1 . On Saturday 24 August 1918, it was raining cats and dogs and thundering over a city called Sunderland on the northeast coast of England. The storm lasted for only about ten minutes. People were surprised to see that it was not just rainwater falling from the sky. There were fish falling down, too! People came out to find out what was happening. They could not believe their own eyes. There were thousands of fish—sand eels (沙鳗)—lying on the ground. They were about seven centimeters long, and all were frozen solid (冻成硬块).
Sand eels swim together in large groups, often in sandy water, and are often found in large numbers in the North Sea, which reaches out to the east of Sunderland. How was it possible for these sand eels to fall from the sky and land on Sunderland?
Scientists believed the heavy thunderstorm that afternoon may have caused a waterspout (水龙卷). Waterspouts can be formed when strong winds move quickly in a circle over water. They are so powerful that anything less than one meter in length can be taken into them and forced into the clouds. The clouds carry whatever has been taken into them for long distances —sometimes over 150 kilometers. It’s very cold up there and everything soon freezes solid.
For hundreds of years there have been reports of small animals being taken into the sky through waterspouts. In 2009, dead tadpoles rained down on the city of Nanao in Japan. In 2012, fifty kilos of prawns fell from the sky over Sri Lanka. In 2017, fish fell on the coastal city of Tampico in Mexico.
It must be a very strange experience to see fish raining down on you. It would probably hurt if one fell on your head! With climate (气候) change and many reports of terrible storms, will the time ever come when it may really begin to rain cats and dogs?
1. What do we know about the sand eels that landed on Sunderland?| A．They were few in number. | B．They came in different sizes. |
| C．They were still alive when landing. | D．They probably came from the North Sea. |
| A．Clouds. | B．Waterspouts. | C．Strong winds. | D．The waters of the sea. |
| A．raining sea animals is not new in history | B．the environment is not pleasant in Japan |
| C．waterspouts can reach as far as Japan | D．different animals can fall in different countries |
| A．Our health. | B．Our environment. | C．The wild animals. | D．The news reports. |
2 . Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her senior high school life was unhappy and that she was tired of struggling with homework all the time.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, h placed potatoes, eggs and coffee beans in them. After 20 minutes, he took them out, putting the potatoes and eggs in a bowl and the coffee in a cup.
Turning to his daughter, he said, “Look closer, and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After puling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to taste the coffee. Its good smell brought a smile to her face.
“Father, what does this mean?” she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and the coffee beans were in the same adversity (逆境)—the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently.
The strong and hard potato became soft and weak in boiling water. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. “Which one do you want to be like,” he asked. “When adversity knocks on your door, how will you respond?”
In life, challenges happen to us all, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
1. Why did the girl complain to her father?| A．Because of her tiring job. | B．Because of her hard school life. |
| C．Because of her father’ s busy work. | D．Because of the food her father cooked. |
| A．The girl liked the coffee best. |
| B．The father was good at cooking. |
| C．Different people have different reactions to adversity. |
| D．The girl didn’t like the potatoes and eggs. |
| A．thick | B．hard | C．strong | D．easily-broken |
| A．Challenges and responses. | B．Adversities and a chef. |
| C．A chef and coffee beans. | D．Father and daughter. |
3 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they express regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp comers of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid (避免) those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. it’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say, “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality (可能发生的事). And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance (保障) for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips (绊倒) someone. |
| A．To keep her appointment with the eye doctor. |
| B．To meet her father who was already an old man. |
| C．To join in the holiday celebration of the company. |
| D．To finish her work before the deadline approached. |
| A．given up. | B．Lacked. | C．Avoided. | D．Wasted. |
| A．The Emotional Well-being | B．The Two Saddest Words |
| C．The Most Useful Rule | D．The Peace of Mind |
4 . What are scientists?They are often described as gray-haired white-coated dull scholars.
But the world has changed.Young scientists are making their voices heard and releasing their powers on the world stage.
This is also true in China.Rising stars include new materials expert Gong Yongji,university professor Liu Mingzhen,and biologist Wan Ruixue.At the age of 28 in 2018,Wan Ruixue received the 2018 Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists.This is a global prize to reward outstanding scientists at an early stage of their careers.
She focuses mainly on biomedicine (生物医学) and artificial intelligence.“Both are cutting-edge (前沿) technologies at an early stage of development,” she said.
“So,I think they have great potential to be developed.I think in the study of cutting-edge technologies,China and other leading countries in the world are standing on the same starting line.And in the study of structural biology,China is likely to become the leader.”
She felt it was her fate to become a biologist.“I grew interested in the natural world,when I was very young,” she said.In 2009,she entered Sun Yat-sen University.
In her third year at the university,she realized that she wanted to do something related to biomedicine.So she emailed China’s top biologist Shi Yigong,hoping to join his lab at Tsinghua University.
Shi recognised her talent and welcomed her.Years of efforts at the lab have paid off.Her research on the high-definition 3D structure of spliceosome led to a scientific breakthrough.
Unlike many of other young scientists who choose to pursue further study abroad,Wan currently has no plan to go overseas.
