How do we know the time? A clock, a watch or a mobile phone can help us. However, many years ago there were no clocks and knowing the time was not so easy. Over the centuries people have developed different ways of telling the time.
About 5,500 years ago, the Egyptians (埃及人) invented the sun clock. This was a tall stone building. Its shadow (影子) showed the movement of the sun. So people were able to know midday. The Egyptians made a sundial (日晷) about 3,500 years ago. It was smaller than the sun clock and could let people know the time for half a day. On cloudy days or at night it was impossible to tell the time with a sun clock or a sundial. Water clocks were the first clocks not to use the sun. The idea is simple. Water flows (流动) from one bottle to another. When the water reaches a certain level, it shows the hours. The Egyptians used water clocks about 3,400 years ago. These clocks were popular in the Middle East and China. But they failed to make people know the exact time.
In the 13th century, the mechanical (机械的) clock was invented. This was more exact, but it was expensive to make one. Over the next few centuries it was developed. In 1927, the first quartz (石英) clock was developed. It’s cheaper for ordinary people to own a clock. People began depending on them more and more to run businesses, markets and so on. In 1956, came the digital (数字的) clock. And nowadays satellites send our mobile phones the time to the exact second.
There has been a lot of progress in timekeeping. Clocks are always changing but some things never change. Many of us still have trouble getting out of bed on time and not being late for school or work.
1. According to the passage, we can’t use a ________ to tell the time on a rainy day.| A．water clock | B．sun clock | C．digital clock | D．mechanical clock |
| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
| A．现代的 | B．特殊的 | C．富有的 | D．普通的 |
| A．The importance of time. | B．The development of timekeeping. |
| C．The inventions of clocks. | D．The history of a digital clock. |
Your handshake is a part of your first impression (印象). Do you want your handshake to say good things about you? Here are some ways to help you learn how to shake hands correctly.
Know who to start. The person in a higher position or who is older should be the first one to reach out a hand. For example, if you are interviewed for a job, the interviewer should be the one to take the lead.
Avoid offering an unannounced (未打招呼的) handshake. If you offer someone your hand when they aren’t paying attention, they may not shake hands with you. It doesn’t mean the person doesn’t want to shake your hand. So start with a greeting to let others know that you’re here.
The handshake often lasts about 2 to 5 seconds (秒). Most people don’t spend more time shaking hands. If the other person holds your hand for more than five seconds, politely withdraw (撤回) your hand.
Don’t show a sweaty (出汗的) hand. If you hand someone a sweaty hand, you may make them uncomfortable. Before shaking their hand, dry your own hand. If you’re holding a drink, hold it in your left hand so that it won’t make your right hand wet or sweaty because we often use our right hand to shake hands with others.
Shake hands in an up-and-down direction. Don’t go back and forward or side to side. Don’t swing the other person’s hand more than three times. It may make the other person uncomfortable.
1. In which part of a magazine may we find the text?| A．Nature. | B．Geography. | C．Culture. | D．Travel. |
| A．Tell them how to shake hands. | B．Greet them politely to get their attention. |
| C．Ask them to wash their hands first. | D．Hit them on the back. |
| A．Because we often use our right hands to shake hands with others. |
| B．Because I like to hold things in my left hand. |
| C．Because my left hand is strong enough to hold things. |
| D．Because my left hand is often sweaty. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
3 . ①Type in “A cat wants to go to space” and ask the robot to write a bedtime story. Just one second later, you’ll get the story of Max, who was on his way past many difficulties to sing among the stars.
②This robot writer is real. It’s called Chạt GPT. It was developed by US company Open AI. It can translate languages, talk with people and write songs, poems and even jokes. It’s one of the most powerful AI of its kind (范围) of a real person! According to a US report of more than 1, 000 students, over 89% of them have used Chat GPT to help with homework.
③Some schools in the US, Australia and France have banned (禁止) the use of Chat GPT. In the US, New York City public schools banned students and teachers from using Chat GPT on the district’s networks and devices (设备), CNN reported. The move comes out of worries that the tool could make it easier for students to cheat (作弊), “It does not build critical (批判的)-thinking and problem-solving skills (学术的) and lifelong success,” said Jenna Lyle, a secretary of the New York City Department of Education.
