1 . Koalas live in the eucalyptus （枝树）forests of southeastern and eastern Australia. They rely on the eucalyptus tree for both habitat and food. In fact, they seldom leave these trees. When not sleeping, they're usually eating. They can eat more than a pound of eucalyptus leaves a day. Eucalyptus is poisonous, so the koala's digestive （消化的）system has to work hard to digest it, breaking down the poisons and taking in the limited nutrients （营养）.That's why koalas sleep for 18 to 22 hours a day — they get very little energy from their diet.
Koala numbers decreased in the late 19th and early 20th century from hunting for their fur. Now they face serious threats from habitat loss. Land clearing and bush fires-especially the 2019-2020 Australia Bushfire Season-have destroyed much of the forest they live in. Koalas are easy to be affected by climate change. Increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is decreasing the nutritional quality of eucalyptus leaves and causing longer, more serious droughts and wildfires. In response to drought, koalas are forced to stop sleeping and come down from the trees to find water, putting them at a higher risk of being killed.
Koalas have been identified by the Australian government as one of the 113 animals requiring urgent （紧急的）help. Ensuring there's the right kind of forest for them to return to is extremely urgent. State governments should create new koala reserves and persuade landowners not to cut down eucalyptus trees. Meanwhile, getting the public to understand koalas' living habits and their health will throw light on koala biology, which helps to develop plans to better protect the species.
1. What can we learn about koalas?| A．They like moving around very much. |
| B．They have developed smart survival skills. |
| C．They can be found everywhere in Australia. |
| D．They often got ill while eating eucalyptus leaves. |
| A．Koalas' newly-formed habits. | B．Koalas' decreasing population. |
| C．The potential threats to Koalas. | D．The outcomes of increased carbon dioxide. |
| A．Conduct the research on their living habits. |
| B．Make sure they can have their habitat back. |
| C．Realize that they are sensitive to climate change. |
| D．Educate people about the awareness of protecting them. |
| A．A nature magazine. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A sports newspaper. | D．A health magazine. |
2 . The popularity of Chinese-owned video-sharing service TikTok(抖音)continues to grow among young people in the United States. In 2019, experts say the service more than doubled its American user base to 37 million. TikTok is especially popular with teens and young adults.
The service lets users create and share their short videos that they think interesting and useful. Many of them are under 15 seconds. The TikTok app offers a wide choice of sounds, brief parts of songs and special effects tools to help create a video. Some TikTok-based memes(表情包)are very popular. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has even helped launch the careers of new music stars.
TikTok is considered a competitor to the video-sharing app Snapchat, as well as Facebook's Instagram service. Snapchat and Instagram also mainly interest young users with a wide mix of photos and videos centered largely on fashion, pop culture and humor.
Last year, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app from Apple and Google stores. Only WhatsApp was downloaded more. Research company Sensor Tower guesses people have downloaded the TikTok app 1.65 billion times.
TikTok has been used by many major companies to reach young people who use little or no traditional media. One of those companies is American-based e. l. f. Cosmetics(化妆品). The makeup company's chief marketer, Kory Marchisotto, said that TikTok is "where the Gen Z party is". Gen Z is a name used to call the generation born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s.“That's where they're all hanging out," Marchisotto said.
Companies appearing on TikTok can make money through advertising. Often, the companies create user "challenges" as part of their advertisement campaigns. TikTok users created 3 million videos that received more than 4 billion view.
1. Which word can best describe the videos created on TikTok?| A．Traditional. | B．Boring. | C．Various. | D．Serious. |
| A．TikTok. | B．Snapchat. | C．Instagram. | D．WhatsApp. |
| A．Challenge their competitors. | B．Make advertisements. |
| C．Hold music concerts. | D．Promote users' abilities to make videos. |
| A．TikTok Keeps Growing Among US Youth | B．How to Share Short Videos |
| C．Facebook Achieves Great Success | D．Companies Benefit Much from Videos |
3 . A new study, a project of the researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, finds that a fitness tracker (健康追踪器) probably does not help with weight loss.
The trackers are designed to record your physical activity. They are usually worn around the wrist (手腕), where they record a person's heart rate. The research team looked at two groups of people. The first wore a fitness tracker and took part in health consultation with experts for best weight loss plan. The researchers compared this group with people who only got health consultation.
The study found that those only speaking with the health experts lost nearly 6 kilograms, but those using a fitness tracker lost only 3.5 kilograms. John Jakicic the lead researcher, questioned the use of these trackers for weight loss.
