1 . Bookstores are fascinating places. That’s because the books on the shelves can take you away to magical lands, help you learn a foreign language, or cook a delicious meal. But when your community is too small to house a real brick bookstore, sometimes you have to make a compromise. A mobile bookstore that brings books around the country was the result. That is the case for Rita Collins, 70, who dreamed of opening a used bookstore after retiring from teaching.

A business planning class from the American Booksellers Association convinced Collins to abandon her idea that opening a bookstore in the small town where she lives, which would not be sustainable. Eureka, Montana, located just seven miles from the Canadian border, only has a population of 1,517. Collins asked her instructors about a traveling bookstore on wheels and they were skeptical. But she persevered.

Collins was inspired by Dylans Mobile Bookstore, a traveling bookstore in Wales run by Jeff Towns. She contacted Jeff for advice but she was largely on her own when it came to building her bookstore. First, she had to find a vehicle large enough to stand in. Then she had to have it refitted with shelves that would hold the books at a 15-degree angle so that they would stay in place while in transit. Collins named her bookstore St Rita’s Traveling Bookstore, which has been on the road since 2015.

At first, she drove through Montana and then she made her first cross-country trip in 2016. After she retired in 2017, it became a full-time job all year round. Collins and her mobile bookstore have visited 30 states, stopping at festivals and events along the way. While the locations change, some things always stay the same. Collins loves meeting people and making connections. While she loves what she does, Collins doesn’t think she can keep doing it. In several years, she hopes to pass her traveling bookstore onto another bibliophile who shares the same interest and will keep it on the road.

1. Why did Collins abandon opening a bookstore?

A．It would cost a lot of money.	B．It was not promising.
C．It would be out of date.	D．It was not approved.

2. Why were the shelves designed at a 15-degree angle?

A．To beautify the mobile bookstore.

B．To make full use of space of the shelves.

C．To keep the bookstore’s balance.

D．To protect the books from falling down.

3. Which of the following can best describe Collins?

A．Merciful and delightful.	B．Intelligent and reasonable.
C．Determined and social.	D．Generous and lovely.

4. What does the underlined word “bibliophile” in the last paragraph mean?

A．A book lover.	B．A publisher.
C．A famous writer.	D．An editor.

3 . I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows(誓约) mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today.

So here's what I wanted to tell you today:

Get a life. A real life, not a desire of the next promotion(提升), the bigger paycheck, the larger house.

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure(空闲); it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an email. Write a letter. And realize that life is the best thing and that you have no business taking it for granted.

It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. Something really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had my choice, it would never have been changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all: I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and totally. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned.

By telling them this: Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a deadly illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion(激情) as it ought to be lived.

1. What's the author's attitude toward work?

A．Do it well to serve others.

B．To earn enough money to make life better.

C．Try your best to get higher position and pay.

D．Don't let it affect your real life.

2. The underlined sentence “It is so easy to exist instead of to live.” in the fifth paragraph probably has the same meaning as “________”

A．it is so easy to keep alive but not to live a real life

B．it is very hard to live a real life

C．it is so easy to make a living

D．it is more difficult to exist than to live a happy life

3. How did the author form her view of life?

A．By working and social experience.

B．By learning from her friends.

C．Through an unfortunate experience.

D．From her children and husband.

4. The best title of this passage probably ________.

A．Love Your Friends	B．Live a Real life
C．Don't Waste Time	D．Be a Good Mother and Wife

4 . It was a fine day. Jeffrey Del Monte was driving With his friend late Friday afternoon along the beach near Ramp 49 in Friso when they heard the screams of children. They surveyed the water trying to locate the screams and， two young girls were spotted apparently struggling while being swept out in a rip current（激流）.

Del Monte then swam out into the ocean and helped one of the girls who were caught in the rip current, passing her to his friend for the lengthy swim back to shore. He then went back to search for the second girl and found her in great pain before he swam back to shore, bringing the child to the beach from nearly 100 yards out.

