1 . Most people have heard of Shakespeare and probably know something of the plays that he wrote. However, not everybody knows much about the life of this remarkable man, except perhaps that he was born in the market town of Stratford upon Avon and that he married a woman called Anne Hathaway. We know nothing of his school life. We do not know, for example, how long it lasted, but we presume that he attended the local grammar school, where the principal subject taught was Latin.
Nothing certain is known for what he did between the time he left school and his departure for London. According to a local legend, he was beaten and even put in prison for stealing rabbits and deer from the estate of a neighboring landowner, Sir Thomas Lucy. It is said that because of this he was forced to run away from his native place. A different legend says that he was apprenticed to a Stratford butcher, but did not like the life and for this reason decided to leave Stratford.
Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth, the world can be grateful that he did so. What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London. It is said that at first he had no money or friends there, but that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentlemen who attended the plays at the theatre. In time, as he became a familiar figure to the actors in the theatre, they stopped and spoke to him. They found his conversation so brilliant that finally he was invited to join their company.
1. In the early life of Shakespeare, he ________, supposedly.| A．attended a public school | B．lived in London | C．studied Latin | D．was put in prison for stealing cattle |
| A．Because he did not want to go to school. | B．Because he left for London to become famous. |
| C．Because he had stolen deer and was beaten. | D．No one knows for certain. |
| A．Because he wrote many world-famous plays | B．Because he became a good rider in London. |
| C．Because he was an actor at last in London. | D．Because he travelled all over the world. |
| A．on time | B．sometimes | C．some time later | D．some time |
2 . I nearly dropped the phone.
She told me to
I had exactly the sort of notebook she
The next night, I had to
More than seventeen years have passed, I still write out my daily blessings. I start my list with these simple words, “Tonight, I am grateful ...” Tonight, my list will include the chance to share this
| A．As for | B．Apart from | C．Instead of | D．Regardless of |
| A．predicted | B．shared | C．heard | D．recorded |
| A．check | B．get | C．borrow | D．return |
| A．responsible | B．famous | C．late | D．grateful |
| A．keep at | B．compare with | C．put aside | D．depend on |
| A．donated | B．gained | C．described | D．forgot |
| A．replace | B．recall | C．rank | D．group |
| A．surprised | B．confused | C．fair | D．right |
| A．ashamed | B．excited | C．curious | D．hesitant |
| A．take over | B．start over | C．show off | D．put off |
| A．wishes | B．decisions | C．mistakes | D．gaps |
| A．excuse | B．praise | C．advice | D．preparation |
| A．barely | B．naturally | C．directly | D．personally |
| A．condition | B．emotion | C．contribution | D．reflection |
| A．allowed | B．inspired | C．invited | D．reminded |
3 . At its core, social media is about advertising, but not just in terms of the products. Users are advertising themselves, making themselves look special and happy, no matter how many filters (滤镜) it takes. This can actually be damaging, especially to younger people. Because they traditionally look to their peers (同龄人) to help them determine what’s normal and who they should desire to be, and they particularly fear the social exclusion that comes from not fitting in with their peer group’s expectations.
With social media, their peers appear light years ahead in terms of wealth, beauty, and access to the kind of overall resources most of us can only dream of. The problem is that most of them achieved their fabulousness (难以置信的美好) through pure luck.
That’s why the core of our advice, for both adults and kids, begins with learning to accept what you can and can’t control, especially during those times when making things better isn’t really possible. And the one thing you can control when life sucks (令人不愉快) is knowing your standards for being a good person and living up to those standards regardless of how you feel or look or what other people think.
Being a good person isn’t about being perfect or ultra-unselfish; you don’t need to work in a soup kitchen or donate a kidney in order to qualify. In part, that’s because helping others must always come second to doing the smaller things required every day to take care of your own responsibilities and live up to your own values.
After explaining these ideas to their kids, parents can ask them to think about what they can and can’t control given how often life is just plain unfair. They can also ask their kids to think about the qualities they admire in people they believe to be good. This way, parents aren’t lecturing their kids about the importance of real values but encouraging them to make up their own minds about the values they find important. After all, people of any age are much more likely to make smart decisions if they’re asked to think through issues carefully and determine the right thing on their own, rather than being pushed in that direction.
