1 . Our fascination with Mars has never stopped. However, in the early days of space exploration, visits were restricted to “fly-bys”, such as those by Mariner Space Probes, by means of which craft would simply pass the planet, taking pictures and collecting data as they went. The Viking “orbiters” were next, and later craft in the Viking series, known as “Landers”, began to study the surface, equipped with instruments which continued to collect data about the environment until they stopped working.
The more recent “Rovers” move around the planet’s surface as they gather information. Current proposals include missions to study geographic features, climate, and soil components, in order to determine, among other things, whether the planet can ever have supported carbon-based life forms. Scientists now believe that at some stage the planet cooled dramatically, resulting in the near-loss of its atmosphere and, thanks to the wearing away of some surface features mineral deposits and other factors, it is also believed that liquid water once flowed here.
One of the most famous craft is “Phoenix”, which landed in November 2008. Its mission was to obtain samples from beneath the surface by digging into the arctic ice while its camera provided geological data and other equipment scanned the atmosphere, measuring temperature and pressure in an attempt to discover whether the chemicals necessary for life might exist beneath the surface. The craft was expected to send back data for three months, but managed to hold out for further two. An especially important part of the project was the need to keep absolute cleanliness of the equipment in order to ensure that any organic material collected was not contaminated by microbes(微生物).
In the future manned landings may probably come true-and though it may seem an extremely difficult undertaking, plans have already been discussed for the “terraforming(行星地球化)”of the planet, giving it an atmosphere, oceans and other elements similar to earth, with, the possibility of human settlement.
1. According to the text, what is “fly-by”?| A．A type of UFO. | B．A photograph of a planet. |
| C．A planet of the solar system. | D．A way of collecting information. |
| A．There is ice on it. |
| B．It once had some mineral deposits. |
| C．It once had carbon-based life forms. |
| D．There are some damaged areas on its surface. |
| A．Polluted. | B．Protected. | C．Controlled. | D．Reduced. |
| A．It will happen very soon. |
| B．It may be hard, but it’s possible. |
| C．It will be full of uncertainties, but it’s worth the efforts. |
| D．It relies on different countries working together. |
2 . Did you know that the average child has heard the word "no" over 20,000 times before they turn the age of three? Ironically, it is also around this time that children begin to develop enough personal character to refuse to obey. The "terrible twos" are categorized by a lack of understanding. Somewhere between three and four, children begin to acquire the skills to reason. It is during this time they watch how other children and adults reason. If we're not careful, the children will watch us model a world of "NOs"。
By the time a person turns eighteen, how many times have they been told no? I haven't found any studies that even attempted to track this statistic, but I'm sure if the number is 20,000 by three, then at eighteen that number has multiplied. You can do the math.
Anyway, I think I know why we say no. We say no to protect. We say no to direct. We say no to stop potential confusion. However, do we sometimes say no just for the sake of saying no? Do we say no because we have internalized(内在化)all of the "NOs" we've heard over the years and we feel it is finally our time to say no to someone else?
The internalized no can damage the growth process of dreams in infancy as quickly as it can weaken a three-year-old. And we wonder why we run into people with big, un-accomplished dreams who have a bit of a chip on their shoulder. They have to take on the 20,000 NOs. However, the thing that keeps them going is the possibility of the power of ONE YES! Just as it only takes one book to make a writer a Pulitzer Prize Winner, it only takes one word to change the course of your day. That word is YES!
1. What do we know about two- year- olds?| A．They understand well. | B．They often say no to others. |
| C．They think logically. | D．They don't do all they're told. |
| A．They lose all their dreams. | B．They aren't easy to succeed. |
| C．They don't make mistakes. | D．They never say yes to others. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Disapproving. | C．Favorable. | D．Carefree. |
| A．A how-to guide. | B．A survey report. | C．An opinion essay. | D．A short story. |
3 . A walk through the galleries of Quebec's Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) places individuals face-to-face with some 43,000 artworks ranging from Chinese ceramics (陶瓷制品) to Inuit sculpture.
While the visiting is an incredible cultural experience, a group of local physicians will soon be able to prescribe(开处方) museum visits as treatment for some illnesses.
Hélène Boyer, vice president of a Montreal-based medical association, explains that museum visits have been shown to increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (神经传导物质) known as the "happy chemical" which helps to lift mood.
According to Boyer, the small increase in hormones(荷尔蒙)associated with enjoying an afternoon of art is similar to that offered by exercise, making museum prescriptions ideal for the elderly experiencing pain that prevents them from regularly joining in physical activity.
The museum visits are designed to improve traditional methods. As Bondil notes, spending time in a peaceful environment can provide a welcome distraction. "What is most important is this experience can help them escape from their own pain," she says. "When you enter the museum, you escape from the speed of our daily life."
