1 . A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, joined different clubs, and graduated with honors.
I was so excited to start a new life. I had totally packed two weeks and wanted to go to college at once before it was time to leave.
Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn’t like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep.
I was so homesick (想家) and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a lot of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think how lonely I felt.
Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution to my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.
How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A’s. That’s why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.
1. How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?A.She was as normal as before. |
B.She couldn’t wait to leave for the college. |
C.She was afraid to leave her home. |
D.She didn’t enjoy her mother’s company. |
A.Her weight. | B.Her diet. |
C.Her homesickness. | D.Her bad study habit. |
A.achieve my dream | B.earn money by myself |
C.improve my studies | D.take my attention away |
A.To look back at her past middle school life. |
B.To help girls to lose weight. |
C.To help lonely college students. |
D.To increase her own confidence. |
2 . For most of December, Adele Adkins had the top-selling album in Australia, followed by Ed Sheeran, and then there was a collection of songs that took everyone by surprise.
Songs Of Disappearance is a collection of calls from endangered Australian birds. Last month, it briefly reached No.3 on the country’s top 50 albums chart (排行榜) — ahead of Taylor Swift.
Anthony Albrecht, a PhD student at Charles Darwin University, produced the album with Professor Stephen Garnett. “I knew it was a crazy thing to suggest. But Stephen’s a little bit crazy like me and he let me do it,” Albrecht said.
Songs Of Disappearance was published with a university report which found that 1 in 6 Australian bird species are now threatened. The album records 53 of those species.
“Some sing what you might think of as bird songs, but not all of them,” said SeanDooley, who represents the conservation organization Bird life Australia. “Songs from the golden bowerbird sound like a death cry from some sci-fi series. And the love songs from Christmas Island frigate bird, which has a piece of skin hanging under its mouth that caninflate (膨胀) like a huge red balloon, sound as bizarre as its unusual looks.”
There’s also the Christmas Island pigeon. When people hear that pigeon, they might think that it’s a human making silly noises, Dooley added.
The Charles Darwin University and Bird life Australia report does document successes in protecting endangered birds, the hope being that the album will protect more species.
“The increased awareness can make a difference,” Dooley said. “When we have a community on board, that brings pressure to the government to do the right thing. We know that these conservation actions do work.”
1. Whose album reached No.1 on the chart in December?A.Taylor Swift’s. |
B.Adele Adkins’. |
C.Ed Sheeran’s. |
D.Anthony Albrecht’s. |
A.About 53 bird species are threatened in Australia. |
B.It has not found success in protecting endangered birds. |
C.One sixth of Australian bird species are now endangered. |
D.Music is very powerful in encouraging people to protect birds. |
A.Strange. |
B.Beautiful. |
C.Loud. |
D.Sharp. |
A.Crazy. |
B.Amusing. |
C.Uncreative. |
D.Helpful. |
3 . I was required to read one of Bernie Siegel’s books in college and had a great liking for his positivity from that moment on. The stories of his untraditional
I’m an ambitious
We would see each other at various times and
A.tastes | B.ideas | C.notes | D.memories |
A.amazing | B.shocking | C.amusing | D.strange |
A.strike | B.push | C.challenge | D.effect |
A.learn from | B.go over | C.get through | D.refer to |
A.reader | B.writer | C.editor | D.doctor |
A.positive | B.agreeable | C.humorous | D.honest |
A.mood | B.position | C.state | D.way |
A.advice | B.reference | C.protection | D.treatment |
A.viewed | B.knew | C.noticed | D.wondered |
A.while | B.because | C.although | D.providing |
A.came out | B.worked out | C.proved out | D.turned out |
A.naturally | B.only | C.hopefully | D.actually |
A.deciding | B.operating | C.working | D.relying |
A.became | B.helped | C.missed | D.visited |
A.patient | B.operator | C.fan | D.publisher |
A.sign | B.smile | C.mark | D.mask |
A.showed up | B.set off | C.fell down | D.passed away |
A.since | B.but | C.so | D.for |
A.guidance | B.trust | C.opportunity | D.inspiration |
A.promised | B.laughed | C.thought | D.replied |
4 . Many people are aware of the beauty of a solar eclipse (日食), but are surprised to learn that lunar eclipses are often just as impressive. While a total solar eclipse lasts only for a few minutes and can be seen only in a small area of a few square kilometres, a total lunar eclipse can last for several hours and can be seen over much of the planet. Therefore, the beauty and stability of lunar eclipses make them a favourite of both amateur and professional photographers.
