1 . If plastic had been invented when the Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth, England, to North America - and their Mayflower had been stocked with bottled water and plastic-wrapped snacks, their plastic waste would likely still be around four centuries later. Atlantic waves and sunlight would have worn all that plastic into tiny bits. And those bits might still be floating around the world’s oceans today, waiting to be eaten by some fish or oyster, and finally perhaps by one of us.

Because plastic wasn’t invented until the late 19th century, and its production only really took off around 1950, we have a mere 9. 2 billion tons of the stuff to deal with. Of that, more than 6. 9 billion tons have become waste. And of that waste, a surprising 6. 3 billion tons never made it to a recycling bin - the figure that shocked the scientists who published the numbers in 2017.

No one knows how much unrecycled plastic waste ends up in the ocean, the earth’s last sink. In 2015, Jenna Jambeck, a University of Georgia engineering professor, caught everyone’s attention with a rough estimate: between 5. 3 million and 14 million tons of plastic waste each year just come from coastal regions.

Meanwhile, ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine( 海 洋 的 )animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. Some are harmed visibly, stuck by abandoned things made of plastic. Many more are probably harmed invisibly. Marine species of all sizes, from zooplankton to whales, now eat microplastics, the bits smaller than one-fifth of an inch across.

“This isn’t a problem where we don’t know what the solution is,” says Ted Siegler, a Vermont resource economist who has spent more than 25 years working with developing nations on garbage. “We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to deal with it. We know how to recycle.” It’s a matter of building the necessary institutions and systems, he says, ideally before the ocean turns into a thin soup of plastic.

1. Why does the author mention the Pilgrims in paragraph 1?

A．To prove plastic was difficult to invent.

B．To introduce what marine animals like eating.

C．To tell the Pilgrims contributed a lot to the marine protection.

D．To show plastic waste has a lasting effect on the ocean.

2. What’s the main trouble marine animals face according to the text?

A．Lacking protection.	B．Being stuck by plastics.
C．Being caught by humans.	D．Treating plastics as food.

3. What does Ted Siegler want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．Some people don’t know the solution of plastics waste.

B．Plastics will turn the ocean into a soup of plastic.

C．It’s time to take measures to deal with plastic waste.

D．People should avoid using plastics to protect the ocean.

4. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A biology textbook.	B．A travel brochure.
C．An environmental report.	D．A lifestyle magazine.

2 . East Africa is experiencing the worst desert locust outbreak in decades. Climate events have accelerated breeding of the pest across the region, and with a sudden rise in the locust population expected in coming weeks, urgent actions and funds are needed to prevent a human crisis.

Twenty million people in six of the eight East African countries are most affected by an ongoing desert locust outbreak at risk of serious food insecurity. Considered among the most destructive of moving pests, an adult locust can consume 2g of plants per day, affecting crops and grasslands. A group typically holds 20 to 150 million locusts per square kilometer and can move hundreds of kilometers per day, invading areas covering millions of square kilometers. An active group, therefore, can destroy crops and grasslands within a very short period of time.

That global warming could increase the risk of desert locust crisis was proposed over ten years ago, and in February, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the current outbreak is linked to the effects of climate change: “warmer seas mean more perfect breeding ground for locusts”. The outbreak has its origins in 2018, when a series of windstorms in the Arabian Peninsula (阿拉伯半岛) enabled the warm and wet conditions the desert locust requires to breed and band undetected in remote regions. Though our focus here is migration west, dreadful outbreaks of the desert locust have been experienced to the east.

The situation is going out of control. A rescue operation and financial support admit no delay.

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) can take out only US$138 million for rapid response and immediate action — controlling the spread of the desert locust and safeguarding livelihoods. They say the maths is clear: about half the funding (资助) is needed for supervision, ground and sky control, and uniting efforts; the other half is needed for livelihoods and food security of farmers. As for the huge gap, they have called on the international community to act now through funding. However, by the end of February, just US$69 million had been promised.

This most alarming crisis has developed and is worsening in East Africa. The funds needed to control the situation become very difficult to achieve and the gap is a big concern.

1. Why does the crisis happen in East Africa?

A．There is a big population there.

B．There are large deserts and grasslands.

C．Africa lies west of Arabian Peninsula.

D．Good climate for breeding plays a role.

2. Why does the writer list those figures in Para 2?

A．To warn of the terrible damage by locusts.

