1 . The Government has proposed to spend money developing wireless charging roads in the UK as part of a £ 40 million plan. Wireless charging roads could be developed to recharge electric cars while they drive along to solve some problems about limited equipment to encourage ownership of these vehicles and ensure better air quality. The Government has promised the money to developing both on-street and wireless charging to help transformation from internal combustion engine(内燃机) cars to electric cars.
These systems work similarly to a Scalextric toy car. Wireless charging uses a process called electromagnetic induction(电磁感应) to move energy. On the ground is a pad in which electricity is passed through a set of wire to generate a magnetic field. It is then moved to a receiver on the underside of the car. Once the technology works, it could mean that drivers can fill up their car as they drive along, meaning there could be longer periods between charging.
The proposal was made in Department for Transport (DfT) and could also see charging points positioned at service stations and car parks. New homes will also, where permitted, be built with some points. David Martell, of the electric car charging company BP Chargemaster, said: “Wireless charging will make driving an electric vehicle as similar as possible to driving a petrol car but without going to the petrol station frequently.”
This is not the first time that wireless charging roads have been proposed as a number of firms have developed technologies. Renault partnered with Qualcomm and VEDECOM Tech to develop a road to test the technology’s capability. The 100-metre test track was said to be capable of a charge up to 20 kilowatts at speeds up to, and over, 62 miles per hour (nearly 100 kmh).
1. What does the UK government do according to paragraph 1?| A．It tries to solve problems of air pollution. | B．It supports the development of electric vehicles. |
| C．It has planned to introduce modern transportation. | D．It limits the use of internal combustion engine cars. |
| A．How the electric cars get charged. | B．How a Scalextric toy car functions. |
| C．How the wireless road systems run. | D．How the new technology benefits people. |
| A．It makes electric cars easy to drive. | B．It gets petrol cars unfavorable. |
| C．It gives rise to many new car parks. | D．It saves drivers’ trips to petrol stations. |
| A．To announce the progress of the new technology. | B．To prove the effect of wireless charging roads. |
| C．To encourage the cooperation among different firms. | D．To show the efficiency of the wireless road systems. |
2 . Many people believe that you lose the ability to learn new languages as you get older. Language experts, however, will tell you that you’re never too old to learn a new language. As you get older, it can be more difficult to learn a new language, though.
Children and adults learn new languages in different ways. For children, language is their life. They study for thousands of hours every year, because they need to learn languages to become part of their communities. Adults, on the other hand, are already part of a language community. Learning a new language means becoming part of another language community, and adults rarely get the chance to practice as much as young children do.
Moreover, children learning a new language are expected to make mistakes. This gives them freedom when learning to be daring and confident. Adults, however, often feel pressured to be perfect when learning a new language. This can discourage many people and make it even harder to learn a new language.
When young children learn a new language, they come to see all kinds of languages as a “normal” part of society. This mindset(思维模式) helps them embrace learning a new language without feeling like they’re doing something unusual or “too hard”.
So if you want to learn a new language, go for it! It’s never too late to learn a new language. If you’re older, it may take more work, but it can be done. If you’re a young child, though, now it is the time to step out and learn a new language!
1. By saying “language is their life” in Paragraph 2, the author means that children ________.| A．can’t live without language | B．lead a happy life every day |
| C．practice a new language a lot | D．are taken good care of by adults |
| A．They often feel pressured. | B．They usually have too many interests. |
| C．They think making mistakes is natural. | D．They always make all kinds of mistakes. |
| A．The behavior they have. | B．The learning attitudes. |
| C．The future plans they have made. | D．The materials they are using. |
| A．can never be learned by the old people |
| B．can be learned by the old people easily |
| C．can be understood only by the old people |
| D．can be learned by both the old and the young |
1. 表示祝贺；
2. 赞扬对方的付出；
3. 向对方学习 。
注意：1.词数 100 左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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4 . I was doing some last-minute shopping when I saw a nicely dressed little girl looking through the Barbie dolls with a roll of money in her little hand. When she came upon a Barbie she liked, she asked her father if she had enough money to buy it. He usually said “ yes”, but she would keep looking and going through their conversation of “ Do I have enough?”
Then a little boy in worn clothes wandered in the aisle (过道). He kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at his father, his father shook his head, “ No.” Rather dejectedly, the boy had to give up on the video games.
The little girl put her Barbie back on the shelf, and ran over to the Pokemon games. She excitedly picked up one and raced toward the check-out, after speaking with her father. I picked up my purchases and got in line behind them.