“The whole ecosystem for scientific research is continually improving in China,” she said,adding that the country has great science facilities.
1. What does the underlined word “releasing” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Giving out. | B．Getting over. |
| C．Finding out. | D．Taking over. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Confident. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．Her teacher led her into the field. |
| B．She finds it’s easier than she thought. |
| C．Her contribution has been recognised. |
| D．She thinks it’s boring but worth trying. |
| A．China’s Breakthrough in Science |
| B．Rising Young Scientists in China |
| C．Wan Ruixue:A Successful Young Scientist |
| D．New Image of Chinese Scientists |
5 . Have you still remembered what happened when you went to school on the first day? I still remember my interesting first day of school. On that day, I hurried to my science class in the morning and found a seat in the back. I waited there for 15 minutes before the bell rang. The science teacher told us about some class rules. No one talked to me; nor did I talk to anyone else. I was one of those very shy girls. After the science class, I had an English class. I thought it would be boring but it turned out to be very funny. When the classes of the morning ended, I went to lunch. I sat outside the dining room with no one to talk to and no food because I was too nervous to join the lunch line. I kept looking around hoping to see someone I knew but I never saw anyone.
Lunch ended and I went to have my art class. I was the first one there and not even my teacher was there yet. So I sat at my desk and started drawing some pictures. I didn’t notice the rest of the class walking in or the girl that was standing behind me till I was surprised by the voice, “So what are you drawing?” It was a girl who had really long hair. She ended up being my best friend and one of the kindest and liveliest girls I know.
In the next class meeting, the teacher asked us to talk about the past holiday. I was glad to make some new friends in the class. The first day of high school was hard for me but I got through it.
1. According to the writer, the English class was __________ .| A．boring | B．useful | C．hard | D．interesting |
| A．wasn’t hungry | B．forgot the lunchtime |
| C．was afraid to stand in line | D．didn’t like the dining room |
| A．got to know a lively girl | B．talked about her past holiday |
| C．met someone she knew before | D．drew some pictures about her class |
| A．She sat in the front row. | B．She made some new friends. |
| C．She learned some class rules. | D．She was 15 minutes late for it. |
6 . Now, a growing number of companies are offering subscriptions (订购) for something most people are used to owning: cars.
Car subscription plans are mainly aimed at drivers who do not want to have long-term agreements for one single car. Many people using the services say they like being able to use a number of different kinds of vehicles depending on their needs.
Steve Barnes uses a car subscription service in Atlanta, Georgia. He says that every time he orders a new car “it feels like New Year’s morning”. Barnes signed up for the service in 2018 to be able to use many kinds of vehicles for different purposes. He says for some activities with his children, he chooses a large SUV. But when he wants to have fun or go out at night, he chooses a Tesla or some other kinds of sports car. But the comfort of such services can come at a high cost. Barnes pays $1,400 a month for his subscription. This is much higher than the $ 900 a month he used to pay to hire an SUV with insurance. Sill, he has no desire to own or hire a car again. He says his subscription has allowed him to drive many different vehicles which would have cost more than $1 million to own.
Some of the world’s biggest automakers are currently offering subscription plans for vehicles. One of them is Ford Motor Company. The company signed a deal last year with the San Francisco-based Monthly subscription service-Canvas. Canvas offers several models, including used vehicles. Monthly subscriptions start at $379 for small cars and go up to $1,125 for large SUVs. But these plans limit drivers to 800 kilometers per month. For another $100, users can get unlimited travel.
Adela Spulber works at the U.S. -based Center for Automotive Research in Michigan. She said that the effects of vehicle subscription services remain unknown.
1. What is the main purpose of car subscription plans?| A．To get people to buy cars more actively. |
| B．To encourage people to own their own cars. |
| C．To meet some people’s needs to drive different cars. |
| D．To reach an agreement with people having a single car. |
| A．He is satisfied with the car subscription service. |
| B．He always likes to use different types of sports cars. |
| C．He hopes to own another car some day. |
| D．The cost of a month for his subscription is lower. |
| A．Canvas doesn’t provide second-hand cars. |
| B．There are different monthly subscriptions to choose from. |
| C．A driver may drive Canvas cars without limitation. |
| D．Now the subscription services are welcome in San Francisco. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Optimistic. | D．Uncertain. |
7 . Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now, the website Book Crossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.
Members go on the site and register (登记) the books they own and would like to share. Book Crossing provides an identification number (识别码) to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure, traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.
Bruce Pederson, the managing director of Book Crossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. Book Crossing combines both.”
Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.
People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E— mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Pederson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.
Book Crossing is part of a trend (趋势) among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual (虚拟).The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty—five countries.
1. Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph?| A．To explain what they are. | B．To introduce Book Crossing. |
| C．To stress the importance of reading. | D．To encourage readers to share their ideas. |
| A．An adventure. | B．A public place. |
| C．The book. | D．The identification number. |
| A．Keep it safe in his bookcase. | B．Mail it back to its owner. |
| C．Meet other readers to discuss it. | D．Pass it on to another reader. |
| A．Online Reading: A Virtual Tour | B．Electronic Books: A New Trend |
| C．A Book Group Brings Tradition Back | D．A Website Links People through Books |
8 . I have dreamed of taking a trip to Hawaii since I graduated, but the best thing always needs waiting.
