1 . As a classic love movie of the twentieth century, Titanic makes one scene a long-lasting cinematic shot: Jack let go of his hand and sank in the icy seawater, leaving the chance of living to his lover Rose, who finally survived on a wooden door debris (残骸).
More than 100 years since the disastrous event and more than two decades after the earliest release of the movie Titanic, there have been many “door theories”. Audiences debate heatedly over whether or not Jack and Rose could have both fit onto the wooden debris and survived. So, was there room for Jack?
In a TV program, hosts Jamie and Adam even did an experiment using an exact replica (复制品) of the wooden piece from the movie, and the two proved that if they had tied Rose’s life jacket to the bottom of the door to strengthen its buoyancy ( 浮 力 ), they would have managed to stay afloat.
However, their conclusion was debunked when director Cameron said that the freezing water and Jack’s high temperature would have made the life jacket solution impossible. He also said that the debate is beyond the point the movie was trying to make, which is focused on the tragic love story of Jack and Rose, not physics.
The largest debris recovered from the real Titanic is now displayed in the Maritime Museum. The museum’s website states that a replica was once built for the movie based on the museum’s Titanic collection which was known as the “door” used in the death scene. Unfortunately, the size of the debris coupled with the weight of Rose on top could work, but not if Jack’s additional weight was added to it.
In a word, science has proven that Jack didn’t die for nothing and did indeed sacrifice himself to save the love of his life.
1. What’s the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To lead into the topic. | B．To introduce a movie. | C．To raise a question. | D．To highlight characters. |
| A．The development of the plot. | B．A physics experiment. | C．The theme of the movie. | D．A heated debate. |
| A．Confirmed. | B．Opposed. | C．Approved. | D．Concerned. |
| A．unrealistic | B．confusing | C．reasonable | D．surprising |
2 . Carbon is a chemical element which is present in organic compounds that make us organisms, plants as well as fossil. It is a vital component of the greenhouse gas CO2, the highest percentage of the global warming gas in the atmosphere.
These Green House Gases (GIIGs) along with other factors are responsible for the most discussed issues affecting the planet, climate change. Climate change has and still releases a huge set of environmental disasters which are fueling the difficulty of survival on the planet. In order to eliminate, reduce and adapt to these risks of survival, individuals, organizations, and countries will have to adopt carbon neutrality measures. The main aim of carbon neutrality is to achieve a net-zero emission either by balancing the emission or absorbing of carbon or quit the production of carbon. However, to really understand carbon neutrality, the carbon cycle should be first understood
The carbon cycle is the transfer of carbon through different media. Carbon has the ability to move in different media in different forms at different rates and tines. These different factors (rate, time, and media) are the phenomena underlying carbon neutrality. For instance, carbon released into the atmosphere by the rapid burning of fossil fills back as rain in the form of carbonate (碳酸盐) and is absorbed by the reservoirs (oceans, surface water, and the earth surface). Even though the exchange of carbon between some of these reservoirs takes a long time, some over 100 years, carbon was absorbed until now. The main problem existing today is that the emissions of CO2 are too high to be offset by the reservoirs, thereby leaving the offsetting task to us.
The European Union (EU) is taking all measures it can to offset carbon through Emission trading system which helps industries to manage their carbon footprints. Similarly, China, which is responsible for 25% of the world's CO2 emissions due to its economic and industrial structure is currently decreasing its energy consumption/GDP and CO2 emission/GDP, while increasing is forest cover and air quality through its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) carbon neutrality actions.
1. What does the underlined word "fueling" in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．Experiencing. | B．Overcoming. | C．Increasing. | D．Ending. |
| A．By giving an example. |
| B．By comparing media. |
| C．By analyzing data. |
| D．By describing a task. |
| A．GHGs take the whole blame for the climate change. |
| B．Carbon exchange takes little time. |
| C．The contribution of the EU is not obvious. |
| D．China las a clear goal in low-carbon efforts. |
| A．Politics. | B．Environment. | C．Commercial. | D．Lifestyle. |
3 . Counseling(咨询)Services
Counseling Services is a place on campus where you can find someone to talk when you're feeling hopeless, lonely, depressed, confused, upset over a relationship, or just anxious. If you or anyone you know has been disturbed by recent events, please come to Counseling Services, which can provide a safe and comfortable environment for all students.
