1 . Saltwater and dry desert climate may not seem good for growing healthy produce,but that is exactly what a group of scientists has managed to do.Researchers from the UK-based Seawater Greenhouse Company have discovered a good way to farm fruit and vegetables simply by using solar power and salt water for watering and cooling in dry areas.
The company has developed plantation(种植园)projects in dry areas such as Australia, Abu Dhabi, Somaliland, Oman, and Tenerife. Although these places are dry, the plantations are able to grow thousands of pounds of produce simply by making ''cooling houses'' out of thick walls of cardboard(硬纸板).While glass greenhouses are designed to keep gardens wet and warm, the cardboard walls use evaporative cooling(蒸发冷却)to keep the inside of the plantations wet and cool.
An exciting new study says that plants grow well down below solar panels(太阳能板)and they produce more energy. The design of the waving-cardboard panels helps to cool down the wind coming from the outside. At the same time, a small solar-powered machine offers sea water at the top of the panels so at it can drop down through the walls of the cardboard for evaporation. This evaporative cooling skill creates the perfect conditions for farming produce in the dry areas. Additionally, since the seawater is repeatedly collected, the salt can be left onto the outside of the walls. Not only does this help to make the cardboard strong, it can also be collected and sold for increasing income.
According to Seawater Greenhouse founder Charlie Paton，you would only need about 10 square miles of ''cooling houses'' to feed all of Somaliland, which is a country of about four million people. Upon completing the company's Somaliland project in November 2017, it now produces about 300 to 750 tons of tomatoes every year. Paton says that he is very excited for his company to start even more projects in dry areas around the world.
1. What kind of places will welcome plantation projects?| A．Cold areas with less sunlight. | B．Dry and hot areas near the sea. |
| C．Cold and wet places. | D．Dry desert areas. |
| A．It can help plants grow quicker. | B．It doesn't produce waste materials. |
| C．It uses solar energy instead of electricity. | D．It gets extra income by cooling seawater. |
| A．To show the high output of the project. | B．To tell people the need for food there. |
| C．To let people know its agriculture. | D．To introduce its large population. |
| A．The farming conditions of dry areas. | B．The wide use of solar panels in farming. |
| C．Helping solve Somaliland’s food problems. | D．Using saltwater to grow produce in dry areas. |
2 . Sign language, the primary form of communication of the deaf community, has been in use for hundreds of years. You're probably most familiar with American Sign Language, but sign language is used all over the world and has nearly 150 variations. Sign language interpreters can be seen everywhere from classrooms and graduation ceremonies to major sporting events.
When you think of sign language, you most likely imagine signers using their hands to form words and letters. However, hands are only one of the many different body language techniques that signers use to get their meaning across. In fact, much of the grammatical structure of sign language is not indicated by the signer's hands.
While the hands are responsible for forming the words themselves, markers called "non-manual elements" control much of the languages' grammatical structure. Non-manual elements (or markers) are body language techniques that don't use the hands. These include head movements, body positioning and facial expressions. Used together with the signs. these elements give sign language a subtle and extremely complicated grammatical structure. Linguist Andrea Lackner from Alpcn-Adria University in Austria did a study that shows just how important these non-manual elements are to sign language users.
The study assessed just how many different things non-manual elements can do. For this study, all participants were deaf users of Austrian Sign Language. They watched a video of someone using sign language, and they had to describe the purpose of each non-manual element. The results were very complicated. For instance, things as subtle as the direction of the signer's gaze can indicate whether or not a statement is hypothetical(假设的). A single head movement can indicate the emotion of a statement, a conditional or if situation, or a signer's feelings toward a hypothetical question. Body language is always important, but in sign language, it can change the entire meaning of a sentence!
1. What do signers use their hands to do mostly?| A．To know people's words and letters. | B．To understand people's meanings. |
| C．To form the grammatical structure. | D．To form words and letters. |
| A．Words, sign language and body language. |
| B．Head movements, body language and signs. |
| C．Head movements, body positioning and facial expressions. |
| D．Body positioning, facial expressions and signs. |
| A．The main function of the non-manual elements. |
| B．The importance of the non-manual elements. |
| C．The influence of body language on sign language. |
| D．The influence of sign language on body language. |
| A．Non-manual Elements Counts in Sign Language | B．Ways to Avoid Being Misunderstood |
| C．Grammatical Elements in Sign Language | D．The Importance of Sign Language |
3 . More than 100 scientists from 25 countries have traveled to faraway places to collect wild crop seeds(种子) in an effort to help battle climate change.
