1 . Best Places for Kids in the Jacksonville Region!
CSR Wildlife Sanctuary(1 p.m. —3 p.m.)
Our mission is to provide a safe, loving, and forever home to endangered big cats, and to educate the public about their living conditions. We offer Daytime Tours of our facility where visitors can see the animals in a happy and stress-free environment. Our current residents include tigers, lions, pumas and leopards.
JK Zoo and Gardens (9 a.m. — 5 p.m.)
Discover the earth's various wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure! We're changing daily and improving consistently. With recent updates, we are quickly becoming a world-class establishment. The Zoo donates a percentage of every ticket and membership sold to conservation efforts, supporting over 45 programs, regionally and globally.
Riverside Arts Market (10 a.m. — 3 p.m.)
Hosted on Saturdays, rain or shine, RAM is a weekly market where our community comes together! During the week, the space is a parking lot, but on Saturdays, it houses hundreds of artists, farmers, community organizations and small businesses! Enjoy the harvest of the agricultural arts by supporting Florida farmers, who depend on your weekly purchases to remain sustainable. Our community benefits from all of us staying “loyal to local.”
Grace Crop Maze (10 a.m. —10 p.m.)
Family fun on the farm in Clay County! You can enjoy hayrides, cow train, duck races and so much more! The Fall Festival in October is a month of fun that you won't want to miss. We're opening part of our beautiful sunflower patch for our Fall Season! Selfies with Sunflowers offers fun for friends and families to spread out, capture memories and enjoy quality time together.
1. What similarity do CSR Wildlife Sanctuary and JK Zoo and Gardens have?| A．Both of them are open all day long. | B．They both care about animal protection. |
| C．They keep the same kinds of animals. | D．They have the same management. |
| A．CSR Wildlife Sanctuary. | B．JK Zoo and Gardens. |
| C．Riverside Arts Market. | D．Grace Crop Maze. |
| A．Sustainable development. | B．Changeable weather. |
| C．Sense of community. | D．Daily business. |
2 . Tony Williams, 75 from Alton, East Hampshire, lost his wife Jo back in May, when, tragically, Jo, passed away from cancer just nine days after she was diagnosed.
And ever since, Tony has been completely alone, explaining the continuous loneliness is “like torture, with no family nearby”. Tony took finding a friend into his own hands, even putting two adverts in his local newspaper and handing out cards. Heartbreakingly, he received no responses.
But after a poster he placed in his window made headlines this week, the retired physicist has been overwhelmed with responses from people wanting to be his friend. In just a couple of days, he's had between 50 and 70 phone calls with strangers, and meanwhile he's received thousands of emails.
Tony said: “I just regret it's impossible for me to answer even a small part of calls and emails. If I could meet them all I would tell them how much I care for them and how much I'd like to reach out to them as they did to me. The love, kindness and compassion they've shown actually brought tears to my eyes.”
He has even had phone calls from as far as America and Canada!
Tony met his late wife Jo, who he describes as his “best friend and soul mate,” in a bar more than 35 years ago, and describes their marriage as a “perfect harmony”. The couple, who lived in Gloucestershire for 25 years, were unable to have any children, and so depended on each other heavily for company and support.
“For weeks and weeks, it looked as if I was pushing doors open and they were immediately slammed in my face. And then I was isolated and almost totally abandoned. And I thought, I've got to do something about that," he recalled.
Tony's determination has paid off, getting hundreds of people queuing up to be his friend. We're so pleased for you, Tony!
1. Why did Tony advertise in the local newspaper?| A．To inform people of his wife's death. | B．To draw attention to the old's loneliness. |
| C．To seek a second marriage. | D．To find someone as a friend. |
| A．He is working as a physicist. | B．He is now in a sweet trouble. |
| C．He has a complete family. | D．He lives in Gloucestershire. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Sympathetic. | C．Moved. | D．Surprised, |
| A．Tony loves his wife very much | B．Tony's children live far from him |
| C．Tony has become world-famous | D．Tony used to have many friends |
3 . When you’re on a fishing boat, you may see flocks of birds following in your track, hoping to catch a snack. Now scientists say they can use those birds’ behavior to track illegal fishing boats.
