1 . Imagine standing on one spot where the only direction is south. You can experience it if you join a group of just 128 passengers for your tip to the pole of the world. Your icebreaker ship, 50 Years of Victory, will take you to the North Pole, which is more commonly associated （联系） with fairy tales.
Days 1&2--From Helsinki to Murmansk
Your adventure begins from Helsinki, Finland’s capital. From Helsinki, you’ll join your fellow passengers on the flight to Murmansk, Russia, where you’ll start your voyage to the North Pole and get to know 50 Years of Victory.
Days 3-6--Travelling towards the north in the Arctic Ocean
Being on Victory and feeling the icebreaker as it cuts through the Arctic pack ice is an experience you’ll never forget. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know your shipmates, and be treated to lectures and discussions about the trip by Our expedition （远征） team while seeing various birds. There are other things you can do, such as swimming and playing basketball.
Day7--90°North
Take photos, call your family and wave a flag; just be sure to enjoy your moment at the pole. If environmental conditions permit, you can jump into the icy waters around the North Pole. We’ll also attempt to send passengers high above the pole in our hot-air balloon to celebrate this great moment (highly weather dẹpendent).
Days 8 & 9--Travelling towards the south in the Arctic Ocean
As you head further south, you may get lucky and spot polar bears hunting for seals.
Days 10 & 11--Franz Josef Land
This group of 191 islands lies entirely within the Arctic Circle. Here you’ll explore Cape Flora and discover historic remains from three ill-fated arctic adventures.
Days 12 & 13--Getting off Victory in Murmansk and flying to Helsinki
When you return to Murmansk, it will be time to say goodbye to 50 Years of Victory. You’ll be sent to the airport for your flight to Helsinki.
1. What can passengers do from Day 3 to Day 6?| A．Break the pack ice in the Arctic. | B．Get to know more about the trip. |
| C．Feed a variety of birds on board. | D．Compete with your shipmates in skiing. |
| A．Taking a hot-air balloon ride. | B．Sending passengers deep into the icy waters. |
| C．Contacting your family by telephoning. | D．Waving flags and taking photos in the wind. |
| A．From Day 3 to Day 6. | B．From Day 8 to Day9. |
| C．On-Days 10 & 11. | D．On Days 12 & 13. |
2 . In early December,a new set of rules governing behavior inside Shanghai's subway came ffect, forbidding listening to electronic devices without earphones inside subway coaches.
This was long called for. Subway cars are public spaces where nobody should annoy others. However, in reality there are many who play their music or movies without the aid of earphones, disturbing co-passengers. Even if the music and movies are not loud enough, the disturbing elements also scream with joy or laughter in reaction, and they are indifferent to how it affects others inside the coaches.
In the absence of clear rules forbidding such behavior inside the coaches, there was nobody the disturbed passengers could turn to for assistance. Even if they had complained, the authorities inside the subway would have said they were not empowered(授权)to help them. However, noise inside a subway cannot be a personal matter. A person has no right to impose his movie or music on others in the shared space. Every passenger has the right to be undisturbed by any movie or music that other passengers are enjoying.
Thanks to the new rules. those taking a subway cmi now complain to staff members about smartphone noises. That the news about new subway rules was read by nearly 300 million times on the micro blog is the biggest evidence of l)ow people are happy and are looking forward to die absence of noise in the public space.
The new rules also forbid people from eating or drinking inside subway coaches, which, too, is a welcome change, as sometimes die food is smelly and lets off an unpleasant smell that can cause discomfort to fellow passengers. The new rules will help create a better environment for everyone inside the subway coaches.
The only drawback with the new rules is that it does not give specific punitive(处罚的) measures .For example, there is no listed punishment such as fines or warnings for those disobeying the rules. Maybe the subway staff members will have to be artful and persuasive while carrying out the new rules.
