2 . I went with some colleagues for dinner in a very popular local restaurant. It was ________ business time and the restaurant was crowded.

As we were waiting for a table, we heard a crash when a cleaning boy________the floor with all the plates he was carrying. There was ________ and no one was saying or doing anything. In a flash I remembered my ________ many years ago. At one time, I ________ when I was on business. I had a high fever but luckily was taken care of by two ________. Then this was my chance to ________ it forward.

I had learned some first-aid lessons before, so I ran to the boy’s side________, turned him on his back and screamed for someone to ________ a hot drink. The boy soon opened his eyes,________ what had happened. And so I ________ him by saying it was OK. I held the warm drink to his mouth till he________ it. At that time the manager arrived, who was kind enough to look after the boy. By the time all this was over, we hadn’t________anything yet, and we decided to go home.

I slowly walked home, not hungry any more, feeling________for the opportunity to pay forward the _______ I had received many years ago.

1.

A．busy

B．local

C．spare

D．regular

2.

A．kicked

B．touched

C．hit

D．swept

3.

A．silence

B．danger

C．doubt

D．suffering

4.

A．prediction

B．behaviour

C．experience

D．career

5.

A．fell about

B．fell asleep

C．fell behind

D．fell ill

6.

A．friends

B．strangers

C．partners

D．relatives

7.

A．pay

B．return

C．take

D．put

8.

A．frequently

B．quickly

C．sadly

D．excitedly

9.

A．select

B．mix

C．remove

D．bring

10.

A．knowing

B．wondering

C．ignoring

D．arguing

11.

A．reminded

B．comforted

C．observed

D．encouraged

12.

A．spotted

B．checked

C．noticed

D．finished

13.

A．prepared

B．required

C．received

D．ordered

14.

A．concerned

B．eager

C．grateful

D．ready

15.

A．kindness

B．honor

C．respect

D．service

3 . Some scientists say that animals in the oceans are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings.

The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling,and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.

Decibels(分贝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect.

Some scientists have proposed setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales.

A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales’ ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected.

Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds object to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.

Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?

A．The man-made noises.	B．The noises made by themselves.
C．The sound of earthquakes.	D．The sound of the ice-breaking.

2. Which of the following is discussed in the third paragraph?

A．Different places with different types of noises.

B．The very human ears sensitive to all types of noises.

C．The same noise measured differently on land and in the ocean.

D．The ocean animals’ reaction to noises.

4 . Five years ago, French navy officer Chardon was listening to a radio program about the journey of the bar-tailed godwit (斑尾塍鹬) , a bird that flies 14,000 kilometers between New Zealand and Alaska. Chardon understood how dangerous the journey would be, as heavy storms frequently hit Pacific island communities. Yet, somehow, bar-tailed godwits routinely pass through the area uninjured. Chardon wondered whether learning how godwits navigate (导航) could help coastal communities avoid disasters. Could tracking birds help save lives?

This past January, a team began experiments designed to test Chardon’s idea. Researchers led by Jiguet equipped 56 birds of five species with cutting-edge animal tracking technology. The team were transported to remote islands in French Polynesia, where they attached tags (追踪器). These tags send the birds’ locations to the International Space Station, which sends the data back to scientists on Earth who can then follow the birds — all the while waiting to see how the birds respond to natural disasters.

The project is focusing on birds’ ability to hear infrasound, the low-frequency sound humans cannot hear. Researchers believe it’s the most likely signal birds would use to sense storms and tsunamis. In a 2014 study, scientists tracking golden-winged warblers in the central and southeastern US founded the birds flew up to 1,500 kilometers to escape from the outbreak of tornadoes that killed 35 people. This showed they’d heard the storm system in advance.

The team plan on tagging more birds across the Pacific to prepare for a potential tsunami. “I think if there’s one wave that spreads across islands, we should get data from different species at different locations,” says Jiguet. “That’d definitely show it’s worth continuing to tag birds and to develop local systems to better analyze this.”

