1 . Sharing is love for a couple in Texas. That's what a popular Facebook post from a woman named Tracy Howell has shown tens of thousands of people. Tracy detailed a four-decade-long tradition she shares with her husband, Clifford, which many have called “sweet”.
Whenever Clifford goes to work，he takes a sandwich that has a small bite on it. The bite symbolized a deep message for the pair, Tracy explained in the post. “Clifford and I have been married almost 41 years and I have made his lunch every working day since day 1,”Tracy wrote at the time. “Sometimes I would join him on the job site and have lunch with him. He told me once that lunch tastes better when you share it with someone you love. Soon after that, while fixing his sandwich one night, I took a bite out of it before putting it away. I told him that since I couldn't often join him for lunch, I took a bite so he knew I was joining him,” she recalled.
The first time Tracy had done this, her husband returned with anger after work and told her that some workmate had taken a bite out of his sandwich.
“I continue to do this frequently and he still says, ‘It's always happy to see you join me for lunch.’”
The post had been shared more than 97,000 times in just one week and had received more than 26 ,000 likes from Facebook users. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard,” a user shared.
1. Why does Tracy always take a bite of Clifford's lunch?| A．To make her lunch popular. | B．To give Clifford a sweet feeling. |
| C．To remind Clifford to have lunch on time. | D．To remove Clifford's tiredness from work. |
| A．He was annoyed. | B．He thought it romantic. |
| C．He returned home at once. | D．He asked a workmate about it. |
| A．Powerful. | B．Anxious. | C．Caring. | D．Capable. |
2 . An amateur fossil hunter has unearthed a new type of prehistoric “sea dragon” on the beach of the UK's Dorset Coast. The new 2m-long ichthyosaur is named “Etches sea dragon”,after fossil collector Dr. Steve Etches, who found it buried head-first. Ichthyosaurs are called sea dragons for their usually very large teeth and eyes. He thought its teeth were unusual,so he passed it on to experts at the University of Portsmouth to identify(鉴定).There,a Masters student, Megan Jacobs, who has spent several years working on ichthyosaurs, identified it as a new species, which lived 150 million years ago.
The find is the UK's fifth known ichthyosaur from the Late Jurassic periods,and by far the smallest so far.
The fossil was found near Kimmeridge Bay—part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. When it died, the seafloor would have been very soft mud, allowing the front half of the animal to sink into the mud, before other animals came along and ate the tail end.Being buried in a bed of soft mud meant it was preserved in exceptional condition and even some of its soft tissues were preserved.
Megan said, “Fossils of Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs in the UK are extremely rare. I did some research,comparing it with those known from other Late Jurassic fossils found around the world. It was very exciting that I didn’t find a match. Steve's extraordinary collection contains many new and exciting animals, and it was a real honor to have the chance to describe this ichthyosaur.”
Professor David Martill,who leads the palaeontology(古生物学)research,said, “Steve is an exceptional fossil collector and although he is sometimes referred to as an amateur collector, he has done so much for palaeontology that he has been awarded an MBE, Member of the British Empire, and is truly a professional.”He added, “If it were not for collectors like Steve,scientists would have very few specimens(样本)to work on. ’’
1. What did Steve Etches do after finding the ichthyosaur?| A．He spent years studying it. | B．He sent it to a university. |
| C．He named it after himself. | D．He announced it’s a new species. |
| A．The largest sea dragons once lived there. |
| B．Fossils found there usually have soft tissues. |
| C．It is very popular among fossil hunters worldwide. |
| D．The seafloor there was once covered with soft mud. |
| A．Confirming the uniqueness of the fossil. |
| B．Admiring Steve’s extraordinary collections. |
| C．Finding a matching name for the new ichthyosaur. |
| D．Seeing other Late Jurassic’s fossils around the world. |
| A．He had a good taste of collections. |
| B．He contributed a lot to palaeontology. |
| C．He set an example for other amateur collectors. |
| D．He did better than professional palaeontologists. |
3 . Fired bricks are a universal building material, produced by thousand-year-old technology, which throughout history has seldom served any other purpose. But researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found a new use for bricks:as energy storage units. A team of engineers and chemists have found a way to transform an ordinary house brick into a battery (电池) — allowing it to conduct (传导) and store electricity.
The researchers connect an LED light bulb (灯泡) to the bricks. They are powerful enough to illuminate it and cost only about $3 to make.
“I love the idea of adding value to things that are inexpensive, things that are affordable, things that we see every day,” said Julio D'Arcy, an assistant professor of chemistry at Washington University and one of the researchers on this project.
The new invention relies on something known as iron oxide, a form of matter in bricks that gives them their red colour. The scientists pumped the bricks with several gases that react with iron oxide to produce a network of plastic fibres. These fibres coat the empty spaces inside the bricks — and conduct electricity.
