1 . The World Health Organization（WHO）declared on Dec 29 that Guinea was Ebola—free, which means the Ebola outbreak has officially ended in West Africa.

"The fatal disease broke out in Guinea in December 2013, and then spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia," salon. com writer Ben Norton wrote. "A handful of Ebola cases were subsequently reported in Nigeria, Mali, the US and some European countries, yet were all contained.

The WHO declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in November, just after Liberia was declared Ebola - free in September. However, Liberia has had new cases since the declaration, reported the BBC.

The disease killed more than 2,500 people in Guinea, and a further 9,000 in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is the largest Ebola epidemic（流行病）in history, according to the WHO.

Children were especially vulnerable（脆弱的）to the disease. During the outbreak, more than 22,000 kids lost one or both parents in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to UNICEF. In Guinea alone, 6,220 children lost a parent or both, and 519 more were killed.

A salon. com article says when a few cases of Ebola were found in the US, the media went hysterical（歇斯底里的）, But since the disease was contained in the West Africa in 2014, Western governments and media outlets have devoted little attention to it.

"This reaction", says the article, has "led critics and activists to accuse the Western media of prejudice and racism. When white people were threatened by the disease, there was more concern and interest. When they were no longer threatened, there was silence.”

1. The Ebola outbreak has officially ended in West Africa because__________ has no Ebola.

A．Guinea

B．Sierra Leone

C．Liberia

D．Nigeria

2. How many kids lost one or both parents in Liberia and Sierra Leone?

A．6,220

B．9,000

C．22,000

D．15,780

3. What's the author's attitude towards western media's reaction to Ebola in West Africa?

A．Critical

B．Neutral

C．Supportive

D．Unclear

4. With the declaration that West Africa is Ebola—free, the WHO may call on nations to_________.

A．fight against prejudice and racism.

B．stop ignoring the survivors.

C．care for the children who have lost their parents.

D．look for a cure for Ebola

2 . A group of scientists in labs spread across Europe, the U.S. and Nepal have been working on Qomolangma “remotely”. The project’s goal is to turn the world’s highest mountain into a huge climate laboratory.

During April and May last year, a team of more than 30 biologists, glaciologists, geologists, meteorologists, and geographers fanned out across Qomolangma’s southern side, conducting fieldwork high on the mountain. “We believe the best way to get a full scientific picture of Qomolangma is not just to do one kind of science,” says Paul Mayewski of the University of Maine, the leader of the effort.

Each individual study promises a unique picture of the mountain’s climate-past, present, and future. Ice cores will allow scientists to go back in time-tens, hundreds and perhaps thousands of years to learn about the environment. Snow and water samples give a look at what’s happening on the mountain, today, including the future of the glaciers. The team also fixed a network of automated weather stations, which will document upcoming weather trends for years to come.

One of the hardest tasks fell to Mayewski’s colleague Mariusz Potoeki, who hoped to drill ice cores at several places on the mountain, including the South Col (25,938 feet) and the top of Qomolangma (29,035 feet). The job required a specially designed drill system powered by batteries, and an excellent team to figure out how to prevent the cores from becoming liquid during their long journey back to the University of Maine’s laboratory for analysis.

Potocki abandoned his summit attempt due to the crowds of normal climbers. To his relief, Potocki succeeded in taking the highest ice core ever recovered, at just above Camp Four-26,312 feet above sea level. “The ice doesn’t lie.” Mayewski says. “The very idea that the highest part of the planet hasn’t been spared from human activity ought to be a real wake-up call for everybody.”

1. Which way does Paul Mayewski suggest to fully study Qomolangma?

A．Working on it remotely in labs.	B．Teaming up with more countries.
C．Doing many kinds of science.	D．Turning it into a real lab.

2. Why does the team analyze ice cores?

A．To document upcoming weather change.	B．To get a unique picture of climate trends.
C．To know more about the past environment.	D．To predict the future of the mountain.

3. What difficulty did Mariusz Potocki face?

A．Improving the special drill system.	B．Drilling the oldest ice cores at some places.
C．Conducting fieldwork above Camp Four.	D．Delivering frozen ice cores to the lab.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Potocki got ice cores at 29,035 feet.	B．Human activity has affected Qomolangma.
C．Ice cores can serve as a warning for us.	D．Normal climbers helped with Potocki’s work.