1. Why are kids more likely to be harmed by social media according to paragraph 1?| A．They lack self-discipline. |
| B．They cannot distinguish good from bad. |
| C．They often have unhealthy online habits. |
| D．They tend to compare themselves with their peers. |
| A．Accepting reality. |
| B．Finding a role model. |
| C．Ignoring others’ opinions. |
| D．Having an optimistic attitude toward life. |
| A．To suggest how we can be a good person. |
| B．To state that helping others makes us perfect. |
| C．To explain the importance of living up to our values. |
| D．To clear up possible misunderstandings about being a good person. |
| A．Parents should have regular communication with their kids. |
| B．Parents should motivate their kids’ inner drive. |
| C．Children should be taught about real values. |
| D．Children should make clever decisions. |
4 . Most paper receipts (收据) are not recyclable, This is because they’re printed on thermal paper (热敏纸), which contains a chemical called BPA or BPS that cannot be easily removed from the paper during the recycling process. To avoid polluting other paper products in the recycling stream, the safest method is to throw receipts in the trash.
There are two kinds of paper receipts. One is the old-fashioned paper that’s printed with pale ink. The other is the shiny, soft thermal paper that comes out of newer cash registers. Scratch (划) the paper, and you’ll see a dark line appear if it contains BPA or BPS. Ordinary paper receipts are rarely seen these days, but they can be recycled if you happen to get some. Thermal paper is now ubiquitous and found in most retail locations, but it cannot be recycled because of the chemicals that are used to create it.
Thermal paper uses heat from a printer head to make letters and numbers appear; no ink is used. This process requires the addition of BPA or BPS in their “free form”, which means that the chemicals are not bound to the paper. According to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, “The chemicals can easily transfer (转移) to anything a receipt touches-your hand, or the groceries in your shopping bag.
BPA or BPS can affect brain development, and heart and lung health. They can be transferred from fingers to the mouth via food, or absorbed directly through the skin when held. If thermal paper were to be recycled, it would pollute other products in the recycling stream with BPA or BPS. Burning and composting (使成堆肥) are not a choice either, as they would release BPA or BPS into the atmosphere or soil.
The only safe place to throw thermal paper receipts is in the trash, followed by immediate hand washing. It’s not ideal, but it is the most effective way to separate BPA or BPS from the environment. The best solution is to ask for receipts to be emailed, rather than printed. Always refuse before you reduce, reuse and recycle.
1. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Unwanted. | B．Informal. | C．Effective. | D．Common. |
| A．How BPA or BPS is removed. |
| B．How a printer works without ink |
| C．How thermal paper receipts form. |
| D．How BPA and BPS coexist with thermal paper. |
| A．By exposing them to the sun. |
| B．By burning them in the open air. |
| C．By putting them in the shopping bag. |
| D．By throwing them into the dustbin in time. |
| A．The development of receipts. |
| B．Is it possible to get rid of paper receipts? |
| C．The right way to handle paper receipts. |
| D．Do all paper receipts contain BPA or BPS? |
5 . Armed with bowls and spoons, the youngsters at Berridale Public School headed into the school’s kitchen to bake biscuits. These treats were for endangered mountain pygmy possums (山袋貂). This small-sized animal lives only in the Australian regions of Victoria and New South Wales, and being active at night, is rarely seen in the wild. Up until the 1960s, when a small population of the possum was found in Victoria, the species was thought to be extinct.
Pygmy possums live on a diet of bogong moths (布冈夜蛾) and seeds. Yet in recent years, the once vast number of bogong moths that migrate each spring to the Snowy Mountains has severely fallen. Dr Linda Broome heads a team that has been tracking the region’s community of mountain pygmy possums for more than 30 years. “An estimated 330 adults were counted in the Cabramurra region in 2016, with 200 counted in 2018-19,” says Broome. The animals are also affected by extreme weather.
That’s when Broome started baking “bogong” biscuits, using a specially developed recipe that replicates (仿制) the nutritional value of the moths. But with vast quantities of the nutritional biscuits needed weekly to feed all the hungry mouths, she needed help.
The children at Berridale Public School wanted to know how they could help the region recover. The school, under the leadership of current principal Tracey Southam, contacted Broome. The kids were more than happy to put down their pencils and pick up spoons instead. It wasn’t long before all the primary school students across the Snowy Mountains region were busy baking the treats. Each bake-off took around 4.5 hours to produce sixty 200-gram bags of biscuits. Altogether, this resulted in an impressive 660 bags of bogong biscuits.
“While it is difficult to estimate the number of babies that have survived with the help of the biscuits, a field count in March resulted in 32 babies, which is a number similar to good seasons,” Broome says. Although the figures are still small, the results are pleasing and everyone is hopeful that their numbers can recover.
1. What is a feature of mountain pygmy possums?| A．They are globally distributed. |
| B．They like to hang out after dark. |
| C．They prefer biscuits to bogong moths. |
| D．They are frequent visitors to Australian kitchens. |
| A．The disastrous effect of climate change. |
| B．The worrying condition of pygmy possums. |
| C．The disappointing recovery of bogong moths. |
| D．The changing habitat requirement of pygmy possums. |
| A．They were environmentally aware. |
| B．They led the feeding programme. |
| C．They dragged their feet over baking biscuits. |
| D．They created the unique recipe for pygmy possums. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Tolerant. | C．Optimistic. | D．Confused. |
6 . Picking up litter is a fun, simple, and free activity that can have instant results for your child and your community.
