1 . A few minutes of looking into a deep red light could have a dramatic effect on preventing eyesight decline as we age, according to a newstudy published this week in the Journals of Gerontology.

“You don’t need to use it for very long to start getting a strong result.” said lead author Glen Jeffery, a professor of neuroscience at University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology. The study was small, an experimental study to test the concept. Researchers recruited 12 men and 12 women, whose ages ranged from 28 to 72. Each participant was given a small handheld flashlight that emitted a red light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers. They spent three minutes each day looking into the light over a period of two weeks.

The lights work on both cones (视锥细胞) and rods (视杆细胞) in the eye. Cones are photo receptor cells that detect color and work best in well-lit situations. Rods, which are much more plentiful, are retina cells that specialize in helping us see in dim light, according to the American of Ophthalmology. Researchers measured the cone function in subjects’ eyes by having them identify colored letters with low contrast. And they measured their eyes’ rod sensitivity by asking them to detect light signals in the dark.

There was a 14% improvement in the ability to see colors, or cone color contrast sensitivity, for the entire two dozen participants. Improvement, however, was most significant in study participants over age 40. For those ages, cone color contrast sensitivity rose by 20% over the course of the study.

That age group also saw significant increases in rod threshold, that is the ability to see in low light. Study participants under 40 also experienced some improvement, but didn’t see the same jump as older subjects. Younger eyes haven’t declined as much as older eyes.

“The retina ages faster than any other organ in your body.” Jeffery said. “From an evolutionary viewpoint, they fundamentally have never lived past 40. Now, of course, we regularly live well beyond that age, and need ways to care for the organs that have been the most likely to wear out earliest in life. But more studies are needed to prove it helps.”

1. What do we know about the study?

A．24 old people took part in the test.

B．Each participant has good eyesight.

C．All the participants were tested for their eyes’ cone and rod sensitivity.

D．The participants were asked to detect light signal in well-lit situation.

2. What does the study led by Glen Jeffery find?

A．Cone sensitivity rose by 20% for those under 40.

B．Younger participants haven’t get any improvement.

C．Older eyes haven’t declined as much as younger eyes.

D．The participants over 40 have increases in the ability to see in the dark.

3. What does Jeffery mean in the last paragraph?

A．It’s easy to protect our organs.	B．He will carry out further research.
C．Our organs never last past 40 years.	D．The research has benefits many people.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Using a flashlight can improve people’s eyesight.

B．Looking into a red light can lead to good eyesight.

C．Declining eyesight can be improved by looking at a red light.

D．Light can raise eyes’ cone and rod sensitivity.

2 . “The pile of ice is so thick; it extends more than 10, 000 feet above the ocean. And if all that ice were to melt and go into the ocean, global sea levels would rise by about 24 feet everywhere around the world,” said Jason Briner, a geologist who studies the ice sheet in Greenland at the University of Buffalo. The ice sheet of the biggest island in the world is melting, and the ice sheet that sits atop it is massive. The ice sheet is melting, of course. But just how much, compared to the past?

Briner’s team did a computer simulation (模拟) of the southwest part of the Greenland ice sheet — which he says is a good indicator for ice melting across the entire ice sheet. The researchers plugged past climate data into that model to “hindcast,” rather than forecast, the past activity of the ice sheet. They then checked the model’s predictions of the past shape and size of the ice sheet by looking at piles of rocks and dirt on Greenland today, which outline the edges of ancient ice. And the simulation was in good agreement with the actual situation.

Using that reconstruction of the ice sheet over time, the team could compare the ice sheet’s historic losses to those happening today under human-caused global warming. And they determined that Greenland is on track to lose more ice this century than during any century in the past 12,000 years — possibly four times as much.

Finally, it’s up to us how much ice actually melts. If the world goes net carbon zero by 2100, for example, Briner says ice loss could stop entirely at the end of the century, according to one model. “That was what kept me from being completely depressed about our study.” Dozens of countries have already announced goals to go net zero by the middle of this century — so far the U. S. is not one of them.

