1 . Half of the world's beaches could disappear by 2100, a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change suggests.
Michalis Vousdoukas, of the European Union's Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy, was the lead researchist. "Tourist areas which have sandy beaches as their main selling point will probably face strong consequences," he said. Aside from economic value, beaches play an important environmental role. "Sandy beaches are important habitats supporting a wide range of species. They also protect the coast from the effects of storms, so without sandy beaches other inland environments can be affected by the effects of waves and saltwater entering," Vousdoukas added.
The main causes are rising sea-level and erosion (侵蚀)from storms, the study says, which warned of the near-disappearance of almost half of the world's sandy beaches by the end of the century. Beaches in the United States will be “greatly affected”，as will shorelines in Canada, Mexico, China and Chile. In the U. S. , beaches along the East Coast and the Gulf Coast will experience the most erosion.
Michalis Vousdoukas and other researchers used satellite images to track the way beaches have changed over the past 30 years and patterned how global warming might affect them in the future. They found that West Africa will see some of the worst losses, where more than 60% of sandy coastline may be lost in countries such as The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Australia will also take a hit:when the total length of sandy beach projected to be lost is analyzed, Australia would be hit the hardest, with more than 7,000 miles at risk.
1. What mainly caused the disappearance of half of the world's beaches?| A．Over population and more tourism. | B．Severe erosion and coastline losses. |
| C．Global warming and climate change. | D．Sea-level rise and storm destruction. |
| A．Chile. | B．The Gambia. | C．Australia. | D．The United States. |
| A．They can provide habitats for species. |
| B．They can block out waves and storms. |
| C．They can be popular tourist attractions. |
| D．They can stop erosion from happening. |
| A．To introduce beaches. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To protect environment. | D．To explain a study. |
2 . Jack was born without eyes. He was very lucky as he grew up having other kittens (young cats) to socialize (交往) with, and was used to people from the moment he was born. However, when it came time to find the kittens homes, no one knew where Jack would end up.
That’s when I got an e-mail from my friend. All she asked was “Do you still want one of the kittens? There’s one here with no eyes and no one would like to take him”. Without thinking I told her that I did want the kitten.
When we first brought him home, Jack stayed mostly in my room. After about a day he had no issues running around and climbing on everything. At times he gets lost in the house, he’ll stop. But we just call his name and talk to him and it isn’t long before he finds his way back to us.
A few weeks after getting Jack, we got a new cat named Bear. Jack and Bear have become best friends. It doesn’t matter that he can’t see. He always knows when Bear is around. He’ll run across the yard straight to Bear and wrap his front legs around his neck in a big hug. They run after each other around and wrestle (摔跤). They’ll lie down in the grass together when tired.
Jack is truly an inspiration. I’ve owned lots of kittens in my life, but Jack is the happiest and most playful. He doesn’t feel sorry for himself. He doesn’t need pity. I think Jean, owner of Gumbo, another eyeless cat, said it best when she told me that cats don’t have disabilities; they have adaptability.
1. Why did Jack come to the author’s home?| A．The author cared for an eyeless cat. |
| B．The author didn’t mind whether he was blind. |
| C．No other young cats kept him company. |
| D．The author’s friend begged the author to take him home. |
| A．Jack often wrestles with Bear indoors. |
| B．Jack likes to play with a new eyeless cat. |
| C．Jack quickly adapts to the new environment. |
| D．Jack is good at talking and playing with people. |
| A．Trouble. | B．Fun. | C．Luck. | D．Business. |
| A．A cat has nine lives. | B．All is well that ends well. |
| C．God helps those who help themselves. | D．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
3 . Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice originating in India. The word“yoga” comes from Sanskrit （梵文）and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and mind. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. Recognizing its universal appeal, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
Yoga is an invaluable gift from an ancient tradition. It’s not just about exercise but a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself nature and the world. There is no written record of who invented yoga. Yoga practitioners （从业者）passed down the principles to their students. The earliest written record of yoga is generally believed to have been written by Patanjali, an Indian master who lived somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago.
Various yoga types give you multiple choices. Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced type and is excellent for beginners. It is gentle with slow and smooth movements. Kundalini yoga combines a singing session besides body and mental control. Bikram yoga is practiced in a heated room. It is to loosen muscles and to sweat to clean the body and remove symptoms of disease and pain. Ashtanga yoga is taught as a difficult workout where you move quickly from one gesture to another to build strength and patience.
In recent years, the World Health Organization has urged countries to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Yoga is a proper exercise. It is known for its ability to ease stress and anxiety. It may also help reduce several risk factors for heart diseases and promote a better sleep.
1. Why did the United Nations set the International Day of Yoga?| A．To promote the research into Sanskrit. |
| B．To help people know more about India. |
| C．To popularize Yoga practice worldwide. |
| D．To give a declaration on cultural diversity. |
| A．The principles of yoga. | B．The history of yoga. |
| C．The benefits of yoga. | D．An Indian yoga master. |
| A．Hatha yoga. | B．Kundalini yoga. |
| C．Bikram yoga. | D．Ashtanga yoga. |
| A．Physical inactivity causes deadly diseases・ |
| B．Yoga can help prevent communicable diseases. |
| C．Little or no exercise puts people’s health at risk. |
| D．Yoga can be a cure for many kinds of diseases. |
4 . If you love eating and drinking for free and are looking to make some pocket money, there's a job in China with your name on it. A new type of online service allows people to hire others to eat or drink their favorite treats, either to cure their boredom or satisfy their appetite without the calories that usually come with it.
Chinese media recently reported on an increasingly popular service on online platform Taobao that's as startling as it is appealing. People can now go online and hire others to consume certain foods and drinks, and ask them to provide video evidence of them eating or drinking the said treats.
