1 . While a lot of undergraduates live with loud roommates, 24-year-old Nikolai shares his home with over 600 noisy animals. It is no
Twenty years ago his parents bought a zoo in Denmark and started the first zoo and rescue centre for animals. Two years ago his dad unfortunately
Owning a zoo is busywork with Nikolai taking on many
“As it is a rescue zoo, everything
Having to support his mother and the zoo, Nikolai has come up with a
A.wonder | B.possibility | C.use | D.pleasure |
A.appealed to | B.came across | C.went through | D.died of |
A.manage | B.guard | C.construct | D.decorate |
A.projects | B.events | C.performances | D.jobs |
A.plenty | B.richness | C.majority | D.maximum |
A.grow | B.root | C.survive | D.last |
A.focuses | B.reflects | C.functions | D.responds |
A.historical | B.traditional | C.formal | D.royal |
A.affection | B.command | C.schedule | D.responsibility |
A.registered | B.introduced | C.transformed | D.directed |
A.carefully | B.cruelly | C.sincerely | D.aimlessly |
A.effects | B.results | C.diseases | D.marks |
A.complex | B.creative | C.universal | D.common |
A.scores | B.funds | C.allowances | D.profits |
A.raised | B.spared | C.charged | D.saved |
Li Daiyu and her cousin Liu Qian went to Canada to visit their cousins in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. Rather than travel by commercial airline all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train. For both of them, the thought of crossing the whole country by rail was exciting.
Before starting out, they spent a couple of days in Vancouver, seeing the sights. During their first day, as is typical of Vancouver, it rained. Despite the weather, they were able to take a boat ride out into the bay, and later visit an island that had wonderful shops selling crafts and antiques. The next day was clear and mild, and they were pleased to see the beautiful mountains looking out over the city. Later, they took a pleasant hike in a forest just a short distance away.
The next morning, the two girls arose early to take the train to Lake Louise, passing through the Canadian Rockies. Seen from the train window, the mountains and forests of Canada looked massive. When the train arrived at the station, they took a taxi to Lake Louise, where the blue water literally took their breath away with its exceptional beauty. They spent the night, and then took a coach bound north through the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. Looking at the beautiful scenery, they both agreed that it was the most awesome journey they had ever taken. In addition to seeing spectacular mountain peaksand forests, one highlight of their trip was being able to see many different creatures, including deer, mountain goats, and even a grizzly bear and an eagle.
From Jasper, they caught the train towards Toronto. One of the train’s first stops was in Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, the centre of Canada’s huge oil and gas drilling industry. Edmonton is freezing cold in winter, with daily temperatures averaging -10˚C. Since it
can be too cold to go outdoors, Edmonton is home to many shopping malls. In fact, one of thelargest shopping malls in North America is in Edmonton.
From Edmonton, the train headed southeast across the great Canadian Prairie. At school, Daiyu and Liu Qian had learnt that Canada’s population is only slightly over thirty-seven million. However, they did not anticipate seeing such an open country, and were truly amazed. They went through two wheat-growing provinces, where they saw a bunch of farms that covered a very large area.
After another day on the train, eventually they were back in an urban area, the city of Winnipeg. From there, they travelled through the night, and woke up in Ontario—a land of forests and lakes. The train thundered on, through the rolling hills. The bushes and maple trees outside their windows were red, gold, and orange, and there was frost on the ground, confirming that autumn had arrived in Canada. Night came again, and the train turned south towards Toronto. When they woke up the next morning and pulled back the curtains, they could see the wide stretch of Lake Huron—one of the four Great Lakes on Ontario’s southern border. It was not until 9:30 a.m. that they finally reached the capital of Ontario, Toronto. All in all, their trip from Vancouver to Toronto had taken a duration of four days.
3 . So many things can keep you from seeing your loved ones in person, from busy schedules to long distances. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, the people you miss are often only a phone call or a text message away. According to science, if you want to feel more connected to the people you’re talking to, you should call them instead of texting.
In a study, researchers did various experiments. In one, they asked 200 people to imagine what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone, and they asked people to do one or the other at random. Although people thought that a phone call would be more mortifying, it actually made the experience better. “People reported they did form a stronger bond with their old friends on the phone versus email, and they did not feel uncomfortable,” co-author Amit Kumar said.