After the toy was paid for and bagged, the little girl handed it back to the cashier and whispered something in her ear. The cashier smiled and put the package under the counter. I paid for my purchases and was rearranging things in my purse when the little boy came up to the cashier. The cashier said, “ Congratulations, you are my hundredth customer today, and you win a prize!” With that, she handed the little boy the Pokemon game, and he could only stare in disbelief. It was exactly what he had wanted!
The little girl and her father had been standing at the doorway during all of this, and I saw the biggest, prettiest, toothless smile on that little girl. As I walked back to my car in amazement over what I had just witnessed, I heard the father ask his daughter why she had done that.
“ Daddy, didn’t Nana and Pawpaw want me to buy something that would make me happy?”
“ Of course they did, honey.”
“ Well, I just did!”
With that, she giggled and started skipping toward their car. Apparently, she had decided on the answer to her own question of “ Do I have enough?”
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “dejectedly” in Paragraph 2 ?| A．disappointedly. | B．pleasantly. | C．angrily. | D．surprisingly. |
| A．The writer | B．The boy. | C．The girl | D．The store. |
| A．Having many Barbie dolls. | B．Helping a poor boy. |
| C．Playing Pokemon games. | D．Buying something Nana and Pawpaw like. |
| A．At a Toy Store | B．A Christmas Gift |
| C．Do I Have Enough? | D．The Most Beautiful Barbie Doll |
5 . The first set of Chinese stories presented in English scripts (剧本), titled Stories of China: Performed in English, was officially published by Foreign Languages Press. Planned by the New Channel International Education Group with the participation of playwrights from China, the United Kingdom and the United States, the book provides a new way for young people to learn English while inheriting (传承) and spreading Chinese culture.
The book contains 20 English scripts in novel formats covering a wide range of subjects. Unlike the most common English scripts for young readers on the market which are based on adaptations of European and American stories, those presented in this book are unique for being based on classic Chinese stories, readapted and written in English. The book is divided into first to third grades in terms of grammar and vocabulary difficulty, making it suitable for young English learners from primary school to junior and high school.
All the scripts in the book are written by top playwrights with elegant, pure and vivid language. The scripts are provided with a summary of the story in both Chinese and English, so that readers can fully understand the plot as well as the history and culture behind it. Readers can not only improve their English skills through immersive (沉浸式) reading and performance but also appreciate Chinese culture.
Hu Min, English education expert and founder of the New Channel, said the combination of traditional culture and English teaching has become a trend, guiding young people to bring their own wisdom and deep cultural heritage to tell Chinese stories to the world. New Channel will offer special courses on Stories of China: Performed in English in its many schools across the country, and cooperate with primary and secondary schools in Beijing, Shanghai to offer English drama courses on a trial basis. Hu believes the courses will set off a new wave of enthusiastic learning among young people.
1. Why was Stories of China: Performed in English published?| A．To offer English drama courses on a trial basis. |
| B．To make foreign students enjoy Chinese culture. |
| C．To advertise some of the top playwrights in China. |
| D．To improve English learning and circulate Chinese culture. |
| A．It’s been published by a foreign press. |
| B．It stands out for its unique writing style. |
| C．It introduces classic Chinese stories. |
| D．It’s been popular in various schools. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. | C．Objective. | D．Conservative. |
| A．Business. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Culture. | D．Politics. |
6 . Lifesaving heart operation
When Tal Golesworthy was told he needed lifesaving heart operation in 1993, he said no. Golesworthy has Marfan syndrome （马凡氏综合症）.
Back in 1993, when he was living in the west of England, his doctor told him that the aorta（主动脉）in his heart was so enlarged that it would unavoidable burst unless he underwent major operation.
“They talked through the options,” says Golesworthy, “and I was not interested. The operation really didn’t look attractive.” What he particularly didn't like was having to be on blood thinners after the operation, something that would prevent blood clots（血栓）but presented its own risks: “I was riding motorbikes then, and skiing, so my whole lifestyle would have been affected.” By 2000, however, his condition had worsened. Realizing something had to be done. Golesworthy put his years of experience as research — and — development engineer to good use. He decided he would fix himself. “Learning new stuff and developing new ideas, that was my job,” Golesworthy says.
The aorta, he thought, needed support on the outside. And wrapping something around the outside of the aorta would require a special operation. So Golesworthy subjected himself to 30 hours in an MRI scanner; used 3D printing to create a physical exact copy of the part of his heart. “Luckily, I’d done a lot of work with technical materials,” he says.
