1 . Immersive Van Gogh

From the creators of the blockbuster show in Paris seen by over two million visitors and still wowing crowds in Toronto, the west coast premiere (首场) of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit will bring the art of Vincent to life in Los Angeles.

Immersive art is not just a technical way to represent video and audio in huge spaces. The word immersive indicates a deep commitment of intentions which connect images and sounds in a way that the audience is able to experience a different way of the art.

True to its name, this exhibition transforms the iconic (偶像的) paintings of Vincent van Gogh into moving, wall-filling projections. “Immersive Van Gogh” promises half-a-million cubic feet of projections that pull from some of the post-impressionist’s most recognizable pieces, including The Bedroom, Sunflowers and, yes, The Starry Night.

You will experience art like never before—lose yourself in entrancing, moving images that highlight brushstrokes, detail, and color—truly illuminating (照亮) the mind of the genius.

LOCATION

The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is located at a secret place situated in the heart of Los Angeles. To be announced before the exhibit opens, existing ticket holders will receive an email with the place name and location once it is made public.

TICKET PRICES

VIP TICKETS—$99.99 ●Priority access ●Van Gogh cushion (a gift for you) ●Limited edition poster	PREMIUM TICKETS—$59.99 ●Van Gogh cushion (rental) ●Limited edition poster
BASIC TICKETS—$54.99 ●Admission only	CHILD TICKETS—$29.99 ●Ages 6—16 (children 5 and under do not require a ticket) ●Admission only ●Child tickets are not subject to change of date fees

Tickets are available online at www.vangoghla.com.

GIFT SHOP

Stop by our Exhibit Gift Shop to take the magic of Van Gogh home with you! From clothing and jewelry to home décor, children’s books, and so much more, you will find unique and thoughtful souvenirs at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. Also be sure to check out at our online store!

Experience the organic landscapes of Van Gogh’s imagination, and journey through his brilliance and madness in a completely new and unforgettable way.

1. According to the passage, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit ________.

A．presents Van Gogh’s art in a modern way

B．begins a journey to Van Gogh’s hometown

C．displays Van Gogh’s paintings on moving walls

D．designs projects on Van Gogh’s learning experience

2. From where can people find information about the exact location of the exhibit?

A．An email.	B．A website.
C．The ticket office.	D．The gift shop.

3. How much should a couple with a 5-year-old child who would like to own a Van Gogh cushion at least pay for the visit?

A．$109.98.	B．$154.98.
C．$159.98.	D．$199.98.

2 . Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for “sport”. Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take par realize the cruelty and destruction.

The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led a long way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and gun-carrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins（血管）. They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate（刺激）a desire to own a gun.

Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat Habitatloss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn't seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved. Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.

Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character-building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of mortality can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun-carrying and killing improve human character, then perhaps we should encourage war.

1. According to the text, most people do not seem to be against hunting because      .

A．they have little knowledge of it.

B．it helps to build human character.

C．it is too costly to stop killing wildlife.

D．they want to keep wildlife under control.

2. The underlined word “agony” in the last paragraph probably means      .

A．difficulty.

B．tress.

C．pain.

D．sadness.

3. According to the text, the films children watch at school actually      .

A．teach them how to deal with guns safely.

B．praise hunting as character building.

C．describe hunting as a physical exercise.

D．encourage them to have guns of their own.

4. By saying “perhaps we should encourage war”, the writer intends to tell us that      .

A．Hunting to build human character makes no sense.

B．War in the best way to improve human character.

C．We are on the edge of war against gunners.

D．Protecting wildlife from gunners is extremely difficult.

3 . Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be. It showed that pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

Sediment (沉淀物) and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons (骨架) left at the bottom of the sea by small marine creatures called polyps (珊瑚虫). The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef. Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

Steve Miles is Queensland’s environment minister. He says the research shows the Reef needs more protection. “Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides (杀虫剂) loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is that these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news. ” said Steve Miles.

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland’s sugar plantations used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides. Only 28 percent of land managers managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water run off to protect the health of the Reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

Scientists at the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences published their findings Wednesday, July 18 in the journal Science Advances. It found between 1992 and 2010, the recovery rate dropped by an average of 84 percent. But there is hope. The study also found some corals can recover quickly if “acute and chronic stressors” are lessened.

