1 . You may see some unusual fruit and vegetables when you visit a large supermarket, such as square watermelons, blue potatoes and purple cauliflower (菜花). So, why are they so unusual?
Some plants are unusual because they are grown in special ways. For example, square watermelons grow inside square glass cases. The square watermelon result is a specially shaped melon that is easy to cut and store in the fridge. People also grow heart-shaped tomatoes in the similar way. You can do this as well with your own backyard watermelons and tomatoes!
Some plants are designed when they are seeds (种子). Hybrids (杂交) are new plants created by scientists. They are a combination (结合) of different “parent” plants that form a whole new kind of plant. For example, a fruit called the pluot is a cross between a plum and an apricot. It looks like a plum, but it is sweeter than most plums. Crossbreeding (杂交繁育) is when two plants of the same kind are combined to create a better plant. A farmer might crossbreed a small, sweet tomato and a large but tasteless tomato in order to create a large, sweet tomato. It will provide delicious slices that fit better on sandwiches. Farmers must choose the plants with qualities that people want and then grow more of these plants.
The next time you go to the supermarket and see a square watermelon or pluot, remember how much work went into producing it.
1. What do we know about square watermelons from the text?| A．They can be cut and stored easily. |
| B．Their seeds are specially designed. |
| C．They are a whole new kind of plant. |
| D．They’re bigger than other watermelons. |
| A．The plum. | B．The apricot. | C．The pluot. | D．The heart-shaped tomato. |
| A．The large, sweet tomato. |
| B．The small, sweet tomato. |
| C．The small, tasteless tomato. |
| D．The large, tasteless tomato. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．History. | B．Sports. | C．Science. | D．Travel. |
2 . WeChat, China’s popular multi-functional social media platform (多功能社交媒体平台), was set up by Tencent in 2011. In fact, the group had the idea in 2010. And it plays an increasingly important role in our daily life nowadays.
At first, most of people just considered it a communication App. We used it to share our lives and know others’ lives from the Moments (朋友圈). At that time, it really made our communication easier than before.
With the change of its version (版本), WeChat added many functions (功能), such as trade, games and Didi. Later, it also created several products like WeChat Official Accounts, mi-ni programs and WeChat Pay.
These changes above have a great influence on our lives. In recent years, it has provided many job chances for the young. Especially in 2020, because of a serious flu, millions of students who had graduated from college had trouble in finding jobs. Meanwhile, in order to fight against the flu, 11.1 percent of mini-program developers and 14.5 percent of WeChat service providers released (发布) new jobs to meet the need of online business, by creating 597, 000 jobs.
Young people and college graduates are among the main group who found jobs through WeChat. A report showed that over half of the staff (员工) of 55. 8 percent of companies on the platform are between the ages of 16 and 29, while more than half of the staff from 55 percent companies graduated from college.
1. WeChat was invented in ________.| A．2009 | B．2011 | C．2010 | D．2012 |
| A．finding jobs online | B．making videos |
| C．playing games online | D．communicating with others |
| A．trade | B．Didi | C．blog | D．game |
① create several products like WeChat Official Accounts, mi-ni programs and WeChat Pay.
②provide many job chances for the young.
③share our lives and know others’ lives from the Moments.
④add many functions, such as trade, game and Didi.
| A．③④①② | B．①③④② | C．②④①③ | D．②①③④ |
| A．to tell us how to use WeChat |
| B．to explain why WeChat is popular |
| C．to introduce what WeChat is |
| D．to introduce the functions of WeChat |
3 . Cross-bridge noodles, or crossing-the-bridge noodles, are a special dish that originated (起源) in Yunnan Province. It has become such a popular part of Yunnan’s culture that in 2008, it was listed as an item of the intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) of Kunming City.
There is a story behind the first creation of cross-bridge noodles. It is said that there was a learner during the Qing Dynasty. He studied every day on an island of Mengzi City in Yunnan. His favorite food was rice noodles, and his wife brought him the noodles every day. But she was disappointed because the noodles would get cold on the way to the island. One day, she discovered that boiling the rice noodles separately could make them taste better. The chicken soup could also stay warm during the trip. It was the oil layer (层) on top of the soup that kept the cold outside and the heat inside. Realizing this, the wife then came up with an idea. She brought the chicken soup, rice noodles, and other ingredients (原料) separately and then mixed them after she arrived on the island. That way, the dish stayed hot and the noodles were fresh when they were added just before eating.