What you’ll needPlastic bag to collect trash (垃圾)
Gloves—especially important as we practice COVID-19 safety measures
Optional: pick-up stick, a separate bag for recyclables
Instructions1. Assign gloves and a trash bag to each family member.
2. Clear out litter from an area of a park, beach or your own neighborhood. Take all necessary precautions (防范措施), including wearing sturdy (结实的) gloves, being careful on river banks or near roads, having adults handle dangerous items, and supervising children closely.
3. Properly dispose of all litter.
ReflectionsWhy is it important to pick up litter?
How can you inspire others to help keep the neighborhood clean?
ResourcesColonel Trash Truck by Kathleen Crawley
The colonel is on a mission to protect the beauty of the earth by cleaning up litter-and convincing others to do the same.
Here Comes the Garbage Barge ! by Jonah Winter
This story is sure to inspire your whole family to be mindful of your environmental impact.
Take it furtherTake a few digital photos of what you’ve picked up. Then send an essay about your experience along with your favorite photos, your name and address to mail@ wildernessproject.org. Your essay will be published on the Nicodemus Wilderness Project website, and you’ll get an official certificate. For tips on conducting the clean-up and writing the story, as well as essays and photos from other people, visit the website.
1. What are a must for the event?| A．Pick-up sticks and cameras |
| B．Books about cleaning up. |
| C．Plastic bags and gloves. |
| D．Bags for recyclables. |
| A．Keep an eye on children. |
| B．Leave dangerous items alone. |
| C．Keep away from the riverside |
| D．Stay in your own neighborhood. |
| A．By inviting others to clean up their neighborhood. |
| B．By sharing a list of environmental books on the website. |
| C．By writing a review of other participants’ stories online. |
| D．By emailing an essay with photos about their clean up experiences. |
7 . Ever since I was young, my parents and older brother have always cheered me on―whether it was at a dance competition, piano recital(独奏会), or an academic
My family became a(n)
| A．profession | B．note | C．accomplishment | D．event |
| A．attempted | B．abandoned | C．attended | D．adopted |
| A．elderly | B．athletic | C．helpful | D．lonely |
| A．helped | B．wished | C．forbade | D．stopped |
| A．silenced | B．mirrored | C．encouraged | D．linked |
| A．volunteer | B．instructor | C．friend | D．soul |
| A．promote | B．replace | C．rearrange | D．exchange |
| A．amazing | B．main | C．modest | D．common |
| A．vital | B．shocking | C．touching | D．private |
| A．demand | B．cash | C．change | D．respect |
| A．worth | B．treasure | C．loss | D．support |
| A．expect | B．control | C．accept | D．change |
| A．touching | B．knocking | C．pressing | D．turning |
| A．make up | B．rely on | C．deal with | D．ask for |
| A．balance | B．restore | C．increase | D．maintain |
8 . Astronomers have traced a repeating radio signal back to a rocky, Earth-sized exoplanet that appears to have one of the crucial factors that make a world habitable: a magnetic field. The planet is known as YZ Ceti b, and it’s orbiting a small red Dwarf star located around 12 light-years from Earth.
“The search for potentially habitable or life-bearing worlds in other solar systems depends in part on being able to determine if rocky, Earth-like exoplanets actually have magnetic fields,” said Joe Pesce, the program director of the US National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which supported the work. “This research shows not only that this particular rocky exoplanet likely has a magnetic field but provides a promising method to find more.”
A magnetic field is what stops a planet’s atmosphere from being driven away by powerful stellar(星球的) winds. Mars, for example, used to have an atmosphere and was a warm and wet planet before it lost its magnetic field and, without its protection, its atmosphere was gradually ruined by plasma(等离子气体) from our Sun. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune still have magnetic fields in our Solar System. And in the past, astronomers have found evidence of larger exoplanets with their own magnetic fields. But up until now we’ve not been able to identify magnetic fields on smaller, rocky worlds outside our Solar System. In fact, we’ve not even had a reliable way to even look for them.
It turns out, the repeating radio signal may be the clue we need. The team believes it’s being caused by the planet’s magnetic field interacting with YZ Ceti, the star it orbits. The rocky exoplanet is situated so close to YZ Ceti that its orbit is just two days. But if the planet’s magnetic field is confirmed with further observations, it means we’ll finally have a way to detect more life-friendly worlds like it in future, which is incredibly exciting in the search for habitable planets.