Even if the attempt to develop a bird-based tsunami early warning system fails, the project will still help scientists protect birds. In that sense, the research will have already gained results by that time. Jiguet says their first season’s tracking data shows Hawaii is an important stepping stone for the birds they tagged — a useful clue to the protection of these species above rising seas.

1. What is the purpose of Jiguet’s experiments?

A．To learn more about birds’ lifestyles.	B．To know birds’ reactions to disasters.
C．To test an animal tracking technology.	D．To study birds’ adaptation to nature.

2. Why is the 2014 study mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To present a fact.	B．To make comparisons.
C．To take a guess.	D．To introduce a new sound.

3. What does Jiguet most probably think of their research?

A．Successful.

B．Challenging.

C．Regrettable.

D．Rewarding.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Can birds predict most natural disasters?

B．How do we develop a warning system?

C．Can birds warn us of natural disasters?

D．How do birds avoid natural disasters?

5 . Brandon and Derek’s mother, Beth Lash, shared a Facebook video on Dec. 25, 2017. It captured the moment when Bandon _____ his card out loud. On Brandon Lash’s 24th birthday, his little brother, Derek, presented him with a rather large card filled with an even bigger ____.

“I have always respect you,” Brandon reads from the front of the card, _____ by this brother．

“I love spending time with you. I’m so _____ I have you for my brother. You have always been there for me, even though I get on your nerves sometimes. You will always have a piece of my heart,” Brandon continues, opening up the _____.

“And now you will have my kidney (肾), too. We are a _____ match.” Brandon reads, _______ the card to the floor and burst into ____.

Brandon ,who has kidney disease, receives _____ three times a week, and was told that he had been recommended for the transplant list. Unfortunately, his parents are not a match, but _____, his brother is.

“I can’t believe Derek would _____ so much for me,” Brandon tells the publication. “ He’s giving me a _____ to have a healthy life again. I still can’t believe it’s happening.”

“I _____ seeing him sick and knew something needed to be done to make him healthy again.” Derek adds. “Not only was it the _____ thing to do, but the only thing to do. He’s my brother. We didn’t know when he could be on the transplant list, but I knew I just wanted my ____ brother back.”

1.

A．read

B．sang

C．called

D．shouted

2.

A．claim

B．award

C．smile

D．surprise

3.

A．signed

B．drawn

C．written

D．described

4.

A．thankful

B．satisfied

C．awkward

D．confused

5.

A．paper

B．card

C．book

D．cover

6.

A．perfect

B．possible

C．equal

D．friendly

7.

A．losing

B．dropping

C．throwing

D．blowing

8.

A．screams

B．worries

C．laughs

D．tears

9.

A．treatments

B．experiments

C．directions

D．observations

10.

A．finally

B．possibly

C．luckily

D．exactly

11.

A．advise

B．experience

C．allow

D．sacrifice

12.

A．chance

B．fortune

C．accident

D．occasion

13.

A．regretted

B．minded

C．hated

D．opposed

14.

A．fair

B．right

C．normal

D．real

15.

A．lovely

B．brave

C．honest

D．healthy

6 . About 1.4 billion people around the world do not get enough physical exercise. The world’s adult population is about 5.6 billion, so that is tantamount to about one-fourth of the world’s adult population.

Researchers looked at 358 population-based studies between 2001 and 2016. Those studies referred to nearly 2 million people in 168 countries.

Regina Guthold was the lead author of the report. She said the study also found a wide range of physical activity levels for countries around the world. “Inactivity ranges from as low as 6 per cent in Uganda and Mozambique to 67 per cent in Kuwait. Four countries have prevalence (普遍) of inactivity of over 50 per cent. That’s Kuwait, America Samoa, Saudi Arabia and Iraq,” she said.

