1 . Online eating shows, or Mukbang(直播吃饭), originated in South Korea and have gained popularity globally.
Many hosts of such shows have become popular for their ability to eat large amounts of food. But these shows have also received criticism for their waste of food. While some hosts actually do consume the amount of food shown, others may be faking it.
On Aug 12, CCTV exposed several Chinese hosts who were pretending to eat large amounts of food while on camera, but actually later threw it away.
To discourage this practice, many video and livestreaming platforms, including Douyin, Kuaishow and Bilibili, have removed videos that show food waste, and have promoted messages to “stop food waste and eat reasonably.”
In June 2020, the United Nations warned that the world is on the verge of the worst food crisis in 50 years.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, about a third of the world’s food-1.3 billion tons- is wasted every year. In China alone, 50 million tons of food ends up in landfills every year, according to Beijing News.
Recently, campaigns against food waste have been further promoted. In August, President Xi Jinping stressed the need for safeguarding food security and stopping food waste.
According to China Daily, restaurants and catering associations in more than 18 provinces and all 4 municipal cities have issued guidelines to control food waste.
In Shanxi province, local restaurants have been asked to serve half portions to avoid waste. The Wuhan Catering Association proposed that restaurants adopt the “N-1 mode”. For example, a group of 10 diners should only order enough for nine people first. More food is only brought to the table if required.
In addition, a nationwide “Clear Your Plate” campaign has been launched online. Users of Sina Weibo are encouraged to share photos or videos of empty plates after finishing their meals.
Meanwhile, new laws are also being considered, according to China daily. “We will make new laws that give clear instructions on avoiding food waste,” said Zhang Guilong from the legislative Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress. The instructions will be detailed in every year of food production, purchasing storage, transportation, processing and consumption, according to Zhang.
1. What is CCTV’s attitude toward online eating shows?| A．Supportive. | B．Critical. | C．Objective. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Most video media are contributing to stopping food waste. |
| B．We should eat up all the food on the table. |
| C．It’s hard to carry out "Clear Your Plate campaign. |
| D．All the videos that show food waste have been removed. |
| A．We can adopt the “N+1 mode”. |
| B．We can eat more food than we need. |
| C．We can choose not to watch online eating shows. |
| D．We can ask the restaurants to serve us half portions. |
| A．Online eating shows should be banned. |
| B．New laws should be made to avoid food waste. |
| C．Measures are being taken to stop food waste. |
| D．We should share photos or videos of empty plates. |
One day when I was 12, my mother gave me an order: I was to walk to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer. This was one more weapon for her to defeat my strange problem— inability to read.
In the library, I found my way into the “Children’s Room.” I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf at random. The cover of a book caught my eye. It presented a picture of a beagle. I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal companion I ever had as a child. He was my secret sharer, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him. I never forgot my beagle. Without opening the book titled Amos, the Beagle with a Plan, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.
Under the shade of a bush, I started to read about Amos. I read very, very slowly with difficulty. Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home. That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book.
My mother’s call returned me to the real world. I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book. Everyone knew I could not read. But I had read it. Books could be incredibly wonderful and I was going to read them.
I never told my mother about my “miraculous” (奇迹般地) experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year. And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in literature, and authored his own books, articles, poetry and fiction. The power of the words has held.
1. The author’s mother told him to borrow a book in order to_____.
| A．encourage him to do more walking |
| B．help cure him of his reading problem |
| C．let him spend a meaningful summer |
| D．make him learn more about weapons |
| A．it contained pretty pictures of animals |
| B．he found its title easy to understand |
| C．he was reminded of his own dog |
| D．he liked children’s stories very much |
| A．The author’s mother rewarded him with books. |
| B．The author’s mother read the same book. |
| C．The author has become a successful writer. |
| D．The author has had happy summers ever since. |
| A．My Passion for Reading |
| B．Mum’s Strict Order |
| C．Reunion with My Beagle |
| D．The Charm of a Book |
3 . If you've ever wondered what the process of becoming an astronaut is like, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (KSCVC) now has an experience that puts visitors in the shoes of a space explorer in training. The center's Astronaut Training Experience (ATE), features four simulations (模拟). They all require teamwork and good communication.