The word spread of the delicious dish and the wife’s smart way of keeping the food hot. The dish became known as “crossing-the-bridge noodles” or simply “cross-bridge noodles” in memory of the wife.
1. When were cross-bridge noodles listed as an item of intangible cultural heritage?| A．2000 | B．2008 | C．2010 | D．2015 |
| A．In Kunming City. | B．In Dali City. | C．In Mengzi City. | D．In Pu’er City. |
| A．make the noodles more delicious | B．keep the dish hot |
| C．find a quicker way to cook the noodles | D．keep the noodles for longer |
| A．clever | B．lazy | C．patient | D．kind |
| A．The Secret of Yunnan Noodles | B．The Wife’s Clever Cooking Skills |
| C．The History of Chinese Noodles | D．A Dish with a Story: Cross-Bridge Noodles |
4 . Have you ever heard of the term “children of the stars”? It’s a special name for children with autism (自闭症). April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. It was started by the United Nations to help people know more about autism and offer better care and support to those who have it.
Autism affects how a person grows and learns. It usually starts to show in the first three years of life. The official name for this condition is “autism spectrum disorder (自闭症谱系障碍).”
Doctors use a handbook called DSM-5 to diagnose (诊断) autism. It talks about two main autism signs: problems with talking and being with others and doing the same things over and over again.
“When I talk to my daughter or ask her to do something, she won’t pay attention to me,” said MengLingdi. Her daughter was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. “She doesn’t make as much eye contact with people as other kids do.”
Children with autism also feel physical pain. “Many of them have epilepsy (癫痫) because their brain activity is different from that of other kids,” said Sun Zhongkai at Beijing Stars and RainEducation Institute for Autism (Stars and Rain).
We don’t know exactly what causes autism. But scientists think it might be a mix of things like how we grow, our genes (基因), and our environment. If a family has a child with autism, the chance of their other children having autism is about 10 times higher than usual.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The term “children of the stars”. | B．The disease called Autism. |
| C．World Autism Awareness Day. | D．The better care and support. |
| A．Before birth. | B．On April 2nd. | C．At the age of 12. | D．In the first three years. |
| A．They can communicate with people easily. | B．They do the same things over and over again. |
| C．They pay attention to what their parents say. | D．They make much eye contact with people. |
| A．Autism won’t affect a person’s growth. | B．Doctors use DSM-5 to diagnose autism. |
| C．Children with autism cannot feel physical pain. | D．Scientists have found out what causes autism. |
| A．Nature. | B．Sports. | C．Health. | D．Travel. |
5 . Diaojiaolou, also called Diaolou, is a traditional house in southern China. You can find many of these houses beside a river or in the mountainous areas of Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan and Sichuan. This type of building is popular among the Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Dong, Shui, and Tujia peoples.
Diaojiaolou dates back to hundreds of years ago. When ancient Chinese pioneers moved from northern to southern China, they met many difficulties. They suffered a lot from the beasts (猛兽), snakes, and insects in the mountain forests. At first, they set fire to keep beasts away, but they were still often bitten by snakes. Then an old smart leader in the village invented Diaojiaolou. They are in fact 100% wooden houses built on silts (泥沙). These buildings are usually two to three storeys high. The whole house is really strong. Even if one of the stilts (支柱) was destroyed, the house would remain standing.
The stilt houses have many advantages. In ancient times, these buildings would provide protection from beasts. Nowadays they continue to provide protection from snakes and insects. What’s more, these buildings help prevent humidity-related (湿度相关的) illnesses that are common in southern China. In the mountainous areas of southern China, people can’t endure the wet ground in summer, so living on high floors is a wise choice.
And the special buildings are in perfect harmony (和谐) with the beautiful scenery—small bridges, flowing water, and green mountains. And many stilt buildings are hidden in ancient trees and bamboos, like traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
1. Where can people find Diaojiaolou?| A．Beside a river. | B．In a desert. | C．In a modern city. | D．In grassland. |
| A．To get a further view. | B．To separate the young from the old. |
| C．To get close to the nature. | D．To keep themselves safe. |
| A．It is really easy to build. |
| B．It is friendly to the environment. |
| C．It costs little to be made. |
| D．It is very strong and keeps people from some diseases. |
| A．忍受 | B．相信 | C．感觉 | D．触摸 |
| A．Pioneers from northern China. | B．A kind of traditional building. |
| C．Beautiful scenery in Yunnan. | D．The advantages of Diaojiaolou. |
6 . Yunnan is known for its natural beauty, ethnic (民族的) cultures and delicious local food. Here is a Yunnan travel guide according to the four different seasons.