Lunar eclipses generally occur two or three times a year, and are possible only when the Moon is full. When we see the Moon, we are actually seeing sunlight reflect off the surface of the Moon. When the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, however, the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon, and a lunar eclipse occurs.
The type of lunar eclipses—total, partial, or penumbral (半影的)—that occurs depends on both how much of the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow and through which part of the shadow it passes. A penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow. This type of eclipse is brief and frequently goes unobserved by anyone but astronomers. By contrast, total and partial eclipses occur when all or part, respectively, of the Moon passes through the umbra (本影) of the Earth. These eclipses are quite easy to see and are widely observed.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch. Solar radiation that occurs during an eclipse of the sun can cause a form of burns of one’s eyes know as eclipse blindness. In fact, the only way to safely view a solar eclipse is using specially designed equipment. However, since the Moon’s light is reflected sunlight, it is completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse without any special equipment, although a pair of binoculars (双筒望远镜) can certainly help the viewer appreciate the beauty of this phenomenon.
1. What does the underlined word “stability” mean in Paragraph 1?A.Strength. | B.Position. |
C.Steadiness. | D.Visibility. |
A.When the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. |
B.When all of the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra. |
C.When only part of the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow. |
D.When only part of the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra. |
A.They are longerlasting than most solar eclipses. |
B.They are more common than partial or total lunar eclipses. |
C.They are the result of the shadow cast by the Moon onto the Earth. |
D.They are more difficult to observe than other types of lunar eclipses. |
A.Moonlight is much weaker than sunlight. |
B.A lunar eclipse is briefer than a solar eclipse. |
C.A lunar eclipse lasts much longer than a solar eclipse. |
D.Special equipment can be employed to view a lunar eclipse. |
5 . Many libraries around the world are as amazing in their architecture and organization as they are in the huge amount of knowledge they contain. With shelves and shelves of books, various collections and amazing historical and cultural displays. there are plenty of undiscovered wonders.
Beinecke Rare Book Library (New Haven, Connecticut)
Yale University has one of the most beautiful college campuses in America, and one of its most interesting features is the Beinecke Rare Book Library. It is one of the largest buildings in the world devoted to rare books and manuscripts (手稿) of famous people. From 2015-16 the library building was closed for 18 months for major improvement. Inside there is a stat ue of its main founder that rises up high.
Vennesla Library (Vennesla, Norway)
Located near the southernmost tip of Norway, Vennesla Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a city cultural center and meeting place. The building hosts a coffee shop, open meeting spaces, classrooms for children and adult education courses. and a cinema. It is mainly built out of wood. The long. thin beams (横梁) on the inside were designed to look like the inside of a whale.
Suzzallo Library (Seattle)
Among the many beautiful features of the campus at the University of Washington, such as its cherry flowers and a light rail station, Suzzallo Library was built in the Collegiate Gothic style. Its buttresses (扶壁) are decorated with 18 statues featuring famous academics and writers such as Plato, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
Library of Muyinga (Muyinga, Burundi)
A school for deaf children, the Library of Muyinga in Burundi was built with local techniques and traditions. A rope hammock (吊床) that hangs between the first and second floors of the library serves as part of the children’s reading room, a great place for indoor activities.
More information of them is just a click away.
1. Which library is suitable for people who want to appreciate statues?A.Beinecke Rare Book Library. | B.Vennesla Library. |
C.Suzzallo Library. | D.Library of Muyinga. |
A.It is mainly intended for children. |
B.It is a kind of culture complex. |
C.It is located within the campus. |
D.It is in a shape of a whale outside. |
A.A culture magazine | B.A travel brochure. |
C.A website. | D.A historical book. |
6 . Working for a big company in London on a salary (薪水)of over £100,000, you might expect Grayden Reece-Smith to have a luxurious (奢侈)lifestyle, going on expensive holidays or driving a sports car around south London, where he lives. In fact, the 28-year-old lives a very different existence from his colleagues. He gives away everything he earns over £42,000–a figure that he thought he could comfortably live on.