Service Time
Counseling Services will be closed from Monday. December 21st 2020 through the beginning of Spring Term 2021. But we will continue to provide Tele-health services by phone and email Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. We will be fully closed on the following dates: December 24th. 25th. 30th. 31st. January 1st. 2021.
Appointment
To make an appointment, call (715) S36-552I during our business hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-12:00 am, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm. We are open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Wednesdays.
What You Can Get
In addition to services on phones or on line, you can now check out our Attacking. Anxiety and Depression Workshop Videos, or see what our office is up to on Instagram and Facebook. We have also been collecting COVID-19 specific online resources.
If you want to know more, please click here.
1. Who may need Counseling Services?| A．Anyone living alone | B．Pupils wanting to live comfortably |
| C．Students suffering from anxiety | D．Students feeling hopeful |
| A．Wednesday | B．Friday | C．Monday | D．Tuesday |
| A．Counseling Services will be closed on Monday. |
| B．COVID-19 specific online resources are provided. |
| C．Counseling Services is a place outside school. |
| D．Counseling services are available on December 25th. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A website |
4 . Campeche is a city with a tumultuous history. Originally this area was settled by the Mayans. The first Spanish colonizers arrived in 1517 and established Campeche as the main port in the region. Unsurprisingly, this made Campeche an attractive target for pirates who first arrived in the late 16 century. For the next 200 years, Campeche was frequently attacked. Nevertheless, it is a delightful city and filled with interesting things to do.
Explore the old city of Campeche
There are a lot of beautiful restored old towns in Mexico, but Campeche is one of the nicest, cleanest and most elegant. The Campeche neighborhood is lovely and colorful, with neat sidewalks and smoothly laid out roads!
Wander along the Campeche Malecon
One of the nicest things about Campeche is its waterfront setting. The best way to enjoy that? Wandering along the malecon, or the walkway along the waterfront, just before sunset. This is the time when it cools down and everyone comes out to see things and to be seen. You'll see couples posing for photographers, joggers, cyclists, elderly people having conversations and groups of teenagers giggling.
Stop for a Bite at Calle 59
Calle 59 is a pedestrian-only street filled with outdoor tables from the surrounding restaurants. You can cat here at night, but a lot of people come for drinks. This is the one place in Campeche that feels touristy—its tables are filled with giant beers that get shared among multiple peoples.
1. Which of the following sentence can best describe Campeche?| A．Campeche has a large population. |
| B．Campeche is a city with mixed heritage. |
| C．Campeche has experienced years of civil war. |
| D．Campeche once appealed to pirates for its culture. |
| A．Having a nice walk along the malecon. | B．Enjoying the atmosphere of Campeche. |
| C．Drinking beers in the restaurants. | D．Taking some pictures of the sunset. |
| A．Mexico. | B．Calle 59. |
| C．The Campeche neighborhood. | D．The Campeche Malecon. |
5 . You can't see your sleeping pet's brain waves, but its behavior can tell you when Fido or Fluffy might be dreaming. If you watch closely, you'll see that as your cat falls asleep, her breathing becomes slow and regular and her body still. She has entered the first stage of sleep, called slow-wave sleep. After about 15 minutes you'll notice a change in her breathing. Her paws and whiskers twitch(抽动) and she flicks an ear. Fluffy has entered REM(Rapid Eye Movement), or dreaming stage of sleep. Although she twitches and makes little grunting noises, messages from her brain to the large muscles in her legs are blocked, so she can’t run about. She is in a state of “sleep paralysis”.
Back in 1963, Michel Jouvet, a French scientist who was studying sleep in cats, interrupted their sleep paralysis. Even though they were completely asleep, the dreaming cats began to chase balls that Jouvet couldn't see and arched their backs at invisible enemies. He figured he was watching them act out their dreams!
