1 . New Scientist Discovery
Tour Amazing science-inspired tours across the globe with experts on board and in the company of fellow travelers who enjoy the discovery of science
Space: Past and Future: USA
14 days for £4.799
Departing 6th May and 14th September 2020
Follow the USA's footsteps in exploring space with this comprehensive tour of NASA's space centers and other key sites, including the Very Large Array in attractive New Mexico. Plus, visit the world's first commercial spaceport with leading researchers.
The Science of the Renaissance（文艺复兴）: Italy
7days for £1,825
Departing 3rd March and 3rd November 2020
Embark on a cultural adventure to the great science cities of Florence and Bologna, as architecture expert Andrew Spira and science historian Professor David Wootton guide you through the great discoveries and minds of the Renaissance.
Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland
8 days for £2,249
Departing 31st October and 7th November2020
Marvel at erupting geysers（喷泉）, glaciers and waterfalls on a trip of volcanic and geological（地质的）adventure. Joined by volcanologist Tamsin Mather, discover the best of Iceland with a chance to see the Aurora Borealis.
Tiger Conservation Safari: India
9 days for £3,850
Departing 10th April 2021
Involve yourself in jungle life in the search for the Bengal tiger. Learn how to protect the rich wildlife you encounter at India's reserves, complete with a masterclass in tracking and stay in a cozy lodge（小屋）.
1. Which tour is scheduled in May?| A．Space: Past and Future: USA |
| B．The Science of the Renaissance: Italy |
| C．Land of Fire and Ice: Iceland |
| D．Tiger Conservation Safari: India |
| A．£4,799. | B．£1,825. |
| C．£2,249. | D．£3,850. |
| A．Explore space with researchers. |
| B．See geysers，glaciers and waterfalls. |
| C．Discover the culture of the Renaissance. |
| D．Learn about protecting wildlife while travelling. |
2 . Like you and your pet dog, plants are living things: they eat, drink, and grow. Unlike you and your dog, they can't run away, use fists or teeth, or hide under the covers when they're threatened. But they can fight back.
Why would a plant need to fight back? To avoid being eaten, of course! Plants have several ways of protecting themselves. A plant can grow in a hidden or hard-to-get-to place. Think of plants you've seen growing on steep, rocky cliff (悬崖). Or, a plant could make only some parts of itself attractive to hungry insects and animals. For instance, if a plant produced really tasty leaves, herbivores (creatures that eat only plants) might eat the leaves instead of the seeds, which the plant needs for making more plants. Some plants have sharp or slippery (滑的) parts that discourage insects and other animals from getting too close, like the thorns(刺) on a rosebush.
But the most interesting way that plants fight back is by using chemicals. Plants take minerals from the soil and combine them into chemicals that do a lot of work. For example, plants produce chlorophyll(叶绿素), which helps convert sunshine and water into the sugars that plants eat.
They also produce chemicals to help protect themselves. One kind of tobacco plant releases a chemical into the air whenever small bugs begin to eat it. The chemical signals large bugs, saying "Dinner's ready!" The big bugs come to eat the little ones and save the plant.
Most plants use chemicals in a more direct way against their enemies. In other words, plants make poison.
1. What does the underlined word "convert" mean?| A．Change | B．Separate |
| C．Form | D．Produce |
| A．Some plants hide under the covers when faced with threat. |
| B．A plant grows in a hard-to-get-to place to draw people's attention. |
| C．Some plants produce tasty leaves to protect their seeds. |
| D．Plants produce chemicals to meet the needs of big bugs. |
| A．Different effects that different plant poisons cause on plant eaters. |
| B．Different kinds of plants in the world. |
| C．Why plants make poison? |
| D．How to protect plants? |
| A．Plant information. | B．Plant enemies. |
| C．Plant poisons. | D．Plant protection. |
3 . Four Inspiring Movies
Forrest Gump（1992）
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low IQ but good intentions. This movie follows the fictional story in which the simple man makes his way through some of the more turbulent（动荡的）times from the 1960s through 1980s. This film took home six Oscars, inspired a “Weird Al” song, and proves that a big heart is the most important thing.