1. Which can be allowed in subway cars according to the new rules?| A．Playing music in a loud voice. |
| B．Eating or drinking something tasty. |
| C．Listening to songs using earphones. |
| D．Watching movies without using earphones. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Annoyed. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Critical. |
| A．They still need to be further improved. |
| B．They can help protect the environment. |
| C．They seem not to meet the passengers' demands. |
| D．They offer detailed punishment for improper behaviors. |
| A．The subway staff ought to be stricter |
| B．The new rules have many disadvantages. / |
| C．Complaining to staff members is unwise. |
| D．Carrying out the new rules is challenging. |
3 . Gitanjali Rao, a teenager who invented a mobile device to test for lead(铅)in drinking water, is Time's Kid of the Year for 2020. The magazine announced the award Thursday, indicating Rao's ability to apply scientific ideas to real-world problems and her desire to motivate other kids to take up their own causes.
It's just the latest recognition for Rao, 15, who was named last year to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list(福布斯30岁以下青年才俊榜).She won praise in 2017 after she created a device named Tehys, using carbon nanotube sensors to detect lead in water. She was named America's Top Young Scientist when she was in the seventh grade. She went on to collaborate with scientists in the water industry to try to get the device on the market.
More recently , Rao has developed a phone and Web tool named Kindly, which uses artificial intelligence technology to detect possible early signs of cyberbullying(网络欺凌).
Rao was chosen in part because of the way she has followed up her technical work with efforts to get other young people to work on solving the problems they see. "I don't look like the typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that it's an older, usually white man as a scientist,” she said. “My goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the world's problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, it's not easy when you don't see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it. and anyone can do it.”
1. What made Rao win Time's Kid of die Year?| A．Her invention and inspiration to others. |
| B．Her ability to ensure kids' drinking water. |
| C．Her motivation to solve practical problems. |
| D．Her way of influencing other young people. |
| A．She developed a tool called Kindly. |
| B．She created a device called Tehys. |
| C．She won America's Top Young Scientists. |
| D．She became one of the Forbes 30 Under 30. |
| A．Compete. | B．Exchange. | C．Cooperate. | D．Bargain. |
| A．She wants to be a typical scientist. | B．She once suffered cyberbullying. |
| C．She lived a hard life when young. | D．She encourages others to do like her. |
4 . Planning a vacation is one activity your family is sure to enjoy as there are plenty of options to choose from. To help you decide, here are four of the best cities for family vacation.
Washington, DC
The nation's capital is a treasure place of fun, family activities that just happen to be rich with history. Start off exploring the National Mall and you'll find the Washington, Lincoln t and Jefferson monuments all within walking distance. Then there are the war memorials: Vietnam, Korean, and WWII.
Boston
Can't get enough US history? A trip to Boston just might be for you. Go back in time by taking a tour of the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides. From there, walk The Freedom Trail where you'll come across such landmarks as the site of the Boston Massacre, the Old North Church, Paul Revered house, and the Bunker Hill Monument.
Los Angeles
There is always something to do in Los Angeles. For starters, enjoy a beach day on the miles and miles of coastline. Malibu, Redondo, Manhattan, Venice, and Hermosa are just a handful of sunny SoCal beaches. In need of some culture? Get your art and architecture on at the Getty Center, where admission is free though you do have to pay to park.
San Francisco
If Southern California isn't your speed, perhaps Northern California is. And San Francisco is a great place for a family to explore. Start by driving, or walking, across the Golden Gate Bridge On the west side of the oily is over 1 ,000 acres known as Golden Gate Park, home to gardens, trails, playgrounds and much more.
1. Which is suitable for you if you are interested in some late American presidents?| A．Washington, DC. | B．Boston. |
| C．Los Angeles. | D．San Francisco. |
| A．The Bunker Hill Monument. | B．The Golden Gate Park. |
| C．The Getty Center. | D．The Freedom Trail. |
| A．Drive across the Golden Gate Park. | B．Enjoy some gardens or playgrounds. |
| C．Learn some culture and architecture. | D．Visit some famous monuments. |
5 . Flu season generally fades away in March and April, but will the coronavirus go with it? Whether the coronavirus that's quickly spreading around the world will follow the flu season and fade away with spring's arrival is unsatisfyingly uncertain. And many scientists say it's too soon to know how the dangerous virus will behave in warmer weather.
