2 . My parents operated a small restaurant in Seattle. It was open twenty-four hours a day, six days a week. And my first real job, when I was six years old, was _________ the diners’ shoes. My father had done it when he was young, so he taught me _________ to do it efficiently (有效地), telling me to _________ to re-shine the shoes if the customer wasn’t _________.

Working in the restaurant was a cause of great _________ because I was also working for the good of the family. But my father _________ that I had to meet certain _________ to be part of the team. I had to be punctual (守时的), hard-working, and polite to the _________.

I was _________ paid for the work I did at the restaurant. One day I made the mistake of advising Dad that he __________ give me $10 a week. He said, “OK. How about you paying me for three meals a day you have here? And __________ the times you bring in your friends for free soft drinks?” He __________ I owed him about $40 a week.

I remember returning to Seattle after being __________ in the US Army for about two years. I had just been promoted (升迁) to Captain at that time. And full of pride, I walked into my parents’ restaurant, but the __________ thing Dad said was, “How about your __________ up tonight?” I couldn’t __________ my ears! I am an officer in the Army! But it didn’t __________ as far as Dad was concerned. I was just __________ member of the team. I reached for the mop (拖把). Working for Dad has taught me the devotion to a __________ is above all. It has nothing to do with __________ that team is involved in a family restaurant or the US Army.

1.

A．cleaning

B．shining

C．removing

D．keeping

2.

A．why

B．what

C．when

D．how

3.

A．offer

B．refuse

C．love

D．learn

4.

A．interested

B．annoyed

C．relaxed

D．satisfied

5.

A．fun

B．pride

C．trouble

D．effort

6.

A．got it right

B．kept it a rule

C．made it clear

D．took it for granted

7.

A．standards

B．needs

C．challenges

D．situations

8.

A．family

B．workers

C．customers

D．friends

9.

A．never

B．always

C．seldom

D．ever

10.

A．must

B．should

C．might

D．could

11.

A．at

B．before

C．around

D．for

12.

A．worked out

B．found out

C．put out

D．thought out

13.

A．alone

B．away

C．outside

D．off

14.

A．usual

B．last

C．next

D．first

15.

A．washing

B．taking

C．cleaning

D．moving

16.

A．ignore

B．follow

C．believe

D．understand

17.

A．happen

B．care

C．go

D．matter

18.

A．no

B．other

C．some

D．another

19.

A．team

B．family

C．leader

D．restaurant

20.

A．why

B．whether

C．when

D．how

3 . HER moon-shaped head appears on everything from schoolbags to fashionable watches. And _________ she actually has no mouth, her lovely poses (姿势) have made her one of the most famous _________ in the world.

Now 2007, Hello Kitty is celebrating her _________ birthday, and her “parents”, Japanese character goods maker Sanrio, will make it a _________to remember. From July, a series of _________ events will be held.

And, in keeping with her _________as “United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Special Friend of children” , the cat will donate (捐赠) $150 000 to the organizations’ _________ education programmes. There are 10 million more girls than boys out of _________ across the world, and these programmes are intended to _________the gap.

When she first went __________ in 1974, Hello Kitty became an immediate hit. There have been many style (风格) changes since then. In 1995, she appeared in nurse’s uniform and, two years later, the ribbons (丝带) in her hair were __________ by flowers. This style was then __________ by millions of Japanese schoolgirls.

“All I did was make Kitty do the sorts of things I wanted to do myself,” said Yuko Yamaguchi, the cat’s __________ since the early 1980s.

Most popular __________, such as Snoopy or Mickey Mouse, started life in cartoon strips and films __________ going on to earn money from their image.

The makers of Hello Kitty just started __________ the cat straight away. Sanrio now receives $500 milli0n a year from companies who __________ to use the cat’s face on their __________.

“Hello Kitty is a good __________of how commercially-minded (商业头脑的) the Japanese are,” explained Brian Bremner of Business Week magazine, “Adapt it, sell it, __________ it and sell it again, hopefully all within the same week.”

1.

A．if

B．because

C．although

D．when

2.

