School tests can be stressful. But they might also encourage you to help change the world. Three girls, Kristen, Jenna and Marisa from New York, learned about a growing problem from a reading test they took. The problem is e-waste, short for electronic waste. The girls learned some dangerous chemicals (化学品) in e-waste can harm the environment and people.
Later in the year, they had to come up with an idea for a science project. They remembered the interesting topic from their test. So the girls started a recycling drive to help other students and the community learn about properly recycling e-waste. They called themselves the E-Waste Girls.
“In our town, people recycle paper, plastic and glass, but not electronics. What can we do?” asked Marisa.
“How about asking our friends if they know how to recycle e-waste?” suggested Jenna.
The girls asked their friends, and nobody had heard anything about it. Many of their teachers didn’t know either. So they taught everyone, including their teachers, to learn about properly recycling e-waste. Then they put recycling boxes in the school hall and asked the students to collect old cell phones, radios and other items. When the boxes were full, they sent them to a special recycling center. The recyclers took out the dangerous chemicals and disposed (处理) of them properly, so that they don’t go into the air or the ground or the water.
One big way people can help reduce e-waste is by buying smartly. So the girls strongly suggested considering electronics made with” fewer dangerous chemicals and choosing electronics that will last several years.
The girls’ project also helped them become finalists in the We Can Change the World Challenge, a national student, competition. The E-Waste Girls see a bright future in which projects like theirs will not be needed any more.
1. How did the E-Waste Girls first learn about e-waste?| A．A friend told them about it. | B．Recyclers taught them about it. |
| C．They read about it in a reading test. | D．A teacher talked about it in a science class. |
| A．To set up a recycling center in the town. | B．To take part in a national student competition. |
| C．To encourage people to buy electronics smartly. | D．To teach people how to properly recycle e-waste. |
| A．recycling e-waste is really difficult | B．students can help to change the world |
| C．students should do more science projects | D．competitions bring students a bright future |
2 . Searching for parking spaces has long been a headache for many office workers in many big cities of China. Parking near their companies for five days a week could cost them a lot of money. At the same time, prising, most of parking lots(停车场) in residential areas(居民区) remain idle during workdays. Now a new form of sharing has appeared in China—the shared parking space. It has become a huge market in some big cities.
In Qingdao, a coastal(海岸的) city in Shangdong, up to 10,000 personal parking spaces have been turned into shared ones with the help of “Airparking”, an online shared parking platform developed by a network company from Guangzhou.
Through a special app, users can either share or order a parking place. Owners who have idle parking spaces can share some information, including the parking position, license number and time limit(限制) on the platform. With the information, users can easily find the nearest place to park. The average(平均的) parking cost for shared parking is 4 yuan each hour, almost the same as the service cost in traditional parking spaces.
Qingdao is one of the Chinese cities that encourage shared parking. Some other big cites, including Beijing, Shanghai and Hefei, have also begun to try this idea. The Shanghai government, for example, has set up more than 6,500 shared parking spaces to encourage the public to use. Shared parking will be more and more helpful to the drivers.
1. In the first paragraph, the writer points out that ________.| A．we should set up more parking spaces in big cities |
| B．prices of parking spaces are rising quickly in China |
| C．it’s difficult to find parking space in big cities. |
| D．many people want to find parking spaces in residential areas during workdays |
| A．无所事事的 | B．停顿的 | C．闲置的 | D．懒惰的 |
| A．love the city | B．use a special app |
| C．pay more | D．share your personal information |
| A．15 yuan. | B．20 yuan. | C．25 yuan. | D．30 yuan. |
| A．it’s hard to find parking spaces in residential areas during workdays |
| B．Qingdao has fewer shared parking spaces than Shanghai |
| C．shared parking will probably become more and more popular |
| D．shared parking is more expensive than traditional parking service |
3 . Happiness is important to everyone. Most people want to be happy but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Happiness depends on ourselves. In other words, we make our own happiness.
Some people believe that if they are wealthy, they will be able to do anything they want. which means happiness. On the other hand, some people believe that holding a high position in the government is happiness. In this way, you have not only money, but also many other things which can't be bought by money. However, other people believe that having lots of money is not happiness, nor is holding a high position in the government. These people value their beliefs, or their intelligence, or their health. They think these can make them happy.
Here are a few ways to help you be happier.