Dee Maynard, manager of education programs at KSCVC, said the experience was designed to keep visitors involved the whole time. ''When we were designing this, one of our concerns was that we wanted to be having an experience and not waiting around, '' Maynard said. ''Also, astronaut training is very much a team effort. ''
Although astronauts go through thousands of hours of training before taking off for space, this training does include some parts that are similar to those of real NASA training.
One simulation helps visitors learn what it takes to launch NASA's Space Launch System rocket. Six people step into the role of launch control and communicate with six others on the Orion capsule.
Visitors take turns reading and passing instructions and sets of data from both sides. In mission control (地面指挥中心), they can step into roles including flight director and spacecraft systems officer. Inside the capsule, people try their hand at such jobs as flight engineer and commander.
Across the room, there are chairs that are similar to the kind of zero gravity chair. With the press of a switch, the chairs fly across a special floor, giving astronauts-in-training an experience that somewhat simulates the zero gravity environment of space. This part of the experience also offers visitors a chance to learn about the management about sleeping, using the toilet and working in space.
Two simulations help participants experience what life on Mars might look like.
1. What are the qualities most required for the astronaut training at KSCVC?①Working together. ②Reading skills.
③Data analyzing. ④Communication skills.
| A．①③ | B．①④ | C．②③ | D．②④ |
| A．Busy. | B．Bored. | C．Worried. | D．Comfortable. |
| A．the readers will get to know more about roles in space. |
| B．the zero gravity environment of space will be described. |
| C．the author might introduce NASA's Space Launch System. |
| D．the ''land and drive on Mars'' simulators might be talked about. |
| A．Explore the Future of Space |
| B．Realize Your Dream at KSCVC |
| C．Experience Life as an Astronaut |
| D．Make Yourself a Great Astronaut |
4 . Can you think of a day without music? We can hear music everywhere: in the streets and at home, over the radio and on TV, in the shops and in the parks. People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music, they dance to music, and they learn to play musical instruments.
Music isn’t’ only combination of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are lot of different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are modern. Folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive. Folk songs are very pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with the music of the past. Rap is a modern musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music with a steady beat.
Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country. British groups often set new trends in music. New styles, groups and singers continue to appear. Many of the new bands have been able to use changes in technology to develop their music such as computerised drum machines, synthesisers and other electronic instruments.
Tastes differ. So people’s musical interests range from pop and rock music to classical music and opera. My favourite style of music is pop music, because it is full of energy. When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times and forget the problems of everyday life. I also enjoy listening to classical music. The music I hate is heavy metal, I find it noisy. When I listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days. My mother and father agree with my tastes in music. Though they prefer to listen to classical, they think that modern music is not too bad.
Music appeals to our hearts. It comforts our souls and enriches our minds. Music is beauty in sounds; it is our magic source of inspiration.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．Several types of music. | B．Different musical tastes. |
| C．The development of musical styles. | D．The importance of music in our lives. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By analysing reasons. |
| C．By describing courses. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．It is played with electronic instruments. | B．It is characterised by a steady beat. |
| C．It is loud and strong. | D．It sounds energetic. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Dissatisfied. | D．Unconcerned. |
5 . Music, nature and picnics in the sun: here are the best operas to catch this summer.
Opera Holland Park, London
For a mixture of urban and country operas, this open-air theatre is built each summer right in the heart of one of the most quiet parks of London.
Book early as tickets sell out fast, and remember to bring a wrap or blanket to keep yourself warm on chillier summer evenings!
July 4 to August 3, operahollandpark.com
Glyndebourne Festival Opera, East Sussex
Glyndebourne is one of the oldest opera festivals in the world. It attracts some of the world’s greatest artists. Besides, the festival’s the perfect occasion to put on your black tie or evening dress, enjoy a long picnic during the 90-minute interval (间隔). Summer festivals don’t get better than this.