In another experiment, researchers had strangers connect by texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio (音频). They found that both forms of voice communication — whether video or audio only — made the strangers feel more connected than when they communicated via text.
Sabrina Romanoff, a psychologist, says people tend to text instead of calling because of convenience, as they can organize information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person.
Romanoff says that in reality, texting can make it hard to determine the true meaning behind a conversation. “A phone call is actually more convenient considering the effects of the message,” she explains. “Each part is more present, and therefore, it is able to figure out the meaning behind the conversation quickly without thinking on the endless possible meanings behind words.”
1. What does the underlined word “mortifying” in Paragraph 2 mean?A.Puzzling. | B.Exciting. | C.Embarrassing. | D.Satisfying. |
A.It takes more patience. | B.It brings people closer. |
C.It proves more relaxing. | D.It makes people more friendly. |
A.They can make themselves clear without being disturbed. |
B.They would easily keep the messages for future use. |
C.They can freely express their good or bad feelings. |
D.They would avoid some unpleasant topics. |
A.It is easy to express one’s meaning through texting. |
B.It is necessary to guess the meaning behind words. |
C.People can understand each other more easily by phone calls. |
D.People should use simple words to express themselves in emails. |
4 . When we’re on the treadmill (跑步机), we’re more likely to bethinking about whether we’re going to make it another mile than’what’s in our workout clothing. But our favorite sports ch ab are likely to be made from synthetic (合成的) fabrics, all of which are essentially plastic often created with harmful chemical additives. Now, a study conducted by the University of Birmingham shows the chemical additives from our workout clothing are available to be absorbed through our skin.
Previously, researchers have tended to focus on our exposure to plastic through diet,but the new study raises awareness that humans can be expesed to plastic chemicals through our skin, too. And because harmful chemicals accumulate lowly and stick around in our bodies, repeared and multi-source exposure can result in having high concentrations of chemicals inside us, potentially contributing to health effects.
The Birmingham study focused on a class of compounds(化合物)called brominated flame retardants(BFRs), which are used to prevent burning in a wide range of consumer products including fabries, and are linked to adverse health effects such as hormonal disorders and mental problems.
It’s known that sweat contains oil. Researchers found the oil has a chemical nature that encourages the chemicals in plastic to dissolve and spread.“In short, oil substances in our sweat help the bad chemicals to come out of the microplastic fibers and become available for human absorption,”says Dr. Abdallah of the Urnversity of Birmingham. An easy way to avoid exposure to these chemicals is to wear clothing made of sustainably produced textiles, which dont contain the bad chemicals associated with plastic materials. Check fabric labels for items that are mostly organic cotton, he mp or merino wool. Visit brand websites to see if they make an effort to list their suppliers, and where their products come from, including their dye houses and mills. Abdallah says he minimizes synthetic fabrics in his home, meanwhile wearing natural fibers like cotton. “Why be exposed to these chemicals even at low levels?”he says.“Why not avoid the risks?”
1. What is found in the study by the Birmingham University?A.Sports clothes are fit for treadmill exercise. |
B.Plastic produces harmful chemical additives. |
C.Gym clothes may release poisonous chemicals. |
D.People are exposed to chemicals through plastic. |
A.Unknown. | B.Harmful. | C.Similar. | D.Beneficial. |
A.It frees bad chemicals out of clothes. |
B.It produces bad chemicals with plastic. |
C.It prevents harmful chemicals spreading. |
D.It keeps chemicals in the fibers of clothes. |
A.Choosing famous brands. | B.Contacting the suppliers. |
C.Visiting the chemical plants. | D.Wearing pure cotton clothes. |
5 . It is a small step for a plant, and a giant leap for plant kind. A sprouting (发芽) cotton seed on China’s Chang’e-4 lunar lander is the first plant ever to grow in another world, indicating a new era for life in space.
Seeds, including cotton, arabidopsis (拟南芥), oilseed rape (油菜) and potato were carried to the Moon as a part of biological experiment, along with fruit fly eggs and some yeasts (酵母).
Pictures sent back by the probe show the cotton seeds sprouting on January 7, 2019, a few days after Chang’e-4 landed on the far side of the Moon.