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so, much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job, that we don't enjoy the present. You should enjoy life's simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have, close friends usually enjoy happier and healthier lives.
The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activity.
Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. According to studies, people feel good when they volunteer their time to do many meaningful things for other people. If you want to feel happier, do something nice for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to get food for an old neighbor, or simply help around the house.
Now maybe you know how to find happiness!
1. The underlined word “wealthy” means “________”in the article| A．pleased | B．healthy | C．excited | D．rich |
| A．get money and something they can't buy with money |
| B．do what they want to do at any time |
| C．enjoy health which makes them work hard |
| D．take an active part in all kinds of activities every day |
| A．think about getting a good job | B．think of the present they don't like |
| C．often spend time with close friends | D．think about entering the college |
| A．remember the old days and troubles | B．do some meaningful things for others |
| C．go shopping to buy some food | D．make much money and little success |
| A．how to find happiness | B．how to save happiness |
| C．to do something good for other | D．to value our beliefs or health |
4 . At night, look up at the sky. How many stars do you see? If you live in the country, bright stars will fill the sky. If you live in the city, on the other hand, you might not see any stars. What’s happening? Bright lights from the city are lighting the sky, making the stars unseen. This is light pollution.
Light can also come into city homes, like an uninvited guest. Sometimes, a visitor to a big city can’t sleep because of the bright sign outside his or her window. Darkness helps us sleep. Without darkness, we lie awake and lose sleep, which may lead to serious health problems.
Living things need darkness. It’s part of the natural 24-hour cycle. Trees and plants that are too close to artificial light grow in strange ways and die quickly. Animals become puzzled（困惑的）when light and dark are changed. For example, night animals might think it’s day when it’s actually night.
Finally, using too many lights wastes energy and money. The huge lights for all-night parking lots are too bright and unnecessary. Every city spends millions of dollars to light its thousands of buildings and streets, and much of this lighting is just to make the city look beautiful, rather than to serve a certain purpose.
True, we feel safer in the light, but our eyes are able to see a little in darkness. And we don’t need to light the whole city just to create a beautiful night view. We should try to turn the lights off to save the earth and all the living things from its pollution.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage?| A．Living things need darkness. | B．Light pollution is around us. |
| C．How to avoid light pollution. | D．Lights are uninvited guests. |
| A．real | B．natural | C．weak | D．man-made |
| A．It’s unnecessary to use huge light for all-night parking lots. |
| B．We can’t see any stars in the sky in the city at night. |
| C．Visitors to a big city lie awake and lose sleep because of darkness. |
| D．Trees and plants grow strangely and die quickly in the day. |
5 . Plastic is all around us. It's in the TVs we watch at home, the desks we use at work, and the pens we write with at school. It's even wrapped around the food we buy. Some people have had enough of plastic, though, and have chosen a new lifestyle. These people have become plasticarians, meaning they try to live life without buying or using plastic.
British student Thomas Smith decided to go plastic-free, telling reporters, "A bit of plastic you had for a second lasts longer than your lifetime," Smith tried to avoid buying anything that had plastic in it, which made getting even the simplest items, like toilet paper, difficult. Over a period of six months, he lost five kilograms in weight and finally gave up.
Beth Terry, a woman in California, has lived mostly plastic-free for more than six years. For Beth, choosing a plasticarian lifestyle came out of concern for the planet and her health. Studies have linked some kinds of plastic to cancer and heart disease, and chemicals in these plastics can influence a baby's development. That's why some doctors say it is important that women who are having babies in their bodies avoid eating food stored in plastic containers.
It's never too late to start reducing the amount of plastic. You can start by giving up bottled water and teas. Instead, buy a reusable stainless-steel bottle and boring drinks from home. You can also buy food from farmers' markets, where fresh produce and meat are not packaged in plastic. Finally, it's better to use soap and shampoo bars that are wrapped in paper than liquid soaps and shampoos that come in plastic bottles.
While cutting plastic out of your life all at once may be too much to manage, every journey begins with one step. Choose one plastic item to live without today, and you will be on your way to a healthier life and a cleaner planet.