July 8 to August 25, glyndebourne.com
The Grange Festival, Hampshire
Surrounded by lots of green plants and overseeing a picturesque lake, The Grange Festival in Hampshire is certain to be one of the most impressive visual feasts (视觉盛宴) you’ll ever see.
Arrive a bit early to take in the countryside views. During the lengthy interval, you’ll enjoy a romantic dinner—an essential part of the festival.
July 6 to August 6, thegrangefestival.co.uk
Grange Park Opera, Surrey
Though it’s relatively new, the festival attracts some of the world’s top talent and this year’s edition is no different, featuring performances by one of the world’s most charming mezzo-sopranos, Joyce DiDonato, and the charismatic baritone Simon Keenlyside.
July 6 to August 13, grangeparkopera.co.uk
1. What should you do if you go to Opera Holland Park?| A．Put on your best dress. | B．Book tickets early. |
| C．Enjoy a romantic dinner. | D．Perform on the stage. |
| A．Opera Holland Park. | B．Grange Park Opera. |
| C．The Grange Festival. | D．Glyndebourne Festival Opera. |
| A．To attract more visitors to Britain. | B．To inform you of traveling destinations. |
| C．To advertise some places of interest. | D．To introduce British opera festivals. |
6 . Along with silk and paper,gunpowder is another invention by Chinese and the Silk Road helped it spread to the West. The dating of gunpowder is as early as 850 AD. The Chinese used gunpowder to make fireworks and for signal flares. Gunpowder was also thought to have been used in medicine and in alchemy(炼金术). This invention seems to have been discovered in China by accident —by alchemists when doing experiments.
The gunpowder used for military purpose was first recorded in 919 AD. By the 11th century,explosive bombs filled with gunpowder were introduced and used in China. The words “fire cannon” “rocket” and “fireball” appeared time and again in the official Song history as well as two other books written during the same period.
The first detailed description of using the “fire cannon” in warfare was in connection with a battle fought in 1126 when the Song army used it against the invading enemy. The so-called “ fire cannon” was a tube made of bamboo filled with gunpowder which, when fired, threw a flaming missile towards the enemy. According to a description of a battle scene in 1132, it took two persons to carry a “fire cannon”, and the cannons were fired from a moving platform. And this platform had to be moved close to the wall of the besieged(被围攻的) city.
Gunpowder reached Japan, the Islamic countries and then Europe in the 13th century, and the Arabs improved gunpowder for military use. The early account of gunpowder in Europe was recorded by English philosopher Roger Bacon in the 13th century. One century later the Arabs used it to attack the Spanish town Baza and the next year in 1326 Florence ordered the manufacturing of cannon and cannon balls. From Italy the making of gunpowder soon spread to other European countries, and by the 1350s it had become an effective weapon on the battlefield.
1. Gunpowder was discovered _________.| A．by alchemists when they had an accident |
| B．by alchemists after studying it for a long time |
| C．accidentally by alchemists |
| D．experimentally by alchemists |
| A．Convenient. | B．Heavy. |
| C．Useless. | D．Simple. |
| A．“fire cannons” at early times would be less helpful if they were far away from the object |
| B．alchemists devoted themselves to the study of gunpowder |
| C．the Silk Road spread to the West because of the invention of gunpowder |
| D．the first detailed description of using “fire cannons” in warfare was in 1132 |
| A．Powerful Fire Cannons | B．Four Inventions of Ancient China |
| C．The Discovery of the Alchemy | D．Gunpowder |
7 . Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent into a safer, colder part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.
The plan, put forward by Dr. Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams, needs carefully directing a comet of asteroid（小行星）so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.
“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated. In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The Sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously endanger” our biosphere—by cooking us. That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly results.
There is also the question of the Moon. As the scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely that the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would change our planet’s climate.
