1 . ①Since the first man looked up at the flying birds, countless successes have been achieved on the way up to the sky. From the stones thrown into the air to airships of all kinds, pioneers of humans never failed to let their imagination run wild.
②Stories of pioneers go back to centuries ago.
③Kite flying in China dates back to the 5th century BC and is thought to be the earliest example of man-made flight.
④From the 3rd century BC, the sky lantern (灯笼) was known in China. Many people believe that it was invented by Zhuge Liang in the war. Some say he wrote a message on a sky lantern for help, while others believe sky lanterns were used to drive the enemies away.
⑤Whichever is true, humans have never stopped, and they never will. In modern times, new fields are being explored (探索).
⑥In 1993, the world’s largest hot air airship was built. The AS-300 carried an underslung raft (悬挂式木筏). It allowed a team of French scientists to carry out their treetop researches without too much harm to the rain forest.
⑦On May 15, 2022, Chinese scientists sent up the latest model of “Jimu No.1”, China’s self-developed airship, to collect weather information on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
⑧The airship would work at a world-record altitude (海拔) of 9,032 meters. It was the first time an airship of its size had reached this height, even higher than that of the 8,849-meter-tall Mount Qomolangma, the highest mountain in the world.
1. According to the passage, we learn ________.| A．Zhuge Liang was believed to invent kites |
| B．sky lanterns were used just for fun in China |
| C．kite flying in China dates back to the 5th century BC |
| D．sky lanterns were known in China before the 3rd century BC |
| A．were harmful to the forest | B．broke a world record each |
| C．reached the highest mountain | D．helped with treetop researches |
| A．share humorous stories about the pioneers | B．show how excellent ancient people were |
| C．encourage us to learn more about imagination | D．praise the never-ending exploration into the sky |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
2 . Remember books? With pages. In the old days before computers, to get information, people read books and newspapers. Students spent hours and hours in the library, looking for information in the old books for homework. Now students can find anything on the Internet in seconds. The library was a place where everyone was quiet. Sing along to music? Never! Watch a movie on phone while they are reading? Impossible! But now students can watch videos about their research topic as they write a paper.
Before computers, articles were handwritten. If a student made a mistake, he or she would throw the paper away and start writing all over again. Now? If a student makes a mistake, he or she can just remove or cut it. Students type on their computers and edit (编辑) freely. But they should save (保存) their writing in time on the computer because it may stop working suddenly. Who wants to lose his or her hard work forever?
Communication online is easy and fun. While students are writing, they can discuss with friends in another window. Did you think they were chatting (聊天) with someone in the real same room? No! They’re chatting with everyone in their own room.
Technology helps us get important information in no time. In areas where bad weather is a problem, we can get warnings from our phones. Our local radio or TV station can give information about where to get help or what to do to keep our family and home safe. Technology is our friend!
1. In the old days before computers, people2. How can a student correct his or her mistake while writing on the computer?
3. Why should students save their writing in time on the computer?
4. 找出并写下第四段的主题句。
5. 将文中画线句子翻译成汉语。
3 . Scientists at Stanford University have developed a new material（材料）these days. It can move heat out of buildings and into space. The scientists say the material can cool buildings even on hot days. The cooling material can be placed on the roof like solar panels（太阳能电池板）. However, instead of turning sunlight into energy as solar panels do, the material turns heat into infrared radiation（红外辐射）.
Shanhui Fan is an electrical engineering professor at Stanford University. He says that the panels have a kind of material that is like sand. The panels act like a mirror. They take heat out of buildings and reflect（反射）the light from the sun. Both the heat and sunlight are sent 100 kilometers into outer space.
The material doesn’t get heated up by the sun because it can cool itself. So the panels are cool to the touch, even in the sun. Researchers say they can reduce the indoor temperature to nearly 5℃ below the temperature outside.
Mr. Fan says it is like having a window into space. The heat is sent into space without warming the air. He also says buildings in developing countries that do not have air conditioning can use the panels.
Scientists say the big problem is developing an actual cooling system by using the high-tech panels. Nowadays, as much as 15% of the energy used in the United States is spent providing power to air conditioning systems. Scientists believe the cooling system can be developed in the next three to five years. It can greatly help save the energy.
1. The new material can cool the buildings by ________.| A．placing it on the ground | B．turning sunlight into energy |
| C．using solar panels | D．turning heat into infrared radiation |
| A．the building | B．the sun | C．the material | D．the space |
| A．25℃ | B．30℃ | C．35℃ | D．40℃ |
| A．The new material won’t warm the air when sending heat into space. |
| B．The panels have sand to help take heat out of buildings. |
| C．It needs more energy to power the new cooling system than air conditioning. |
| D．Now people in the US can use the new cooling system to cool their houses. |
| A．a new kind of solar panel | B．a new kind of space material |
| C．a new kind of cooling material | D．a new kind of energy |
4 . What will our life be like in 50 years? No one knows the answer exactly (确切地), but we are sure that it will be very different from the life today. My brother Jim Green makes some predictions. Here are some of his ideas.
