1 . The over 48,000 orange trees in Seville, Spain, not only fill the city’s air with the pleasant smell of orange blossoms in spring, but they also produce over 16,500 tons of fruit every winter. Though that makes the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region Europe’s top orange-producing city, the fruit is too sour to be consumed fresh. While some of the produce is used to make orange jam and an alcoholic drink, most of it ends up in Seville’s landfills (填埋场). However, that may change soon thanks to a clever idea to use the oranges to produce clean energy.
The trial programme is being launched by the city’s council and park department in cooperation with Emasesa, Seville’s water supply and sanitation (卫生) division. Juice from 38. 6 tons of oranges will be left to ferment (发酵) in a specialised facility. The methane (甲烷) released from the fermented liquid will be captured and used to drive a generator to produce clean power. The officials estimate the test run will produce about 1,500 kWh of energy – enough to run one of Emasesa’s water purification plants. To ensure there is no waste, the orange skins, peels, and flesh will be used as fertiliser.
“It’s not just about saving money. The oranges are a problem for the city, and we’re producing added value from waste,” said Benigno Lopez, head of Emasesa’s environmental department.
If successful, by 2023, the city hopes to recycle all the oranges and add the electricity produced back into its power transmission network. In trial runs, one ton of oranges produced 50 kWh of clean energy – enough to cover the daily electricity needs of five homes. The project team estimates that if all the fruit is recycled, it will produce enough energy to power as many as 73,000 residences.
“This project will help us to reach our targets for reducing emissions, energy self-sufficiency, and the circular economy,” Juan Espadas Cejas, mayor of Seville, said in the press conference announcing the trial programme.
1. What do we know about oranges in Seville from the first paragraph?| A．They are usually picked in spring. |
| B．They are mostly used to make jams and juice. |
| C．They are not recommended to be eaten fresh. |
| D．They make Seville the world’s top orange-producing city. |
| A．Different uses of Seville oranges. |
| B．Ways to produce power from juice. |
| C．An introduction to the trial programme. |
| D．Reasons for launching the trial programme. |
| A．The energy produced will be used to purify water. |
| B．Seville hasn’t carried out the trial programme yet. |
| C．The electricity produced will go to Seville’s power plants. |
| D．14,600 tons of recycled oranges are needed to power 73,000 homes. |
| A．It is risky but beneficial. |
| B．It is helpful and worth trying. |
| C．It is crazy and cannot become a reality |
| D．It is impractical though possible in theory. |
2 . Generation Z-people born in the mid-1990s and the early 2010s-are set to lead the next wave of China’s digital development, said a recent report.
The report said Gen Z are consumers who are willing to spend big on digital products to explore the virtual world. According to the report by internet firm Sina, more than 63 percent of the Gen Z surveyed have a strong interest in metaverse, a term that has become a hot topic in recent months and shows a shared virtual environment in which technologies are combined to create a sense of virtual presence.
They are eager to experience the most advanced technologies like virtual reality and digital human in the metaverse. Up to 26 percent of them even want to keep a pet in the virtual world, the report stated.
“Generation Z is expected to become the new consumption power for the coming digital market. Their way of information acquisition, consumption and living methods have been fixed with great internet characteristics,” said Qiao Yu, deputy head of the Artificial Intelligence Media Research Institute of Sina.
“People enjoy the convenience of fast technology development; they are also advocates of smart life. Generation Z has a richer experience with technology products and is more willing to buy and apply smart devices in daily life. ”
The report found that more than 55 percent of the Gen Z surveyed tend to use intelligent products in their homes while 44 percent would use smart wearable devices in their daily lives.
“For companies that want to find the next sweet spot in the digital world, Generation Z will be an important target group. Their growing desire to display their virtual avatars or assets will contribute to a huge market in the coming years,” said Wu Shichun, founding partner of Plum Ventures.
1. What might the underlined word “metaverse” be according to the text?| A．A new life style | B．A virtual world |
| C．A digital product | D．An advanced technology |
| A．To target young people. | B．To provide new experience. |
| C．To produce cheaper products. | D．To display their virtual avatars. |
| A．They are powerful. | B．They enjoy smart life. |
| C．They love to keep pets. | D．They like to spend money. |
| A．Generation Z | B．Welcome to the virtual world |
| C．The convenience of latest technology | D．Report shows Gen Z to ride digital wave |
3 . I am a strong believer that if a child is raised with approval, he learns to love himself and will be successful in his own way.
