1 . At every turn in the Netherlands, the future of sustainable(可持续的) agriculture is taking shape—not in the meeting rooms of big companies but on thousands of modest family farms.
You can see it vividly on the farm run by Ted Duijvestijn and his brothers. At the Duijvestjns' 36-acre greenhouse near the old city of Delf, visitors wander among the deep green tomato plants, 20 feet tall. Rooted not in soil but in materials made from leaves and stalks, the plants are heavy with tomatoes—15 varieties in all—to suit the taste of the most demanding customers.
Since 2004, the Duijvestijns have declared resource independence on every front. The farm produces all of its own energy and fertilizer and even some of the packaging materials necessary for the crop's distribution and sale. The growing environment is kept at perfect temperatures year-round by geothermal heat(地热) that can be found under at least half of the Netherlands. Only rainwater is used for irrigation. Each kilogram of tomatoes from their plants requires less than 15 kilograms of water, compared with 61 kilograms for plants in open fields. Once each year the entire crop is regrown from seeds, and the old plants are processed to make packaging materials. The few pests that manage to enter the greenhouse are greeted by an army of fierce insects that shows no interest in tomatoes. The nutrition in the soil can be improved by growing plants that work with certain bacteria to produce their own fertilizer. In short. it's an entirely self-contained food system.
“Look at the island of Bali in Indonesia!” Ted explains. “For at least a thousand years, its farmers have raised ducks and fish within the same rice field. It's irrigated by the canal systems sculpted by human hands along mountains. They are our model.”
1. What can we learn about the Duijvestijns' tomatoes?| A．Their color is deep green. | B．There are 15 on each plant. |
| C．They are very tasty. | D．They grow in rich natural soil. |
| A．does not have insects | B．is heated by solar energy |
| C．produces its own chemical fertilizer | D．consumes much less water |
| A．Independent. | B．Reliable. |
| C．Satisfying | D．Separated. |
| A．He is attracted to its canal systems. | B．He will also raise ducks in his farm. |
| C．He wants to see the beautiful island. | D．He appreciates its farming methods. |
2 . True, people remember what you wear. After a social event, we all remember the woman in red, or the man with the top hat. On the red carpet, Hollywood hopefuls take advantage of this reality by wearing outfits designed to be discussed and displayed on the front pages of newspapers. But in terms of making a good impression, being memorable is not just about novelty or fashion, but attraction, both physical and emotional, often in opposite order of importance.
In a 2020 study, Andre Ndobo found people tended to remember the extremes: both attractive and unattractive faces. He acknowledged that one suggested explanation was that both are characterized by distinctive features that promote facial recognition when compared with faces of average attractiveness. But while distinctiveness is memorable, beauty is skin deep. Accordingly, the way you are remembered by others is often not about what you wear and how you look but about the way you make people feel.
Professional interaction can create positive personal memories. Adrie A. Koehler, in a piece entitled “In the Eye of the Beholder” (2017), found that when asked to recall their best learning experience, many students discussed a memorable teacher. What made the teachers memorable? According to the students, memorable qualities included not only teaching styles, but also interpersonal skills and positive qualities such as a sense of humor.
We can relate to the results of this study when recalling people who are memorable in our own lives. They are not always people who we believed to be the smartest or most believed, but often those who made us feel the most comfortable, and who were most interested in us. Sincere interest is uniquely attractive. Not only will you remember what someone said, but they will also remember you, fondly.
Regardless of what we wear or how we look, we are always naturally more appealing and approachable when we focus on others and when we are genuine rather than simply sociable. Remember that, and others will remember you.
