1 . Nowadays technologies benefit us a lot in our daily life, but if not properly used, they can affect our health．The bed is supposed to be reserved as a place for sleep, but people tend to read an iPad a lot in bed before they go to sleep．

Charles Czeisler, a professor at Harvard Medical School, and his colleagues got a small group of people for an experiment．For five days in a row, the people read either a paper book or an iPad for four hours before sleep．Their sleep patterns were monitored all night．Before and after each trial period, the people took hourly blood tests to paint a day-long picture of just how much melatonin（褪黑激素） was in their blood at any given time．

When subjects read on the iPad as compared to the paper books, they reported feeling less sleepy at night and less active the following morning．People also took longer to fall asleep on the iPad nights, and the blood tests showed that their melatonin secretion（分泌） was delayed by an hour and a half．

The researchers conclude in today's journal article that given the rise of e-readers and the increasingly widespread use of e-things among children and adolescents, more research into the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed．Czeisler and colleagues go on, in the research paper, to note "Reading an iPad in bed may increase cancer risk"．

However, software has been developed that can reduce some of the blue light from the screens of phones and computers according to time of day, and there are also glasses that are made to filter（过滤） short wavelengths．While they seem like a logical solution for the nighttime tech users, it needs more research．

1. In Charles Czeisler's experiment, what were all the subjects asked to do?

A．Sit in a row and receive the strict tests．

B．Have their sleep patterns observed all night．

C．Read a paper book and an iPad at the same time．

D．Have their blood tested per hour during the trial．

2. What were the iPad readers likely to do according to the third paragraph?

A．They felt less sleepy and tired in the day．

B．They fell asleep more easily after reading．

C．They became less energetic the next morning．

D．They had a lot more melatonin secretions．

3. What can the special software recently developed do for e-readers?

A．It can remove the blue light from your devices completely．

B．It can help prevent eyes being harmed by short wavelengths．

C．It can weaken the harm done by doing nighttime e-reading．

D．It can be used in all the e-things widely and safely．

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

A．Wrong behaviors before bedtime．	B．New software for night e-readers．
C．No games on the iPad in bed．	D．No e-reading in bed before sleep．

2 . 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Whatsonstage.com is the UK’s biggest and best online guide to the performing arts including theatre, opera, classical music, dance and so on.
◆ The Lion King
Musical: The stage adaptation of the Disney film taken from an original African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom and maturity(成熟).
Place: Lyceum Theatre, Wellington Street, London
Telephone: 0870 243 9000
Date: Friday, 18 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡37.5
◆ Oliver
Musical: Dickens’ story of a boy in a London workhouse and his adventures on the way to his family. The songs include “Food glorious food”, “You’ve got to pick a pocket or two”, “Who will buy this wonderful morning”, “I am reviewing the situation” and “Consider yourself at home.”
Place: Theatre Royal, Catherine Street, London
Telephone: 020 7494 5061
Date: Thursday, 17 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡25, but now save 20%
◆ Jersey Boys
Musical: It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four seasons: the blue-collar kids from New Jersey formed a singing group and became famous. The musical features many of the group’s popular songs such as “Big girls don’t cry”, “Oh, what a night” and “Can’t take my eyes off you”.
Place: Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London
Telephone: 0870 850 9191
Date: Saturday, 19 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡22.5
◆ Alls Well That Ends Well
Play: A romantic story. Helena, daughter of a poor physician, loves Bertram, son of a Countess(女伯爵).
Place: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Park Street, London
Telephone: 020 7401 9919
Date: Sunday, 20 Nov, 2015
Ticket price: ￡40.5
1. If Mary is available on Friday, which of the following should she call to buy a ticket?

A．0870 850 9191	B．020 7494 5061
C．0870 243 9000	D．020 7401 9919

2. If you want to buy a ticket at a discount, you should go to ________.

A．Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

B．Lyceum Theatre

C．Prince Edward Theatre

D．Theatre Royal

3. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To show the importance of Whatsonstage.com

B．To give some information about the performing arts.

C．To introduce some famous English theatres.