④However, not all educators say “no” to Chat GPT. Some Canadian universities are drafting (起草) policies on its use, for both students and teachers. They have no plans to completely ban the tool so far.
⑤There is no doubt (怀疑) that Chat GPT is a powerful tool that people will use. What we need to do is to “adapt (适应) our learning, teaching and examinations”. That way, we can have integrity (诚信) while we’re using the tool.
1. The writer uses “the cat story” as an example to ________.| A．introduce a bedtime book |
| B．tell what Chat GPT can do for animals |
| C．show how Chat GPT learns about space |
| D．show what creative work Chat GPT can do |
| A．It might offer the wrong information. |
| B．It is so far the smartest AI chatbot tool. |
| C．It is not good for developing students’ minds. |
| D．It is necessary for academic and lifelong success. |
| A．①②③/④/⑤ | B．①②/③/④⑤ | C．①②/③④/⑤ | D．①/②③/④⑤ |
| A．The future of education. |
| B．What can robots bring us? |
| C．Will teachers be replaced by robots? |
| D．A good study tool or a way to cheat? |
4 . ①According to a research, more than 130 billion pounds of uneaten food go to waste in Laura’s country each year. That is about 30% of the yearly food supply (供应). It is a sad fact, especially when you consider how many families and homeless people are in hunger.
②When Laura saw her school dining hall throw away food that was not eaten at all every day, she came up with an idea. She started a project to help her school dining hall to give away uneaten food to homeless shelters (庇护所) in her community. In the past three years, the same project has spread to other schools and some fast food restaurants throughout the city. The project is called Feed & Find, and has already fed thousands of people in her city. How does it work? Through an app, Feed & Find matches local homeless shelters with school dining halls and restaurants that have uneaten food to provide. When dining halls or restaurants have uneaten food left, they can use the app to share the information about the food. A truck driver working for the project is then sent to pick it up and take it to a shelter.
③Pretty cool, right? It’s not surprising that people in other cities have got in touch with Laura, hoping that she could help develop similar projects for their communities.
④Some people, however, have concerns about the safety of the uneaten food. They think such food may not be clean enough. Still, this project is a clever way to help solve the problem of food waste and it helps those in need.
1. The numbers in Paragraph① tell us ________.| A．food waste is serious |
| B．some people are poor |
| C．the population is large |
| D．the research is interesting |
| A．find a truck driver |
| B．visit their communities |
| C．give away food to them |
| D．help develop projects like hers |
| A．ways | B．worries | C．secrets | D．decisions |
| A．To explain a food safety project. |
| B．To show a driving service app. |
| C．To introduce a food sharing project. |
| D．To introduce a dining guide app. |
5 . In the Americas (在美洲), Asia, and Africa there’s a special kind of forest called the cloud forest. Cloud forests can be found in the clouds on the mountains.
Like rainforests, cloud forests experience rainfall (降雨), but they also catch water straight from the air. Water condenses (凝结), you’ll hear the drop of water, even if it’s not raining. The water caught is clear and unpolluted through the ground into rivers.
Some people call cloud forests water towers, because they are so important in providing water for nearby villages and cities. But it’s not just humans who depend on cloud forests. They are also home to a lot of animals and plants.
Cloud forests are very special places. But they face problems. Local poor people clear the forests so that they can grow crops. They also hunt (猎杀) endangered animals for meat, and cut down trees to heat their homes and cook. Farmers convert (改造) the land so that they can grow fruits and coffee beans (咖啡豆).
Once cloud forests are cleared, the harm (伤害) can be irreversible (不可逆转的). Many species (物种) which are important to the ecosystem (生态系统), go away.
Cloud forests are very valuable. With laws to protect them, we might be able to save them before it’s too late.