It's a Wonderful Life（1946）
No movie list would be complete without a nod to the past. Let's go with this Christmas classic, about a man with serious financial troubles who intends to commit suicide（自杀）by jumping off a bridge. His guardian angel Clarence Odbody stops him and tells him what life would have been like for those close to him had he never been born. Realizing how much he means to others, he rushes back home and all sorts of happy, inspirational, Christmassy things happen.
Dead Poet's Society（1990）
John Keating（Robin Williams）is a high school English literature teacher at a famous all-male boarding school who gets into trouble with the school administration after encouraging his students to challenge authority and think for themselves. It is certainly inspirational, if not also frustratingly sad.
A Beautiful Mind（2001）
This movie tells the story of John Nash（Russell Crowe）, a professor at Princeton, a US university, who revolutionized the field of game theory and fell into madness as a result of paranoid schizophrenia（精神分裂症）. With the love and support of his family as well as the help of medical professionals, he managed to overcome his mental illness and continued to make contributions to the field of mathematics.
1. What can we know about It's a Wonderful Life?| A．It proves a big heart important. |
| B．It has a happy ending. |
| C．It tells a story of friendship. |
| D．It is famous for the leading role. |
| A．Forrest Gump. | B．I's a Wonderful Life. |
| C．Dead Poet's Society. | D．A Beautiful Mind. |
| A．became a famous expert in psychology |
| B．got his family's support for studying game theory |
| C．gained lots of experience in treating schizophrenia |
| D．defeated the disease and went on to pursue maths |
4 . School had just started in August when Conner began throwing up for no reason. It wasn’t long before the boy also began suffering terrible headaches. In February a 1.7-inch tumor was found in his brain and Conner was set to begin to receive radiation (放射疗法) treatments. Before treatments start, technicians make a white plastic mask (面罩) to keep patients immovable and protect unaffected parts of the brain while radiation is directed at the tumor.
It’s an unpleasant experience and a frightening time. The doctor Cook decided that the masks could at least be made to look like something fun — maybe Batman or Mickey Mouse. “I started thinking these masks are white and not fun at all for kids,” she told The Greenville News. “I felt like if we could make it a little more fun for them, they might be a little more excited about coming in for the treatment. Because the kids are afraid. While the treatment itself isn’t physically painful, it can cause a lot of anxiety (焦虑). And the treatment is required daily for up to six weeks. “
And the masks really make a difference. “The kids really like them,” Cook said. “It makes what is, let’s face it, a terrible experience, a nice experience because they get to choose something themselves.”
When new children come in for the treatment, Cook finds out what their favorite movies or cartoon characters are. Then she sets about creating the mask by drawing the image she wants onto paper, sticking it with glue, and once it’s dry, she applies the colors using paints. Each child can take the mask home once the treatment ends.
“Coming to the doctor always means fear and pain. I wanted to make it fun,” she said. “The kids really love it. It’s something they enjoy and can relate to. And it fills an interest I have. I get great pleasure from it.”
1. Why was the plastic mask used according to Paragraph 1?| A．To check the patient’s brain. |
| B．To reduce the patient’s headache. |
| C．To prevent the patient from throwing up. |
| D．To protect the patient’s brain during the treatment. |
| A．It can be received at home. |
| B．It has to be finished in a month. |
| C．It may make the patients feel worried. |
| D．It will cause huge physical pain for patients. |
| A．Offer them some free masks as gifts. |
| B．Show them their favorite movies or TV shows. |
| C．Dress them up as cartoon characters. |
| D．Make the masks more interesting to kids. |
| A．Love can treat the terrible sickness. |
| B．Kindness can bring warmth and joy. |
| C．Health matters to everyone. |
| D．Creativity leads to success. |
5 . Do you feel bored during your holidays? Here are some books for the stay-at-home who are fond of reading to pass time during their holidays.
A License to Heal(By Steven Bentley,www.iuniverse.com, $11. 95 sc, $ 3. 99 eb)
In the world of emergency medicine,there is pain,blood and tragedy(悲剧），but there is also hope and compassion. The book shows readers the stories from an ER doctor that brings this dynamic world to life. In this highly personal narrative,an emergency room physician describes the world of the ER as one filled with pain,fear and grief,but also compassion,hope,and a surprising amount of humor.
Imperfect Family(By Leyland A. King,www.xlibris.com, S 19. 99 sc, $3. 99 eh)
This book is a novel showcasing an ordinary family's union,strength,ambition and determination that made it possible for one generation to climb the slippery and shabby ladder from poverty to the security of American middle-class.