The organisms (生物) are in a sealed can, protected from the extreme temperatures and radiation on the surface. “Understanding how to grow plants in space will help lay the foundation for human settlement on the Moon,” a scientist leading the experiment told the South China Morning Post.
The six organisms are intended to form a mini-ecosystem, with the plants making oxygen and food to sustain the fruit flies. Yeasts could process the flies’ waste and dead plants to provide another food source.
In a future human settlement, potatoes could provide food, rapeseed could be a source of oil and cotton could be used for clothing. A study in 2014 reported that plants could sprout and grow in lunar soil for 50 days without any additional nutrients (营养物). Over longer periods, human waste could help support plants’ nutritional needs.
These lunar green shoots aren’t the first plants in space. Astronauts on the International Space Station have grown crops including peas, radishes and cucumbers. They got their first bites of space-grown romaine lettuce in 2015.
The China National Space Administration eventually hopes to put humans on the Moon. “We are studying the program of sending astronauts to the Moon, but it’s still in very early stages,” a deputy director told the South China Morning Post. “We haven’t got the approval yet.”
1. When might Chang’e-4 land on the far side of the Moon?A.On January 7, 2019. | B.On January 3, 2019. |
C.On February 28, 2014. | D.On February 3, 2015. |
A.It helps scientists understand the ecosystem in space. |
B.It helps people living on the Moon feed themselves. |
C.It helps support plants’ nutritional needs in space. |
D.It helps set the basis for establishing settlements on the Moon. |
A.Oxygen created by plants provides a food source. |
B.The purpose of these organisms is to form a small ecosystem. |
C.The yeast hardly plays a role in dealing with fruit flies’ waste. |
D.The organisms can resist extreme heat and cold in the environment. |
A.Living on the Moon |
B.Flying to the Moon |
C.Garden on Moon’s Far Side |
D.Human Settlement on Moon’s Far Side |
6 . CLIMATE CHANGE REQUIRES THE WORLD’S ATTENTION
We have known about climate change for decades. There is little doubt that Earth is getting warmer and warmer (see the graph). A warming ocean and atmosphere along with melting ice and rising sea levels provide evidence of a dramatic change in the global climate.
In 2013, a lot of people were shocked by a news photo of a dead polar bear that was found on Norway’s Arctic island of Svalbard. According to the scientists who found its dead body, all that remained of the polar bear was “skin and bones”. An expert who has studied polar bears for many years said that from the position of its dead body, the bear appeared to have starved and died. Experts claimed that low sea-ice levels caused by climate change meant the bear could not hunt seals as before, so it had to travel greater distances in order to find food. This alarming case showed how the increase in temperature had an impact on Earth’s ecology.
Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process called the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “man-made” greenhouse effect. The “natural” greenhouse effect refers to the fact that heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat is released back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat, keeping Earth’s climate warm and habitable. Without this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem. When people produce huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels, more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere and causes Earth’s surface temperature to rise quickly.
There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a higher price to pay. In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heatwaves causing deaths and economic losses.
Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result in further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. This requires the attention of people all over the world. Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility to seize every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts, because this is the most serious issue affecting all of us on this planet. So what will you do to help?
1. What type of writing is this passage?A.Argumentative writing. | B.Narrative writing. |
C.Expository writing. | D.Advertising writing. |
A.Entertainment. | B.Economy. |
C.Education. | D.Environment. |
7 . I was preparing for dinner with my husband when our daughter Rikki stormed into the sitting room and marched to the sofa. I glanced out of the window and saw our neighbor Lexi walking slowly back to her house with her head down, looking so
“I don’t want to play with her,” Rikki complained, “I wish she would stop coming over here all the time. Her dress looks terrible and smells disgusting. Everyone in our class chooses to
“You see, baby,” her father began to say, “I really know how she felt when you showed your
Then we
Rikki began to think
Today, Rikki has a heart of gold. She is always the first to welcome those whom others might
A.funny | B.upset | C.relaxed | D.silly |
A.punish | B.inspire | C.respect | D.ignore |
A.habit | B.attitude | C.fault | D.quality |
A.coldness | B.selfishness | C.strictness | D.nervousness |
A.dream | B.thought | C.feeling | D.smell |
A.honest | B.curious | C.normal | D.helpful |
A.assumed | B.invited | C.reminded | D.warned |
A.laughing | B.arguing | C.crying | D.shopping |
A.actively | B.creatively | C.professionally | D.differently |
A.worry about | B.turn away | C.depend on | D.communicate with |
8 . Scientists are now digging into precisely why exercise holds so many benefits for our mental health and memory. The answer, studies say, lies in our brain chemistry.
