2 . Four Tips for Using Less Plastic(塑料)

As we all know, the world has a plastic problem — and it is increasing. Scientists are working to find along-term solution by making plastic more biodegradable(生物可降解的).     1    

Quit using plastic bags.     2     People use a trillion plastic bags worldwide every year About 10 percent a reused in the United States alone. That’s almost one bag per American per day. In contrast, the average Danish uses four single-use bags per year. Today, other countries (such as Germany and New Zealand) either make customers pay for plastic bags or have stopped using them completely.

    3     Today, around 8 3 billion plastic straws(吸管) pollute the world’s beaches. So when you order a drink, say no to the straw, or bring your own reusable one. In 2018, Seattle became the first major U. S. city to ban plastic straws, and many other cities are set to follow its example.

Don’t use plastic bottles. Buy a reusable bottle and fill it with any type of drink you like. Some cities, like Bundanoon in Australia and San Francisco in the U. S., have completely or partially(部分地) started quitting bottled water     4    .

Avoid plastic packaging. Buy bar soap instead of liquid soap in plastic containers. Don’t buy fruit or vegetables in plastic packaging.     5     They also want to tax plastic take out containers.

A．Don’t use plastic straws.

B．Don’t pollute the beaches.

C．Instead, take your own reusable shopping bag to the store.

D．Therefore, pollution has been largely decreased across the world.

E．In the U. K., leaders are calling for supermarkets to have plastic-free areas.

F．Globally, however, people still buy nearly a million plastic bottles every minute.

G．But in the meantime, here are four things you can do to reduce plastic waste now.

3 . Anxious thinker. Loner. Wallflower. These are some negative comments for “introvert” (内向者), showing a common mind-set in America. Actually they just interact differently; they do well when given time alone to think and prefer close conversations.

American society is ruled by the “Extrovert Ideal (外向理想型)”: successful people take risks and always voice their opinion, whether or not they know what they’re doing. The problem is that people value this ideal so much that they often ignore meaningful opinions from the quieter introverts. Isn’t there something problematic about having to get our thoughts out before we finish thinking about them?

Over-stressing the Extrovert Ideal can lead to unwise decisions. In one case, several introverts, who tend to be more careful and think more, pointed out warning signals before the economic downturn of 2008. But the decision makers — often the bold, risk-taking types —ignored their opinion. People say introverts often overthink every decision. Yes, maybe we think before we speak. But is that really so bad?

Of course, social skills are important for everyone. But the misunderstanding about how introverts work creates a cultural bias (偏见). Required class participation at school often leads to students shouting out whatever thoughts come to their mind, too pressured by their participation grade to take the time and think of a meaningful response. During the Covid-19quarantine, some of my classes started using Parlay, a website that allows for discussions through anonymous (匿名的) written comments. I saw that many of my classes were able to have deeper conversations this way, freed from the pressures of having to speak up on the spot. So encouraging a balanced variety of learning methods can reduce the existing bias.

Society seems to think only the loud and outgoing ones can make a difference. But Rosa Parks was known for being “soft spoken” and “timid.” Gandhi said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” So please, give us introverts a chance to change the world in our own quiet way!

1. What is the author’s attitude towards the “Extrovert Ideal”?

A．Objective.

B．Doubtful.

C．Favorable.

D．Unclear.

2. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?

A．The benefit of the Extrovert Ideal.	B．The introverts’ poor social skills.
C．The harm of over-valuing extroverts.	D．The extroverts’ ways of decision-making.

3. According to the author, teachers can improve the situation of introverted students by ______.

A．requiring no class participation	B．providing online learning platforms
C．allowing different learning styles	D．conducting free classroom discussions

4. What does the underlined word “timid” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Brave.

B．Lazy.

C．Easygoing.

D．Shy.

4 . If there was to be a praise to the frog, it would have to contain one new piece of information: its ability to predict earthquakes. A scientific study has suggested that they escape an area just before such disaster strikes.

The evidence, published yesterday in the Journal of Zoology, centers on a population of breeding (繁殖) frogs in Italy. It seems that, a few years ago, these creatures had suddenly escaped from their home five days before an earthquake struck their breeding ground.

The frogs’ ability to sense the earthquake is not fully understood, but 96 percent of male frogs escaped and returned a day after the danger had passed. This discovery baffled Dr. Rachel Grant, who hadn’t set out to learn about frogs’ reactions to earthquakes, but to study the effect of the lunar cycle on them. She now believes that frogs may be able to sense some signs and use them as an early-warning system for earthquakes.

Frogs are not the only creatures born with an unusual power to predict natural disasters. In 2004, elephants in Thailand made loud noises before the tsunami hit, while bats in Sri Lanka flew around in anxiety before the disaster.