“What we’re trying to do is:we're trying to make specialized plastics and then we can actually put those plastics inside construction materials,”D’Arcy says. “In the future, a brick wall could potentially serve two purposes at one time:providing structural support and storing electricity produced from renewable energy sources,such as solar panels.”
The technology is still at least a few years away from being ready for the market. And right now the energy that the bricks can store is still not much. Hut the team is now testing ways to improve brick performance — because it looks like you can find a new purpose for an old brick.
1. What did the researchers turn bricks into?| A．Lighting equipment. | B．Construction materials. |
| C．An electricity-storage item. | D．A new form of green energy. |
| A．Store. | B．Light. | C．Conduct. | D．Transform. |
| A．Iron oxide. | B．The stored gases. |
| C．The produced fibres. | D．The empty spaces. |
| A．Old Bricks, New Tricks | B．A Bright Future Is on the Way |
| C．A New Way to Produce Electricity | D．Recycled Batteries,Renewable Energy |
4 . At least three times a week. Louise and David Sample prepare three-course meals in their home and then give them away.
Louise prepares the meats the night before she cooks them. Vegetables matter, too.She once spent an entire Saturday cooking greens. Each “regular”(which is how the couple refers to those their meals are intended for) gets a fresh salad. This means David needs to shop multiple times a week.Together the couple prepare,cook,clean, package,and deliver containers full of food to their neighbors in need.
“They're always making food for people,making sure everybody is taken care of,always giving,said Sha’Laina,35. “It’s just something they do.”The Samples, who are retired（退休的）,say it’s no big deal spending hundreds of dollars and unknown hours each month in service to others.
Louise got a dangerous cancer in November 2018, and there were moments when those around her worried she wouldn't make it. Last year on Valentine's Day, she was very sick. But right up until she received her operation last August at Albert Einstein Medical Center, she made food for the regulars and for every employee who took care of her. “I was cooking the night before my transplant (移植).David took me to the seventh floor of the hospital” —to her patient room—“then took the food to them,’’she said. Even during her post-transplant hospital stay, Louise found a way to help others. Shekel separate the untouched food from her meal, and give it to David to take home. “We’d give it to the regulars,so she didn’t have to waste it,” said David.
Two months after leaving the hospital, Louise was back in the kitchen.“When someone goes through something traumatic (创伤的),continuing any part of your life where you know what you're doing is very beneficial. It puts you in a place where you're in control,’David said. “She loves cooking. Just doing it gave her part of her life back.”
1. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2?| A．The couple went shopping a lot. |
| B．It takes great effort to prepare the food. |
| C．The meals from the couple are well balanced. |
| D．The couple take good care of their neighbors. |
| A．They are fond of giving. | B．They are good at treating strangers. |
| C．They are exhausted from the cooking. | D．They prefer serving others to cooking. |
| A．was too sick to see the doctor alone | B．usually cooked food in the hospital |
| C．continued her acts of giving | D．received several operations |
| A．Louise's bravery helped her survive. |
| B．Cooking benefits Louise's recovery. |
| C．Everyone will go through hard times. |
| D．Louise should spend more time cooking. |
5 . The following are some of the best items on sale you can find on our website.
Martin Clunes：Islands of Australia DVD
Item NO. XA9692
Price：$24.99
Martin Clunes makes delightful documentaries for British television. His latest journey takes him down under to places most of us will never see. Australia is surrounded by more than 8,000 islands, and Clunes flies, sails, and kayaks to 16 of the best, finding spectacular scenery, interesting history, amazing creatures, unusual pastimes and local people.
NATURE：Cuba’s Wild Revolution DVD
Item NO. WC5582
Price:$ 19.99
Cuba is an island teeming with great biodiversity:from the world’s tiniest hummingbird to thousands of migrating crabs,to the jumping crocodiles of the Zapata swamp. Decades of a socialist, conservation-minded government, American embargoes (禁运)and minimal development have left the island unchanged for 50 years.
American Experience:Mr. Tornado DVD
Item NO. WC5472
Price:$19.99
Tetsuya Fujita spent ten months studying The Super Outbreak of 1974,which was the strongest tornado outbreak on record. Mr.Tornado is the amazing story of Tetsuya Fujita. His research helped save thousands of Americans, whose lives are threatened by dangerous weather conditions.
World War One:The Peopled Story DVD
Item NO. XD3362
Price:$24.99
Through original diaries, letters, and personal stories, this unforgettable documentary tells how the lives of regular British men and women were transformed by the Great War, told in their own words. The war was cruel: hundreds of thousands would never return, and those who did would carry physical or emotional wounds forever. Along with historical footage, an outstanding group of actors act out the first-hand accounts.
