1 . Fifty-one years ago, a man took a “small step” on the moon and brought mankind a “giant leap” forward. As the first person to walk on the moon, American astronaut Neil Armstrong is a man whose name will be remembered for generations to come.
But being the first is never easy. With so many unknowns about space at that time, Armstrong himself was surprised that Apollo11 actually worked. He thought he and his partners had only a 50 percent chance of a successful landing back in 1969.
It was tough indeed. When the lunar module (登月舱) was approaching the moon's surface, the computer wanted to rest them on a steep slope covered with rocks, but Armstrong realized it was an unsafe place to stop.
As a last minute decision, he safely landed the lunar module by himself. When they finally touched the ground, “there was something like 20 seconds of fuel left,” he said in an interview.
Unfortunately, some people doubted his visit to the moon, saying it was faked. But Armstrong responded with a chuckle (轻声笑), saying: “It was never a concern to me because I knew one day, somebody was going to go fly back up there and pick up that camera I left. ”
For all his global fame, Neil Armstrong is a remarkably modest man. He rarely gave interviews and didn't like talking about his achievement. He stopped giving his signatures when he found that people sold them for thousands of dollars.
“I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks but for the ledger (记账簿) of our daily work, Armstrong said in a CBS interview in 2005. W hen asked how he felt knowing his footprints would be likely to stay on the moon's surface for thousands o[ years, he said: “I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up.”
Armstrong passed away at the age of 82 in 2012, but he will be remembered. “The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink (眨眼),” his family said to Reuters.
1. It can be inferred from the article that before his expedition to the moon, Armstrong ________.| A．was certain that Apollo 11 would work well |
| B．believed the lunar module would land safely on the moon |
| C．had prepared himself to face possible failure |
| D．planned to land the lunar module on the moon by himself |
| A．He was angry |
| B．He was troubled by it |
| C．He tried to find evidence that they were wrong |
| D．He believed they would be proved wrong some day. |
| A．the more daily work you've done, the more easily you will be recognized |
| B．things that look spectacular are not as useful as ordinary successes |
| C．achieving greatness can make other successes feel less important |
| D．everyday's hard work is more appreciated than one successful moment |
| A．He was ambitious | B．He tried to avoid the spotlight |
| C．He balanced his life and work well | D．He was talkative and loved telling jokes |
I'm one of those many people who fell in love with your sports books. I have read The Rookie Arrives, Running Scared, Quarterback Walk-on, Halfback Tough, Winning Kicker, and Soccer Duel.
Ⅰ wish I could read more of your sports books, but those are all of the books my English teacher has which are written by you. I like your stories very much because they seem so real. You describe every action as it truly happens. Sometimes I feel like I'm in the book.
I have a question. Did you play any kind of sports? I really want to know the answer. I am really thankful that you have written so many wonderful stories. Thank you.
Sincerely, Peter
1. Who is Mr. Dygard?| A．A writer. | B．A reader. | C．A teacher. | D．A student. |
| A．Playing football. | B．Learning English. |
| C．Writing sports stories. | D．Reading sports books. |
| A．From Mr. Dygard. | B．From his teacher. |
| C．From a bookstore. | D．From other fans. |
| A．true to life | B．far from reality |
| C．difficult to read | D．useful for sportsmen |
| A．His family. | B．His job. |
| C．The sports he played. | D．The stories he read. |
3 . Apart from a simple“hot”, what other ways are there to describe the summer heat? There are many interesting expressions that relate to unbearably hot weather and offer a glimpse into foreign culture.
Dog days of summer
In books and newspaper articles, the period from early July to mid－August is often referred to as the “dog days of summer”. Some think the expression means the weather is so hot that dogs go wild. But in fact, the expression comes from 16th century astrology and refers to the days on which Sirius－the Dog Star, the brightest star in the summer sky and part of the Great Dog constellation－rises at the same time as the sun.
Hotter than a two－dollar pistol
The reason for the expression is that no pistol could cost 2 dollars unless it had been stolen. In English slang, stolen goods are often said to be “hot” and anyone in possession of hot goods is likely to get their fingers burned, in other words, to be arrested.
So hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk
Thousands of curious tourists feel like testing if the saying is true, with the result that sidewalks in Death Valley, California, the hottest place in the U. S. , are now littered with broken eggshells. As long as you use a frying pan with a lid and the temperature is at least 49℃ , it is actually possible to fry an egg on the sidewalk.
Hinges of Hades
For those who believe it exists, hell is undoubtedly the hottest place on earth, so unsurprisingly there are several expressions that refer to hell or Hades, or even the devil himself. “Hotter than the hinges or gates of Hades” is the oldest version , but more amusing variations have become popular, such as “hotter than the devil's underwear”.
1. Which expression relates to the study of stars?| A．Dog days of summer. | B．Hotter than a two－dollar pistol. |
| C．So hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. | D．Hinges of Hades. |
| A．Popular. | B．Difficult. | C．Illegal. | D．Angry. |
| A．55℃. | B．40℃. | C．39℃. | D．29℃. |
4 . International Volunteering in New Zealand
If you’re visiting New Zealand and would like to volunteer, DOC (Department of Concentration) welcomes you to get involved.
Before you come to New Zealand
You do not need a work visa to volunteer with DOC. You ran volunteer on entry to New Zealand as long as you do not receive payment or benefits.