While most of these animal warnings have been ignored, there are times when they have been noticed. In 1975, scientists in Haicheng, China, noticed unusual behavior in the city’s dogs and cats. They demanded the evacuation of the city, expecting a major disaster. Their warning came five-and-a-half hours before an earthquake struck, resulting in 2,000 deaths. Without the evacuation, another 150,000 people could have been killed.

“There are things we can’t see and sounds we can’t hear. But many animals can. There is a sense called electro-perception that fish and sharks use to form a picture around them, while dolphins and bats use sonar to find their way around,” says Professor Daniel Mills, an expert in animal behavior at Lincoln University.

1. According to paragraph 3, Dr Rachel Grant was ______ about the frogs’ unusual behavior

A．worried

B．confused

C．disappointed

D．anxious

2. How does the author develop paragraph 4?

A．By giving examples.	B．By listing numbers.
C．By explaining causes.	D．By presenting contrasts.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning the earthquake in Haicheng?

A．To stress the seriousness of the disaster.	B．To praise the government’s timely action.
C．To describe a successful evacuation in history.	D．To show the benefit of noticing animal warnings.

4. What are Prof. Daniel Mills’s words mainly about?

A．Why animals can sense disasters.	B．What his study will focus on next.
C．How humans learn about the world.	D．How animals behave before disasters.

6 . Street art is always something I look out for when I travel. At the very beginning, street art was a means to share social comments or political ideas, but now it’s increasingly used in many places around the world to beautify the environment, sometimes becoming popular tourist attractions. Here’s my collection of street art around the world.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

My hometown has plenty of fantastic street art. You can find some cool pieces in the Jordaan neighborhood and in the North and West parts of the city. One place you absolutely have to visit in Amsterdam is the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam North. This museum houses huge murals created by artists from around the world in an old industrial warehouse, and is a rich addition to the Amsterdam street art scene.

Bristol, United Kingdom

The birthplace of Banksy, one of the world’s most famous street artists, Bristol is another of the world’s great street art cities. You can find street art across the city on buildings, streets and bridges. The annual Upfest, in the Bedminster suburb, during which artists from around the world are invited to create street art on houses and buildings, is a popular attraction.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro also has a fantastic street art scene. For the 2016 Olympic Games, the city invited famous Brazilian street artist, Kobra, to create the world’s biggest mural along the Olympic Boulevard. The result is simply amazing! Click here to see street art in Rio de Janeiro, or my photos of Rio de Janeiro.

1. Why did people create street art at first?

A．To practise painting skills.	B．To show social or political opinions.
C．To beautify the environment.	D．To draw tourists at home and abroad.

2. What is a must-see street art attraction in the author’s hometown?

A．The Olympic Boulevard in Rio.	B．The birthplace of Banksy in Bristol.
C．The annual Upfest in Bedminster.	D．The STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam.

3. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．An art website.

B．A research paper.

C．A travel magazine.

D．A history textbook.

7 . While having a walk with my husband to enjoy autumn weather, I noticed a car had broken down. We stopped to offer ________ However, others simply walked away.

We have a choice to help or ________ certain situations, but wouldn’t the world be a much better place, if we choose not to look away? For example, when we see injustice (不公平) are done, shall we just stand by or get ourselves ________ ? When we find someone is unfairly treated or judged for the appearance, shall we silently ________ our heads or stand up straight?

Society assumed it is ________ to look away, but we all need to learn not to whether it is due to coldness, fear or ignorance.

Years ago, I helped a girl who had fallen off her bike and gave her words of ________ while a kind stranger was calling the ambulance. Shortly after, our ________ relieved her pain. Everybody else—passers-by, cyclists and drivers ________ just stared at us as they went by. Another time, I did not ________ to stop before a dead cat and the man in the car behind me   ________ helped me carry the cat to the grassy verge before it ________ the danger of getting flattened. Then I knocked on doors trying to find and ________ the owner. However, I found it even more frustrating to see the ________ of community.

May we choose not to look away when the opportunity ________ We may very well be an angel or hero for somebody who needs our help or simply ________ somebody’s day with a mere smile.

1.

A．assistance

B．reward

C．prospect

D．explanation

2.

A．recognize

B．prevent

C．ignore

D．monitor

3.

A．involved

B．buried

C．interested

D．absorbed

4.

A．raise

B．nod

C．lower

D．cover

5.

A．cruel

B．normal

C．impolite

D．realistic

6.

A．preference

B．vigor

C．forgiveness

D．comfort

7.

A．ability

B．effort

C．faith

D．method

8.

A．alike

B．alone

C．particularly

D．regularly

9.

A．follow

B．wander

C．attempt

D．hesitate

10.