Strong determination coupled with an original yet practical solution won him the support of two leading surgeons and helped him raise the money to develop his idea. In May 2004, at the age of 47, he became the guinea pig for his own invention. The operation was a success.
1. Why did Tai Golesworthy refuse the operation at first?| A．A better solution was on the way. |
| B．He was afraid of life being affected. |
| C．The risk of operation tended to cause death. |
| D．He would like to be operated in his own way. |
| A．His creative spirit. | B．Regular exercise. |
| C．Doctors' suggestions. | D．His similar experience. |
| A．The lovely pet. | B．The important assistant. |
| C．The experimental subject. | D．The person to raise money. |
| A．Creative and kind. | B．Strong and imaginary. |
| C．Devoted and generous. | D．Determined and brave. |
7 . Imagine a world where you move around in front of a personal computer in your own sound space. You listen to your favorite songs, play loud computer games or watch a movie—all without other people hearing the sound. That is the possibility presented by “sound beaming,” a new technology from Noveto Systems, an Israeli company.
On Friday, the company presented a desktop device that sends sound directly to a listener without the need for headphones or a special receiver. Noveto Systems gave The Associated Press (AP) a chance to test its Sound Beamer 1.0 before its debut. The AP’s Louise Dixon writes that listening to the device is like something from a science fiction movie. The sound seems so close it feels like it is inside your ears while also in front, above and behind them.
Noveto expects the device will have many uses. Office workers could listen to music or conference calls without others hearing. People could play a game, a movie or music without waking up others in the same room. Because the device does not use headphones, it is possible to hear other sounds in the room clearly.
The device uses a 3-D technology that finds and follows the ear position of the listener. It sends ultrasonic waves to create sound pockets by the user’s ears. Sound can be heard in stereo or 3-D. The 3-D method creates sound on all sides of the listener The demo version of the device included nature videos of birds on a lake, bees flying and a quiet waterway. By changing a setting, the sound can follow a listener around when they move their head. It also is possible to move out sound beam’s path and hear nothing at all.
While the idea of sound beaming is not new, Noveto was the first to launch the technology. Its chief executive officer Christophe Ramstein said a smaller version of the device will be ready for release to consumers next year.
1. What do we know about Sound Beamer?| A．It’s a device appearing in the science fiction movie. |
| B．Listeners got its sound through a receiver. |
| C．It can prevent other sound being heard. |
| D．The smaller one will be on market next year. |
| A．New version. | B．First appearance. | C．Another failure. | D．Some doubt. |
| A．How the device works. | B．How to use the device. |
| C．The device’s advantage. | D．Why the device is invented. |
| A．The introduction of a new device — sound beamer. | B．The usage of 3D technology. |
| C．The influence brought by sound beamer. | D．3D technology and listening experience. |
8 . Perhaps thousands of people have searched for a bronze chest full of gold and jewels hidden in the Rocky Mountains between Santa Fe and the Canadian border hidden by a millionaire adventurer. At least four people died in their search for the treasure.
But it's all over now. Fenn's Treasure has been found. The 89-year-old adventurer named Forrest Fenn, who created the treasure hunt, announced the news via his website. “I don't know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot,” Fenn wrote. “The treasure was confirmed by a photograph the lucky finder sent me.”
Forrest Fenn, the man who started the hunt, lives in Santa Fe. He was a pilot in the Vietnam War and later accumulated his wealth as a dealer in art and antiques. Fenn was diagnosed(诊断) with cancer in 1988 and had planned to die peacefully in the woods with his treasure. But when his cancer became less serious, he changed his plan, eventually writing the poem that described his dream resting place, which is where he hid the treasure. The poem appeared in a memoir called The Thrill of the Chase. Fenn said that the chest wouldn't be found by accident; only a treasure hunter who correctly interpreted the clues(线索) would find it.
Several treasure hunters went missing while attempting to find the chest, including hunter Jeff Murphy and Mike Petersen, both of whom went missing in Yellowstone National Park in 2017. Fenn said that he had never been to the Yellowstone National Park, and that the treasure was not in a dangerous place. "It was in the thick forest of the Rocky Mountains and had not been moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago," Fenn wrote on his website. It is illegal to remove anything from a national park, which would cause trouble in legally claiming the treasure if it was found there.