D．To teach readers how to use the online guide.

3 . Reducing plastic waste isn't easy because the cheap material is found in almost every household item. Now, a delicious and nutritious solution has come up to help reduce our dependence on this environmental hazard.

David Christian, the co-founder of Evoware, says the idea of creating the biodegradable (生物降解的) products came from concern at the country’s high pollution rate. Indonesia is home to four of the world's worst polluted rivers. Since single-use packaging is a large contributor to the problem, Evoware decided to deal with that first.

After investigating various materials, the company settled on seaweed. Unlike corn, commonly used for biodegradable containers, seaweed does not require resources like water or large amounts of space. Since Indonesian farmers already harvest more seaweed than they can sell, it's easy for the company to find the material.

Though they will not reveal their production process, Evoware says the seaweed packaging contains no chemicals and is safe to consume. The company has also invented single-use cups, which can break down 30 days after they're thrown away.

While replacing plastic with the seaweed products may seem appealing to most of us, it is a hard-sell in Indonesia. According to Christian, ''The awareness to reduce single-use plastic is still very low. This makes our bioplastic unnecessary.” Also a factor is the cost, which is higher than using plastic. Hopefully, Evoware will succeed in convincing Indonesians and people worldwide that switching to their products will be helpful to protecting our beautiful planet.

1. What problem did Evoware decide to deal with first?

A．Ways to clean the four worst polluted rivers.

B．What nutritious materials for people to use.

C．How to deal with single-use packaging.

D．Means to contribute to the country's economy.

2. Why did Evoware choose seaweed?

A．It didn't require much space and was easy to get.

B．It could be found everywhere in his country.

C．It was most commonly used for packaging.

D．It grew thickly in most of the polluted rivers.

3. What can we infer from Christian's words?

A．Their seaweed products have won government support.

B．Sometimes it's hard to get people to reduce the use of plastics.

C．Their new products have received worldwide popularity.

D．The cost of making seaweed products will be lowered soon.

4. What does the underlined word ''hard-sell'' in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Something lasting long.	B．Something hard to accept.
C．Something easy to get.	D．Something commonly seen.

4 . Coffee is an important part of Italian culture and since arriving here over six months ago, I have drunk a lot of it!

Of course, coffee is also very popular in the UK but coffee culture in Italy is a completely different story. In Italy, when you order a coffee in a café or bar ( 酒吧), you are served with a tiny, bitter espresso. This is“normal (正常的) coffee” for Italians and they are not so interested in the huge coffees that we drink in the UK. If you want more than one sip (小口) of coffee in Italy, lungo is a good choice. It is espresso with a little more water added, but still served in a small cup. In addition, while takeaway coffee is quite popular among Brits, it is not very common at all in Italy, especially in non-touristy areas. Generally, Italians prefer to drink their tiny coffees while standing at the bar and, for many, this short break is an important part of their day.

Usually, breakfast in a bar in Italy includes a coffee and a pastry (酥皮糕点). I have been spoiled for choice with lovely cafés in the Italian town I'm living in. These cafés sell different kinds of mouth-watering pastries - either plain (无馅料的) or filled with cream, chocolate, etc - as well as delicious coffee. Cappuccinos are very popular at breakfast time and, for me, a creamy cappuccino and a pastry with chocolate is the perfect way to start the day.

Finally, I have found that coffee in Italy is so much cheaper than coffee in the UK. Normally, an espresso or a macchiato (an espresso with a drop of milk) costs around a euro and a cappuccino about €1.50! They are small, of course, but this means that in Italy it is possible to go out for coffee every day without breaking the bank.

1. How is Paragraph 2 mainly developed?

A．By time.	B．By space.
C．By example.	D．By comparison.

2. Which coffee will you get in Italy if you order one without special instructions?

A．Espresso.	B．Lungo.
C．Cappuccino.	D．Macchiato.

3. What can we learn about the coffee culture in Italy?

A．Takeaway coffee is very popular among Italians.

B．Italians are very often seen drinking huge coffees.

