Have you ever heard about the whitest paint in the world? In September 2021, researchers at Purdue University in the US, had invented a paint that received a Guinness World Records for being the whitest in the world. But that isn’t the paint’s only special quality (特征).
The paint is developed by professor Xiulin Ruan and his team. It is so white that it could reduce (减少) the need for air conditioners. It works through a cooling technology that offers great promises to reduce space cooling cost and global (全球的) warming. “When we started this project seven years ago, we had saved energy and fought climate (气候) change in mind.” Ruan said in This Is Purdue. They wanted to invent a paint that would reflect (反射) sunlight away from a building, largely reducing the need for air conditioners.
In a report written by Ruan’s team, the researchers explain the white paint reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight, and sends infrared heat (红外线热) away from its surface (表面) at the same time. The paint takes in less heat from the sun than it gives out, so the outside of an object covered with this paint is cooled below surrounding (周围的) temperature without so much air conditioning. However, other paints get warmer rather than cooler. They reflect only 80%-90% of sunlight and do not have special qualities to make the outside of objects cooler than their surroundings.
“If you were to use this paint to cover a roof (屋顶) area of about 1,000 square feet, we think that you could get a cooling power of 10 kilowatts. That’s more powerful than the central air conditioners used by most houses, ”Ruan told in This Is Purdue. In other words, ______. The paint will probably help buildings depend less on air conditioning systems that are the cause of a part of the global warming.
You can’t buy the paint just yet, but researchers are working with a company to put the paint on the market. Someday we could cool our homes simply by painting our roofs with the whitest paint and it could help fight against climate change.
1. What is known about the paint?| A．It has different colors. | B．It uses heating technology. |
| C．It is friendly to environment. | D．It doesn’t cost much money. |
| A．It makes the objects warm. | B．It cools the surface of the objects. |
| C．The objects reflect half of sunlight. | D．The objects take in infrared heat. |
| A．it’s much cheaper to use this paint than air conditioners |
| B．using air conditioners too much can cause global warming |
| C．scientists need to improve this paint to solve more problems |
| D．this paint could take the place of air conditioners in some places |
| A．To introduce a special paint. |
| B．To advise people to cool homes. |
| C．To tell the use of air conditioners. |
| D．To share reasons of climate change. |
①Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can’t talk, but can they lie in other ways? Can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals, from birds to chimpanzees, behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Why? Dishonesty often helps them survive.
②Many kinds of birds are very successful at fooling other animals. For example, a bird called the plover sometimes pretends to be hurt in order to protect its young. When a predator gets close to its nest, the plover leads the predator away from the nest. How? It pretends to have a broken wing. The predator follows the “hurt” adult, leaving the baby birds safe in the nest.
③Another kind of bird, the scrub jay, buries its food so it always has something to eat. Scrub jays are also thieves. They watch where others bury their food and steal it. But clever scrub jays seem to know when a thief is watching them. So they go back later, unbury the food, and bury it again somewhere else.
④Birds called cuckoos have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How? They don’t make nests. But they get into other birds’ nests secretly. Then they lay their eggs and fly away. When the baby birds come out, their adoptive parents feed them.
⑤Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky. After a fight, the losing chimp will give its hand to the other. When the winning chimp puts out its hand, too, the chimps are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimp take the winner’s hand and start fighting again.
⑥Chimps are sneaky in other ways, too. When chimps find food that they love, such as bananas, it is natural for them to cry out. Then other chimps come running. But some clever chimps learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimps don’t hear them, and they don’t need to share their food.
⑦As children, many of us learn the saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” But maybe you can’t trust her, either.
1. A plover protects its young from a predator by ________.| A．getting closer to its young | B．driving away the adult predator |
| C．leaving its young in another nest | D．pretending to have a wound |
| A．chimps are always honest | B．chimps are sometimes dishonest |
| C．chimps are ready to fight others | D．chimps can be selfish |
| A．Cuckoos fool their adoptive parents by making no nests. |
| B．The losing chimp won the fight by taking the winner’s hand. |
| C．Some clever scrub jays often steal their food back. |
| D．Some chimps lower their cry to keep food away from others. |
| A．How does honesty help animals survive? | B．Do animals lie? |
| C．Does Mother Nature fool animals? | D．How do animals learn to lie? |
3 . When we see babies or pets, we can’t help gently touching them to show our love. And they give us happy feelings back. But a recent study shows that it’s different for plants.