Dozens of viruses exist in the coronavirus family, but only seven afflict（折磨）humans. Four are known to cause mild colds in people, which are common, while others are more novel, deadly, and thought to be transmitted from animals like bats and camels. Health officials have labeled this new virus SARS-CoV-2 and its disease COVID-19. The prospect that summer could delay a pandemic is tempting. Earlier this year, Donald Trump tweeted about China's efforts to contain the virus, saying they would be successful, "especially as the weather starts to warm.”
Viruses that cause influenza or milder coronavirus colds do tend to subside in warmer months because these types of viruses have what scientists refer to as "seasonality," so the president's comments have some scientific backing. But it's highly uncertain that SARS-CoV-2 will behave the same way. Those currently studying the disease say their research is too early to predict how the virus will respond to changing weather.
"I hope it will show seasonality, but it's hard to know," says Stuart Weston, a researcher at the University of Maryland, where the virus is being actively studied. As of Tuesday morning, more than 800,000 coronavirus cases had been confirmed in 74 different countries, with experts saying the disease is likely to keep spreading.
And relatively recent research suggests that dry, cold air may also help viruses stay unbroken in the air or travel farther as they become airborne.
Scientists assume that low humidity, which often occurs in winter, might weaken the function of the mucus（粘液）in your nose, which your body uses to trap and drive foreign bodies like viruses or bacteria away. Cold, dry air can make that normally thick mucus drier and less efficient at trapping a virus.
1. When does flu season usually die down?| A．Early autumn. | B．Late Summer. |
| C．Late Spring. | D．Mid Summer. |
| A．Frightening | B．Decent | C．Critical | D．Unfamiliar |
| A．Several of the coronavirus family are thought to be dangerous to human. |
| B．COVID-19 will disappear as flu virus with it getting warmer. |
| C．It's unknown how the dangerous virus will behave in warmer weather. |
| D．The dry cold air may help viruses spread farther and faster. |
| A．The reason why people easily get viruses in winter. |
| B．Viruses do agree with the dry and cold atmosphere in winter. |
| C．If you stay at a warm room, you can't get any viruses. |
| D．The low temperature in winter is the main reason for viruses to spread. |
| TICKET TYPE | DISCOUNT * | NOTES |
| Standard returns | 20% | return within 60 days of outward trip |
| same day returns | 25% | ticket cannot be altered or refunded |
| children | 40% | children between 4 and 11 |
| students | 25% | student card must be shown |
| senior citizens | 25% | senior card must be shown |
| groups(10-25people) | 15% | discount on each section of the trip |
| globe-trotter tickets | According to the ticket | Railpass, tourist Card, Econopass |
*Only one discount may apply to each fare.
CHANGES AND REFUNDS
Tickets may be refunded not later than 5 minutes before the departure of the train for a charge of 15% of the ticket price, or the journey may be changed to another day for a charge of 10% of the ticket price.（Not applicable to same day returns.）
CHANGES FOR SAME DAY TRAVEL
You may change your ticket once without charge for a journey on the same day as the original ticket.
INFORMATION OF INTEREST TO TRAVELLERS
When you buy your ticket it is up to you to check that the dates and times of the journey on it are exactly as you requested.
Ticket control and access to each train platform will be open until 2 minutes before departure of the train
Each traveller may take one suitcase and one item of hand luggage. You may also check in 15kgs of luggage not later than 30 minutes before departure, at no extra charge.