3 . Many wildflowers of spring in eastern North America bloom thanks to ants. The tiny six-legged gardeners have partnered with those plants and about 11, 000 others to spread their seeds. The plants，in turn, “pay” for the service by attaching a calorie-loaded appendage (附属物) to each seed, much like fleshy fruits remunerate birds and mammals that desert seeds or poop (排泄) them out. But there's more to the ant-seed relationship than that exchange, researchers reported last week at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, which was held online.

Many ants eat seeds. Certain plants attach a nutritive globe called an elaiosome to their seed coats, which serves as a favorite lunch for the ants’ young and gives ants a handle on seeds that can be bigger than their heads. Until now, researchers assumed the ants simply carry the seeds to their nests, feed the elaiosome to their young, and deposit the seed either outside or inside at the colony's “garbage dump”, which provides a rich environment for shooting.

In both the field and the lab, Chelsea Miller presented ants with seeds from various trillium (延龄花) species and found the ants were quick to pick up some species’ seeds while leaving others to rot, Miller said. To find out how ants make their choices, Miller and Susan Whitehead at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) used techniques to analyze the chemical makeup of elaiosomes. They found that ants pick seeds based on the specific combination and concentrations of acid and other compounds (化合物) made by the plant, 20 of which are unique to trilliums. The ants’ tastes may affect plant species’ distributions, say Kirsten Prior, an ecologist at Binghamton University: “Widespread trillium species are preferred by seed-dispersing ants compared to rare trillium species.”

Melissa Burt, an ecologist at Virginia Tech, hopes these studies bring ants new respect. “Many people who talk about ants only know them as insects that are taking over their kitchens, but many ants perform important functions in ecosystems,” she says. “Seed dispersal is just one of those.”

1. What does the underlined word “remunerate” probably mean?

A．Attract.

B．Track.

C．Free.

D．Reward.

2. What does the text say about elaiosome in paragraph 2?

A．It's a tasty treat for young ants.	B．It's no smaller than ants’ heads.
C．It is used as young ants’ new nest.	D．It can be used as a weapon to protect ants.

3. Why did Miller and his team figure out the chemicals of some seeds?

A．To analyze the specific combination affecting the plant growth.

B．To find out the reason for ants preferring some seeds to others.

C．To prove the accuracy of their lab techniques applied in the field.

D．To understand the way of ants distributing different plant species’ seeds.

4. What do most people think of ants according to Melissa?

A．Annoying.

B．Greedy.

C．Creative.

D．Hardworking.

4 . If you are looking for something fun and educational to do in Maryland, why not visit the Maryland Science Center? It is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 2. The ticket prices vary depending on ages, groups and the exhibits you choose.

Introduction

The Maryland Science Center is basically a museum, but it gives everyone a chance to learn through experience and play, rather than just glance at an exhibit.

Activities

You can learn about various topics, including outer space, the human body, dinosaurs, electricity, marine(海洋的) biology, energy, and much more. You can also take part in the interactive activities, such as racing bubbles, digging for dinosaur fossils, using puzzle pieces to construct cars, and so much more.

The Davis Planetarium(天文馆)

At the Davis Planetarium, you can lie back in a chair and look at the stars while still inside the Science Center. The stars will appear on the ceiling of the theatre as you watch them.

There are different shows to catch at the Davis Planetarium. You can learn about the galaxy and astronomy during the Dark Matters show. Learn about the stars and planets during the Sky Live show. The One World One Sky show allows children to explore the stars. The Live from the Sun show will teach you all about the hot sun.

The Kids Room

For children, they can’t miss the Kids Room. They will be able to play in a water area, construct dams and water towers, push buttons, ring doorbells, build with blocks, and more, and definitely they will learn a lot. In addition, there is also an area for kids of two years old and under, where they can crawl, walk and explore safely with soft toys.

1. What do we know about the Maryland Science Center?

A．It charges different prices for parents and Children.

B．It is regarded as the most popular museum in Maryland.

C．It is a museum where there are many famous exhibitions.

D．It is mainly designed for children and their families to play together.

2. If you want to know why the sun shines, which show should you choose?

A．Dark Matters.	B．Live from the Sun.
C．One World One Sky.	D．Sky Live.

3. What can we learn about the Kids Room from the passage?

A．It is designed for parents who have children.

B．It provides a good opportunity for parents to relax.

C．Children there need to be accompanied by their parents.

D．It is a good place for children to learn and play at the same time.

5 . About 12 million tons of plastic wastes are entering the oceans every year. This garbage pollutes the water, kills wildlife and breaks down into small pieces that fish and other creatures eat.

