1 . Maybe you are familiar with scenes in movies where a pilot has got into an emergency mid-flight and you hear him shout "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!". But what does “Mayday" mean? Mayday is an internationally recognized distress call（求救信号）,mostly used by pilots and boat captains. The signal can be sent out on any channel by radio communication.
This emergency call originated in the 1920s. At that time, the standard distress call was "SOS" and was typically used by navy captains. The message was sent in Morse code by telegraph. In Morse code, “SOS” is three dots, three dashes and three dots. The signal was unmistakable. However, aircraft pilots use radio calls, so sending out “SOS” could be misheard as other letters, such as “F”.
Frederick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer at Croydon Airport in London, was asked to think of a word that would indicate distress. Because of the number of flights that flew between Croydon and Paris, he chose Mayday, as it sounds similar to the French word aider", which means “help me”.
Facing a threatening situation, pilots are required to repeat the signal three times in case of radio interference（干扰）or loud background noise. If the pilots don't get a reply within two minutes, they should repeat it. Once they receive a reply, more information including the code of the flight, their current situation and the number of people on board should be reported. Sometimes pilots are directed to a nearby airport or location where they can make an emergency landing. While Mayday signals indicate a life-threatening situation, they do not always end in deaths.
Despite dangers, air travel is still the safest means of transport.
1. How did navy captains call for help before the 1920s?| A．By sending "Mayday" by telegraph. | B．By calling "Mayday" by radio. |
| C．By sending “SOS” by telegraph. | D．By calling "SOS" by radio. |
| A．It is a signal mainly used in European countries. |
| B．It is only used by pilots and boat captains. |
| C．It was sent by telegraph in the beginning. |
| D．It was invented by a radio officer in the 1920s. |
| A．When to use Mayday signals. | B．How to use Mayday signals to call for help, |
| C．How Mayday signals were recognized. | D．What makes Mayday signals useful. |
| A．Sports. | B．Fashion. | C．Art. | D．Science. |
2 . Now we are in a "golden age" of space-sample collection and exploration. Space agencies around the world are busy collecting, or planning to collect, samples from asteroids（小行星），moons and planets and so on.
China's Chang'e-5 mission is the most recent sample-return mission that has been successfully completed. On Dec 17, 2020, the Chang'e-5 lunar probe（探测器）returned home and landed in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region after weeks of space travel, China Daily reported. This was the world’s first lunar sample-return mission since 1976. The mission collected 1,713 grams of samples of rocks and dust with the help of a drill and a mechanical（机械的）arm.
Another space sample-return mission was completed on Dec 6, 2020. Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe returned a capsule to Earth containing valuable samples from the asteroid Ryugu. This was the second time asteroid samples had ever been collected and brought back to Earth. The first asteroid samples were collected by the original Hayabusa spacecraft back in 2010.
There will be more such missions in the near future. NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which collected samples from the asteroid Bennu in October 2020, is expected to return to Earth in 2023. Russia's Lunar-25 mission is scheduled to launch to the moon in 2021 to collect lunar samples.
“I cannot emphasize enough how valuable return samples are for increasing our understanding of the origin and evolution of our solar system and our place in the universe, and how we came to be," said Ann Nguyen, a NASA planetary scientist
As for the Chang'e-5 lunar samples, scientists will conduct various analyses, tests and experiments to determine the composition, structure and physical characteristics of the samples. This information will help to deepen our knowledge about the history of the moon, as well as our solar system as a whole.
1. What do we know about the Chang'e-5 lunar probe?| A．It was launched on Dec 17,2020. |
| B．It completed the most successful mission. |
| C．It collected the world's first lunar sample. |
| D．It brought back more than 1,700 grams of lunar samples. |
| A．Providing examples. | B．Explaining a concept. |
| C．Drawing comparisons. | D．Making a summary. |
| A．To learn more about how the solar system originates and evolves. |
| B．To determine the structure of the solar system. |
| C．To deepen our knowledge about our place on Earth. |
| D．To understand how water first appeared on the moon. |
| A．A "golden age" comes | B．Man explores space |
| C．Space samples land | D．Scientists analyse samples |
3 . Do you like running enough to make it a habit? Temey Wolfgram does; she has made running a lifelong career and isn’t stopping.