First, people will have less work to do, and robots will do most work. People will use robots to make cars, do the housework, look after sick people and teach students. People will spend most of their time playing sports and traveling. So people will become stronger and healthier, and they will live to be about 200 years old.
Second, cars will become very small and computers will control (控制) their speed. So there will be fewer accidents on the road. Planes will be very popular and most people would like to take them to travel.
Third, people will be able to live in the sea, on the moon or on Mars. The earth won’t be crowded or noisy. So there will be more space for people to plant trees. There will be less pollution, and the air will become much fresher.
Finally, water shortage will become one of the most serious problems. If people don’t save water now, there will be water wars in 50 years.
1. Jim Green thinks that in 50 years robots will help people do the following things EXCEPT(除了) ________.| A．look after sick people | B．drive cars |
| C．teach students | D．do the housework |
| A．by bike | B．by plane | C．by train | D．by car |
| A．every family will have a car |
| B．people won’t need to work |
| C．computers will control the cars’ speed |
| D．the earth will become crowded and noisy |
| A．短缺 | B．丰富 | C．清澈 | D．浑浊 |
| A．the schools | B．the cars | C．the robots | D．the life |
5 . The Best Language-Learning Apps
Learning a new language takes a lot of time and hard work. These are the best apps (应用程序) that can help with your learning.
| Duolingo Best for Free Education Score: 4.5 Pros and cons (利与弊) ☆ Free. ☆ Wonderful new short stories for some languages. ★ Not enough materials for several languages. | Busuu Best for Vocabulary Score: 3.8 Pros and cons ☆ Very clear teaching plans. ☆ Excellent value for long-term use. ★ Small number of languages. ★ Some long and boring exercises. |
| Quizlet Best for Personalized Study Score: 4.0 Pros and cons ☆ Simple to use. ☆ Excellent for self-study. ☆ Different study modes (模式). ★ Only proper for testing some kinds of information. ★ Some spelling mistakes. | Beelinguapp Best for Reading Score: 3.5 Pros and cons ☆ Excellent for reading in foreign languages. ☆ Lots of free materials included. ☆ 12 languages. ★ Complicated (复杂的) pricing and plans. |
| A．It has 12 languages. |
| B．It’s simple to use. |
| C．It’s free. |
| D．It has clear teaching plans. |
| A．Duolingo. | B．Quizlet. | C．Busuu. | D．Beelinguapp. |
| A．Quizlet is good for self-study. |
| B．Busuu has complicated pricing. |
| C．Duolingo has some spelling mistakes. |
| D．Beelinguapp has some boring exercises. |
| A．Duolingo. | B．Quizlet. | C．Busuu. | D．Beelinguapp. |
| A．For advertising the apps to learners. |
| B．For helping learners to choose the apps. |
| C．For comparing the apps with one another. |
| D．For providing free information about the apps. |
6 . What will the world of tomorrow look like? Many people today believe that technology is going to help solve some of the most difficult problems we have on the earth today. New technology may solve old problems, and it may also create new ones.___________ Each has advantages and disadvantages, as these three examples.
When we dream about the future, many of us think that we will be able to fly to the skies in our own personal flying car. We could fly at 480 km per hour, avoiding traffic lights and busy roads. However, there will be problems with traffic control.
3D printing is another new technology for the future. 3D printers are already used to make life—size models of car parts, and man-made body parts, such as ears. As we move into the future, 3D printing will change the way we make things and the way we treat sick people. The disadvantage is that such a machine is very expensive.
Finally, people are trying to build a robot suit. This is an electronic suit. It allows people to lift heavy things and walk a long way. It might help people walk again after an illness or an accident. However, one disadvantage at the moment is cost.
Looking ahead, it is easy to imagine a future. We’ll be able to fly to work, print out a new pair of shoes or lift a car above our heads. Although there are some problems to solve before all of this is possible, we can certainly dream of a world. In this world, technology makes people’s lives easier and safer. It can solve some of the most difficult problems we have today.
1. Which might be the missing sentence in Paragraph 1? ________
| A．No technology is perfect. |
| B．Technology causes lots of problems. |
| C．We can’t live well without technology. |
| D．New problems will be solved by technology. |
| A．More air pollution. | B．Harder traffic control. | C．More traffic lights. | D．Busier roads. |
①Produce electricity.
②Lift heavy things.
③Walk a long way.
④Walk again after an illness.
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．①③④ | D．①②④ |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．He doubts it. |
| B．He doesn’t mind it. |
| C．He can’t stand it. |
| D．He looks forward to it. |
7 . Remember books? The paper kind. With pages. In the old days before computers, to get information, people read books and newspapers. Students spent hours and hours in the library, looking for information in the old books for homework. Now students can find anything on the internet in seconds. The library was a place where everyone was quiet. Sing along to music? Never! Watch a movie on phone while they are reading? Impossible! But now students can watch videos about their research topic as they write a paper.