1. What do Item NO.XA9692 and Item NO.WC5582 have in common?| A．They introduce the same place. |
| B．They can get viewers close to nature. |
| C．They focus on the history of a place. |
| D．They cost the same amount of money. |
| A．By studying a super tornado. |
| B．By collecting amazing stories. |
| C．By tracking dangerous tornadoes. |
| D．By working with thousands of Americans. |
| A．The bravery of British people. |
| B．The causes of World War One. |
| C．The historical achievements of British people. |
| D．The influence of World War One on ordinary people. |
6 . More than 7,000 runners who raced earlier this month in a half-marathon in London were under the influence of a scientifically designed and powerful stimulant — pop music.
The upbeat music at London's “Run to the Beat” race was chosen based on the research of sport psychologist Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University. He has learned how to design music to be as powerful, if not more so, as some of the illegal stimulant. “Music is a great way to lift spirits both before and during physical activity. A lot of athletes use music as if it's a legal drug,” Costas told LiveScience.
Costas and his team collected data during the “Run to the Beat” half-marathon, allowing them to test on thousands of live runners outside the lab. Despite strong winds and heavy rain during the event, interviews after the race suggested that the runners found the music inspiring and fun.
In the future, Costas expects a fusion of sports and music, where the crowd and the athletes are motivated by music in the race, while motivating one another. “It is beyond the music,” he said. “The music inspires team spirit. One of the key causes of motivation is the feeling of being together with one another. Having suitable music allows you to get this feeling naturally.”
The link between music and athletic performance is just one example of the amazing power that music has over our minds and bodies. Scientists also have confirmed that music improves memories, as we all have experienced, to the point where we don't even have to hear a song. We just think of it and the memories flood in. Music has also been found to relieve pain, make you smarter, and remove bad emotions.
1. What does the underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Soft. | B．Original. | C．Positive. | D．Traditional. |
| A．Why the half-marathon was held. | B．What the runners think of music. |
| C．How the half-marathon was held. | D．How Costas carried out his research. |
| A．It relieves physical pain. | B．It improves people s memory. |
| C．It removes the effect of drugs. | D．It makes people feel being in a team. |
| A．How Music Has Changed Us | B．The Amazing Power of Music |
| C．How Music and Sports Affected Each Other | D．Music Contributes to a Successful Marathon |
7 . Some of the Oldest Cities in the World
Argos, Greece — 5000 BC
The name Argos came from Argus, the son of Zeus and Niobe. According to Greek mythology, he was the city's king. It was known as being the birthplace of many soldiers who fought in the Trojan War. Historical account of the city describes it as being a cultural center in the Greek empire, being one of the first cities along with Sparta and Paros to hold music competitions.
Jericho, Palestine — 5000 BC
The city of Jericho is in the West Bank in the Middle East. It is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Jericho started as a camping ground for Natufian hunter-gatherers around 10000 BC. People did not begin to permanently settle in the area until around 9600 BC, with the end of the last Ice Age and along with it the end of cold and drought.
Susa, Iran — 4200 BC
Susa began as a small settlement around 7000 BC and became an urban center around 4200 BC. It became an important town mainly because of its position near business center. Susa, located at the base of the Zagros Mountains and east of the Tigris River, was the Elamite Empire's capital until the Assyrians had control of it.
Gaziantep, Turkey — 3650 BC
Gaziantep，also known as Antep, is located in southern Turkey near Syrian. With a long history dating as far back as the Hittites, Gaziantep offers many historical sites to see. Visitors can explore the Gaziantep Fortress and Ravanda Citadel, both of which the Byzantines repaired in the 6th century.