The study involved 470 people age between 18 and 35. Some of them were overweight, while others were considered obese. Over three fourths of them were women. All were told to increase physical activity and start on a low-calorie diet. They had their weight measured once every six months. After six months, researchers divided the group into two parts: one continued with monthly consulting, while members of the other group were given a fitness tracker. Eighteen months later, both groups showed great improvements in fitness, physical activity and diet, with no big difference between groups. However, when it came to losing weight, the people who only spoke with experts lost nearly twice as much weight.
Jakicic said, “The study's findings are important because effective long-term treatments are needed to deal with America's obesity.”More information is needed, he added, to learn how to best use these trackers to help adults who want to lose weight.
1. Both groups of people in the study were asked to .| A．start on a high-calorie diet. | B．wear a fitness tracker |
| C．consult experts | D．record their heart rates |
| A．Wearing fitness trackers hardly helps people lose weight. |
| B．Physical activity and diet have no effect on weight loss. |
| C．Dealing with obesity needs effective long-term treatments. |
| D．There are great differences in health between both groups. |
| A．The study went on for about two years. |
| B．More than 120 men took part in the study. |
| C．Health consulting helps lose almost 6 kilograms. |
| D．Wearing a fitness tracker is useful for keeping slim. |
| A．describe how the researchers carried out the study |
| B．show regular consulting for weight control is necessary |
| C．persuade readers to wear fitness trackers for weight control |
| D．warn women are more likely to suffer from weight problems |
4 . Here are some after-Christmas best sales happening online right now:
J. Crew
When it comes to big discounts on the most popular gifts of the year, J. Crew has been the go-to spot all season long. You can still save money on some favorite items.
Anthropologie
You can get an extra 40% off all sale products, and get an extra 30% off sale furniture at Anthropologie. Just head to the site or one of their store locations and see for yourself just how good it really gets.
Carter's
Right now at Carter's, you can get up to 70% off sale items for babies' and kids' clothes, and the savings are amazing. If you're trying to buy a few pajamas(睡衣), this sale is a great way to save on fashion for your little ones.
Levi's
Denim(牛仔衣)will never go out of style, and neither will saving huge amounts of money on it, which is why this big end-of-season sale at Levi's makes my fashion-loving heart screaming with delight. You can get up to 50% off select denim jeans, jackets, and so on from now until January. You can also get free shipping on orders over $100, which is always a win-win.
Prices were exact at the time this article was published but may change over time.
1. In which store can you get the most savings for babies' clothes?| A．J. Crew. | B．Anthropologie. | C．Carter's. | D．Levi's. |
| A．It sells pajamas. | B．It offers free shipping. |
| C．It gives more discounts. | D．Customers can bargain there. |
| A．They may be changeable. |
| B．They rise a lot with time. |
| C．They remain the same as before-Christmas. |
| D．They are different in online sales and stores. |
5 . Yesterday was my final day as an English language assistant in Paris. I have loved every single moment of my time teaching, and could not have asked for a better school, with the most wonderful students. When applying to be a language assistant. I was a little worried about what the students would be like.
Upon arrival, I found the easiest approach to creating lesson plans was to focus on what was happening right here and now. For example, when it was Halloween in the UK, I found plenty of brainchildren to help me teach my students all about the different cultures and traditions they do not have in France. They loved it! And now, seven months later, it's all over!
The whole experience has been amazing. I highly recommend being a language assistant. I don't want to become a teacher，and I didn't before I arrived, but the skills and experience I have gained from these entire seven months of working is indescribable. Now, I'm finding myself still walking down the street and having ideas pop into my mind and saying, “Oh! 1 can teach mv class about that next week!” It's very bizarre(异乎寻常的).
I think this first week of having no work and not needing to think of potential lesson plans will be the hardest，and it was surprisingly difficult to say goodbye to most of my classes. But deep down，I know that my time teaching in Paris has given me so much experience and a completely new outlook on how to communicate with younger people with different needs and learning styles.
1. Where did the author work as a teaching assistant?| A．In America. | B．In England. | C．In France. | D．In Canada. |
| A．Clever children. | B．Different assistants. |
| C．Successful experience. | D．Sudden good ideas. |
| A．The writer thought it useless. | B．The writer liked it very much. |
| C．The writer found it very strange. | D．The writer had no idea about it. |
| A．My Teaching Experience in Paris |
| B．An English Language Assistant in Paris |
| C．How to Communicate with Younger People |
| D．How to Become an Amazing Language Teacher |
6 . Jet airplanes are one of the largest causes of human pollution. About 3% of the world’s carbon emissions(碳排放）are believed to come from airline travel. Thai number is likely to go up—the number of people traveling by plane has been growing for years, and is expected to keep increasing.
