1 . When you travel, it’s inevitable (不可避免的) that things will go wrong. It doesn’t matter how
During a recent long international trip, my youngest daughter’s airsickness struck again. We were
When we stood in the middle of the terminal (航站楼), not only
He quietly asked me if my 4-year-old was the passenger who had gotten
Instead, he
As the captain walked away, she
It’s often the
A.lucky | B.old | C.energetic | D.prepared |
A.also | B.even | C.yet | D.still |
A.includes | B.values | C.matters | D.offers |
A.wrong | B.timely | C.sudden | D.quick |
A.doubting | B.making | C.quitting | D.changing |
A.pointing out | B.learning about | C.figuring out | D.quarrelling about |
A.approached | B.examined | C.appreciated | D.discovered |
A.hungry | B.thirsty | C.sick | D.lost |
A.led | B.allowed | C.advised | D.expected |
A.bent | B.looked | C.broke | D.fell |
A.taking | B.handing | C.opening | D.flying |
A.concerned | B.confused | C.shy | D.curious |
A.fighted | B.hesitated | C.waited | D.chatted |
A.refusing | B.deciding | C.hoping | D.pretending |
A.cried | B.smiled | C.nodded | D.froze |
A.awkward | B.funny | C.upset | D.special |
A.ruined | B.saved | C.displayed | D.affected |
A.love | B.news | C.horror | D.comedy |
A.attracted | B.grateful | C.opposed | D.mean |
A.misfortune | B.mess | C.wonder | D.difference |
2 . Priscilla Ouchida’s “energy efficient” house turned out to be a horrible dream. When she and her engineer husband married a few years ago, they built a $100,000 three-bedroom home in California. Tightly sealed to prevent air leaks, the house was equipped with small double-paned windows and several other energy-saving features. Problems began as soon as the couple moved in, however. Priscilla’s eyes burned. Her throat was constantly dry. She suffered from headaches and could hardly sleep. It was as though she had suddenly developed a strange illness.
Experts finally traced the cause of her illness. The level of formaldehyde gas in her kitchen was twice the maximum allowed by federal standards for chemical workers. The source of the gas? Her new kitchen cabinets and wall-to-wall carpeting.
The Ouchidas are victims of indoor air pollution, which is not given sufficient attention partly because of the nation’s drive to save energy. The problem itself isn’t new. “The indoor environment was dirty long before energy conservation came along,” says Moschandreas, a pollution scientist at Geomet Technologies in Maryland. “Energy conservation has tended to accentuate the situation in some cases.”
The problem appears to be more troublesome in newly constructed homes rather than old ones. Back in the days when energy was cheap, home builders didn’t worry much about unsealed cracks. Because of such leaks, the air in an average home was replaced by fresh outdoor air about once an hour. As a result, the pollutants generated in most households seldom built up to dangerous levels.
1. It can be learned from the passage that the Ouchidas’ house ________.A.is well worth the money spent on its construction |
B.is almost faultless from the point of energy conservation |
C.failed to meet energy conservation standards |
D.was designed and constructed in a scientific way |
A.Poor quality of the air inside. | B.Poor quality of the construction. |
C.Gas leakage in the kitchen. | D.The newly painted walls. |
A.relieve | B.accelerate | C.worsen | D.improve |
A.Because indoor cleanliness was not emphasized. |
B.Because energy used to be inexpensive. |
C.Because environmental protection was given top priority. |
D.Because they were technically unavoidable. |
A.Energy Conservation | B.House Building Crisis |
C.Air Pollution Indoors | D.Traps in Building Construction |
3 . As I walked onto the soccer field I had a knot(结) in my stomach. I was too shy to
When the coaches came, I felt as if I was going to pass out. With no
This
Like most high school students, my
A.give up | B.pass by | C.try out | D.walk away |
A.logic | B.sports | C.language | D.communication |
A.just | B.even | C.never | D.always |
A.warm up | B.make up | C.calm down | D.turn around |
A.ask | B.pass | C.show | D.throw |
A.nearly | B.really | C.hardly | D.partly |
A.kept | B.expressed | C.proved | D.admitted |
A.match | B.activity | C.experience | D.performance |
A.checking | B.realizing | C.practicing | D.considering |
A.When | B.After | C.Unless | D.Before |
A.quick | B.clever | C.perfect | D.pleased |
A.speed | B.record | C.position | D.standard |
A.break | B.escape | C.change | D.holiday |
A.life | B.team | C.friends | D.coaches |
A.better | B.kinder | C.warmer | D.quieter |
A.beg | B.feel | C.pretend | D.imagine |
A.add | B.buy | C.deserve | D.promise |
A.ideas | B.attitudes | C.creations | D.qualities |
