1. 活动的时间与地点；
2. 活动的过程；
3. 你的感想。
注意：1.词数 80 左右；2.可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
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2 . China is investigating how to build an ultra-large spacecraft that is up to 0. 6 mile （1 kilometer) long. But how practical is the idea?
The project is part of a wider call for research proposals from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, a funding agency managed by the country's Ministry of Science and Technology. A research outline posted on the foundation's website described such enormous spaceships as “major strategic aerospace equipment for the future use of space resources, exploration of the mysteries of the universe, and long- term living in orbit”。
The foundation wants scientists to conduct research into new, lightweight design methods that could limit the amount of construction material that has to be thrown into orbit, and new techniques for safely assembling such massive structures in space. If funded, the practicability study would run for five years and have a budget of 15 million yuan ($2.3 million).
The project might sound like science fiction, but former NASA chief technologist Mason Peck said the idea isn't entirely off the wall, and the challenge is more a question of engineering than fundamental science. “I think it's entirely practical,” Peck, now a professor of aerospace engineering at Cornell University, told Live Science. “I would describe the problems here not as unconquerable obstacles, but rather problems of scale. ” By far the biggest challenge would be the price tag, noted Peck, due to the huge cost of launching objects and materials into space. The International Space Station （ISS), which is only 361 feet (110 meters) wide at its widest point according to NASA, cost roughly $ 100 billion to build, Peck said, so constructing something 10 times larger would strain even the most generous national space budget.
Much depends on what kind of structure the Chinese plan to build, though. The ISS is packed with equipment and is designed to accommodate humans, which significantly increases its mass. “If we're talking about something that is simply long and not also heavy then it's a different story,” Peck said.
1. Which of the following statements about the massive spacecraft is TRUE?| A．The design of the spacecraft has already been in place. |
| B．It is directly led by the Ministry of Science and Technology. |
| C．It is aimed at further exploring the space and human's future. |
| D．A lot of research has been conducted regarding the spacecraft. |
| A．The requirements of the practicability study. |
| B．The new approach to construction material. |
| C．How to get funded by the Foundation. |
| D．The revolutionary methods of constructing the spacecraft. |
| A．There are still major doubts about the practicality of the spacecraft. |
| B．The structure of the spacecraft may determine the cost of the project. |
| C．The ISS has already successfully completed its historical mission. |
| D．The project and the current ISS are likely to have a lot in common. |
| A．The problems facing the construction of the spacecraft. |
| B．Future researches into the other giant space projects. |
| C．Other approaches to reducing the cost of the spacecraft. |
| D．The future promising application of the spacecraft. |
3 . In the past five years, about 2.8 billion of school textbooks were sold per year, with total spending of 20 billion yuan ($3 billion), news magazine Outlook Weekly reported, citing data released recently by the National Press and Publication Administration.
If these textbooks are reused for one year, the costs saved can be used to help build around 40,000 Hope Schools in impoverished regions.
The figures show that in 2018, the number of retailed textbooks for primary and secondary schools was 2.93 billion copies, totaling 25.99 billion yuan. If all of them are reused, a total of over 20 billion yuan will be saved per year.
Zhao Dehua, in charge of a company recycling resources, said many college graduates sell the textbooks they have accumulated over the years at an average price of 1 yuan per kilogram. As these textbooks are mostly used to produce recycled paper, the cost is even higher than that of raw paper as the processing procedure of recycled paper is complicated.
At present, free textbooks related to music, art and P.E for the nine-year compulsory education have been reused, but account for less than a fraction of the total number of textbooks. Because of the supply chain obstruction, which increases the costs to match supply with demand, the lack of sound platform and service supporting system for the second-hand textbook trade, most of the textbooks used for compulsory education and higher education end up as waste.
“Every year, second-hand booksellers collect textbooks at a price of about 4,000 yuan a ton, which is more than twice the price of ordinary waste paper, but the number of people who come to collect second-hand books is still few,” Zhao Dehua said.
Besides, the incomplete policies and regulations might bring second-hand book sales platforms and sellers to legal risks.
