1 . 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. |
2 . Technology is more than an abstract concept associated with advanced tools and systems. It also shapes the way people behave, grow and develop, both within their own lives and in their relationships with others. While technology has developed over thousands of years, the last century has seen an explosion in technology that has influenced fundamental changes in how humans see the world and interact with others. Specifically, the Internet and mobile devices have completely changed the way people interact with each other. There has been a debate going on whether technology is benefiting human communication or ruining it.
Undoubtedly, technology is helping people build newer and necessary communication skills. In business, office employees and managers use technology to send emails to one another, which is considered a communication skill. On social media, just share a few of your images and people start communicating on and about your images according to their viewpoint. With the outbreak of COVID-19, in order to work on the projects, the students use their phones to reach their teachers and classmates.
However, technology is sometimes considered to disconnect people from others around them. With cell phones, most people think that it’s easier and more convenient to text instead of meeting in person. Lucas Lengacher, an undergraduate from Huntington University , claims in his article that at least 42.91% people respond to messages immediately yet only 2.83% people don’t check their phones in the morning. In his research he found that “almost 60 percent of people felt disconnected from others around when they were on their phones”.
1. Human interaction has been basically influenced by ______.A.people’s relationships | B.social systems |
C.mobile devices | D.communication skills |
A.By analyzing data. | B.By providing cases. |
C.By defining a concept. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.Phones disconnect us when we are together. |
B.Phones are becoming more and more popular. |
C.People communicate less because of physical distance. |
D.Phones are helping people build newer communication skills. |
A.Positive. | B.Skeptical. | C.Objective. | D.Indifferent. |
3 . What a day! I started my new school this morning and had the best time. I made lots of new friends and really liked my teachers. I was nervous the night before, but I had no reason to be. Everyone was so friendly and polite. They made me feel at ease. It was like I’d been at the school for a hundred years!
The day started very early at 7:00 am. I had my breakfast downstairs with my mom. She could tell that I was very nervous. Mom kept asking me what was wrong. She told me I had nothing to worry about and that everyone was going to love me. If they didn’t love me, mom said to have a good talk with them. I couldn’t stop laughing.
My mom dropped me off at the school gate about five minutes before the bell rang. A little blonde girl got dropped off at the same time and started waving (招手) at me. She ran over and told me her name was Abigail. She was very nice and we became close straight away. We spent all morning together and began to talk to another girl called Stacey. The three of us sat together in class all day and we even made our way home together! It went so quickly. Our teacher told us that tomorrow we would really start learning and developing new skills.
I cannot wait until tomorrow and feel as though I am really going to enjoy my time at my new school. I only hope that my new friends feel the same way, too.
1. How did the author feel the night before her new school?A.Tired. | B.Excited. | C.Happy. | D.Worried. |
A.Clear. | B.Funny. | C.Reasonable. | D.Excellent. |
A.She met many nice people. | B.She had a hurried breakfast. |
C.She learned some new skills. | D.She arrived at school very early. |
A.She disliked Stacey. | B.She was shy and quiet. |
C.She got on well with the author. | D.She was an old friend of the author. |
4 . Chinese traditional painting and dance are two vital parts of the art world. But what about when they meet each other?
This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged on CCTV’ Spring Festival Gala and went viral.
According to CCTV, this poetic dance programme was inspired by the about 900-year-old Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains(《千里江山图》). Created by Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng at the age of 18, the painting is amazing in its marvellous size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape: mountains and groupings of infinite rise and fall between cloudless sky and rippling water.
When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only dance but also an ‘exhibition’. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” An Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review, “About a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still wow people as they did long ago.
Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows highlight Chinese traditional culture and have received warm welcome. As for why, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.