A.effort | B.money | C.brain | D.trust |
A.happy | B.strict | C.careful | D.patient |
4 . People say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That
After Dad was
As we started throwing out old phone books and every medical bill from every
I’m realizing all these things
A.thought | B.goal | C.principle | D.coincidence |
A.looked for | B.looked into | C.looked through | D.looked after |
A.with | B.to | C.for | D.by |
A.retired | B.ill | C.gone | D.injured |
A.clean | B.strange | C.modern | D.empty |
A.pleased | B.familiar | C.disappointed | D.astonished |
A.saved | B.enjoyed | C.purchased | D.designed |
A.decisions | B.bargains | C.challenges | D.responsibilities |
A.person | B.neighbor | C.doctor | D.child |
A.bought | B.discovered | C.buried | D.lost |
A.even | B.just | C.only | D.yet |
A.liked | B.bought | C.kept | D.lost |
A.school | B.army | C.college | D.countryside |
A.receive | B.direct | C.sense | D.describe |
A.repaired | B.cleaned | C.spotted | D.set |
A.descriptions | B.introductions | C.memories | D.communications |
A.recognized | B.represented | C.instructed | D.confirmed |
A.supermarket | B.church | C.office | D.house |
A.merely | B.always | C.really | D.never |
A.Anything | B.Nothing | C.Everything | D.Something |
5 . I can remember when my daughter Maggie, who is now six, used to crawl into my lap and say, “Daddy, read me a story.” Last year she announced, “Daddy, I’m going to read you a story.”
Maggie was a television child. When she first became conscious of anything beyond eating and sleeping, the TV set was right there, and it soon commanded her attention.
A few years ago, we were worried not only that we’d never get the children away from the set long enough to learn to read, but that we’d forget how to read ourselves. But in 1955 there was not only more reading than before TV, but more reading than ever before in history.
Clearly, reading has survived television as it has survived a lot of other things. When I was six, a wail went up about menaces (威胁) to reading at home: motor cars and cinema. When Maggie came along, there was television. The motorcar, the radio, the cinema and television do take up a lot of time.
Well, we’ve got more time. When my mother was a girl, people worked about 60hours a week. Now it’s 44. When Maggie grows up, it’ll be 30. And there’ll be numerous gadgets to do her housework. She’ll have to read. You can’t watch TV all day. At present Maggie is reading about Johnny Woodchuck. Ahead of her—and I’m a little envious—are her first brush with Black Beauty, Alice stepping through the looking glass, Huck and Jim drifting down the Mississippi, the emotional storms of Shakespeare, the spiritual agonies of Tolstoy. For reading isn’t all joy. Like life itself, it’s mixed with many moods, from ecstasy (狂喜) to despair. Maggie will learn to take the rough with the smooth, gathering from the ancient wisdom of long-dead genius a little fire to enrich her spirit.
And some day, if she’s lucky, she’ll get the biggest thrill of all, when a little girl climbs into her lap and announces, “Mummy, I’m going to read you a story.”
1. Which of the following things used to catch Maggie’s attention too much?A.The motorcar. | B.The radio. | C.The cinema. | D.The television. |
A.They face less working pressure. |
B.There is more time available for reading. |
C.Their parents encourage them more often. |
D.They have a stronger desire for knowledge. |
A.Her exposure to classic reading. | B.Her productive works in writing. |
C.Her wild imagination in daily life. | D.Her spiritual reflection on the books. |
A.Maggie has rich experiences. |
B.Maggie has a good plan for reading. |
C.Maggie will benefit a lot from reading. |
D.Maggie is on the road to becoming a genius. |
A.It is a blessing that reading can be passed down. |
B.More girls like Maggie enjoy telling stories. |
C.Maggie’s daughter brings her the biggest thrill. |
D.Reading makes Maggie a fortunate girl. |
6 . NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS 2020 PHOTO COMPETITION!
Woo-hoo! Get your cameras and smartphones at the ready, because it’s time for this year’s NG KIDS photography competition.
What you need to know
Competition is open only to legal residents (居民) of the UK and Ireland who are between the ages of 7 and 14.
We have THREE categories (类别) in the competition — animals, people and environment (a new category started this year). You can enter as many categories as you like but just ONE photo per category, please!
All photos should be sent through our website. If you’ve not already registered, you or your parent will need to do so at natgeokids. com/uk/ photocomp — it will only take a minute to do!