B．To help us understand how locusts live.

C．To show how many locusts there are now.

D．To draw a picture of the present Africa.

3. What can we infer from the text?

A．The crisis is not noticed until recently.

B．More fund is needed to prevent the crisis.

C．The crisis has been the focus of the world.

D．Locusts are all from the Arabian Peninsula.

4. Which is the best title for the text?

A．Killing locusts before too late

B．Global warming, a world problem

C．Funding Gap for Locust Crisis

D．Africa, a crisis-stricken place

3 . Foods of the Future

We asked young scientists to write an advertisement that answers this question: How will food options, food availability, and individuals’ food choices change in the future? A selection of their suggested marketing campaigns is below. Read previous NextGen Voices survey results at http://science.sciencemag.org/collection/nextgen-voices. — Jennifer Sills

Personalized Meal Plans

Send us your DNA, and we will predict your food preferences! Receive your personalized food basket, with a day-by-day diet program. We will send you full meals and personalized smoothies (水果奶昔) based on your genetic taste tendency.

Ada Gabriela Blidner

Twitter:@adagbb

Fresh Fruit

If you miss sweet temperate fruits, welcome to our Moon Farm. Our fruit trees are planted in hybrid-soil and artificial air that reproduce Earth’s environment from 5000 years ago. Pick fruits with your family or ship to your doorstep with MoonEx. Freshness guaranteed.

Yongsheng Ji

Email: jiyongshengkey@hotmail.com

Meat

Our steaks are sourced from natural grasslands, where cattle now fill the ecological roles. With FoodFootprint feeding system, we enhance natural grazing (放牧) to improve animal growth effectively while minimizing methane production and water consumption. At only $219.00/kg (including carbon taxes and ecological taxes), our steaks are affordable for the whole family.

Falko Buschke

Email: falko. buschke@gmail. com

1. Which of the following needs you to provide the information of your genes?

A．Meat.	B．Fresh Fruit.
C．NextGen Voices.	D．Personalized Meal Plans.

2. Who should you contact if you want to have fun with your family?

A．Jennifer Sills.	B．Yongsheng Ji.
C．Falko Buschke.	D．Ada Gabriela Blidner.

3. Which of the following best describes the steaks in Meat?

A．Fresh.	B．Green.
C．Expensive.	D．Personalized.

4 . For decades, television networks have produced no shortage of entertaining shows featuring food. The success of these shows is a clear indication of the strong appeal of the cookery experience to people. Whether it’s recipe instructions, review of a restaurant or coverage (专访) of a chef, people are hungry to find out more about the food they eat.

One of the latest entries among the food programs is the Emmy-nominated Award Netflix series, Chef’s Table, which features more than just ways to prepare fine food. Viewers tune in to each episode (一集) to hear a personal story from a distinguished chef. Each chef’s tale is heart-touching with their own unique life experience. Take American chef Grant Achatz for example. The journey to operating one of the highest ranked restaurants in North America took a very personal turn. In 2007, Achatz was diagnosed with mouth cancer and lost his sense of taste. Amazingly, he regained it, and has gone on to pioneer a new “progressive American” style of cooking.

Each chef has his own fascinating story, and the series highlights an important common thread among them: culture. Because food is so connected with the culture it comes from, each chef represents whatever traditions and cooking techniques they’ve come out of. They combine their culture’s traditional cooking with new tastes. In fact, many chefs work tirelessly at redefining an entire culture’s expectation for eating.

Despite having a number of unconventional elements associated with their cooking, one thing is clear: Cooking is an incredibly meaningful experience for each chef. One guest described his time at one chef’s restaurant by saying “Eating there is like looking at someone who has put his soul into the food”.

1. What does the success of the food programs show?

A．More and more chefs are in demand.

B．These programs are a new fashion trend.

C．People are hungry to find out what they eat.

D．People are interested in the cookery experience.

2. What do we know about Chef’s Table?

A．It is the latest entry among the food programs.

B．It is an award-winning TV series featuring unique chefs.

C．People watch it just to hear the heart-touching stories.

D．Grant Achatz is the most famous chef in the program.

3. What does the author intend to tell readers in Paragraph 3?

A．Culture counts a lot in cooking and eating.

B．The chefs are trying to change the eating culture.

C．A good chef should highlight traditional cooking.

