1 . Japanese officials say they are pleased with the quality of the asteroid (小行星) material collected by a spacecraft and returned to Earth.
Last week, officials from Japan described the samples (样品), which were collected from the Ryugu asteroid in July 2019. Ryugu sits more than 300 million kilometers from Earth. Japan’s unpiloted Hayabusa2 spacecraft removed the material after making a hole into the asteroid.
The space agency said the July 2019 mission (任务) aimed to collect samples from below the surface of Ryugu. During an earlier operation in February 2019, Hayabusa2 collected material from a different part of the asteroid. The second collection effort resulted in sample pieces as big as 1 centimeter. The black material looked similar to charcoal and was very hard. It did not break apart when picked up or poured into another container.
Earlier this month, space officials described the samples Hayabusa2 removed on its first mission as smaller, sandy pieces. They were collected from the surface of Ryugu. Hayabusa2 was launched in December 2014 and arived near Ryugu in June 2018. The Japanese space mission aims to use the samples to learn more about how our solar system formed.
To get the second set of samples in July, Hayabusa2 used an impactor to knock the asteroid’s surface. The aim was to collect material unaffected by space radiation or other environmental conditions. The size differences suggest different hardness of the bedrock of the asteroid. One possibility is that the place of the second touchdown was a hard bedrock and larger particles broke and entered the container.
Hayabusa2 is now on another mission to a smaller asteroid, called 1998KY26. The Japanese government expects the aircraft to take 11 years to reach that asteroid. Hayabusa2’s new mission aims to study possible ways to prevent large meteorites (陨石) from hitting Earth.
1. What are these asteroid materials used to do?| A．Study how the solar system was born. | B．Determine the movement of asteroids. |
| C．Study the environment on the asteroid. | D．Uncover when the asteroid was formed. |
| A．To discover new planets. | B．To fetch more materials in space. |
| C．To travel around the solar system. | D．To explore ways to protect the earth. |
| A．They were collected in the same place. | B．They both were black and hard. |
| C．They came in different shapes. | D．They were of equal weight. |
| A．Japan Makes Progress in Studying Solar System |
| B．Japan Is Pleased with Latest Asteroid Samples |
| C．The Secret of an Asteroid Comes to Light |
| D．The Earth Faces Threats from Space |
2 . Norway aims to discover new resources beneath the sea, but its push into mining has raised environmental concerms.
Norway could license companies for deep-sea mining as early as 2023. That could place it among the first countries to harvest seabed metals. Copper, zinc and other metals are in high demand for electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and solar energy centers. However, that could also place Norway on the front line of controversies over the environmental risks of mining the world’s unexplored seabeds.
Norway recently announced it was carrying out an environmental study needed to start mineral exploration and mining. Once that is completed, the govemment plans to have public comments on its environmental study and on a proposal to open areas for exploration and production by the end of 2022.
The demand for minerals is being driven by what are often called “clean” technologies. But the process of getting those minerals from the seabed could cause environmental problems.
Environmentalists including Britain’s David Attenborough have called for a temporary (暂时的) stop to deepseabed mining until more is known about how it affects sea life. The environmental group Greenpeace called for a total ban in a recent report. In another report, the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, known as the Ocean Panel, also called for greater knowledge about the effects of deep-sea mining. The Ocean Panel is cochaired by Norway and has 14 member states that want to shape policy on the world’s oceans.
Norway is known as a major oil producer. But, the country of 5. 4 million people wants to find something to replace its top industry that is better for the environment and can grow in the future.
The move toward deep-sea mining follows three years of expeditions(探险). The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, which carried out the work, said it found copper, zinc, cobalt, gold and silver. The expeditions also discovered large armounts of lithium and the rare earth metal scandium used in electronics and metal mixtures.