“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mindset. They embrace Chinese culture and are proud of it. ”Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1 in the text?A.To present a common phenomenon. | B.To compare painting with dance. |
C.To describe the art world. | D.To introduce the topic. |
A.It was painted in several bright colors. |
B.It shows natural beauty vividly. |
C.It was created over thousand years ago. |
D.It is of small size but includes great details. |
A.People are more open to traditional culture. |
B.People are happy to see new forms of art. |
C.Chinese culture has been spreading around the world. |
D.People have gained more access to traditional culture. |
A.Passion for Chinese Traditional Painting |
B.Art Coming Alive Through Poetic Dance |
C.Connection Between Painting and Dance |
D.Highlights in Traditional Chinese Culture |
5 . Gelje Sherpa was leading a Chinese climber up Mount Qomolangma when he spotted a Malaysian climber in need of help, and the two men then abandoned the summit (顶峰) in order to rescue the Malaysian climber. They were in the “death zone”, an area near the summit of Mount Qomolangma where temperatures are extremely low and where there isn’t enough oxygen to breathe.
The Malaysian climber had “nothing” and was on the brink (边缘) of death. Gelje recalled that no one was helping him, no friends, no oxygen, no Sherpas with him and no guides. Stopping at an altitude where the body was rapidly deteriorating (恶化) and where many deaths occur was quite dangerous for him. However, other climbers and guides just focused on the summit, so that they didn’t notice the Malaysian climber’s state.
According to Nepali officials, 12 people have died, and five are missing on Qomolangma as the spring climbing season comes to an end. Gelje, the Sherpa, said there were a few likely reasons why this season has been so deadly. The weather has been poor and extremely cold, and some climbers lack experience or sufficient training for such a high altitude.
Gelje was guiding a Chinese climber to the summit when he made the decision that they would abandon their journey to save the Malaysian climber.
It was nearly an impossible task: Gelje had to secure the climber to his back and carry him down 600 meters for about six hours before another guide joined the rescue. They then took turns carrying the climber, wrapped in a sleeping mat, sometimes having to drag him through the snow, before reaching a helicopter that carried them down to base camp.
The rescue, which took place on May 18, 2023, was massively challenging. Gelje has previously carried out more than 55 rescues during his work as a guide, some very long operations, but he said the rescue was the hardest in his life.
1. When did Gelje meet the climber in danger?A.After reaching the summit. | B.During the rest in the “death zone”. |
C.On the way to the top of the mount. | D.During the journey back to base camp. |
A.They didn’t know the climber. | B.They were at a dangerous altitude. |
C.They lacked experience of helping people. | D.They only cared about their arrival at the summit. |
A.He’s an experienced coach. | B.He’s careful and skilled at climbing. |
C.He s a rescue worker on Qomolangma. | D.He’s irresponsible for the climber he led. |
A.A Hard Rescue for a Climber | B.A Difficult Task from a Guide |
C.A “Death Zone” Blocking Climbers | D.A Sad Decision to Give Up Climbing |
6 . One day, Tim came home from school. His face was filled with sadness and
“Once, in a dense forest, there lived an oak tree,” said John. “One day, a fierce storm
Tim asked his grandfather, “What does this story mean?”
John smiled and said, “In life, we face difficulties and
Tim understood and faced
The wise grandfather taught his grandson the
A.hope | B.confidence | C.improvement | D.anger |
A.confusing | B.attracting | C.causing | D.assisting |
A.dreams | B.proposals | C.measures | D.complaints |
A.formed | B.folded | C.floated | D.calmed |
A.survived | B.poured | C.gathered | D.circulated |
A.Worried | B.Serious | C.Careful | D.Curious |
A.argued | B.expanded | C.approached | D.spun |
A.quarrelled | B.pressed | C.appealed | D.replied |
A.hear | B.understand | C.doubt | D.fear |
A.patterns | B.blanks | C.troubles | D.talents |
A.conflicts | B.permits | C.theories | D.voyages |
A.convincing | B.temporary | C.direct | D.true |
A.greetings | B.accusations | C.challenges | D.attempts |
A.grew up | B.showed up | C.came in | D.set off |
A.root | B.importance | C.output | D.discovery |
7 . In the past decade, the use of social media has grown in a way that no one could have guessed. It has turned some teenagers into celebrities and turned the famous into the infamous, overnight.