A．cats

B．actresses

C．women

D．teachers

3.

A．13th

B．23th

C．33th

D．43th

4.

A．girl

B．party

C．success

D．toy

5.

A．birthday

B．sports

C．chief

D．political

6.

A．character

B．role

C．friend

D．child

7.

A．college

B．moral

C．girls’

D．boys’

8.

A．work

B．control

C．question

D．school

9.

A．make

B．narrow

C．enlarge

D．gain

10.

A．on business

B．on duty

C．on sale

D．on holiday

11.

A．made

B．offered

C．replaced

D．used

12.

A．encouraged

B．copied

C．changed

D．produced

13.

A．owner

B．designer

C．supporter

D．lover

14.

A．animals

B．characters

C．actors

D．film-makers

15.

A．after

B．when

C．while

D．before

16.

A．raising

B．making

C．selling

D．feeding

17.

A．pay

B．have

C．used

D．ought

18.

A．gates

B．products

C．clothes

D．desks

19.

A．idea

B．cat

C．example

D．deal

20.

A．make

B．improve

C．enjoy

D．use

4 . Being able to find high quality health care at an affordable price is a problem to be solved in many countries. In the United States, Walmart, a large chain store, is trying to help. It is offering something new to its employees: cutting the cost of a doctor’s appointment to only $4 instead of the usual $40 for the same service.

The catch is that the patient and doctor must meet over the internet. This online service is called “telemedicine.”

Walmart is the latest major business in the United States to push its workers toward a high-tech way to be examined and treated by doctors. Thanks to telemedicine, people can talk with medical experts from the privacy of their own homes, often using a secure video connection.

Supporters say online visits make it easier for patients to see an expert or quickly find help for problems considered non-emergencies.

Some healthcare needs are well-suited for telemedicine. It can help people seeking treatment for insect bites or skin conditions. Patients who have had medical treatments and cannot move around easily can use telemedicine for their follow-up visits. Also, people seeking help for mental health issues can benefit from the privacy that telemedicine gives.

But still, many people do not use telemedicine, they continue to go to the doctor’s office when they are sick. 80 percent of middle-size and large U.S. companies offered telemedicine services to their workers in 2018. However, only 8 percent of its employees used telemedicine at least once in 2017.

Compared with seeing a real doctor in person, some people may think the quality of telemedicine is not as good. Parents, for example, may feel they are not giving their child the best care if they use a virtual doctor appointment. Older adults may look forward to their in-person doctor appointments. For them, going to the doctor’s office is a big event, something they look forward to.

Another reason some adults may not use telemedicine services is trust. Tom Hill, aged 66, says he has no plans to ever use telemedicine. He does not buy anything online, let alone do something as personal as seeing a doctor. He says, for him, it is important to look his doctor in the eye and shake hands.

However, for some people, especially young people and busy students, telemedicine might be a good choice. It can cut down on the time away from work. It can also cut down on the cost of doctor visits.

1. What is Walmart trying to help with?

A．Finding something new for its employees.

B．Promoting the online service “telemedicine”.

C．Cutting the online cost of a doctor’s appointment.

D．Reducing the cost of seeing a doctor at a much lower price.

2. What is True about “telemedicine”?

A．It enables patients to see doctors at home for free.

B．It has become increasingly popular in America.

C．It is the online service that is provided by most large US companies.

D．It makes it easier to see a doctor for emergency problems.

3. Why do most people prefer to go to the doctor’s office when they are ill?

A．Because their company doesn’t provide telemedicine.

B．Because they don’t trust the doctors online.

C．Because they look forward to a virtual doctor appointment.

D．Because they have made friends with the doctors.

4. Who is most likely to apply “telemedicine”?

A．Jenny, a shy woman who suffers from mental illness.

B．Smith, a grandpa who has been bitten by a running dog.

C．Wilson, a worker who got seriously injured in a car accident.

D．Kate, a mother whose kid is suffering from a skin disease.

5. What is the author’s attitude towards “telemedicine”?

A．Positive.

B．Negative.

C．Objective.

D．Doubtful.

