1 . China has just officially opened its FAST radio telescope to international scientists. Scientists across the world can submit proposals for astronomical observations using the telescope.
FAST is short for Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (球面射电望远镜) and it is also believed to be the world's largest radio telescope and the most sensitive single-dish radio telescope. The receiving surface area of FAST is 250,000 square meters, about the size of 30 standard football fields. Its construction was completed in September 2016 and it officially began operating in January 2020.
The major scientific task of the telescope is the observation of pulsars (脉冲星) – the rotating neutron stars. The study of pulsars can help to confirm the existence of gravitational radiation and black holes, and help solve many other major questions in physics. Another scientific goal of FAST is to search for outer space civilization.
The telescope is located in a naturally deep and round karst depression in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The first advantage of the selected site is the altitude. The average altitude of Guizhou is about 1,100 meters, which maximizes the effectiveness of the observation equipment. Secondly, the radio telescope needs to have a “big pan” to receive better signal. The huge natural depression could reduce the amount of excavation (挖掘) and difficulty of construction. Moreover, the selected site in Guizhou is far away from cities, and has a small population, which reduces the interference (干扰) caused by wireless devices such as TVs, mobile phones and radios from human activities.
FAST has identified over 300 pulsars. Experts predict that the number could reach 1,000 in five years and that the telescope could locate and identify the first pulsar outside the galaxy. With the opening-up to international scientists, China's FAST is expected to make more contribution to astronomical research in the future.
1. What do we know about FAST?| A．It is opened to global scientists. | B．It is a project under construction. |
| C．It has provided service since 2016. | D．It has found a pulsar outside the galaxy. |
| A．To study black holes. | B．To observe the pulsars. |
| C．To explore the sun. | D．To seek space civilization. |
| A．It's close to urban areas. | B．It reduces engineering amount. |
| C．It possesses a shallow depression. | D．It's at the highest altitude in China. |
| A．Major Scientific Tasks of FAST | B．Ways to Select the Site for FAST |
| C．Contributions FAST Has Made | D．Facts about FAST Radio Telescope |
2 . Imagine a world where you move around in front of a personal computer in your own sound space. You listen to your, favorite songs, play loud computer games or watch a movie - all without other people hearing the sound. That is the possibility presented by "sound beaming,'' a new technology from Noveto Systems, an Israeli company.
On Friday, the company debuted (首发) a desktop device that sends sound directly to a listener without the need for headphones or a special receiver. No veto Systems gave The Associated Press (AP) a chance to test its SoundBeamer 1.0 before its debut. The AP's Louise Dixon writes that listening to the device is like something from a science fiction movie. The sound seems so close that it feels like it is inside your cars while also in front, above and behind them.
Noveto expects the device will have many uses. Office workers could listen to music or conference calls without others hearing. People could play a game, a movie or music without waking up others in the same room. Because the device does not use headphones, it is possible to hear other sounds in the room clearly.
The device uses a 3-D technology that finds and follows the ear position of the listener. It sends ultrasonic (超声的) waves to create sound pockets by the user's cars. Sound can be heard in stereo or 3-D. The 3-D method creates sound on all sides of the listener, the company said.
The demo (样本) version of the device included nature videos of birds on a lake, bees flying and a quiet waterway. Most people trying the technology for the first time just say, 'Wow. I really don't believe it. It sounds like a speaker, but no one else can hear it ... it's supporting you and you're in the middle of everything. It's happening around you.”
By changing a setting, the sound can follow a listener around when they move their head. It is also possible to move out of the sound beam's path and hear nothing at all.
While the idea of sound beaming is not new, Noveto was the first to launch the technology. Its chief executive officer Christophe Ramstein said a “smaller" version of the device will be ready for release to consumers next year.
1. What does the Soundbeamer Product mainly feature?| A．Its various uses. |
| B．The application of 3-D technology. |
| C．An escape from other sounds around. |
| D．The absence of headphones for a listener. |
| A．Scientific. | B．Fashionable. |
| C．Lifelike. | D．Convenient. |
| A．Make sound pockets. | B．Enjoy natural scenes. |
| C．Play games with friends. | D．Produce a science fiction movie. |
| A．Its original idea. | B．Its present size. |
| C．Its positioning ability. | D．Its sound effect. |
3 . Best Family Vacations in Canada
When looking for the ideal destination for your next family vacation abroad, consider Canada for its wide range of multi-generational entertainment. Use this list to plan your next trip north, and vote below for your first-choice destination before you head out.