1. The water of cloud forests comes from _________.| A．the rain | B．the air | C．rivers | D．clouds |
| A．The meanings of cloud forests. | B．The problems of cloud forests. |
| C．The advantages of cloud forests. | D．The importance of cloud forests. |
| A．people are trying to save the cloud forests |
| B．people are doing harms to the cloud forests |
| C．farmers are making better uses of cloud forests |
| D．farmers are turning the cloud forests into green land |
| A．To ask people to protect cloud forests. | B．To tell people cloud forests are valuable. |
| C．To make people know more about forests. | D．To encourage people to walk close to nature. |
6 . ① China is a nation of etiquette (礼仪). Chinese people are among the most hospitable (好客的) people in the world. If foreigners visit a Chinese family, they would be surprised at the warmth that they would receive as guests.
② When you visit a Chinese family, the host usually makes tea for you. Then he will serve you snacks like biscuits or candy. Someone in the family will also talk with you, never letting you feel lonely.
③ At the same time, other family members will prepare a meal for you. Chinese people treat their guests with a big meal. They always present more food than the guests can eat. And the guests must be the first to eat. Perhaps one of the things that surprise Western guests most is that the Chinese host likes to pick up food for visitors, which won’t happen at Western tables. The Chinese family go out of their way to make you feel at home. As you finish eating, the host usually says, “It seems that you didn’t eat much. Please have more.” Although you tell them you are full, they still put more food in your bowl.
④ Being warm and hospitable has long been an important part of Chinese culture and tradition. As Confucius (孔子) said thousands of years ago:
To meet friends from afar,
How happy we are!
1. As a guest in a Chinese family, you are usually offered _________ by the host.| A．coffee and candy | B．juice and cakes | C．tea and biscuits | D．milk and tea |
| A．make them feel at home | B．show their wealth |
| C．make them feel uncomfortable | D．show their cooking skills |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．where Chinese people usually go | B．how Chinese people treat the guests |
| C．what food Chinese people like to eat | D．why Chinese people invite the guests to their homes |
7 . As the “Double Reduction” policy (“双减”政策) came out, students have time to do after-school activities. Last month we did a survey (调查) about how to make your spare time more meaningful. We asked 1,000 students in our city. They have done different things for fun, for exercise or for knowledge. They may visit different places, do exercise, read in the library, get close to nature and so on. Now we give the following suggestions.
First, most students think that visiting different places make a difference to their lives. It not only brings them a lot of fun, but also helps them open up their eyes. Second, it is a good chance for them to get close to nature and relax themselves. Third, they can know more about the world by reading and can be inspired (鼓励) to think deeply. What’s more, they can do exercise, go to the cinema, and take part in some social activities as volunteers to help those in need. Look at the following charts (表格). You can know more about the survey.
The meaningful things for the students: | Why do they think visiting different places is meaningful? |
| A．90 | B．100 | C．210 | D．230 |
| A．feel relaxed | B．open up eyes |
| C．see interesting things | D．meet different people |
| A．watch movies | B．play in nature | C．read in libraries | D．travel with friends |
| A．Nobody likes to go to the cinemas. |
| B．Seven things are mentioned (提及) in the first chart. |
| C．We can help others as volunteers. |
| D．Students go to nature because they don’t like school. |
8 . ①Could you imagine being in a car driven by a computer, not a human? Recently, China has made a big step toward self-driving technology. Since August, driverless taxis can run on roads in Wuhan, Chongqing and Shenzhen.
②Why do we develop self-driving cars? Self-driving cars have many advantages. They use computers to sense the things around them and make better use of space. This means fewer crowded roads and better parking of cars. For disabled or blind people, self-driving cars can also help them get around more easily.
③According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, more than 1.35 million people are killed on roads around the world. Many more are hurt in accidents. Self driving cars could reduce road accidents by 90 percent and save governments a lot of money. The main cause of car accidents is human error (错误). By using computers, self-driving cars don’t make poor decisions or lose attention like humans do.
④But self-driving cars aren’t perfect. If something unexpected on the road happens, self-driving cars can’t react as fast as a human driver can. Also, during weather events like heavy snow, self-driving cars wouldn’t see the lines on the road easily. It might lead to an accident. The car’s computer system would be broken by someone, causing it to crash or change its direction.