A．moderately

B．voluntarily

C．formally

D．slightly

11.

A．risked

B．perceived

C．distinguished

D．reduced

12.

A．convince

B．guarantee

C．inform

D．warn

13.

A．lack

B．strength

C．existence

D．regulation

14.

A．responds

B．displays

C．arises

D．disappears

15.

A．puts up with

B．benefits from

C．deals with

D．brightens up

8 . If humans do want to set up communities on the moon or other planets, what will they eat? A new test has begun to see if meat cells can grow.

Growing meat from cells even on Earth isn’t easy. Cells from a cow(though it could be any animal)are fed the things they need to grow, like amino acids and carbohydrate. The cells multiply until muscle tissue forms, and eventually becomes meat that you can eat. This process is called “cultivation (培养)”. The meat is grown in tanks that look more like what you’d find in a brewery than a farm yard. The life-cycle of an animal raised for meat — birth, life and kill — is completely ignored.

“Animal cells grow slowly,” says David Humbird, a chemical engineer. “If bacteria were to get into the cultivation, they would grow much faster from animal cells and they will just take over so you aren’t making the animal cells anymore. You are making bacteria. And you have to throw them away,” says Mr Humbird. “Those cells that are themselves grown on eatable material are going to be sugar, amino acids and water. And the caloric value of the cells that you make will always be less than that. At the best case you could probably recover 25% of the calorie and eat them as food. So the question is, why would you drag all those calorie into space just to waste 75% of them?”

Karen Nyberg is a former astronaut. She says food plays a crucial role in space missions. “Food like powdered milk and that sort of thing comes as a regular source for astronauts, and meat produced in space is just something we don’t have. So anything like that makes us feel great and eases our pressure.” For Ms Nyberg, fresh food and vegetables are vital if humans are expected to be away from Earth for years at a time.

Certainly if humanity is serious about putting people on Mars, how to feed astronauts with nutrient-rich food that doesn’t spoil—and tastes good — is an important and difficult mystery.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The taste of lab-grown meat.	B．The reasons for growing meat in space.
C．The potential benefits of growing meat.	D．The process of growing meat from cow cells.

2. What is David Hum bird’s attitude toward growing meat in space?

A．Optimistic.

B．Supportive.

C．Disapproving.

D．Indifferent.

3. What can we infer from what Karen said?

A．Eating is always a problem for astronauts.

B．Food tastes much better in space than on Earth.

C．Growing meat does good to astronauts’ mental health.

D．Astronauts suffer from mental illnesses after long space tasks.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Can meat be grown in space?	B．Can astronauts enjoy meat in space?
C．Can meat in space be delicious to eat?	D．Can lab-grown meat help tackle climate?

9 . The jack fruit is a delicious fruit found throughout certain parts of Asia. But there is more to the fruit than just its taste. When considering the fruit’s English name, it is easy to become overwhelmed with questions like: “Who is Jack? And why does he have his own fruit?”

Surprisingly, “jack fruit” isn’t a person’s name at all. The fruit’s name originally comes from the southern Indian word chakka pazham, with India thought to be the fruit’s place of origin. Portuguese explorers who journeyed to this region went on to call it jack, which leads us to the current English name of jack fruit, according to National Public Radio(NPR). Unfortunately, no one called Jack has been proven to be involved at any point in this process.

There is another food, however, that was directly named after a person—the sandwich. In the 18th century, playing card games late into the night became fashionable in British high society. John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, started the habit of ordering pieces of cold beef between two pieces of bread in order to get a late-night snack without having to leave the gaming table or use a knife and fork.

This newly-created snack kept hands clean so card players could continue on without dirtying their cards. The midnight snack quickly became popular among everyday people, and before long everyone was making their own sandwiches. That is how the sandwich was invented and got its name.

Away from the world of food, there are more examples of names inspired by people. Long johns, the warm trousers that keep us warm in winter, are said to have been named after the US boxer John L. Sullivan who took to wearing a similar type of garment in the ring (比赛).

There are many other interesting etymologies(词源) in the English language like these. So the next time you find an interesting name, why not explore its history too?

1. What does the underlined word “overwhelmed” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Puzzled.

B．Excited.

C．Worried.

D．Annoyed.

2. Where does the jack fruit’s name come from?

A．A place in India.	B．An Indian word.
C．A Portuguese explorer.	D．A discoverer of the fruit.

3. What do we know about the sandwich according to the text?

A．It was named after a popular card game.

B．It was once eaten as a snack in the daytime.

C．It was first popular among the UK’s middle class.

D．It was created for the convenience of playing cards.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing this article?

A．To raise readers’ interest in etymology.	B．To introduce things named after people.
C．To stress the importance of learning history.	D．To explain the effects of people’s names on food.