To help fight climate change, Dutch airline KLM has started a program asking people to “ Fly Responsibly”. The company is asking its customers to think about their choices before they buy a plane ticket. In a video, the airline suggests that travelers ask themselves questions, such as whether they could lake a train instead.
However, some people have suggested that instead of asking the public to think carefully about their actions, KLM, and other airlines, need to be considering solutions that lie with the industry itself . “ Voluntary (主动的）actions by customers are not enough; the cost of flying must increase." said Justin Francis, founder of Responsible Travel.
Anna Hughes, who runs Flight Free UK, Sees much of the “greening" in aviation(航空) as problematic. She said, “The simple fact is that climate change, worsened by our use of (fossil fuels(化石燃料），will make it difficult for our children to live on this planet. While we welcome action，to make aviation friendlier to the environment, airlines must be honest about their influence on climate change."
But the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is backing the KLM program. Rafael Schwartzman, IATA's vice-president for Europe, said, “We support it in the sense that you do have a choice. In certain cases you could have another choice. " But, he added, “the UK is an island. If you want to trade internationally, you will have to count on aviation.”
1. What does KLM suggest travelers do?| A．Spend less on traveling. | B．Think twice before they fly. |
| C．Act responsibly on a plane. | D．Travel by train whenever possible. |
| A．To turn to cleaner fuels. |
| B．To raise the price of tickets. |
| C．To encourage customers to volunteer. |
| D．To tell the public how to cut air pollution. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uninterested. | D．Unclear. |
| A．To introduce a Dutch airline. |
| B．To list the harms of airline travel. |
| C．To discuss a program of an airline. |
| D．To call on people to fight climate change. |
7 . The Blue Cafe' Theatre
The Artist is a movie set in a neighborhood of the French capital, by the River Seine. Made in 1940, this black and white movie has made cinema history. A romantic drama that will make you cry, it is well worth watching. Don't worry if you don't know French; you can read the subtitles(字幕). Showing Sunday morning in the Blue Cafe' Theatre.
Elmstreet Village Cinema
Ask me that again! A great movie for all ages, young and old. It's a movie with something for everyone! Set in a New York college, it sells the story of a girl who is so pretty that every boy falls to her. But all she wants to do is study! Now showing until Sunday, Special afternoon tickets at 10% discount for the 4:00 pm matinee(午后场).
The Orange Cinema Company
Star Traveler is a great movie for science-fiction fans who like to have a good laugh at the same time. It may not be the best film of all time, but it certainly is the funniest. You will love Wil, the star traveler, who gets lost in space, chased by green aliens. Showing from Saturday at all Orange Cinemas , 7: 00 pm, 9: 00 pm and 11:30 pm.
Findley Park Cinema
Dance all the way! A musical romance, set in an arts & dance school in the US, the film will have you singing along and tapping(轻叩) your toes from beginning to end. Doors open on Saturday at 5:00 pm for the early showing.
1. What do we know about The Artist?| A．The story happened in Paris. | B．It is a color movie |
| C．It is a movie in English. | D．It is funny. |
| A．The Artist. | B．Dance all the way. | C．Star Traveler. | D．Ask me that again. |
| A．The Blue Cafe' Theatre | B．Findley Park Cinema |
| C．Elmstreet Village Cinema | D．The Orange Cinema Company |
8 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar(农历）divides the year into 24 solar terms(节气）．Start of Winter, the 19th solar term of the year,begins this year on Nov 7 and ends on Nov 21.
Start of Winter is the first solar term of winter,which means winter is coming and crops harvested in autumn should he stored up.
In ancient times, the Start of Winter was regarded as the beginning of winter, however,due to geographical factors, the actual winter time varies from place to place.
In fact,the Start of Winter is not the beginning of winter in terms of meteorology(气象学）。The weather every year is different, so the beginning of winter could be quite different.And as China is very large, it starts at different times in different areas.
The beginnings of the four seasons were important festivals in ancient times. Before the Start of Winter,the ancient emperor would take a shower and have no more meat.On that day,the emperor would lead his officials to the countryside and"welcome the winter".
People eat dumplings on the beginning of winter. Legend has it that in the late Eastern Han Dynasty,Zhang Zhongjing invented "Jiao Ear"(娇耳）to treat typhoid(伤寒） patients with ear frostbite(冻疮）.He cooked mutton,hot peppers and herbs to drive out the cold and warm up the body.He put these materials into a dough skin and made them into an ear shape.Since then,people have learned to make the food which became known as "dumpling" or jiaozi. Today there is still a saying that goes "Eat dumplings on Start of Winter Day, or your ears will be frostbitten.”