C．Italians like to take short breaks from work for coffee.

D．Coffees are often served along with pastries during breakfasts.

4. What does the author think of Italian coffee?

A．She loves its bitter taste.

B．It is too expensive for her.

C．It is a good choice for breakfast.

D．The cup it is served in is too small.

5 . One in five women and one in eight men are becoming more tired and less productive, according to a new Australian study on mobile phone use.

Led by the Queensland University of Technology in Australia, researchers surveyed 709 mobile phone users across the country aged 18 to 83 and asked them a series of questions based on a similar study 13 years ago. Identifying a phenomenon "technoference (科技干扰)", researchers discovered a significant increase in people blaming their devices for losing sleep, becoming less productive and even getting more aches and pains".

According to the study's lead author Dr Oscar, the issue is so bad that 24 percent of women and 15 percent of men are now considered to be " problematic mobile phone users". "When we talk about technoference, we're referring to the everyday intrusions (侵入)and interruptions that people experience due to mobile phones and their usage," he said. "Our survey found technoference had increased among men and women. For example, self-reports relating to the loss of sleep and productivity showed that these negative outcomes had significantly increased during the last 13 years. This finding suggests that mobile phones are potentially increasingly affecting aspects of daytime functioning due to lack of sleep. "

Compared to a 2005 study, "technoference" issues for 18 to 24-year-old experienced a surprising 40. 9 percent rise, while those aged 25 to 29 also recorded a dramatic increase of 23. 5 percent.

Oscar said that with the number of smartphone users around the world expected to surpass 2. 5 billion before the end of this year, the problem of "technoference" could get even worse. "The speed and depth of smartphone take-up makes our population particularly vulnerable to some of the negative consequences of high mobile phone use." he said. "Rapid technological innovations have led to dramatic changes in today's mobile phone technology, which can improve the quality of life for phone users but also result in some negative outcomes. "

1. How are people affected by technoference according to the text?

A．It makes people addicted to communicating online.

B．It pushes people to work at a fast pace.

C．It causes people to sleep less at night.

D．It brings negative outcomes to people of all ages.

2. Which group are most influenced by smartphones?

A．Young women.	B．Young man
C．Children.	D．Seniors.

3. What does the underlined word "vulnerable" in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Widely spread.	B．Easily hurt.
C．Deeply devoted	D．Absolutely accustomed.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The increasing side effects of smartphones.

B．Ways to solve technoference problem.

C．Smartphones and people's happiness.

D．The popularity of smartphones.

6 . Vinegar is great. It makes salad, fries and dumplings taste better, and you can even clean your windows with it. And now, according to scientists, it may even help the planet’s population survive climate change.

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have found that growing plants in vinegar makes them more resistant to droughts. This could mean that in the future, worries about climate change affecting the world’s supply of food will be much lower.

The discovery was made after the researchers studied the Arabidopsis, a plant known for its ability to survive in dry weather. It was found that when the plant was placed in drought-like conditions, it produced a chemical called acetate(醋酸盐)—the main component of vinegar.

After discovering this, the scientists experimented further by adding acetate to the soil of other plants, and they stopped giving them water completely. After leaving the plants for 14 days, they found that the ones treated with acetate had survived, while the untreated plants had dried up and died. It’s hoped that this simple method of survival could soon be used to help farmers in dry countries keep their crops alive.

Jong Myong Kim, co-author of the study, tells Popular Science magazine that he’s already been in touch with people all over the world who are interested in trying this simple and cost-effective method out for themselves from flower growing companies to amateur gardeners. Although at this point keeping thirsty plants alive isn’t as easy as just pouring vinegar over them, Kim says he and his team are working on making the process as simple as possible. “Now we are trying to cooperate with some farmers, and also some companies, to make a method to apply this system,” he says.

And for those of us who always forget to ask our neighbors to water our plants when we go away, hopefully this means the end of returning home from a trip to find our favorite flowers have died.

1. What is mentioned as a feature of the Arabidopsis?

A．It produces acetate in wet conditions.	B．It is mainly composed of acetate.
C．It can survive in nowhere but desert.	D．It can be tolerant of drought.

