a minute. |
| D．There is often a great noise during an earthquake. |
| E．Some people say that earthquakes often happen near volcanoes (火山), but it is not true. |
【推荐1】“Pressure”（压力）means that people are expecting a lot of you. It also means that you sometimes have to do a lot of things in a short period of time. Pressure seems to be a part of modern life; everyone feels it. People feel pressure at work, students feel pressure at school and everyone sometimes feels the pressure of trying to please their friends and family.
Surprising as it may sound, though, pressure can be a good thing. When you are under pressure it helps you to focus and think hard about the problems that have to be solved. It forces you to plan your time, to decide which problems are more important and which are less important. And, in the end, when you face these problems you will become a better, stronger person.
Of course, pressure isn’t always beneficial. Too much pressure causes stress and it can affect your health. It affects your heart, your blood circulation and your nervous system. When this happens, it’s time to get help from a doctor. If you are feeling this way, make sure you tell someone. The worst way to handle “negative”（消极的 ）pressure is to keep silent; it will only make things worse. Your attitude has a lot to do with how you deal with pressure. When faced with a problem, try to look at it as a challenge than trouble.
Life is filled with problems and pressures-they are never going away, so we have to face them. In the end it makes us better people and we can shine like diamonds.
1. Pressure can be a good thing because it helps us ________.| A．to sleep | B．to eat more food | C．to solve the problem | D．to improve blood circulation |
| A．helpful | B．harmful | C．important | D．wonderful |
| A．Forget about it. | B．Try to keep silent | C．Avoid thinking about it. | D．Try to treat it as a challenge. |
| A．Pressure is a part of everyone’s life. | B．Too much pressure can harm our health. |
| C．Pressure helps us become better and stronger. | D．The more pressure we have, the better we will be |
In 366, a monk named Lezun passed by some mountains in Dunhuang, Gansu. Showering in the sun’s golden rays, Lezun “saw” a thousand Buddhas in the air. Inspired by this, Lezun started building grottoes along the cliffs. Later, other people continued his work for the next 1,000 years. This is how the world-famous Mogao Grottoes came into being.
The grottoes contain more than 2,000 sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals in 735 caves. The sculptures and murals show how ancient people farmed, ate, and even fought. They contain elements of Chinese, Central Asian and Indian cultures. About 60,000 ancient documents were discovered in one cave, teaching us even more about Buddhism and the lives of ancient people.
However, since the mid-16th century, the grottoes have suffered from natural erosion and human activity. In 1944, the Dunhuang Academy was set up to protect and study the grottoes and their culture. For example, the academy has protected the caves by planting trees. Because of the trees, the damage caused by the spring sandstorms is not as serious as it used to be. The academy has also developed a monitoring system to keep an eye on the caves.
The academy has been digitally keeping the grottoes’ paintings and sculptures since the 1990s. Over 200 of the 492 caves have been kept in this way. Virtual tours of the caves allow people to see these works of art online. Videos, cartoons, and interactive games are also used to give people a taste of Dunhuang culture. A national lab will be set up by the academy to further research the grottoes. A virtual reality tour system is planned to be started around June.
1. There are ________ in Mogao Grottoes.| A．735 caves | B．1,000 sculptures | C．2,000 documents | D．45,000 murals |
| A．contain a thousand Buddhas | B．mix Chinese and foreign cultures |
| C．show the lives of modern people | D．were accidentally discovered by Lezun |
| A．Spring sandstorms there will be stopped by trees. |
| B．A monitoring system will be developed for the grottoes. |
| C．The Dunhuang Academy will study the grottoes further. |
| D．People will have no choice but to tour Mogao Grottoes online. |
| A．A True Story about Lezun |
| B．Time to Protect Mogao Grottoes |
| C．A New Way to Tour Mogao Grottoes |
| D．The Past and Present of Mogao Grottoes |
When facing difficulties, what will you do? Will you move forward or backward? Some people choose to step backward waiting to see if there will be anyone coming to help.
The Qiantang River runs across Zhejiang Province. Every year, in August on the Chinese lunar calendar (农历), big waves show up on the river.
What activities can people have during the bore? Tide-watching is a popular one. It first began in Southern Song Dynasty. Visitors went tide-watching from all over China.
Today, there are still many tide riders on Qiantang River. They show off their skills on the waves.
| A．What would you do if there is a big wave towards you? |
| B．Others stand out and fight bravely. |
| C．People even held a big water sports meet. |
| D．But what is “chao”? |
| E．Thousands of people cheer for them on the banks. |
| F．The waves look like a long, white wall. |
【推荐1】School is a good place for us to study. Yet sometimes, it’s easy for us to have accidents there. Experts (专家) suggest that right safety training could avoid 80% of these accidents. Here are parts of safety rules in some countries.