You may need a police certificate
Depending on the volunteer work you do with us, you may be required to provide a police certificate to DOC. Your police certificate would need to be written and certified in English. It’s easier for you if you get a police certificate before you leave your country.
How to get a new police certificate if you’re already in New Zealand. (Click here)
International students
Volunteering with DOS is an option to gain experience. However, DOC does not offer opportunities to students who study at:
●universities outside New Zealand, or other education providers outside New Zealand.
Insurance
For all volunteers with DOC, we strongly advise you gel comprehensive (综合的) travel insurance and unlimited medical cover. DOC does not accept responsibility for any:
● personal medical or accident events.
● loss or damage to personal items of equipment, or other associated costs while you're volunteering with DOC.
1. What may you offer to DOC if you want to volunteer as a foreigner in New Zealand?| A．A work visa. | B．A police certificate |
| C．A university diploma. | D．A driver license. |
| A．An American official who is travelling in New Zealand. |
| B．A Chinese businessman with some volunteering experiences. |
| C．A Chinese exchange student in the University of Auckland in New Zealand. |
| D．An English college student who has just been visiting his uncle in New Zealand for a few days. |
| A．A story book. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A website. | D．A travel guide book. |
5 . The Lantern Festival, a traditional Chinese festival, is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. And it falls on Tuesday this year.
It was also a romantic festival in ancient China, providing an opportunity for unmarried men and women to meet.
Another activity，guessing the answers to lantern riddles，gave young people a chance to interact with each other and know more about each other. For thousands of years, there have been numerous love stories originating during the Lantern Festival.
Besides watching lanterns and guessing the answers to lantern riddles，there are many other traditions for the festival.
1. Dragon lantern dance
2. Lion Dances
It is similar to the dragon lantern dance，delivering good wishes and good luck.
3. Eating yuanxiao
Eating yuanxiao on Lantern Festival is another tradition.
| A．Chinese people regard the dragon as a symbol of good luck. |
| B．Here is a guide for you to spend a happy I intern Festival. |
| C．Yuanxiao is made of glutinous rice, either solid or stuffed. |
| D．Almost all people will come out and appreciate the beautiful scene. |
| E．As a traditional food, YuanXiao appeals to a lot of people. |
| F．In ancient times, young women, especially daughters of respected families, hardly stepped out their houses. |
| G．It is a continuation of celebrating the Spring Festival. |
6 . I have always been interested in making things. When I was a child, I enjoyed drawing, but I also liked making things out of clay (粘土). I won a prize for one of my paintings when I was fourteen. That may be why I went to art school four years later. But I studied painting at first, not pottery (制陶). I like being a potter because I like to work with my hands and feel the clay. I'm happy working by myself and being near my home. I don't like mass-produced (集体生产) things, because they are made by machines. I think crafts (手工艺) are very important and crafts-people make things cleverly with hands. They make our lives colorful. When I left school, I got some money. I hope to become a full-time crafts-woman. This work-place is small, but I wish to move to a larger one next year.
1. From the passage we are sure that the writer is a _______.| A．student | B．teacher | C．man | D．woman |
| A．liking to make things |
| B．enjoying working near her home |
| C．a prize won when the writer was young |
| D．a wish to be a potter |
| A．14 | B．16 | C．18 | D．21 |
| A．unhappily | B．hopefully | C．seriously | D．angrily |
7 . Back in the 1860s, a British scientist named Henry Walter Bates noticed something interesting in the animal world: a kind of butterfly, Common Mormon, can change the pattern on its wings so that it looks like another butterfly species, the Common Rose, which is poisonous for birds to eat.
Bates argued that animals develop this ability to protect themselves from being eaten. This theory had been widely accepted by scientists. But one question remains: how do these animals manage to do that?
After more than 150 years, scientists are finally able to answer that question-it is all down to a gene called “doublesex”, according to a study published on March 6 in the journal Nature.
In fact, scientists have long known that genes are responsible for this useful ability. But until the new study, scientists hadn’t been able to find out which genes in particular were responsible.
Scientists at the University of Chicago compared the genetic structures of the Common Mormons that changed their wing patterns with those of ones that did not. And all the results pointed to a single gene, “doublesex”.
This was much to the scientists’ surprise. They used to expect that something as complex as this would be controlled by many different genes. For example, one gene would control the color of the upper part of the wing, one would do so for the lower part.
However, the “doublesex” gene doesn’t quite do everything by itself. Instead, it acts like a switch-it “tells” other genes to change the wing patterns. Isn’t that clever?
Scientists believe that this special ability of the “doublesex” gene on Common Mormon was developed throughout the long history of evolution. “The harmless species gains an advantage by resembling something predators avoid,” Sean Carroll, a scientist told Nature. “it was obvious evidence for natural selection.”
1. How do scientists find the truth of butterfly changing wing patterns?| A．By doing experiment on butterflies | B．By comparing genetic structures |
| C．By observing the butterflies | D．By analyzing the result |
| A．The ”doublesex” gene does do everything by itself |
| B．The “doublesex” gene is poisonous |
| C．The “doublesex” gene “tells” other genes to change the wing patterns |
| D．The “doublesex” gene could only control the color of the upper part of the wing |
| A．How Common Mormons stay safe | B．How Butterflies Changed Wings’ Pattern |
| C．What American Scientists Discovered | D．What Genetic Structures of Butterflies Have |