6 . All he wanted was some juice. As high school students sat in a cafeteria on that cloudy afternoon, he was _________. We sat near yet away from him, fixing our hair and _________ about the test period we hadn’t studied for. He was far away from our world, but yet was _________ to be part of it.

He stood at the drink machine on purpose, fumbling(摸索) in his _________ leather wallet for some change. He came up with a wrinkled dollar bill, and _________ glanced back at his table where other students were sitting. _________ the help of a six-year-old, he tried to make the machine _________ his money. After a few unsuccessful attempts, the snicker(窃笑) and comment began. People were _________. Some were even throwing things at him. He began to _________, and his eyes misted with tears. I saw him turn to sit down, __________. But for some reason, he decided to try again. He wasn’t leaving until he got a __________.

With a determined expression, he continued to __________ thrust(插入) the dollar bill into the machine. Then something terrific happened. A popular senior girl __________ from her seat, and with a look of genuine compassion, went over to the boy. She explained why the __________ had a hard time accepting dollars sometimes, then gave him some change and showed him __________ to place it. The boy gave her his dollar and chose flavor of fruit juice. Then the two walked off in different __________.

Although it was clear that they were from very different __________, for one moment they had shared a real __________. As I walked away from my lunch table that day, I looked at the boy. I remembered thinking how he and the __________ were very much alike, they both weren’t accepted. But just as the dollar had found a place in a __________ girl’s pocket, I was sure that boy would finally find his, too.

1.

A．hungry

B．thirsty

C．anxious

D．popular

2.

A．worrying

B．arguing

C．taking

D．learning

3.

A．expected

B．volunteered

C．forced

D．preferred

4.

A．real

B．beautiful

C．expensive

D．fake

5.

A．nervously

B．proudly

C．carelessly

D．angrily

6.

A．Under

B．With

C．At

D．For

7.

A．test

B．mark

C．accept

D．prove

8.

A．shouting

B．quarreling

C．singing

D．laughing

9.

A．tremble

B．shout

C．smile

D．fight

10.

A．satisfied

B．defeated

C．tired

D．bored

11.

A．praise

B．comfort

C．drink

D．reward

12.

A．carelessly

B．regularly

C．patiently

D．secretly

13.

A．rose

B．struggled

C．jumped

D．fell

14.

A．cafeteria

B．waitress

C．shop

D．machine

15.

A．what

B．where

C．why

D．when

16.

A．feelings

B．manners

C．directions

D．steps

17.

A．worlds

B．schools

C．villages

D．offices

18.

A．understanding

B．choice

C．offer

D．opinion

19.

A．juice

B．dollar

C．girl

D．change

20.

A．selfish

B．wise

C．caring

D．brave

7 . Round and Round They Go

Space is becoming more crowded. On December 3, a Falcon 9 rocket made by Space X thundered into the sky. On board were 64 small satellites, more than any American company had launched before in one go. They have a variety of uses, from space-based- radar to the monitoring of radio-frequency- emissions.

These objects are part of the latest breed of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. This launch is just taste of what is planned. Space X and One Web, a communications firm, plan to launch satellites in their thousands, not hundreds. The pair are set to double the total number of satellites in orbit by 2027.

That promises to change things dramatically on Earth. LEO satellites can bring internet connectivity to places where it is still unavailable or unaffordable. This will also be a lasting source of new demand for the space economy. Morgan Stanley, a bank, projects that the space industry will grow from $350 billion in 2016 to more than $1. I trillion by 2040. New internet satellites will account for a half this increase.

For that to happen, however, three worries must be overcome. Debris(碎片)is the most familiar concern. As long ago as 1978, Donald Kessler, a scientist at NASA, proposed situation in which, when enough satellites were packed into low-Earth orbits, any collision could cause a chain reaction which would eventually destroy all space craft in its orbital plane(平面). The syndrome which bears Mr. Kessler's name weighs heavily on the minds of executives at the new satellite firms. Debris could cause entire tracts(广阔的一片) of space to be unusable for decades.