What were they dreaming about? Mostly, the dreaming cats seemed to be practising important cat skills: stalking, pouncing and fighting.
In another study, neuroscientist Matt Wilson recorded rats' brain waves while they learned mazes(迷宫). One day, he left the brain-wave-recording machine on while the rats fell asleep. The pattern of brain waves in the sleeping rats matched the pattern from the maze so closely that Wilson could figure out exactly which part of the maze each rat was dreaming about!
Many researchers now think that in both people and animals, one purpose of dreams is to practise important skills and figure out recent learning. This may explain why so many people dream about fighting and escaping, skills that were probably important to our ancestors, and why dreaming affects our ability to learn.
Do all animals dream? From looking at the brain waves of sleeping animals, scientists think that all mammals dream, but reptiles, fish, and invertebrates(无脊椎动物) don't.(They're not sure about birds.)
1. What can we know about "sleep paralysis"?| A．It's the initial step of sleep. |
| B．I features slow-wave sleep. |
| C．It is in a motionless state. |
| D．It refers to the dreaming stage. |
| A．exercising basic skills. |
| B．playing balls. |
| C．recording brain waves. |
| D．learning mazes. |
| A．The museles of the reaming eats are blocked to move. |
| B．Dreaming a lot can help humans learn more. |
| C．Eighting and escaping are not necessary for ancestors. |
| D．Dreaming has a great impact on both humans and animals. |
| A．Fido and Fluffy. |
| B．Do Animals Dream? |
| C．What is Sleep Paralysis? |
| D．Stages of Animal Sleep. |
6 . Emerson, my 11-year-old daughter, is constantly contacting with the United States Postal Service (USPS)and our mail carrier, Doug. She las a serious letter-writing habit and maintains correspondence with her favorite people. If you've been the receiver of her hand-decorated letters and envelopes, then I know they really make your day.
A letter from Emerson is likely to include some art, a joke and enough questions to guarantee a response. But when she wrote a letter to Doug, she put something new in it: "You may know me as the person living here that writes lots of letters...You're very important to me, helping me stay in touch with friends. I cheer people up with my letters, but you do too!"
The next day, a package arrived with two letters. One was from Doug and the other from his superior, Sara, saying she had shared Emerson's note in the internal newsletter of the USPS and believed many postal folks wanted to thank Emerson. Emerson was so pleased with the letter that it upset me much, for the possible result of no reply would come as a blow to her.
Surprisingly, today, we saw Doug come with two boxes of letters from around the country. These letters were so human, filled with family, pets and a sense of kindness. But there was something more in them. People felt seen—some for the first time in a long time. "I work alone in a small rural post office..." "Not many people think about how hard we work…" Emerson wrote back seriously.
I'm sharing this not because I'm a proud dad, but because it's relatively easy, if we take the time, to give others links they need to be well. We all want to be seen, known and loved. Send a letter. Give a call. Take a step of bravery, like Emerson.
1. What do we know about Emerson's letters?| A．They make receivers joyful. |
| B．They are all about family and pets. |
| C．They contain many practical jokes. |
| D．They are written to postal folks. |
| A．Emerson was too delighted with the package. |
| B．there might be no answer to Emerson's note. |
| C．postal folks would like to express their gratitude. |
| D．Sara had shared Emerson's note without permission. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Serious. | C．Ambitious. | D．Caring. |
| A．Courage lightens the blow. |
| B．Brief is life but love is long. |
| C．Connection makes a difference. |
| D．Life without a friend is death. |
7 . After traveling more than seven months in space, Tianwen 1 is one step closer to Mars! Tianwen 1, China’s first Mars probe （探测器）, successfully entered Mars orbit in February, according to the China National Space Administration （CNSA）. It will stay in orbit for about three months before landing on the red planet.
