1 . Barbara McClintock was one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. She made important discoveries about genes and chromosomes(染色体).
Barbara McClintock was born in 1902 in Hartford, Connecticut. Her family moved to the Brooklyn area of New York City in 1908. Barbara was an active child with interests in sports and music. She also developed an interest in science.
She studied science at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Barbara was among a small number of undergraduate students to receive training in genetics in 1921. Years later, she noted that few college students wanted to study genetics.
Barbara McClintock decided to study botany, the scientific study of plants, at Cornell University. She completed her undergraduate studies in 1923. McClintock decided to continue her education at Cornell. She completed the master’s degree in 1925. Two years later, she finished all her requirements for the doctorate degree.
McClintock stayed at Cornell after she completed her education. She taught students botany. The 1930s was not a good time to be a young scientist in the United States. The country was in the middle of the great economic depression. Millions of Americans were unemployed. Male scientists were offered jobs. But female geneticists were not much in demand.
An old friend from Cornell, Marcus Rhoades, invited McClintock to spend the summer of 1941 working at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. It is a research center on Long Island, near New York City. McClintock started a temporary job with the genetics department. A short time later, she accepted a perpetual position in the laboratory and got continual incomes. This gave her the freedom to continue her research without repeatedly asking for financial aid.
By the 1970s, her discoveries had had an effect on everything from genetic engineering to cancer research. McClintock won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for her discovery of the ability of genes to change positions on chromosomes. She was the first American woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize.
1. When did McClintock get a doctorate degree?| A．In 1921. | B．In 1923. | C．In 1925. | D．In 1927 |
| A．male scientists were in great demand |
| B．male scientists were out of work |
| C．female geneticists were not in demand at all |
| D．young female scientists might have trouble finding a job |
| A．A permanent position in the laboratory. |
| B．A temporary job in the genetics department. |
| C．A job as a botany teacher. |
| D．A job to research cancer. |
| A．Because she received a degree in genes and chromosomes. |
| B．Because she contributed to genetic engineering and cancer research. |
| C．Because she made important discoveries about genes and chromosomes. |
| D．Because she was the first American woman who studied genes and chromosomes. |
2 . At the beginning of the 20th century there were more than a million lions worldwide. Today there are less than 30,000 in the wild. The remaining lions are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, hunting activities to protect farms and cattle.
For generations, Masai tribesmen on the large African plains in southeastern Kenya have hunted lions-to protect their farms and cattle. Today they celebrate the lions’ life. Noah is an elder in the Masai community. “We have decided as a community of the Masai to lay down our spears, and there will be no more killing of lions in our community.” He is part of a group of Masai visiting the United States promoting (推广) the Predator (捕食性动物) Compensation Program.
Conservation International’s Frank Hawkins explains，“The Masai have been living with wildlife for many generations and it has been a conflicting relationship in many ways. They compete with the animals for food as lions eat their cattle. We’re trying to find ways in which the wildlife will become something useful to them.” They had the Predator Compensation Fund founded in 2003. After much discussion, a group of Masai farmers agreed to protect lions. In turn, if lions or other predators kill their cattle, the Masai owner will be paid market value for the dead animals from the fund.
One man said that in the past, when a lion killed cattle, they killed it on the spot. And now, after the start of the program, the Masai see the lion population growing. Since 2003. only four lions have been killed here.
1. What is this passage mainly about?| A．The wildlife in the world. |
| B．Lions and the Masai. |
| C．The reason why lions are killed. |
| D．The living ways of the Masai. |
| A．To protect people in the wild. |
| B．To help the Masai protect their farms and cattle. |
| C．To protect lions only. |
| D．To protect the wildlife. |
| A．because lions were dangerous for people there. |
| B．because dead lions were worth a lot of money. |
| C．because they wanted lions’ meat. |
| D．because they wanted to protect their farms and cattle. |
| A．Reasonable. | B．Cruel. | C．Poor. | D．Stupid. |
3 . “Every child has a great curiosity about something they love,” said Carolyn King, a doctor in Grand Rapids, Michigan. King, who once studied at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, is the co-founder of a yearly event called Reach Out to Youth (ROTY).