“Establishing the system of textbook recycling can not only save resources, but also help to cultivate students’ consciousness and sense of responsibility,” said Zhu Pin, deputy head of a school of nine-year compulsory education in Jiangxi province. The school has set up a system for reusing the textbooks and the books are disinfected every week.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 4?| A．College students sell textbooks in order to make profits. |
| B．Recycled paper is mainly used for environmental considerations. |
| C．The cost of recycled paper is greater than that of raw paper. |
| D．Certain groups of collectors tend to choose second-hand textbooks. |
| A．It is blocked because of lack of funds. |
| B．The supply of recycled textbooks is not adequate to meet the demand. |
| C．The regulation of second-hand textbooks has not been carried out yet. |
| D．A large number of second-hand textbooks are not used properly. |
| A．The school frees recycled textbooks from bacteria regularly. |
| B．The school proposes regulations for wasting second-hand textbooks. |
| C．The school calls on students to participate in the system of textbook recycling. |
| D．The school requests the government’s support. |
| A．Textbooks recycled for less waste |
| B．Recycled textbooks used for compulsory education |
| C．Reusing textbooks good for environment and wallet |
| D．Reusing textbooks good for collection |
4 . Driven by her passion for providing quality healthcare, a Latvian woman has won over the hearts of the elderly residing in the nursing home she oversees.
It is incredibly rare to find a Caucasian woman working as the director of a nursing home in Shanghai. But the fact that Anastasija Puzankova can even converse in Liantang, a Chinese dialect spoken only by residents in a small town in southwestern Shanghai, makes her one of a kind.
“I had always wondered how the elderly were getting along with others, or if they were well cared for. I realized that I could better serve them and understand their concerns if I spoke their dialect.” says the 35-year-old, who also speaks Russian, English, Latvian, French and Spanish.
Puzankova chose to study Sinology(汉学) out of her curiosity about China at the University of Latvia in 2003. The next year, she traveled to Shanghai as part of an exchange program and then she spent the next 10 years studying law at Fudan University, graduating with a master's degree in 2014.
Despite her qualifications, in 2018, Puzankova joined Haiyang Group, a Shanghai-based company that operates the nursing home, as an executive assistant. During that period, she performed so well in her nursing and management training that she was appointed the director of the home after just one year.
A caregiver, surnamed Cai, says the atmosphere at the home has changed since Puzankova took charge. “She makes life in the nursing home uplifting and purposeful.” says Cai.
“She throws monthly birthday parties for the elderly, creates a festive mood in the home for every traditional festival and frequently organizes handicrafts classes and activities to stimulate the minds of the residents.”
When family visits and group activities were delayed during the novel coronavirus outbreak, Puzankova came up with a similar idea at the home, purchasing vegetable seeds and growing them in the field near the nursing home so that the residents can observe the plants growing from their windows.
“Just watching the plants grow can lift their spirits. We can also serve these organic vegetables to them.” she explains.
Puzankova says, “I simply like communicating with people, understanding their personalities and offering help when they are in need. Making an elderly person happy isn't hard. It just takes a little time, love and thought.”
1. Why did Anastasija Puzankova learn the Chinese dialect Liantang?| A．To satisfy her superior. |
| B．To research its history and popularity. |
| C．To communicate with the elderly better. |
| D．To prove her language learning capacity. |
| A．forbade family visits forever. |
| B．created a festive mood in the home. |
| C．organized some outdoor activities for the elderly. |
| D．planted some vegetables for the elderly to watch indoors. |
| A．Time tests. |
| B．Hard work pays off. |
| C．Love breaks down barriers. |
| D．Education is the key to success. |
| A．A foreign face with a local soul |
| B．A language expert with a loving heart |
| C．A nursing home with a woman director |
| D．An executive assistant with a master’s degree |
5 . Amazon has suddenly withdrawn its plans to build a satellite headquarters in New York City, citing growing opposition of local elected officials in a shifting political climate.
The decision marks a stunning reversal just three months after Amazon crowned Long Island City, Queens, one of two winners of a highly public nationwide search in which hundreds of communities vied for the tech group’s investment.
By losing Amazon, New York will sacrifice an estimated 25,000 jobs -paying an average annual salary of $150,000 each- as well as a signature victory in a broader effort to transform the financial services capital into a technology hub to rival Silicon Valley.
Amazon’s about-face is a particular setback for governor Andrew Cuomo, who led the company’s recruitment and touted its November decision as the city’s biggest-ever economic development win.
At the same time, it appeared to confirm the dominance of a progressive wing of the Democratic party, led by the recently elected Queens representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was suspicious of Amazon’s arrival. Ms, Ocasio-Cortez questioned its opposition to organized labor and whether local citizens would benefit from its jobs.
Amazon officials said the decision to abandon New York had been taken recently, and would not discuss what role, if any, Jeff Bezos , the company’s founder, played in the move.
“The commitment to building a headquarters required positive, collaborative relationships with state and local officials who will be supportive over the long term,” Amazon wrote in a blog post. “While polls show that 70 percent of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us.”
Amazon said it did not intend to reopen the search process for a replacement. Instead , company officials expect to spread the jobs they planned to locate in Queens around existing Amazon facilities in Boston, San Diego, Vancouver and the Bay Area.