Solutions exist. One is to grab malfunction satellites and pull them down into Earth's atmosphere. Another is to monitor space more intensively for debris; a US Air Force program me called Space Fence is due to start in 2019. But technology is only part of the answer. Rules are needed to govern the safe disposal(清除) of old satellites from low-Earth orbit. The United States' Federal Communications Commission is revising its regulations with this in mind. Other countries should follow suit.

Cyber-security is a second, long-standing worry. Hackers could take control of a satellite and seal intellectual property, redirect data flows or cause a collision. The satellite industry has been slow to respond to such concerns. But as more of the world's population comes to rely on the infrastructure of space for access to the internet, the need for action intensifies.

The third issue follows from the first two. If a simple mistake or a cyber-attack can cause a chain reaction which wipes out hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, who is liable? Underwriters(保险商) are studying the plans of firms that wish to operate large numbers of satellites. But there is a long way to go before the risks are well understood, let alone priced.

As space becomes more commercialized mind-bending prospects open up: packages moved across the planet in minutes by rocket rather than by plane, equipment sent to other small planets, passengers launched into orbit and beyond. All that and more may come, one day. But such activities would raise the same questions as LEO satellites do. They must be answered before the space economy can truly develop.

1. What can we learn about LEO satellites from the passage?

A．They are supposed to limit the space economy.

B．They are expected to increase in large numbers.

C．They are designed to move beyond the Earth as far as possible.

D．They are mainly intended to bring internet connectivity to remote areas.

2. To deal with debris in space, the author suggests________.

A．depending entirely on the modern technology

B．monitoring the movement of spaceships carefully

C．strengthening rules to remove old satellites safely

D．destroying all the satellites with problems instantly

3. What does the underlined word “intensify” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Measure.

B．Increase.

C．Spread.

D．Repeat.

4. Which of the following can be classified as the third worry?

A．Lack of satellite regulations.

B．Loss of intellectual property.

C．Crisis of confidence in the field.

D．Slow response of satellite industry.

5. What is the author's attitude toward the launch of LEO satellites?

A．It should be further confirmed for its ownership.

B．It should be continued because of its advantages.

C．It should be done carefully to avoid potential risks.

D．It should be stopped in face of the space economy.

8 . Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be. It showed that pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

Sediment (沉淀物) and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons (骨架) left at the bottom of the sea by small marine creatures called polyps (珊瑚虫). The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef. Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

Steve Miles is Queensland’s environment minister. He says the research shows the Reef needs more protection. “Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides (杀虫剂) loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is that these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news. ” said Steve Miles.

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland’s sugar plantations used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides. Only 28 percent of land managers managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water run off to protect the health of the Reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

Scientists at the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences published their findings Wednesday, July 18 in the journal Science Advances. It found between 1992 and 2010, the recovery rate dropped by an average of 84 percent. But there is hope. The study also found some corals can recover quickly if “acute and chronic stressors” are lessened.

Meanwhile, the Australian government released its updated reef protection plan Friday. It clearly states global temperatures must be stopped from rising in order to save the world’s largest living structure.

1. What does the underlined word “They” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Diverse ecosystems.	B．Sediment and chemicals.
C．Reefs and corals.	D．Small sea creatures.

2. What can be learned from what Steve Miles said?

A．He is satisfied with the protection of the Reef.

B．He thinks that the Reef needs more protection.

C．He feels angry with what his children did.

D．He is very happy about the Reef progress protection.

3. What does the underlined word “flat-lined” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Not increase significantly.	B．Disappear.
C．Speed up.	D．Miss the chance.

4. The report found the majority of land managers in Queensland   ________.

A．were tough to deal with	B．failed to manage their land properly
C．reduced the amount of harmful water	D．were eager to quit pesticide soon

5. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science fiction.
C．A book review.	D．A guide book.

9 . Kids spend a lot of time looking at screens, and some parents worry, but a new study argues against the fears parents may feel.