Wayne State has held the event since 1989, which lets kids ages 7 to 11 experience science and medicine in a fun way.
“We’re here to help identify future scientists and future physicians,” said Richard Baker, director of Medical Education at Wayne State.
Diamond Moore, a medical student and the leading organizer of ROTY, planned a special but interesting day for attendees. Exhibits included a room where you could see a brain, heart, and some other parts of our body, and a room where you could test your reflexes (反射动作). Wayne State teachers and medical students, including Moore, shared their knowledge of medical science with kids.
“This program wants kids to learn about science, arts, and the health care system,” Moore said, “so that hopefully, they’ll become interested in medicine.”
Some of the students were excited about the chance to tour the exhibits and learn more about medicine-related jobs. “A doctor would be a cool job,” said first-time attendee Desiree Anders, 9.
Jeremiah Tower, an 11-year-old from Detroit, said that learning about “science and things about the body” was what the program was all about. Still, he wasn’t excited about having to get up early on a Saturday morning.
This year’s theme (主题) was “Play It Safe: Brain Safety.” After seeing what a brain looks like up close, young attendees learned about the danger of concussions (脑震荡). A fun test was given about brain safety so that kids could see how much they had learned.
About 350 kids take part in the program each year. It’s a great way to get an idea of what it feels like to be a doctor.
1. What can we learn about ROTY?| A．It is open to kids of all ages. |
| B．It educates kids in a fun way. |
| C．It is held on a Saturday afternoon. |
| D．It helps kids learn more about others. |
| A．Care for. | B．Look for. | C．Pick up. | D．Cheer up. |
| A．She felt a bit worried about it. |
| B．She thought it was hard to learn. |
| C．She showed an interest in it. |
| D．She believed it would have a bright future. |
4 . Four interesting festivals :
Grand Old Days:
Phone numeber: (651) 699-0029 E-mail address: fo@grandave.com
Grand Old Days is one of the Midwest’s largest one-day festivals. It’s held every year on the first Sunday in June. It starts at 7:45 am until 5:00 pm. You should pay $8 for a ticket to enter the live music festival gardens and you must be at least 21 years old. There are a lot of interesting activities for the whole family.
Uptown Art Fair:
Phone numeber: (612) 823-4581 E-mail address: info@uptownminneapolis.com
There is a wide variety of artwork you can buy from only a few dollars to thousands of dollars. There are also activities held by some artists. Uptown Art Fair starts on August 5th and ends on August 7th. It is free to attend. The opening time and closing time are Friday 11 am-8 pm, Saturday 10 am-8 pm, and Sunday 10 am-6 pm.
Minnesota State Fair:
Phone numeber: (651) 288-4400 E-mail address: fairinfo@mnstatefair.org
It is one of the most popular fairs in Minnesota. It starts on August 25th and goes through Labor Day on September 5th. Tickets for adults (aged 13-64) are $11, seniors (aged 65 and older) $9, kids (aged 5-12) $8 and children under 5 are free of charge. It opens at 6 am and closes at midnight. The State Fair has lots of fun activities, bands, games, and rides.
Nativity County Fair:
Phone numeber: (651) 696-5401 E-mail address: info@nativitycountyfair.com
The Nativity County Fair is a kid’s fair, but it has some fun things for adults as well. You can buy tickets for the rides and games, and the price depends on how many tickets you want to buy. It starts from September 16th to September 18th.