Here’s how it works: Researchers attached data recorders to the backs of 169 albatrosses (信天翁) in the Southern and Indian oceans. The devices weighed only an ounce and a half, but they included a GPS and were able to detect the presence and intensity of radar signals coming from boats. That information was then transmitted by satellite, so the researchers could track the location of the birds-and thus the radar-emitting boats-in real time.
The scientists then cross-checked that data against the known locations of boats, gathered from a system that boats use to declare themselves, called the Automatic Identification System (AIS). And differences appeared frequently.
More than a third of the times the birds’ recorders detected radar signals, and therefore a boat, no such boat appeared in the official log (航海记录)—meaning that the vehicles had likely switched off their Automatic Identification Systems—something the researchers say probably happens in illegal fishing operations.
The work suggests birds could be an effective boat-monitoring tool—as long as illegal fishing operations don’t target the birds. Fortunately, such a task would be difficult.
“Around fishing vessels, you can get hundreds of birds at any one time that are all flying around. So it’s not really possible to target a specific bird. And the birds with recorders on are not marked in any way. So it’s difficult for fishermen to pick out a specific bird," said study author Samantha Patrick, a marine biologist at the University of Liverpool.
Patrick’s bigger concern is that albatrosses often get hooked on fishing lines. And though regulations have been established to protect against that happening—with success—illegal boats don’t necessarily obey. So scientists might be underestimating the risk posed to albatross populations. But this system could mean that those illegal boats may have a tougher time flying under the radar.
1. What behavior of albatrosses can be used to track illegal fishing boats according to scientists?| A．Seeking snacks on a boat. |
| B．Following a boat to catch food. |
| C．Monitoring the location of the boats. |
| D．Keeping an eye open for illegal activities. |
| A．To carry a GPS. |
| B．To record the birds’ behavior. |
| C．To help satellite transmit information. |
| D．To detect radar signals from boats. |
| A．They are probably fishing illegally. |
| B．They needn’t declare themselves. |
| C．They don’t want to emit radar signals. |
| D．They want to avoid being followed by albatrosses. |
| A．Birds—Humans’ Friends |
| B．Data Recorders—A Helper to Albatrosses |
| C．AIS—A System to Declare Locations of Boats |
| D．Albatrosses—A Tool to Monitor Illegal Fishing Boats |
4 . The vaccine (疫苗) news continues to seem very encouraging. Britain started its mass vaccination effort and the U.S. isn’t far behind.
But there is still one dark cloud hanging over the vaccines that many people don’t yet understand.
The vaccines will be much less effective at preventing death and illness in 2021 if they are introduced into a population where the coronavirus is still severe—as is now the case in the U.S.
A vaccine is like a fire hose (消防龙头). A vaccine that’s 95 percent effective, as Moderna’s and Pfizer’s versions appear to be, is a powerful fire hose. But the size of a fire is still a bigger determinant of how much destruction occurs.
At the current level of infection in the U.S. (about 200,000 confirmed new infections per day), a vaccine that is 95 percent effective—distributed at the expected pace—would still leave a terrible toll (伤亡人数) in the six months after it was introduced. Almost 10 million or so Americans would catch the virus, and more than 160,000 would die.
This is far worse than the toll in a different situation where the vaccine was only 50 percent effective but the U.S. had reduced the infection rate to its level in early September (about 35,000 new daily cases). In that case, the death toll in the next six months would be kept to about 60,000.
It’s worth pausing for a moment on this comparison. If the U.S. had maintained its infection rate from September and Moderna and Pfizer had announced this fall that their vaccines were only 50 percent effective, a lot of people would have panicked.
But the reality we have is actually worse.
How could this be? No vaccine can get rid of a pandemic immediately, just as .no fire hose can put out a forest fire. While the vaccine is being distributed, the virus continues to do damage.
There is one positive way to look at this: Measures that reduce the virus’s spread—like mask-wearing, social distancing and rapid-result testing—can still have great consequences. They can save more than 100,000 lives in coming months.