1. How does the writer show the fact that plastic is all around us?| A．By telling a story. | B．By describing a picture. | C．By giving examples. | D．By using numbers. |
| A．He wanted to experience how to live without plastic in his life. |
| B．He thought that plastic could help him lose weight. |
| C．He wanted to be healthier. |
| D．He wanted to help the environment. |
| A．You should use a plastic bottle and fill it with water over and over again. |
| B．You can start to bring drinks from home rather than buy bottled teas at a store. |
| C．It's better to buy soap and shampoo bars wrapped in paper. |
| D．Studies have shown that chemicals in the plastics can be harmful to a baby's development. |
| A．showing a prediction of using plastic in our daily life | B．introducing the results of cutting plastic out of life at once |
| C．expressing a feeling about stopping using plastic things | D．giving advice on cutting down plastic use |
6 . STUDY BOOKS
Learning How to Learn $24.99 Children who read this book show great interest in study. Many pictures will help children understand it easily and quickly. |
Basic Study Manual $38.50 Read this book and learn： What the three barriers (障碍) to study are and what to do about them. What to do if you are fed up with a subject. Children read it to improve the ability to study. |
How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children $35.00 Read this book and learn： How to find words in a dictionary. What the different marks in a dictionary mean. How to use a dictionary to pronounce words correctly. Buy this book and help children unlock their education. What's more, you'll just pay 50% for it before May 1,2020. |
1. According to the ad, these three books are for ________.
| A．men | B．parents | C．women | D．children |
| A．make children draw beautifully |
| B．make the book beautiful |
| C．make children understand the book easily |
| D．make the book sell well |
| A．Learning How to Learn |
| B．Study Skills for Life |
| C．Basic Study Manual |
| D．How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children |
| A．$98.49 | B．$80.99 | C．$79.24 | D．$49.25 |
| A．help children learn English |
| B．sell the three books to children |
| C．help children learn about nature |
| D．use a dictionary to pronounce correctly |
7 . Is there a way to quickly recall information just before taking an exam? Walking backward might be a good solution. Scientists from the University of Roehampton in the UK said this activity can help people improve their short-term memory.
Researchers asked 114 volunteers to watch a video. After watching the video, volunteers were divided into three groups. One group was told to walk 10 meters forward. The second group walked 10 meters backward. The third group stood in one place. All three groups were then asked 20 questions about what they saw in the video.
The scientists found that the backward walking group got two more answers correct on average than the other two groups.
This suggests that the relationship between the concepts of time and space is important considering how our minds form memories. “Time is really expressed via space,” Aleksandar Aksentijevic, who led the study, told the Daily Mail . When you walk backward, you see things from a different way compared to walking forward. This difference helps people recall things that happened in the past.
And walking backward is not just good for our brains. It is also good for the rest of our body. Compared to walking forward, walking backward is more challenging. This can ameliorate our energy in a short time and burns more calories.
Besides, walking backward puts less stress on our knees. It could be helpful for people who often have pain in their knees, according to researchers from the University of Oregon in the US. Walking backward also keeps our spines strong, which can help to reduce pain in the back. This might be why many old people like walking backward.
(Word Bank:solution解决方法concept概念reduce减少)
根据材料内容选择最佳答案
1. What was the first group asked to do by the researchers?
| A．To stay in one place. |
| B．To walk up and down. |
| C．To walk 10 meters forward. |
| D．To walk 10 meters backward. |
| A．is only good for our brains |
| B．puts less stress on our knees |
| C．uses more energy in a short time |
| D．improves our short-term memory |
| A．harm | B．improve | C．control | D．spread |
| A．Because it helps burn more calories. |
| B．Because it helps them recall their past. |
| C．Because it helps them remember things. |
| D．Because it helps reduce pain in their back. |
| A．Walking backward is good for us in several ways. |
| B．Walking backward is a good way to keep healthy. |
| C．Walking backward can help us do better in exam. |
| D．Walking backward is becoming more and more popular |
8 . Look up in the sky. We can see all kinds of clouds. They are red, purple, or yellow. But what are clouds anyway?
You can't reach out and touch the clouds, but you can make your own in a bottle.
You need:
°a helper ° a big glass jar
°hot water °a piece of ice °a strainer
Do this:
1.Have your helper fill the jar with hot water, leave it there for two minutes. then pour out most of the water, leaving a bit at the bottom of the jar.
2.It's your turn now. Put the strainer over the mouth of the jar. Fill the strainer with ice cubes. Watch the jar.
What happened?
A cloud formed in the jar! Some of the hot water at the bottom of the jar turned into hot water vapor. The water vapor rose and bumped into the cold air coming off the ice cubes. When the water vapor condensed(凝结), it formed a cloud.