A key feature of social media, however, is its volatility. Trends come and go, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared.
Short video apps such as TikTok and its Chinese equivalent (等同物) Douyin, took the world by storm. The Telegraph reported that TikTok was ranked 8th on Apple’s App Store in April. And Douyin had more than 300 million domestic monthly active users in June, CNBC said.
Why are these short videos — which are rarely longer than a few minutes — so popular? Jiang Yige, Singapore-based analyst at FengHe Fund Management, has a theory. “Short videos are just right to fill in the little gaps in our busy schedules,” he told CNBC.
These videos — apart from being very convenient — are important to teenagers because they allow them to express themselves, according to Teen Vogue.
Liza Koshy, a user of the US app Musical, who has over 2 million followers, said, “The sense of community that users of short video apps get is another appealing feature.”
Live streaming (直播) is a feature of our social media life that now seems as natural as sunrise. It’s a pretty neat idea: You can watch anyone, anywhere, live. However, China has taken live streaming to a whole new level. In China, more than 100 million viewers monthly watch a live streaming video. Forbes thought that a number of factors had led to the popularity of the live streaming. Among them is viewers’ ability to interact with unknown names.
However, the quick development of social media may be having side effects too. Fake news is one serious problem it causes. Materials shared on these platforms are often not checked for accuracy. The most basic content can be false and can mislead users one way or another. We use social media all the time, which doesn’t mean that we understand the influence it is having on us. We should be mindful of both the time we spend on it and its impact on our minds.
1. What does the underlined word “volatility” in Paragraph 2 possibly mean?A.Being changeable. | B.Being steady. |
C.Being promising. | D.Being violent. |
A.They are very convenient. | B.They help people kill time. |
C.They provide a sense of community. | D.They allow people to express themselves. |
A.The information from social media is totally reliable. |
B.When it comes to social media, people only know short videos. |
C.People can’t communicate with each other without social media. |
D.There is still much room for social media to make improvement. |
A.Objective. | B.Subjective. |
C.Favourable. | D.Disapproving. |
8 . Scott runs an organization called “Mission Driven” that creates and encourages fundraisers to help animal shelters, Once he
After he met the dog, he was even more
Scott brought along a few belongings and bedding, which he
As you can imagine, animal shelters are not a great place to get any
We’re so grateful to people like Scott for
A.heard about | B.dreamed of | C.worked out | D.thought over |
A.hoped | B.continued | C.afforded | D.decided |
A.embarrassed | B.determined | C.astonished | D.stressed |
A.difficult | B.expensive | C.lovable | D.strange |
A.moved | B.ran | C.looked | D.broke |
A.compared | B.left | C.shared | D.exchanged |
A.noticed | B.adopted | C.recovered | D.rescued |
A.friend | B.existence | C.name | D.home |
A.fame | B.respect | C.funding | D.rest |
A.barely | B.quickly | C.nearly | D.really |
A.picking | B.lifting | C.waking | D.bringing |
A.wasted | B.rewarded | C.needed | D.stopped |
A.roommate | B.master | C.life | D.settlement |
A.answering | B.speaking | C.looking | D.paying |
A.dream | B.freedom | C.comfort | D.property |
9 . “Good morning,” the new teacher said. “I’m Ernesto Flores, your teacher for fifth grade. “In all his years in school, Julio had never heard a teacher use his or her first name. Of course, the students always found out what they were, but it was up to the students to discover this information for themselves.
“Now I’d like to find out who you are,” said Mr. Flores. He began to call the roll (点名) , starting with the boys. Julio shook his head. Teachers always began with the girls.
“Julio Sanchez,” called Mr. Flores, pronouncing it Hulio. That was the correct way to say the name in Spanish.