1. What does the underlined word “controversies”in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Power. | B．Benefits. |
| C．Arguments. | D．Popularity. |
| A．Decide mining areas. | B．Ask for people’s opinions. |
| C．Start seabed mining at once. | D．Take action to protect nature. |
| A．Unsupportive. | B．Positive. |
| C．Unclear. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Earning more money. | B．Controlling the areas. |
| C．Developing clean energy. | D．Learning about sea resources. |
3 . Best Science Books for Kids of All Ages
Diary of a Time Travelerby David Long
When young Augustus falls asleep in history class, Professor Tempo decides to show him that history isn’t boring at all. She hands him a magic diary; all he needs to do is write the time and place to travel to. Each double page spread introduces a different time and place and in the back you can find a short brief introduction of all the historical characters covered.
Price: US $22. 99
Little Changesby Tiffany Taylor
A natural disaster strikes and splits a group of fun beings into two. They develop separately through many adventures. Teach your children about the wonders of evolution with this fun story. Get them asking questions about the world they live in and show them how things are the way they are.
Price: US $7. 50
Galapagos Georgeby Jean Craighead George
Famous naturalist and bestselling author of the Newbery Medal-winningJulie of the Wolvesand the highly praisedEverglades, Jean Craighead George once again introduces children to the wonders of the natural world in this incredible evolution story set in the Galapagos Islands. This is the story of the famous Lonesome George, a giant tortoise who was the last of his species.
Price: US $9. 90
Equal Shmequalby Virginia Kroll
Mouse and her friends want to play tug-of-war(拔河) but they can’t figure out how to make teams that are equal. Nothing works until they measure and equalize their teams based on size, weight, and strength. A perfect addition to any science collection that shows readers how math can be used in everyday problem solving.
Price: US $11. 16
1. What does Professor Tempo want Augustus to do?| A．Teach himself history. | B．Keep a diary every day. |
| C．Get interested in history. | D．Write notes in history classes. |
| A．Practical use of math. | B．Skills of history study. |
| C．Importance of teamwork. | D．Knowledge of natural disasters. |
| A．Litle Changes. | B．Galapagos George. |
| C．Equal Shmequal. | D．Diary of a Time Traveler. |
4 . The phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses" has been an American saying for decades, likely coming from a picture book, which describes a family in a constant straggle to achieve the social status of their neighbors, the Joneses. While the picture book is long gone, the saying remains and the phenomenon still exists.
The Joneses are everywhere, living a successful and wealthy life. Their skin is beautiful, their body is perfect, and they have much money. They have the good house, pets, smart children and they seem never to struggle. For people, the Joneses take the form of a particular family and they regard the Joneses as a description of perfection.
We tell ourselves constantly if we could become someone just like our neighbors, we would be happy. However, as we compare ourselves with others, we notice the deep pain that these comparisons bring about. Well then, what do we do about the Joneses? We should remind ourselves nobody is perfect and perfection is an illusion. So we should train our brains to question or change the distorted (歪曲的) ways of thinking, and see the big picture.
While the methods above do help us see others more clearly, the methods alone won't solve the problem. Moving away from comparison means turning inward to address our insecurities and inviting more mercy. From there, we can honestly begin to notice what we want for ourselves and work to reach those goals. That, finally, is the road to a peaceful mind.
As we move away from the comparative model of judging worth and stop seeing others, success as a treat, we can even feel glad that the Joneses have meaningful careers. We can hope their marriage is happy, their bank account is full, and that their children are successful. We can hope good things happen to the Joneses.
1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．How "the Joneses" live. |
| B．What your neighbors have. |
| C．Why "the Joneses" are perfect. |
| D．How your neighbors affect you. |
| A．Being grateful to life. | B．Understanding others. |
| C．Gaining peace of mind. | D．Being close to perfection. |
| A．Follow our neighbors. | B．Avoid perfect people. |
| C．Show our love to other people. | D．Treat others with a normal attitude. |
| A．How Do We Become Perfect? |
| B．Should We Keep up with the Joneses? |
| C．How Should We Get on with Neighbors? |
| D．Does the Phenomenon of Comparison Exist? |
5 . If you're feeling hungry, what’s the easiest way to satisfy your Hunger? Many of Us will reach for a takeaway menu and order some delicious-but possibly unhealthy -food. And our increasingly hectic lives add to our need to buy ready-made food because we always have no time or energy to cook on our own.