Each time you work up a sweat, your body releases feel-good happy hormones (荷尔蒙), including endorphins, dopamine and endocannabinoids, the latter being responsible for the so-called runner’s high. Now researchers are also pointing to myokines (肌肉因子) as an important contributor to the mental health benefits of exercise. When our muscles contract, myokines are released into the bloodstream, helping your muscles and organs communicate. They think this communication increases resilience to stress, reduces symptoms of mental suffering and anxiety and has a direct effect on depression.
A 2021 scientific report published in Neuropharmacology showed evidence that myokines boost brain function, like improving memory and mood. “Myokines reduce systemic inflammation (炎症), which is especially beneficial for people with drug-resistant depression whose low mood is linked to high inflammation,” explains Dr Jennifer Heisz, an expert in brain health and associate professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that treatment for depression can be much more effective when physical activity is added to the usual care. Participants found benefits after 12 weeks of exercising for 30 to 60 minutes a day. “While exercise is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment, physical activity can complement and enhance the effects of the treatment,” says lead researcher Ben Singh, a research fellow at the University of South Australia.
“It is amazing to consider how moving our bodies can heal our minds,” says Heisz. Whether you’re cycling, walking around your neighbourhood or doing yoga, getting sweaty is good for your body and mind. To get the biggest overall health boost, the key is to zero in on sports and activities you enjoy, so you’ll keep going back to them.
1. How do myokines boost our mental health?A.By bonding muscles with organs. |
B.By slowing down our bloodstream. |
C.By contracting muscles through the body. |
D.By releasing happy hormones in our brain. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Negative. |
C.Uncertain | D.Approving. |
A.Adapt to. | B.Give up. |
C.Focus on. | D.Put off. |
A.By making comparisons. |
B.By presenting research findings. |
C.By offering suggestions. |
D.By conducting some experiments. |
9 . The first time ever I realized that plastic was a serious matter for our planet was during a road trip in Western Australia, almost 12 years ago.
We
This was just one of the many experiences I’ve lived that made me more aware of my
Our trip to Borneo was another life-changing
Besides, we were also deeply
Facing this global issue
A.stayed | B.visited | C.worked | D.stopped |
A.land | B.ocean | C.district | D.supermarket |
A.threw | B.picked | C.dropped | D.carried |
A.dream | B.family | C.impact | D.income |
A.travel | B.deliver | C.remove | D.play |
A.story | B.growth | C.experience | D.suffering |
A.better-off | B.healthy | C.comfortable | D.zero-waste |
A.free | B.cheap | C.valuable | D.safe |
A.failed | B.managed | C.hesitated | D.happened |
A.hurt | B.surprised | C.impressed | D.moved |
A.dramatic | B.sustainable | C.firm | D.disappointing |
A.dry up | B.tie up | C.clean up | D.take up |
A.on purpose | B.for sure | C.by accident | D.in person |
A.confusion | B.determination | C.frustration | D.satisfaction |
A.make | B.do | C.achieve | D.find |
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS?
Festivals are celebrated all around the world. They have a wide range of origins, such as the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. Every festival has its different customs and unique charms. However, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals.
Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after all the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. In ancient Egypt, the harvest festival was celebrated during the springtime— the Egyptian harvest season. It featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing, and sports. Today, in some European countries, people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.
Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can change over time. With the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas, some traditions may fade away and others may be established. One example is the typical Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits and celebrate the new year. Nowadays, many big cities have given up this custom in order to avoid air pollution. Another example is Halloween, which slowly became an exciting festival for children, in spite of its religious origins.
Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses taking advantage of the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised, others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.
Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life, and forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.
1. What’s mainly talked about in the text?From the title, we can predict the passage is mainly about
2. Match the main idea with each paragraph.
a.The harvest festival. b.Festivals are an important part of society. c.Festivals are celebrated all around the world. d.The customs in festivals. e.The commercialised festivals. |
Para.2
Para.3
Para.4
Para.5