1. What do we know about the Greenland ice sheet?

A．It is as thick as over 10,000 feet.

B．It is becoming smaller and smaller.

C．It has raised sea levels by 24 feet.

D．It is the largest ice sheet in the world.

2. How did Briner’s team conduct their research?

A．By modeling part of the ice sheet on computer.

B．By doing a simulation of the whole ice sheet.

C．By studying the ancient rocks and dirt.

D．By forecasting the future climate change.

3. What can we infer about the Greenland ice sheet in the last paragraph?

A．Its status has already been acknowledged.

B．Its growth can be improved by the model.

C．The speed of its melting will be increasingly fast.

D．The extent of its loss depends on human activities.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Rising Global Sea Levels

B．Climate Change is Speeding Up

C．Greenland — the Biggest Island is Melting

D．Net Carbon Zero — a Global Goal by 2100

3 . Jeremy Fox, a retired businessman in a small city in England, recently bought an old farmhouse with a yard and a small field, some five miles out of the town. There he planned to lead a simple life with his wife, Amelia.

It was while clearing out the old barn on the far side of the yard that he made an interesting discovery. In a corner, under some old sacks, he found some large fragments (碎片) of an antique (古董) bowl. Out of curiosity, he took them into the kitchen and, much to the anger of his wife, washed the mud off them. That evening he spread newspapers over the kitchen table and carefully stuck the fragments together. However, two pieces were found missing.

Two days later, having pulled down the barn, Mr. Fox was digging over the ground in preparation for the installation (安装) of a greenhouse, when he discovered the two missing pieces. When he had stuck them in position, the bowl looked so fine that Amelia agreed to its being placed on a table in the living room, in front of the window.

“We might have something a bit special here,” he said to his wife. A few days later, Jeremy took several photographs of the bowl, which he sent off to Sotheby’s in London.

Unexpectedly, Sotheby’s was extremely interested in the bowl and sent an expert to inspect it. It turned out that it was a Chinese Ming fish bowl, dating back to around 1500, and might be expected to get a five-figure sum at an auction(拍卖).

A week later still more unexpectedly, two police officers called and told the Foxes the bowl was stolen property(财产).

So the bowl never reached the auction room, and Mr. Fox never received the five-figure sum that had been mentioned. However, he framed one of the photographs he had taken and hung it on the wall.

1. At first Mrs. Fox seemed to be ________.

A．very much interested in the discovery

B．greatly annoyed at Mr. Fox’s enthusiasm

C．uncertain of Mr. Fox’s enthusiasm

D．curious about Mr. Fox’s findings

2. The two missing pieces happened to be found ________.

A．in the kitchen	B．in a greenhouse
C．out of the old barn	D．under the ground

3. According to the expert, the bowl could be sold at the price of ________.

A．five thousand pounds

B．less than ten thousand pounds

C．one thousand, five hundred and ninety pounds

D．at least ten thousand pounds

4. Which of the following is NOT TRUE?

A．Most probably Sotheby’s purchased the bowl in the end.

B．It turned out that Mr. Fox got neither the money nor the bowl.

C．Mr. Fox preferred country life to city life after his retirement.

D．Mr. Fox was fond of gardening.

4 . Do you remember what happened on Sponge Bob Square Pants yesterday? The day before? If so, you may be in need of a TV timeout!

Kids today are watching more TV than they watched before, researchers say. Kids ages 6 to 11 in the United States watch more than three hours of TV each day. Ten years ago, children watched only about two hours and 40 minutes of TV each day.

Why the increase? Experts say more TV shows today are focused, or aimed, at kids.

Some people want to limit kids' TV time. Researchers say that children who watch TV shows for more than three hours a day do not do as well in school. However, some programs can help kids learn. One example is BrainSurge. Some people say the show teaches kids facts.

How do you know whether a TV show can make you smart? Think about what you learn from watching, says Aletha Huston. She is a TV expert. But, she warns, don't spend too much time watching. “Limit the amount you watch. Get off the couch and do something else.”