1. Which of the following lasts the longest?| A．Grand Old Days. |
| B．Minnesota State Fair. |
| C．Uptown Art Fair. |
| D．Nativity County Fair. |
| A．17 dollars. |
| B．19 dollars. |
| C．22 dollars. |
| D．30 dollars. |
| A．advertise some popular festivals. |
| B．introduce some festival activities. |
| C．give advice on kids’ festival safety. |
| D．compare the costs of different festivals. |
| A．In a museum guide. |
| B．In a business report. |
| C．In a book review. |
| D．On a tourist website. |
5 . Splash (落水声)! Did you hear that? Can you guess what it is? Can you figure it out? If you guessed the ocean, then you’re correct! I believe that my organization, Reef Check, is the most worthy of receiving the Chocolate Heart money. Do you want to know why? Well, soon you’ll find out.
First of all, Reef Check needs the money to repair and clean coral reefs (珊瑚礁) which are home to millions of sea animals. Reef Check hopes to educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems (生态系统) and the danger that sea animals and plants are facing. Based in Los Angeles, Reef Check has volunteer teams in more than 90 countries, making community volunteers, businesses, universities, and other non-profit organizations work together. It works to create a worldwide network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods that survey coral and rocky reefs and report on reef health. Also, Reef Check takes action to protect remaining ancient reefs and repair reefs in danger worldwide.
For example, imagine you are a poor sea animal, whose home just got destroyed or wasn’t clean. What would you do? What could you do? Nothing much, really. But that’s exactly Reef Check’s job! To clean and protect these homes for many sea animals!
Furthermore, in 1997, Reef Check carried out the first-ever survey of coral reef health that provided scientific evidence that our coral reefs were in danger because of overfishing, illegal fishing, and pollution. The results surprised many biologists who had not realized the seriousness of human influence on reefs. In August 2002, Reef Check presented its report, The Global Coral Reef Crisis - Trends and Solutions, at the World Summit in South Africa. The report warned that there was no reef in the world that remained untouched by human influence, such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
In short, everyone should have a home including animals from the sea. So don’t leave them out! Be generous and give them a home!
1. What do we know about Reef Check?| A．It is a team of scientists. |
| B．It mainly studies sea animals. |
| C．It is a non-profit organization. |
| D．It is run by the US government. |
| A．To show the role of Reef Check. |
| B．To show the importance of reefs. |
| C．To show how poor sea animals are. |
| D．To show the seriousness of sea pollution. |
| A．Reefs would die out in the near future. |
| B．Humans and reefs depended on each other. |
| C．Overfishing influenced the oceans seriously. |
| D．Reefs were at risk because of human activities. |
| A．To describe what Reef Check is. |
| B．To introduce a dangerous but important job. |
| C．To explain why Reef Check needs support. |
| D．To educate the public to care for the environment. |
6 . Tea drinking was common in China for nearly one thousand years before anyone in Europe had ever heard about tea. People in Britain were much slower in finding out what tea was like, mainly because tea was very expensive. It could not be bought in shops and even those people who could afford to have it sent from Holland did so only because it was a fashionable curiosity. Some of them were not sure how to use it. They thought it was a vegetable and tried cooking the leaves. Then they served them mixed with butter and salt. They soon discovered their mistake but many people used to spread the used tea leaves on bread and give them to their children as sandwiches.
Tea remained rare and very expensive in England until the ships of the East India Company began to bring it direct from China early in the seventeenth century. During the next few years so much tea came into the country that the price fell and many people could afford to buy it.
At the same time people on the Continent were becoming more and more fond of tea. Until then tea had been drunk without milk in it, but one day a famous French lady named Madame de Sevigne decided to see what tea tasted like when milk was added. She found it so pleasant that she would never again drink it without milk. Because she was such a great lady her friends thought they must copy everything she did, so they also drank their tea with milk in it. Slowly this habit spread until it reached England and today only very few Britons drink tea without milk.
At first, tea was usually drunk after dinner in the evening. No one ever thought of drinking tea in the afternoon until a duchess found that a cup of tea and a piece of cake at three or four o'clock stopped her getting “a sinking feeling” as she called it. She invited her friends to have this new meal with her, and so tea-time was born.