If you would like to charter a train, or make reservations for over 25 passengers travelling together, call the Sales Department.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．describe the policies of changes and refunds. |
| B．provide some information about train ticket. |
| C．introduce the luggage allowance on the train. |
| D．compare the discounts of different ticket types. |
| A．20% | B．25% | C．45% | D．50% |
| A．You can get your ticket price refunded if you are 2 minutes late for the train. |
| B．Extra money will be paid on checked luggage of 15 kgs an hour before departure. |
| C．Same day returns can be changed to another day for a charge of 10% of the ticket price. |
| D．Travelers should ensure they are ready to board the train with at least 2 minutes to spare. |
7 . Smart phones, tablets, fitness trackers, headphones and most of the electronic devices we use today are made of metal, plastic and glass. But electronics don’t have to be. Sala de Medeiros and her colleagues found a way to turn an ordinary piece of paper into a simple electronic keypad. Many teams around the world are working on paper-based electronics. But this new device is different from any other device. It’s the first to power itself and also resist water and dust. The user’s touch gives it all the power it needs to run.
No single moment inspired her paper keypad. Instead, she focused on devices other engineers have been working on. Then she discovered that high cost was a problem with some flexible electronics. So she decided to work with low-cost materials.
Teflon(聚四氟乙烯) is a chemical coating that keeps food from sticking to pots and pans. Similar com-pounds(复合物) can also make paper waterproof. So she started testing the chemical but the one that was sup-posed to do the best job didn’t work at all. After some research, Sala de Medeiros found out that this chemical reacts with air. She had to buy special equipment that forbade any air getting in the way. Now, the chemical works as planned. Then the team placed a stencil(钢板) with the shape of a circuit(电路) onto the back of the paper and sprayed on several layers of materials. Finally, the team flipped over the paper and printed a keypad of numbers on the other side. They also added a tiny Bluetooth chip, which let their paper device talk to a computer. The source of electricity comes from the tap of a finger. When you’re typing we can create the energy by touching or rubbing.
The electronic keypad is regular paper most people could afford but wouldn’t easily get wet or dirty. It also should fit in your pocket.
1. Which of the following is the unique feature of the new device?| A．It’s the first device made of paper. | B．It has little electricity or metal. |
| C．It gets powered through touch. | D．It has no trouble cleaning itself. |
| A．It was exposed to the air. | B．It was of low quality. |
| C．It damaged the equipment. | D．It kept food stuck to pots. |
| A．The process of creating the device. | B．The significance of the research. |
| C．The application of the device. | D．The way to develop Teflon. |
| A．Cleaned up. | B．Cut up. | C．Held onto. | D．Turned over. |
8 . Research shows students learn better when they’re well nourished. Healthy eating has been linked to higher grades, better memory, faster information processing and improved health leading to better school attendance, according to registered dietitian Elisa Zied, author of Feed Your Family Right. On the contrary, unhealthy eating habits can negatively affect learning. Researchers have studied many areas related to eating and learning.
Skipping breakfast can have a negative impact on learning. A higher percentage of breakfast eaters passed a biology exam in one study of college students. It’s also important to eat a high-quality breakfast. In a study of students between the ages of twelve and thirteen, the average mark increased as breakfast quality improved.
Even with breakfast, the brain can run out of fuel before lunch. In one study of students between the ages of seven and nine, having a mid-morning snack improved memory. The children who ate a smaller breakfast and lunch but consumed a mid-morning snack experienced a smaller decline in immediate and delayed memory. Attention wasn’t affected, however. Zied recommends yogurt with blueberries; this fruit has been proven to be linked to better memory in studies. A hard-boiled egg is also a good snack choice.
Kids who eat healthily are more likely to attend school. Without proper nutrition and adequate calories, students often don’t have enough energy to power the brain, resulting in tiredness and learning problems. In fact, alertness(机敏) improved significantly in students eating breakfast in one study of high school students published in the journal Pediatrics.
A study of public school students published in the Journal of School Health linked high intake of sweetened drinks, such as sugary sodas, to lower scores in math tests. A diet high in junk food and sugary sodas is also linked to childhood obesity, which could result in lower cognitive(认知的) functioning, according to the Yale University research. On the other hand, students with healthy eating habits are less likely to be overweight and more likely to learn well.