1. The Hollywood hopefuls are mentioned to show ________.| A．the competition on the red carpet | B．people’s attempt to be remembered |
| C．people’s wrong belief about impression | D．the importance of clothing in one’s success |
| A．It creates positive memories. | B．There’s something special with it. |
| C．It makes people feel uncomfortable. | D．People often try hard to avoid seeing it. |
| A．Smart people are especially attractive. |
| B．Teaching styles impress students most. |
| C．The best learning experience is hard to gain. |
| D．Sincere attention is useful in communication. |
| A．You Are What You Wear | B．Mind the Impression You Make |
| C．How Can We Improve Our Self-image? | D．What do People Remember about You? |
3 . The over 48,000 orange trees that are distributed at all corners of Seville, Spain, not only fill the city's air with the pleasant smell of their flowers in spring, they also produce over 16, 500 tons of fruit every winter. Though that makes the city Europe's top orange-producing city, the fruit is too sour to be consumed fresh. While some of the produce is used to make orange juice, most of it ends up in Seville's landfills. However, that may change soon thanks to a creative idea to use the oranges to produce clean energy.
In the pilot program, juice from 38. 6 tons of oranges will be left to ferment (发酵)in an existing biogas facility. The juice is fructose (果糖)made up of very short carbon chains, and the energetic performance of these carbon chains during the fermentation process is particularly high. The gas released from the fermented liquid will be used to drive a generator to produce clean power. The officials estimate the test run will generate about 1,500 kWh of energy—enough to run a water purification plant. "It's not just about saving money. The oranges are a problem for the city, and we're producing added value from waste,M said Benigno Lopez, the head of Emasesa's environmental department.
If successful, by 2023, the city hopes to recycle all the oranges and add the electricity generated back to its grid (电网). In trial runs, 1,000 kilos (2,200 pounds) of oranges produced 50 kWh of clean energy一enough to meet the daily electricity needs of five homes. The project team estimates that if all the fruit is recycled, it will produce enough energy to power as many as 73,000 residences.
The latest effort is among the many programs implemented in Spain to achieve the country's goal of switching its electricity system to renewable sources by 2050—and if everything goes according to plan, fully decarbonizing its economy shortly after that.
1. What problem does Seville face?| A．It is short of energy. | B．Most oranges are wasted. |
| C．Fruit production is falling. | D．Trees take up much space. |
| A．Fructose. | B．Carbon chains. | C．Clean power. | D．Gas. |
| A．Conducted. | B．Assumed. | C．Popularized. | D．Completed. |
| A．To prove a theory. | B．To raise a problem. |
| C．To introduce a project. | D．To comment on an idea. |
4 . True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.—Charles Caleb Colton.
Just like in any other relationship, arguments and fights are also a part of friendship. You will hardly find friends who have never fought with one another. Whatever the reason is, if a person feels that he is responsible for creating the differences, it is important that he apologizes to his friend.
Though you can use the email, text messages or chat for expressing your apology, the good old way of saying sorry to your friend through a letter will surely have a great effect on him. This will make your friend realize that your efforts of saying sorry are genuine and you really care for him.
Points to Remember:
Timing: Write the letter at the proper time.It is not advisable to put off it for too long.
Words: While writing the letter, what matters the most is that you truly feel sorry.
Sequence: Always begin by apologizing and saying sorry for your mistake. Then explain to him your side of the story. In the third and last paragraph, talk about what his friendship means to you and make a promise of not repeating the mistake.
Delivery: You can either post it or deliver the letter personally or through someone else. You can also keep it at a location where your friend will be able to find it easily.
Some people may try to point out the friend’s mistake while writing the letter. Avoid this completely, as it can make matters worse. The letter has to be brief and should only talk about the subject that has led to your apology. Keep patient and do not expect immediate results. In some cases, it may take time for the person to forgive and forget.
1. The saying in the first paragraph is used to ________ .| A．let readers study a famous saying | B．introduce the topic of the passage |
| C．show who is Charles Caleb Colton | D．tell readers the importance of friends |
| A．the email | B．text messages | C．chat online | D．letters |
| A．try to point out the friend’s mistake |
| B．make the letter long and interesting |
| C．begin by apologizing and saying sorry for your mistake |
| D．write the importance of your friendship in the first paragraph |
5 . I recall when I was a young girl back in Canada, I was sitting and watching a baseball game on TV with my father and we started to debate the importance of sports. Different from my father, I argued with all the overconfidence of a teenager that sports is more than just a hobby to keep us physically healthy and went as far as claiming that" There would be more wars if we didn't have sports!"