You can submit (提交) ONE photo for each of the three categories. Photos should be in JPEG format, between 1MB and 5MB in size. Enter at natgeokids. com/uk/photocomp.
Before you submit your photo, make sure you rename it with your full name and the category you are entering. For example, Joe-Bloggs-Animals. jpg.
Don’t forget to tell us your full name, date of birth and the title of your photo!
The prizes
Our Star Prize is a family holiday in Morocco!
And that’s not all! Each category winner will win a number of prizes too, including an amazing Nikon COOLPIX W150 camera, which is built to go anywhere.
The closing date is 23:59 (GMT) on 21 October 2020. Winners will be notified (通知) before 18 November 2020.
1. How is this year’s competition different from that of last year?A.It has a new category. |
B.It lasts about one month longer. |
C.It is open to kids from around the world. |
D.It will give more than one prize to winners. |
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.five. |
A.be 14 years old or older |
B.submit their photos on its website |
C.get their parents agreement |
D.Give their photos an amazing name. |
A.The photos can be submitted on 18 November 2020. |
B.All the winners can go for a family holiday in UK. |
C.It will take a long time to register. |
D.One must rename the photo with full name and the category. |
A.A research plan. | B.A science report. |
C.A nature magazine. | D.A tourist guidebook. |
7 . Edinburgh is the world’s festival city. There are 12 festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August.
Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer.
Here are some of the events:
The Edinburgh International Festival
This is the original Edinburgh festival, which began in 1947. Actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform to huge audiences. You need tickets for most events which take place in theatres around the city.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of shows taking place across the city. More than 20,000 artists take part, as the festival is open to anyone. Visitors can choose from a huge variety of acts.
Join thousands of visitors and locals at the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s main street, to watch all kinds of performers and shows.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival
The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens, in the center of Edinburgh. There are more than 700 events for children and adults who love books. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories. Children can listen to stories and watch illustrators (插图作者) draw pictures.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival
Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy music shows around the city. One of the highlights of this musical event is the street carnival (嘉年华), which is free to all. Artists perform street theatre, dance and circus shows in amazing costumes, and everyone can join in the dancing.
1. Which is true about Edinburgh?A.It’s the Scottish capital city. |
B.It’s the largest city in the world. |
C.The festivals are celebrated every month. |
D.Tourists around the world come to the city after winter. |
A.It’s free to Scottish people. |
B.It’s held at the Royal Mile. |
C.It takes place in July every year. |
D.The artists mainly perform in theatres. |
A.The Edinburgh International Festival. |
B.The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
C.The Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
D.The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. |
A.They can try on different costumes. |
B.They can join a singing competition. |
C.They can take part in a street carnival. |
D.They can get pictures from famous painters. |
A.an advertisement |
B.a tour journal |
C.a news report |
D.an announcement |
8 . For nearly a decade now, Merebeth has been a self-employed pet transport specialist. Her pet transport job was born of the financial crisis(危机)in the late 2000s. The downturn hit the real estate (房地产)firm where she had worked for ten years as an office manager. The firm went broke and left her looking for a new job. One day, while driving near her home, she saw a dog wandering on the road, clearly lost. She took it home, and her sister in Denver agreed to take it. This was a loving home for sure, but 1, 600 miles away. It didn’t take long for Merebeth to decide to drive the dog there herself. It was her first road trip to her new job.
Merebeth’s pet delivery service also satisfies her wanderlust. It has taken her to every state in the US except Montana, Washington and Oregon, she says proudly. If she wants to visit a new place, she will simply find a pet with transport needs there. She travels in all weathers. She has driven through 55 mph winds in Wyoming, heavy flooding and storms in Alabama and total whiteout conditions in Kansas.
This wanderlust is inherited from her father, she says. She moved their family from Canada to California when she was one year old, because he wanted them to explore a new place together. As soon as she graduated from high school she left home to live on Catalina Island off the Californian coast, away from her parents, where she enjoyed a life of sailing and off-road biking.
It turns out that pet transporting pays quite well at about $30, 000 per year before tax. She doesn’t work in summer, as it would be unpleasantly hot for the animals in the car, even with air conditioning. As autumn comes, she gets restless—the same old wanderlust returning. It’s a call she must heed alone, though. Merebeth says, “When I am on the road, I’m just in my own world. I’ve always been independent-spirited and I just feel strongly that I must help animals.”