1. Which of the following is right about Start of Winter?| A．It is one of the solar terns in Chinese calendar. |
| B．People begin to harvest crops on this day. |
| C．Winter begins on November 7 this year. |
| D．It begins in different months in different places. |
| A．the Start of Winter |
| B．the change of weather |
| C．the important festival |
| D．the beginning of winter |
| A．Importance of Start of Winter. |
| B．Customs of Start of Winter. |
| C．Origin(起源）of Start of Winter. |
| D．Food eaten on Start of Winter. |
| A．Because dumplings can drive away typhoid. |
| B．Because they wish for good luck for themselves. |
| C．Because eating dumplings can warm up their ears. |
| D．Because they want to prevent the coming of winter. |
9 . If you want to become a fluent English speaker you should take some advice: There are four skills in learning English. They are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The most important thing you must remember is that if you want to improve your speaking and writing skills you should first master the skills of reading and listening.
Read as much as you can. But your reading must be active. It means that you must think about the meaning of the sentence, the meaning of the unfamiliar words, etc. There is no need for you to pay much attention to grammars or try to understand all the unfamiliar words you come across, but the fact that you see them for the first time and recognize them whenever you see them, for example, in other passages or books, is enough. It would be better to prepare yourself a notebook so you can write down the important words or sentences in it.
As for listening, there are two choices: besides reading, you can listen every day for about 30 minutes. You can only pay attention to your reading and become skillful at your reading, then you can catch up on your listening. Since you have lots of inputs in your mind, you can easily guess what the speaker is going to say. This never means that you should not practice listening.
For listening you can listen to cartoons or some movies that are specially made for children. Their languages are easy. Or if you are good at listening you can listen to VOA or BBC programs every day. Again the thing to remember is being active in listening and preferably taking some notes.
If you follow these pieces of advice, your speaking and writing will improve automatically, and you can be sure that with a little effort they will become perfect.
1. According to the author, which should you improve first among the four skills?| A．Reading and listening. | B．Reading and writing. |
| C．Writing and speaking. | D．Speaking and listening. |
| A．meet by accident | B．discover |
| C．find on purpose | D．look for |
| A．everyone should listen to VOA or BBC programs every day |
| B．you needn’t practice listening if you keep on reading every day |
| C．being good at reading is helpful in improving your listening |
| D．you should take notes of whatever you are hearing |
| A．choose suitable listening materials |
| B．deal with new words in reading |
| C．improve your English as quickly as possible |
| D．become fluent in speaking and writing English |
10 . As online technology advanced, web sites, podcasts, and blogs became powerful sources of information that allowed everyone to stay updated on any subject imaginable. Although all of these information sources remain popular, there's a new king of media and it's online video.
There are many reasons why online video has increased suddenly over the past few years. The first is increasing data speeds. It wasn't until recently that people everywhere had fast enough online connections to enjoy high-definition （高清）videos. However, once faster Internet speeds were provided, people quickly fell in love with online videos. The second reason why online videos have become so popular is convenience. Watching videos requires less effort and energy than reading through paragraphs of text after a day of hard work. Videos also seem to provide more satisfaction, as people prefer to connect with people they can hear and see, as against the words of some author whom they know little about.
Advancing digital technology has also helped, as it has made sharing videos easier and more convenient than ever. High-powered smartphones and more affordable video cameras allow anyone to easily record an event or give a few comments about a scorching topic that is on their mind. Meanwhile, sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Ustream allow users to quickly upload their videos and share them with friends, family, and the general public if they wish.
Last but not least, advertising. Companies have made it easy for people to get rewarded for creating popular videos. Some people with large enough fan bases can even make a very wealthy living by uploading a few videos every week.
The future also looks bright for companies who post online video ads. In fact, new software allows them to watch viewers' emotional reactions to their content through the users' webcams （网络摄像机）.They'll be able to see whether users laugh, cry, or feel bored during videos, so they can adjust their ads. This should prove extremely helpful, as there will be millions of videos competing for viewers' attention.
1. Why do some people prefer watching videos to reading after work?| A．It helps them review the news. |
| B．It helps them get information with relative ease. |
| C．It provides them more information. |
| D．It helps them save time. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Future. | C．Hot. | D．Social. |
| A．It will enable them to better understand what customers enjoy. |
| B．It will let more viewers see the advertisements they make. |
| C．It will cause viewers to create more popular videos. |
| D．It will make people like their videos. |
| A．Online Video: The New King of Media |
| B．Online Technology is Developing Fast |
| C．Online Video: A New Advertising Trend |
| D．Online Technology is Closely Related to People |