1. How does the author mainly present his argument?| A．By giving definitions. | B．By categorizing facts. |
| C．By drawing comparisons. | D．By appealing to emotions. |
| A．Improving the effectiveness of the vaccines. |
| B．Producing a greater variety of vaccines. |
| C．Looking at the situation in a positive way. |
| D．Wearing masks and practicing social distancing. |
| A．The vaccines are less effective than expected. |
| B．The US have controlled the spread of the coronavirus. |
| C．The death toll in the next six months will be about 60,000. |
| D．Fewer people will die if the infection rate is lower. |
| A．The vaccine is the hope of wiping out the pandemic. |
| B．The public are optimistic about the effects of the vaccine. |
| C．The public are concerned about the high infection rate. |
| D．The distribution of vaccine will end the pandemic quickly. |
5 . When Du Yongbo, 23, entered Beijing Jiaotong University graduate school, he could see a difference between himself and his local peers in terms of their consumption capacities and life attitudes. However, he was lucky compared to other newcomers from small towns. The difference could have been more obvious if he had not spent his undergraduate years doing extra learning.
Growing up in Baoding, Hebei. Du was enrolled in a little-known institution in Hebei after high school.
"Knowing that I would be stuck in this place for the next four years, I felt like I was chained down," he said.
Determined to change his situation, Du made use of everything he could find on campus, starting with the technology lab. Here he got to know talented members of the senior class and joined them in their innovative experiments and technology competitions. Du learned a lot more than he could ever have by sitting in class.
But Du didn't just hide away in the lab all day long. He kept himself busy by working with all kinds of student societies, such as the Speech and Eloquence(雄辩)Association and the Drama Club.
"I used to be a little self-isolating, but student club experiences gave me new hobbies and the ability to manage tough people and issues," he said.
Internet was a great helper too. Du once planned to study user interface design at a training center. But he was taken aback upon hearing the training fee—70,000 yuan. Fortunately, a friend instructed him to buy a similar course on Taobao for a much lower price. That was when Du learned about the abundance of resources online. He was eager to know more, studying online educational resources and listening to podcasts(播客).
Now that he has made his way to Beijing, Du says that all his efforts have paid off and that he has gotten the chance to stretch his legs on a bigger platform.
1. Du felt different from his local peers when entering a graduate school because____________.| A．he entered Beijing Jiaotong University graduate school |
| B．he had spent his undergraduate years doing extra learning |
| C．he was lucky compared to other newcomers |
| D．he came from a smaller town than Beijing |
| A．excited | B．depressed | C．self-isolating | D．confused |
| A．Du was determined to change his situation to make use of everything he could find. |
| B．Du learned a lot more by sitting in class after he was enrolled in an institution. |
| C．Du took part in some student societies to develop his abilities on campus. |
| D．Du's friend instructed him to study user interface design at a training center. |
| A．Doing is better than saying |
| B．Experience is the mother of wisdom |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart |
| D．Every man has his price |
6 . The popularity of niche（小众的）sports has increased, thanks in large part to pop culture interest. From the traditional Japanese martial arts to ancient Greek combat sports. Here are some trendy options you won't want to miss.
Kendo
This Japanese martial art is gaining popularity in China, partly because of Japanese sports manga（日本漫画）series such as One Piece（海贼王）. In many major cities, it's not uncommon to see young athletes carrying the bamboo swords used for Kendo.
Kendo is a form of swordsmanship（剑术）that requires concentration, discipline and constant repetition, but the benefit goes beyond physical fitness. According to the South China Morning Post, practicing kendo can effectively relieve stress and relax one's mind.
Boxing
Some of the greatest English-language writers, like Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and TS Eliot, were hardcore boxers. After reading their portrayals of tough boxers, some readers have been inspired to pick up their own pair of boxing gloves and enter the ring.
Boxing is more than just a workout. Sure, it can give you a lean and strong body. But according to boxing expert Hollywood Hino, it's a kind of addiction as well. Boxing gives you "the challenge of learning technique, as well as the general empowering feeling of hitting something", he told Yahoo Sports.
Parkour
The James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale (2006) introduced parkour to the mainstream, with an intense action scene that shows Bond using skills to go through an urban landscape. That's parkour in a nutshell: the art of moving quickly and creatively through unconventional obstacle courses. Parkour gives young people a way to improve themselves, both physically and psychologically.
1. Which of the following is the benefit of practicing kendo?| A．Popularity. | B．Concentration |
| C．Easiness. | D．Constant repetition. |
| A．Hemingway was a hardcore boxer. |
| B．boxing could give them a lean and strong body. |
| C．boxing gave them the challenge of learning technique. |
| D．they were encouraged by the spirits of tough boxers created by Hemingway |
| A．ancient Greek combat sports | B．parkour |
| C．boxing | D．kendo |
7 . After about two weeks of intense negotiations in Paris, delegates from around the world reached an international agreement on Dec. 12 to address climate change. For the first time in history, 195 countries have promised to reduce greenhouse gas（GHG）emissions and to increase these reductions over time.