Eating options are endless, and new technology means we can feed our desire at the push of a button. Takeaway delivery apps make ordering food quick and convenient. It's estimated that in the UK alone, people eat three million takeaway meals a day, and the three biggest delivery apps together offer a choice of 100 foods from 60,000 restaurants. Amelia Brophy, head of UK Data Products at YouGov, told the BBC that its research suggests that the frequency of takeaways ordered is expected to increase in the future.
It’s no wonder we are tempted to skip the grocery shopping, bypass the kitchen, and tuck into something that someone else has prepared. But ordering a pizza, a spicy curry or a box of noodles, can come at a price both financially and to our health. Eating too much processed and unhealthy fast food has some effect on obesity and the risk of developing certain diseases. A few years ago, the BBC Good Food Nation Survey found most people eating fast food on average two days per week gradually putting on weight.
Of course, reducing salt, sugar and fat is one way to make takeaway food healthier, as well as offering smaller portion sizes. But the best advice for you is to find a recipe book and try making your own nutritious meals. And if you haven't got time, try ordering a healthier alternative from the menu.
1. What does the underlined word “hectic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Abnormal. | B．Busy. | C．Irregular. | D．Social. |
| A．The various food. |
| B．Their delicious taste. |
| C．Their relatively low price. |
| D．The advanced technology. |
| A．Takeaway foods may do harm to health. |
| B．Takeaway foods make people light-hearted. |
| C．Pizza and noodles are the most popular takeaway foods. |
| D．The UK has the largest number of people ordering takeaway foods. |
| A．To give readers some suggestions. |
| B．To offer readers an alternative menu. |
| C．To find the reason for ordering takeaway foods. |
| D．To choose the best way of making nutritious meals. |
6 . Where to Shop in London
James Smith & Sons
Have you ever seen a nobleman with a fine walking stick or a fashionable woman with an umbrella that's definitely not one of those five-dollar bargains from New York City street? Well； you could be that person too. But you have to go to Jame Smith & Sons. They specialize in all kinds of high-quality walking sticks and umbrellas.
Harvie & Hudson
UK and Italy are two leading countries when it comes to clothing for men. And you know that it’ll cost you your wages of several months to buy a suit of clothes there. But Harvie & Hudson is fairly accessible, especially for the kind of quality you get. A worthy alternative! You can’t go wrong with two sport jackets for around £200. That's a good deal.
Hatchards
Hatchards in Piccadilly, which opened in 1797, can claim to be the oldest bookstore in the UK with around 100,000 books, and has a special section for signed first editions, and children's books. Beyond that, it offers personalized book subscription services for a very reasonable sum — you'll just need to pay additional postage for shipment to America.
The Whisky Exchange
For those who love whisky and brandy, this is the best choice, since ifs one of the city's important liquor stores. It’s possible to order bottles to be shipped to America. You're bound to find something you'll never see at home. Ifs like the Willy Wonka factory for Scotch drinkers and collectors.
1. Which of the following are provided in James Smith & Sons?| A．Bargains. |
| B．Cheap umbrellas. |
| C．Fashionable clothes. |
| D．Excellent walking sticks. |
| A．Hard to choose. |
| B．Good and cheap. |
| C．Designed for businessmen. |
| D．Covering all modern kinds. |
| A．The natives. |
| B．British visitors. |
| C．Foreign students. |
| D．American travelers. |
7 . Creative and can-do Australians are collecting waste plastics and making new products using homemade machines. Precious Plastic SA is part of an international community of more than 40,000 people working to battle against plastic pollution.
Environmental science student Lucy Dunton said she got the idea from designer and maker Dave Hakkens' video on Facebook. Mr. Hakkens is from the Netherlands and posts videos about how to make things out of waste plastics on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
“We're really interested in doing something, changing the way people think and creating this amazing community, to share skills and advice and connect with like-minded people,” she said. “Plastics can be used to make useful, everyday things as a way to fight plastic pollution. We want to encourage and support those who have started or want to start their own project, by acting as guides and sharing advice and resources.”The group is growing as others put their hands up to offer their time, skills and resources through the website and join the group.