1. Which of the following is true of the introduction of tea into Britain?| A．The Britons got expensive tea from India. |
| B．Tea reached Britain from Holland. |
| C．The Britons were the first people in Europe who drank tea. |
| D．It was not until the 17th century that the Britons had tea. |
| A．How tea-time was born in Holland. |
| B．The history of tea drinking in Britain. |
| C．How tea became a popular drink in France. |
| D．How the Britons got the habit of drinking afternoon tea. |
| A．In the eighteenth century. | B．In the sixteenth century. |
| C．In the seventeenth century. | D．In the late seventeenth century. |
| A．It tasted like milk. |
| B．It was good for health. |
| C．It became a popular drink. |
| D．They tried to copy the way Madame de Sevigne drank tea. |
7 . Smokers who give up smoking and live on a diet high in tomatoes and fruits, especially apples, have better chances of repairing their lung function harmed by smoking, a new study finds. The study, published in the December issue of the European Respiratory Journal, said former smokers who ate more tomatoes and fresh fruits regularly saw a slower natural drop in lung function over a 10-year period.
According to the study, conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, adults who on average ate more than two tomatoes or more than three portions of fresh fruits a day had a slower drop in lung function, compared to those who ate less than one tomato or less than one portion of fruits every day.
Lung function starts to drop at around age 30 and poor lung function is related to higher risks of death from all diseases, including heart disease and lung cancer. “A diet rich in fruits can soy down the lung's natural aging process even if you have never smoked,” said Vanessa Garcia Larsen, the study's lead author, who is also an Assistant Professor in Human Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Larsen and her team examined diets and lung function of more than 650 adults from Germany. Norway and Britain in 2002 and performed lung function tests on the same group of participants 10 years later. The researchers found a more eye-catching connection between diets and lung function among former smokers, who had a slower drop over the 10-year period because their diets were highly rich in tomatoes and fruits.
Such result suggests that the nutrients（营养物）in their diets are good for repairing the harm to the lung done by smoking.
1. What`s the effect of tomatoes and fruits on former smokers?| A．They help smokers repair their lung function. |
| B．They slow down the aging process little by little. |
| C．They greatly reduce the risk of serious lung diseases. |
| D．They make smokers less worried about their health. |
| A．The acceleration（加速）of the lung's aging process. |
| B．The heavy dependence on smoking cigarettes. |
| C．The danger of dying from serious diseases. |
| D．The faster natural drop in lung function. |
| A．To examine if the participants develop the disease. |
| B．To make the readers believe the result of the study. |
| C．To see clear signs of a quick drop in lung function. |
| D．To see changes in lung function of the same person. |
| A．To introduce two kinds of fruits. |
| B．To describe some research work. |
| C．To tell people the result of a study. |
| D．To explain the effect of smoking on people. |
8 . Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair. They are red hot when they are very angry about something. The small hot-tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their color and their fiery(辣的) taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health.
The color black is often used in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day. A blacklist(黑名单) is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or green-backs. Dollars are called greenbacks because green is the color of the black side of the paper money.
1. Americans use “red hot” to describe the following EXCEPT_______.| A．something unfair |
| B．small hot-tasting peppers |
| C．the person who is very angry |
| D．popular music like Dixieland jazz |
| A．the expression has a very long history |
| B．the color pink makes people feel happy |
| C．people think the color pink is gentler than red |
| D．healthy babies are born with nice pink skin |
| A．enjoys himself/herself in boating | B．is hit by a high wave |
| C．has a stomach ache | D．likes trees and grass |
| A．Being sent a beautiful gift | B．Passing a very difficult test. |
| C．Being refused during and important interview | D．Being invited to an exciting party |
9 . Social media is often a collection of highlights of people’s lives rather than a true reflection of reality. Although it can be a great tool to keep up with the lives of our friends, families and celebrities, it can also be pretty damaging as we judge our lives in comparison to those we see online.