TV Guide

This pie chart shows how long kids ages 6－11 use different types of TV technology each week.

1. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Kids today watch more TV than they did before.

B．BrainSurge helps kids learn facts.

C．Kids do not watch proper TV shows.

D．More TV shows today are created for kids ages 6－11.

2. The underlined word “focused” can be replaced by ________.

A．unusual

B．aimed

C．suitable

D．pleasant

3. How many kinds of TV technology are mentioned in the chart?

A．Three.

B．Five.

C．Four.

D．Six.

4. According to the pie chart, kids spend the least time using________.

A．Video games

B．DVD

C．VCR

D．TV

5 . For most people, life is never easy. That's especially true for high school students.

Not only do you have the stress and worry of schoolwork to deal with, you also have many problems of daily life to face. Take the relationship you have with your parents for example.

When you were at primary school, your parents were probably your heroes. Whatever they did and whatever they said were always so interesting and funny, but as you grew older it's likely that you and your parents began to grow apart from each other. Their jokes began to sound awkward, and the last thing you'd want to do is to walk in the park holding hands with them. This is just one of the natural parts of growing older.

Life has many difficult stages, but the teenage years are probably the ones that are filled with the most problems. As this is the time of life when we begin to turn into adults, lots of new issues arise.

Now, you can't just rely on your parents to do everything for you——you must be responsible for yourself and your own actions. At the same time, as your body begins to develop, problems arise that you never knew existed. Things like being worried about how you look in front of others soon become daily concerns.

While all this is happening, you have to plan for your future. As you come to the end of your school years, you have to make some really big decisions.

So yes——being a teenager is really challenging, and you probably have varieties of questions that need answers to. How do you decide whether you should follow the wishes of your parents, or your own? Which career is the most suitable to you and your background?

1. Who is the passage written for?

A．parents．	B．teachers．
C．high school students．	D．graduates from university．

2. From the example of relationship between "you" and "your parents", what can we know?

A．You and your parents begin to grow apart．

B．Your parents couldn't tell interesting stories any more.

C．You only want to walk in the park with your friends.

D．You are having many difficulties of daily life to deal with．

3. If there is another paragraph, what will be talked about?

A．More questions for teenagers．

B．The ways to deal with common questions．

C．The relationship between you and your parents.

D．Other questions in your new life．

4. What's the main idea of the passage?

A．Life isn't easy for most people.

B．A new chapter of your life．

C．Many difficulties make your life harder.

D．Parents are not the ones that you can depend on．

6 . At thirteen, I was diagnosed (诊断) with kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.

In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, “Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it.”

She glanced down at me through her glasses, “You are not different from your classmates, young man.” I tried, but I didn’t finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.

In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braile. He lived in a time when the blind couldn’t get much education. But Louis didn’t give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots (点), which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.

Wasn’t I the “blind” in my class, being made to learn like the “sighted” students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was not different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problem, why should I ever give up?

I didn’t expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day — with an “A” on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words, “See what you can do when you keep trying?”

1. What problem did the author meet when he was in class?

A．He didn’t like the teacher.	B．He was not fond of literature.
C．The classroom was too noisy.	D．He couldn’t focus his attention in class.

2. What can we learn about Louis Braile from the passage?

A．He managed to cure his blindness.

B．He got a good education at school.

C．He made an invention which helped the blind.

D．He couldn’t see and read for the whole life.

3. What’s Mrs. Smith’s attitude to the author in the classroom?

A．She encouraged him.	B．She looked down on him.
C．She sympathized (同情) him.	D．She was angry with him.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．How to be a great teacher.	B．Keep trying, and you can do it.
C．What should you do as a blind.	D．Ways to overcome attention disorder.

7 . It's the last dream for many to move to a big city and make a shining new life.