In February, the 16-year-old from Woodbury High School, Minnesota, US, competed at the 2020 US Olympic Trials. She finished the marathon (42,J95 km) with a tune of 2:42:47 as the youngest competitor in the race and ranked 76th out of 390 runners.
Then, in November, Wolfgram, who turned 17, broke the Women's American Junior marathon record with her time of 2:31:49. The old record was 2:34:32, which had stood since 1984. During the run, Wolfgram once hit a wall pretty hard, but she overcame it to finish. “I guess I can say I gave it my all,” she told Runner's World. “When I finished, all I was thinking was that I was super happy,” Wolfgram said.
This was only her third marathon. In 2018, when Wolfgram was 15 years old, she ran her first marathon just because she wanted to see if she was capable of doing it. “I believed that I would get faster as the distances got longer... and I'm still glad that I did it.”
When preparing for that first marathon, she ran up to 120 miles （about 190 kilometers） per week. Although her parents didn't have any background in running, they helped Wolfgram train. At first, her dad would take her out in the morning and run about 13 miles. The distance would gradually increase each day. On top of her runs in the morning, she would do cross-country practice after school.
Next, Wolfgram will think about attending the Olympic Games in 2024 after it's scheduled.
1. In which race has Wolfgram broken a record?| A．The 2020 US Olympic Trials. | B．The 2020 Women’s American Junior marathon. |
| C．Her first marathon in 2018. | D．The 2024 Olympic Games. |
| A．To knock one's head against a wall. | B．To be disappointed. |
| C．To go smoothly. | D．To be very tired. |
| A．Her coach's support. | B．Her parents, encouragement |
| C．Her desire to prove she could do it | D．Her hope to break the national record. |
| A．Outgoing. | B．Determined. | C．Honest | D．Smart. |
4 . Garbage often has negative associations with germs (细菌)，dirt and useless junk. However, a recent art exhibition proved that “useless” things can have practical significance.
Dear Pretty Rubbish, an art event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWFN) and digital media art company Blackbow, was held in Beijing. It looked at wasteful consumption (消耗) and asked questions about the relationship between our lifestyles and our garbage.
“We hope that everyone who visited the show can think about how ‘useless things’ are produced, why they are tossed out (扔走), and whether ‘useless things’ are really useless,” said Cao Yujia, the design director of Blackbow.
The organizers said that all the raw materials for the exhibition were collected from community garbage cans.
Artists Zhou Yuxuan and Liu Yifan collected nylon cable ties (尼龙扎带), LED lights and beverage bottles from designers’ workshops to create a work where plastics, in the shape of cells, “grow” in a corner. There, the lights blink (闪烁) regularly to imitate (模仿) “breathing”. When people walk near it, the work responds by forming light patterns, as if communicating with the visitors.
Speaking about the work, Zhou said: “It’s like some kind of communication between humans and plastics.”
Plastic has a life longer than almost any creature, taking centuries to decompose. Though people blame plastics for damage to the environment, they are a big part of our daily lives.
“So we want to ask the question: Although the damage continues, whether there is a way for humans to reconcile (调和) with plastics,” said Zhou.
Liu said that plastic waste can be used to make clothes and ornaments (装饰品). “Re-use of plastics will be a future trend,” he said.
Cable ties are a useful and common material for fastening. Many people will buy a large bundle of them but only use a few pieces. The rest of cable ties could be re-used as a decoration in handicrafts.
“This exhibition calls for everyone to re-think their wasteful lifestyle full of single-use plastics and make changes,” said Cao.
1. What was the purpose of Dear Pretty Rubbish?| A．To call on people to reduce waste. |
| B．To remind people to live healthily. |
| C．To encourage people to use more plastic. |
| D．To teach people how to recycle different kinds of garbage. |
| A．dry up | B．break down |
| C．be discovered | D．be broken |
| A．Communication is important for everyone. |
| B．A community’s garbage is full of hidden treasures. |
| C．Creativity can change your life. |
| D．Plastics could be reused to reduce pollution. |
| A．An art exhibition held in Beijing. |
| B．The rise of a new lifestyle. |
| C．The many uses of plastics. |
| D．An introduction of two artists and their works. |
5 . My love for libraries blossomed when I joined the public library.
