3 . There are more than 400,000 kinds of plants on Earth. Some plants are as big as tall buildings; others are as small as rice. Plants play an important part in nature because they give out oxygen—the gas that all animals need for breathing.

What is a plant?

Most people have no difficulty finding the differences between an animal and a plant. That is because animals can move around, but plants can’t. What makes a plant a plant? Like animals, plants are living things that are made up of lots of cells (细胞). Unlike animals, plants make their own food by photosynthesis (光合作用). Most plants have roots, stems, and leaves, and most plants reproduce by growing flowers and making seeds. All plants need energy to stay alive and grow, and they get it from sunlight instead of food.

How does a plant grow?

Most animals grow in a certain way, and genes (基因) control their growth. That is to say even when they are small, it’s easy to know what they will look like after they grow up. Plants are different. Their growth is controlled by genes too, but their final shapes also depend on where they live. For example, a tree can be big and round if it grows up in an open space, but much taller and thinner if it grows in the woods with other trees all around. Plants are unable to move from one environment to another, so it is important that they are able to get used to the environment.

1. Where can we most probably read the passage?

A．In an advertisement.

B．In a storybook

C．In a science magazine.

D．In a poster.

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A．Number of plants.	B．Different sizes of plants.
C．Importance of plants.	D．Parts of plants.

3. How does the author describe the plants in Paragraph 2?

A．By comparing.

B．By giving examples.

C．By giving numbers.

D．By telling stories.

4. What can we know about plants from the passage?

A．Flowers and seeds are the most important parts of a plant.

B．Plants and animals grow in the same way.

C．Only environment controls the plants’ growth.

D．It’s important for the plants to get used to the environment.

5. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．The Plant World	B．Parts of a Plant
C．Plants and Animals	D．Plants and Environment

4 . With the development of science and technology, our daily life is becoming more colorful and more convenient.

The Book-less Library Can you imagine walking into a library and finding all books have turned into computers? The first book-less library is planned to open in San Antonio, Texas. Computers will take the place of the books soon. Google Glass Google glass is a pair of glasses with a battery (电池) hidden inside the frame (边框). It can carry out many of the same tasks as smart phones. The glass has a hidden camera and a tiny screen. It is designed to take hands-free photos or videos of anything people are doing. A New Kind of Shirt Hate washing clothes? You are going to love this kind of shirt made by an American clothing company—Wool & Prince. This shirt can be worn for 100 straight days without washing! The Wool & Prince shirt never needs ironing (熨烫). An Underwater Hotel It looks like a spaceship but it is actually a picture of an underwater hotel. A company plans to build in the sea which is about 18 metres below the surface. The whole building is underwater and you can get to it by swimming or diving.

1. What can a Google Glass do?

A．It can be used for watching a movie.	B．It can read a book like a man.
C．It can take photos and videos.	D．It can be used for drinking.

2. What does the underlined word “hands-free” mean in the passage?

A．You don’t need to wash your hands.	B．You don’t pay for the photos or videos.
C．You don’t need to use your hands.	D．You can use one hand.

3. How do people enter an underwater hotel?

A．By taking a boat.	B．By swimming or diving.
C．By walking into it.	D．By driving a special car.

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．People in Texas can visit the Book-less library now.

B．There is a hidden camera and a tiny screen in Google Glass.

C．People don’t need to iron the Wool & Prince shirt.

D．People will see an underwater hotel below the surface in the future.

5. What may be the best title for the passage?

A．New Research	B．New Problem
C．New Discoveries	D．New Inventions

5 . As is known to all, Chinese people are very kind. Especially, they often praise foreign friends for their language skills, knowledge of Chinese culture and great achievements. However, Chinese seem unwilling (不愿意的) to accept praise. People in the United States and China think differently about the modesty. Americans prefer to accept praise because they think what you are praising is just the fact.

But Chinese prefer to refuse praise, even when they know they are worth praising. For example, if a Chinese basketball fan meets Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, he might say, “Mr. Jordan, I am so excited to meet you. I just want to tell you, you are the best basketball player in the world. You’re the greatest!” Jordan would probably reply, “Thank you very much! I just try to do my best every time I step on the court.” However, if an American meets Deng Yaping, a Chinese excellent ping-pong player, he might say much the same thing, “Mrs. Deng, you’re the best!” But as a Chinese, Deng would probably say, “No, I really don’t play all that well. You’re too much kind.”

Clearly, Americans and Chinese have different ways of replying to praise. However, many Americans might consider Mrs. Deng’s reply is less truthful and less sincere (真诚的). Americans generally think sincerity is more important than manners. So when communicating with people from different backgrounds, it is of great importance to know the differences between cultures and to respect different cultures.

1. What do Americans think of praise?

A．They think praise is useless.

B．They value the fact and enjoy praise.

C．They think it’s better to praise others.

2. What does the underlined word “modesty” mean in the first paragraph?

A．谦虚

B．声誉

C．骄傲

3. How does the writer show his opinion in the second paragraph?

A．By asking questions.

B．By telling stories.

C．By making a comparison.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Deng Yaping doesn’t play ping-pong very well.

B．Chinese prefer to turn down others’ praise.

C．Michael Jordan doesn’t like to talk with his basketball fans.

5. What does the passage mainly tell us?

A．Americans value manners above sincerity.

B．A kind of praise can change a person’s life.

C．It’s necessary to respect cultural differences.

7 . Few nations in the world have calligraphy as a form of art. In China, calligraphy has a long history and has kept a close relationship with Chinese cultural development.

Calligraphy looks simple. It seems as if anyone can write Chinese characters on paper with a writing brush and become a calligrapher. In fact, that is not true. Calligraphy is a form of art that requires many skills, so there are not many calligraphers that have long-lasting works.