Several weeks ago, I was doing homework with my son in the third grade and he kept standing up from his chair. I kept asking him to sit down, telling him that he would concentrate better. He sat but seconds later, as if he didn’t even notice he was doing it, he got up again. I was getting angry, but then it hit me: I started noticing his answers were much quicker and right when he stood up. Could he concentrate better while standing up?
This made me start questioning myself and what I had been raised to believe. I grew up to believe that a quiet child was more likely to succeed. This child would have the ability to study hard, get good grades and become someone important in life. Kids that were active and loud would only be losers.
Now people perhaps come to realize that their kids are born with their own sets of DNA, and all they can do is loving and accepting them. As parents, throughout their growing years and beyond that, we need to guide them and help them find their way.
I have stopped asking my son to sit down and concentrate. Clearly, he is concentrating, just in his own way and not mine. We need to accept our kids, and their ways of doing things. There is nothing sweeter than seeing our children being themselves. It makes us happy and that’s just the way I want my kids to live a happy life.
1. The author tried to keep his son seated so that ________.| A．he couldn’t disturb the author |
| B．he could keep silent in the room |
| C．he could finish his homework on time |
| D．he could pay more attention to his study |
| A．the importance of parents |
| B．the old education concepts |
| C．the good grades of some kids |
| D．the love between kids and their parents |
| A．Encouragement is important. |
| B．Children shouldn’t be punished. |
| C．Children can’t be taught in the same way. |
| D．Children should be taught to behave themselves. |
| A．have no freedom | B．have their own style |
| C．learn from their friends | D．be friendly to their parents |
4 . Big Space Events To Put In Your Calendar For 2022
MAY — CHINA’S SPACE STATION GETS BIGGER
May will see the launch of a new module for the Tiangong space station, China’s “Palace in the sky”. Its first core module, Tianhe was launched last April. The next module will be Wentian, a laboratory expected to launch between May and June. It will also serve as a backup core module and the place where future spacewalks from the taikonauts will take place. It will be followed by a second laboratory module, Mengtian, in August-September.
JUNE — INDIA’S SPACECRAFT TAKES ITS FIRST FLIGHT
ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organization, has announced that Gaganyaan (which translates to Sky Craft) will have is first unscrewed fight in June. The craft is panned to be a key vehicle in the Indian Human Spaceflight Program and, all going well in this test; it will be followed by a crewed test next year.
JULY — RUSSIA EYES THE MOONAGAIN
Russia’s Luna program had many successes with landers, rovers, and even sample returns, and Luna 25 is expected to follow in that tradition according to Russian Space Agency, Roscomos. The mission this fine is just a lander expected to touch down near the Lunar South Pole with instruments designed to study the soil. The location might be a possible area of interest for a permanent base on the Moon.
AUGUST — MORE LUNAR MISSIONS
August will see the launch of the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, a panned lunar orbiter by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). This will be the first Korean Lunar Mission, a technology demonstration for KARI.
1. Which country will carry out multiple space tasks this year?| A．China. | B．India. | C．Russia. | D．Korea. |
| A．It will operate in low lunar orbit. | B．It will take a land on the Moon. |
| C．It will serve as a permanent base. | D．It will take its first crewed flight. |
| A．In May. | B．In June. | C．In July. | D．In August. |
5 . Nutrient shortages might not be the result of poor diet. A study from 2004 showed that many fruits and vegetables contain less protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin C than they did in the1950s, though carbohydrate levels have increased over the same time length. While some researchers think this difference is explained by farmers growing sweeter cultivar, others believe a bigger factor is at play— Earth’s changing atmosphere.
Earth’s atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are rising. Within the next 50 years, carbon dioxide concentrations are expected to reach 550 parts per million, which is about double the amount measured before the mid—19th century. Farming will be greatly affected: Research shows that raised carbon dioxide levels will affect 95 percent of plant species—including main crops, such as wheat, rice, and potatoes by causing essential mineral levels to drop by 6 to 8 percent. Though this decline may sound negligible, it will have far—reaching consequences for global health.
The influences of an increasingly carbon-concentrated atmosphere were first observed in zooplankton, microscopic sea creatures that primarily feed on algae. Rising carbon dioxide levels could also have a similar effect on land plants’ nutritional value. When they can more easily transform sunlight into food, plants pack in a higher concentration of carbohydrates at the expense of protein, zinc, iron, and other essential nutrients.