Environmental science student Aiden Ryan worked with mechanical engineer Luke Christiansen to build the team's compressor (压缩机) in Luke's Dad's storeroom at Holdfast Bay, South Australia. They're now collecting parts for a shredder, so they can stop cutting plastics by hand. Raw materials come from organized beach cleans. They take their collection of plastics back to the storeroom where they are turned into new plastic products such as bowls and plates.
“A bowl could be made out of 10 reusable plastic containers,”Mr. Ryan said. He hopes to start selling the new plastic products soon.
Nic Wipf-Grant, one of the founders of Precious Plastic SA, says it is part of the growing sharing economy.“We want neighbours to share skills with neighbours,” he said. “We want neighbours to bring their plastics over and make bowls, plates and iPhone covers as gifts for their family and friends.”
1. What is one main purpose of Precious Plastic SA?| A．To raise money for ocean protection. | B．To encourage people to cut down on waste. |
| C．To suggest using resources reasonably. | D．To help people fight against plastic pollution. |
| A．He is an Australian designer. | B．He helps Lucy Dunton post videos. |
| C．He cares about the environment. | D．He is a member of Precious Plastic SA. |
| A．To show they have a business spirit. |
| B．To show many people play a role in Precious Plastic SA. |
| C．To explain the way to protect the environment. |
| D．To explain their great interest in science. |
| A．It will become popular soon. | B．It sets a good example to new setups. |
| C．It encourages sharing. | D．It has changed people's ideas about plastics |
8 . When I arrived in London, I couldn't speak a word of English. Not even "hello". I was 18. I'd been working for my dad's restaurant in Milan and I wanted a new experience. My friend from home lived in London and he used to tell me how incredible it was. I was really bored, so I took my luggage and left.
I was so lost when I arrived at Stansted. To me, English sounded like Chinese. I only arrived with a few hundred pounds. I lived with my friend in East London for a while. I couldn't find a job for a month. Finally I found a waiter role in a restaurant. At the time, I had nothing else going on in my life. I used to get up, go to work, and sleep. It was no difference every day. Then one day on my lunch break, I saw a Gymbox. When I took a look in, there was an amazing Muay Thai (泰拳) class. I used to do boxing when I was 15 but I wasn't that serious about it. There and then I joined the gym and signed up for the Thai boxing team.
I fell in love with it. I never missed a session (一场) . I started training a lot and the head coach said to me one day, "Do you want to fight?" I knew that's what I wanted to do. He put me in competitions and I won my first nine amateur games. After watching me progress, he offered to help me fight professionally. However, at one point I had a motorcycle crash and was out for 18 months. This year I've fought in Milan and London. I'd say I'm about 12 fights away from becoming a winner
Sometimes I can't believe how far I've come from that day I arrived in England. I think everything that's happened has been because I'm committed. But anyone could do it. If you put in 100%, you'll get there. I'm just happy because I did a positive thing with my life. It feels good.
1. What had the writer done before he came to London?| A．He had worked in a restaurant. | B．He had been a professional coach. |
| C．He had worked in a small company. | D．He had done nothing but travel around. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Scary. | C．Satisfying. | D．Dull. |
| A．Joining the boxing team. | B．Losing the competition in Milan. |
| C．Suffering from a motorcycle crash. | D．Being the head coach of the team. |
| A．Life is not all roses. | B．Difficulties make him stronger. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. | D．Devotion makes him successful. |
9 . As COVID-19 hit and the world went into varying levels of lockdown (封锁), it became difficult for researchers to know what was happening in the ocean. But now, you can join the eOceans platform to help researchers gather data on oceans and ocean ecosystems in real-time.
Downloading the eOceans app on your smartphone and logging what you see when you are on the coast or in the ocean, including any animals, people, pollution or even an empty beach, you can help researchers monitor the world’s oceans. The app lets you note your observations as well as upload photos. This information is then linked to your geographical location and is made accessible to scientists studying that region. Using eOceans data, researchers can remotely monitor how oceans and coastal communities worldwide are happening, including in the context of the pandemic (疫情).