Niagara Falls | The maid of the mist boat tour may leave you fully wet, but it won’t wet your spirit on your trip. When you’re not admiring the falls, enjoy the blossoms at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens. Or, visit the Aquarium (水族馆) of Niagara, which has more than1,500 species of aquatic animals. |
Prince Edward Island | The background for the “Anne of Green Gables” stories, Prince Edward Island offers a variety of outdoor experiences—from sandy beaches to water sports like kayaking to exploring one of eight lighthouses. Plus, PEI is a quick flight from almost anywhere on the east coast. |
Whistler | Kids will love hitting the slopes (斜坡) on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains nearby Vancouver. Whistler also features educational activities, such as the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, for families who want to gain some learning while on vacation. |
Vancouver | You’ll find most of Vancouver’s kid-centered attractions in Granville Island and Stanley Park. The nearly 1,000-acre park has the Vancouver Aquarium, plus four playgrounds, and a mini-train. For a more exciting rush, walk across the 450-foot-long Capilano Suspension Bridge. |
1. How may a visitor feel during the boat tour at Niagara Falls?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Excited. | C．Scared. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Niagara Falls. | B．Prince Edward Island. | C．Whistler. | D．Vancouver. |
| A．They are famous for bridges. |
| B．People can visit cultural centres. |
| C．Aquariums are the main attraction. |
| D．They have attractions for children. |
4 . New parents who clean their homes very often to protect their babies from bacteria and other organisms might cut back their efforts.
A new study suggests high levels of contact with cleaning products are linked to an increased risk of the childhood breathing condition known as asthma (气喘).
Researchers asked a group of parents how often they used 26 common household cleaners during their babies’ first three to four months of life. By age three, the children who had come in contact with cleaning products the most were more likely to be diagnosed with asthma. The researchers said children who had a lot of contact with cleaners were 37 percent more likely to have asthma than children with the least contact. The study also found a lot of exposure to cleaning products caused children to be 35 percent more likely to have chronic difficulty breathing. In addition, they were 49 percent more likely to have chronic allergies.
Tim Takaro, who helped lead the study, suggested that parents should question the belief that their home is clean only if it smells like chemical-based cleaning products. He also advised them to look for products free of substances like chemical colors. Besides, they should consider natural cleaning products instead of chemical ones.
The American lung Association recommends avoiding cleaning products that contain volatile (易挥发的) organic substances and other irritants (刺激物). But companies in Canada and the United States are not required to list all the chemicals in cleaning products. Some products labeled as environmentally friendly, or "green", may contain harmful substances.
Elissa Abrams, a doctor with the University of Manitoba, admitted the effects of cleaning products are not well understood. But she believed these products and the chemicals they contain act as irritants to growing children "The take-home message is that parents should be careful with cleaning products they use in the home", she added.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．The suggestions on using cleaning products. |
| B．The parents’ opinions of household cleaners. |
| C．The conduct of the study and the findings. |
| D．The reason for using cleaning products. |
| A．Have a full understanding of cleaning products. |
| B．Keep their home free of all kinds of cleaning products. |
| C．Use natural cleaning products rather than chemical ones. |
| D．Make their homes smell like chemical-based cleaning products. |
| A．They are environmentally friendly without any harm. |
| B．They are asked to list all the chemicals contained. |
| C．They are free of irritants if labeled "green". |
| D．They are not always safe to be used. |
| A．Arts & Culture. | B．Lifestyle & Health. |
| C．Life & Technology. | D．Climate & Environment. |
5 . When it comes to making television historical documentaries, there are few places and periods that British television audiences have not been taken by presenter Michael Wood. Earlier this year he became the first filmmaker from outside China to make a film about the life and work of poet Du Fu. The Du Fu film, featuring famous British actor Ian McKellen reading his poems, was shown on the BBC and China Central Television, and the reaction was instant and positive.
“It created a lot of interest and feedback in China and got a lot of coverage at the time, which was really touching, because when you go into a foreign culture as an outsider, to make a film about something of theirs, you want to make sure you’ve got it right.” Wood said.
As shown in the documentary, Du Fu’s works are learnt by heart by Chinese school students, but outside the country, he is not that well known. So, there is something Wood is keen to put right.
Stephen Owen, one of his leading translators from Harvard says, “Du Fu should be considered alongside Shakespeare and Dante as people who helped compose the emotional vocabulary of their culture.”
For more than 40 years, China has always held the most fascination for Wood. He first got interested in China when he was at school and picked up a book called Poems of the late Tang by AC Graham. “That book opened a window to a world that I never even dreamed.” he said. In the early 80s, it was the first time he had been to China. “I really enjoyed being with the people, who were so friendly and sociable. I remember coming back from my first long trip there feeling genuinely sad to go home.” Wood said.
Opening up discussion and encouraging cultural links is something Wood also does through his involvement. “We believe in dialogue. We try to promote mutual understanding and respect, and we want to help people in the West understand the culture of China better and to get rid of major areas of misunderstanding.” he said. “I did a series called The Story of England years ago, telling the history of the country over the centuries through the life of one village, and I’d love to try something like that in China.”