1. What is special about Argos?| A．It was the birthplace of Argus. |
| B．It was named by Zeus and Niobe. |
| C．It was the battle field of the Trojan War. |
| D．It was among the earliest cities to hold music competitions. |
| A．Argos. | B．Jericho. | C．Susa. | D．Gaziantep. |
| A．It was near the business center. | B．It was at the Tigris River bank. |
| C．It was controlled by the Assyrians. | D．It was the biggest settlement of the Elamite Empire. |
8 . Xia boyu，70， the first Chinese double amputee （被截肢者） to have reached the top of Mount Qomolangma， the highest mountain in the world， Du Juan reports．
On May 14， 2018， Xia， who is the same age as the People's Republic of china， made his dream come true by reaching the top of Qomolangma （Mount Everest） seven days after leaving Base Camp on the Nepal side of the mountain．
Success didn't come easy． He had failed to reach the 8，844﹣meter peak four times before becoming one of the few double amputees to reach the top of the world．
The first climb by a Chinese team to the peak of Qomolangma was in 1960． Xia， who was born in Chongqing in 1949， was chosen by the Chinese mountaineering team in 1974． In 1975， the second mountaineering team set off． All the teammates finally reached the top， but Xia suffered bad frostbite （W1）in his legs， which had to be amputated at the knees．
"It's beyond imagination how difficult it was to accept the fact that I would suddenly become a disabled person，" Xia recalls． "I could not imagine a future of sitting in a wheelchair， perhaps forever．"
When a doctor told him that with artificial limbs he could live a normal life like anyone else， and he would even be able to do a lot of physical exercise， his hopes rose and he made up his mind to climb Qomolangma again．
To prepare for his fifth attempt（尝试）on Qomolangma， every day he got up at five in the morning and completed 90 minutes of strength training at home． On Mondays， Wednesdays and Fridays he would ride a bike to Fragrant Hills， 30 kilometers from his home， walk to the top and then ride back home． On Tuesdays， Thursdays and Saturdays， he completed 10 km of speed walking．
"Without targets， people lose' direction， "Xia says． So I will keep climbing and contributing more ways to society．"
1. Which is the correct order according to the passage？a． Xia had to be amputated at the knee immediately after the climb．
b． Xia joined the Chinese Mountaineering team．
c． Xia made his dream come true by reaching the top of Qomolangma．
d． Xia tried four times but failed， so he prepared for the fifth．
e． Chinese team set for the first climb to the top of Qomolangma．
| A．e﹣b﹣d﹣c﹣a |
| B．b﹣a﹣e﹣c﹣d |
| C．b﹣e﹣a﹣d﹣c |
| D．e﹣b﹣a﹣d﹣c |
| A．Xia was 27 when he first climbed qomolangma． |
| B．Xia was 72 when he made his dream come true． |
| C．The Base camp lay on the Chinese side of the mountain． |
| D．Xia reached the top of the world in 2018． |
| A．Xia felt it unimaginable to be sitting in a wheelchair all his life． |
| B．Xia lost hope after a doctor explained about his artificial limbs． |
| C．it took Xia a long time to make full preparations for his fifth attempt． |
| D．Xia had failed to reach the peak four times before his fifth attempt． |
| A．Plans． |
| B．Aims． |
| C．Wills． |
| D．Hopes． |
| A．Travel journal． |
| B．TV Interview． |
| C．News report． |
| D．Short story． |
9 . One summer camp long ago， I experienced a terrible need of a practical budget （f）， so that I began to make a chart of my "money in"， "save" and "spend" every week．
1. How many items did the writer take down？
| A．2． |
| B．3． |
| C．4． |
| D．5 |
| A．My Weekly Budget． |
| B．How to Make a Balance． |
| C．money for Future Use． |
| D．"Money in" equals "Spend" |
| A．He took it as important as lunch． |
| B．He thought he should list it onto "Have to Spend．" |
| C．He considered it unnecessary to drink soda after school． |
| D．He was sure he should put this sum into his money bank account． |
| A．On a car． |
| B．On his education． |
| C．On a present for her mother． |
| D．On a Piggy bank toy． |
| A．Summer camp usually costs children a lot of money． |
| B．Income should equal the expense and saving． |
| C．One should always balance Money In and Spend． |
| D．Parents should plan the budget for their children． |
10 . What is language for? Some people seem to think it's for practicing grammar rules and earning lists of words—the longer the list, the better. That's wrong．Language is for the exchange（交流）of ideas and information．It's meaningless knowing all about a language if you can't use it freely. Many students I have met know hundreds of grammar rules, but they can't speak correctly or fluently（流利地）．They are afraid of making mistakes．One shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes when speaking a foreign language. Native speakers make mistakes and break rules, too．Bernard saw once wrote, "Foreigners often speak English too correctly．"But the mistakes that native speakers make are different from those that Chinese students make. They're English mistakes in the English language．And if enough native speakers break a rule, it is no longer a rule. What used to be wrong becomes right．People not only make history, they make language．But a people can only make its own language．It can't make another people's language. So Chinese students of English should pay attention to grammar, but they shouldn't overdo（做过头）it. They should put communication first.
1. Language is used to ________.| A．express oneself | B．practise grammar rules |
| C．talk with foreigners only | D．learn lists of words |
| A．never makes mistakes | B．often makes mistakes |
| C．can't avoid making mistakes | D．always makes mistakes |
| A．foreigners speak correct English |
| B．foreigners speak incorrect English |
| C．foreigners speak English according to the grammar rules |
| D．foreigners never make mistakes when they speak English |
| A．speak in Chinese way |
| B．speak by the rules |
| C．speak to native speakers |
| D．not be afraid of making mistakes |