Fees usually range from two to nine yuan ($0.30 - $1.35) plus the cost of the food. It's not exactly a get-rich-quick job, but there are quite a rot of people willing to do it for the free treats alone.
“Bubble tea drinking" is a particularly popular service, as the chewy tapioca(木薯粉)balls and popping drink is all the rage in Asia these days, but there are also ads from people willing to eat fried chicken or hot pot for anyone willing to pay for them.
Advertised as being "fat-free" and "free of queues", those who pay for the service will receive the full experience, which includes a 360-degree video of the drink, photos, and a detailed description. Prices of the service are based on the drink's sweetness level, its price, and popularity. Some clients even require a short written review to be sure that the person they hired actually does what they are supposed to.
Sellers explained that most customers buy their "Bubble tea drinking" service maybe because they're trying to shake off desires while they're on a diet. Drinking bubble tea by proxy may help customers avoid high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and other health problems that the sugar-laden drink may cause.
So why would anyone pay a total stranger to enjoy a treat rather than consume it themselves? Well, apparently, the online service is so cheap that some people simply do it out of boredom, while others get satisfaction from watching others indulge in their favorite treats.
This indulging-by-proxy service（代享受服务）has received a lot of attention on social media in China, with some people describing it as the job of their dreams.
1. What kind of people may buy the new type of online service?| A．Those who are boring. |
| B．Those who are trying to lose weight. |
| C．Those who love eating and drinking for free. |
| D．Those who are looking to make some pocket money. |
| A．That they can make a fortune. |
| B．That the foods and drinks are cheap. |
| C．That they can consume the treats for free. |
| D．That they can realize their dreams. |
| A．To prove that the new type of service online is popular. |
| B．To list an example of the new type of service online |
| C．To show bubble tea is greatly welcome in Asia. |
| D．To promote the new type of service online. |
| A．Indulging-by-proxy service online helps lose weight. |
| B．Boredom leads to indulging-by-proxy service online. |
| C．People hold different opinions on indulging-by-proxy service online. |
| D．Indulging-by-proxy service online is getting increasingly popular. |
5 . Nezha is the subject of the latest feature, which officially opens in cinemas in China on Friday. Nezha has earned hot reviews and is ranked higher than Monkey King: Hero is Back. It is also China’s first 3D animated feature film released in IMAX format.
Since July 13, previews of the film have taken more than 140 million yuan at the box office and the film has a score of 8.8 points (out of 10) on China’s largest filming rating site, Douban. It took Jokalate Yang Yu, the film’s director and screenwriter, two years to improve the script (剧本) of Nezha, and the film was in production for three years. It is the most complex animated production ever made in China. Nezha has more than 1,300 special effects shots, and it took over 20 Chinese special-effects studios, employing more than 1,600 people, to realize the film’s fairy tale setting, the mysterious Dragon King’s palace and a fight between fire and water. One splendid scene alone took two months to complete.
Yang made up his mind to produce an animated film on the theme of breaking the traditional styles and changing fate to the opposite. Yang chose Nezha as his vehicle, the representative of the rebellious (叛逆的) but righteous youth. However, compared with the original novel and past animated versions, the relationships between the characters are given modern meaning. In Yang’s film he is fighting prejudice: Nezha is hated and feared. But Nezha believes his fate is not predetermined and that he can choose to be a devil (恶魔) or a god.
“After watching so many domestic animated films, only Nezha and Monkey King: Hero is Back have made me fascinated,” a Weibo user commented under the promotional video.
“Epic! I finished watching Nezha in tears. The content-rich story, vivid characters, and amazing visual effects, work together to create a 110-minute roller-coaster (过山车) watching experience,” a Douban user commented.
“Bravo! Couldn’t believe a domestic animated film can be created with such a well-developed story. The image of Nezha in this film has been overturned but his rebellious spirit is well-established. I’m sure Nezha is gonna go viral this summer!” reads another comment on Douban.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly want to tell us?| A．Nezha has won lots of comments. |
| B．Nezha is more popular than Monkey King: Hero is Back. |
| C．Nezha is the first 3D animated film. |
| D．Nezha is a big success once released. |
| A．Its hot reviews on Douban. |
| B．Its high qualified script. |
| C．Its large numbers of special effects shots. |
| D．Its creative and unconventional theme. |
| A．He is ready to give in to his fate. |
| B．He represents the youth who are rebellious but righteous. |
| C．He is liked deeply by others in the film. |
| D．He chooses to be a devil. |
| A．The film is fascinating. |
| B．The plot of the film is flat. |
| C．The image and spirit of Nezha have been overturned. |
| D．The film will not go far. |
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days.But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death.Cells(细胞) are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever.But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs(器官). The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.
1. According to the passage,human death is now mainly caused by _______.
| A．diseases and aging | B．accidents and war |
| C．accidents and aging | D．heart disease and war |
| A．medicine | B．the Internet |
| C．brain cells | D．human organs |
| A．heart disease will be far away from us |
| B．human brains can decide the final death |
| C．the basic materials of cells will last forever |
| D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
| A．human life will not last more than 120 years in the future |
| B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
| C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
| D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
7 . Pacific Science Center Guide
◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store
Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located(位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.
◆Hungry
Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour before Pacific Science Center closes.
◆Rental Information
Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.
◆Support Pacific Science Center
Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion(热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.
1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?| A．In Building 1. |
| B．In Building 3. |
| C．At the the Laser Dome. |
| D．At the Denny Way entrance. |
| A．Train Science teachers. |
| B．Distribute science books. |
| C．Inspire scientific research. |
| D．Take science to the classroom. |
| A．To encourage donations. |
| B．To advertise coming events. |
| C．To introduce special exhibits. |
| D．To tell about the Center’s history. |