The report shows the levels of physical inactivity are more than two times as high in wealthy countries as they are in countries where people have low incomes. In wealthier countries, people are more likely to spend time sitting in offices. They are also more likely to use computers and electronic devices for entertainment.

There are actually many things people can do for themselves. If you work in a high-rise office building, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Go for a walk during your lunch break. Take more breaks during the workday and move around. If your workplace offers a gym or exercise classes, make sure to use them. At home, take walks with your family or friends after dinner.

1. What does the underlined part “tantamount to” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Familiar to.

B．Harmful to.

C．Used to.

D．Equal to.

2. Which country is the most active?

A．Uganda.

B．Kuwait.

C．Saudi Arabia.

D．Iraq.

3. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the last paragraph?

A．To draw people’s attention to the problem.

B．To give some advice to non-exercisers.

C．To introduce a new topic for discussion.

D．To add some background information.

7 . “Don’t tell anyone”. We hear these words when someone tells a secret to us. But it can be hard to keep a secret. We often tend to “spill the beans”, even if we regret it later.

According to Asim Shah, professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, US, keeping a secret may well “become a burden”. This is because people often have an “obsessive and anxious urge to share it with someone”.

An earlier study, led by Anita E. Kelly, a scientist at the University of Notre Dame, US, suggested that keeping a secret could cause stress. People entrusted (受委托的) with secrets can suffer from depression, anxiety, and body aches, reported the Daily Mail.

But with secrets so often getting out, why do people share them at all?Shah explained that people often feel that it will help them keep a person as a friend. Another reason people share secrets is guilt over keeping it from someone close to them. A sense of distrust can develop when people who are close do not share it with each other. “Keeping or sharing secrets often puts people in a position of either gaining or losing the trust of someone,” according to Shah.

He added that talkative people could let secrets slip out (泄露). But this doesn’t mean that it is a good idea only to share secrets with quiet people. A quiet person may be someone who keeps everything inside. To tell such a person a secret may cause them stress, and make them talk about the secret.

Shah said that to judge whether to tell someone a secret, you’d better put yourself in their position. Think about how you would feel to be told that you mustn’t give the information away. Shah also recommended that if you accidentally give up someone’s secret you should come clean about it. Let the person know that their secret isn’t so secret anymore.

1. What does underlined words “spill the beans” mean?

A．Cut up beans.	B．Burst into laughter.
C．Let out the secret.	D．Keep the words.

2. What did researchers at the University of Notre Dame discover about secret-keeping?

A．It can help promote friendships between people.

B．It can result in mental and physical problems.

C．It can result in a sense of distrust between friends.

D．It can harm relationships between friends.

3. What is the main message of Paragraph 5?

A．It’s not a good idea to share your secrets with others.

B．It’s better to share your secrets with quiet people.

C．Quiet people suffer less stress from keeping secrets.

D．Talkative people are unlikely to keep secrets.

8 . To improve road safety and raise awareness among Russia’s notoriously (臭名昭著地) careless drivers, Russian police have tried to get drivers to slow down at zebra (斑马) crossings by having painted horses as zebras walk across on the busiest streets in some of the big cities.

The light grey horses, painted with black stripes (条纹), carried signs on their backs reading: “Careful, children are on their way to school.” The police sent the “zebras” to several different locations in the Russian capital, where officials in orange vests walked them over zebra crossings and handed out leaflets (传单) to passing drivers.

Some held up rainbow-coloured umbrellas over the painted animals to protect them from the rain. Russian roads are notoriously dangerous and drivers still rarely take steps to avoid pedestrians (行人). Nearly half of all traffic accidents in the country’s big cities are caused by cars hitting pedestrians, and a third of those occur on crossings, according to traffic police figures published last month.

In the first six months of this year, 378 people were killed and more than 6, 600 injured on pedestrian crossings in Russia, according to police. In Moscow alone, 43 people were killed, including two children.