Will the increase of carbohydrates and consequent decrease of other nutrients in your meals make a difference for your health? According to some evidence, yes. Nutrient-rich plants are vital for fighting against health problems around the world, and lower levels in natural sources put populations at risk. For instance, studies show that 150 million people may be at risk for protein shortage by 2050, and iron shortage may affect a billion pregnant women within the same time period.
1. What causes the nutrient shortages in food?| A．Poor dict. | B．Changing atmosphere. | C．Farm produce. | D．Time length |
| A．Carbon dioxide will be double than that at present. |
| B．Carbon dioxide of plant species will increase 95%. |
| C．Plants’ mineral levels will drop by 6 to 8 percent. |
| D．Plants species will reach 550 times as much. |
| A．Lack of protein levels. | B．Lack of natural sources. |
| C．Lack of pregnant women. | D．Lack of carbohydrates. |
| A．Earth’s Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Level | B．Climate Change and Plant Nutrient Levels |
| C．More Food Leading to Better Health | D．Natural Resources and Carbohydrate |
6 . You’re often served by young people at restaurants. But Forget Me Not Cafe in Shanghai is different.
The cafe has eight elderly employees with cognitive impairments (认知障碍) who take turns working with other waiters to help customers. They often provide basic services for guests, such as pouring water, serving and taking orders.
“The guests are also very tolerant of us, because sometimes we make mistakes,” said Zhu Caiping, one of the elderly employees at the cafe. Sometimes, they are also invited to take part in welfare activities organized by volunteers, such as baking, dancing and learning English.
“These activities are essential for me. They reactivate my brain,” the 73-year-old said. “What old people like us worry about most is that our brain stagnates (停滞) due to being inactive.”
Because of memory loss, Zhu writes down all the information she wants to remember on sticky notes, such as the names of the volunteers and the teacher as well as English words. “But I really became happy and confident because of being here,” she said.
In addition to the job opportunities for the elderly, information about cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease is posted on a board outside the restaurant to help people recognize symptoms and seek treatment as soon as possible.
Zeng Rong, a co-founder of the restaurant, said the cafe has had a great impact on elderly people with cognitive impairment.
A 58-year-old woman from Jiangsu province, whose husband brings her to the restaurant, is an example. “When she came here for the first time, she barely said a word and was indifferent. I told her that she must communicate and gave her homework every time with rewards,” Zhu said. The woman has since come to the restaurant every Friday, and after several months, her condition has improved.
“She started to comment that the food was ‘delicious’ and speak with others. Moreover, she began to hug me every time,” Zhu said.
Inspired by their kindness, many young people like to come and enjoy the warm atmosphere of the shop.
1. What do we know about Forget Me Not Cafe?| A．It serves elderly people alone. |
| B．It helps heal Alzheimer’s disease. |
| C．It often organizes welfare activities. |
| D．It hires people with cognitive impairments. |
| A．To show a rise in cognitive impairment among people. |
| B．To illustrate how the restaurant makes a difference. |
| C．To explain the popularity of the cafe among the elderly |
| D．To describe how cognitive impairment can affect people. |
| A．It is stressful. | B．It is demanding. |
| C．It is meaningful. | D．It is exhausting. |
| A．A Restaurant in Shanghai |
| B．Story of Forget Me Not Cafe. |
| C．Great Care for Alzheimer. |
| D．Attention Needed for Cognitive Health. |
7 . Chinese astronauts conducted a science lecture 400 kilometers above Earth to millions of students on Thursday afternoon, as they orbited in the Tiangong space station. All members of the Shenzhou XII mission crew, Zhai Zhigang, Ye Guangfu and Wang Yaping, the only woman on the mission, greeted students, teachers and other participants when the lecture started at 3:54 pm. They showed viewers how they live and work inside the space station, which currently consists of a core module, a spacecraft and two robotic cargo spaceships.
The astronauts displayed their exercise equipment and a specially designed space suit, and conducted demonstrations on physical phenomena in microgravity, such as “disappearing buoyancy” and a “water ball”. Ye, who is on his first spaceflight, showed how he rotated his body in the weightless environment. The astronauts also answered questions from students during the lecture.
