1 . Record-breaking. Abnormal. Dangerous. That’s how the National Weather Service described the heat wave hitting much of North America.
The heat wave has already broken all-time high temperature records in places unaccustomed to such extreme heat. For example, Oregon’s capital city, Salem, recorded the highest temperature in its history on Sunday: 130F, breaking the old mark by 4 degrees. The temperature hit 104F in Seattle. It was an all-time record for the city better known for rain than heat and was the first time the area reached such a high temperature since records began being kept in 1894.
Weather forecasters said the heat wave was caused by an extended “heat dome”which allowed hot air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic to stream northward over much of North America.
This current heat wave was yet more evidence of the impact of human-caused climate change. “When it comes to record-breaking heat events, the study has been run for event after event in region after region in year after year. And the answer is almost always the same,” said Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington “The days-long heat wave is a taste of the future as climate change reshapes global weather patterns.”
“Another aspect that we see connected to climate change but that we don’t hear about as much is the fact that there is also a lot more water in the atmosphere now. As we warm the oceans and warm the air, there is more evaporation（蒸发）and that wetter air makes us feel hotter,” added weather forecaster, Jennifer Francis. “A combination of high temperature and moisture（湿度）in the air means dangerous conditions for the young, elderly or others who are not healthy. Please drink plenty of water; stay out of the sun and in air-conditioned rooms.”
1. What was the previous temperature record in Salem?| A．104F. | B．126F. | C．130F. | D．134F. |
| A．The climate change. | B．The northward air streams. |
| C．The extended "heat dome". | D．The moisture in the atmosphere. |
| A．The Dangerous Heat Wave Will Last Long |
| B．A Heat Wave Roasts Much of North America |
| C．Measures Must Be Taken to Protect the Young and Elderly |
| D．The "Heat Dome" Is Expected to Cover the Pacific Northwest |
| A．In a first aid guidebook. | B．In a weather forecast. |
| C．In a news report. | D．In a professor's lecture. |
2 . The Biggest Stadiums in the World
People have been pouring into stadiums since the days of ancient Greece. In around 80 A.D., the Romans built the Colosseum, which remains the world’s best known stadium and continues to inform contemporary design. Rome’s Colosseum was 157 feet tall and had 80 entrances, seating 50,000 people. However, that was small fry compared with the city’s Circus Maximus, which accommodated around 250,000 people.
These days, safety regulations-not to mention the modern sports fan’s desire for a good view and comfortable seat — tend to keep stadium capacities (容量) slightly lower. Even soccer fans tend to have a seat each; gone are the days of thousands standing to watch the match.
For the biggest stadiums in the world, we have used data supplied by the World Atlas list so far, which ranks them by their stated permanent capacity, as well as updated information from official stadium websites.
All these stadiums are still functional, still open and still hosting the biggest events in world sport.
·Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang D.P.R. Korea. Capacity: 150,000. Opened: May 1,1989.
·Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U. S. Capacity: 107,601. Opened: October 1, 1927.
·Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania, U. S. Capacity: 106,572. Opened: September 17, 1960.
·Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio, U. S. Capacity: 104,944. Opened: October 7,1922.
·Kyle Field, College Station, Texas, U. S. Capacity: 102,512. Opened: September 24, 1927.
1. How many people could the Circus Maximus hold?| A．104,944. | B．107,601. | C．About 150,000. | D．About 250,000. |
| A．Michigan Stadium. | B．Beaver Stadium. | C．Ohio Stadium. | D．Kyle Field. |
| A．They host big games. | B．They have become tourist attractions. |
| C．They were built by Americans. | D．They are favored by architects. |
3 . Summer Camps 2020
Digging for Dinosaurs
June 10 to June 14,2020, July 15 to July 19,2020
$395 per person
What is a paleontologist (古生物学者) and what exactly do they do? Come find out with us this summer! We'll explore what paleontologists do, where they work and what tools they use while searching for fossils (化石). We'll dig deeper into how a fossil is made, the different types of fossils and what information paleontologists can learn from them.
Physics Past to Present
June 17 to June 21,2020, July 22 to July 26, 2020
$405 per person
Have you ever wondered why a baseball flies a certain way when it's hit or how to shoot the perfect basket? It's Physics! This summer we will explore terms like energy and force to see how they affect things we do every day. We will look at who discovered these terms, how they influence the activities we love and how sportsmen use them to their advantage.