1. What’s the significance of the discovery about YZ Ceti b from Joe Pesce?| A．It can be surely de lined as a life-bearing world. |
| B．People make great progress in identifying exoplanets. |
| C．People can easily locale its exact position in space. |
| D．We can get more discoveries besides its habitability. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Effective. | C．Untrustworthy. | D．Notable. |
| A．The finding about YZ Ceti b is a good start. |
| B．Magnetic fields are confirmed in YZ Ceti b. |
| C．We find more magnetic fields in smaller stars. |
| D．More habitable planets have been confirmed. |
| A．More Habitable World In Exoplanet Are Needed |
| B．Another Habitable World Is Likely To Be Found |
| C．Magnetic Fields Are Crucial For A Habitable World |
| D．People Need More Evidence For A Habitable World |
9 . How do oceans affect you? If you live far from the coast, you might think they don’t. But life on this planet depends on the ocean. It covers almost three-quarters of the planet and holds 97 percent of Earth’s water. The phytoplankton (浮游植物)that live on the oceans’ surface produce half of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Oceans are a vital source of food and other resources and an economic engine for many communities.
For all the ocean provides us, we haven’t always been so responsible in our administration. “The ocean was thought of as a dumping (倾倒的) ground for so long,” says Caitlyn Toropova of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “There was a sense that there was no way we could harm it because it is so vast.”
But human activities are having a negative impact on many of the world’s oceans, jeopardizing marine life, habitats, and ecosystems. These threats include overfishing or destructive fishing, coastal development, pollution and runoff, and the introduction of non-native species. Climate change is also having a big effect by causing warming seas and ocean acidification.
The realization that something needs to be done to prevent the damage has led to the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs), Specifics differ around the globe, but the United States defines a marine protected area as “any area of the marine environment that has been preserved to prov d eating protection for part or all of the natural and cultural resources.”
There are approximately 5,000 designated (命名) MPAs around the word but many more that are not officially recognized, says Toropova, the conservation group’s officer for marine protected areas. That may sound like a lot, but less than one percent of the world’s oceans is protected. Countries around the world have committed to protecting 10 percent, Toropova say, But “even though there’s been an increase in the past 10 years, at the current rate it would take 100 years to reach that goal,” she says.
1. What does the author intend to emphasize in paragraph 1?| A．Oceans are crucial for humans’ survival. | B．Oceans affect little to people far from them. |
| C．The phytoplankton needs many sea resources. | D．Seas should make more room for our land. |
| A．It covers so much and holds so much of Earth’s water. |
| B．They thought everyday wastes had little effect on it. |
| C．Its floor is just as irregular as the surface of the land. |
| D．People have acknowledged quite little about the sea. |
| A．Feeding. | B．Replacing. | C．Harming. | D．Protecting. |
| A．Marine protected areas aren’t necessary. | B．We still need contribute more to the sea. |
| C．MPAs have shown great effects on the sea. | D．Most of world’s oceans are being protected. |
10 . Oprah Winfrey is acknowledged as one of the most powerful women in the world. She was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, on January 29, 1954, and although she was not offered everything on a silver platter (盘子), she still overcame her childhood struggles and made her mark in the world.
At age 14, Oprah had a very hard time. It is said that she wore dresses made from potato bags as her family did not have money to buy her nice clothing. After she was sent to a home for troubled teens, her father moved her to Nashville, Tennessee, where she was able to change her life.
How did Oprah Winfrey overcome the odds and build her career from scratch? It started when she was 19 and won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant (选美比赛). This was her first step towards her journey to work in the media. She started her career as a radio and TV host in Nashville. Then she moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she hosted a local talk show called “People Are Talking”. This show gained popularity and this eventually led to her own nationally syndicated (联合) talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, which ran for 25 seasons and was the highest-rated talk show in the history of television.
Oprah has a heart of gold and has been a supporter of many causes over the course of her career, such as education, health, and wellness. She is also an advocate of women’s rights. She has used her platform to inspire millions of people and motivate even more people. She continues to inspire, teach, and entertain people worldwide through her charity organization known as the Oprah Winfrey Network. She also took a step for the education of girls in South Africa by starting the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy.
1. What can we know about Oprah’s childhood?| A．She lived a comfortable life. | B．She was quite troublesome. |
| C．She was active in the school. | D．She worked on the potato farm. |
| A．Her popularity on a talk show. | B．Her hosting career on the radio. |
| C．Her high position on the station. | D．A success in a grand competition. |
| A．Oprah had a strong sense of business. | B．Oprah was an excellent political leader. |
| C．Oprah actively joined in public welfare. | D．Oprah received blames from the government. |
| A．Determined, talented and caring. | B．Careful, fortunate and wealthy. |
| C．Clever, educated and critical. | D．Cool, decisive and qualified. |