1. What is an effective way for students to improve their memory?| A．Eating a big breakfast on a regular basis. |
| B．Staying away from junk food in daily life. |
| C．Eating something healthy at about 10:00 am |
| D．Adding yogurt with strawberries to their daily diet. |
| A．Students will have better attendance at school after eating healthily. |
| B．Students will have a good performance as long as they are well fed. |
| C．A high-quality breakfast will make a difference to students, learning. |
| D．Every student has a strong awareness of eating breakfast. |
| A．They would become less confident at school. |
| B．They would grow too overweight to work out. |
| C．They would become unwilling to attend school. |
| D．They would fall behind other students at school. |
| A．The impacts of eating habits on students’ learning |
| B．The advantages of healthy eating habits |
| C．Some suggestions on how to learn better |
| D．The link between diets and learning |
9 . Computer programmer David Jones earns ￡35 000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card. Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David’s firm releases two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.
But David’s biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot, he cannot drive a car, take out a mortgage (抵押贷款), or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. “I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,” he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes，and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.
“Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school,” he said. “But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway.” David added, “I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”
1. In what way is David different from people of his age?| A．He has a handsome job. |
| B．He cannot have a credit card. |
| C．He graduated with six O-levels. |
| D．He often goes out with friends. |
| A．How to get more spare time. |
| B．Buying a car suitable for him. |
| C．How to deal with his income. |
| D．Releasing two new games each month. |
| A．He received lots of job offers. |
| B．He lost interest in school studies. |
| C．He was eager to help his mother. |
| D．He wanted to earn his own living. |
| A．Positive | B．Critical | C．Worried | D．Hopeless |
10 . Galapagos Giant tortoises (巨型陆龟), sometimes called Gardeners of the Galapagos, are creatures of habit. In the cold dry season, the highlands of the volcanoes are covered in cloud which allows plants to grow despite the absence of rain. In the lower areas, however, plants are not available all year round. Adult tortoises thus spend the dry season in the higher areas, and go back to the lower, relatively warmer areas where there are plentiful eatable plants when the rainy season begins. The tortoises often take the same migration routes over many years in order to find perfect plants and temperatures. The timing of this migration is important for keeping their energy levels high.
Researchers used GPS to track the timing and patterns of tortoise migration over many years. They expected the migration to be timed with current environmental conditions because many other migratory animals do it that way. However, tortoise migration is weakly related to current conditions such as rain and temperature. It is unclear at this point whether they are basing their migration decisions on memories of past conditions or if they are simply incorrectly assessing current local conditions.
Luckily, probably because of their long lives of up to 100 years and large body size, bad timing of migration has smaller effects on giant tortoises compared to small, short-lived animals. Giant tortoises can go up to a year without eating and survive, while other migratory animals might eat more often to keep their energy levels high.
Giant tortoises are important ecosystem engineers in the Galapagos, and their migration is key to the survival of many plants. How the difference in tortoises' migration time will affect the rest of the ecosystem is still unclear. It is quite possible that the mistiming of migration will keep increasing in the future. "One concern is that at some point in the future," says Bastille-Rousseau, lead author of the study, "migration may not be a perfect strategy for tortoises. There may be a reduction in the number of tortoises doing these long travels. This would likely have great effects on the whole ecosystem."
1. What do we know about Galapagos giant tortoises?| A．They prefer low temperatures. |
| B．They like living in the highlands. |
| C．They always hate the rainy season. |
| D．They seldom change migration routes. |
| A．The weather has much to do with it. |
| B．It disagrees with current conditions. |
| C．The research has strong effects on it. |
| D．It is decided by the tortoises' memories. |
| A．Their restless energy. | B．Their different body shape. |
| C．Their habit of eating healthily. | D．Their ability to go without food. |
| A．Migration is the only choice for giant tortoises in the future. |
| B．Damage to the ecosystem will reduce the number of giant tortoises. |
| C．Giant tortoise migration plays a major role in Galapagos’ ecosystem. |
| D．Giant tortoises protect the ecosystem by their different migration time. |