Though police officials said that only safe paint would be used on the animals, animal rights activists still disagreed with the idea, accusing the police of “treating animals like garbage”.

“Children understand that paints are bad for animals,” the Interfax news agency quoted (引用) president of Vita animal rights group Irina Novozhilova as saying.

Let’s hope this part of the campaign is over and animals are left out of future attempts to raise pedestrians’ awareness.

1. Why do Moscow police have “zebras” walk across on the busiest streets?

A．To make a call on protecting animals.

B．To raise drivers’ awareness of road safety.

C．To tell people it is dangerous to cross streets.

D．To remind people zebras are in danger of extinction.

2. From the text we can learn that ______.

A．the driving skills of Russian drivers are bad.

B．Russian drivers often ignore traffic lights.

C．Russian drivers seldom give way to pedestrians

D．most Russian drivers have realized the seriousness of the problem.

3. What do animal rights activists think of the new attempt?

A．Drivers must slow down at pedestrian crossings.

B．Road safety should be improved.

C．The paints used on the horses are safe.

D．These animals are ill-treated by the police.

4. Which word can best describe the author’s attitude towards the campaign?

A．Critical.

B．Confident.

C．Doubtful.

D．Positive.

10 . Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of bamboo strips(竹板), Yang Ziqi, 17, from Xi’an Qujiang No l High School, listens to interesting stories in the Shaanxi dialect. The stories range in subject greatly from the story of the Monkey King to instructions on garbage sorting.

“Shaanxi kuaiban is amazing. It can not only bring you great joy, but also broaden your horizons” said Yang. Shaanxi kuaiban is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling in the Shaanxi dialect to the rhythm of bamboo clappers. In June, it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage at the national level. It can be performed by a group or solo. The art form can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). According to its performers, the art was originally used by farmers to share their knowledge and earn money. But now, more people perform Shaanxi kuaiban on different occasions-for example, at festival celebrations, parties and art shows.

Yang Jinlong, 45, is an experienced Shaanxi kuaiban artist. He first learned the art at the age of 9. Before that, he often went with his father, an amateur performer, to watch kuaiban performances.

“As a young boy, I was attracted to the art form because many of the stories are about heroes. The performer tells stories while playing kuaiban, and it’s easy for the audience to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme,” Yang said. He has practiced Shaanxi kuaiban for more than 30 years. Since 2003, he has been teaching the art form to young people. At 9 am on weekdays, he drives to primary and middle schools in Xi’an and teaches students about Shaanxi kuaiban until about 6 pm. Then, he returns home to prepare classes for the next day. On the weekends, he teaches for six hours each day at art education institutions in Xi’an.

Yang has made some adaptations to the art form to relate more to students. When he tells modern stories, Yang abandons the traditional gown and wears a suit. He also integrates many pop elements like tap dance, ballet, jazz dance and the rhythm of popular music into kuaiban performances. His stories focus on more trendy topics, like stories of heroes who have worked to alleviate poverty(扶贫), as well as the Chinese Olympic team.

“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and violin, there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts, including Shaanxi kuaiban. They are committed and passionate,” Yang said.

1. What do we know about Shaanxi kuaiban?

A．It dates back to the late Ming Dynasty.

B．People perform it in Shaanxi dialect.

C．It was originally used by teachers for teaching.

D．It focuses on Chinese ancient literature.

2. Why was Yang Jin long fascinated by Shaanxi kuaiban as a child?

A．Because all the lines rhyme.	B．Because he liked stories about heroes.
C．Because it was away to earn money.	D．Because he wanted to be like his father.

3. What did Yang Jin long do to promote Shaanxi kuaiban?

A．He wore local clothes of Shaanxi.

B．He told stories about superheroes.

C．He added pop elements to performances.

D．He performed Shaanxi kuaiban in We stem countries.

4. Which of the following best describes Yang Jin long?

A．Talented and modest.	B．Patient and capable.
C．Determined and creative.	D．Humorous and responsible.