1 . When I was a boy there were no smart phones, and our television only got one channel clearly. Still, I was never bored. The fields, hills, and woodlands around my home were the perfect playground. I can remember once hiking to a nearby lake. At the backside of it I was amazed to find an old dirt road that I had never seen before. It was full of muddy tracks and deep woods bordered it on both sides, but exploring it still seemed like a fine adventure.
I walked on and on for hours. I was sure my guardian angel was whispering in my ear “Turn around and head back home”, but I was stubborn, so I walked on. There was still neither a car nor a house in sight. I noticed that the sun was starting to go down and I grew scared. I didn’t want to end up trapped on this road, and I was worried that it would be dark before I could make my way back to the lake again.
I continued to walk on with something growing inside of me. My heart was pounding and my legs were aching. I was almost in tears when I turned one last curve and saw something in the distance. It was a house that I recognized. I jumped up and down and laughed out loud. It was still over a mile away, but my legs felt like feathers and I hurried back to my house in no time. I walked in with a big smile on my face just in time for dinner.
I remembered this recently when I saw a sign that said “All roads lead home”. It is true. In life, all roads, no matter how they twist and turn, can lead us home again. What is important, though, is how we travel them. Are we going to go forth in fear or are we going to go forth in faith? Are we going to make this life a terrible trip or are we going to make this life a joyful journey? The choice is ours.
1. Why did the author hardly feel bored when he was young?| A．Because he could have fun in nature. |
| B．Because he could watch TV all day. |
| C．Because he had many friends. |
| D．Because he used to explore the old dirt road. |
| A．He thought he would be scolded by his parents. |
| B．He felt contradictory in mind. |
| C．He thought he would be trapped in the woods. |
| D．He was unconscious. |
| A．The dirt road. | B．His house. |
| C．The lake. | D．A passing car. |
| A．Always make choices on our own. |
| B．All roads lead home. |
| C．It’s our attitude that matters in our life. |
| D．Every effort is worthwhile. |
2 . Kailash knows the thought of public speaking is enough to send many people into a cold sweat-he’s been there. He made his first public speaking in Year 4 at a time when his confidence had been broken down by a bully(霸凌者). He still gets scared thinking about it today because he had to go in front of the whole class and recite a poem that made no sense whatsoever.
By Year 5, Kailash started to hone his skills with the help of his father so that he could run for school captain in Year 6, but he was very shy and he couldn’t speak very well. So he started to practise and practise. That’s a good point for kids-they don’t apply for leadership positions because they are nervous, even though they’d make great leaders.
Kailash went on to score the role of vice-captain, despite his speech not going to plan. He made a joke but he made it so poorly that they laughed at him, not at the joke. But he said making mistakes is a key part of the public speaking learning. Things like that happen and it’s OK. You have to have the confidence to be OK with that and the resilience(弹性)to get back up.
Kailash, who counts a 4000-strong Sydney Opera House crowd and a community-based TEDx event among his public speaking credits, said public speaking skills have huge benefits in day-to-day life, from interacting with teachers to going for a job interview. Public speaking teaches young people to be comfortable in themselves. So it teaches you about self-esteem, to accept who you are. Making eye contact and smiling to connect with your audience are other key steps in pulling off public speaking, along with wearing something that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
1. What does the underlined word “hone” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Test. | B．Review. | C．Perform. | D．Exercise. |
| A．He made it. | B．He failed in it. |
| C．He gave it up halfway. | D．He missed it. |
| A．Conservative. | B．Skeptical. | C．Oppositional | D．Tolerant. |
| A．The benefits of public speaking. |
| B．The importance of eye contact and smiling. |
| C．Kailash’s achievements in public speaking. |
| D．The comfort and confidence suitable clothes bring. |
3 . If you live in certain parts of the world, you will see something magical happen each fall. It is the changing of the color of the leaves on many different trees. Each year deciduous (落叶的) trees go through a process in which their green leaves become bright yellow, gold, orange and red before turning brown and falling onto the ground.