Meanwhile, the Australian government released its updated reef protection plan Friday. It clearly states global temperatures must be stopped from rising in order to save the world’s largest living structure.

1. What does the underlined word “They” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Diverse ecosystems.	B．Sediment and chemicals.
C．Reefs and corals.	D．Small sea creatures.

2. What can be learned from what Steve Miles said?

A．He is satisfied with the protection of the Reef.

B．He thinks that the Reef needs more protection.

C．He feels angry with what his children did.

D．He is very happy about the Reef progress protection.

3. What does the underlined word “flat-lined” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Not increase significantly.	B．Disappear.
C．Speed up.	D．Miss the chance.

4. The report found the majority of land managers in Queensland   ________.

A．were tough to deal with	B．failed to manage their land properly
C．reduced the amount of harmful water	D．were eager to quit pesticide soon

5. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science fiction.
C．A book review.	D．A guide book.

4 . In a study published in Nature Machine Intelligence, researchers at Ohio State University show how artificial intelligence（AI）can follow clinical trials to identify drugs for repurposing, a solution that can help advance innovative treatments.

Repurposing drugs is legal and not unusual. When doctors prescribe(开处方)drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)for purposes different from what is printed on the labels, the drugs are being used “off-label” Just because a drug is FDA-approved for a specific type of disease does not prevent it from having possible benefits for other purposes.

For example, Metformin, a drug that is FDA-approved for treating type 2 diabetes, is also used to treat PCOS(a disease of women), and other diseases. Trazodone, an anti-depressant with FDA-approval to treat depression, is also prescribed by doctors to help treat patients with sleep issues.

The Ohio State University research team created an AI deep learning model for predicting treatment probability with patient data including the treatment, outcomes, and potential confounders(干扰因素).

Confounders are related to the exposure and outcome. For example, a connection is identified between music festivals and increases in skin rashes(红疹). Music festivals do not directly cause skin rashes. In this case, one possible confounding factor between the two may be outdoor heat, as music festivals tend to run outdoors when the temperature is high, and heat is a known cause for rashes. When working with real-world data, confounders could number in the thousands. AI deep learning is well-suited to find patterns in the complexity of potentially thousands of confounders.

The researcher team used confounders including population data and co-prescribed drugs. With this proof-of-concept, now clinicians have a powerful AI tool to rapidly discover new treatments by repurposing existing medications.

1. What do we know about a drug used off-label?

A．It is sold without a label.

B．It is available at a low price.

C．Its uses extend beyond the original ones.

D．Its clinical trials are rejected by doctors.

2. Metformin and Trazodone are similar as both of them________.

A．are used off-label

B．treat rare diseases

C．result in sleep issues

D．are medical breakthroughs

3. What can be inferred about “confounders”?

A．They are possible treatments.

B．They are environmental factors.

C．They can be easily recognized in real-world data.

D．They should be taken into serious consideration.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．AI examines benefits of existing drugs.

B．AI identifies off-label uses for drugs.

C．AI finds new drugs for common diseases.

D．AI proves the power of drug research.

5 . Journalism (新闻业) is a fast-paced industry, requiring reporters to get the facts about newsworthy events and to write about them before a deadline (截止日期). It takes some skills to do this. At the same time, news reporters must follow strict requirements and have a deep understanding of news writing.

Know what you’re going to write about. Newsworthy events can happen anytime and anywhere. So reporters need to develop a good nose for news.

Get all the facts and look at the details. Be sure to look at a story from different angle (角度). Even if you are covering a popular story or topic that others are writing about, look for an angle that will make this one yours.

Check facts to avoid mistakes. Sources may also make mistakes and some may even deceive you. It’s wise to get in touch with other sources. In a shooting incident, for example, getting the facts from the police and from both the criminal (罪犯) and victim isn’t enough. You should also interview other witnesses who may give more information about the incident. Interviewing people and getting a firsthand source on your topic can be valuable.

Start writing the news. When it comes to the body of the article, the main information should be given in the leading statement. It is often a short one, including the basics of what happened, where and when it took place, who was involved and why it’s newsworthy. These details are the main point that informs the reader. Other information about the story follows. This form allows editors to cut off the last paragraphs if there’re space limits.