1. What makes the Du Fu film special?| A．Michael Wood’s making the film. |
| B．Ian Mckellen’s reading Du Fu’s poems. |
| C．Stephen Owen’s translating Du Fu’s poems. |
| D．AC Graham’s writing Poems of the late Tang. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Disappointed. | C．Favorable. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．To highlight Du Fu’s cultural status. | B．To introduce these two poets to people. |
| C．To explain the reason for making the film. | D．To stress these two poets’ cultural position. |
| A．The cultural misunderstanding was removed through the film. |
| B．People outside China know nothing about Chinese poems. |
| C．Wood had a tough time during his first visit to China. |
| D．Wood is likely to make a film telling Chinese history. |
6 . Every year on April 1, April Fools' Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. In France, it's called "Poisson d’Avril" or "Fish of April”. In Scotland, the holiday is often called "Gowkie Day". In Iraq, the holiday is called "Kithbet Neesan” or "April Lie".
History experts say people have celebrated April Fools’ Day for a long time. Some believe April Fools' Day comes from the ancient Romans more than two thousand years ago, which was a day of playing games and pretending to be someone else.
Others say the day for fooling began in France in 1564. when King Charles changed the yearly calendar. He moved New Year's Day from April 1 to January I Many people did not know about the change because of communication problems then. Some people continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people called them April Fools and played jokes on them.
In the United State, April Fools' Day is just a day of joking and playing tricks on friends. These kinds of jokes are also called pranks （恶 作 剧）.These jokes typically end in the prankster shouting “April Fools”!
Simple pranks, like telling a friend a funny lie or making prank phone calls, are still common. But major companies also get in on April Fools' Day in a much bigger way. A few years ago, on April 1, Starbucks announced it was introducing new coffee cup sizes-plenta and Micra. The very large cups, bigger than a human head, remained useful for customers even after finishing all that coffee. According to Starbucks, the cups could be used as a rain hat, a pot for plants, or a lampshade.
It did not take long for customers to catch on to the prank. More and more people use media or smartphone apps to play pranks on their friends on April Fools' Day. One very annoying smartphone app, Cat Facts, sends funny facts about cats to your friends5 phones every day.
1. Why did some French people keep the old New Year's Day?| A．They liked the old celebration. |
| B．They did not know the change. |
| C．They wanted to be different from others. |
| D．The king wanted to play plank on the people. |
| A．escape the stress of their work |
| B．find a chance to give children gifts |
| C．improve the friendship between them |
| D．have fun and play jokes on others |
| A．Join in | B．give away |
| C．stick to | D．break away from |
| A．To introduce a new festival. |
| B．To tell a story on April Fools' Day. |
| C．To introduce April Fools' Day. |
| D．To explain the misunderstanding of April Fools' Day. |
7 . When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied （欺凌）at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.
But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy 1 shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received, I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.
Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.
After surviving the terrible experiences at school and at home, 1 made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.
Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone's life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.
1. What was the author's life like when he was 12?| A．Boring. | B．Peaceful. | C．Joyful. | D．Unhappy. |
| A．It helped him find the goal of life. |
| B．It made him energetic in his life. |
| C．It helped to shape his dream career. |
| D．It helped him understand others' lives better. |
| A．he was inspired by his teacher. |
| B．he found he had a talent for writing. |
| C．he could pass positive energy to readers. |
| D．he wanted to share his teenage experiences. |
| A．Say 'no' to bullies bravely. |
| B．Make positive changes in our lives. |
| C．Treat others with kindness in daily life. |
| D．Learn to care more about others' feelings. |
8 . Researchers at CU Boulder have developed a wearable device that changes the human body into a biological battery. The device is stretchy(弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, sport band or any other thing that touches your skin. It also taps into a person's natural heat-employing thermoelectric generators to change the body's internal temperature into electricity. "In the future, we want to be able to power your wearable electronics without having to include a battery," said Jianliang Xiao, an associate professor at CU Boulder.
The concept may sound like something out of The Matrix film series, in which a race of robots have enslaved humans to harvest their precious organic energy. Xiao and his colleagues aren't that ambitious: Their devices can generate about 1 volt (伏特) of energy for every square centimeter of skin space-less volt per area than what most existing batteries provide but still enough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers.
Scientists have previously experimented with similar wearable devices, but Xiao's is stretchy, can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable-making it a cleaner alternative to traditional electronics. "Whenever you use a battery, you're depleting(消耗) that battery and will, eventually, need to replace it," Xiao said. "The nice thing about our device is that you can wear it, and it provides you with constant power."
Just pretend that you're out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and that heat will radiate out to the cool air around you. Xiao's device captures that flow of energy rather than let it go to waste. "The thermoelectric generators are in close contact with the human body, and they can use the heat that would normally be sent into the environment," Xiao said.