Tens of millions of primary and middle school students across China watched the hour-long televised event. A total of 1,420 invited students were present at “ground class venues”, with some taking part in video chats with the crew members during the lecture.
It was the first lecture of the Tiangong Class, or Heavenly Palace Class, China’s first extraterrestrial (地球外的) lecture series to popularize space science.
More lectures will be held based on the country’s manned spaceflights and will also be presented by Chinese astronauts, the manned space agency said.
Shi Yi, a physics teacher at the Beijing No. 101 Middle School, said the space lecture was an eye-opening experience that would ignite students’ interest in science.
Wang Yihan, a fifth-grade student at the Yuxin School, said: “The astronauts’ experiments really intrigued and surprised me. I have great interest in spaceflight and would like to take part in our country’s space exploration program in the future.”
Vincent Wong Wai-shing, deputy principal of Hong Kong’s Pui Kiu College, said after watching the lecture that the event gave Hong Kong students an opportunity to communicate with the astronauts while stimulating their interest in space and science.
1. What do we know about the lecture conducted in space?| A．The lecture conducted by three Chinese astronauts lasted nearly an hour. |
| B．The astronauts showed how they live and work outside the space station. |
| C．How body is rotated in the normal environment was shown by the crew. |
| D．The lecture was conducted 400 kilometers above the earth in Tianhe space station. |
| A．Tiangong is made up of a core module, a spacecraft and a cargo spaceship. |
| B．AI members of the Shen Zhou XIII mission crew had conducted spaceflights. |
| C．More lectures in spacecraft have been arranged based on the manned spaceflights. |
| D．Students present at “ground class venues” thought highly of the lecture. |
| A．Astonished. | B．Puzzled. | C．Interested. | D．Tricked. |
| A．Science & Technology. | B．Space exploration. |
| C．Economy development. | D．Innovative teaching. |
8 . Spent all summer exploring the best national parks in the US, and now you’re seeking some cold weather thrills? We suggest taking a break from classic winter activities and taking part in some family-friendly ones instead Head to the best indoor amusement parks in the US, and enjoy your dose of family fun.
●I-X Indoor Amusement Park
During the weeks starting in late March, enjoy sky wheels and merry-go-rounds (旋转木马). While taking some time to digest the corn dogs and carnival favorites you’ll surely be wolfing down, enjoy some music by live bands.
Address: 6200 Riverside Dr, Cleveland, 44135
Price: $19.99, discounts for larger groups available
●iPlay America
The indoor 115,000 square feet amusement park includes family-friendly rides like a merry-go-rounds, happy swing and dizzy dragons. Classic boardwalk games like whack-a-mole (打地鼠) and balloon darts will make you miss summer days while common arcade (游戏厅) games like skee-ball and air hockey will keep you feeling competitive. Stick around for dinner on Saturdays, and you’ll also enjoy free live music.
Address: 110 Schanck Rd, Freehold, NJ
Price: $29.99
●Nickelodeon Universe
Everything’s bigger in Bloomington, including America’s largest indoor theme park, the seven-acre Nickelodeon Universe in the Mall of America Here, your family can enjoy 27 rides that rang from the toddlers Wonder Pet’s Flyboat to the thrilling big kids-only Avatar Airbender. Make sure there’s room on your camera for pictures — your kids are going to want to remember meeting their favorite cartoon characters, including SpongeBob and the Bubble Guppies.
Address: Mall of America, 5000 Center Court, Bloomington, MN.
Price: $34.99
●Mt Olympus
Another stop in Wisconsin Dells is Mt Olympus, a paradise for little ones. With gentle rides perfect for tots — including mini hot air balloons, bi-planes, tea cups and a trolley — your kiddo will be delighted. The alien ball pit is a must-visit, and your older elementary school-aged children will amuse themselves on the climbing wall, bumper cars and the arcade, which includes mini bowling.
Address: 1701 Wisconsin Dells Parkway, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Price: $16.66
1. What is special about I-X Indoor Amusement Park?
| A．It only opens in cold months. |
| B．It has large group discounts. |
| C．It offers free corn dogs on Saturdays. |
| D．It is America’s largest indoor theme park. |
| A．Play board games at the arcade. |
| B．Take pictures with SpongeBob. |
| C．Play on a merry-go-rounds with family |
| D．Enjoy free live music shows on weekdays. |
| A．Air hockey. | B．Avatar Airbender. | C．Whack-a-mole. | D．Wonder Pet’s Flyboat. |
9 . Tree planting used to be regarded as an effective means of controlling climate change. Perhaps it’s time for us to rethink this practice.