Check your article for mistakes. If time permits, leave the article for a moment and then read through it again with a fresh eye. Newspaper publications usually have someone check for mistakes but keep in mind that you’re the first line of defense. Grammar mistakes are embarrassing (令人尴尬的), and some mistakes may result in a lawsuit(诉讼).

1. What can we learn about journalism from the first paragraph?

A．It is developing fast.	B．It is very challenging.
C．It is very interesting.	D．It is popular worldwide.

2. What does the underlined word “deceive” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Warn.	B．Assist.
C．Interest.	D．Cheat.

3. What should a good news article be like according to Paragraph 5?

A．It begins with a summary.	B．It ends with a happy ending.
C．It has enough smart questions.	D．It gives opinions about the event.

4. How can a reporter avoid getting embarrassed by his news report?

A．By choosing a proper topic.	B．By checking it for grammar mistakes.
C．By filling it with enough details.	D．By removing boring facts from it.

6 . When we buy something new, we get rid of what’s old. That cycle of consumption（消费）has made electronics waste the world’s fastest-growing solid-waste stream, which is expected to grow as the world upgrades to 5G. However, less than a quarter of U. S. electronic waste is recycled, the rest ending up as rubbish, posing environmental risks.

Part of the problem concerns rule. In states without laws banning (禁止) electronics from the regular trash, electronics often end up in garbage. Even when e-waste rules exist, it’s left to consumers to handle their old devices properly. But recycling them can be a pain. People have to take their electronics to a store, which may pay them for it or charge them to get rid of it. Many consumers simply throw their devices into the trash or throw them in a drawer.

One solution is to make electronics last as long as they once did. Yet, technology companies are speeding the pace of being deserted. “It’s a strategy by producers to force us into shorter upgrade cycles,” said Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit, which publishes do-it-yourself repair guides.

Some environmental groups say big companies like Apple and Samsung should pick up the cost of recycling the devices they sell. Lawmakers have passed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which require producers to establish and fund systems to recycle or collect deserted products.

Some companies are increasing their recycling efforts on their own. For example, Apple in 2018 introduced Daisy, a smartphone-recycling robot that can take apart 200 iPhones every hour. But that's a drop in the bucket compared with the 50 million tons of e-waste produced globally last year.

1. Which of the following statements is true?

A．A large number of electronics end up as waste.

B．E-waste problems will be solved if laws are made.

C．Most people prefer to sell their old electronics to stores.

D．E-waste is the biggest threat to environment.

2. According to Kyle Wiens, technology companies________.

A．are trying to collect their deserted products

B．have a short life cycle because of the market

C．intend to shorten the life cycle of products

D．struggle to provide goods with good quality

3. What might be the writer’s attitude towards the future of the e-waste recycling?

A．Positive.

B．Unconcerned.

C．Confident.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Choice for Recycled Electronics

B．Solutions to the Mountain of E-waste

C．Bad Effects of E-waste on the Environment

D．Companies on Duty for Nature Protection

7 . International governments’ inaction concerning sustainable development is clearly worrying but the proctive（主动出击的）approaches of some leading-edge companies are encouraging. Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver.

DuPont committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year. General Electric aims to reduce the energy intensity of its operations by 50% by 2015. They have invested heavily in projects designed to change the way of using and conserving energy.

Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together. When M&S launched its “Plan A” sustainability programme in 2007, it was believed that it would cost over £200 million in the first five years. However, the initiative had generated £105 million by 2011/12.

When we prevent physical waste, increase energy efficiency or improve resource productivity, we save money, improve profitability and enhance competitiveness. In fact, there are often huge “quick win” opportunities, thanks to years of neglect.

However, there is a considerable gap between leading-edge companies and the rest of the pack. There are far too many companies still delaying creating a lean and green business system, arguing that it will cost money or require sizable capital investments. They remain stuck in the “environment is cost” mentality. Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost money. In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model.

Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries. The size of the opportunity is enormous. The 3% Report recently published by World Wildlife Fund and CDP shows that the economic prize for curbing carbon emissions in the US economy is $780 billion between now and 2020. It suggests that one of the biggest levers for delivering this opportunity is “increased efficiency through management and behavioural change”-in other words, lean and green management.

Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions, and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors. Conversely, it was found that climate disruption is already costing $1.2 trillion annually, cutting global GDP by 1.6%. Unaddressed, this will double by 2030.

1. What does the author say about some leading-edge companies?

A．They operate in accordance with government policies.

B．They take initiatives in handling environmental wastes.

C．They are key drivers in their nations' economic growth

D．They are major contributors to environmental problems.

2. What motivates Toyota and Wal-Mart to make commitments to environmental protection?

A．The goodness of their hearts.

B．A strong sense of responsibility.

C．The desire to generate profits

D．Pressure from environmentalists.

3. Why are so many companies reluctant to create an environment-friendly business system?

A．They are bent on making quick money

B．They do not have the capital for the investment.

C．They believe building such a system is too costly.

D．They lack the incentive to change business practices.

4. What is said about the lean and green model of business?

A．It helps businesses to save and gain at the same time

B．It is affordable only for a few leading-edge companies.

C．It is likely to start a new round of intense competition

D．It will take a long time for all companies to embrace it.

5. What is the finding of the studies about companies committed to environmental goals?

A．They have greatly enhanced their sense of social responsibility.

B．They do much better than their counterparts in terms of revenues

C．They have abandoned all the outdated equipment and technology.

D．They make greater contributions to human progress than their rivals

8 . As the effects of climate change become more disastrous, well-known research institutions and government agencies are focusing new money and attention on an idea: artificially cooling the planet, in the hopes of buying humanity more time to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

That strategy, called solar climate intervention (干预) or solar geoengineering, involves reflecting more of the sun’s energy back into space — abruptly reducing global temperatures in a way that imitates the effects of ash clouds flowing out from the volcanic eruptions. The idea has been considered as a dangerous and fancied solution, one that would encourage people to keep burning fossil fuels while exposing the planet to unexpected and potentially threatening side effects, producing more destructive hurricanes, wildfires floods and other disasters.

But. as global warming continues, producing more destructive hurricanes, wildfires floods and other disasters, some researchers and policy experts say that concerns about geoengineering should be outweighed by the imperative to better understand it, in case the consequence of climate change become so terrible that the world can’t wait for better solutions.

One way to cool the earth is by injecting aerosols (气溶胶) into the upper layer of the atmosphere. where those particles reflect sunlight away from the earth. That process works, according to Douglas MacMartin, a researcher at Cornell University.

“We know with 100% certainty that we can cool the planet,” he said in an interview. What’s still unclear, he added, is what happens next. Temperature, MacMartin said, is an indicator for a lot of climate effects. “What does it do to the strength of hurricanes?” he asked, “What does it do to agriculture production? What does it do to the risk of forest fires?”

Another institution funded by the National Science Foundation will analyze hundreds of simulations of aerosol injection, testing the effects on weather extremes around the world. One goal of the research is to look for a sweet spot: the amount of artificial cooling that can reduce extreme weather events without causing broader changes in regional rainfall patterns or similar impacts.

1. Why do researchers and government agencies work on cooling the earth?

A．To prevent natural disasters.	B．To win more time to reduce gas emissions.
C．To imitate volcanic eruptions.	D．To encourage more people to bur fossil fuels.

2. What are researchers worried about in terms of global warming?

A．More volcanoes will throw out.

B．More solar energy will go into space.

C．More disasters will endanger the future of the world.

D．People will keep burning fossil fuels to keep warm.

3. What can be inferred from Douglas’ words in an interview?

A．He thinks more research remains to be done.

B．He is optimistic about the effect of cooling the earth.

C．He is concerned about the reduction in agriculture production.

D．He disapproves of the practice of solar climate intervention.

4. What does the underlined words “sweet spot” in the last paragraph mean?

A．The rainfall pattern of a region.

B．The modest drop in temperature.

C．The number of extreme weather events.

D．The injection amount of aerosol.

9 . At 12, my father decided to take me on a trip to France. I had never been out of the country before, so I was very excited. My aunt, my father and I went around with my father showing us all the unbelievable sites in Paris. None of us spoke much French but we loved the city.