From the age of 8, I was allowed to walk from my home to the downtown library, housed above the police station.
Once the librarian (图书管理员) gave me my first membership card, I could enjoy a range of books, which started with Little House in the Big Woods.
I was addicted instantly, and this love of libraries and reading would change my life, allowing me to one day create a safe space for high-school kids, too.
By the time I was in high school, I could read the authors that we were studying in class, including Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Emily Bronte. During the summer months, I got caught up in Gone with the Wind and Anna Karenina.
When I studied English literature at university, I thought it was time to build my own library. For the next 40 years, I continued to collect books. Until one day, I realized that all my books had become a part of the house, like wallpaper.
Toward the end of my teaching career, I became a teacher-librarian at my old high school, where I had first learned English literature. This position resumed (恢复) my love and appreciation for libraries. I never forgot how wonderful it was to be surrounded by books.
I had a generous budget (预算) for my classes, so I searched for novels that would interest my teenage audience and hopefully spark (激发) a love of books. Fantasy, science-fiction, graphic novels – I bought almost any type of book that my students wanted to read.
I bought sofas and comfortable chairs, turning the library into an inclusive (包容的) public space, safe for everyone.
In doing so, I realized that the library isn’t just a place to do research. They are, in fact, places that offer an opportunity to engage with the past, present and future. All that is required is a tiny bit of curiosity. Libraries are places that should be full of life. They help us adjust to the world, and their doors must be kept open to everyone – for free!
1. What can we learn about the author during her school time?| A．She enjoyed literature very much. |
| B．She didn’t have money to buy books. |
| C．She didn’t get along well with her parents. |
| D．She usually stayed home during the summer holidays. |
| A．Gentle. | B．Devoted. | C．Humorous. | D．Independent. |
| A．They are places mainly used for research. |
| B．They help people to connect with the world. |
| C．They should be profitable. |
| D．They should be set up mainly in high schools. |
| A．To tell readers how to make full use of libraries. |
| B．To tell readers what she learned from books. |
| C．To show her love for reading and libraries. |
| D．To show how much she missed being a teacher. |
6 . Talking about the best places to gather solar energy, the most common answer is the deserts. But in fact, the extreme heat can reduce solar panels’ potential. It’s like your computer. If it overheats, it slows down. So we have to keep a balance between having a lot of panels in the desert and getting the highest efficiency of them.
Oregon State University ecological engineer Chad Higgins and his team are interested in where panels should be located to get the most energy production. In addition to temperatures and sunlight, they found that conditions for the most efficiency include low relative humidity(湿度) and gentle winds that improve transfer of heat from the panels. By analyzing satellite data for these four factors, they created a map of potential solar panel productivity for different land types around the globe. Agricultural croplands come first.
If you think about it for a minute, it makes sense. What is agriculture? It is taking the sun’s rays and turning it into a form of energy that we consume. So there’s this sweet spot where you get the maximum productivity.
Other factors also favor cropland solar. Agricultural lands tend to be closer to population centers where there is a market for electricity, rather than way off in the desert. Agricultural lands tend to be flat. They tend to be already disturbed. So you don’t have as many ecological conservation worries.
Higgins thinks that agriculture and solar can benefit each other, providing a way to a more sustainable energy future. He estimates that putting panels on just one percent of croplands worldwide would be enough to meet all the global electricity needs. Higgins hopes the research will inspire cooperation between solar companies and farmers to feed the world and power it too.
1. Why was the computer mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic of the text. |
| B．To explain the importance of technology. |
| C．To confirm the accuracy of the new findings. |
| D．To give a similar example to show the result of overheat. |
| A．Flow to make panels last longer. |
| B．Why panels in deserts work badly. |
| C．What material to use to make panels. |
| D．Where to put panels to make more energy. |
| A．Promising. | B．Doubtful. | C．Confusing. | D．Easy-operating. |
| A．Deserts are not fit for solar energy. |
| B．Cropland solar is the best place for solar panels. |
| C．There are many factors that favor cropland solar. |
| D．Higgins hopes to find a sustainable energy in the future. |
7 . The trend of shared real estate (房地产) spaces is expanding in various global cities, and it is particularly being welcomed by younger individuals such as Generation Z. Given how the current housing prices in urban centers are going up, the co-living trend might just be the pocket-friendly answer many young home-seekers are looking for.