1. What does Xiao expect of his device at present?| A．It will be used for medical purposes. |
| B．It will be made smaller and wearable. |
| C．It will change natural power into electricity. |
| D．It will supply constant power to wearable devices. |
| A．To give an explanation. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To introduce a topic. | D．To analyze the cause. |
| A．The strengths of Xiao's device. |
| B．The convenience of using a battery. |
| C．The replacement of wearable devices. |
| D．The development of traditional electronics. |
| A．It operates with plenty of power. |
| B．It is designed for practical use. |
| C．It benefits people's health in a way. |
| D．It's based on traditional electronics. |
9 . Family-friendly walks
PADLEY GORGE
Next to Grindleford Station, eight miles north of Bakewell, lies Padley Gorge. Trails are kept as natural as possible---it's more a case of finding the gaps in the woods than following a path.
LONGSHAW ESTATE
The 1.7-mile walking route around this National Trust estate skirts the upper end of Padley Gorge. People love the stepping stones, but Longshaw is mostly all about the giant fallen trees, left in place for little hands and feet to delightfully climb over.
HIGGER TOR
A pile of giant rocks dominates Higger Tor, the best of several lookouts along the Ringinglow Road between Hathersage and Sheffield. Walk through the nearby fields, then let the kids climb over hundreds of strangely smooth grey stones. The views out over the Hope Valley are great and impressive, and the rock pools in Burbage Brook are perfect for rowing in.
STANAGE EDGE
Popular with rock climbers, this stone cliff marks the boundary of the mysterious land of the Dark Peak cliff and the grass-covered flat land of White Peak. It's a six mile circular walk from Hathersage. Alternatively, park at the Hollin Bank Car Park and climb half a mile to the top, out of breath.
CHATSWORTH ESTATE
A three-mile circle from Calton Lees Car Park takes in a ruined factory, the pretty village of Edensor and views of Chatsworth House. Appreciate the stretch along the River Derwent---deer often hang out there.
1. Whom is the text intended for?| A．Friends. | B．Farmers. |
| C．Families. | D．Climbers. |
| A．HIGGER TOR and STANAGE EDGE. |
| B．LONGSHAW ESTATE and HIGGER TOR. |
| C．PADLEY GORGE and LONGSHAW ESTATE. |
| D．STANAGE EDGE and CHATSWORTH ESTATE. |
| A．PADLEY GORGE. | B．LONGSHAW ESTATE. |
| C．STANAGE EDGE. | D．CHATSWORTH ESTATE. |
10 . From the very beginning of school we make books and reading a constant source of possible failure and public humiliation. When children are little we make them read aloud, before the teacher and other children, so that we can be sure they “know” all the words they are reading. This means that when they don't know a word, they are going to make a mistake, right in front of everyone. After having taught fifth-grade classes for four years, I decided to try at all costs to rid them of their fear and dislike of books, and to get them to read oftener and more adventurously.
One day soon after school had started, I said to them, “Now I’m going to say something about reading that you have probably never heard a teacher say before. I would like you to read a lot of books this year, but I want you to read them only for pleasure. I am not going to ask you questions to find out whether you understand the books or not. If you understand enough of a book to enjoy it and want to go on reading it, that’s enough for me. Also I’m not going to ask you what words mean.”
The children sat stunned and silent. Was this a teacher talking? One girl, who had just come to us from a school where she had had a very hard time, looked at me steadily for a long time after I had finished. Then, still looking at me, she said slowly and seriously, “Mr Holt, do you really mean that?” I said just as seriously, “I mean every word of it.”
During the spring she really astonished me. One day, she was reading at her desk. From a glimpse of the illustrations I thought I knew what the book was. I said to myself, “It can’t be.” and went to take a closer look. Sure enough, she was reading Moby Dick, in edition with woodcuts. I said, “Don’t you find parts of it rather heavy going?” She answered, “Oh, sure, but I just skip over those parts and go on to the next good part.”
This is exactly what reading should be and in school so seldom is, an exciting, joyous adventure. Find something, dive into it, take the good parts, skip the bad parts, get what you can out of it, go on to something else. How different is our mean-spirited, picky insistence that every child get every last little scrap of “understanding” that can be dug out of a book!
1. According to the passage, children’s fear and dislike of books may result from________.| A．reading little and thinking little | B．reading often and adventurously |
| C．being made to read too much | D．being made to read aloud before others |
| A．it sounded stupid | B．it was not surprising at all |
| C．it sounded too good to be true | D．it was no different from other teachers' talk |
| A．She skipped over those easy parts while reading. |
| B．She had a hard time finishing the required reading tasks. |
| C．She learned to appreciate some parts of the difficult books. |
| D．She turned out to be a top student after coming to this school. |
| A．children cannot tell good parts from bad parts while reading |
| B．children should be left to decide what to read and how to read |
| C．reading is never a pleasant and inspiring experience in school |
| D．reading involves understanding every little piece of information |