2. The scientists experimented further by adding acetate to the soil of other plants to _______.

A．find a simple way of keeping the crops of farmers alive

B．add acetate to the soil of other plants to stop watering

C．check the effectiveness of the acetate to resist drought

D．treat the dried-up plants by adding acetate to them

3. What is the author’s attitude to the discovery?

A．Objective.	B．Unsupportive.
C．Indifferent.	D．Optimistic.

4. What does the text mainly tell the readers?

A．Vinegar May End Hunger	B．Vinegar Keeps Plants Living Forever
C．How to Survive Climate Change	D．Plants Need Water

7 . Many years ago, when we were a young couple with two small children, aged 2 and 4, we were practically impecunious. My in-laws lived from hand to mouth, so we didn't expect any help from them. My parents lived a great distance away, and I was too ashamed to let them know about our situation.

My husband was trying to earn a living with an old pick-up truck, carrying groceries for local shopkeepers, but it was constantly breaking down. It took almost all the money we had to have it fixed. The truck was also the only means of transportation for us.

We lived in the countryside, and we always used the back door because the driveway led to it. One winter evening, I stepped outside to take a bag of trash to the barrel and almost tripped over something. It was nearly dark, and I had to bend down to see what it was. I could hardly believe my eyes. There sat a large basket loaded with food.

It was heavy, so I called my husband to carry it into the house. Once inside, we discovered two loaves of bread, some butter, several cans of vegetables, a can of orange sauce, and a large turkey. There was so much that I can't remember it all, but it was everything we needed to fix a wonderful dinner—everything except potatoes.

A little while later I remembered that I hadn't taken the trash to the barrel. By now it was dark, so I had to turn on the yard light —and that's when I spotted a small bag of potatoes sitting on the porch.

That dinner was the best I can remember.

We weren't able to thank our donators, though, because we never found out who had been so generous in helping a struggling young family. Whoever it was, we are forever grateful.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word "impecunious" in Paragraph 1

A．Generous.	B．Harmonious.
C．Penniless.	D．Stubborn.

2. How did the author's husband support the family?

A．By starting a garage.	B．By selling food door to door.
C．By delivering goods.	D．By working as a shop assistant.

3. How did the author feel when she saw the basket?

A．She was angry.	B．She felt a sense of relief.
C．She was terrified.	D．She was astonished.

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

A．A helping hand in time	B．A struggling young couple
C．A tale of potatoes	D．A reward from a stranger

8 . There was a man playing the piano in a bar. He was a good piano player and always performed in this bar. People came in just to hear him play. But one night, a customer told him that he didn’t want to hear him just play the piano any more. He wanted him to sing a song.

The man said, “I don’t sing.”

But the customer was persistent(执着的). He told the bar manager, “I’m tired of listening to the piano. I want that man to sing！”

The manager shouted across the room, “If you want to get paid, sing a song. Our customers are asking you to sing！”

So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the first time. And everyone was surprised by his song Mona Lisa. He got lots of applause(掌声) that night.

He had such a talent for singing, but he just had been sitting on his talent for the past years! If without such a chance, he may have lived the rest of his life as a no­name piano player in a no­name bar. However, now he has become one of the best­known singers in America.

You, too, have skills and abilities. Maybe your “talent” is not as great as the singer above, but it may be better than you think! And with effort, most skills can be improved. So, in your life, you should be brave enough to try doing different things and find out what talents you really have!

1. Why did the man start to sing?

A．Because he wanted to make more money.

B．Because the bar manager said he liked his song.

C．Because the manager asked him to sing at the request of a customer.

D．Because he wanted to show everyone that he had a talent for singing.

2. What do you think of the bar manager?

A．Strict.	B．Rude.
C．Patient.	D．Kind.

3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Some people really have no skills or abilities.

B．None of us is as great as the singer.

C．Sometimes through effort we can know our talents.

D．No skills can be improved even if you try your best.