Photosynthesis (光合作用) is the process for trees to make their food taking energy from the sun, water from the ground, and carbon dioxide from the air, they make sugar to “eat” so they can grow into strong, healthy trees. The leaves of a tree are where photosynthesis happens because the chlorophyll (叶绿素) in the leaves is what makes photosynthesis possible. Chlorophyll also has another job—it is what makes leaves green. When the seasons change in places where deciduous trees grow and the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it is harder for the chlorophyll in the leaves to make the food needed to stay green. So instead of making more food, the leaves start using food they have stored away for this time of year.
As the leaves use the food that has been stored away, cells form at the bottom of each leaf. These cells act like a door between the leaf and the rest of the tree—a door that closes very slowly and doesn’t shut until all the leaf’s food is gone. While this is happening, the colors in the leaves of the trees are able to show through. In fact, the red, yellow, gold and orange colors are hiding in the leaves all summer long. The colors just can’t be seen in the summer because of all the chlorophyll in the leaves.
You might be wondering how the rest of the tree keeps growing when the weather turns cold and the leaves die and fall. Doesn’t the rest of the tree need the food made by the tree’s leaves?
Not really. The tree trunk and branches get food from the roots of the tree. The roots supply water, vitamins and minerals they get from the ground. Trees need sunshine and warm weather to grow, but they also need time to rest like bears that sleep during the winter.
1. Why do leaves change colors?| A．They save some energy to stay alive. |
| B．The chlorophyll stores some food away. |
| C．They have to get used to the cold weather. |
| D．They can’t get enough energy from the sun. |
| A．When there is no sunlight any longer . |
| B．When the food stored away in the leaves is use up. |
| C．When the chlorophyll in the leaves stops working. |
| D．When cells start to form at the bottom of each leaf . |
| A．By getting food from the ground. |
| B．By storing food in their branches. |
| C．By storing food in their roots. |
| D．By making the most use of the dead leaves. |
| A．To study how trees survive in winter. |
| B．To tell about the importance of photosynthesis. |
| C．To explain why leaves change colors. |
| D．To show the changes of trees in the whole year. |
4 . Do you need a human to create a beautiful scent (气味)? That’s the question being asked as artificial intelligence (AI) starts to enter the perfume(香水) industry.
Companies are increasingly turning to technology in order to create more bestselling, unique fragrances that can be produced in just minutes. Last year, Swiss-based fragrance developer Givaudan Fragrances launched Carto, an artificial intelligence-powered tool to help perfumers(调香师). Through machine learning (a way computers improve outcomes automatically by learning from past results) Carto can suggest combinations of ingredients.
Using a touch screen, the perfumer can pull together different scents using data from the brand’s vast library of fragrance formulas (配方) — a much more efficient process than using traditional forms. A small robot immediately processes the fragrances into perfumes, making it easier for perfumers to test their new scents.
German fragrance house Symrise has gone one step further and teamed up with IBM Research to create an AI called Philyra. Like Carto, Philyra can’t actually sniff anything. But it is not designed to replace perfumers.
“It’s machine-learning and sometimes the results have been wrong,” says Claire Viola, vice president of digital strategy fragrance at Symrise. “It’s still a project, the more we test, the more it continues to improve. It constantly needs training.”
1. What is Carto according to the passage?| A．a bestselling unique fragrance. | B．a Swiss-based fragrance developer. |
| C．an AI-powered tool. | D．combinations of ingredients. |
| A．The process of making fragrance. | B．Two ways of making fragrance. |
| C．The importance of a small robot. | D．The popularity of a small robot. |
| A．It will replace perfumers in the near future. |
| B．It’s the most effective technology to produce perfume. |
| C．The results will be perfect when using it. |
| D．We should train and improve it, because it’s machine-learning. |
| A．Lifestyle | B．Entertainment |
| C．Advertisement | D．Science & technology |
5 . Princess Jasmine in the new Disney movie Aladdin may have just gotten its first message from a little girl, ''You can't go with Aladdin to see the whole world!''