I took a trip with my friends to Haleakala National Park, which lies in Hawaii.
When we arrived at Haleakala National Park, we were advised to watch the early morning sunrise. I was lost in the sightseeing (观光) that afternoon, so I could hardly wait to see the sunrise. The next morning, we all got out of bed very early and got to the seaside at 3 o’clock. In the first half an hour, we imagined how wonderful it would be when the first light came out through the thick clouds and how soft it would be when the light touched our skin, so we waited and waited. However, another half an hour later, I gradually lost my patience since there was nothing but the chilly darkness, and I felt that I was frozen to death. (冻死) But my friends were still extremely cheerful.
Nearly another one hour later, “Amazing!” Judy burst out and we all shouted to welcome the light, which was really unbelievable. Until today, I dare say that it is the most impressive sunrise in my life. However, waiting in the morning darkness is also one memory I can’t forget forever.
Waiting sometimes is really a hard thing for most of us as it needs patience and strong-willed determination (决心) , but what about the result after that? It might turn out to be pleasing and unbelievable. So, it is really worth (值得的) waiting for the best.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．he author’s friends and the author took a trip to China. |
| B．Hawaii is a good place to enjoy the sunrise. |
| C．Sometimes, it is worth waiting for the best. |
| D．The author enjoyed the worst sunrise in his life. |
| A．About 3 o’clock. | B．About 4 o’clock. |
| C．About 5 o’clock. | D．About 6 o’clock. |
| A．Total. | B．Cold. | C．Terrible. | D．Interesting. |
| A．Excited all the time. | B．Afraid all the time. |
| C．Firstly excited then afraid. | D．Firstly excited then impatient. |
9 . I was driving from Harrisburg last night, a distance of about eighty miles. It was late. Several times I got stuck behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I was clinching(紧握) my fists with impatience.
At one point along an open highway, I came to a crossing with a traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I approached the light, it turned red and I braked to stop. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of headlights, but there I sat, waiting for the light to change, the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.
I started wondering why I refused to run the light. I was not afraid of being arrested, because there were clearly no police around, and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.
Much later that night, the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me. I think I stopped because it's part of an agreement we have with each other.It's not only the law, but it's an agreement we have, and we trust each other to honor it: we don't go through red lights.
It's amazing that we ever trust each other to do the right thing, isn't it? And we do. Trust is our first tendency. We have to make a deliberate decision to mistrust someone or to be suspicious or skeptical. Those attitudes don't come naturally to us.
It's a very good thing too，because the whole structure of our society depends on mutual trust, not distrust. This whole thing around us would fall apart if we didn't trust each other most of the time. We do what we say we'll do; we show up when we say we'll show up；we deliver when we say we'll deliver; and we pay when we say we'll pay. We trust each other in these matters, and when we don't do what we've promised, it's far from the normal. It happens often that we don't act in good faith and in a trustworthy manner, but we still consider it unusual, and we're angry or disappointed with those badly-behaved people. Anyway I was so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.
1. The author stopped at the traffic light because ______.| A．there were passers-by crossing the road |
| B．some policemen were on duty just at that point |
| C．the trust between people influenced the author |
| D．there was potential danger |
| A．All the things would run normally. |
| B．The social system would be thrown into disorder. |
| C．Hie social traditions would be abandoned. |
| D．Strict rules and laws would be made. |
| A．Mutual Trust is the best policy. | B．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．Among the blind the one-eyed is the king. |
10 . Confucius would be happy if he lived in the modern world. He would see his works and philosophies(哲学) still
In Changzhou No.2 Middle School, Jiangsu, all senior 3 students now
“Students’ attendance in this course will
Cheng Yun,18, didn’t like the”additional burden”
“I thought it would
| A．useful | B．popular | C．helpful | D．hopeful |
| A．age | B．alternative | C．email | D．opinion |
| A．survey | B．welcome | C．conduct | D．take |
| A．ancient | B．modern | C．unknown | D．magical |
| A．consist of | B．make up | C．be made up of | D．account of |
| A．discourages | B．disappoints | C．encourages | D．involves |
| A．easy | B．interesting | C．inspiring | D．difficult |
| A．worker | B．teacher | C．cook | D．librarian |
| A．It | B．They | C．He | D．She |
| A．across | B．in | C．on | D．through |
| A．have | B．take | C．enjoy | D．advocate |
| A．prepare | B．take | C．prepare for | D．have |
| A．first | B．at last | C．last | D．at first |
| A．who | B．that | C．where | D．why |
| A．make up | B．take up | C．use up | D．pick up |
| A．Confucius’ | B．Cheng Yun’s | C．Zhang Junzhuo | D．Cao Yongzhong |
| A．that | B．what | C．which | D．they |
| A．Due to | B．Despite | C．Though | D．Owing to |
| A．so | B．very | C．too | D．that |
| A．like | B．enjoy | C．appreciate | D．prefer |