While the idea of sharing spaces with others as a way of saving money is nothing new. The co-living is a concept that differs from the notion of “having roommates”. Private bedrooms, combined with common spaces shared with other people, are features these two brands of housing share.
However, the way co-living differs from the traditional roommate arrangements is that the former comes with individual leases(租期). In contrast, the latter comes with a master lease all residents are covered with. Co-living is, in essence, a cut-down version of roommate arrangements that only keeps its good parts while eliminating the bad ones.
Another advantage of this rental arrangement is the ability to spend more on experiences instead of paying for living in a larger home. And if there’s something Millennials and Gen Zers are known for, they tend to value experience over material possessions, and sharing a living space is a great way to facilitate such a lifestyle and focus on things that matter most.
Whether it’s the appeal of the larger cities that attracts them, or the fact that they landed a job that requires moving to a densely populated area. Making new connections in a big city may come as a challenge to Millennials and Gen Zers, sharing a rented living space eliminates this anxiety as it instantly provides you with an opportunity to meet new people and develop long-lasting relationships.
While the co-living concept is being embraced by young individuals worldwide, many are still unfamiliar with how co-living really works. Therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise that some people would be concerned about their privacy and safety. However, we can see this particular housing model gaining popularity in times to come.
1. What is the difference between the co-living and having roommates?| A．The co-living has individual rents. |
| B．The co-living has private bedrooms. |
| C．Having roommates means sharing common space. |
| D．Having roommates will cut down one’s expense on living. |
| A．The appeal of living in larger cities. |
| B．Much more value on material possessions. |
| C．The better-paid jobs are all in bigger cities. |
| D．The housing construction is not on the rise. |
| A．Destroying. | B．Cutting in. | C．Removing. | D．Putting off. |
| A．The Advantage of the Co-Living |
| B．The Rising Trend of Co-Living Spaces |
| C．The Appropriate Living Style in the Future |
| D．New Generations with Energy-Saving Housing |
8 . Some of my earliest memories involve sitting with my dad in his study every night when he came home from the office. I'd watch as he put his personal items away：his watch, wallet, comb and car keys. Every night, he would smile, hand me the comb and say：" Help Daddy clean it, OK?" I'd excitedly turn the tap on, then brush the comb with a used toothbrush as hard as I could. Then I’d proudly return the comb to Dad. He would smile at me, and place it on top of his wallet.
About two years later, Dad left his sales job and started his own business. I started primary school. That was when things started to change. Dad's business wasn't doing so well, and our stable life started getting shaky. He didn't come home as much as he used to. And when he did come home, it was always late and I'd already be in bed. I started to get mad. Why didn't he listen to Mum and just stick to his old job? Over the years, I stopped waiting for him to come home.
Now 28, I've graduated from college and got a job. Dad's business has also started to get back on track. Yet the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me persisted.
Yesterday, Dad came home early. As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave ,he said ：" Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb?" I looked at him a while, then took the comb. After cleaning, I passed it back to Dad. He looked at it and smiled. But this time, I noticed something different. My dad has aged. He has wrinkles next to his eyes, yet his smile is still as heartwarming as before, the smile of a father who just wants a good life for his family. Dad carefully placed his comb on top of his wallet. After so many years,I guess some things never change. And for that, I'm glad.
1. What was the author asked to do by the father when young?| A．Brushing his comb. | B．Cleaning his toothbrush. |
| C．Chatting with him in his study. | D．Greeting him at the door. |
| A．He was laid off by his former company. |
| B．He desired to struggle for a big fortunate. |
| C．He wanted to fulfill a good life for his family. |
| D．He followed his wife's advice and tried new. |
| A．The father's new business wasn't going so smoothly. |
| B．The father came home rarely or very late. |
| C．The tough primary school and little time with the dad. |
| D．The misunderstanding of the author and less communication between them. |
| A．Generous and humorous. | B．Modest and conventional. |
| C．Struggling and devoted. | D．Ambitious and strict. |
9 . Three Films to Watch in October
October is approaching and a new wave of films will be on soon. Here are three breath-taking films recommended by BBC and see which of the following will appeal to you best?