In a video posted to the Chinese social media, Wechat, the 4-year-old, Madison Jade, thinks Jasmine shouldn't have waited for Aladdin to show her the world.
The reason she said that the princess shouldn't go with Aladdin? There wasn't enough room on the blanket!
The carpet does look a bit small if you ask us.
Her mom then asked her to talk about the other princess books she has read. The 4-year-old said she's very unhappy with the princess in distress story line in them.
''Sometimes when we read your princess books, the princes will take the princesses on dangerous trips, or they'll save the whole world or they'll save the princesses. That's a good thing, right? '' her mom asked.
''Mom... the princesses don’t need princes to save them. They can save themselves. '' the girl replied.
Her thoughts received a lot of praise from fans who shared her feeling.
One travel blogger agreed, ''As an experienced world traveler. I have travelled around the world. I have learned that we don't need ANY BOYS OR MEN TO SEE THE WORLD! ''
Another reader, Kellee Edwards, wrote, ''I'm so proud of her thought process. ''
''I am really surprised by my 4-year-old. I could not believe that she is my little girl!'' said her mother.
1. Why does Madison Jade think Jasmine should not wait for Aladdin to see the world?| A．Jasmine is old enough. |
| B．The blanket is too small. |
| C．Girls are stronger than boys. |
| D．Aladdin doesn't like the princess. |
| A．Danger. | B．Love. | C．Power. | D．Anxiety. |
| A．Madison Jade is a lovely girl. |
| B．Madison Jade is a good reader. |
| C．Madison Jade has her own ideas. |
| D．Madison Jade is too strong-willed. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Hurt. | C．Amazed. | D．Upset. |
6 . Chinese pianist Lang Lang will join in a star-studded cast of celebrities for One World: Together at Home, a televised and online-streamed global concert honoring and supporting front-line healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The show is put on with support of the World Health Organization and the international advocacy organization Global Citizen.
"It is one of the most important experiences in my life. It has made me a part of music history. I feel very honored to do what I can do for fighting the virus," says the pianist. "We both know music is without borders, so I do think good music can unite the world and give people power."
The two-hour-long virtual concert will be broadcast at 8 pm US Eastern Time on April 18 on multiple TV networks and online streaming platforms, with the participation of a lineup of artists including Paul McCartney, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, Billie Eilish and many other stars.
One World: Together At Home will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel of Jimmy Kimmel Live and Stephen Colbert of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Friends from Sesame Street will also be on hand to help unify and inspire people around the world to take meaningful actions that increase support for the global COVID-19 response.
The digital stream will be available on social media platforms, including Alibaba, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Tencent Music Entertainment Group.
"We are grateful to the private sectors who have listened to the public's call for action and come together to support the global response to COVID-19. This pandemic is too large for governments to tackle alone," said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. "We are also incredibly grateful for the continued support from the artist community to make One World: Together At Home a moment of global unity. Our hope for the special is that everyone will come away believing that we, as a shared humanity, can emerge from this moment forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers and all those who are the backbone of our communities."
1. What is the purpose of One World: Together at Home?| A．To unite the artists around the world |
| B．To promote the development of music |
| C．To be in support of and show respect to the medics |
| D．To show the great charm of music |
| A．Jimmy Kimmel | B．Stevie Wonder |
| C．Jimmy Fallon | D．Stephen Colbert |
| A．operate | B．cope with |
| C．achieve | D．comment |
| A．The private sectors support the global response to COVID-19. |
| B．The artist community’s support makes One World: Together At Home a moment of global unity. |
| C．The private sectors have listened to the public's call for action and taken action. |
| D．People from all walks of life have made great contributions in the fight against COVID-19. |
7 . Universities in East China's Shandong province will be partnered with universities in the United Kingdom to provide online assistance and consulting services for Chinese students in the UK during the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Around 200 experienced medical and psychological experts selected from 42 universities in Shandong will form about 100 support groups that will be assigned to more than 150 British universities. They will remotely offer health advice, both physical and psychological, to Chinese students studying in the UK.