D．Each chef has his own attractive story about culture.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Chef’s Story	B．Food and Culture
C．A Popular Entertaining Program	D．Chef’s Table: Food with a Story

5 . If you’ve ever been to a Disney Park, you’ve obviously seen little children running around dressed as their favorite characters. In fact, it’s ________ by the park, and you can even purchase a Disney makeover for your kids in the park ________ with authentic costumes (戏服), hairstyles, and makeup by the professionals. But as the kids get ________, they are less likely to be dressed up, and ________ they hit the age of 14, you won’t ________ a single one of them in costume.

It isn’t because they’re “too cool for school”; it’s ________ against the rules. According to the Disney Park rule-book, any guest aged 14 or older may be ________ admittance if they are ________ costumes or masks.

The ________ of this rule is two-fold. One, your face can’t be ________ and you can’t be carrying anything resembling a real gun. This is obviously a ________ issue, so choose your cosplay wisely. The second intention is to ________ that any interactions park guests have with cast members remain genuine (真实的) and on brand. If there were 20 ________ running around dressed like Cinderella, some of the guests in costume may get one confused with Disney’s official princess, ruining the fantasy for children. He may convey false messages or break one of the 15 Disney etiquette (礼仪) rules all Disney employees must ________.

________, that doesn’t mean that you can’t truly get into the ________ of your favorite Disney character the next time you head to one of the parks. ________ Disney fan Leslie Kay began a trend that is called Disney Bounding. In ________, Disney Bounding is dressing up in a non-costume outfit ________ by your favorite character. So maybe you can’t dress up in Princess Belle’s iconic (标志性的) yellow dress, but you could wear a yellow dress with teacup-themed jewelry. Try to be creative with your ________ the next time you head to one of the parks.

1.

A．discussed

B．encouraged

C．confirmed

D．ignored

2.

A．delighted

B．combined

C．complete

D．complex

3.

A．older

B．stronger

C．taller

D．cleverer

4.

A．because

B．in case

C．once

D．even if

5.

A．recognize

B．understand

C．remember

D．spot

6.

A．actually

B．properly

C．generally

D．specially

7.

A．given

B．promised

C．refused

D．left

8.

A．buying

B．making

C．changing

D．wearing

9.

A．origin

B．purpose

C．effect

D．weakness

10.

A．covered

B．injured

C．identified

D．acknowledged

11.

A．attitude

B．finance

C．dignity

D．safety

12.

A．discover

B．admit

C．ensure

D．prove

13.

A．adults

B．workers

C．performers

D．guards

14.

A．make

B．follow

C．learn

D．support

15.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Moreover

D．Anyhow

16.

A．nature

B．spirit

C．quality

D．fight

17.

A．Rude

B．Devoted

C．Annoyed

D．Disappointed

18.

A．brief

B．addition

C．fact

D．part

19.

A．created

B．designed

C．copied

D．inspired

20.

A．security

B．manners

C．intention

D．look

6 . Riding on an exercise bike at home may keep you in physical shape, but it can get pretty boring after a while. Aaron Puzey had been on his exercise bike for half an hour a day for years when he decided to look for a way to make it a bit more fun.

With virtual reality technology widely available nowadays, all he needed to do was find a way of applying it to his needs. So he set out to build an app for the Samsung Galaxy Gear VR headset(头戴式视图器) which would allow him to hook it up to Google Street view and make it seem like he's cycling through different real-life locations.

Building the app to download the 3D data from Street View and make it viewable in the VR headset was the toughest part of his project. Other than that, all he needed to do was tape a Bluetooth monitor to his exercise bike. Although the quality of the images sometimes leaves a lot to be desired, leaving complex scenes like trees looking like a mess, Aaron has been having a lot of fun on his journey.

Aaron's project is obviously no substitute(替代品) for real outdoor cycling as it lacks things like the wind blowing in your face or the pain of battling an uphill climb, but it has given him a goal, as well as the chance to take in the beauty of places he might have otherwise never seen. It definitely beats staring at a wall or at the TV for 30 minutes, anyway.

Obviously, Aaron's set up the officially allows him to ride a bike anywhere around the world. He says he has always wanted to see Japan, so once his ride comes to an end, he plans to start another one across the Land of the Rising Sun.