A small step on the red planet will be a big step for human beings. Humans have launched 46 Mars exploration missions since October 1960, but only 19 of them have been successful, according to China Daily. It’s China’s first spacecraft to Mars, and the missions are rather ambitious. Tianwen 1 aims to achieve “orbiting, landing, and roving （环绕，着陆，巡视）” all in one journey, which will make the country the world’s first to accomplish all three goals with one probe, mission scientists said. Among the three tasks, touchdown on the red planet is the most difficult. The result mainly depends on the “breathtaking seven minutes,” which will deploy multiple cutting-edge technologies and accurate timing of each action, including the burning of engines and opening of parachutes （降落伞）to ensure a safe landing, according to the Global Times. The previous success of Chang’e 5 has accumulated experience in this regard which “boosts our confidence”, Wang Ya’nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times. Tianwen Vs ultimate goal is to land a rover on Mars in May or June, and it will conduct scientific investigations on Mars’ soil, geological （地质学的）structure, environment, atmosphere and water, according to China Daily.
February was Mars month. NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on Mars on Feb 19, and China’s Tianwen 1 and United Arab Emirates’ （UAE） Hope have arrived within orbit of the red planet. Although they started their Mars journeys at almost the same time, their missions vary. “When we step into the far planets of the solar system, the magnitude （量级）of the resources and timeline required will take a global commitment,” US Congressman Frank Lucas said, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in space.
1. What can we learn about Tianwen 1?| A．It’s the world’s first probe to enter the orbit around Mars. |
| B．It will spend 10 months preparing for its landing. |
| C．It is expected to land on Mars in May or June. |
| D．It’s one of the 46 successful Mars exploration missions. |
| A．Landing a rover on the red planet. | B．Staying in orbit around Mars for months. |
| C．Bringing back samples from Mars. | D．Orbiting, landing and roving with one probe. |
| A．Lack of advanced technologies. | B．Achieving a safe landing. |
| C．Completing tasks quickly. | D．Insufficient landing experience. |
| A．There are risks in exploring other planets. |
| B．Space exploration calls for global cooperation. |
| C．Tianwen 1 will reach other planets besides Mars. |
| D．Exploring space takes considerable time and resources. |
8 . These days, young people in some English-speaking countries are speaking a strange language, especially when communicating on social media.
Look at these words chosen by The Washington Post: “David Bowie dying is totes tradge” and “When Cookie hugged Jamal it made me totes emosh.” Or this sentence: “BAE. let me know if you stay in tonight.”
What on earth do they mean? Well, “totes” is a short form of “total if Similarly,” “tradge” mean: “tragic” and “emosh” means “emotional”. It seems that, for millennials, typing in this form is no only time-saving but fashionable.
As you can see, many millennial slangs are formed by so-called “totesing”— the systematic abbreviation of words. The trend might have started with “totally” becoming “totes”. but it now has spread to many other English words.
The origins of other millennial slangs are more complex than “totesing”. “Bae”, for example, has been widely used by African-Americans for years. It can be an expression of closeness with one's romantic partner or, like “sweetheart”, for someone without romantic connection. After pop singer Pharrell used the word in his work, “bae” became mainstream.
Some people might think millennial slangs lower the value of the English language, but Melboume University linguist Rosey Billington doesn't agree. She says when people are able to use a language in a creative way, they show that they know the language rules well enough to use words differently. Two other linguists, Lauren Spradlin and Taylor Jones, share the sane view. The two analysed hundreds of examples of totes-speak and discovered totesing has complex roots. It isn't simply an adult version of baby talk, nor a clever way to minimize your word count. Rather, it is a highly organized system that relies on a speaker's mastery of English pronunciation. It is about sounds, follows sound system of English and has strict rules.