Walking the Stones of Time(By Oswald Brown,www.xtibris.com, $ 18. 99 sc, $3. 99 eb)
It is an extraordinary love story of an awkward young man and an equally awkward young woman who,despite their lack of social skills,developed a love that was stronger than all their inadequacies.
Honeyball (By Pete Liebengood, www.xlibris.com, $19. 99 sc, $3. 99 eb)
A group of women pull together in a dedicated campaign to find success at the box office while their leader finds the love of her life and the persons responsible for the death of her father in a plane Crash.
Batting Rocks over the Barn(By Lawn Griffiths,www.xlibris.com, S 19. 99 sc, $ 3. 99 eb)
The rhythm of rural life during the 1950s and 1960s comes alive through the eyes of a boy who grew up to become a newspaper journalist and film editor. Follow his journey in this book.
1. What can we learn about Steven Bentley's book?| A．It is a tragedy | B．It is the most expensive. |
| C．It is written in a narrative way. | D．It is a humorous story about a doctor.. |
| A．Lcyland A. King. | B．Lawn Griffiths. |
| C．Steven Bentley | D．Oswald Brown. |
| A．A License To Heal and Imperfect Family. |
| B．Imperfect Family and Honeyball. |
| C． Batting Rocks over the Barn and Walking the Stones of Time . |
| D．Walking the Stones of Time and Honeyball. |
6 . Najib is an Afghan who grew up in Iran. He led a tough life. When he found his children would be in the same situation, his family initially returned to Afghanistan. But with the country filled with conflicts, they decided to leave for Indonesia.
“When we first came here, we were in a bad situation. Its language, culture and even weather were different. We had moved away from friends and family,” says Najib. “I was in a tough position but I acted strong because there were no other choices.”
Refugees (难民) cannot work in Indonesia and there are limited choices for refugee children to attend local schools. Determined to avoid such a fate, a group of refugees in Puncak took action and scraped together (东拼西凑) their resources to set up a school—the Refugee Learning Center (RLC).
“Our only goal and task is to provide basic education, and prepare the refugee children for their future,” says Abdullah Sarwari. “We’re also trying to provide a normal life as much as possible for them.”
The RLC has also started offering Bahasa Indonesia classes to the refugee community. “Between the refugee and the local community, I feel like there’s a language barrier which stops the refugee from having an honest and open interaction with Indonesians,” says Abdullah.
“If you try your best, to learn the language of a particular place or country, it really helps make things easier,” says Najib. He is among those who signed up for classes, although he admits progress has been slow. But life has improved in some ways for him and his family.
Najib says, “The centre is an opportunity for refugee to show that they are not a burden. If they have the opportunity, they can accomplish big and great things like this.”
1. Why did Najib decide to leave for Indonesia?| A．To escape the conflict in Afghanistan. |
| B．To experience Indonesian culture. |
| C．To help refugees in Indonesia. |
| D．To get equal rights to vote. |
| A．To help them learn English. |
| B．To make them stay away from bad luck. |
| C．To provide them with chances to live in Indonesia. |
| D．To make them have access to receiving basic education. |
| A．He is the leader of refugees. |
| B．He founded the RLC himself. |
| C．He studies Indonesian in the RLC. |
| D．He lives a wealthy life in Indonesia. |
| A．The Goal of Founding a School |
| B．A School for Refugees by Refugees |
| C．A Reason for Leaving for Indonesia |
| D．The Benefit of Learning a New Language |
7 . I grew up in California but have spent about four years living in various parts of the UK. The first thing I noticed was that my West-Midlands host family did not sound like the queen. I’ve since learnt that accents change almost every five miles. As far as America goes. I can tell the West Coast from the East or the South, but I can’t tell you a state, much less a county (郡).
The next thing I couldn’t imagine was the quiet, stare-ahead norm of public transportation- if you talk to somebody on the Tube, you’re probably a serial killer or a lost tourist.
I’ve had to deal with the Tube from Heathrow to Victoria with heavy bags more times and Victoria Station is not exactly tourist friendly. Each time I’ve had someone walk up and ask to help with my bags. Not once have they been English. In America, at least from what I’ve experienced, people will start a chat if they see you’re travelling by yourself, and I always immediately have someone taller offer to put my things in an overhead bin (行李箱).