"I am convinced that in the 21st century, culture will be what physical activity was for health in the 20th century," said Bondil. " Some people would do well to recall that just in the 19th century, sports were believed to do harm to the body. Just as doctors now prescribe exercise, they will be able to prescribe a visit to the MMFA."
1. What does Hélène Boyer think of museum visits?| A．They can cheer people up. | B．They can reduce physical activity. |
| C．They can slow down our life pace. | D．They can increase levels of art appreciation. |
| A．Stop them concentrating on pain. |
| B．Stop them focusing on traditional methods. |
| C．Encourage them not to be absent-minded. |
| D．Encourage them to slow their steps while walking. |
| A．Physical activities were popular in the 19th century. |
| B．Sports are considered to be harmful to the body. |
| C．Ideas of treating illnesses are changing over time. |
| D．Doctors prescribe museum visits regularly now. |
| A．Museum visits are ideal for the elderly. | B．Happy chemical helps to lift mood. |
| C．Peaceful environment helps escape pain. | D．Cultural activities will promote health |
4 . Walking through a local park recently, I saw a teenage boy wearing a T-shirt that read: “Effort wins over talent. ” It reminded me of an idea I think about often, that if you believe you can learn new things and develop new skills, by working hard, you are more likely to achieve those goals. This critical insight was brought up by Dr. Carol Dweck, a Stanford University psychologist, as a “growth mindset”.
According to Dr. Dweck’s research, “talent is not fixed.” Studies by Dweck and others have shown students who have a fixed mindset see new learning experiences as a moment to be judged, not an opportunity to learn. This can make learning a painful struggle, leading many to give up. Students who have a growth mindset, on the other hand, experience challenges as the way to learn and improve. They see hard work as being about learning. Overall, they learn and achieve at higher levels, even when they start out at the same place as those with fixed mindsets.
While Dweck identified growth mindset more than a decade ago, her insights were not made up. They have since been backed up by brain science, made possible by new technology that allows researchers to see images of the brain at work. Studies show that, when a person responds to new and difficult material by engaging in a struggle to learn, the neurons in their brain grow.
Believing that you can grow your abilities through effort—that talent is not fixed—is crucial(要的). As Dweck puts it in her TED talk, we need to focus on showing young people the "Power of Yet” meaning, I haven't learned this yet, or I'm not good at this yet.
Growth mindset is an important idea for educators and schools, but it's also a powerful tool that everyone can use to help themselves to learn and achieve at high levels.
1. What does the underlined word “insight” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Scenery. | B．Research. |
| C．Question. | D．Idea. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving explanations. |
| C．By listing examples. | D．By describing details. |
| A．“Wow, you are really gifted in maths.” | B．“I just don't understand it yet.” |
| C．“You are a clever student.” | D．“My talents determine everything.” |
| A．Why to develop a better mindset. | B．When to obtain a better mindset. |
| C．How to apply the growth mindset. | D．Where to learn the growth mindset. |
5 . What kind of amusing activities will you participate in during your life? Will you be spending your free time doing safe sports with little danger or will you always be one of the first people to try the next popular extreme activity? Scientists have been interested in finding out why some people seem to prefer dangerous activities.
Although there are exceptions, researchers have found that in most cases men are less cautious than women. Men often try to impress women by proving that they are courageous and fearless, and they are more likely to take risks when women are watching them or when they are competing against other men.
Research also shows that as people get older they usually behave more responsibly and avoid taking unnecessary risks. In addition, when people are in stable relationships, they seem to be less attracted to daring activities.
Some people seem to be more daring than others, but there are many different types of risks and some people take one type of risk, but not another Psychologists have identified a number of categories of risk. These include financial risks, risks related to health and safety, amusing risks and social risks. Psychologists discover that some people will take risks in one area, but not in another. Just if a person enjoys bungee (蹦极) jumping, it doesn't mean he or she will take chances when investing (投资) money or that he will tell a joke to a group of strangers.
Interestingly, research shows that women take more social risks than men. They are more likely to make career changes as they get older and to express unpopular opinions in business meetings.
Yet, at the end of the day, the likelihood of particular people taking a risk depends on their personalities. In general, optimistic people are more likely to take risks because they focus on the possible positive outcomes of their actions. On the other hand, those with opposite personality are much more likely to avoid taking a chance.
1. What have researchers discovered about women?| A．They are always changing jobs. | B．They are good at doing business. |
| C．They are more willing to take risks. | D．They are more conservative than men. |
| A．To attract women to watch them. | B．To have favorable effects on women. |
| C．To announce risks are too dangerous. | D．To show their strength to the competitor. |
| A．The potential consequences. | B．Their characters. |
| C．Their problems of finance. | D．The focuses of their work. |
| A．People's sense of taking risks. | B．Risks at people's different ages. |
| C．Different types of people's risks. | D．Risks between men and women. |
6 . Of all the planets, none has captured the world's imagination like Mars. Its reddish colour and changes in brightness over time make the planet an unforgettable sight.