In reality, observations recorded through eOceans are already providing valuable insights. During Australia’s lockdown, for example, the largest group of turtles in the country’s history was spotted by researchers using eOceans data. And in Hawaii, data from the app suggests that clearer waters are associated with a reduction in tourists during the pandemic.
Negative impacts of the pandemic on the ocean have also been picked up through the app, including an increase in pollution from personal protective equipment, as well as pandemic-related interruptions to marine (海洋的) recovery following a 2019 oil leak in Brazilian waters. In future, data from eOceans could help enable early detection of hazards (危害), such as oil leaks, so that they can be dealt with sooner, says Christine Ward-Paige, founder and chief scientist at eOceans.
“Till now, more than 1,000 people have already joined the eOceans platform,” says Ward-Paige. “But more data on wild life spotted along coastlines, as well as information on how people are using these spaces, are still needed.”
1. How can people help researchers monitor the ocean through the eOceans platform?| A．By downloading and observing some data of hazards. |
| B．By spotting and marking the previous marine recovery. |
| C．By collecting and uploading timely oceanic information. |
| D．By detecting and reporting your present geographical location. |
| A．An oil leak occurring in Australian waters. |
| B．The largest turtle found in Australia’s history. |
| C．A factor contributing to clearer waters in Hawaii. |
| D．A boom of tourism appearing during the pandemic. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Optimistic. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Anxious. |
| A．Keeping an eye on the ocean. | B．Caring about the ocean pollution. |
| C．Showing love to coastal creatures. | D．Monitoring the quality of seawater. |
10 . Amanda hated how history seemed to be all about war. Jose didn't like memorizing names and dates. Gerald was convinced that nothing that had happened in the past was relevant to his life. Caitlyn hated tricky true-false questions.
Armed with the feedback (反馈) my students had given me, I began hatching a plan. These kids were bright. They were motivated. My honors class deserved to be taught in a way that would speak to them.
We'd study social and economic history, not just battles and generals. We'd read novels to bring home the humanity of history. Tests would cover the facts, but also require higher level thinking skills. No tricky true-false questions.
At first, I was surprised by how many of my students used poor grammar and lacked writing skills. And some seemed to hesitate when reading out loud. But we worked on those skills repeatedly while we were learning history. The school year came to an end more quickly than I could have imagined. Most had earned A and B. No one had averaged lower than C.
Before summer break. Mrs. Anderson, the headmaster, called me into her office for my end-of-year evaluation. “I want to congratulate you on a great freshman season,” she said with a smile. “Especially on how well you did with your remedial (矫正) kids.”
“Remedial kids? I don’t understand.”
Mrs. Anderson looked at me in a strange way. “Your first period class was a remedial. Surely you saw that indicated at the top of the roll (名单),” She pulled a file folder from a drawer and handed it to me. I opened it. There at the top, was the word HONORS. I showed it to Mrs. Anderson.
“Oh. dear,” she said. “What a mistake! How did you ever manage, treating slow students as though they were...”
I couldn't help but finish the sentence for her. “As though they were bright? I think we've both learned a lesson from this, one they didn't teach in any of the education courses I took, but one I'll never forget.”
1. Why does the author mention several students at the beginning?| A．To introduce these bright students. | B．To present the teaching problems. |
| C．To show the success of his plans. | D．To praise the wisdom of his pupils. |
| A．Her honors class hesitated to improve skills. | B．The headmaster gave her a wrong class roll. |
| C．Most of her class achieved high grades later. | D．Her students were at lower language levels. |
| A．Easygoing and kind. | B．Motivated and generous. |
| C．Patient and creative. | D．Understanding and strict. |
| A．Students should be taught according to their interest. |
| B．Traditional teaching methods might work effectively. |
| C．Students should be evaluated based on their scores. |
| D．Teachers should have confidence in their students. |