Another 60 experts from seven medical colleges in Shandong will take turns to provide 2-hour online consulting advice to the overseas students every day, from 12 noon to 2 pm, UK time. The experts will share knowledge about COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, as well as offer emergency psychological counseling, and their work will continue until the epidemic ends in the UK.
The initiative, titled "Hand in Hand, Heart to Heart", was jointly organized by the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, the People's Government of Shandong Province, and China's embassy in the United Kingdom.
The program is the new complementing effort tailored for Chinese citizens abroad to help them with the prevention of the disease, to "protect everyone's life and health", Yu said, referring to aid from Shandong province that was sent to the UK on March 28 in the form of 15 experts and doctors and 48 metric tons of medical supplies, including 10 ventilators.
That team of specialists in disease control included experts in traditional Chinese and Western medicine, psychology, nursing, and other fields. Members conducted epidemiological investigations and epidemic prevention education, and participated in disease prevention and treatment work during the visit.
The program will not only help Chinese students in the UK to overcome difficulties, but will also "deepen the friendship between two peoples in China and the UK", and promote the development of the China-UK "golden era", he said.
1. What can be inferred from the passage?| A．The medical staff in China will fly to give timely aid to the Chinese students in UK. |
| B．All the medical assistance will be conducted online. |
| C．All British universities have received China’s supportive service. |
| D．The medical experts in Shandong will continue their work the epidemic ends throughout the world. |
| A．The British citizens | B．Shandong experts |
| C．UK students | D．Chinese students in the UK |
| A．proposal | B．ability |
| C．opportunity | D．civil right |
| A．positive | B．negative |
| C．neutral | D．indifferent |
8 . Light pollution is blocking a starry view of the night sky for more than half of people across England, a research has found.
Fifty-seven percent of stargazers(观星者)struggled to see more than 10 stars, while just 2% of participants said they experienced a truly dark sky enabling them to count more than 30, according to the research by the Campaign to Protect Rural England(CPRE). People in the countryside were encouraged to count how many stars they could see with eyes within the constellation(星座)of Orion, which is visible only in the winter months.
Campaigners said the results of the star count, supported by the British Astronomical Association, showed the problem of light pollution and how it affected one of the countryside's most magical sights-a dark, starry night sky. They said the results of the research to map England's night skies suggested more could be done by the government, local councils and the general public to lessen the negative effects of artificial light from streets and buildings.
Emma Marrington, dark skies campaigner at the CPRE, said, “We're hugely grateful to the people who took the time to get out and take part in our star count. But it's deeply disappointing that the vast majority were unable to experience the natural wonder of a truly dark sky blanketed with stars. Without intervention, our night sky will continue to be lost under a covering of artificial light, ruining the health of the natural world.”
She added, “The star count results show just how far-reaching the light from street lights and buildings can be seen. Light doesn't respect boundaries, and careless use can see it spread for miles from cities.”
She suggested better-designed lighting, street light dimming(暗淡)systems and partnight lighting where some street lights are turned off during the small hours should provide an opportunity to limit the damage caused by light pollution, reduce carbon emissions and save money.
1. What effect does the light pollution bring about to England?| A．It leads the stars to disappear. |
| B．It makes the countryside dim. |
| C．It makes the environment terrible. |
| D．It prevents the people seeing stars. |
| A．The overuse of artificial light. |
| B．More and more buildings. |
| C．Less and less outdoor activities. |
| D．The spread of light in the countryside. |
| A．Regretful. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Appreciative. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Changing the streets' design. |
| B．Turning off lights at night. |
| C．Spreading light further. |
| D．Using street lights wisely. |
9 . Exploring a stadium is interesting. Without a game to focus on, you can actually appreciate the size and design of these places.