“The danger is that they’re hearing a message that social media, digital technology use is causing very serious and harmful problems like depression（抑郁症) and suicide-related(与自杀有关的) behaviors. And the idea is that if you shut off social media, which lots of kids use to connect with each other, their friends, find out information about health, you could be making a situation worse. Parents are really being sent a message that is not supported by anything scientifically.” Candice Odgers, professor of psychological science at the University of California, said.

Odgers and her colleagues looked at the screen-related behavior of 400 public-school students in North Carolina aged 10 to 14. This group was picked as a representative sample of race and socioeconomic status for the entire U.S. The researchers found that the kids spent between almost five hours to seven hours per day on their devices, with the older kids online the most. That’s a lot of hours, but:

“Overall, what we find is no connection between the amount of time that young people spend online using digital technologies and mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety. When we do find associations, they were actually quite surprising to us. We found that young people who sent more text messages actually reported better mental health.

Now, again, this was a small association, but it reflects what other people have found: that people who are very connected offline and who use technology in the positive ways to stay connected often, are more connected online as well and experiencing better mental health.”

So why the fears about screen time? Odgers argues that the methodologies for older studies may have led to false conclusions.

“One of the issues with the research that’s been done to date has been that youths are, you know, in school.... They have a survey put in front of them, and they’re asked to recall(想), over the past six months, ‘How often are you online?’and ‘Have you ever felt depressed?’And the correlation (相互关系) between those two things has been used to spread a lot of fear around this connection between social media use and things like depression—99.5 percent of the reasons that kids differ in their depression are due to something other than the time they spend online.”

1. According to Professor Odgers, we know that___________.

A．social media is causing serious problems

B．digital technology is the cause of depression

C．parents are holding wrong ideas about social media

D．parents have showed too much concern for their children

2. Who are the respondents（受访者) of professor Odgers’ team’s research?

A．Kids all over America.

B．Kids and parents in North Carolina.

C．Kids with different family backgrounds.

D．A number of public elementary and middle school students.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．The more screen time kids have, the less happy they are.

B．Kids who use social media more are not necessarily depressed.

C．Using digital technology has nothing to do with one’s health.

D．The relationship between digital technology and depression is unclear.

4. The research also tells us___________.

A．technology should be put to good use

B．kids who make more phone calls might be happier

C．we should pay more attention to mental health

D．we should enrich our lives by spending more time offline

5. What does the underlined word “methodologies” refer to?

A．Time and effort.	B．Aim and purpose.
C．Ideas and dreams.	D．Means and principles.

6. The problem with the old research is___________.

A．the sample is too small

B．the respondents are too young

C．not considering the time spent offline

D．deliberately(故意地) linking the Internet to mental issues

10 . Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet,but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planet’s history and climate.

Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months.It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASA in the United States.

Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels.It also has a robotic arm,cameras,and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface.Then it sends the information back to the earth.

Curiosity’s main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars,either now or in the past.On Nov.2,NASA scientists held a press conference (新闻发布会) to discuss what Curiosity had found in its first two months on Mars.

Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes (火山) on the earth.Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past.Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth,where their rough edges have been worn down by water.Mars is very cold and dry now,but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.

Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane (甲烷),but so far it has not found any.On the earth,most methane is produced by plants or animals.Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.

Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars.It will continue to explore the planet for about two years.

1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosity is TRUE?

A．It landed on Mars in January 2012.

B．It is small in size and has four arms.

C．It took over eight months to arrive in Mars.

D．It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia.

2. According to the information sent back by Curiosity,scientists believe that 　　　.

A．there’s no air on Mars	B．Mars is warm and wet now
C．the soil on Mars is rich	D．there used to be water on Mars

3. The underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refers to “　　　”.

A．smooth stones	B．rivers
C．robotic vehicles	D．volcanoes

4. We know from the sixth paragraph that 　　　.

A．some tiny animals once lived on Mars

B．there are no plants or animals on Mars now

C．the atmosphere around Mars is full of methane

D．Curiosity is designed to test the atmosphere around the earth

5. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Humans benefit a lot by going to Mars.

B．Scientists will stop the research on Mars soon.

C．It is possible to build an earth-like environment on Mars.

D．A robotic vehicle helps scientists get useful information from Mars.