One woman shared her experience which showed exactly why we shouldn’t believe everything we see on social media. After heading to the pool, Jen watched as a young mum and her daughter entered, dressed in swimming suits. The mum took a few selfies (自拍) with her child. Jen said the young girl then asked if they could get into the pool but was told to wait while her parent took a photo of her in front of the pool.
“Mama glanced over at her but never got off the phone,” Jen wrote. “After 10 minutes mama ended her call, and then they left the pool. I sat there thinking about what I’d witnessed for a while afterwards. I imagined the photos she took being perfectly edited and posted so social media with a caption like ‘Pool time with my girl!’ ”
Jen then thought about another mum at home, in a messy house, tired because she’s spent her day cooking, caring, cleaning and playing with her children. “She’s going to look at that photo and she is going to compare herself to the ‘perfect mama’ at the pool. She’s going to feel like a failure. She’ll never know that how she spent her time that day was so much better in her children’s eyes than that ‘perfect mama’ at the pool.” Jen wrote.
What we see on social media isn’t always real. Sometimes, and often, it’s a complete set-up. Jen later added that she in no way intended to judge the mum for her actions or her reasons for doing it, but simply wanted to say that the edited photos we see on social media “are not a full depiction of real life”.
1. What can we learn about the young mum at the pool?| A．She was very familiar with Jen. |
| B．She didn’t swim in the pool at all. |
| C．She liked editing the photos of her daughter. |
| D．She was accompanying her daughter attentively. |
| A．She does a good job as a mum. |
| B．She dislikes photos on social media. |
| C．She loves exploring the true story of a photo. |
| D．She is not so good as the “perfect mama”. |
| A．Description. | B．Comparison. |
| C．Imagination. | D．Qualification. |
| A．Real life depends on social media. |
| B．Be yourself when using social media. |
| C．Social media is affecting our real life. |
| D．What we see on social media doesn’t reflect real life. |
10 . Don’t let the heat keep you away from New Orleans. For one thing, the hotel rates are the lowest they’ll be all year. For another, with wonderful events, you’ll barely notice the heat. Come and see what we’re all about in summer.
FESTIGALS
Festigals is an annual festival that celebrates, and supports women of all backgrounds and causes related to women’s well-being. It features a variety of New Orleans-themed activities, designed for women and by women. It usually includes famous female speakers.
DATES: June 5-7, 2020
RED DRESS RUN
The run usually begins in French Quarter, although the exact location is only announced to those who registered. The runners, with drinks in hand, continue their route through the French Quarter and spend the rest of the day celebrating. Participants can sign up online on the official website. Registration usually includes donations to local charities, and beers for the run. You must be 21 or older to participate.
DATE: August 8, 2020
PRICE $65
RUNNING OF THE BULLS
Instead of running from real bulls, New Orleanians gather in the traditional colors of Spain’s bull run and chase runners with plastic bats on their rollerblades (旱冰鞋). Thousands of runners gather early in the morning in Downtown to participate in the run, wearing all white with a bit of red.
DATES: July 10-12, 2020
NOLA CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL
This year’s festival has expanded to two weekends, taking place June 19-21 and June 24-28. Guests can enjoy live music performances, local chefs, kids activities, salsa dancing and more. While the official fest takes place June 26-28, there’s plenty to do leading up to and following Caribbean Fest. To learn more about this year’s fest, visit here.
1. What is special about Festigals?| A．It shows great concern for females. |
| B．It features New Orleans’ local food. |
| C．It is celebrated in hot summer. |
| D．It is open to women only. |
| A．Runners have to run all day long. |
| B．Runners can sign up on the spot. |
| C．There is an age limit for runners. |
| D．It provides free food and drinks. |
| A．FESTIGALS. |
| B．RED DRESS RUN. |
| C．RUNNING OF THE BULLS. |
| D．NOLA CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL. |