But as we all know, metropolitan living comes at a cost, especially if you pick Hong Kong, Paris or London, which are the world's most expensive cities according to a new research.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)－which rates 133 global cities, and compares the price of a basket of 138 everyday items in each－has ranked them as joint top of the table.

The European cities have passed Singapore and Osaka, which tied with Hong Kong in the previous Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, carried out in March.

The changes are especially marked this time around, with the report doubling as an assessment of the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on prices around the world.

Singapore and Osaka are now down to fourth and fifth respective, with Tel Aviv tying with Osaka in fifth place. An exodus of foreign workers during the pandemic is behind Singapore's drop, which saw its population fall for the first time in 17 years, according to the EIU.

The top 10 is completed by Geneva, New York City, Copenhagen and Los Angeles.

The biggest rise is Tehran, which has climbed up the ladder from 106th to 79th, due to US sanctions impacting supplies. Reykjavik, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo show the biggest price drops. The EU owes the Brazilian cities' rankings to “weak currency and rising poverty levels”. Brazil, of course, has suffered hugely during the pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the US dollar to weaken while western European and north Asian currencies have strengthened against it, which in turn has shifted prices for goods and services " said Upasana Dutt, head of worldwide cost of living at the EIU.

“The pandemic has changed consumer behaviour, as lockdowns such as working from home have increased the prices of consumer electronics and at-home-meals have taken the place of restaurant dining for middle-class families ."

As for the future, things don't look wonderful. The EIU predicts that the trends will continue, with people cautious about spending and sure to struggle to make ends meet during 2021.

1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．Living in Hong Kong means living a happy life.

B．The pandemic forces people to work at the office and eat meals at home.

C．People in Brazilian cities enjoy rising living standards because of the biggest price drop.

D．Singapore and Osaka used to tie with Hong Kong in the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

2. The underlined word “exodus” is close in meaning to________.

A．dramatic increase	B．sudden arrival
C．leave in mass	D．journey out of Egypt.

3. What is the basic cause of the changes, according to the research?

A．Population fall.	B．The weaken US dollar.
C．Transformed consumer behavior.	D．Impact of the pandemic.

4. What is the EIU’s attitude towards the future?

A．Optimistic.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Positive.

8 . Are you looking for a magazine for your kids? Here are some that you may like.

Anorak

6 issues (期) per year

This magazine is designed for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 8. In every edition of Anorak, you will find fun stories to read and plenty of colorful pages to keep you happy.

Ask

9 issues per year

The magazine Ask (Arts and Sciences for Kids) challenges bright young minds and satisfies their curiosity. Each issue of this magazine helps kids in the 2nd-4th grade explore the world along with the past and present great inventors, artists and scientists.

Appleseeds

9 issues per year

Appleseeds is an award-winning magazine of adventure and exploration for kids aged 7-9. This magazine has amazing stories and interviews. Kids will receive activities, maps, puzzles, and games that are related to the theme.

Babybug

9 issues per year

This magazine begins a lifelong love of reading books for babies and toddlers (初学走路的孩子).

American Girls

5 issues per year

This is an ad-free, award-winning magazine.

It provides attractive features like original (原创的) stories, party plans and projects, advice and quizzes. It is designed for girls aged 8-12.

1. Who is Ask most probably suitable for?

A．Children who love playing fun games.

B．Children who love reading fun stories.

C．Children who love reading about great scientists.

D．Children who love experiencing adventure and exploration.

2. What do we know about American Girls?

A．It has no advertisement.

B．It comes out every other month.

C．It isn’t easy for kids under ten to read.

D．It often organizes different activities for its readers.

3. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To stress the importance of reading.	B．To introduce some magazines for kids.
C．To advertise some new magazines on art.	D．To explain why these magazines are popular.

9 . It’s cold and dark outside, and your bed is so warm and comfortable. Going for a run seems like such a bad idea. But before you put your running shoes away, it might be worth giving that crazy idea a try.