After both girls were safe on the beach, Del Monte and his friend attended to them until Dare County Emergency Medical Services and a Cape Hatteras National Seashore Ranger arrived on the scene. The children's parents also arrived and expressed their thanks to Del Monte and his friend.

“Jeffrey Del Monte's heroic, selfless and quick actions were key to saving these two girls from a very dangerous situation,"   National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent David Hallac said in a statement. "His courage and expertise allowed him to perform this successful ocean rescue. "

Park officials said the incident was a reminder of how quickly ocean conditions could change, even on what appeared to be a perfect clay.

“A perfect clay on the beach doesn't always mean that it's a perfect day in the ocean, so it is important that all visitors check the beach forecast for danger and rip currents before heading to the beach and always use something that floats when in the water. If individuals do find themselves caught in rip currents, please don't swim against the currents, instead swimming out of the currents and then to shore," David Hallac said.

1. Why did Del Monte hand the first rescued girl to his friend?

A．To go to seek for the other struggling girl.

B．To give his friend a chance to be praised.

C．To relieve his pain caused by the current.

D．To experience the lengthy swim himself.

2. What did Del Monte and his friend do after they saved the girls?

A．They took them to hospital quickly.	B．They looked after them on the beach.
C．They drove them back to their parents.	D．They blamed them for taking the risks.

3. What is David Hallac's   attitude towards Del Monte?

A．Worried,

B．Envious.

C．Appreciative.

D．Grateful.

4. What suggestion does David Hallac offer to visitors?

A．Going swimming with others.	B．Avoiding floating in the water.
C．Swimming against the currents.	D．Preparing well for beach trips.

5 . There are so many choices when you go shopping. You have to check the sell — by dates so that you know how long you can store and use the food you are purchasing.

But do you know that the best sell — by dates on food packaging don't really tell you if the food is safe to eat. The food may not last as long as it says if it isn't stored correctly at any point of the distribution chain. Now there is food packaging that can detect and change colors if the food has gone bad.

Each American wastes 103 pounds of spoiled food out of the refrigerator every year. The new smart packaging from Primitives Biodesign—a new company that operates out of a lab at Indibio, a biotech accelerator in San Francisco-can help to reduce this huge waste of food.

The basic material that doesn't contain sensing material is made from algae and can block oxygen more effectively than regular film, so the food stays fresher for a longer time. Since it is made from a natural substance, it can also break down in nature.

Making the film smart is the thorny part. Luckily, the team managed to use a process that is like the way nature responds to changes in the environment. The mechanism responds like the way flowers emit compounds to change colors.

“It could be supplement packaging that indicate when it's been tampered with by changing color to tell you that it's no ledger safe," says Kan. She explained that the new packaging can be used on food products to fell if the food has turned bad before someone has to smell or taste it.

The company has proven in lab tests that the technology works and now they are working on how to develop commercial uses for it. The added safety features will come out later. Helping to control food waste in products like meat or cheese which have high greenhouse gas emissions will also help to reduce climate change.

1. What can we infer from paragraph 2?

A．Storing food properly is very important.	B．The color of food packaging is not clear.
C．Regular food packaging is of little value.	D．It's not hard to control distribution chains.

2. What does the word “thorny” underlined in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Changeable.

B．Interesting.

C．Natural.

D．Difficult.

3. What can we say about the new food packaging?

A．It is too thin to block oxygen.	B．It is really good for the environment.
C．It is perfect for commercial uses.	D．It is sensitive to pleasant smells.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Smart Packaging Tells If Food Is Safe to Eat	B．Sensing Materials Indicate the Color of Food
C．A Great Team Is Concerned With Food Safety	D．Old Packaging Slows Down Climate Change

6 . Christmas is on the way: 4 gift ideas from Stanford's bookshop.

Shipping Areas Tea Towel, £9. 99 (enjoying a 10% discount)

We are a nation of sailors who rely on weather forecasts to keep safe. This book will help you understand the shipping forecast, with the 30 shipping areas mentioned in the National Weather Service. So, the next time you turn on the radio and hear about high winds in Cromarty, Forth and Tyne, you'll know that they mean strong winds in these areas. You'll be wiser to make some preparations.