In Cosmos, the television science series from the 1980s, scientist Carl Sagan talked about some traditional ideas about Mars. Some of these ideas are from the English science fiction writer H. G. Well's The War of the Worlds. Others are from the mistaken science of Percival Lowell, the American astronomer who believed intelligent beings lived on Mars. Wells described Martians as threatening. Lowell imagined them as the hopeful engineers of great works. Carl Sagan said that both ideas influenced the public deeply.
Today, Mars continues to excite humans—not as the object of science fiction but of scientific study. Space scientists have collected a wealth of information from spacecrafts that have orbited, landed on and dug into the Martian surface.
The Smithsonian's "Mars Day" offered a chance for people of all ages to touch Mars, or at least a piece of it. Allison and Alycia from Silver Spring, Maryland, brought their children, Grace, Sam, Ryan and Emma. They heard about Mars and its geology from experts. They could see a test version of the Viking landers that reached Mars in July of 1976. They also saw meteorites（陨星）known to have come from the red, or reddish planet. Eight-year-old Sam learned that the ancient description of Mars as red is not exactly right. He said, “It's actually orangish more than red and it's also kind of brown, too.” Emma is six. She learned about the volcanic activity that has shaped the surface of Mars. She said, “The closest thing to Mars—the stuff—is from volcanoes mostly.”
“Mars Day” offered Allison and Alycia's children a chance to learn more about a world that they are very likely to set foot on within their lifetimes.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Why Martians were considered threatening. |
| B．Why Mars has captured the world's imagination. |
| C．What people generally thought of Mars in the past. |
| D．How H. G. Wells got the idea for his science fiction. |
| A．today's space scientists still know nothing about Mars |
| B．today's space scientists are very interested in Mars |
| C．science fiction films are no longer set in Mars |
| D．space scientists haven't made any progress in knowing Mars |
| A．Mars is not really red |
| B．no meteorites have come from Mars |
| C．Mars cannot be described as a little brown |
| D．the ancient description of Mars' colour is true |
| A．He thinks it may happen in this year. |
| B．He thinks it will always remain a dream. |
| C．He thinks it will come true within hundreds of years. |
| D．He thinks it may happen in the following decades. |
7 . Albert Einstein was probably the most famous scientist of the twentieth century. He changed scientific thinking in the modern world. He is generally considered as the greatest physicist who ever lived. What’s more, he devoted a lot of his time and energy to working for human rights and progress.
In 1933, while Einstein was visiting England and the United States, the Nazi government of Germany took all his things away, including his position and his citizenship. Einstein then settled down in the United States. In 1934, Einstein, who loved peace — afraid of a world in which only Hitler would have an atomic bomb (原子弹) — tried hard to persuade President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a famous letter to have the United States start uranium (铀) research. That Germany, after all, had no bomb, and that the first bomb would fall on Japan, could not have been expected. After the war, Einstein never stopped working for peace and reducing the number of soldiers in the world.
Although he wasn’t connected with any accepted religion (宗教), Einstein felt that trusting in a personal God was too special an idea to be suitable to the God at work in this universe, but he never believed that the universe was one of chance or disorder. The universe to him was one of pure law and order. He once said, "God may know everything, but he is not hateful."
1. From the passage we know that______________ .| A．no scientist is as great as Albert Einstein during this century |
| B．Albert Einstein was likely to be the greatest scientist of his time |
| C．Albert Einstein made the first atomic bomb for the United States |
| D．Albert Einstein gave up his German citizenship for political reasons |
| A．have continued his scientific research |
| B．have won another Nobel Prize for Physics |
| C．not have advised starting uranium research in the U.S.A. |
| D．not have moved to the U.S.A. |
| A．visited England and the U.S.A. |
| B．advised the United States to start uranium research |
| C．became a man without citizenship |
| D．both A and C |
| A．was kept in order by its own law |
| B．had nothing to do with each other |
| C．happened in an irregular way |
| D．was made by the personal God |
8 . Have you ever heard a rumor spread around by students at your school? Rumors, like fake news, can often misinform individuals and lead them to believe false information.
In an attempt to settle this problem, the country of Singapore has passed a bill that bans companies and individuals from publishing false information online.
This law, known as The Protection From Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, has caused a public outcry (强烈的抗议), as the government has been given the power to remove content that it considers inaccurate or against the public’s interest.
Since Singapore’s citizens are part of different racial and religious groups, the government fears that rumors or fake news can increase tensions within an already small country.
With the new law coming into effect, Singapore’s government now has the authority to monitor news sites, social media platforms, and other databases of information to determine whether the content is falsified. The government can order for the removal of fake news, and publishers of this information can receive prison time and fines up to one million Singapore dollars!