In fact, ▲ . That’s because touching changes their genes and, even worse, can slow their growth. Professor Jim Whelan of the La Trobe Institute in Australia gave an explanation. “The lightest touch from a human, or even plants touching each other in the wind, leads to a huge gene change in the plant.”
In order to test the idea, the scientists did an experiment on plants. They grew a number of plants to the age of four weeks. Then they touched them with a paintbrush every 12 hours over a 36-hour period. They found that as a result, the mitochondria in the plants had been partly hurt. The mitochondria are the “powerhouse of the cell”. The mitochondria produce energy for the rest of the cell in both animals and plants. If this “powerhouse” is weakened, the plants will lose a large amount of energy that should have supported their growth. Whelan further explained, “If the touching is repeated, then plant growth is reduced* by up to 30 percent.” According to Science Alert, repeated touching or moving plants will make them grow shorter than others.
Although the touching does have a strong effect on plants, it’s not always bad. The researches believe, in some way, it could be helpful. It may help plants fight against insects and bad weather. The new research findings have led to a deeper understanding of the plants’ reply to touching. And the research might also “open up new ways to optimize growth in the future.” Science Alert reported.
1. Which of the following is the best for “ ▲ “ in Paragraph 2?| A．people like touching plants | B．plants don’t “like” to be touched |
| C．plants won’t grow if they are touched | D．people should touch plants as much as possible |
| A．shorten the life of plants | B．help plants produce more energy |
| C．make plants grow more slowly | D．cause the death of plants |
| A．improve | B．reduce | C．stop | D．fight |
| A．to touch plants often to show our love |
| B．some ways of helping plants grow better |
| C．advantages and disadvantages of touching plants |
| D．the differences of touching the plants and the animals |
All clever people know that it takes some time to make your life better. This doesn’t mean that you can’t make small changes to make your life better in a few weeks or in a few days! Here is some helpful advice.
(1)________.
Some people feel very busy every day. There are so many people everywhere. They have much work to do. But when you get up early, you will find fewer people and when you get on the bus, you will find it is almost empty.
(2)________.
We always become so worried, because we are busy and may forget some important things. When you write down a plan, you start feeling more comfortable about your future and you will worry less in your life.
(3)________.
Do you know that unhealthy food can make you feel unhappy? Once you start eating healthy food, your health will be better and your life will be better, too.
(4)________.
Did you fight with someone lately? If so, call him or her and say sorry. Not only will you make him or her happy but you will also feel better.
Just as you see, simple things can help you live a better life, so you can use these simple tips to make your life better.
A.Say sorry to someone
B.Drink water and milk often
C.Write a plan
D.Start getting up earlier
E.Change your eating habits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. 请结合上面短文，回答下面问题。(不超过20个词)
Which piece of advice is the most helpful to you? Why?
5 . Victor’s project
As part of my history project on transport (交通), I did some short interviews with people in my neighborhood. My first interview was with my friend Susan’s grandmother, Mrs.Sanderson.
Question 1
How did you get to school when you were young?
I walked to school with my friends, except for Fridays when we had to carry all of our things for school sports. Then we caught the bus. I enjoyed walking because we could chat on the way. I didn’t like it when it was raining though, but Mum always made sure I wore my raincoat and gumboots. On the other hand, and I believe that’s why I’ve been healthy all my life.
Question 2
My parents drive me to school. Why didn’t you go to school by car?
You know, we were not rich enough at that time. We could not afford a car until after I had finished school.
Question 3
How did you get around when you weren’t going to school?
We often went for a family trip by train. Most weekends we went on picnics and I loved playing with my cousins in the park. The trip took much longer than it would take by car today of course.
Question 4
How do you get around now?
I still love walking, but I need to drive my grandchildren around, so I mainly use my car. It is fast.