1. If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of _________ years.| A．12 billion | B．6 billion |
| C．18 billion | D．24 billion |
| A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth. |
| B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon. |
| C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive. |
| D．The moon is moving farther away from Earth. |
| A．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death. |
| B．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon. |
| C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth. |
| D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
8 . Did you see snow in your hometown last winter? Did you feel it was warmer than before?
“There have been 21 warm winters in China since 1986,” said scientists. They also said that in the past 100 years, as the global (全球的) temperatures went up by 0.74 °C , the temperature in North China has climbed 1.4°C in only 50 years.
China needs to take quick action to cut carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) emission (排放), because it’s the main reason for global warming. The good news is that China has seen the importance of going green. China set the goal of cutting energy use by 20 and pollution emission by 10 in the 11th Five-Year Plan.
Can you slow global warming? Sure! You and your family can take steps to cut the amount of carbon dioxide that is sent out into the air.
Here are some pieces of advice to help you save the earth.
Wear used clothes. Wearing your brother's, sister's or dad’s old T-shirt means you save the energy.
Change your light bulbs (灯泡). Use energy-saving light bulbs. And don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room and turn off your television and computer when they are not in use!
Ride the bus. Taking a bus saves a lot of oil every year.
Say no to plastic bags. The next time your parents go to the market, ask them to use baskets.
Open a window. Don’t use the air conditioner (空调), and let some fresh air in. When you have to use the conditioner, set the temperature higher in the summer and lower in the winter to save energy.
Make small changes in your daily life. Don’t use paper cups, bags and boxes.
It's time for all of us to do something to save the earth.
1. The main reason for global warming is ____.| A．the oil | B．carbon dioxide | C．paper cups, bags and boxes | D．televisions and computers |
| A．活力 | B．干劲 | C．精力 | D．能源 |
| A．It’s a pity to wear your dad's old T-shirts. |
| B．Using air conditioners may be a waste of energy. |
| C．Taking a bus wastes a lot of oil every year. |
| D．Using paper bags saves energy a lot. |
| Waiter / Waitress A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant. |
| Work in a library If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students. |
| Internet jobs There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers. |
1. A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
| A．in a restaurant | B．in a library |
| C．on the Internet | D．in an IT company |
| A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
| B．advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
| C．teach young people how to make lots of money |
| D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
| A．The teens have more free time. |
| B．They can pay less to the teens. |
| C．They need advice to make products for teens. |
| D．The teens usually express their true opinions. |
10 . Nothing could stop Dad. After he was put on disability for a bad back, he bought a small farm in the country, just enough to grow food for the family. He planted vegetables, fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.
And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgin's chicken house in exchange for manure(肥料). The smell really burned the inside of your nose. When we complained about the terrible smell, Dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right. For example, just one of his cantaloupes filled the entire house with its sweet smell, and the taste was even sweeter.
As the vegetables started coming in, Dad threw himself into cooking. One day, armed with a basket of vegetables, he announced he was going to make stew(炖菜).Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, corns, onions and carrots. For about half an hour, the pressure built and the vegetables cooked. Finally, Dad turned off the stove, the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam. If we thought Dad's pile of chicken manure was bad, this was 10 times worse. When Dad took off the lid, the smell nearly knocked us out.
Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house. Just how bad was it? The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak!
Determined, Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around. It didn’t look that bad, and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell, it didn’t offend the nose so much, either. I took a taste. It would never win a prize in a cooking competition, but it was surprisingly edible, and we drank up every last drop of soup!
1. Why did Dad clean Old Man Mocolgin’s chicken house regularly?| A．To earn some money for the family. | B．To collect manure for his crops. |
| C．To get rid of the terrible smell. | D．To set a good example to us. |
| A．It is popular among the neighbors. | B．It contains honey and vegetables. |
| C．It looks very wonderful. | D．It tastes quite delicious. |
| A．To attract. | B．To upset. | C．To air. | D．To shut. |
| A．He is an experienced cook. | B．He is a troublesome father. |
| C．He has a positive attitude to life. | D．He suffers a lot from his disability. |