Before computers, articles were handwritten. If a student made a mistake, he would throw the paper away and start writing all over again. Now? If a student makes a mistake, he can just remove or cut it. Students type on their computers and edit （编辑）freely. But they should save their writing in time on the computer because it may stop working suddenly. Who wants to lose his hard work forever?
Communication online is easy and fun. While students are writing, they can discuss with friends in another window. Did you think they were chatting （聊天）with someone in the real same room? No! They're chatting with everyone in their own room.
Technology helps us get important information in no time. In areas where bad weather is a problem, we can get warnings from our phone. Our local radio or TV station can give information about where to get help or what to do to keep our family and home safe.
Technology is our friend!
1题完成句子；2、3题简略回答问题；4题找出并写下第四段的主题句；5题将文中画线句子译成汉语。
1. In the old days before computers, people
2. How can a student correct his mistake while writing on the computer?
3. Why should students save their writing in time on the computer?
4.
5.
8 . We are now living in the 21st century. Is your classroom living in the 21st century, too? Tony is a student in Grade 8 at an American middle school. He was surprised when he saw his modern
In Tony’s classroom, there are many new electronics, like iPads. This semester, they will
The school uses new technology in classrooms to help students see, hear, touch and sometimes experience their tasks, “Technology is pretty common in most of our classroom now,” the head teacher said, “We’re trying to use technology to
Mr. Miller now regards himself as a guide of learning
| A．dormitory | B．playground | C．library | D．classroom |
| A．allow | B．use | C．want | D．help |
| A．boring | B．relaxing | C．amazing | D．disappointing |
| A．on | B．by | C．at | D．with |
| A．open | B．look | C．put | D．call |
| A．wrong | B．slow | C．quick | D．bad |
| A．because of | B．instead of | C．according to | D．thanks to |
| A．why | B．what | C．when | D．how |
| A．But | B．And | C．Or | D．So |
| A．stand | B．hate | C．enjoy | D．dislike |
9 . What’s going to happen in the future? Here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now.
1. Digital money
We used to pay with cash（现金）for everything we bought. In fact, we are already using one kind of digital money when we swipe（刷）our bus pass or use a credit card（信用卡）to shop online. You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pocket for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash with you. People in Sweden all stopped using cash last year and the US might be the next.
2.Bionic（仿生）Eye
People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back---by wearing bionic eyes. A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to “see” the environment and send the message into brain. Although the bionic eye now only allow patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a better and clearer bionic eye could be just a few years away.
3.Self-driving car
Unlike a human driver, a self-driving car won’t lose attention because of a phone call, a radio or something outside the window. Sensors（探测器）and cameras on the car would allow it to keep strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. Many companies are now planning self-driving cars. By 2045, driverless cars will be the main transport on the road.
1. What things are mentioned in the passage?| A．Credit card and bionic eye. | B．A TV set and cameras. |
| C．Cash and lots of cards. | D．A big card and bright eyes. |
| A．Blind people can see things clearly by using bionic eyes now. |
| B．People around the world may not use cash any more in the coming year. |
| C．Using cash is as safe as using a credit card. |
| D．Bionic eyes may be improved soon. |
| A．A human driver is able to control the speed and distance better. |
| B．A human driver better knows the traffic rules. |
| C．A self-driving car can pay full attention to road conditions. |
| D．A self-driving car can understand a phone call, or a radio better. |
| A．People will pay everything with cash. |
| B．Blind people’s eyes may recover with the help of the doctors. |
| C．Drivers may be unnecessary on the road about 20 years later. |
| D．People will use cameras on the road. |
| A．An interview. | B．A science book. | C．A novel. | D．An e-mail. |
10 . Would you like to live in a city where buildings turn off the lights for you, and self-driving cars will find the nearest parking space themselves? Although it might sound a little far from you, living in a “smart” city like this could happen sooner than you think.
The towns that we have lived in for centuries have changed a lot, while completely new cities are being built. One such place is the city of Songdo. In every home there will be a “telepresence” system（远程遥控系统）—allowing users to control the heating（暖气）and locks, take part in video meetings, and receive education, healthcare and government services. Around the city, escalators（自动扶梯）will only move when someone is on them, and offices and schools will all be connected to the system.
The great mind behind Songdo is from the company Cisco. In fact, technology companies around the world such as IBM, Siemens and Microsoft are already in the business.
About 75% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, so cities will need to be more modern to solve the coming problems. “Making cities smarter is one way out, and I think this will in turn make cities greener.” said Dan Hill, head of a research company.
1. What does the underlined word “it” refer to?| A．Living in a “smart” city will be far from you. |
| B．People live in a “smart” city. |
| C．Buildings turn off the lights for you. |
| D．Self-driving cars will find the nearest parking space themselves. |
| A．A future city. | B．A meeting in Songdo. |
| C．A plan to build a city. | D．A report on public health. |
| A．Microsoft. | B．IBM. | C．Siemens. | D．Cisco. |
| A．drive people out of cities | B．control the world’s population |
| C．solve the cities’ coming problems | D．develop his own company |
| A．Future Education | B．Government Services |
| C．Famous Companies | D．Smart Cities |