1. Why did Aaron Puzey build the app?

A．To invent a new kind of bicycle	B．To participate in a competition.
C．To satisfy the needs of the public.	D．To add fun to his exercise bike routine

2. Which of the following can best describe Aaron Puxey?

A．Creative.	B．Ambitious.
C．Funny.	D．Boring.

3. What was the challenge for Puzey in his project?

A．Changing the 3D data into pictures.

B．Downloading the software from the Internet.

C．Making the 3D data viewable in the headset.

D．Taping a Bluetooth monitor lo his exercise bike.

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

A．Cycling Across the World at Home

B．The Lazy Man and His Crazy Idea

C．A New Way of Cycling Without Effort

D．A Substitute for Real Outdoor Cycling

7 . There are multiple experiences a Westerner can describe as a “culture shock” in China, one of the fastest-growing economies, like eating mouthwatering baozi for breakfast. These experiences, however, paled in comparison to the one I experienced during my time in an organization I’ve been serving in for two years to provide free educational tours at my leisure — the advancement and equalizing of China’s known wealth disparity（差异）through the social network and cashless payment giant（巨头）, WeChat, which I rarely used before.

Last month, the organization led a thrilling trip to camp. Initially, we went through a village kept alive by the residents. The views there are so attractive and refreshing. Walking through endless red apple trees, I saw an elderly woman who gently offered to sell me apples. Unfortunately, I informed her I didn’t have cash on hand. She quickly told me to scan the QR code（二维码）on her phone, which in seconds would get my money into her bank account via WeChat. Needless to say, I was blown away. And of course, the apples were tasty.

As an advocate of financial growth opportunities in under-served communities, it was inspiring to witness that technology lets people contribute to the economy regardless of socioeconomic background in China. Though the socioeconomic problems remain to some extent, access to and adoption of technology creating financial opportunities transforms the lives of everyday citizens and enables communities to flower.

While I once didn’t believe a “cashless society” was possible and thought it could cause more unfavorable conditions, I now stand corrected. Perhaps it might take longer for New York City to adapt, as we lag behind in this transformation and there is so much we can learn. I also wonder what the human race can achieve when technology provides endless opportunities for people of all backgrounds to advance.

1. What does the first paragraph tell us about the author?

A．She is struggling with culture shock.

B．She really enjoys Chinese breakfast.

C．She does voluntary work when free.

D．She likes using social networks.

2. Which of the following surprised the author during the trip?

A．Scenery of the village.	B．Taste of the apples.
C．Popularity of WeChat.	D．The way of paying.

3. What is the author’s attitude to a cashless society?

A．Critical.	B．Positive.
C．Concerned.	D．Curious.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Technology helps narrow the wealth gap

B．New York will be the next cashless society

C．Humans will achieve more with technology

D．China becomes the fastest-growing economy

8 . A new wave of psychological research is pioneering Virtual Reality (VR) to treat medical conditions from social anxiety to Alzheimer's disease.

Riding a wave of interest in mental health tech, companies creating VR content for treatment are receiving a flood of attention and funding. And, while VR has been used successfully to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the 1990s, these new programs address a much broader range of conditions. The library of Palo Alto-based Limbix, for instance, includes VR content designed to treat issues including alcohol addiction and teenage depression. Barcelona-based Psious offers treatments for eating disorders.

Today's VR content is primarily designed to aid exposure treatment, a treatment for anxiety disorders in which patients are exposed to the “threats” they're worried about in a safe, controlled environment, eventually learning that the “threats” are not actually very dangerous. For example, someone who fears heights might visit taller and taller buildings under the guidance of their doctor, while someone with PTSD might revisit painful memories.

VR allows doctors to create a safe and controlled environment inside a VR headset. It's a far safer, quicker and less expensive option. Using VR also gives doctors much more control over the intensity(强度)of their patients' experiences, which can lead to better treatment outcomes, said Stephane Bouchard, a professor at the University of Quebec. VR treatment patients can also do things they couldn't do in the real world. “In one of our studies, we asked patients who are afraid of heights to actually jump from a cliff,” Bouchard said.

However, not all VR treatment content is created equal. “Some companies show videos of VR environments that are incomplete, untested and definitely haven't been tried out by psychologists,” Bouchard said. Clearer rules and standards will make it easier for patients and doctors to identify products that work.

1. What problems can VR be used to treat according to the passage?

A．The fear of heights, blood pressure and eating disorders.

B．Social anxiety, PTSD and alcohol addiction.