Ancient Art
June 24 to June 28, 2020, July 29 to August 2,2020
$355 per person
Experience how art began! This summer we will explore how art has changed from the Stone Age through the Middle Ages. From cave paintings to building arches (拱门), we'll explore the world through the eyes of artists who came before us.
Space Explorers: Back to the Moon
August 5 to August 9,2020
$455 per person
Come join us in taking a closer look at our moon and how our astronauts got there. We'll learn about what a spaceship needs to escape Earth's pull, take a closer look at the moon's surface and simulate (模拟) our own moon landing!
1. What will campers do in Physics Past to Present?| A．Play sports. | B．Talk with athletes. |
| C．Explore energy and force. | D．Learn the history of sports. |
| A．$355. | B．$395. |
| C．$405. | D．$455. |
| A．Digging for Dinosaurs. |
| B．Physics Past to Present. |
| C．Ancient Art. |
| D．Space Explorers: Back to the Moon. |
4 . The other day on a cold night, I left my wife and drove from Harrisburg to Lewisburg, a distance of about 100 miles. It was rather late. Several times I got stuck behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I became increasingly impatient.
At one point along an open road, I came to a crossing with a traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I drove near the light, it turned red and I made a stop. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of car lamps, but there I sat, waiting for the light to change, the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.
I started wondering why I refused to run the light. I was not afraid of being caught, because there was clearly no policeman around, and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.
Much later that night, the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me. I think I stopped because it's part of a contract（契约）we all have with each other. It's not only the law, but it's an agreement we have, and we trust each other to honor it： we don't go through red lights.
Trust is our first inclination. Doubting others does not seem to be natural to us. The whole construction of our society depends on mutual（相互的）trust, not distrust. We do what we say we'll do； we show up when we say we'll show up； and we pay when we say we'll pay. We trust each other in these matters, and we're angry or disappointed with the person or organization that breaks the trust we have in them.
I am so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.
1. How does the author feel about the truck driver?| A．Pleased. | B．Satisfied. |
| C．Sorry. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．He hates driving at night. |
| B．He desired to cross the red light that night. |
| C．He approves of obeying traffic rules by himself. |
| D．He is easy when suffering the traffic jam. |
| A．Tendency. | B．Faith. |
| C．Adjustment. | D．Guidance. |
| A．Be polite to others. | B．Improve traffic rules. |
| C．Be patient and helpful. | D．Trust each other. |
5 . Who needs friends? According to most psychologists (心理学家) we all do, especially nowadays when so many other aspects (方面) of modern life are changing. It seems that having friends keeps us both healthy and happy.
The number of TV series about groups of friends shows just how important friendship is to us. Psychologist Dorothy Rowe says that many of us now turn to our friends, instead of our families, for advice, comfort and security. One woman named Rebecca she interviewed even told her that if she had got to choose between her husband and her friend, she would choose her friend.
Since our friends mean so much to us, it is not surprising that the happiest marriages are also friendships. “Once the romantic stage of a relationship has passed, it is friendship that holds people together,” says Rowe. If the couple do not make some change, they will either get tired of each other and break up or stay together and seek friendship with others.
But is friendship equally important to women and men? According to author Rhonda Pritchard, women are more likely than men to have close friends. “ You tell a friend things that you’d never tell a partner”，says one woman she interviewed. For men, friendship is usually based on doing things together rather than the private conversations that are typical of women friend. Men share time and activities like building a fence or a business, running, riding a bike, fishing or watching football, but they don’t often share their feelings.
Although many women find their relationships with a husband or boyfriend is not enough, many men say that their partner is their best friend. Even women who are very happily married are likely to become very unhappy without a close friend and can even find the breakup of a close friend as painful as the end of a marriage.
Lasting friendships can provide a lot of the same support that families provided in the past, but the perfect situation is to have your family there for as well. Friendships and family relationships can both change, but a friend will not consider you when making really important decisions in the same way that a family member will.
1. What did Rebecca think about friendship?| A．Families are reliable forever. | B．Her friend means more to her than her husband |
| C．One needn’t have too many friends. | D．Friends are as important as families. |
| A．they are encouraged by their partners. |
| B．they are not fairly treated by their partners |
| C．they don’t get what they need from their partners. |
| D．they think their friends are more romantic. |
| A．Women often do things together. |
| B．Women often talk about business with friends. |
| C．Men seldom talk about their feelings. |
| D．Men often talk to their friends about work and family. |
| A．feel as upset as when a marriage ends. | B．share feelings with their partners. |
| C．treat their partners as friends. | D．turn to their husband for comfort. |
6 . Steel Vengeance, a world-record-breaking hybrid roller coaster, recently made its first public appearance at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio.