Several kids laughed. They had never heard Julio’s name pronounced without the J.
Mr. Flores looked up from the roll book. “Isn’t that how you say your name?” he asked Julio. “Or do you prefer Julio with a J?”
“At home, they call me Hulio. But at school everyone calls me Julio,” Julio said.
“Do you like two pronunciations of your name?” asked the teacher. “It’s a good Spanish name and you should be proud of it.”
Julio smiled. “I know,” he said, “but it doesn’t matter to me.”
“Are you sure?” asked Mr. Flores. “Your name is a very important part of you.”
Julio thought for a moment. “Okay,” he said. “From now on, everyone please call me Hulio. Puerto Rico, where I was born, used to be a Spanish colony (殖民地).”
“That’s right,” said Mr. Flores. “Can you tell us something about Puerto Rico?”
“I came here when I was only eight months old. I don’t remember anything,” Julio replied.
“I think you can interview your parents instead,” Mr. Flores said.
Julio nodded. It would be fun to learn more about the place where he had been born.
Julio had to admit (承认) that Mr. Flores was creative and interesting.
1. Why did Julio shake his head?A.The new teacher was a man. | B.The new teacher used his full name. |
C.The new teacher asked him a question. | D.The new teacher started the roll with the boys. |
A.They didn’t like Spanish. |
B.They found that Julio had a funny name. |
C.They didn’t expect Julio’s name to be called first. |
D.They thought the teacher had made a mistake in pronunciation. |
A.Find out more about his birthplace. |
B.Learn how to pronounce his name correctly. |
C.Use the new name his new teacher gave to him. |
D.Discover more information about his new teacher. |
A.Strict. | B.Proud. |
C.Different. | D.Hardworking. |
10 . “Children, tomorrow I shall expect all of you to write compositions,” said a teacher of Love Lane School. “Then, on Friday those who have done the best may stand up and read their compositions to the school.” Some of the children were pleased, and some were not. “What shall we write about?” they asked.
Some of them thought that “Home” was a good subject. Others liked “School”. One little boy chose “The Horse”. A little girl said she would write about “Summer”. The next day, every pupil except Henry Longfellow had written a composition.
“Well, then,” said the teacher, “you may take your notebook and go out behind the schoolhouse for half an hour. Think of something to write about, and write the word on your notebook. Then try to tell what it is, what it is like, what it is good for, and what is done with it. That is the way to write a composition.”
Henry took his notebook and went out. Just behind the schoolhouse was Mr. Finney’s barn. Quite close to the barn was a garden. And in the garden, Henry saw a turnip (萝卜).
“Well, I know what that is,” he said to himself and he wrote the word turnip on his notebook. Then he tried to tell what it was like, what it was good for, and what was done with it.
Within half an hour, he had written a very neat composition on his notebook. He then went into the house, and waited while the teacher read it.
The teacher was surprised and pleased. He said, “Henry Longfellow, you have done very well. Today you may stand up before the school and read what you have written about the turnip.”
Many years after that, some funny little poems about Mr. Finney’s turnip were printed in a newspaper. Some people said that they were what Henry Longfellow wrote on his notebook that day at school.
1. Some students were not pleased probably because________.A.the teacher would not read their compositions | B.they did worse than other students at school |
C.they didn’t know what to write about the composition | D.they would have no time to enjoy themselves at all |
A.Henry was a lazy boy | B.students wrote compositions on different topics |
C.other students was cleverer than Henry | D.Henry would like to stand outside alone |
A.To write a composition. | B.To punish him seriously. |
C.To have a good time. | D.To help Mr. Finney. |
A.No one liked it. | B.Its topic was very strange to people. |
C.Henry wrote it especially for a newspaper. | D.It was better than other students’ compositions. |
A.actions speak louder than words | B.good works come from discovery of life |
C.all things are difficult before they are easy | D.a friend without mistakes is never found |