Now a group of Spanish fishermen will receive economic support to catch plastics. It is part of a new project. Carlos Martin is one of the fishermen taking part in the project. He and his partners collect the plastic in the ocean and bring it back to land every week. Martin thinks rivers carry a lot of plastics to the sea. He says his most concern is no more than that the plastics often get caught in the nets, which makes nets not work properly. They take on mud（泥）, causing the nets to break because they weigh so much.

Under the new programs, one million pounds will support ocean cleanup efforts for fishermen like Martin. The money is coming from the European Union and the Catalan government. Sergi Tudela, the General Director of Catalonia Fisheries, is responsible for the cleanup project. He said, "We are hopeful that if we are successful in this project, we can apply it to other areas in the Mediterranean（地中海）."

Government reports show that the amount of plastic wastes washing up along the Spanish coastline has grown by 65 percent in just six years. Fishing equipment makes up a large part of the about 8 to 12 million tons of plastics left in the world's oceans every year.

Martin says the fishing community now understands how big the problem is. He says, "In the past we didn't see it that way. We took the plastic garbage and threw it back into the water. I think that after a few year here we have realized the problem. Nothing is thrown into the water; we collect everything and bring it to shore.

1. What worries Martin most about plastic wastes at the beginning?

A．They pollute the sea environment.

B．They affect the quality and taste of fish.

C．They prevent the fishing nets from working well.

D．They kill wildlife and reduce his fishing amount.

2. What does Sergi Tudela probably consider doing?

A．Getting more money to support the project.

B．Getting help from other European countries.

C．Spreading the cleanup project to more places.

D．Praising the European Union for their helping to the oceans.

3. What do Martin's words in the last paragraph imply（暗示）about the fishing community?

A．Its members do a lot of work for free.

B．It has stopped using plastic fishing equipment.

C．It has made positive changes to fight plastic wastes.

D．Its members find people sill throw the garbage carelessly.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．New programs are changing fishermen's life

B．Money is given to Spanish fishermen to clean up oceans

C．Traditional fishing equipment causes a lot of plastic wastes

D．Spanish fishermen are encouraging people to clean up oceans

6 . There has long been a view that in ancient times men were the hunters-out getting the neat — while women were gatherers-searching for fruit, vegetables and wild plants.

However, this stereotype has been overthrown by an archaeological discovery. Scientists found the remains of a teenage girl, who lived around 9,000 years ago, at a site in Peru alongside a hunting toolkit(工具箱).There was a knife and fakes(薄片)of rock for removing internal organs(内脏), and other hunting tools.

"It took a strong case to help us recognize that the archaeological pattern indicated actual female hunting behavior," said Randy Has, he lead author of the study.

The remains were recovered in 2018 when an archaeological site was being excavated(挖掘). Actually, Haas' team didn't plan to study female hunters. They found six bodies in a burial pit, a site 3,925 meters above sea level, on a windy plateau in southern Peru. The researchers used a new method to determine the sex of the found bones. The technique analyzed a protein in the remains' tooth enamel(釉质)to tell their gender. It turned out that the remains with an impressive hunting kit belong to a female.

According to the study and previous records of 107 other burial sites throughout North and South America, the team thinks that between 30 percent and 50 percent of big-game hunters who lived more than 10,000 years ago in the Americas could have been women.

However, some people think the hunting tools could have been placed there for symbolic or religious reasons, so the girl might not be a hunter.

In response, Haas pointed out the 9,00-year-old tomb contains a wide variety of tools-some are very rare, some are common — so this suggests that these tools were not some kind of sacrificial(献祭的)offering. Rather, they were the object that individuals used regularly.

Haas said this debate has great significance in today's world. "This insight-for me at least-stresses that many of the gender inequalities we see today do not have a biological basis," he said.

1. What is the word "overthrown" in paragraph 2 closest in meaning to?

A．Established.	B．Supported.
C．Explained.	D．Challenged.

2. What can we learn about the archaeological study done by Haas’ team?

A．It was aimed at learning about ancient female hunting behavior

B．A total of six bodies were discovered in northern Peru

C．A protein in the remains' tooth enamel was examined to know their gender

D．It suggested that most females in ancient times were hunters.

3. According to Haas, what were the tools found in the 9,000-year-old tomb used for?

A．For daily uses.	B．For sacrificial offerings
C．For symbolic practices.	D．For religious purposes

4. What do Haas' words imply in the last paragraph?

A．Males should be to blame for gender inequalities.