The agreement goes beyond requiring developed countries like the US to take actions to cut down emissions. It's a universal agreement requiring some form of action from every country, rich or poor.
The agreement sets the date for an emissions peak "as soon as possible". It would also limit warming worldwide to less than 2℃ above the levels in the 1800s. According to scientific studies 2℃ is the point at which climate change will bring destructive consequences to the planet, including rising sea levels, severe droughts, increased flooding, destructive storms, and widespread food and water shortages.
The deal also urges wealthy countries to set a non- binding goal of providing more than $100 billion（650 billion yuan）per year in public and private financing by 2020 for poorer countries to help them invest in clean energy and combat the impact of climate change.
The Paris deal asks countries to make voluntary promises based on an analysis of each country's economy, politics and technology. However, the deal also includes a series of legally binding（有约束力的）requirements. It requires countries to reconvene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would cut their further emissions. Countries will also be legally required to reconvene every five years starting in 2023 to publicly report on their progress.
The Paris deal alone won't solve global warming. Its effectiveness will depend on whether each country enacts（立法）their promise. But the deal "could be viewed as a signal to global financial and energy markets, triggering a fundamental shift away from investment in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources like wind, solar and nuclear power", according to The New York Times.
1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?| A．The agreement requires only developed countries to take actions to cut down emissions. |
| B．The agreement would limit warming worldwide to 2℃ less than the levels in the 1800s. |
| C．The agreement requires some form of action from all the countries in the world |
| D．The constant global warming will do great harm to the planet. |
| A．do something to fight against the influence of climate change |
| B．invest more in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources |
| C．provide more than $100 billion per year in public and private financing |
| D．report on their progress of reducing their emissions every 5 years in Paris |
| A．Meet | B．Report. | C．Promise | D．Return. |
| A．a science magazine | B．a newspaper |
| C．a school text | D．an economic lecture |
8 . Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities.
Application:
1. Basic Documents
（1） Passport
Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and a photocopy of the passport’s data page and the photo page if it is separate.
（2） Visa Application Form and photo
One completed Visa Application Form with a recently -taken color passport photo （ bare-head, full face ） against a white background attached （ Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application ）
（3） Proof of legal stay or residence status （ applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship ）
If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid visa or certificate of stay，residence, employment or student status of the country where you are currently staying.
（4） Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas （ applicable to those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship ）
2. Supporting Documents
Documents on the commercial activity issued by a trade partner in China, or trade fair invitation relevant entity（实体） or individual. The invitation letter should contain :
a） Information on the applicant （ full name, gender, date of birth, etc. ）
b） Information on the planned visit （ purpose of visit, arrival and departure dates, place（s） to be visited, relations between the applicant and the inviting entity or individual, financial source for expenditures）
c） Information on the inviting entity or individual （ name, contact telephone number, address, official stamp, signature of the legal representative or the inviting individual ）
3. Application Procedure, Processing Time and Fees
Please visit Chinese Embassy/ Consulate General’s websites for more details based on your State of residence.
1. Who is this article intended for?| A．Those who want to visit China for personal issues. |
| B．Those who apply for Chinese passport recently. |
| C．Those who want to go sightseeing in China recently. |
| D．Those coming to China for commerce and trade. |
| A．Any black and white photo is OK. |
| B．The photo must be taken in color recently. |
| C．The photo must be taken on the ground. |
| D．The photo must show your full body. |
| A．An invitation letter with necessary information. |
| B．The applicant’s passport and photocopy. |
| C．The permission from the Chinese Embassy. |
| D．The financial condition of the applicant. |
9 . Hazel Mayfield usually cooks the Thanksgiving meal for her extended family in Houston, Texas. She usually welcomes friends and neighbors eager to sample her fried turkey, green bean casserole , candied yams, homemade cornbread dressing, and dirty rice -just a few of her signature dishes. Known as Suga Mama, because her grandchildren think she’s so sweet, the 91 -year-old typically likes to do her own shopping for the ingredients to make her special dishes.