The scientists, who have been compared to the heroes of the “Indiana Jones” movies, traveled on foot, four-wheeled vehicles(交通工具), boats, horses and even elephants to reach faraway areas. They faced extreme heat,dust, and danger from wild animals. At last, they collected 4, 644 seeds of 371 wild relatives of 28 world crops, many of which are said to be endangered.
The Crop Trust, an organization that works to save different kinds of crops, is directing the project. The group is working in partnership with Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens and Millennium Seed Bank. Additional financial support comes from Norway. The project is believed to be the largest organized international effort yet to collect and protect crops' wild relatives.Hannes Dempewolf is a scientist and the head at the Crop Trust. He said“What these seed collectors went through in the field resembles scenes from an Indiana Jones movie.”
Some crops are threatened because of destruction of forests, climate change and expanded cities. The newly-found wild seeds have developed so plants can grow in extreme temperatures, poor soils, and even in low rainfall areas.
A United Nations report says that food production is at risk because of a shortage of rain and other weather extremes connected to climate change. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says that the number of plant species is quickly decreasing and people are depending on fewer species for food. Those wild seeds could be important in feeding a growing human population in some areas and offer a largely unused source of diversity(多样性) to crops.
1. What does the second paragraph show?| A．Collecting seeds is not an easy job. |
| B．The scientists’ story is made into a movie. |
| C．The wild seeds are in danger of extinction. |
| D．The scientists can choose from many vehicles. |
| A．Depends on. | B．Looks like. |
| C．Turns out. | D．Refers to. |
| A．They can increase green areas. | B．They can provide more nutrients |
| C．They can survive bad conditions. | D．They can improve existent crop seeds. |
| A．Bringing more plant species to the world. |
| B．Helping farmers improve their farming skills. |
| C．Knowing about the worlds farming practices. |
| D．Helping battle climate change. |
4 . Music and art festivals are fun and exciting events. If you're panning to go to a festival, it's important to plan your trip carefully to ensure that you re safe and have a good time.
■Bring clothes to keep warm or cool
In addition to your fun festival clothing, pack a raincoat, some light tank tops, and a sweater or sweatshirt. Don't forget longer pants for cool evenings or bad weather. In general, it's best to leave your umbrella at home because they can be dangerous in large crowds.
■Get a cheap tent and sleeping bag for multi - day festivals
A majority of people end up throwing their tent away after long festivals, since they normally break from the use. Pick up a less expensive tent with enough room for you and your friends and pack a comfortable seeping bag for yourself, 1f you don't want to camp at the festival, remember to book an AirBnb or a hotel room nearby!
■Place a first aid kit in a proper place
Before the festival, buy a small first aid kit with band aids, and any medication that you need to take, in case you get minor injuries or a headache. Keep it in a proper place that's easily accessible, like your tent or car.
1. Why should umbrellas be left at home?| A．They take up too much space. | B．The weather will be terrible. |
| C．They might hurt someone. | D．Travelers prefer raincoats, |
| A．Sell them. | B．Return them. | C．Pack them up. | D．Throw them away. |
| A．It should be put at hand. | B．It ought to be big enough. |
| C．It must contain all medicines. | D．It has to be placed in the car. |
5 . Don’t you have time for reading? If you are interested in non-fiction books, here are some good choices for you.
A Room of One’s Own
This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in 1928. In the essay, Woolf describes that it’s circumstance not talent alone, that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women, in other words, spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well, therefore, a woman must have a “room of her own”. While on its surface, this essay appears to be only about writing, it is actually about wealth and class, freedom and confinement, and the power struggle between sexes.
The Art of War
Written by ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu, The Art of War is widely considered to be one of the best books about military strategies in human history. Consisting of 13 chapters, each dealing with a separate aspect about how to fight a war, the book has been translated into every major language and has thousands of editions. For centuries, it has been used to train world leaders for its detailed study of military strategies and effective leadership.
Letter to My Daughter
This book of essays by Maya Angelou, a respectable African-American poet, is written for “the daughter she never had” — the millions of women, both young and old, that she considers to be her “family”. From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own life experiences, including the birth of her only child, a son, as well as the development and loss of friendship.
A Brief History of Time
If you’re short of time, then why not read about, well, the creation of time? This book, first published in 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking, explores mind-bending questions about the creation of the universe, including if and when it will end, and if so, how. Despite its heavy subject matter, Hawking addresses these questions in a way that’s easy to understand, even for those who know little about physics.