B．There were fewer gender inequalities in ancient times.

C．Many gender inequalities are not supported by biology.

D．We should ignore biological differences between males and females.

7 . If the world wants to control global warming, water shortage and pollution, then we all need to welcome “flexitarian” diets, say scientists.

This means eating mainly plant-based foods, and is a key step toward an environment friendly future for all in 2050, they say. Food waste will need to be halved ad farming practices will also have to improve, according to the study arid out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Without action, the influence of the food system could increase by up to 90%

The authors say that he present food industry has a number of considerable environmental effects including being a great driver of climate change, using up freshwater and causing pollution through heavy use of chemical fertilizer. The study says that thanks to the population and income growth expected between 2010 and 2050, these effects could grow between 50-90%. This could push our world beyond is planetary boundaries, which the authors say represent a “safe operating space for humanity and the international community”.

However, the study finds that no single solution will avoid the dangers, so a combined approach is needed. So when it comes to climate change, the authors looked at what they called a “flexitarian” diet.

“We can eat a range of healthy dies but what they all have in common, according to the latest scientific evidence, is that they are all relatively plant-based,” said Dr. Marco from the University of Oxford. “You can go from a diet that has small amounts of animal products (some might call it a Mediterranean-based diet; we call it a flexitarian diet) over to a vegetarian(素食的) diet—we tried to stay with the most traditional one of these which in our view is the flexitarian one, but even this has only one serving of red meat per week.”

If the world moved to this type of diet, the study found that greenhouse gas emissions(排放物) from farming would be reduced by more than half.

Dr. Marco says that all measures combined can result in keeping both the planet and people healthy.

1. What is the IPCCs study about?

A．The role of modern farming practices.

B．The differences between various diets.

C．The effects of food industry on the planet.

D．The harmful consequence of global warming.

2. What do we know about the recent food system?

A．It is far too wasteful.

B．It has raised farmers’ income.

C．It contributes to the development of farming.

D．It is a key step to an environment-friendly society.

3. What can be called a “flexitarian” diet?

A．Eating a variety of food.

B．Eating a lot of animal products.

C．Eating vegetables grown without fertilizer.

D．Eating mostly plant-based meals and some red meat.

4. What benefit will the new diet bring to the world?

A．The water pollution will be controlled in 2050.

B．Less greenhouse gas will be produced.

C．Food waste will be reduced by half.

D．Much more money will be saved.

8 . Themed "New Era Shared Future" the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held from Nov 5 to 10 in Shanghai. More than 2,600 enterprises gathered and presented their advanced products. And may innovative products have made their world premiere(首次亮相) Let’s have a look at three of them.

Portable kayak

Lightweight and durable(耐用的) equipment is what all sport lovers desire. At the CIIE, the French sporting goods company Decathlon Launched is portable kayak(便携式皮划艇) ITIWIT X500. According to the company, he kayak measures 380cm in length and 65cm in width when inflated(充气).When not in use, it can be folded up to the size of a backpack.

In addition to its portability, the kayak also has the high performance capability of a professional kayak. It consists of five independent air chambers(气囊). Even if two of them don't work, the kayak floats are enough for sports enthusiasts to return to the shore safely.

Myopia prevention glasses

Frequent exposure to electronic devices has led to poor eyesight among teenagers. To address this issue, French company Essilor released a myopia(近视) control lens.

With the help of advanced technology, the lens can create a beam in front of the retina(视网膜) to slow down the increase of the eye axis.

“After more than two years of clinical research, the results show that the lens has an obvious effect on slowing down myopia progression in children,” said La Fan, a professor at Eye Optical Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University.

Mind-reading ping-pong robot

Like ping-pong but afraid of criticism from your coach? The sixth generation of the Forpheus ping-pong robot from Japanese tech company Omron may help you.

The robot has multi-axis robotic arm that can imitate human strategies. It can actually live up to the feeling of playing against a real opponent.

At the same time, it can use sensors on the paddle(拍子) and five cameras to work out where you are and how you're moving. After analyzing your abilities, it can adjust its own playing level to match yours. The robot “pursues harmony of humans and machines by patiently teaching us how to play ping-pong”, noted The Verge.

1. What is the function of the five independent air chambers?

A．To make the kayak light.	B．To make the kayak easy to be folded up.
C．To make the kayak look cool.	D．To make the kayak safer.

2. What is the difference between the mind-reading ping-pong robot and human coaches?

A．The robot doesn't embarrass people when teaching.