“My mother is the head cook of the family,” said Paulette Mouton, Mayfield’s daughter.“Because of her reputation, you know, there’re people in and out all day, everybody’s family comes through. They want to get some of Suga Mama’s cooking. We’re from Louisiana and we cook all that.”（ One in six Americans could go hungry in 2020 as pandemic persists. ）
But Mayfield hasn’t been to the grocery store since March. And there is little about Thanksgiving 2020 that’s usual. Hundreds of thousands of American families have re-imagined the holiday with virtual celebrations, canceled or delayed travel plans , or for small gatherings with people in their households in response to COVID-19, the deadly virus that has killed more than 250,000 in the U.S. and spoiled life around the world.
This year, Mayfield’s family members are lamenting（ 悲叹） the absence of a big gathering. They’ve explained to their young children and grandchildren why this year’s Thanksgiving is different. Mayfield’ s youngest daughter, Michelle Sanders, says it’s tough helping her grandchildren understand why they can’ t see some of their other family members.
“It’s really hard, trying to explain to them,”Sanders said. “When you’ re talking to them and they want to come over, you have to tell them no. They really don’t know how to be careful.”
Sanders added,“And, they don’ t understand that, being three, four, and six, you know they don’t really understand that.So, it’s ... it’s really, really hard, and heartbreaking. ”
1. What kind of person is Hazel Mayfield?| A．Helpful and kind-hearted. | B．Stubborn and enthusiastic. |
| C．Talented and instructive. | D．Grateful and sensitive. |
| A．They like to talk to Suga Mama warmly. |
| B．They come to help cook meals as they like. |
| C．They come to satisfy their stomaches. |
| D．They come to cook various meals. |
| A．They try to get together with their family members in the open. |
| B．They have to avoid big gatherings even with family members. |
| C．They feel difficult to persuade their children to get together. |
| D．They are pleased with the absence of Thankgiving celebration. |
| A．Children are delighted to celebrate their Thanksgiving Day. |
| B．Adults feel it difficult to get together with their children. |
| C．Children are still too young to understand the situation. |
| D．It’s tough helping children overcome their problems. |
10 . The Tibet autonomous region has placed nearly half its land area under the strictest ecological supervision (监督).It was announced at an annual meeting of the regional People's Congress, which kicked off on Wednesday.
The ecological protection area, which covers more than 539,000 square kilometers, makes up 45 percent of the region's area, and 22 ecological reserves have been built and are operational.
According to the government work report, the rate of days with good air quality in Tibet's cities has reached 99.4 percent, and all the region's drinking water sources have met applicable standards.
The report also said that the number of Tibetan antelope (羚)in the region has risen to more than 200,000, wildlife species to 1,072 and black-necked cranes to more than 8,000. Five rare new species have been discovered in recent years. The region has spent 12.2 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) on ecological protection projects in recent years. Five cities and three counties have been named as national-level ecologically civilized model cities and counties, and more rural residents have benefited financially by undertaking part-time ecological protection work.
More advanced monitoring facilities have been in place in the reserve, with more ecological protection inspectors employed to undertake protection work. The professional ecological inspectors are provided with basic tools such as motorcycles, telescopes and paging receivers, and they provide feedback regularly. Professional inspectors also receive one week of training every year from professors at Tibet University.
Kunsang Darje, a railway maintenance worker in Nagchu, said that apart from maintaining the railway and highway, he also collects trash along the section with his colleagues. “The place I work is in a no-man's land, and I think it's very important to protect the animals there without affecting them with human activities, and we are also bound to take responsibility there," he said.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．The ecological situation in Tibet has been totally improved. |
| B．Almost half Tibetan land has been ecologically supervised. |
| C．Many more operational ecological reserves have been built. |
| D．More Tibetan protection inspectors have been employed. |
| A．Larger protection areas. | B．Numerous rare new species. |
| C．More days with quality air. | D．Global capital investments. |
| A．protection inspectors can employ other people |
| B．protection inspectors are supplied with cars |
| C．Tibet's rural residents can get annual training |
| D．Tibet's rural residents can earn extra money |
| A．He asks his colleagues not to litter everywhere. |
| B．He attaches importance to raise animals there. |
| C．He keeps railway and highway in good condition. |
| D．He has a sense of duty to protect animals there. |