As an adult, my teenage tendencies of exaggeration(夸张) may have faded but I still firmly believe that sports is more than just a hobby for both participants and audience. The challenging times we are all living through right now with coronavirus is proof to this. The effect of cancelling all sports from professional leagues right down to amateur budding athletic programs, can be felt by millions of people worldwide. To many the social emotional impact is stronger than the physical. The loss of the sense of community, of belonging, and of an extended family is real for many girls, boys, men and women everywhere. Others are feeling physical challenges as well as they are struggling to stay active during these times.
But the human race is incredible and adaptable in tough situations, and sports once again is playing a role. Sports teams are staying in touch online and are a source of much needed support, love and laughter in these times. So many professional athletes are playing vital roles through this crisis by sharing their messages of support and at times, making valuable monetary donations to the cause. Even in areas of isolation(隔离), people are coming out on their balconies and leading their neighbours through a workout programme to help them stay active. Others are turning to online workout programmes to follow. Once again, sports is finding its way.
So, in challenging times such as now, people are still empowered to continue their sports journey and stay strong and healthy.
1. What may the author's father agree about sports?| A．It is a personal hobby. | B．It boosts confidence. |
| C．It affects social relations. | D．It helps avoid wars. |
| A．They lack family connection. | B．They have lost their hobbies. |
| C．They feel bored more than lonely. | D．They suffer both in body and mind. |
| A．Struggle to be athletes. | B．Try to stay physically active. |
| C．Make donations to good causes. | D．Design new sports programmes. |
| A．Sports reduces risks in our lives | B．Sports continues to offer strength |
| C．Sports makes the impossible possible | D．Sports has new functions in the pandemic |
6 . Sharing is love for a couple in Texas. That's what a popular Facebook post from a woman named Tracy Howell has shown tens of thousands of people. Tracy detailed a four-decade-long tradition she shares with her husband, Clifford, which many have called “sweet”.
Whenever Clifford goes to work，he takes a sandwich that has a small bite on it. The bite symbolized a deep message for the pair, Tracy explained in the post. “Clifford and I have been married almost 41 years and I have made his lunch every working day since day 1,”Tracy wrote at the time. “Sometimes I would join him on the job site and have lunch with him. He told me once that lunch tastes better when you share it with someone you love. Soon after that, while fixing his sandwich one night, I took a bite out of it before putting it away. I told him that since I couldn't often join him for lunch, I took a bite so he knew I was joining him,” she recalled.
The first time Tracy had done this, her husband returned with anger after work and told her that some workmate had taken a bite out of his sandwich.
“I continue to do this frequently and he still says, ‘It's always happy to see you join me for lunch.’”
The post had been shared more than 97,000 times in just one week and had received more than 26 ,000 likes from Facebook users. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard,” a user shared.
1. Why does Tracy always take a bite of Clifford's lunch?| A．To make her lunch popular. | B．To give Clifford a sweet feeling. |
| C．To remind Clifford to have lunch on time. | D．To remove Clifford's tiredness from work. |
| A．He was annoyed. | B．He thought it romantic. |
| C．He returned home at once. | D．He asked a workmate about it. |
| A．Powerful. | B．Anxious. | C．Caring. | D．Capable. |
7 . An amateur fossil hunter has unearthed a new type of prehistoric “sea dragon” on the beach of the UK's Dorset Coast. The new 2m-long ichthyosaur is named “Etches sea dragon”,after fossil collector Dr. Steve Etches, who found it buried head-first. Ichthyosaurs are called sea dragons for their usually very large teeth and eyes. He thought its teeth were unusual,so he passed it on to experts at the University of Portsmouth to identify(鉴定).There,a Masters student, Megan Jacobs, who has spent several years working on ichthyosaurs, identified it as a new species, which lived 150 million years ago.