1. Victor asks Question 4 to get some information about Mrs.Sanderson’s ________.| A．life now |
| B．family life |
| C．lovely children |
| D．memories of school |
| A．her lovely grandchildren |
| B．her favorite activities |
| C．different kinds of transport |
| D．places she has visited |
| A．She drove to school on wet days in the past. |
| B．She couldn’t answer all Victor’s questions. |
| C．She finds it quicker to get to places these days. |
| D．She didn’t walk to school when she was young. |
| A．To tell the life of Mrs.Sanderson. |
| B．To describe how transport changes. |
| C．To introduce people around him. |
| D．To show how important health is. |
Located in the middle of the Egyptian desert is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Apart from being an unbelievable achievement, it also serves as the final resting place for the great Pharaoh Khufu. It has been standing for centuries and attracted travelers from all over the world. A survey shows one third people from America, one quarter people from Europe and two sevenths people from Asia hope to take a vacation to the great wonder. Yet, one question which has puzzled all of us is how this amazing wonder was built.
Many people don’t believe that humans were technologically advanced enough in ancient Africa to build such a large and highly advanced building. This brought about many crazy theories that the pyramids were built by a race of giants or even aliens from outer space. Another popular theory suggested that the pyramids were built by an army of poor slaves.
Modern technology and some recent findings have helped make it clear. An explorer accidentally found a tomb containing some written information about the builders. The records show that the workers were paid and well-fed, and came from poor families in Egypt. Further analysis made it clear that people considered it an honor to work on the pyramids, and the builders were treated with great respect. In fact, anyone who died while working on the pyramids was given the honor of being buried in the tomb near where the pharaohs lay.
To avoid exhaustion, the builders worked for about three months and then were allowed to stay at home to have a rest. A recent researcher shows that fifteen thousand people could have completed the building in about ten years. An analysis of the bones of the builders shows their work was extremely hard, as most of them were hurt badly. But thanks to their unbelievable effort, the human has an amazing wonder that should stand the test of time.
1. According to the survey, people from ________ most like to visit the Great Pyramid of Giza.| A．Asia | B．Africa | C．America | D．Europe |
| A．To show how wise the people of that time. | B．To attract people to visit the ancient country. |
| C．To be the tomb for the Great Pharaoh Khufu. | D．To remember the people who built the wonder. |
| A．Some new findings about the modern technology. |
| B．New information about the builders of the Pyramids. |
| C．How ancient people built the unbelievable wonder. |
| D．The builders of the Pyramids had a better life than we thought. |
| A．It lies in the center of Egyptian desert. |
| B．About 1,500 people built it for 10 years. |
| C．We still don’t know who built the great wonder. |
| D．It was one of the Seven Wonders of ancient Egypt. |
7 . Most people have a favourite colour. I think green is the best colour. Here are some reasons.
So many things in nature are green! Grass is green. Leaves on trees are green. Animals like frogs, snakes, and turtles are green. That’s why I think green is the color of nature. When I see the colour green, I think of the beautiful nature and feel really relaxed.
The word “green” isn’t just about colour. It can also describe (描述) things that help the environment. We use old plastic (塑料) bottles to make new “green” bottles. This way is called “recycle”. In this way, we can use plastic bottles for many times. And these green things are safe to throw in the trash, because they won’t harm the Earth.
Also, the colour green is fun to make. All you have to do is mix yellow and blue together. Yellow and blue make green! You see, yellow and blue are primary colours. You can mix primary colours to make new colours. These are called secondary colours. Art makes my life colorful. Even though green is a secondary colour, it’s still number one to me!
1. 根据文章大意，从文章中选择合适的单词，将下面的语篇结构补充完整，每空一词。| Green: The colour of | Many plants and | |
| My | Green: Good for the environment | We |
| Green: Fun to make |
A. that’s why B. harm C. relaxed D. even though E. mix |
I love English,
Let’s
3. 模仿以下句子结构，谈论你喜欢的颜色。
When I see the colour green, I think of the beautiful nature and feel really relaxed.
(When I see the colour..., I...)
The history of chocolate begins with Theobroma cacao. People make chocolate from the seeds on the tree. Chocolate means “food of the gods”. For many years, people enjoy the chocolate very much.