The ride is constructed from both wood and steel (钢). A steel running track on a huge wooden base allows the ride to provide the types of twists (扭转) and turns that are not possible on wooden roller coasters.
Steel Vengeance breaks ten world records, including tallest, fastest, and longest hybrid roller coaster. “It is just a roller coaster that you want to ride again and again,” said Tony Clark, director of communications at Cedar Point. The 90-degree, 200-foot drop on the first hill takes your breath away.
At a recent event at Cedar Point, I experienced the excitement of the new ride first-hand. Thanks to my strong heart, I had a really cool time!
THE MAKING OF VENGEANCE
“The biggest part of making a roller coaster is planning it,” Clark said.
Jason McClure, general manager of Cedar Point, added: “We have to get a main idea of the basics of the coaster and then plan a budget.”
WOOD, STEEL, AND HARD WORK
Rocky Mountain Construction designed and built Steel Vengeance. About 1.2 million pounds of steel and 1.4 million boards of wood were used to build the ride.
Fred Grubb, co-founder of Rocky Mountain, noted that “people who design roller coasters for my company have to have first-hand experience building things with their hands, not just hold an engineering degree. When you have built things for yourself, you get it, and understand what will work.”
Clark was pleased with the results. “We at Cedar Point are so happy with how Steel Vengeance turned out,” he said.
McClure added: “What we put into this roller coaster was wood, steel, and a lot of hard work.”
1. What can we learn about Steel Vengeance?| A．It is going through tests. |
| B．It belongs to Rocky Mountain. |
| C．It is made from both steel and wood. |
| D．It was mainly designed by Fred Grubb. |
| A．It will last longer. |
| B．It cost less money. |
| C．It took less time to build. |
| D．It offers more kinds of twists. |
| A．Worried. |
| B．Excited. |
| C．Frightened. |
| D．Shocked. |
| A．hold an arts degree |
| B．be roller coaster lovers |
| C．be skillful at wood work |
| D．have built things themselves |
7 . Are people happier in nature with blue skies overhead and fresh green grass underfoot? Could noisy streets, crowded with cars and people, make us unhappy?
The possible mental health problems of city living affect a lot of people. The World Health Organization estimates(估计)that 56 percent of the world's population lived in urban areas in 2019. The WHO adds that that amount will increase to 66 percent by 2050. People often move to cities for better jobs and more cultural activities. But are they putting themselves at risk? Maybe. Experts at the American Psychiatry Association say that “natural environments or green spaces” do much good to our mental health.
Many studies have shown that nature can calm us and make us feel happy. Nature, experts say, can also help us learn better. And experiencing nature helps people recover from the mental tiredness that comes from day-to-day work. On the other hand, mental health experts say some research suggests that city living might hurt our mental health. But they cannot say exactly why.
What are the specific aspects of the urban environment which causes some people to develop mental illness? Andrea Mechelli, a doctor at Kings College, London, states, “There have been studies where people were literally taken out of an urban environment into a rural (乡村的) environment and their symptoms would improve. And we also see that the greater the city is, the greater the risk is.” Mechelli say that someone who lives in a city is three times more likely to develop psychological problem than someone living in the country.
Kings College researchers, along with city planners, land and building designers and others wanted to learn more about city living and mental illness. So, they created a smartphone app called Urban Mind. They say they wanted to understand how different parts of the urban environment affect mental wellbeing(健康).
The researchers found that being outdoors, seeing trees, hearing birdsong, seeing the sky, and feeling in contact with nature were associated with higher levels of mental well-being. They also found that these seeming effects of nature were especially strong in those individuals at greater risk of mental health problems. The Urban Mind Project team says it hopes “the results will inform future urban planning and social policy aimed at improving design and health.”
1. Why is the question raised in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| B．To show the background of the text. |
| C．To ask the readers to learn the study. |
| D．To raise the readers' interest in happiness. |
| A．People are attracted by the blue skies and green grass. |
| B．People are more content with their city life. |
| C．More and more people are interested in taking risks in cities, |
| D．City people are more likely to develop mental problems than country people. |
| A．More people will choose to live in the countryside. |
| B．It will bring more concern about people s mental health. |
| C．It will contribute to future urban planning and social policies. |
| D．People will be helped to improve their mental illness. |
| A．Urban Mind measures the level of mental wellbeing. |
| B．City living may be harmful to people’s mental health. |
| C．Living in the countryside is better than in the city. |
| D．Different scientists hold different opinions on the effects of city living. |