1. What can we learn about the four books?| A．A Brief History of Time mainly focuses on the matter of time. |
| B．Letter to My Daughter is actually a common family letter. |
| C．The Art of War gives advice on how to be a world leader. |
| D．A Room of One’s Own is more than about writing. |
| A．As a physicist,Hawking is equally famous in writing. |
| B．Maya devotes herself to fighting for women’s rights. |
| C．The book by Sun Tzu is helpful in policy-making. |
| D．Woolf looks down upon men in writing. |
| A．To make comparisons among the four books. |
| B．To recommend the four books to readers. |
| C．To make comments on the four books. |
| D．To promote sales of the four books. |
6 . “What's your ‘Thing of the Day’？”I asked my fourteen-year-old son as he got a piece of potato onto his plate. This is a question our four kids and whichever friends are staying for supper expect to be asked each evening at suppertime. Usually, it's followed with, “Uhh……Umm…We had pizza for lunch. ”And then I have to refuse the response and ask for something meaningful-either something he learned or something that happened with his friends.
But, this day, my son surprised me as he went into great detail about how he had been honestly wronged by a couple of classmates and laughed at in front of the class. I asked more questions and learned that the teachers were aware of the situation. The issue had been dealt with as much as the teachers and staff were able to. It was really just a matter of kids being mean and deciding to play a trick on someone.
I thought about the situation all night. I vacillated between meeting the teachers, meeting the parents of the classmates, and not doing anything since the story had been told to me in a matter-of-fact way-not overly excitedly.
I waited until the next day after school. On the car ride home, I questioned my son what about today after yesterday's situation. My son was surprised that I brought it up again. “What？No, it's over, Mom. They're my friends. They were just being stupid. They apologized. Forgive and forget, you know？We're all good. ”
I was worried that perhaps he was trying to hide his concern or sadness about the thing. But as I watched him over the next days and weeks, everything seemed “normal”. Wouldn't it be great if everyone could live the “forgive and forget” way of life？
1. How are children's usual answers to the author's daily question？| A．Serious. | B．Worrisome. | C．Meaningless. | D．Detailed. |
| A．Her son was made fun of unkindly. | B．Her son invited his friends to dinner. |
| C．Her son was punished by his teacher. | D．Her son lied to her about his mistake. |
| A．Give suggestions. | B．Make sense. | C．Persuade oneself. | D．Be undecided. |
| A．It is good to forgive and forget. | B．It is necessary to watch her son. |
| C．It is difficult to understand children. | D．It is surprising for her son to apologize. |
7 . The connection between people and plants has long been the subject of scientific research. Recent studies have found positive effects. A study conducted in Youngstown，Ohio，for example, discovered that greener areas of the city experienced less crime. In another，employees were shown to be 15% more productive when their workplaces were decorated with houseplants.
The engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)have taken it a step further changing the actual composition of plants in order to get them to perform diverse，even unusual functions. These include plants that have sensors printed onto their leaves to show when they’re short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater. ＂We’re thinking about how we can engineer plants to replace functions of the things that we use every day,＂explained Michael Strano, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT.
One of his latest projects has been to make plants glow(发光)in experiments using some common vegetables. Strano’s team found that they could create a faint light for three-and-a-half hours. The light，about one-thousandth of the amount needed to read by，is just a start. The technology, Strano said, could one day be used to light the rooms or even to turn trees into self-powered street lamps.
In the future，the team hopes to develop a version of the technology that can be sprayed onto plant leaves in a one-off treatment that would last the plant’s lifetime. The engineers are also trying to develop an on and off＂switch＂where the glow would fade when exposed to daylight.
Lighting accounts for about 7% of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source(电源)-such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission(传输).Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A new study of different plants. |
| B．A big fall in crime rates. |
| C．Employees from various workplaces. |
| D．Benefits from green plants. |
| A．To detect plants’ lack of water |
| B．To change compositions of plants |
| C．To make the life of plants longer. |
| D．To test chemicals in plants. |
| A．They will speed up energy production. |
| B．They may transmit electricity to the home. |
| C．They might help reduce energy consumption. |
| D．They could take the place of power plants. |
| A．Can we grow more glowing plants? |
| B．How do we live with glowing plants? |
| C．Could glowing plants replace lamps? |
| D．How are glowing plants made pollution-free? |
8 . Train Information
All customers travelling on TransLink services must be in possession of a valid ticket before boarding. For ticket information，please ask at your local station or call 13 12 30.
While Queensland Rail makes every effort to ensure trains run as scheduled，there can be no guarantee of connections between trains or between train services and bus services.
Lost property(失物招领)
Call Lost Property on 13 16 17 during business hours for items lost on Queensland Rail services.
The lost property office is open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm and is located(位于)at Roma Street station.
Public holidays
On public holidays, generally a Sunday timetable operates. On certain major event days，i.e.
Australia Day, Anzac Day, sporting and cultural days, special additional services may operate.
Christmas Day services operate to a Christmas Day timetable，Before travel please visit translink. com. au or call TransLink on 13 12 30 anytime.