| ◆Spring In March, the famous Hani Terraces are covered with water. They make colorful scenery under the blue sky. In April, Yunnan is filled with cherry blossoms (樱花), especially in Kunming’s Cuihu Park and Dali’s Butterfly Spring. |
| ◆Summer Summer in Yunnan is hot and humid (潮湿的), but it is a perfect time to visit the mountains. Visitors can also visit all kinds of lakes, such as Erhai Lake and Fuxian Lake. It is pleasant to enjoy water sports or just relax by beaches. |
| ◆Autumn In autumn, many places are painted in changing colors. Lugu Lake is covered in a sea of pink and purple flowers. Tiger Leaping Gorge and Jianshui Ancient Town are the best places to visit in this season. |
| ◆Winter Visitors can experience a special winter because of different festivals. Naxi and Lisu people have traditional festivals in winter. Kuoshi Festival (阔时节) is celebrated by Lisu people in December or the following January. Visitors can join them in singing, dancing, swinging and crossbow shooting (射弩箭). |
1. When can people go to Yunnan if they want to see cherry blossoms?
| A．In April. | B．In June. | C．In August. | D．In December. |
| A．Hot and dry. | B．Warm and wet. | C．Hot and wet. | D．Warm and dry. |
| A．Four. | B．Eight. | C．Ten. | D．Eleven. |
| A．People can visit Yunnan at any time. |
| B．Autumn is a good time to visit the mountains in Yunnan. |
| C．To enjoy water sports, people can go to Dali’s Butterfly Spring. |
| D．In spring, people can experience Naxi people’s traditional festivals. |
| A．People who like different flowers. | B．People who always visit lakes. |
| C．People who are good at dancing. | D．People who enjoy climbing mountains. |
7 . Have you ever seen a colorful rainbow in the sky right after it rains? That happens when the sunlight goes through the water in the air.
The sun’s light is actually made of many colors that don’t all move the same way. When this light goes into a raindrop, it bends (弯曲) a bit and splits into (裂成) all these colors like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
As these colors come out of the raindrop, they bounce off (弹回) the inside back of the drop. This makes them bend again and spread out, making a shape like part of a circle, which is the rainbow we see. Purple bends a lot, but red not so much.
So, why do rainbows look like a curve? It’s because the raindrops are not all the same distance (距离) from us. They make a circle shape around a line from the sun to our eyes, creating that curve.
Rainbows are usually seen in the part of the sky opposite the sun. Sometimes, you might even see two rainbows at once! That’s when the sunlight bounces twice inside the raindrops.
Next time you see a rainbow, remember it’s just the sun and rain working together to make something really special and pretty in the sky.
1. What makes the sunlight show many colors?| A．The sun moves very fast. |
| B．The air near the raindrops gets warm. |
| C．The clouds break the sunlight. |
| D．The sunlight goes into a raindrop and bends. |
①Sunlight goes into a raindrop. ②The sunlight splits into many colors. ③Colors bounce off the inside back of the drop. ④The colors bend again and spread out.
| A．①→②→③→④ | B．①→③→②→④ | C．②→①→③→④ | D．②→③→①→④ |
| A．Right above you. | B．Close to the sun. | C．Opposite the sun. | D．All around the sky. |
| A．弧线 | B．直线 | C．三角 | D．立体 |
| A．The Sun and Its Magic |
| B．How Rainbows Form |
| C．Raindrops and Light |
| D．The Colors of the Sky |
8 . Have you ever dreamed of traveling to space? With the development of science, you may soon be able to book a ticket. Many companies now can offer space travels. Let’s take a look.
| Fly me to the moon A rich man in Japan named Yusaku has invited eight famous people to join him for a trip around the moon with the help of Elon Musk’s Space X company. The trip, called Dear Moon, will take three days to fly to the moon orbit (沿轨道运行) and then spend three days returning. It will take place in 2025. |
| Living in a space hotel The US company Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) planned to start building the world’s first space hotel in 2025. It will turn itself around to create artificial gravity (人造重力). The hotel is expected to have restaurants, cinemas and rooms for up to 400 guests. |
| Short space trips Some people may prefer to simply have a taste instead of staying in space for a long time. Tickets for a 90-minute journey have been on sale to the public since Feb. 16. The first short space trips of Virgin Galactic, a company set up by a British businessman, are set for later this year. The spaceship travels in space while people enjoy several minutes of views of the earth from the windows. |
1. What do we know about Dear Moon?
| A．It will be carried out next year. | B．It includes eight members in total. |
| C．Its members will walk on the moon. | D．It will take three days to go to the moon and back. |
①It will create artificial gravity. ②It will have restaurants and cinemas.