1. Amazon drew back from setting up a satellite headquarters in that __________.| A．there is a widespread public objection. |
| B．the political climate is favorable to revolution. |
| C．a number of state and local politicians changed their tunes. |
| D．Long Island lost the fierce competition for the investment. |
| A．victory | B．reversal |
| C．investment | D．support |
| A．Amazon reoriented itself from a financial center to a technology hub. |
| B．Jeff Bezos was to blame for his mistakes in decision-making. |
| C．Andrew Cuomo had prejudice against Amazon’s new headquarters plan. |
| D．Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez was cautious in response to Amazon’s plan. |
| A．Amazon relocate its new facilities in Queens. |
| B．Amazon drops plans for headquarters in New York City. |
| C．Amazon seeks to cooperate with state and local politicians. |
| D．Amazon is under fire for withdrawing the plan for a facility. |
6 . After achieving huge success in the past two seasons, Letters Alive returns with more surprises. The show is performed first on China’s major video platform, v.qq.com, and then is aired on Heilongjiang Satellite TV on Saturdays. Letters penned by celebrities (名人) ages ago, or modern ordinary people, are chosen and then read by today’s stars, striking a chord (引起共鸣) with audiences by presenting human stories.
According to Guan Zhengwen, the show’s chief director, the letters offer a view into universal values. “There is only one standard in our selection. That is, these letters deserve to be seen by more people,” the director said.
“Different cultural backgrounds do exist in the world, but human nature can bridge different cultures. People’s understanding of themselves, others and society can be understood through writing, and that’s the power of letters,” the director said. “Chinese letters are still the mainstay of the program, but the addition of classic letters from abroad is certain to bring more tastes to it,” he added.
As a rule, the 12-episode (一集) culture program has invited many well-known Chinese celebrities. In comparison with the former two seasons, more young artists are taking part this time. “Our program’s viewers under the age of 29 account for more than 75 percent of the total. However, the popularity of celebrities among the young generation is not our selection preference,” Guan said.
Also it is worth noting that the program has added a comment time. Each time a letter is read, a famous commentator sits in the studio and shares his feelings toward the letter and tells viewers the stories behind letters. “The commentators’ views do not stand for the truth, as there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes,” the director said. “But they, based on their vision and experience, will express positive social energy to viewers.”
1. What does the underlined word “aired” probably mean in the first paragragh?| A．Advertised. | B．Broadcast. |
| C．Sold. | D．Made. |
| A．To make the show more colorful. |
| B．To attract more young audiences. |
| C．To bring more fashion to the program. |
| D．To cover the shortage of Chinese letters. |
| A．Foreign artists will be invited for the first time. |
| B．More stars favored by the young will be chosen. |
| C．There will be an explanation after the reading is finished. |
| D．Viewers will have a chance to read their own letters in the show. |
| A．In an advertisement. | B．In a history textbook. |
| C．In a fashion magazine. | D．In a news report. |
7 . “Birds” and “airports” are two words that, paired together，don’t normally paint the most harmonious picture. So it really raises some eyebrows when China announces plans to build an airport that is for birds.
Described as the world’s first-ever bird airport, the proposed Lingang Bird Sanctuary(保护区）in the northern coastal city of Tianjin is, of course,not an actual airport. Rather，it's a wetland preserve specifically designed to accommodate hundreds-even thousands-of daily takeoffs and landings by birds traveling along the East Asian-Australian Flyway. Over 50 species of migratory (迁徙的）water birds，some endangered, will stop and feed at the protected sanctuary before continuing their long journey along the flyway.
Located on a former landfill site，the 150-acre airport is also open to human travelers.(Half a million visitors are expected annually.) However，instead of duty-free shopping，the main attraction for non-egg-laying creatures at Tianjin’s newest airport will be a green-roofed education and research center, a series of raised “observation platforms” and a network of scenic walking and cycling paths totaling over 4 miles.
“The proposed Bird Airport will be a globally significant sanctuary for endangered migratory bird species, while providing new green lungs for the city of Tianjin.” Adrian McGregor of an Australian landscape architecture firm explained of the design. Frequently blanketed in smog so thick that it has shut down real airports, Tianjin is a city---China’s fourth most populous----that would certainly benefit from a new pair of healthy green lungs•
1. The underlined phrase “non-egg-laying creatures” in Paragraph 3 refers to?| A．Visitors. | B．Designers. |
| C．Endangered water birds. | D．Planes. |
| A．People cannot watch birds up close here. |
| B．It is located on a 150-acre landfill site. |
| C．It functions as an actual airport and a wetland preserve. |
| D．It provides migratory birds with food and shelter. |
| A．The airport will become a permanent home for birds. |
| B．Tianjin will win worldwide fame in the future. |
| C．Tianjin’s air quality will improve thanks to the airport. |
| D．Tianjin will be able to accommodate more people. |
| A．Airports shut down and open up. |
| B．China is to open the first Bird Airport. |
| C．Airports turn into green lungs. |
| D．Birds are no longer enemies to airports. |
8 . White-collar workers increasingly unhealthy
An increasing number of white-collar workers in Shanghai are getting failing grades on their physical examinations, according to a white paper on the health of white-collar workers in Shanghai.