1. The article says that clouds ________.| A．are made of cotton | B．can't be touch easily |
| C．can only be made of hot water | D．are hard for people to see |
| A．蒸汽 | B．滴 | C．云 | D．冰 |
| A．To list the types of cloud | B．To tell a story about a cloud |
| C．To give information about clouds. | D．To show how to make a cloud |
9 . Shameem was born in a small village in Pakistan. In her village, it was a tradition to keep girls inside their homes. They were not allowed to get an education.
Fortunately, Shameem’s uncle, a university teacher, wanted to give her a chance to see the world. He offered Shameem a chance to attend school. So she became the only girl student in her class.
However, Shameem struggled to complete her schooling. To get permission for college, she went to a three-day hunger strike(抗议). After graduating from college, Shameem got a position in a non-profit organization(非营利性组织) working to help women in rural( 农村的) areas.
There, she saw a Pakistan that she didn’t know. Until then, she thought she had a difficult life. But there, she saw what women in other parts of Pakistan were experiencing. Some women had 11 children, but nothing to feed them. They would walk three hours every day to get water.
Shameem found that the position was more than just a job for her. She discovered her power. By setting an example, her experience could encourage more people to understand the importance of education and send their daughters to school.
Now, Shameem teaches in a rural school in her hometown. “The first day I walked into the school,” she said, “I saw all these little Shameems staring at me with dreams in their eyes, the same dream of freedom which I had in my childhood.”
Today, there is not a single girl in her village who doesn’t go to school.
1. Who played an important role in sending Shameem to school?| A．Her uncle. | B．Her parents. | C．A workmate. | D．A university student. |
| A．To make much money. | B．To finish her education. |
| C．To discover her power as an example. | D．To help poor women in the countryside. |
| A．Shameem walked three hours to get water. | B．Shameem used to know her homeland well. |
| C．Women and children were short of food. | D．Women’s situation was more awful than expected. |
| A．Girls have the same dream. | B．No girl is allowed to attend school. |
| C．All girls in the school are named Shameem. | D．The idea of girls’ education in her village has changed. |
You might not pay much attention to whether the things you say on WeChat and other online messaging apps are recorded. But a regulation (规定) that went into effect on May 1 will make everything you say online usable against you in a court of law (法庭).
According to the Supreme People’s Court’s regulation, text messages, emails, and content posted on websites or instant (即时的) messaging platforms can be used as evidence (证据) in civil lawsuits (民事诉讼).
The idea of digital evidence was first introduced as part of China’s Civil Procedure Law in 2012. However, the recent regulation has made it clearer.
“This is the first time the Supreme People’s Court has clarified (阐明) the scope of digital evidence, especially on social media platforms and instant messaging services,” Li Ya, a lawyer in Beijing, told China Daily.
The regulation was introduced to keep up with changes in social development. Social media activity has become a part of most people’s lives. Therefore, digital evidence is playing an increasingly important role in civil and criminal lawsuits.
According to the regulation, if people plan to use digital evidence in a lawsuit, they have to first prove that they use the app or website that the evidence comes from. Second, they must provide an original (原始的) and complete record of the evidence. For example, if you lend somebody money through WeChat, you must keep the original transfer (转账) records and conversations on the app.
However, there are still questions about the regulation. Some point out that the regulation will not necessarily help in every case. “How to make sure a microblog was actually posted by the micro blogger is a challenge,” Li said.
1. When was digital evidence first introduced as part of China’s Civil Procedure Law ?| A．in 1978 | B．in 2012 | C．in 2020 | D．in 2019 |
| A．Because it can reduce criminals. |
| B．Because it can help digital industry develop. |
| C．Because social media activity has become a part of most people’s lives. |
| D．Because it can restrict(限制)the development of media activity. |
| A．A letter posted to your friends through post office. |
| B．A message on WeChat |
| C．The money lent to your friend through Alipay. |
| D．A chat on QQ |
| A．what digital evidence is in a lawsuit . |
| B．how to use digital evidence in a lawsuit . |
| C．how to use apps or websites. |
| D．when to use digital evidence in a lawsuit . |
| A．Big data is coming. |
| B．Keeping track of all your words. |
| C．Digital evidence goes into effect. |
| D．Paying attention your words |