It is said that Mayan people of Central America first learned to plant cacao trees around 2,000 years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforest and grew them around their homes. They cooked the cacao seeds, then made them into a soft paste. They put water and spices in the paste to make not sweet chocolate drink. But not all people could drink it because it was so expensive. Farmers grow cacao trees in many countries in Africa, Central and South America. The trees are difficult to grow.
Cacao and chocolate are an important part of Maya culture. Some people think the word for chocolate come from the Aztec word “xocolatl”, which means “not sweet water” in the Nahuatl language. Others think the word “chocolate” is from Mayan and Nahuatl words.
Chocolate making is a big business. Each year, the market of the cacao crop around the world can provide more than five billion dollars. People in the United States like chocolate very much. Everyone in America eats more than five kilograms of chocolate every year.
1. According to the passage, we know that Theobroma cacao is a kind of ________.| A．food | B．drink | C．plant | D．vegetable |
| A．water | B．spices | C．cacao seeds | D．chocolate drink |
| A．The history of chocolate. | B．The people of Mayan. |
| C．The way of growing cacao. | D．The business of chocolate. |
Without the Internet or phones, communicating long distance is limited. Yet throughout history, cultures have developed ways to produce messages that travel miles. Morse Code is a system of communication. It uses patterns of signals to send and receive messages, often with a machine called a telegraph.
A telegraph is a machine that creates different signals from different messages. These signals are then changed into electrical current. They are sent across a wire. They can travel long distances, such as across the country or ocean. Another telegraph receives these signals. The machine changes the signals back into the original message.
In Morse Code, there are three types of signals. They are dots, dashes, and pauses. Dots (•) are the short noises or flashes of light. Dashes (━) are longer noises or flashes of light. Spaces (____) are the pauses. Patterns of these signals represent letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. In Morse Code, letter A is one dot and one dash, letter E is one dot, letter I is two dots. As for consonants, letter C is one dash, one dot, one dash and one dot, letter D is one dash and two dots, Letter T is one dash.
Morse Code was invented in the United States by Samuel Morse during the 1830s. People soon realized that the code could not transmit all messages in other languages. To fix this problem, a newer version called the International Morse Code was developed. International Morse Code is simpler and more exact. For example, the original Morse Code could only represent a few of the letters. The International Morse Code, on the other hand, is for all letters.
1. According to Paragraph 2, how does the telegraph work?①The signals are sent across a wire.
②The signals are changed back to letters.
③Another telegraph receives these signals.
④The telegraph changes signals to electricity.
| A．①④②③ | B．①④③② | C．④①②③ | D．④①③② |
| A．Cat. | B．Act. | C．Eat. | D．Ted. |
| A．It became very popular. | B．People stopped using it. |
| C．The telephone was invented. | D．A newer version was created. |
| A．To explain a secret message. | B．To introduce a type of phone. |
| C．To show a way to communicate. | D．To tell stories of an old machine. |
 | The year 2023 is filled with unusual holidays. Share them with your parents, teachers and friends. |
 | Fry An Egg On The Sidewalk Day (July 4) Have you heard the expression “It’s so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk”? It has been around for a long time, perhaps since a newspaper on June 11, 1899, according to the Library of Congress. No one knows who asked people to try this on July 4 (it is often very hot on that day). But Oatman, Arizona, takes it seriously. Each July Fourth, the Solar Egg Frying Competition in Oatman, Arizona, offers a prize for the best sun-cooked egg. |
 | Wonderful Weirdos Day (September 9) Austin, Texas, takes pride in being weird — doing things differently. A group of local people suggested an unofficial holiday encouraging everyone to do the same. To celebrate, be a little weird. Wear strange clothes or try an unusual hairstyle. And do it, as Austinites do, with pride. |
 | National Cocoa Day (December 13) People in South America started making chocolate from cocoa thousands of years ago. The drink they made was not very sweet, though. Spanish explorers later added sugar to it and brought it back to Europe. On December 13, have a cup of cocoa, and don’t forget the marshmallows. |
| A．Texas. | B．Austin. | C．Arizona. | D．South America. |
| A．June 4. | B．June 11. | C．September 9. | D．December 13. |
| A．Dates of some surprising holidays. | B．Important holidays in the US. |
| C．Places for celebrating different holidays. | D．Reasons to celebrate a few holidays. |