The find is the UK's fifth known ichthyosaur from the Late Jurassic periods,and by far the smallest so far.
The fossil was found near Kimmeridge Bay—part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. When it died, the seafloor would have been very soft mud, allowing the front half of the animal to sink into the mud, before other animals came along and ate the tail end.Being buried in a bed of soft mud meant it was preserved in exceptional condition and even some of its soft tissues were preserved.
Megan said, “Fossils of Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs in the UK are extremely rare. I did some research,comparing it with those known from other Late Jurassic fossils found around the world. It was very exciting that I didn’t find a match. Steve's extraordinary collection contains many new and exciting animals, and it was a real honor to have the chance to describe this ichthyosaur.”
Professor David Martill,who leads the palaeontology(古生物学)research,said, “Steve is an exceptional fossil collector and although he is sometimes referred to as an amateur collector, he has done so much for palaeontology that he has been awarded an MBE, Member of the British Empire, and is truly a professional.”He added, “If it were not for collectors like Steve,scientists would have very few specimens(样本)to work on. ’’
1. What did Steve Etches do after finding the ichthyosaur?| A．He spent years studying it. | B．He sent it to a university. |
| C．He named it after himself. | D．He announced it’s a new species. |
| A．The largest sea dragons once lived there. |
| B．Fossils found there usually have soft tissues. |
| C．It is very popular among fossil hunters worldwide. |
| D．The seafloor there was once covered with soft mud. |
| A．Confirming the uniqueness of the fossil. |
| B．Admiring Steve’s extraordinary collections. |
| C．Finding a matching name for the new ichthyosaur. |
| D．Seeing other Late Jurassic’s fossils around the world. |
| A．He had a good taste of collections. |
| B．He contributed a lot to palaeontology. |
| C．He set an example for other amateur collectors. |
| D．He did better than professional palaeontologists. |
8 . Fired bricks are a universal building material, produced by thousand-year-old technology, which throughout history has seldom served any other purpose. But researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found a new use for bricks:as energy storage units. A team of engineers and chemists have found a way to transform an ordinary house brick into a battery (电池) — allowing it to conduct (传导) and store electricity.
The researchers connect an LED light bulb (灯泡) to the bricks. They are powerful enough to illuminate it and cost only about $3 to make.
“I love the idea of adding value to things that are inexpensive, things that are affordable, things that we see every day,” said Julio D'Arcy, an assistant professor of chemistry at Washington University and one of the researchers on this project.
The new invention relies on something known as iron oxide, a form of matter in bricks that gives them their red colour. The scientists pumped the bricks with several gases that react with iron oxide to produce a network of plastic fibres. These fibres coat the empty spaces inside the bricks — and conduct electricity.
“What we’re trying to do is:we're trying to make specialized plastics and then we can actually put those plastics inside construction materials,”D’Arcy says. “In the future, a brick wall could potentially serve two purposes at one time:providing structural support and storing electricity produced from renewable energy sources,such as solar panels.”
The technology is still at least a few years away from being ready for the market. And right now the energy that the bricks can store is still not much. Hut the team is now testing ways to improve brick performance — because it looks like you can find a new purpose for an old brick.
1. What did the researchers turn bricks into?| A．Lighting equipment. | B．Construction materials. |
| C．An electricity-storage item. | D．A new form of green energy. |
| A．Store. | B．Light. | C．Conduct. | D．Transform. |
| A．Iron oxide. | B．The stored gases. |
| C．The produced fibres. | D．The empty spaces. |
| A．Old Bricks, New Tricks | B．A Bright Future Is on the Way |
| C．A New Way to Produce Electricity | D．Recycled Batteries,Renewable Energy |
9 . At least three times a week. Louise and David Sample prepare three-course meals in their home and then give them away.