We had taken the subway all over the city and were congratulating ourselves on our mastering what is honestly an excellent subway design that is pretty easy to follow. We decided visit Versailles by train. We chatted happily along the way until my father realized we were into the French countryside and no one around spoke English.

We reached the end of the line and felt afraid when everyone finally left the train. An old man and his grandchild noticed us and came to help. He spoke no English, so in broken French we tried to explain. When he finally understood, this great man settled his grandson and showed us to the correct train and then boarded with us.

Later we knew the truth that there was a train transfer (转乘) and he didn't want us to miss it.

This kind man rode a train for an hour and a half out of his way to make sure that three Americans got where they wanted to be. He refused to let us pay for his ticket. He did it all with a gentle smile and patted our hands gently at the stop. Then in his quiet way, he boarded the train to return the way he had come.

What impressed me most was the man and his kindness during the amazing trip. Some Americans think the French are rude for some reason, but I always try to persuade them to change their minds with this very story.

1. What happened to the author and his family on the train?

A．They missed their stop.

B．They lost their packages.

C．They couldn't find the right line.

D．They argued over the nest destination.

2. How did the man help the author and his family?

A．By paying for their train tickets.

B．By showing them the returning way.

C．By inviting them to travel together.

D．By leading them to their place.

3. Which of the following can best describe the last paragraph?

A．Travelling enriches one's life.

B．Being kind is a good manner.

C．Seeing is believing.

D．Helping others brings great pleasure.

10 . Messages in honor of Stan Lee are pouring in on social media and other online sites.

Lee is the creator of famous comic book (连环漫画) characters, including Spider-Man, the Hulk, Black Panther and others. He died in Los Angeles, California, Monday. He was 95 years old. Marvel Entertainment and its parent company, Walt Disney, posted a video about the late writer, editor and publisher on their websites. Disney chairman and chief Bob Iger said Lee is "a super hero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world." He compared Lee to his comic book characters with "the power to inspire, to entertain, and to connect."

Lee was born Stanley Martin Leiber in New York City. He began writing for comic books at 19. He wrote under the name Stan Lee. He explained that he used a false name because he wanted to write a serious and great piece of literature someday. He did not want his link with comic books to be known when that happened. But it never did happen. As the pride in his work grew, he decided to legally change his name to Stan Lee.

Lee's comic book heroes stand apart from its competitor DC, the company that produced the seemingly perfect heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman. Lee's character often had super power, but they also had weaknesses and moral (道德的) failings. In a piece for Marvel in 1969, Lee discussed the importance of creating these balanced characters. Nobody is all good, or all bad, he wrote, like Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. He is a deeply gifted inventor with serious mental health issues; or, Peter Parker, a sensitive, brainy high-school student who has no idea how to deal with the frightening abilities he gets from the bite of a radioactive spider. Even Steve Rogers, whose Captain America was the most Superman-like of the Marvel group, had problems. Rejected as a candidate for the armed forces, he volunteers to take a "supersoldier" substance to make him a super-fighting machine.

Actor Chris Evans has played that character in several Hollywood films. He posted a tribute (悼念) to Captain America's creator on Twitter Monday."There will never be another Stan Lee," he wrote. Actor, writer and funny man Seth Rogen never played one of Lee's characters but he remembered him with thanks in a Tweet."Thank you Stan Lee for making people who feel different realize they are special," he wrote.

1. Stan Lee created many famous comic character, except ________.

A．Iron Man	B．Superman
C．Captain America	D．Spider Man

2. Stan lee wrote comic books under a false name because ________.

A．he wanted to be famous for the false name

B．he didn't want to be known as a comic book writer

C．he wanted his name to be linked with his comic books

D．he didn't want to be known as a serious literature writer

3. Which of the following best describes the heroes in Lee's comics?

A．They are good at making people feel special.

B．They are moral figures without weak points.

C．They are more balanced characters than DC heroes.

D．They are seemingly perfect heroes with super powers.

4. What is the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To remember a great cartoonist.

B．To introduce marvel comic heroes.

C．To encourage studies on comics.

D．To promote products of marvel.