1. What contributed to the finding of the treasure?| A．Fenn's announcement. | B．A poem in Fenn's book. |
| C．Fenn’s vivid description. | D．A photo on Fenn's website. |
| A．Who Forrest Fenn was. | B．Where Fenn hid the treasure. |
| C．How the treasure hunt began. | D．What Fenn did to find the treasure. |
| A．It was in Yellowstone National Park. |
| B．It was found by someone by chance. |
| C．It was moved from one place to another. |
| D．It was in Fenn's chosen resting place. |
| A．Taking. | B．Burying. | C．Protecting. | D．Acknowledging. |
9 . Having worked for more than a decade in finance in the oil industry in Canada, Tori Fahey found herself wanting more from life. But it wasn't through desperation that her circumstances changed: “I didn't get fed up and storm off, nothing like that; it was curiosity about other interests and wanting to experience something new.”
Fahey left her job and completed an MBA before setting up a move to New York to begin a degree. However, the opportunity of an open year between the MBA and the degree came up, and as a keen touring cyclist, Fahey realised that a much dreamed-about adventure was now becoming a possibility: "The ride in Africa had been on my fantasy list. It was a moment when I realised that I could do anything, so I should."
Fahey rode across Africa, a 7,500-mile trip that took four months. The whole experience had a life-changing impact. Fahey said: “Bicycles provide a literal freedom. You don't allow yourself to feel like that in everyday life because there are so many distractions. But when you' re out on the bike and there's nothing else, you' re really free to experience what life is.”
Post-degree, Fahey worked on projects with the UNDP(United Nations Development Project) in Montenegro with the aim of bringing investment to rural communities.
It was while working on these projects that the seeds were sown for the next new investment. “It was through my trip across Africa that I discovered pannier and rack systems inconvenient and I was never going to use them again.” Little did she know this would lead her to start up her own company.
In 2013, Apidura was born, producing storage solutions for people looking to travel the world by bike, race across continents and carry all they need to do so. It's now a successful global brand, but Fahey remains reflective about what else the company can do for people.
1. Why did Fahey leave her job in Canada?| A．She was bored with the job. | B．She was disappointed with life. |
| C．She wanted to add new dimensions to her life. | D．She found it hard to adjust to the circumstances. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Liberating. | C．Eventful. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．To encourage bicycle traveling. | B．To make her investment profitable. |
| C．To help cyclists carry traveling stuff. | D．To increase the pleasure of riding bikes. |
| A．A tough path to fame. | B．An adventure across Africa. |
| C．The benefits of green travelling. | D．The story behind the birth of Apidura. |
10 . Ever wonder how your brain works when making decisions bigger than medium versus spicy salsa, like buying a car or accepting a job offer? Researchers from the University of Dundee in Scotland conducted a study that clarifies why you may want to have a small bite before making that big decision.
Benjamin Vincent from the University of Dundee’s Psychology department and his co-author Jordan Skyrnka tested 50 people two times: once when they followed their normal eating patterns and once when they did not eat anything during the day. Using three different types of rewards (food, money, and song downloads), the team discovered when presented with the choice of receiving the reward now versus double the award at some point in the future, participants would usually volunteer to wait for 35 days to earn a larger bounty, but when they were hungry, they said they would only wait three days.
“We wanted to know whether being in a state of hunger had a specific effect on how you make decisions only relating to food or if it had broader effects, and this research suggests decision-making gets more present-focused when people are hungry,” Vincent said in a story about the study on the university’s website. “You would predict that hunger would impact people’s preferences relating to food, but it is not yet clear why people get more present-focused for completely unrelated rewards. Hunger is so common that it is important to understand the non-obvious ways in which our preferences and decisions may be affected by it,” he said.
In an earlier study of the subject by a team at Cambridge University in England, the researchers noted that serotonin plays a major role in the decision-making process. “Since the raw material for making serotonin—an amino acid called tryptophan — only comes from diet, levels of the chemical decline between meals,” reports a piece in the Telegraph about the study. “This can lead to aggressiveness and impulsiveness,” say the team.
1. How did Benjamin Vincent and Jordan Skyrnka carry out their research?| A．By analyzing reasons. | B．By making comparison. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By filling questionnaires. |
| A．bonus. | B．quantity. | C．income. | D．fortune. |
| A．It’s common to make a wrong decision if you are hungry. |
| B．Make sure you are not hungry before making a big decision. |
| C．The more hungry you are, the quicker you will make a decision. |
| D．Being hungry drives you to make a decision connected with food. |
| A．What should be eaten to make a wise man. |
| B．How can we get enough serotonin from our diet. |
| C．What other factors will influence one’s decision-making. |
| D．How does a chemical function in the course of making a decision. |