Customers using mobility devices
Many stations have wheelchair access from the car park or entrance to the station platforms.
For assistance, please Queensland Rail on 13 16 17.
Guardian trains (outbound)
Depart | Origin | Destination | Arrive |
6:42pm | Altandi | Varsity Lakes | 7:37pm |
7:29pm | Central | Varsity Lakes | 8:52pm |
8:57pm | Fortitude Valley | Varsity Lakes | 9:52pm |
11:02pm | Roma Street | Varsity Lakes | 12:22am |
| A．Call 13 16 17. | B．Visit translink .com.au. |
| C．Ask at the local station. | D．Check the train schedule. |
| A．Altandi. | B．Roma Street. | C．Varsity Lakes. | D．Fortitude Valley. |
| A．6:42 pm. | B．7:29 pm. | C．8:57 pm. | D．11:02 pm. |
9 . Summer Boarding Courses
Ages: 8~12 Dates: Monday 13 July~Monday 10 August 2020
Courses: General English or Junior Summer Study
SBC Oxford Summer School is held at the world-renowned Dragon School in Oxford. The Dragon School is one of the UK's top Prep Schools and is located in a beautiful area of leafy Oxford. The summer school is just a 20-minute walk from the centre of this historic city. Our summer school for young learners has one member of staff for every five students, thus making it the ideal choice for students studying away from home for the first time.
Ages: 13~16 Dates: Saturday 4th July~Saturday 18th July 2020
Courses: English, Mathematics, Humanities, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths)
Eton College provides international students with the opportunity to study at one of the world's most famous schools. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, Eton College has educated 20 British Prime Ministers as well as numerous authors, scientists, actors, and Olympians.
Ages: 15~18 Dates: Monday 6 July~Monday 3 August 2020
Courses: Business & Leadership, International Relations, Law and Medicine
Cambridge College Summer School takes place at Clare College, the University of Cambridge. Clare College was founded in 1326 and is the university's second oldest remaining college. The picturesque campus is located on the banks of the River Cam and just 15 minutes from the centre of Cambridge. The summer courses are specifically designed for international students. Our courses teach English through the study of specific academic subjects and prepare students for further study or professional life in their chosen field.
1. What can we learn about the Dragon School in Oxford?| A．Students graduate here at the age of 12. |
| B．A class here is no bigger than 5 students. |
| C．It's located not far from the city center. |
| D．It's offering summer courses for the first time. |
| A．Dragon School. | B．Clare College. |
| C．Oxford College. | D．Eton College. |
| A．Through the course of General English. |
| B．Through the study of academic subjects. |
| C．Through further study in other chosen fields. |
| D．Through communication with international students. |
10 . China, endowed with rich agricultural resources, has a long history of farming. The traditional farming practice with intensive(精细的) cultivation(耕作) as its essence is one of the most important achievements of the human civilization. The development of agriculture and rural areas in China is faced with many problems. The Chinese government has made a number of important policies and measures to cause a faster growth of farmers’ income and narrow the ever enlarging income gap between rural and urban residents as soon as possible mainly through finishing a strategy of balanced social and economic development. We’ll give top priority in all work to solving problems facing agriculture, farmers and rural areas, focusing on the following seven aspects.
Firstly we’ll promote faster increase of farmers’ income. Secondly we’ll protect and increase the overall capacity of grain production. Thirdly we will continue to promote strategic restructuring of agriculture. Fourthly we’ll actively promote progress in agro-science and enhance work of agricultural high-tech and key research programs, and increase its reserve level. Fifthly we’ll further open agriculture to the outside world and actively develop agricultural trade with other countries. Sixthly we’ll speed up the transfer of rural labors and develop rural secondary and tertiary(第三的) industries. Seventhly we’ll continue to deepen rural reforms.
Priorities(优先权) will be placed on reform of rural land system, tax and administrative charges, grain distribution system and rural financial system. However, agricultural development has difficult tasks and a long way to go. The road ahead is by no means smooth. Nevertheless , China’s agriculture will give full play to its advantages, overcome any difficulties, enter a new stage of development and match towards a brighter new future in the new century!
1. What’s the China’s ancient civilization?| A．The rich agricultural resources. |
| B．The intensive cultivation. |
| C．The capacity of grain production. |
| D．The strategy of balanced development. |
| A．weaken | B．design | C．strengthen | D．effect |
| A．Promoting faster increase of farmers’ income. |
| B．Protecting the capacity of grain production. |
| C．Promoting strategic restructuring of agriculture. |
| D．Continuing to deepen rural reforms. |
| A．The future road ahead is smooth. |
| B．China’s advantages can not overcome any difficulty. |
| C．China won’t enter a new stage of reform. |
| D．China will have a brighter future. |