C．Alzheimer's disease, heart attack and teenage depression.

D．Sleeping disorders, deafness and computer addiction.

2. What is the main idea of Para 4?

A．The benefits of using VR treatment.	B．The principles of using V R treatment.
C．The side effects of using VR treatment.	D．The causes of using VR treatment.

3. Which word can be used to describe the future of VR treatment?

A．Passive.

B．Uncertain.

C．Promising.

D．Worrying.

4. What will be most probably discussed in the paragraph following the passage?

A．Wide use of VR treatment.	B．Criteria of VR treatment.
C．Problems VR treatment are facing.	D．Reasons why VR treatment standards are needed.

9 . The kakapo, a bird that lives in New Zealand, is not designed for survival. Weighing up to 4 kilograms, it is the world's fattest parrot. It mates (交配) only when the rimu tree is in fruit, which happens every few years. It developed gradually in the absence of land-based natural enemies, so instead of flying above the trees it walks like a duck across the dry forest floor. When it moves unsteadily across something that might kill it, it will stand still.

Such unusual characteristics turned it into fast food for human settlers, and for the cats and rats they brought with them. It seemed to have disappeared by the 1970s, until scientists came across two undiscovered populations in the country's south. These survivors were eventually moved to small enemy-free islands, where researchers have spent decades trying to get them to breed (繁殖).

The scientists' patience is finally rewarded. The rimu was in fruit this year, and more than 80 chicks hatched, making this the best breeding season on record. Many have survived into adolescence, increasing the number of adult kakapos by a third, to 200 birds.

Another danger to the kakapo is a lack of genetic diversity. This is one reason why fewer than half of kakapo eggs hatch. By arranging the genome (基因组) of every living bird, scientists can identify closely-related individuals and put them on different islands. Every bird is fitted with something to track its slightest movement. If a female mates with an "unsuitable” male, the process can be stopped.

All these efforts cost almost New Zealand $1.3 million this breeding season. Yet the kakapo's future still looks unsafe. Earlier this year a severe disease tore through the population. And tiny as the number of kakapos is, space is running out on the two islands where most of them live. New enemy-free settlement must soon be found.

1. Which of the following is a danger for the survival of the kakapo?

A．It is the smallest bird in the world.	B．It lacks exercise and usually stands still.
C．It adapts slowly in genetic development.	D．It can't respond actively when facing danger.

2. In what way may the scientists' patience be rewarded?

A．They hatched 80 kakapos' eggs this year.

B．They tried to make the rimu tree in fruit this year.

C．Two survivors were moved to enemy-free islands.

D．50 chicks hatched have survived into adults this year.

3. Why did the scientists put kakapo in different islands?

A．To stop closely-related kakapos mating.	B．To increase the population of kakapo.
C．To stop females mating with males.	D．To hatch more kakapos' eggs.

4. According to the author, the efforts to protect the kakapo in New Zealand are _______.

A．successful	B．unsafe
C．doubtful	D．inadequate

10 . When it comes to helping students learn and mature, there are several ways to increase their well-being. Although your children may be succeeding in the classroom, there are a few things that you still can do.

Encouraging physical activity is the first thing you can do. More and more children do not participate in sports after school. It’s important for you to encourage mobility with sports that are played after class. You should find sporting equipment, basketball courts and play areas where kids can increase their well-being.     1    

Secondly, you can provide proper nutrition for your children. It’s important for your children to receive proper nutrition both inside and outside of the home.     2     You’d better make it a point to provide enough nutrition for their proper development and growth.

    3     Many parents fail to stop children from using smart phones and computers. There are some institutions that even encourage too much screen time as a way to teach children or keep them entertained. You should help the children remain excited without sitting in front of a screen throughout the day.

Last but not the least, monitoring bullying （欺凌）is also an essential part. Bullying continues to remain a common problem in some schools, making it important that the environment that your children grow in holds a high standard.     4    

It’s important to examine the school life as a whole to determine what factors are missing.     5    . You may determine how well they adjust to the world around them and succeed in life.

A．You should provide kids with fresh food.

B．Besides, you’d better limit their screen time.

C．It will encourage children to focus on their study.

D．In addition, try your best to give them more freedom.

E．This will reduce the risk of health conditions that include obesity.

F．You can advise teachers to keep a practice of looking for bullying.

G．Parents play a significant role in children’s growth and well-being.