Raymond James Stadium
It offers a 75-minute tour showing visitors the inner workings of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ home stadium and the field. The stadium store has over 2,000 items. Tours run Mondays through Thursdays. Advance reservations are not required, but because tours may be cancelled, visitors should call (813)350-6500 to confirm a tour is running that day.
Tropicana Field
It offers 90-minute tours on weekdays. Some restricted areas that tour groups visit are the press box and the stadium control room. Guides will point out the stadium’s unique features and the team's history. Occasionally, groups will even see a player rehabbing (康复) or leave their jobs. Tour days vary, so call (813)326-7297 for an updated schedule.
Amalie Arena (圆形运动场)
It offers a behind-the-scenes tour on all Tampa Bay Lighting game days, starting 3.5 hours before the game and lasting an hour. Visitors see every floor of the arena. Tickets to that day’s game are not required. Buy tickets at the Amalie Arena ticket office or through the Tampa Bay Lightning app by clicking “experience”. For more information, call (813)301-6500.
Al Lang Stadium
The 70-minute tour is appropriate for all ages. No footballs, large bags, backpacks, cameras longer than 12 inches or video cameras are permitted on the tour. Please note there is no food available to purchase on site during the tour. All bags need to be searched upon arrival. Call (813)455-4921 to check tour availability on the day you plan to come.
1. Why should visitors call Raymond James Stadium ahead of time?| A．To book the ticket to it. |
| B．To know its inner workings. |
| C．To check if the tour is available. |
| D．To choose the place of it to visit. |
| A．Raymond James Stadium. |
| B．Tropicana Field. |
| C．Amalie Arena. |
| D．Al Lang Stadium. |
| A．In a fashion magazine. |
| B．In a scientific journal. |
| C．In a travel brochure. |
| D．In a sports report. |
10 . If you expect to work in the future in the travel industry, you should begin learning Chinese.
That’s because Chinese people spent nearly$258 billion in total on international travel last year. That’s more than twice the combined amount spent on international travel by people from the United States and Germany, the next two biggest-spending nations. The Chinese are relative(相对的)newcomers when it comes to traveling beyond their nation’s borders and only a small percentage of them travel outside of China each year. Given the size of that nation’s population. even that small percentage represents well over 100 million Chinese travelers to foreign destinations.
Yet Chinese citizens flew, on average, just 65 miles last year versus(与……相对)the 227 miles flown on average by US residents(居民), the 285 miles flown on average by Germans, the 271 miles flown on average by those from the United Kingdom, and the 632 miles flown by the average Canadian last year.
China’s high total spending on international travel and its low average number of miles flown on international travel may show that while only a small percentage of China’s residents actually travel outside their homeland, and those who do spend a lot of money don’t go that far. But there are reasons for China’s low average of miles travel on international trips. A small percentage of Chinese now have enough money to travel internationally, though the number of people who do travel outside of China is growing fast every year. Besides, a large percentage of Chinese people traveling abroad stay close to home.
However, as more and more Chinese gain the financial ability to travel internationally and as Chinese become more and more interested in visiting destinations farther and farther away from home, their spending on international travel and the average distances flown will both rise rapidly.
1. Why does the author suggest learning Chinese for the future work in travel industry?| A．Being good at Chinese is a must for future work. |
| B．Chinese is most commonly used in travel industry. |
| C．Travel industry requires employees to learn Chinese. |
| D．China is a big-spending nation in international travel |
| A．People from different countries have different preferred destinations. |
| B．China has a relatively low average number of miles flown on travel. |
| C．Chinese people are more willing to travel abroad compared with Canadians. |
| D．People going on a journey around the world hate taking international planes. |
| A．Try to save their money. | B．Improve their ability to travel. |
| C．Choose to stay close to home. | D．Travel in America and Germany. |
| A．It’s bright. | B．It’s confusing. |
| C．It’s hopeless. | D．It’s unclear. |