Critics fear that the bill threatens their freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Since national issues and world news are generally discussed on online platforms, many are concerned that this new bill will prevent individuals from talking freely and having healthy conversations.
Several companies, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter, have offices situated in Singapore, meaning that the new law will affect their company operations. Social media companies in Singapore could face a decline in activity, as users may fear posting their opinions and being punished by the government.
Others are concerned that the law does not clearly state what a “false statement” is. Such an ambiguity might allow the government to misuse their power, even though the intention is to curtail the mow of false information and rumors throughout Singapore.
This law does give rise to several concerns related to freedom and privacy and it will be interesting to see what Singapore’s government will do to deal with this problem.
1. Why are some people against the bill?| A．They think the bill can’t get rid of fake news. |
| B．They belong to different racial and religious groups. |
| C．They think their freedom of speech may be harmed. |
| D．They don’t want to increase tensions in their country. |
| A．Punish publishers of fake news. |
| B．Monitor telephone conversations. |
| C．Prohibit certain people from going online. |
| D．Fine fake-news makers any amount of money. |
| A．Their users’ privacy may be disturbed. |
| B．Their income will increase very slowly. |
| C．Their illegal activities will come to light. |
| D．Their social media may become less active. |
| A．prove | B．accelerate |
| C．promote | D．decrease |
9 . A few years ago, my husband Charlie and I had marital problems. Growing family responsibilities and financial worries took a toll on us and we began arguing frequently, often late into the night.
However, neither of us could take the step that would end our eleven-year marriage and bring heartbreak to our three young children. Deep down we knew we still loved each other, so we determined to work it out. Through countless discussions, we began to close the gulf. The more honest we were, the closer we became.
When I felt we were reaching solid ground, I asked my husband to give me an “eternity (永恒) ring”. It was not so much the ring I wanted; it was the reassurance (保证) I thought it would bring.
We went shopping on a beautiful summer day. We walked hand in hand along a row of jeweler’s shops. Finally I found a ring I liked. While waiting for it to be adjusted, the jeweler took my left hand and glanced at my engagement ring. “May I clean it for you?” he asked. “It really doesn’t sparkle like it used to.” Charlie said as I slipped the ring off my finger. A few minutes later the jeweler was back. The ring shone like new!
On the drive home, I didn’t take my eyes off it. I forgot all about the eternity ring. I just couldn’t believe how this old ring suddenly sparkled the way it had the day Charlie gave it to me. I had taken it for granted these past years, but with a little polish it could still make my heart beat fast.
And that’s the way it is with a marriage. You have to work at keeping it polished and new, or else the grime (污垢) of the passing years will hide the joy. I put my hand on the seat between us and spread my fingers. Charlie covered my hand with his. I felt I was lucky to be able to see the sparkle in something gold when I thought I needed something new.
1. Why did the author and her husband decide to solve the problems?| A．They were a famous couple. | B．They didn’t want to divorce. |
| C．The problems were not serious. | D．They had experience in doing so. |
| A．free of trouble | B．arriving at a square |
| C．wealthy and generous | D．in good relationship |
| A．Her husband kept it for her. | B．They didn’t actually pay for it. |
| C．The old ring’s light attracted her attention. | D．The couple were talking all the way merrily. |
| A．We tend to prefer new objects to old ones. |
| B．One should remain thankful for what he has got. |
| C．Marriage should be constantly polished. |
| D．We should try to rediscover the true value of old objects. |
10 . When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs. Stanley was one of my customers. She’d watch me coming down her street, and by the time I’d biked up to her doorstep, there’d be a cold drink waiting. I’d sit and drink while she talked.
Mrs. Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband, “Mr. Stanley and I went shopping this morning.” she’d say. The first time she said that, soda(汽水) went up my nose.
I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr. Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely, and that I ought to sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she’d work it out of her system. So that’s what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while she seemed content to leave her husband over at the cemetery(墓地).
I finally quit delivering newspapers and didn’t see Mrs. Stanley for several years. Then we crossed paths at a church fund-raiser(募捐活动). She was spooning mashed potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she’d had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.
I live in the city now, and my paperboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I’m doing. When I don’t say “fine”, she sticks around to hear my problems. She’s lived in the city most of her life, but she knows about community. Community isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you’re doing because they care, and not because they’re getting paid to do so. Sometimes it’s good to just smile, nod your head and listen.
1. Why did soda go up the author’s nose one time?| A．He was talking fast. | B．He was shocked. |
| C．He was in a hurry. | D．He was absent-minded. |
| A．He enjoyed the drink. | B．He wanted to be helpful. |
| C．He took the chance to rest. | D．He tried to please his dad. |
| A．recover from her sadness | B．move out of the neighborhood |
| C．turn to her old friends | D．speak out about her past |
| A．Open up to others. | B．Depend on each other. |
| C．Pay for other’s help | D．Care about one another. |