Carried out by Shanghai Foreign Service Group, a human resources company, the report indicated that more than 53 percent of males are overweight, 46 percent suffer from a fatty live and about 26 percent have elevated blood lipids(血脂). However, females are more often diagnosed as having breast lesions(乳房病变) that could lead to cancer (85 percent), thyroid(甲状腺) disorder (34 percent) and hemorrhoids(痔疮) (23 percent).
Though the report also found that white-collar workers were paying increasing attention to their health—with about 84 percent saying they followed their condition closely or very closely—those with healthy lifestyles dropped to 64 percent last year from 77 percent in 2015.
The report came from about 500,000 physical exams taken by while-collar workers in Shanghai over the past five years. “I always eat and drink too much and never exercise,” said Wei Ruoxi, a 26-year-old working in finance who is struggling with being overweight. “I know what a healthy lifestyle looks like, but the job just brings too much pressure and squeezes out exercise time,” she added. Hu Xiaolong, 30, an accountant in Shanghai, said he was determined to live healthily from now on. “My recent physical examination shows a little shadow in the lung, which startled me when I heard it. I really need to quit bad habits like smoking and staying up late.”
The white paper also showed that more people are turning to commercial health insurance to cope with financial risks caused by health problems.The popularity of insurance purchases among the participants reached 15.3 percent last year, a rise of 4 percentage points in just one year. Most participants also expected their companies to help them with effective health management, such as offering membership cards for gyms, flexible working schedules and regular physical examinations.
1. The female white-collar workers with breast lesions suffer from ________ most.| A．breast lesions | B．fatty liver |
| C．hemorrhoids | D．cancer |
| A．confused | B．curious |
| C．shocked | D．annoyed |
| A．more and more white-collar workers have realized their health problems |
| B．the health insurance firm has profited from white-collar workers |
| C．people are trying to handle the white-collar workers’ health problems |
| D．companies have taken measures to improve white-collar workers’ health |
| A．Health. | B．Business. |
| C．People. | D．Technology. |
Then a visitor showed up. “Do you want to write a song?” asked Anita Kruse, 49, rolling a cart equipped with an electronic keyboard, a microphone and speakers. Simran stared. “Have you ever written a poem?” Anita Kruse continued. “Well, yes,” Simran said.
Within minutes, Simran was reading her poem into the microphone. “Some bird soaring through the sky,” she said softly. “Imagination in its head…” Anita Kruse added piano music, a few warbling (鸣, 唱) birds, and finally the girl’s voice. Thirty minutes later, she presented Simran with a CD of her first recorded song.
That was the beginning of Anita Kruse’s project, Purple Songs Can Fly, one that has helped more than 125 young patients write and record songs. As a composer and pianist who had performed at the hospital, Kruse said that the idea of how she could help “came in one flash”.
The effect on the kids has been great. One teenage girl, curling (蜷缩) in pain in her wheelchair, stood unaided to dance to a hip-hop song she had written. A 12-year-old boy with Hodgkin’s disease who rarely spoke surprised his doctors with a song he called I Can Make It.
“My time with the kids is heartbreaking because of the severity of their illnesses,” says Anita Kruse. “But they also make you happy, when the children are smiling, excited to share their CD with their families.”
Simran is now an active sixth grader and cancer-free. From time to time, she and her mother listen to her song, Always Remembering, and they always remember the “really sweet and nice and loving” lady who gave them a shining moment in the dark hour.
1. Simran Jatar lay in bed in hospital because ________.
| A．most of her hair had fallen out |
| B．she was receiving treatment for cancer |
| C．she felt depressed and quit from school |
| D．she was suffering from a pain in her back |
| A．It helps young patients record songs. |
| B．It is supported by singers and patients. |
| C．It aims to replace the medical treatment. |
| D．It offers patients chances to realize their dreams. |
| A．Most children are naturally fond of music. |
| B．He was brave enough to put up performance. |
| C．The project has positive effect on young patients. |
| D．Singing is the best way to treat some illnesses. |
| A．Purple Songs Can Fly |
| B．Singing Can Improve Health |
| C．A Shining Moment in Life |
| D．A Kind Woman—Anita Kruse |