Over the past five years, Reece-Smith has handed over more than £250,000 to organizations such as International Care Ministries, which helps poor families in the Philippines, and the Against Malaria Foundation. He is part of a growing number of young professionals described as “effective altruists”. Effective altruists typically donate regularly to a charity which they think will have a great impact (影响). Some change careers to make more money, which can then be given away.
Reece-Smith considered working in the charity sector after graduating from university, but thought that he could make a bigger difference by donating a large part of his salary. He had volunteered as a teacher at a school in Tanzania, but then realized that earning and giving would be more effective. “The cost of my flights there could have paid the salaries of two teachers for an entire year,” he says. Instead, he could “stay at home, living a nice life and still make a huge difference in the world”.
He is not mean with money-last year he went to Cuba on holiday, and spent several thousand pounds on a new sofa. But his lifestyle isn’t as luxurious as some of the people he works with. “I usually don’t buy supermarket-branded food products, but I don’t own a car. Other people on my salary might have a bigger house. Some of my colleagues have four-bedroom houses, but we only bought what we needed-a two-bedroom flat.£42,000 is more than enough to live on and still save,” he says.
1. How much money does Grayden spend on donation every year?A.Less than £42,000. | B.Over £100.000. |
C.£50,000. | D.Any income over £42,000. |
A.Donate to impactful charities. | B.Make more money to enjoy lives. |
C.Create a good public image. | D.Enter a teaching profession. |
A.To access his inner life. | B.To create a stronger effect. |
C.To give away all of his salary. | D.To be a teacher at a school. |
A.He leads an expensive lifestyle. | B.He buys food produced by supermarkets. |
C.He lives in a four-bedroom house. | D.He balances his life and donation. |
7 . As the saying goes, life is sweet. But while we may wish for consistently sweet moments, life often serves us other
Recently, we celebrated my mom’s birthday. In her nineties now, as she
The day before the celebration, we
The next day, the birthday
Truly, these are bittersweet moments, filled with
A.memories | B.flavors | C.experiences | D.smells |
A.forgets | B.realizes | C.nears | D.questions |
A.functioning | B.changing | C.failing | D.growing |
A.decided | B.asked | C.managed | D.continued |
A.new-born | B.snow-covered | C.hard-won | D.home-made |
A.working on | B.preparing for | C.cutting off | D.resulting in |
A.checking | B.decorating | C.struggling | D.volunteering |
A.cake | B.wish | C.gift | D.party |
A.unexpected | B.unknown | C.undoubted | D.unlimited |
A.picture | B.cookie | C.room | D.house |
A.dangerously | B.successfully | C.emotionally | D.accidentally |
A.new | B.strong | C.mixed | D.negative |
A.within | B.through | C.beyond | D.toward |
A.shortness | B.meaning | C.record | D.style |
A.Instead | B.However | C.Meanwhile | D.Therefore |
8 . She was a four-year-old girl with very fine golden hair when I first met her. She was carrying a bowl of soup. I was 29 at that time and
Her mom and I had been friends for years.
Once her school required the parents to individually write an open and
A week later, all the parents
Finally my daughter
Immediately people around me started
Since then I have
A.hurting | B.attacking | C.suffering | D.experiencing |
A.Immediately | B.Finally | C.Especially | D.Generally |
A.like | B.pleasure | C.excitement | D.love |
A.union | B.group | C.family | D.whole |
A.between | B.among | C.from | D.for |
A.natural | B.following | C.untrue | D.old |
A.after | B.as | C.with | D.before |
A.connect | B.share | C.communicate | D.argue |
A.honest | B.formal | C.powerful | D.responsible |
A.taken | B.shown | C.shared | D.brought |
A.cure | B.care | C.help | D.friend |
A.presented | B.invited | C.gathered | D.asked |
A.glad | B.hopeful | C.serious | D.anxious |
A.determinedly | B.independently | C.patiently | D.unexpectedly |
A.lasted | B.declared | C.continued | D.responded |
A.hugging | B.smiling | C.kissing | D.celebrating |
A.quietly | B.openly | C.brightly | D.attractively |
A.used | B.stepped | C.desired | D.come |
A.courage | B.fear | C.happiness | D.idea |
A.exchanged | B.send | C.expect | D.fall |
9 . Parkinson’s is a progressive brain disease which leads to shaky hands and slow movement, and there is no cure. Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art that combines (结合) slow, gentle movements with deep breathing and relaxation, may be an effective means of reducing the suffering. Recently, the researchers say that those who practised the martial art twice a week had fewer complications (并发症) and better quality of life than those who didn’t. Experts say the findings back up previous studies on the benefits of exercise for those with Parkinson’s.