B．The robot fails t figure out human strategies.

C．The robot can't create the feeling of a real ping-pong match.

D．The robot isn’t able to match people’s different skill levels.

3. What is the author's main purpose in writing this article?

A．To advertise some products sown at the CIIE.

B．To introduce some products shown at the CIIE.

C．To compare some products shown at the CIIE.

D．To explain how to use some products shown at the CIIE.

9 . A dear friend sent me a letter and handmade card in the mail today. On the outside of the card was a cutout picture of a hummingbird(蜂鸟) in mid-Night. With is wings, it flew deep into a flower Below. it was a quote by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky: “The world will be saved by beauty.” I smiled with both my face and heart when I saw it.

Looking at it reminded me of all the beauty in this world. I thought about the beautiful green forested mountains of my home. I thought of the fields of summer wildflowers blessing the world with their colors. I thought of the blue oceans that stretched from horizon to horizon. I thought of the sunsets in the desert wit their deep, rich reds and glorious golds. I thought of the endless variety of animals: green hummingbirds, white polar bears, red birds, gray wolves and blinking lightning bugs. I thought of the silver moon smiling down from the sky surrounded by a sea of stars.

Yet, I knew that it wasn’t the beauty of any of these things that would save the world. It was instead the beauty of human souls filed with light and love. It was these souls so full of love for each other and for this world that would save our planet. It was this love working through people that would make this world the place it was truly meant to be in the end.

My friend who sent me the card is one of these people. She, her husband and her family are going through so many struggles right now. Still, she continues to share her love and make this world a better place every single day. She continues to work to save our home by giving it the beauty of soul. She continues to shine her light. May we all do the same.

1. After getting the card, the author      .

A．couldn’t understand the quote in it

B．thought of many wonderful things in the world

C．called her friend right away to express her thanks

D．was reminded of the golden times hey spent together

2. What does the author think would save the world?

A．Fighting against difficulties in life.

B．Seeing the natural beauty around us.

C．Filling the world with love.

D．Building relationships among people.

3. Which of the following best describes the author’s friend?

A．Humorous.	B．Confidcnt.
C．Proud.	D．Caring

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．How to give gifts to other	B．Valuing the beauty of nature
C．Finding beauty within	D．Spending time with friends

10 . Brain games do not make you smarter. Companies like Lumosity made their bones throwing around terms like "brain elasticity'' to publicize their specific brand of brain promoting training, but upon further review, their claims were a bit dubious. They paid the price in the form of a $2 million false advertising fine, but their misstep doesn't mean there's no daily avenue to higher cognitive（认知的）function.

For kids, the best way to help improve cognitive function is through aerobic exercise. For adults, the best bet is more sedentary, and fortunately a bit less intense; if you want to up your energy and brain function, take some time out of your day to practice Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation（冥想）.

A new study from the University of Waterloo took a look at the effects of 25 minutes of daily Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation on brain function and energy in a group of 31 adults. The participants were asked to complete 25 minutes of quiet reading as a control activity and 25 minutes of varied meditation at random intervals. Following each activity, the participants were asked to perform a task which would measure their brain function and energy level.

The research found that following both meditation and Hatha yoga, participants would perform significantly better at the task. The participants who practiced Hatha yoga saw the most sizeable bump in performance.

“There are a number of theories about why physical exercises like yoga improve energy levels and cognitive test performance,” said Kimberly Luu, the study’s lead author, via Science Daily. "These include the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain, and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. Though ultimately, it is still an open question.”

Twenty-five minutes of Hatha yoga in exchange for higher cognitive function? Not bad at all.

1. What does the underlined word "dubious" in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Acceptable.

B．Trustful.

C．Reasonable.

D．Doubtful.

2. Why did the researchers from the University of Waterloo conduct the study?

A．To help improve cognitive function through physical exercises.

B．To test the effects of daily exercise on energy and brain function.

C．To measure participants’ cognitive performance and energy levels.

D．To increase blood flow to the brain and reduce focus on thoughts.

3. What can we infer about physical exercises from Kimberly Luu's words?

A．They are rarely built on a theoretical basis.

B．They attract people's attention to open questions.

C．They are beneficial to brain function and energy.

D．They lower people's levels of cognitive performance.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Daily Exercise Promotes Brain Power.

B．Brain Function Is Related to Energy.

C．A New Study Changes People's Mind.

D．Brain Power Controls Cognitive Performance.