The Writer's Map, £30 (enjoying a 5% discount)

The Writer's Map combines maps and literature. Many writers use maps to plan out their stories. This book collects maps that appear in fiction and non-fiction. JRR Tolkien, a fantasy novel writer, said, “The fact that many books choose to contain one map is evidence to the importance of maps. I wisely started with a map, and made the story fit.”

Brutalist London Map, £8 (enjoying a 5% discount)

You either love it or you hate it. Said to have been coined (创造) in the late 1950s from the French raw concrete, brutalism (野兽派艺术) was a big influence on the 1960s London’s finest examples of brutalism. Brutalism maps of other cities, including Paris, Washington and Sydney, are also available.

The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book, £14. 99 (enjoying a 10% & discount)

The national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, has been mapping the Great Britain for many years. The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book includes word puzzles and various mathematical challenges. It includes maps containing rare geographical characteristics or places of special cultural interest. It will make you look more closely at every map and test your map-reading knowledge.

1. Shipping Areas Tea Towel can help sailors ________.

A．know world-famous shipping areas

B．prepare for bad weather in advance

C．have the ability to predict weather

D．judge the quality of various ships

2. What do Brutalist London Map and The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book have in common?

A．They are both brought out by the same publisher.

B．They both aim to test readers' map-reading skill.

C．They can both reflect the history of Britain.

D．They both include challenging puzzles.

3. What's the writer's purpose of writing the text?

A．To advertise four books.

B．To compare four books.

C．To appeal to people to read.

D．To show different maps.

7 . Round and Round They Go

Space is becoming more crowded. On December 3, a Falcon 9 rocket made by Space X thundered into the sky. On board were 64 small satellites, more than any American company had launched before in one go. They have a variety of uses, from space-based- radar to the monitoring of radio-frequency- emissions.

These objects are part of the latest breed of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. This launch is just taste of what is planned. Space X and One Web, a communications firm, plan to launch satellites in their thousands, not hundreds. The pair are set to double the total number of satellites in orbit by 2027.

That promises to change things dramatically on Earth. LEO satellites can bring internet connectivity to places where it is still unavailable or unaffordable. This will also be a lasting source of new demand for the space economy. Morgan Stanley, a bank, projects that the space industry will grow from $350 billion in 2016 to more than $1. I trillion by 2040. New internet satellites will account for a half this increase.

For that to happen, however, three worries must be overcome. Debris(碎片)is the most familiar concern. As long ago as 1978, Donald Kessler, a scientist at NASA, proposed situation in which, when enough satellites were packed into low-Earth orbits, any collision could cause a chain reaction which would eventually destroy all space craft in its orbital plane(平面). The syndrome which bears Mr. Kessler's name weighs heavily on the minds of executives at the new satellite firms. Debris could cause entire tracts(广阔的一片) of space to be unusable for decades.

Solutions exist. One is to grab malfunction satellites and pull them down into Earth's atmosphere. Another is to monitor space more intensively for debris; a US Air Force program me called Space Fence is due to start in 2019. But technology is only part of the answer. Rules are needed to govern the safe disposal(清除) of old satellites from low-Earth orbit. The United States' Federal Communications Commission is revising its regulations with this in mind. Other countries should follow suit.

Cyber-security is a second, long-standing worry. Hackers could take control of a satellite and seal intellectual property, redirect data flows or cause a collision. The satellite industry has been slow to respond to such concerns. But as more of the world's population comes to rely on the infrastructure of space for access to the internet, the need for action intensifies.

The third issue follows from the first two. If a simple mistake or a cyber-attack can cause a chain reaction which wipes out hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, who is liable? Underwriters(保险商) are studying the plans of firms that wish to operate large numbers of satellites. But there is a long way to go before the risks are well understood, let alone priced.