Louise prepares the meats the night before she cooks them. Vegetables matter, too.She once spent an entire Saturday cooking greens. Each “regular”(which is how the couple refers to those their meals are intended for) gets a fresh salad. This means David needs to shop multiple times a week.Together the couple prepare,cook,clean, package,and deliver containers full of food to their neighbors in need.
“They're always making food for people,making sure everybody is taken care of,always giving,said Sha’Laina,35. “It’s just something they do.”The Samples, who are retired（退休的）,say it’s no big deal spending hundreds of dollars and unknown hours each month in service to others.
Louise got a dangerous cancer in November 2018, and there were moments when those around her worried she wouldn't make it. Last year on Valentine's Day, she was very sick. But right up until she received her operation last August at Albert Einstein Medical Center, she made food for the regulars and for every employee who took care of her. “I was cooking the night before my transplant (移植).David took me to the seventh floor of the hospital” —to her patient room—“then took the food to them,’’she said. Even during her post-transplant hospital stay, Louise found a way to help others. Shekel separate the untouched food from her meal, and give it to David to take home. “We’d give it to the regulars,so she didn’t have to waste it,” said David.
Two months after leaving the hospital, Louise was back in the kitchen.“When someone goes through something traumatic (创伤的),continuing any part of your life where you know what you're doing is very beneficial. It puts you in a place where you're in control,’David said. “She loves cooking. Just doing it gave her part of her life back.”
1. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2?| A．The couple went shopping a lot. |
| B．It takes great effort to prepare the food. |
| C．The meals from the couple are well balanced. |
| D．The couple take good care of their neighbors. |
| A．They are fond of giving. | B．They are good at treating strangers. |
| C．They are exhausted from the cooking. | D．They prefer serving others to cooking. |
| A．was too sick to see the doctor alone | B．usually cooked food in the hospital |
| C．continued her acts of giving | D．received several operations |
| A．Louise's bravery helped her survive. |
| B．Cooking benefits Louise's recovery. |
| C．Everyone will go through hard times. |
| D．Louise should spend more time cooking. |
10 . The following are some of the best items on sale you can find on our website.
Martin Clunes：Islands of Australia DVD
Item NO. XA9692
Price：$24.99
Martin Clunes makes delightful documentaries for British television. His latest journey takes him down under to places most of us will never see. Australia is surrounded by more than 8,000 islands, and Clunes flies, sails, and kayaks to 16 of the best, finding spectacular scenery, interesting history, amazing creatures, unusual pastimes and local people.
NATURE：Cuba’s Wild Revolution DVD
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Cuba is an island teeming with great biodiversity:from the world’s tiniest hummingbird to thousands of migrating crabs,to the jumping crocodiles of the Zapata swamp. Decades of a socialist, conservation-minded government, American embargoes (禁运)and minimal development have left the island unchanged for 50 years.
American Experience:Mr. Tornado DVD
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Tetsuya Fujita spent ten months studying The Super Outbreak of 1974,which was the strongest tornado outbreak on record. Mr.Tornado is the amazing story of Tetsuya Fujita. His research helped save thousands of Americans, whose lives are threatened by dangerous weather conditions.
World War One:The Peopled Story DVD
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Through original diaries, letters, and personal stories, this unforgettable documentary tells how the lives of regular British men and women were transformed by the Great War, told in their own words. The war was cruel: hundreds of thousands would never return, and those who did would carry physical or emotional wounds forever. Along with historical footage, an outstanding group of actors act out the first-hand accounts.
1. What do Item NO.XA9692 and Item NO.WC5582 have in common?| A．They introduce the same place. |
| B．They can get viewers close to nature. |
| C．They focus on the history of a place. |
| D．They cost the same amount of money. |
| A．By studying a super tornado. |
| B．By collecting amazing stories. |
| C．By tracking dangerous tornadoes. |
| D．By working with thousands of Americans. |
| A．The bravery of British people. |
| B．The causes of World War One. |
| C．The historical achievements of British people. |
| D．The influence of World War One on ordinary people. |