Opening hours-especially Sunday trading laws have also taken so much to get used to. In America, 24/7 fast food, grocery stores. petrol stations, etc. are the norm. In my first year in the UK,I forgot it was Easter Sunday, and went into town at 2：00 pm. Imagine my surprise when 1 found the city center was deserted, and there wasn’t a single car at Tesco. Approaching the building, I saw a large sign announcing opening times. I had to make do with plain bread until 9：00 am Monday, when I’d be able to pay for groceries again.
Speaking of groceries, it took so many people telling me I was crazy to convince me to eat eggs here- they’re not refrigerated, and they’ll often have bits of feather or chicken waste on the outside. 1 am now aware that they ‘re safe, but coming from a childhood of perfectly clean, white, large AAA eggs, I was convinced I’d die a terrible salmonella (沙门氏菌) death.
1. What’s the author’s impression of the transportation of the UK?| A．It’s very dangerous to use public transportations. |
| B．It’s easy for a tourist 10 get lost on public transportations. |
| C．British people willingly offer help on public transportations. |
| D．British people don’t talk to each other on public transportations. |
| A．He left the city center. | B．He failed to buy any food. |
| C．A supermarket closed down. | D．A restaurant opened in a tall building. |
| A．Try to speak like the queen. |
| B．Avoid eating unhealthy eggs. |
| C．Store some plain bread in the fridge. |
| D．Pay attention to the opening hours of the shops. |
| A．How to Get Used to Life in the UK |
| B．What do I Find Strange about the UK |
| C．How Difficult It Is to Travel in the UK |
| D．What Can a Foreigner Expect in the UK |
8 . Mercury(水星) is the closest planet to the sun. It is a planet slightly larger than the Earth’s moon. It is covered in craters. Some craters have ice in them, even though the planet is hot. Sunlight never touches some parts because of the planet’s special position. Without air, there are great temperature differences between the coldest and hottest parts. Mercury days are so long that there are big differences between temperatures on the daylight side and the night side.
Mercury was created billions of years ago, when big rocks ran into each other. After these accidents, the planet was frequently visited by meteorites (流星) for several hundred million years. There were also many volcanic eruptions. As the planet cooled, the thin, rocky outside shell reduced in diameter(直径) by about 3 kilometers.
The Caloris Basin is one of the largest craters on Mercury. This big crater is 1, 300 kilometers wide and was formed when a large rock, about 100 kilometers across, knocked into the surface. Beethoven, another large crater, is 643 kilometers across.
The cliffs on Mercury are up to 2 kilometers high and hundreds of kilometers long. The cliffs were formed when the thin surface fell apart, as volcanic activity slowed down and Mercury became cooler.
One Mercury day lasts about 59 Earth days. Mercury takes about 88 Earth days to have a complete year, instead of the 365 days that we have on the Earth. Mercury speeds around the sun so that there are three Mercury days every two Mercury years! Mercury has a strange relationship with the Earth. Every 117 days, when Mercury is closest to the Earth, it always has the same side facing us.
Mariner 10 is the only spacecraft to visit Mercury. It made three visits to Mercury in, the 1970s, taking photos of many cliffs and craters. Although the first three visits answered many questions, they have raised others.
1. What is the surface of Mercury like?| A．It’s generally flat. | B．It’s hot everywhere. |
| C．It’s bright everywhere. | D．It’s cold in some parts. |
| A．A drop in temperature changed its size. |
| B．A great many meteorites ran into it. |
| C．It got out of shape as time passed. |
| D．Lots of surface rocks fell off. |
| A．One Mercury day lasts about 88 Earth days. |
| B．It turns around the sun faster than the Earth. |
| C．Six Mercury days are two Mercury years. |
| D．It has more cliffs than large craters. |
| A．Another spacecraft visited Mercury. |
| B．New cliffs and craters were formed. |
| C．New signs of volcanic activity appeared. |
| D．Lots of new puzzles needed to be solved. |
9 . When HarmonyOS, the Chinese self-developed operating system for Huawei mobile devices, was released on Aug 9, it quickly became a hot topic on social media. Many believe it not only represents the rise of the country as a tech power, but also pays tribute (致敬) to classical Chinese culture by naming the system “Hongmeng” in Chinese. “Hongmong” is a classical word from the Taoist (道家) text Zhuangzi. In the ancient times of Chinese myths and legends, “Hongmeng” was used to describe the original state of the universe before matter existed.