According to The Huffington Post，an outdoor run in winter, instead of running on a treadmill (跑步机), burns more calories (卡路里) because the body is working hard to regulate (调节) its temperature. Besides, research shows that race times are faster in cold weather than in warmer temperatures—and quicker runs burn more calories. Similarly, cold weather also makes the heart work harder to distribute blood through the body, making that vital muscle even stronger.

Outdoor exercise also turns up your energy and rids you of the stress and depression that build up every day. The heat and humidity in summer can drag you down and tire you faster, but cold weather is refreshing. It adjusts you to your surroundings, making you feel energetic.

Of course, the threat of smog in some built­up areas is a further problem to winter exercise. Heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer are all dangers of running in smog. The combination (结合) of air pollution and exercise increases the potential problems. If you do choose to run outside on smoggy days, take a path in a park or residential area to avoid polluted air, and go early in the morning, before rush hour. But staying inside on smoggy days and waiting for the next clear day to run is best.

1. How does cold weather benefit runners compared with warm weather?

A．They can run more slowly.	B．They can take in more calories.
C．Their hearts can work harder.	D．Their body temperature can get lower.

2. How does summer affect runners?

A．It makes runners tired easily.	B．It builds up their energy quickly.
C．It lessens runners’ stress.	D．It causes heart attacks.

3. What are the runners supposed to do on smoggy days?

A．Stop driving cars.	B．Run late in the morning.
C．Do more exercise.	D．Avoid outdoor exercise.

4. Which of the following opinion will be supported by the writer?

A．We can refresh ourselves with a winter run.

B．We should go to run in a park everyday.

C．It’s much better to take outdoor exercise in summer.

D．We’d better run on treadmill to reduce stress.

10 . The Chinese manned submersible(潜水器) Fendouzhe, over 96.5 percent of whose core components have been independently developed by China, reached one of the deepest spots on the planet, a dizzying and dark depth of 10,909 meters.

Extreme water pressure is the first challenge that requires dealing with during the exploration. At 10,000 meters down in the ocean, the submersible has to stand about 1,100 atmospheres of pressure, equal to 2,000 elephants stepping on a person’s back. As the solid “armour (盔甲)”，the manned cabin is a safety guarantee for humans to reach down to 10,000 meters deep in the ocean. To overcome the technical bottleneck, the Chinese researchers developed a new material-Ti62A, successfully solving problems of the strength and toughness of the manned cabin.

To avoid risks of crashes in the dark deep sea with complex terrain(地形)，Fendouzhe requires its control system, a smart “brain” to give the exact instructions. Researchers designed a neural network algorithm(神经网络算法), which enables Fendouzhe to travel automatically according to the seabed terrain and locate fixed points. Its control system has reached the international frontier level.

The submersible is equipped with two flexible and strong “arms”. Each 7-joint arm with 6 degrees - of - freedom control and a weight-carrying ability of more than 60 kilograms can cover the sampling basket and its front areas. With the arms, Fendouzhe collected samples of ocean rocks, deep-sea living things and seabed sediments(沉淀物).

The ocean, especially the deep sea, is widely regarded as Earth's final frontier. Deep down in the ocean are unusual creatures, strange environments and impressive geological wonders, yet humanity knows less about the ocean floor than about the far side of the moon. These samples and data collected from the deep ocean can be used for geological and biological research, as well as study the human impact on the planet.

1. Why is “2000 elephants” mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To make the numbers accurate.

B．To provide a biological explanation.

C．To emphasize the importance of the task.

D．To describe the degree of the pressure vividly.

2. What can “arms” do according to paragraph 4?

A．Collect ocean samples.

B．Land the submersible.

C．Provide safety guarantee.

D．Prevent crashes intelligently.

3. Which of the following has reached the world advanced level ?

A．The toughness of the cabin.

B．The ability of weight-carrying.

C．The method of data-collection.

D．The technology of control system.

4. Why do people research the deep ocean according to the last paragraph?

A．It is more complex than the moon.

B．It is seriously affected by humans.

C．To make sure of the depth of the ocean.

D．To explore the less-known field of the planet.