Trees pull carbon dioxide or CO2 from the air. This effectively removes CO2 from the atmosphere, making trees an important part of the fight against climate change. But trees only hold onto carbon dioxide as long as they’re alive. Once they die, trees will rot and release that CO2 back into the atmosphere.
Recent studies have found that trees around the world are growing faster than ever. Rising CO2, mainly due to burning fossil fuels, is probably driving that rapid growth, said Roel Brienen, a forest ecologist at the University of Leeds, UK. High levels of this gas are increasing temperatures, which in turn speeds tree growth in those areas, he added.
The faster trees grow, the faster they store carbon. It seems like good news. However, it is known that fast-growing tree species, in general, live shorter lives than their slow-growing relatives.
In order to see whether the growth-lifespan trade-off (生长和寿命之间的权衡) is a universal phenomenon, Brienen and his colleagues analyzed over 210,000 individual tree ring records of 110 tree species from more than 70,000 sites worldwide. “By measuring tree rings’ widths one can tell how fast trees grew, while counting rings provides information on tree ages and allows making inferences about trees’ maximum lifespan,” Brienen explained.
The team also created a computer program that modeled a forest and tweaked (轻微调整) the growth of the trees in this model. Early on, it showed that “the forest could hold more carbon as the trees grew faster”, Brienen reported. But after 20 years, these trees started dying and losing this extra carbon again. “We must understand that the only solution to bring down CO2 levels is to stop emitting (排放) it into the atmosphere,” said Brienen.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．Climate change is affecting trees’ lifespan. |
| B．Studies found that trees that die sooner release more CO2. |
| C．Trees aren’t such a reliable solution to global warming. |
| D．Scientists are working on whether forests can hold more carbon. |
| A．The formation of fossil fuels. | B．The increase of atmospheric CO2. |
| C．Lower temperatures. | D．The evolution of some species of trees. |
| A．The speed of trees’ growth. | B．The trees’ age. |
| C．The trees’ maximum lifespan. | D．The trees’ habitats. |
| A．It is hard for trees to hold more carbon. |
| B．The CO2 level is impossible to bring down. |
| C．We must find other ways to store CO2. |
| D．We can only reduce CO2 by preventing its emissions. |
10 . If you’re someone who looks in the mirror every day and concentrates only on any minor flaw (缺陷), you’re not alone. For many people, struggling with body image issues is a continuous battle.
“How hostile (恶意的) is the world to unattractive girls?” became a popular topic on Sina Weibo in March.
The topic met with agreement among many girls who shared their personal experiences. One internet user talked about how her friends would often cut her image out of group pictures because they thought she was too fat. What became clear was that this feeling of insecurity and distance was all too common.
What promotes this anxiety among young people?
As the country’s economy has developed rapidly, people are easier to be influenced by what others think of them, noted CGTN.
Greater time spent online also means greater exposure to advertisements promoting “paper-thin waists” or “chopstick legs”. Such unrealistic ideals only further young people’s anxiety and lead to an unhealthy mindset of perfectionism.
The anxiety over appearance and shape has pushed some people into physical and mental illness. According to Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, the idealization of thinness is a key factor in worsening the illness and preventing recovery. Some people even go through surgery just to achieve what they believe society considers “beautiful”.
But beauty doesn’t come from a makeup brush or a thinner waist. Growing taller and having perfect skin isn’t the solution to insecurity. The fact that every person is different is something to be celebrated.
A line from China’s first female monologue (独白剧) drama called Hear Her says it perfectly: “I am not perfect. Perfection is dull. I am perfect when I fully realize myself.”
1. What is a cause of young people’s anxiety about their body image according to the text?| A．The standard promoted by some media. |
| B．The fierce competition they face. |
| C．The struggle they have experienced. |
| D．Their desire for easier success. |
| A．The feeling of insecurity. | B．Other people’s opinions. |
| C．The desire for thinness. | D．The popularity of plastic surgery. |
| A．Have plastic surgery. | B．Accept their differences. |
| C．Work to realize their dream. | D．Stop wearing makeup. |
| A．Avoid Misleading Advertisements |
| B．Stop Wearing Makeup |
| C．Improve Yourself |
| D．Celebrate Imperfection |