⑤It’s clear that there is a lot of work to do to make self-driving cars a common sight on our roads. And China is taking the lead in making this happen.
1. According to the passage, it is ________ to develop self-driving cars for disabled or blind people.| A．difficult | B．creative | C．helpful | D．unnecessary |
| A．Self-driving cars would cause 90 percent road accidents of all. |
| B．Self-driving cars would cause 10 road accidents among 100 ones. |
| C．90 percent of self-driving cars would cause road accidents. |
| D．Self-driving cars could reduce the number of road accidents from 100 to 10. |
| A．how self-driving cars work |
| B．why self-driving cars were invented |
| C．what we should do to use self-driving cars safely |
| D．that self-driving cars bring both convenience and problems |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
9 . Going to museums is one of the ways for us to entertain (使快乐) ourselves. But should museums charge a fee (收费)?
Museums are there for enjoyment and they are for education as well. We can gain a lot of knowledge about history and art by visiting museums. Everyone should be able to visit and learn from it. If entry fees are charged, not everyone will be able to afford them.
Also, some people have pointed out that museums can attract more visitors if they are free to visit. When people have to pay for tickets, they often choose to go to the movies or go shopping instead.
However, others argue that museums should not be free to visit. The maintenance fees that come from protecting paintings and valuable exhibits can be very high. The money that is made from selling tickets can be used to pay these fees. Also, museums are places for people to get knowledge and enrich themselves. They’re not just tourist attractions for people to visit and take pictures at. Chen Dong, a worker in a city museum, “People will value the special opportunities (机会) if they have to pay for their visits.”
To sum it up, although there are clear arguments on both sides, I think museums should be free. At the end of the day, the most important function of museums is to spread culture and knowledge. Local governments or organizationss can take responsibility to provide museums with financial support (资金支持).
1. What does visiting a museum bring us?| A．Enjoyment and knowledge. | B．Pressure and knowledge. |
| C．Enjoyment and choices. | D．A large fee. |
| A．赞助费 | B．生活开支 | C．门票收人 | D．维护费用 |
| A．care about the chances to visit | B．get something special |
| C．learn much knowledge | D．get more chances to visit |
| A．Is Visiting a Museum Helpful? | B．Should Museums Charge a Fee? |
| C．What Do You Learn from Visiting a Museum? | D．How Can You Choose a Museum to Visit? |
Let’s sit in the “Green” seats!
Are you looking forward to next year’s Olympic Games? Paris 2024 promises to be a “green” event. Its organizers have found a new way of going green: In some of the venues (场馆) in Seine-Saint-Denis (塞纳—圣但尼省), about 11,000 seats are made from recycled plastic.
The seats were produced by recycling company Lemon Tri and a few partners (合作伙伴). They collected plastic waste and turned it into small pieces. These pieces were then mixed together and heated. After that, they were compressed (压缩) in machines. The results was black or white plastic sheets with flecks (斑点) of color. These sheets were then sanded (打磨), cut and assembled (组装) into seats.
Are these seats of good quality (质量), you may ask? Don’t worry! A number of tests have been carried out on them. There were a UV resistance (抗紫外线) test, a fire resistance test, and more. People will be able to sit safely in the chairs and enjoy the excitement of the game!
The seats were made from about 100 tons of plastic waste. About 80 percent of the plastic came from local recycling bins (箱). Local schools also collected about five million colored soda bottle caps and they were used in the making of the seats.
The seats not only help the environment, but also educate people about recycling.
Augustin Jaclin is the co-founder of Lemon Tri. “Our kids put their bottles in the bins,” he said. “Next year, they’ll sit on the seats made from these bottles. This will teach them to recycle more in their daily lives!”
1. Why is the Paris 2024 Olympics a green event?2. What helps to make sure of the safety of the chairs?
3. Where did the material of the seats mostly come from?
4. Where else do you expect to see the green seats? Why?（Write 30 words or more）