For HarmonyOS, “Hongmeng” indicates the developers’ aim to make an innovative operating system, unlike any other. Besides “Hongmeng”, Huawei has also registered many of its products under the names of legendary creatures from Chinese mythology, such as “Qilin”for the Kin mobile chip, and “Kunpeng” for the server chip. Many Chinese internet users and media have praised Huawei’s use of these names, “as they stand for Chinese wisdom and ancient people’s imagination and spirit of exploration”, Global Times noted.
In fact, Huawei is not alone in using traditional culture for modern ventures. Ne Zha, the new film, also portrays traditional culture in a modern context. Earlier this month it became the biggest animated movie in China and was called “the glorious light of domestic anime”. The movie is loosely based on the well-known work of classical Chinese mythology The Investiture of the Gods. Unlike his attractive heroic character in previous cinematic works, Ne Zha is shown as a rebellious underdog, who has to overcome hardship and his dark fate to become a hero. Many young Chinese people can relate to Ne Zha, who encourages them to become dream-chasers and fate-changers. As Global Times put it, today by revisiting and incorporating a modern context, “ancient mythology has the power to stir up contemporary imagination in young people”. After all, imagination is the beginning of creation.
1. Why did Huawei name the new system “Hongmeng” in Chinese?| A．Huawei was interested in describing the original state of the universe. |
| B．Huawei targeted at designing a unique operating system in the world. |
| C．Huawei aimed to develop classical culture. |
| D．Huawei was fond of Chinese myths and legends. |
| A．Admirable. | B．Indifferent. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Critical. |
| A．Not all the plot is based on the popular Chinese mythology. |
| B．The new film Ne Zha means a lot to domestic anime in China. |
| C．The character of Ne Zha is a failure at first in previous works. |
| D．The film Ne Zha encourages many youth to achieve dreams. |
| A．Huawei’s new names for its products and their influence. |
| B．A brief introduction of a new successful movie Ne Zha. |
| C．Imagination is important and the beginning of creation. |
| D．Ancient cultures come into new life and inspire imagination. |
10 . To see the world is one thing. To have someone to share it with is another. Indeed the travel becomes more interesting when you have a travel partner. A travel partner can be a close friend, a family member, a pal you’ve met online, or a business
You can have someone to talk to
Traveling alone is fun，but wouldn’t you feel lonely? Having a travel partner can remove the feeling of loneliness. This is especially true if you can get a travel companion who is very familiar with the place you, re traveling to. You don’ t have to ask any information from the locals, and you can increase the time you spend in the country.
One of the major headaches in traveling is the costs involved. You can’t simply ignore the rising price of hotels or plane tickets. You should also think about your daily needs, such as your food. Of course, you can’t simply go back without bringing any souvenirs (纪念品)to your friends and family. All these can ruin your budg- et(预算).However, when you have a travel friend, you can have someone to share the expenses with.
You can meet a good friend
Having a travel mate is a good way of meeting a new friend or even a lifelong partner. You can never count the number of couples who actually found their way into each other’s heart while traveling together in another country.
You can have someone to watch out for you
When you’re in a foreign land, you’ll never be really safe. You don’t know the rules as well as the culture of the people. A travel mate will be perfect to remind you of your duties in the country and to watch your back just in case you get lost. So why don’t you find a travel companion now?
Let’s find out how ...
1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?| A．To introduce a travel company. |
| B．To encourage us to have a travel partner. |
| C．To explain how to be a perfect travel partner. |
| D．To tell an interesting experience with a travel partner. |
| A．You can have someone to share the expenses with. |
| B．You can know the local culture well. |
| C．You can enjoy food with your partner. |
| D．You can save money by bargaining together. |
| A．Traveling alone is not fun. |
| B．Buying souvenirs isn’t necessary. |
| C．Many people fall in love when traveling. |
| D．It’s better to choose a stranger as a travel partner. |
| A．how to get along with a travel partner |
| B．how travel can benefit people |
| C．what we can learn from travel |
| D．how to find a travel partner |