Calligraphy is a creative art. The calligraphers create their works with the usage of the ink and the writing brush. The black strokes and white space on the paper create a sense of beauty. For calligraphers, the writing brush is the extension (延伸) of their fingers: the rhythm and strength of their writings are all controlled by their moods.

Calligraphy is an expressive art. In a work of calligraphy, we can see the character, education level and experience of the calligrapher.

When calligraphy and painting are mentioned together, calligraphy always comes before painting. Ancient Chines sculpture and architecture (建筑) were also influenced by calligraphy. The development of Chinese handicrafts and folk arts has been influenced by calligraphy as well. Thus we can see that calligraphy is the soul of Chinese fine arts.

Title: Chinese Calligraphy

What the common misunderstanding is	Calligraphy is simple and nearly everybody can learn it and reach a     1     level of calligraphy.
What characterizes calligraphy	The calligraphers show their moods by     2     the rhythm and strength of their writings, which makes their works creative. The calligraphers     3     their characters, education levels and experiences in their works.
Why calligraphy does     4	Calligraphy strongly influenced many other art     5    , including ancient Chinese sculpture, handicrafts and so on. Calligraphy is considered as the soul of Chinese fine arts.

8 . A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total, The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? If you answered 10 cents, you’re not alone—most people give the same answer (the correct answer is 5 cents). It’s an example of how we often rely on intuitive (直觉的) responses—answers we feel are true. People give answers that “pop into their mind,” says scientist Steven Sloman. We don’t spend much time thinking and checking whether the answer is right or wrong.

The bat and ball question helps explain why we often believe in fake news. “It is part of human nature to believe”, says Sloman. “But the trick with fake news is to know to verify”—in other words, to stop and question what you know.

In one experiment, Sloman invented a discovery called helium rain. They told a group of volunteers about it, but admitted they could not fully explain what it was. They then asked the volunteers to rate (划分等级) their own understanding of helium rain. Most volunteers rated themselves l out of 7, meaning they did not understand it.

The researchers then told another group of volunteers about the discovery. This time, they said that scientists could fully explain how it works. When asked to rate their understanding, the volunteers gave an average answer of 2. The scientists’ confidence gave the volunteers an increased sense of their own understanding, Sloman says.

Another explanation for the spread of fake news is “motivated reasoning,” writes Adam Waytz, a professor at the Kellogg School. We are naturally more likely to believe things that confirm our existing opinions. If you already have a negative (负面的) opinion about someone, you’re more likely to trust damaging stories about them. Over time, Waytz argues, “motivated reasoning can lead to a false social consensus (共识).”

So, in a world where misleading information is common, is there a way to protect ourselves? “I don’t think it’s possible to train individuals to verify everything that they face,” Sloman admits. “It is just too human to believe what you’re told.”

However, training people to care about fact-checking is important, he argues, especially in online communities. Think of the headlines and stories that are shared on your social media feed every day. Probably these fit in with your own worldview—but perhaps not all of them are true.

“Develop a standard in your community that says, ‘We should check things and not just take them at face value,’ Sloman says. “Verify before you believe.”

1. What does the underlined word “verify” mean in this passage?

A．take a close look at something

B．think about something for a long time

C．make sure something is true

D．express an opinion about something

2. Which of the following is an example of “motivated reasoning”?

A．You post a message online that gives your opinion about a news story.

B．You understand why your classmate is late every day because he has many excuses.

C．You don’t believe the negative news about a player because he plays for your favourite team.

D．You’re not sure if a story on social media is true, so you search online for more information.

3. The following paragraph can best go after.

According to Sloman, studies show that knowledge spreads like a disease. “If everyone around you is saying they understand why a well-known person is lying, then you’re going to start thinking that you understand, too.” Sloman says.

A．Paragraph 4

B．Paragraph 5

C．Paragraph 6

D．Paragraph 7

4. What is the writer’s attitude (态度) toward intuitive responses?

A．Supportive.

B．Against.

C．Worried.

D．Unknown.

10 . When I first arrived in China, some of the first Chinese vocabulary I learned had to do with food. I learned the names of a few dishes, but still didn’t know most of the items I saw on Chinese restaurant menus. Luckily, there were pictures to help me decide.

Nearly every restaurant menu in China has pictures of food in it. But many restaurants I’ve been to in the US don’t. What is the reason for the difference?

One thing I’ve definitely (明确地) noticed about China is that food is a bigger part of their culture than it is in the US. A common way to greet someone in China is to ask them if they’ve eaten yet. My Chinese friends post pictures of their meals online way more often than my US friends.

Food is just a bigger deal here—and having pictures of food in menus is part of that. Some menus are almost like works of art, with vivid (生动的) and well-framed (构图精美) photos.

Another thing is the names of the dishes. Chinese dishes sometimes have fanciful (想象的) names like “palace guard chicken” or “three fresh things from the soil”. These are interesting names, but they don’t really tell you what the dishes are like. Therefore, it’s helpful to have pictures so you can actually see what you’re going to be eating.

There’s probably even more to it than that. All I know is that I was very thankful to have those picture menus when I first came here all those years ago.

1. What did the writer find useful when ordering food in China?

A．Pictures of dishes in menus.

B．The English names of dishes.

C．Chinese characters.

2. What does the writer think of the names of Chinese dishes?

A．They are almost like works of art.

B．They all sound fanciful to foreigners.

C．They don’t always say what are in the dishes.

3. What’s the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

4. The passage is trying to tell us _______.

A．what the writer thinks of Chinese dishes

B．why Chinese menus have pictures of food

C．how some Chinese dishes are named