1. Why did Merebeth changed her job?A.She wanted to work near her home. |
B.She was tired of working in the office. |
C.Her sister asked her to move to Denver. |
D.Her former employer was out of business. |
A.make money. | B.try various jobs. |
C.be close to nature. | D.travel to different places. |
A.She has chances to see rare animals. |
B.She works hard throughout the year. |
C.She relies on herself the whole time. |
D.She earns a basic and tax-free salary. |
9 . Martin was returning to work in his London office after spending two weeks with his brother in New York. He was coming back with a heavy heart. It was not just that it was the end of a wonderful holiday; it was not just that he invariably suffered badly from jet lag(时差); it was that Monday morning always began with a team meeting and , over the months, he had grown to hate them.
Martin was aware that colleagues approached these meetings with hidden agenda(会议议 程); they indulged in(沉溺于)game playing ; and he knew that people were not being honest and open. The meetings themselves were bad enough---there was all the moaning afterwards at the meeting like “I could have improved on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say.”
As this morning’s meeting began, Martin prepared himself for the usual dullness and boredom. But, as the meeting progressed, he became aware of a strange background noise. At first, he thought that he was still hearing the engine noise from the aircraft that had brought him back to London. But as he concentrated on the noise, it became a little clearer.
He realized, to his amazement, that he could actually hear what they were thinking at the same time as they were speaking. What surprised him, even more than the acquisition of this strange power, was that he discovered that what people were saying was not really what they were thinking. They were not making clear their reservations. They were not supporting views which they thought might be popular. They were not contributing their new insights. They were not volunteering their new ideas.
Martin found it impossible not to respond to his new knowledge. So he started to make gentle interventions (干涉), based more on what he could hear his colleagues thinking than on what he could hear them saying. “So, John, are you really saying.....” “Susan, do you really think that?” “Tom, have you got an idea on how we could take this forward?” They looked at him, puzzled. In truth, he felt rather proud of his newly -acquired talent.
As the meeting progressed, it was clear to him that each member of the meeting was learning how to hear the thoughts of the others. The game playing started to fall away; people started to speak more directly; views became better understood; the atmosphere became more open and trusting.
The meeting ended. As people left the room, Martin found that he could still hear what they were thinking. “That was the best meeting we’ve ever had.” “All meetings should be like that,” “ In future, I’m going to say what I think.”
1. It is known from the first paragraph that Martin_____.A.just came back from his business trip in New York |
B.was found to suffer from a serious heart disease during the trip |
C.had a good time during his fortnight’s stay in New York |
D.didn’t like his work in his London office |
A.Because it had to be held every Monday morning. |
B.Because he was tired of hosting such a meeting |
C.Because he couldn’t control the meeting that was out of order. |
D.Because the meeting atmosphere wasn’t open and trusting. |
A.still hear the engine noise of the plane though he was back |
B.clearly hear what the members of the meeting were saying |
C.actually control the thoughts of the members of the meeting |
D.express what the meeting members were thinking based on their words and their thoughts |
A.Martin made people say what they were thinking immediately the meeting began. |
B.Martin was angry at the dullness of the meeting at the beginning of the meeting.. |
C.Martin led people to express their real thoughts with the meeting progressing. |
D.Many members of the meeting played games and told lies at the meeting all the time. |
A.I was thinking of making a suggestion ---but I couldn’t be bothered. |
B.I have got an idea on how we could take this forward. I think we should... |
C.The usual people say the usual things, so I have no other new ideas. |
D.I could have imagined on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say. |
10 . Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is filled with a remote immobilizer and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.
The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control center to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.
In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a minimum of tools, but only if the car is more than 10 years old.
Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won’t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition(点火) key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.
But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner’s keys. And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.
If the car travels 100 meters without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operation center that it has been stolen. The hundred meters minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.
Staff at the center will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing and keep police informed of the vehicle’s movements via the car’s GPS unit.
1. What’s the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to the car?A.To help the police make a surprise attack on the car. |
B.To order the car to lock automatically when stolen. |
C.To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops. |
D.To send a radio signal to inform the car owner of the thief. |
A.it takes less time for the car thief to do the stealing |
B.many self-prepared tools can be used for car theft |
C.the theft becomes more difficult because of modern technology |
D.the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old |
A.A micro-professor. | B.A unique ID code |
C.A special cell phone | D.A GPS satellite positioning receiver. |
A.To leave time for the operation center to give an alarm. |
B.To keep police informed of the car’s movement. |
C.To give the driver time to contact the operation center. |
D.To allow for possible errors in the GPS system. |
A.Start the tracking system. | B.Stop the engine. |
C.Contact the owner. | D.Locate the missing car. |