In China, fire training at school is common to teach students to deal with emergencies (紧急情况) . During the training, students hurry to the playground with a wet cloth covering their mouth. Fire training is held each term. |
In many middle schools in the UK, students can choose to take a bicycle course. There, they learn how to ride to school safely. |
Most US school buildings have fire escapes on each floor. A fire escape has platforms (露台) with ladders. |
In Japan, public primary schools hold earthquake training once a month. They teach students how to escape during an earthquake without pushing. |
| A．it is easy | B．it is interesting |
| C．it could avoid some accidents | D．it is taught by the teachers |
| A．with a wet cloth covering their mouth | B．by using ladders |
| C．by bike | D．by pushing each other |
| A．once a week | B．once a month | C．once a year | D．every day |
It’s dangerous when you play with these things. If you see matches or a lighter lying around, tell an adult (成年人). | Fire Safety
| It is easier to breathe (呼吸) in a fire by staying low. The air is fresher when you stay low. |
| Shout for help, but do not run. Running makes the flames (火苗) burns faster. | Don’t stay in your house! Although fires are scary, NEVER hide in a cupboard or under beds when there is a fire. | Find a safe place outside. Then call the firefighters quickly. If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. |
| A．Choose a safe place outside and call 119. |
| B．If there’s a fire, FALL and CRAWL (匍匐前进). |
| C．Don’t play with matches and lighters. |
| D．GO OUTSIDE! |
| E．If your clothes are on fire, STOP, DROP, and ROLL on the floor until the fire is out. |
If you are inside:
●Quickly move under a strong desk, a strong table or along a wall. You can also go into a small room like the bathroom. Do not get into a lift.
●Don’t stand near windows, large mirrors, heavy furniture or fireplaces.
If you are outside:
●Move away from buildings and streetlights. These could fall on you.
●Squat (蹲下) and protect your head until the shaking stops.
After the earthquake:
●Check, take care of injuries (损伤) and help make sure people around you are all right.
●Watch out for
●Protect yourself by wearing long pants, a long-sleeved(长袖的) shirt and strong shoes.
●Listen to the radio for the latest information.
1. If you are in a tall building when an earthquake happens, you’d better .
| A．run into a lift |
| B．not stay in the bathroom |
| C．stand near large mirrors |
| D．not stand near windows |
| A．you must move into a building |
| B．you cannot squat |
| C．you have to stop the shaking |
| D．you must move away from streetlights |
| A．look after injuries |
| B．not help the others around you |
| C．protect yourself without wearing shoes |
| D．not listen to the radio for the latest information |
| A．what to do before an earthquake takes place. |
| B．what to do if you are in an earthquake. |
| C．how to escape from an earthquake when you are at home. |
| D．how to predict (预知) an earthquake in the open air. |
【推荐1】Thanks to double reduction policy (双减政策), many students may have time to enjoy after school activities.
Some students can play sports. They may play soccer, ping pong or do Chinese Kungfu.
Some students go to learn music. They sing, dance or play some instruments. Other students can draw or practice calligraphy (书法) and more. After-school activities are fun and good for students.
But why should students do after-school activities? Here are some good reasons. First, doing an after-school activity is a good short break from studying. After the break students can better focus on the class or their schoolwork. Next, students can make some friends while doing after-school activities. Finally students can get some new skills from the activities, some important life skills like working with others or dealing with themselves.
1. Students can do the following after-school activities EXCEPT ________.| A．do sports | B．learn music | C．draw or practice calligraphy | D．play computer games |
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
| A．travel | B．education | C．medicine | D．culture |
【推荐2】Do you know what you can do to protect the Earth? Here are some things you can do in your daily life. The more you do, the more you can help the Earth—our home.
Plant a tree
It’s good for the air and the land. It can shade (遮蔽) your house and make you have a cool summer.
Turn off computers at night
Turn off your computer if you don’t use it. You can save 40 watt-hours per day. That is 4 cents a day, or $14 per year. If you don’t want to wait for your computer to start up, set it to turn on automatically (自动地) a few minutes before you get to work.
Buy some second-hand (二手的) things
Buy things from a second-hand store such as toys, bicycles and other things. Second-hand stores often sell these things in good quality (质量) because they are used for such a short time.
Don’t take a bath
Have a no-bath week. You can take showers. If you take a shower, you can save water and energy. You can also save much money.
1. How many cents can you save if you turn off your computer in a week?| A．14 cents. | B．18 cents. | C．28 cents. | D．98 cents. |
| A．The buyers of second-hand things. | B．Things in second-hand stores. |
| C．Second-hand stores. | D．Things in first-hand stores. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Planting trees can give you cool summer. |
| B．It’s good to turn off your computer at night. |
| C．Second-hand things are the best. |
| D．Taking a bath needs more water. |
| A．How to help save the Earth? | B．Why should we protect the Earth? |
| C．Why the Earth is in danger? | D．What to do to help people on Earth? |
【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．Christmas. | B．The Spring Festival. | C．Children’s Day. |
| A．In March or April. | B．In May or June. | C．In January or February. |
| A．Chicken | B．Dumpling | C．Duck |
| A．Beef | B．New clothes | C．Presents |
| A．give each other the best wishes | B．go shopping together | C．sing, dance and play cards |