1. Why do young people like using e-slangs?| A．They are time-consuming. | B．They are in fashion. |
| C．They are complex. | D．They are in order. |
| A．To support that totesing is no baby. talk. |
| B．To analyse the usage of millennial slangs. |
| C．To inform people how it became mainstream. |
| D．To explain the complex origins of millennial slangs. |
| A．Totesing is a loosely organized system. |
| B．Millennial slangs lower the value of English. |
| C．It's simply a clever way to reduce the word count. |
| D．Totes-speak requires a good command of English. |
| A．E-slangs Catch on Among Youth | B．Linguists Disapprove of Totesing |
| C．Millennial Slangs Take the Lead | D．English Has Greatly Changed |
Before We Were Yours Author: Lisa Wingate Published in 2017 Before We Were Yours is a touching story about families reunited. It moves deeply almost everyone who reads it. Before We Were Yours is adapted（改编）from real-life historical events, making the novel an interesting read for those who want to find out more about the great happenings in post-war American history. |
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, wealth, and happiness Author: Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein Published in 2008 The book is written by Richard H. Thaler, the winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2017, and Cass R. Sunstein and it was named one of the best books of 2008 by The Economist. Every day we make choices-about what to buy or eat, about our children’s health and education, and so on. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. This book is about how we make these choices and how we can make better ones. |
The Fault in Our Stars Author: John Green Published in 2012 The book is the award-winning author John Green’s most heartbreaking work. The story is told by Hazel Grace, a 16-year-old girl with cancer. She is forced by her parents to attend a support group where she meets and falls in love with 17-year-old Augustus Waters. |
Still Just Kidding Author: Cassandra Calin Published in 2018 Have you ever wondered how a comedy writer comes up with funny ideas and turns them into comics? In this book Cassandra will be telling us all about herself and showing where her ideas come from. Cassandra will even go a step further and show how she designs her comics in a way that is sure to put a smile on even the angriest faces. |
1. What is special about the book Before We Were Yours?
| A．It is written for parents. |
| B．It is based on the real events. |
| C．It describes the history of America. |
| D．It talks about the events during the war. |
| A．Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. |
| B．Still Just Kidding. |
| C．The Fault in Our Stars. |
| D．Before We Were Yours. |
| A．Shocked. | B．Lucky. |
| C．Funny. | D．Sad. |
10 . When I was 6, my elder brother brought me to the local BMX(自行车越野) track to ride in a kid’s race for the first time. The hill out of the starting gate looked so scary and step that I backed off. My parents took me back for another try the next week. I fell almost immediately but still managed to win the second place. I’ve loved racing ever since.
I turned pro at 15, which isn’t possible now: You have to be 17 to compete professionally around the time I went pro, BMX became an Olympic sport and I decided to pursue it after high school. I’m the youngest woman with a professional title in the United States.
BMX isn’t judged on tricks or how you handle barriers, but it’s an extreme sport. It’s like horse racing mixed with riding a roller coaster. It starts with a huge burst of speed—I go 40 mph by the time. I’m two and a half seconds out of the gate. Then I try to come out in front of seven competitors at the end of the track, which includes 40-foot jumps. I keep chasing the high that comes from prestart nervousness, big jumps, and that feeling of crossing the finish line first.
Strength and balance are key in competition, so I work out at least five days a week to prepare. I do tons of resistance and agility(灵活) training, both on and off the bike. I also do mental drills with a sports psychologist to make sure I’m focused and confident going into competition. If I make a mistake on the course, I have to move on. Everyone is out to beat me; I need to concentrate on winning so my competitors can’t capitalize on an error and pass me!
I was so proud to win a silver medal at the Olympics in Rio, but I felt I was capable of gold, so that will push me to do better. I’m continually working to reach my potential in the sport. Until I feel completely satisfied, I’ll keep coming back.
1. What do we know about the author?| A．She withdrew from her first BMX race. |
| B．She became the youngest BMX rider in America. |
| C．Her parents forced her to turn BMX professional. |
| D．Her efforts resulted in BMX entering the Olympics. |
| A．jump highest | B．focus on other competitors |
| C．play tricks | D．keep balanced all the way |
| A．make up for | B．take advantage of |
| C．keep an eye on | D．take notice of |
| A．Proud and serious. | B．Ambitious and hard-working. |
| C．Optimistic and generous. | D．Independent and cooperative. |