As space becomes more commercialized mind-bending prospects open up: packages moved across the planet in minutes by rocket rather than by plane, equipment sent to other small planets, passengers launched into orbit and beyond. All that and more may come, one day. But such activities would raise the same questions as LEO satellites do. They must be answered before the space economy can truly develop.

1. What can we learn about LEO satellites from the passage?

A．They are supposed to limit the space economy.

B．They are expected to increase in large numbers.

C．They are designed to move beyond the Earth as far as possible.

D．They are mainly intended to bring internet connectivity to remote areas.

2. To deal with debris in space, the author suggests________.

A．depending entirely on the modern technology

B．monitoring the movement of spaceships carefully

C．strengthening rules to remove old satellites safely

D．destroying all the satellites with problems instantly

3. What does the underlined word “intensify” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Measure.

B．Increase.

C．Spread.

D．Repeat.

4. Which of the following can be classified as the third worry?

A．Lack of satellite regulations.

B．Loss of intellectual property.

C．Crisis of confidence in the field.

D．Slow response of satellite industry.

5. What is the author's attitude toward the launch of LEO satellites?

A．It should be further confirmed for its ownership.

B．It should be continued because of its advantages.

C．It should be done carefully to avoid potential risks.

D．It should be stopped in face of the space economy.

8 . Disease-carrying mosquitoes can spread diseases without affecting themselves. Nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year, which results in over one million deaths. Humans experience continuous pressures from disease-carrying mosquitoes in many parts of the world, so we have to find ways to fight against those insects because they keep getting scarier.

Even though DEET remains the most commonly used, and most powerful, mosquito repellent (防护剂) ever developed, scientists are actively pursuing effective products based entirely on plant oils. While DEET is an effective contact repellent, many people dislike the oily feel and smell on their skin, and sometimes some people are sensitive to it. Consumers are always interested in alternatives to DEET and other synthetic (合成的) repellents, so there are numerous natural repellents on the market.

In my lab at Iowa State University, my team and I have been conducting research on natural products as possible insect repellents for the past 20 years. In the past few years, three of my Ph. D. students have contributed greatly to our research by designing, synthesizing, purifying, characterizing and testing more than 300 closely related chemicals coming from the best of natural repellents like citronellol, menthol and thymol.

These students have successfully tested these repellents against three species of dangerous mosquitoes. The first group of the new repellents act through the air. These chemicals have a vapor action that provides protection. These are potentially most useful in backyards, parks, houses, barracks and horse barns. The other group of the new repellents are the classic ones that stop insects from standing on a treated surface, such as human skin, clothing or tents; some researchers have conducted testing on some humans to confirm the effectiveness and identify the very best ones.

The new repellents were designed and made from the natural materials in plant essential oils. They maintain many of the advantages of the natural repellents: They are fully biodegradable (可生物降解的), with no ecological concerns or environmental wastes, and generally considered safe like the thousands of types of plant essential oils used in the flavor and perfume industries. However, thorough testing will be conducted to determine if they are truly non-poisonous because there is still no enough evidence.

1. What does the author mainly want to show in Paragraph 1?

A．The way mosquitoes spread disease.

B．The high death rate of mosquito-borne illness.

C．The difficulty of fighting disease-carrying mosquitoes.

D．The urgency of finding tools to fight against mosquitoes

2. What is a disadvantage of DEET?

A．It causes discomfort to the users.

B．It greatly harms people's health.

C．It can't be applied universally.

D．It won't be effective for long.

3. What can we learn about the second group of the new repellents?

A．They can kill mosquitoes indirectly.

B．They are mainly used in the open air.

C．They are more effective on human skin.

D．They can prevent mosquitoes from contacting users.

4. What's the author's attitude to the new repellents?

A．Disapproving

B．Negative

C．Objective

D．Subjective

9 . Seal Island is a 200-meter-long island in South Africa, which is surrounded by 55 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit waters and covered with over 60,000 seals and some birds. This island has been home to many birds and seals. You may think this island is a paradise. In fact, the island is not famous for the seals or birds. However, the real stars are the great white sharks that leap out of the water to catch the seals they are hunting.