③It will be built on the surface of the moon. ④It will be able to hold 400 guests at a time.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．www.virgingalactic.com. | B．www.dearmoon.com. |
| C．www.orbitalassembly.com. | D．www.spacex.com. |
| A．Elon Musk will pay for the costs of the trip Dear Moon. |
| B．OAC planned to start building the space hotel at the end of 2023. |
| C．You can buy tickets for a space journey of Virgin Galactic after Feb. 16. |
| D．The Space X company was set up by Yusaku and other eight members. |
| A．compare some space scientists | B．sell tickets to travel to the moon |
| C．show the development of science | D．introduce some kinds of space travels |
We use money every day to pay for things we buy. We pay with either coins or paper notes. This sort of money is known as cash.
Almost anything can be used as money. In the past people have used shells, beads, cocoa beans, salt, grain and even cattle. Coins have become popular because they are easy to carry around and they last for a long time.
Coins were first used in China. Ancient Greeks also used them as early as 600BC. They were stamped with the mark of the country for which they were made. The stamp also showed how much each coin was worth.
Early coins were made of silver and gold and were worth a lot of money. Later coins were made of cheaper metals but people agreed they were worth the amount (金额) stamped on them. Later, people began to use paper money as well as coins. The value of the paper was not high but banks agreed they were worth the amount written on them.
The earliest form of trade was when people simply swapped things. This was called bartering. |
Money has been made in all sorts of shapes and sizes, especially in ancient China. |
American Indians used beads and shells made into decorative patters as money. |
Coins have been used for centuries. They are easy to make and last a long time. |
Banknotes are a written promise to pay a certain amount of money. |
Credit cards and cheques are sometimes used instead of money. |
1. People can only use paper notes to buy things.
2. Chinese people used coins before 600BC.
3. Stamps are a kind of money as well.
4. If you travelled to ancient China, knife-shaped money might be seen.
5. One advantage of coins is that they are long lasting.
10 . Have you ever wondered why we can’t remember things from when we were under 3 years old? There are a couple of reasons why our early memories might disappear.
Firstly, our brains are still developing when we’re very young. Although our brains have about 100 billion neurons (神经), the connections between them aren’t fully stable (稳定) until around the age of 3. So, some memories might not stick because the brain’s network isn’t fully built yet.
Another reason is that our brains are like busy organizers, always sorting through information. When we’re very young, our brains gather all kinds of memories, but not all of them are important for staying alive or everyday life. So, to keep things tidy and make room for new, more important information, our brains might let go of those early memories.
Some scientists also think that because babies are still learning language, they might not store memories in the same way older children and adults do. Without words to connect to experiences, these early memories might be harder to remember later on.
However, not all early memories disappear. Sometimes, if something really big happened when we were very young, we might keep a bit of that memory. Researchers have found that with the right triggers (触发器), like a specific smell or sound, people can sometimes remember these early memories.
So, while we might not remember every detail from when we were babies, our brains were busy learning and growing, making sure we kept the most important memories and skills we needed.
1. What’s it mainly about from paragraphs 2 to 4?| A．Brain growth from birth to 3 years old. |
| B．How we use language to remember things. |
| C．Reasons why we might forget early memories. |
| D．How smells and sounds help us remember. |
| A．By how happy they make us. | B．By how important they are for our daily life. |
| C．By how colorful they are. | D．By how much noise is in them. |
| A．We remember everything from our baby years. |
| B．No information is important for babies’ brains. |
| C．Our brains are fully grown when we’re born. |
| D．Some early memories can return with the right triggers. |
| A．They’re too sad to remember. | B．To make room for new, important information. |
| C．Those memories aren’t useful. | D．We have too many brain neurons. |
| A．In a science book. | B．On a food menu. | C．In a music magazine. | D．On a sports website. |