9 . It was late one evening. I can’t remember what it was about, but my dad and I had a very big argument when my mom was away. We both said things we didn’t mean, and in the end I said, “I’m leaving.” And he said, “Good. The sooner, the better.”

I threw a few things in a suitcase and closed the door angrily behind me, not knowing where I was going. After walking aimlessly for about 20 minutes, I stopped at a local supermarket. Then my phone rang. It was my mom calling. She said, “Hey, Mary. Where are you？Dad is worried about you.”

“How can he worry about me？I’ve been away for nearly half an hour, but he didn’t call,” I said with annoyance(气恼). My anger returned and I remembered all the hateful things he’d shouted to me. “Listen, Mom. You can tell Dad that I’m fine. I’ll call you tomorrow,” I said and hung up.

I walked around the store, trying to get my thoughts together. By the time I paid for my purchases, it had been much later than I used to be out alone. When I left the supermarket, a large piece of white paper was in front of me. On the piece of white paper were these words: “Please come home! I miss you and I’m worried about you！”

Then a car pulled up beside me. Hanging out of the window was my dad. Beside him, smiling gently, sat my mom. And that’s when I started laughing. I laughed so hard that I cried. Despite my best efforts to run away from home, my father finally managed to track me down. I couldn’t leave now, not with him sitting there with caring eyes.

1. Hearing Mary decided to leave home, Mary’s father was very ________.

A．worried	B．nervous
C．angry	D．surprised

2. After her mother called her, Mary ________.

A．became angrier than before	B．gave in to her father
C．cried and calmed down	D．agreed to go home

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

A．Actions Mary regretted.	B．Goods Mary bought.
C．Telephone calls Mary made.	D．Lessons Mary learned.

4. What probably happened at the end of the story?

A．Mary’s mother hated her father.	B．Mary still refused to go home.
C．Mary’s father became angry again.	D．Mary returned home happily.

10 . Coca-Cola, which reportedly produced more than 3 million tons of plastic packaging in 2017, announced Thursday it wants to “help fix the world’s plastic waste problem one community (社区) at a time.”

The soda giant is doing so by providing $ 5.4 million for recycling programs in cities like Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Houston. In these cities, partners, like The Green Blue Institute and The Recycling Partnership, which receive the money, will work together to improve recycling rates.

“We focus on areas where we have the ability to make the biggest influence on communities through the funding and expert skills of Coca-Cola employees,” Carlos Pagoagoa, Coca-Cola’s group director of community partnerships, said in a statement. “In each city, local partners will work together to identify barriers to recycling on a local level and test a range of solutions,” he added. “We hope the learnings from these ‘model markets’ can offer solutions to other cities facing similar challenges.”

As part of the effort, The Recycling Partnership and the city of Atlanta, where the cola company’s headquarters are based, will send street teams out to open recycling carts and leave citizens cards informing them what they can and can’t recycle, and let them know how their efforts work.

“Two of the most urgent problems with recycling in the U. S. today are lack of access, followed by pollution in recycling,” Keefe Harrison, CEO of The Recycling Partnership, said in a statement. “We know from the success of Atlanta in 2017 that the citizens want to recycle, and that communicating with them in the street works.”

Last year, Coca-Cola announced its task to collect and reuse a bottle or can for each one it sells, and increase the amount of its products out of recycled materials to 50% by 2030. The brand also aims to make all its packaging fully recyclable by 2025.

1. What does Coca-Cola company intend to do in the program?

A．Produce less packaging.

B．Help deal with plastic waste.

C．Pick up waste in communities.

D．Build a plant to recycle plastic waste.

2. What’s Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．How Coca-Cola conducts its program.

B．What organizations participate in the program.

C．How Coca-Cola chooses cities for the program.

D．What the local people do in Coca-Cola’s program.

3. What do street teams do to help?

A．Sort out various waste in the city.

B．Look into the cause of pollution.

C．Instruct local people what to recycle.

D．Hand cards to the locals in person.

4. What does Keefe Harrison think of the program?

A．Promising.

B．Difficult.

C．Pioneering.

D．Costly.