You may think that there is no way for a 15-foot long, 3,000-pound shark to hurl its body out of the water and catch a seal in midair. Actually, these sharks are called “Air Jaws”.

Over the years, the seals have gotten smarter. Now, they go out in groups of seven and eight to feed. They swim down on the sea floor, which gives them extra camouflage (掩饰). When they have to swim near the water surface, they swim in a zigzag (之字形的) pattern. But with all these tricks, they can still be outwitted (以智取胜) by the sharks. Usually, the sharks will take one seal away from its group and force it to swim on the surface, where it is easy to hunt. Sometimes, the seal is lucky and gets away, but most of them die in the process of trying to survive.

Every year, tourists go to see these amazing animals leap out of the water, sometimes flinging (抛) their whole bodies into the air when they want to catch the seals. Some people even want to go into shark cages to see the action from below! This is the reason why this island attracts thousands of tourists around the world every year.

1. What probably makes Seal Island famous?

A．The large number of seals in the water.

B．The way the great white sharks hunt.

C．The beautiful scenery of the island.

D．The special position of the island.

2. Why do the seals swim in a zigzag pattern?

A．To save energy.

B．To warm themselves.

C．To look for food.

D．To avoid the white sharks.

3. What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A．White sharks are dangerous animals.

B．The seals are cleverer than the white sharks.

C．The sharks are successful in hunting the seals.

D．It is easier for the sharks to hunt the seals on the sea floor.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To explain why Seal Island is famous.

B．To show how white sharks hunt seals.

C．To advise us to visit Seal Island.

D．To ask us to protect animals.

10 . The Sahara Desert, which covers over 3.6 million square miles of Northern Africa, is one of the most unsuitable places for most animals to live in on the planet today. However, new research conducted by a team of international biologists has found that millions of years ago, the area was filled with frightening animals feeding on meat, including dinosaurs,

“It was the most dangerous place in the history of planet Earth because it was home to so many different kinds of dangerous animals in all shapes and sizes," says study leader Nizar Ibrahim, a biologist at the University of Detroit Mercy.

The researchers found the fossils (化石) of three of the world's largest-known dinosaur species that raised the Kem Kem beds to the status of “the most dangerous place in Earth's history”.

They included the "shark-toothed dinosaurs”. Larger than even the T-Rex, the massive theropods (兽脚亚目恐龙) measured 13 feet tall, 45 feet long, and weighed as much as 17,637 pounds. The creatures sported enormous jaws and teeth up to eight inches long. The mid-sized theropod, which grew to about 26 feet in length, had unusually slim hind limbs (后肢) for its size, suggesting it may have been a swift runner.

The most interesting thing was the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus (埃及棘龙). The massive 50-foot long, 15,434-pound animal had a long nose, similar to those of a crocodile's stomach, and long teeth. The dinosaur's most unusual feature, however, was its tail. Unlike the tails of other dinosaurs, such as the T-Rex, it was flexible with a large surface area.

To test the tail’s abilities, the biologists created a plastic one and attached it to a robotic swimming device. They found that the paddle-like structure was capable of moving sideways, suggesting that the dinosaurs could easily push through water. The researchers believe the dinosaurs were equally comfortable on land, where they came to lay their eggs.

1. What was the Sahara Desert like millions of years ago?

A．Animals there mainly lived in water.	B．There lived many dangerous animals.
C．Dinosaurs were the only animals there.	D．Dinosaurs there fed on three animals.

2. How does the author mainly prove that shark-toothed dinosaurs are huge?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By using experts' words,
C．By listing some figures.	D．By showing plastic ones.

3. What is most special about the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus?

A．Its huge stomach.	B．Its long nose.
C．Its sharp teeth.	D．Its flexible tail.

4. What is the best title of this text?

A．The Sahara Desert Was Once Home to Dinosaurs

B．Dinosaurs Lived on the Earth for Millions of Years

C．Dinosaurs Were Once Dangerous to Many Animals

D．Researchers Have Found Fossils of Many Dinosaurs