Rebecca (《蝴蝶梦》)
The famous adaption of Rebecca is the Oscar-winning Alfred Hitchcock classic Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. How can Ben Wheatley’s new version possibly compete? Well, one answer is to have Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs Danvers, a stroke of casting genius which is enough to justify the film’s existence. Another answer is going back to the book and trying to get closer to the actual story... You think you know it and you just don’t.
On Netflix from 21 October
Possessor
Andrea Riseborough stars as an assassin(刺客) who can control other people’s bodies and get them to do the killing for her. Her latest job is to kill an IT tycoon (Sean Bean) and his daughter (Tuppence Middleton) by possessing the daughter’s future husband (Christopher Abbott). David Ehrlich of IndieWire claimed , “90 minutes of Andrea Riseborough and Chriustopher Abbott engaging in warfare over control of the latter’s body is more satisfying”.
Released on 2 October in the US and 9 October in Canada
Honest Thief
Liam Neeson plays Tom, a retired bank robber who promises to return his ill-gotten gains in exchange for a reduced prison sentence so that he can settle down with the woman he loves (Kate Walsh). But the two FBI agents (Jai Courtney and Anthony Ramos) assigned to fetch the money decide to steal it instead and frame Tom for murder. Unfortunately for them, he is a man with a very particular set of skills, so the explosions, car chases, and shoot-outs all come.
Released on 14 October in France, 15 October in Portugal and 16 October in the US
1. What do we know about Ben Wheatley’s new Rebecca?| A．It is the most famous adaptation of Rebecca. |
| B．It is directed and produced closer to the original. |
| C．Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine starred in his film. |
| D．Kristin Scott Thomas, a casting genius edited the movie. |
| A．On 2 October. | B．On 9 October. | C．On 14 October. | D．On 15 October. |
| A．Tragic love. | B．Thrilling action. | C．Beautiful landscape. | D．Psychological control. |
10 . For some people, certain foods can be deadly. Around the world, children are far more likely than ever before to develop food allergies（过敏）. In the US, for example, allergy rates among children were rising from 2010 to 2016, according to the Childhood Allergies in America report. It also showed that the number of children “at risk” for a severe allergic reaction rose by 104 percent. Almost half of these severe reactions were from food.
“In the past, children often were only allergic to one or maybe two foods. But now it’s very common to see children allergic to two or three or more foods,” said Hugh Sampson, a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, US. “And milk, eggs, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are the common ones to take the blame.”
First of all, as countries import exotic（外来的）products, people are more likely to adopt foreign diets. One example is an increased allergy to kiwis in the US. “Everything is so global now. We’re getting exposed to foods that we never had before,” Sampson said. “And as globalization accelerates migration, more people will tend to experience food allergies.”
Environmental factors may also play a large role: Migrants appear to show a higher possibility of food allergy and asthma（哮喘）in their adopted country in comparison to their country of origin, according to the BBC.
Changes in food making could explain the global rise in allergies as well. For example, people are more likely to be allergic to dry-roasted peanuts-common in the US, UK and Australia-than boiled or fried peanuts, which are common in China. This suggests that how and when the food is introduced is as important a factor as the food itself. Food allergy awareness has increased during recent years, but there’s more work to be done to understand and deal with its rise.
1. What does the second paragraph imply?| A．More foods today can lead to allergies. |
| B．Food was to blame for children’s allergies. |
| C．Kids are more likely to suffer allergies. |
| D．People all know the reasons for allergies. |
| A．Globalization has caused unexpected effects. |
| B．Globalization plays a role in increased allergies. |
| C．Globalization is the key to solving the problems. |
| D．Globalization allows people to experience more. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Cold. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Allergies increase globally. | B．How to get rid of allergies? |
| C．What causes your allergies? | D．Allergies matter a lot in life. |