The study, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, monitored the health of hundreds of Parkinson’s patients for up to five years. One group of 147 people practised regular Tai Chi while another group of 187 did not. The researchers found that the disease progressed more slowly in the Tai Chi group on measurements of symptoms (症状), movement and balance. This group also saw fewer falls, less back pain and dizziness, with memory and concentration problems also lower than in the other group. At the same time, sleep and quality of life continuously improved.
Prof. Alastair Noyce, professor in neurology and neuroepidemiology at Queen Mary University of London, called it “an important study”—the positive effects on aspects of motor (运动的) and non-motor functions are impressive — but said there were limitations in its design, and more tests were needed.
“We already recommend Tai Chi, as well as other forms of exercise, but understanding which forms of exercise are most beneficial is an important goal to improve the long-term management of patients,” he said.
1. Why was the study conducted?A.To find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. |
B.To improve the sleep quality of Parkinson’s patients. |
C.To remove the misunderstanding of the previous studies. |
D.To research the benefits of Tai Chi for those with Parkinson’s. |
A.Concentration problem was lower in the Tai Chi group. |
B.The disease progressed more slowly in the Tai Chi group. |
C.Patients in the non-Tai Chi group continuously fell down. |
D.Back pain and dizziness were relieved in the Tai Chi group. |
A.Tai Chi should be given more preference. |
B.Finding the most beneficial exercise is of importance. |
C.It is unnecessary to do more related studies. |
D.Improve the long-term management of patients is impossible. |
A.Confused. | B.Doubtful. | C.Positive. | D.Worried. |
10 . The ancient silk road was a once in a life time journey. It was one of the most important milestones of trade and culture in world history, and the pioneer, Zhang Qian, could not be easily forgotten by history. He was an outstanding diplomat, traveler and explorer in the Han Dynasty of China, honored as the “the first Chinese to open their eyes to see the world” and “the Columbus of the east”.
In 138 BC, at the reign of Emperor Wudi, Zhang Qian was sent to the west of China for an alliance with the Yue-chi people to fight against the Xiongnu. He started his trip from Chang’an(now Xi’an in Shanxi Province)to Longxi(in Gansu Province). Along the way, no matter how difficult the environment was, his faith was firm. But unfortunately, Zhang was caught by the Xiongnu people just as he left Han, and was held prisoner for ten years.
Zhang finally managed to escape with some of his men and continued to travel west without any dry food or drinking water. Due to the excellent skill of shooting arrows, they survived by eating some birds and other animals along the way. When Zhang at last reached the Yue-chi in Northern India, he was disappointed to find that they didn’t want to fight against the Xiongnu people. On the return journey, Zhang Qian and his men were again caught. It was not until 125 BC that they returned to Chang’an.
Though Zhang hadn’t finished his mission, he brought back first-hand information on the geography, ethnography, and societies of Central Asia. The paths Zhang Qian explored later served as the highways connecting Europe, the Middle East, Mesopotamia, Central Asia, and East Asia. Commodities, crops, animals, religions, ideas, music, technology, and artifacts have been transported by diplomats, merchants and soldiers along this network of highways, which have, since the 19th century been known as the “Silk Road”. Zhang Qian has been remembered as the great explorer that opened up a new era of cultural exchange between East and West with long-lasting treasure well observable today.
1. What is the passage mainly about?A.Zhang Qian and Yue-chi people. | B.The importance of the Silk Road. |
C.The paths Zhang Qian explored. | D.Zhang Qian and the Silk Road. |
A.decision | B.exploration | C.agreement | D.excitement |
A.Columbus set the footprints on the ancient silk road. |
B.The Silk Road was a highway to Europe in Han Dynasty. |
C.Zhang Qian was a pioneer opening up the Silk Road. |
D.The Silk Road has the greatest value in Chinese history. |
A.Brave and strong-willed. | B.Careful and confident |
C.Proud and open-minded. | D.Honest and excellent. |