1 . If you’re DIY-minded, you can build your own solar power system. In some cases, you can even build your own solar panels(电池板), although the amount that you can effectively DIY home solar depends on how much you want to power. Making your own solar panel is a time-consuming process and requires some electrical skills. However, it can also be very rewarding---learning to build your own panel is a great way to understand how solar-electricity is produced.
Before you can build your own solar panels, you first need to understand how solar cells produce electricity. If you’ve bought individual solar cells(they can be purchased online), the basic process for building your own solar panel goes like this: Prepare the backing(垫板) for your panel. Many DIY solar panel builders prefer to use a wooden board as the base for their solar cell. You’ll need to drill holes in the board so that the wires for each cell can pass through. Wire your solar cells together. This requires some experience with electrical work. Use a soldering iron to attach wire to the solar cells and then link each of the cells together. Attach cells to your backing. If possible, attach each solar cell to the backing individually. This makes it easier to replace a single cell in the event that becomes damaged or is not operating properly.
At this point you have a functional solar panel that can produce electricity when the sun shines. However, a solar panel by itself is not useful. If you are trying to produce electricity to power devices in your home, you need to pair your panel with an inverter(换流器) that will turn direct current(DC) power from the sun into the alternating current(AC) power used in most modern electronic devices.
1. How does the author like building DIY solar panel in Para. 1?| A．It is easy. | B．It is necessary. | C．It is common | D．It is worthwhile |
| A．Master how to manage it. | B．Prepare the backing for your panel. |
| C．Purchase individual solar cells. | D．Drill holes in the wooden board. |
| A．To produce more power. | B．To replace damaged cells easily. |
| C．To fix cells to the backing. | D．To pass through the board easily. |
| A．People without electrical skills behave worse in DIY solar panels. |
| B．A wooden board is a must in building your own solar solar power. |
| C．How to pair an inverter depends on how much you want to power. |
| D．A functional solar panel can give power to your home devices directly. |
2 . Granada is Spain’s most visited city, drawing tourists from all over the world, most of whom are eager to see the famous world heritage sites. Also, some people can enjoy the wonderful music and dance festivals there. Located in Spain’s most southern region, you are guaranteed lovely hot weather during the summer. However, as it is set at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, there is skiing during the winter, making it a popular destination all year round.
Centuries ago, Granada was once a city filled with hundreds of public baths. One of the few that remains undamaged dates back to(始于) the 11th century. However, Granada’s most popular attraction is the Alhambra. The name Alhambra means “red castle” because of the color of the stone, which is particularly beautiful at sunset. As you walk through its narrow streets and beautiful gardens, you will be able to experience the charm of this particular region.
Within the Alhambra is the Parador(旅馆) Granada, which is one of Spain’s most popular hotels. It was originally part of a palace and later turned into a convent(女修道院), it’s a place where you can calm your mind. Its tranquil courtyard and lovely views are some of the reasons why so many guests enjoy their stay.
Located on the hill not far from the Alhambra is Albaicin. This used to be an Arab silk market, but today the small streets are filled with shops selling local handicrafts. From Albaicin, there is a steep walk up to a church, but it’s well worth the effort. With the mountains in the background, you will be able to get a beautiful view.
Granada has its own airport with flights from London and Stansted, so flying out for a long weekend couldn’t be easier. Why not discover for yourself why so many people around the world love coming to this charming city ?
1. Why do so many tourists travel to Granada ?| A．To enjoy the famous festivals. | B．To visit the world heritage sites. |
| C．To learn about its old culture. | D．To experience the exciting skiing. |
| A．Because of the stones’ color. | B．Because of its heavy pollution. |
| C．Because of its government. | D．Because of its special position. |
| A．Broad. | B．splendid. | C．amazing. | D．Quiet. |
| A．To entertain readers. | B．To share experiences. |
| C．To advertise Granada. | D．To offer tour service. |
3 . Work is a part of living—my grandparents understood that. They lived and worked on a central Pennsylvania farm that has been in my family for 150 years. Hess Farm, at that time, was self-sufficient. They raised beef cattle for meat, chickens for eggs and hogs for pork and lard. Dairy cows were kept for milk and the cream from which Grandma made butter and cheese. That little yard they had became a garden.
The Depression, therefore, didn’t make a dramatic change in their lives. But it did bring an unending flow of men out of work, drifting from job to job, to the farm. The first man to show up on the kitchen porch was ragged-looking, but polite. He took off his hat and quietly explained that he hadn’t eaten for a while. Grandpa stood watching him a bit, then said, “There’s a pile of firewood stacked against the fence behind the barn (畜棚). I’ve been needing to get it moved to the other side of the fence. You have just about enough time to finish the job before lunch.” With that, he stuck out his rough hand to the stranger.
Grandma said a surprising thing happened. The drifter got a shine in his eyes and, behind his beard, he smiled. He hurried to the barn in a near trot (小跑). She set another place at the table and baked an apple pie. During lunch, the stranger didn’t say much, but his shoulders straightened when he left. “Nothing ruins a man like losing his self-respect”, Grandpa later told me.
Soon after, another man showed up asking for a meal. This one was dressed in a suit and carried a small, worn suitcase. Grandpa came out and then offered a handshake. “There’s a stack of firewood along the fence down behind the barn I’ve been meaning to get moved. It’d sure be a help to me. And we’d be pleased to have you stay for lunch.”
The fellow set his suitcase and neatly laid his coat and vest on top. Then he set off to work.
Grandma says she doesn’t remember how many strangers they shared a meal with during those Depression days—or how many times that pile of wood got moved.
1. What is the result of the Depression?| A．Some people earned a lot of money. |
| B．A large number of people went abroad. |
| C．Many people were laid off. |
| D．Quite a few people died of a strange disease. |
| A．He pretended to be generous. |
| B．He pretended to be mean. |
| C．He shared meal with everyone who came to his door. |
| D．He gave meal to the poor without losing their self-respect. |
| A．They shared a meal with only two people. |
| B．They shared a meal with twenty people. |
| C．The passage doesn’t mention the number. |
| D．They didn’t share a meal with anyone. |
| A．The stranger was full after lunch. |
| B．The stranger earned his bread through his own work. |
| C．The stranger wanted to show his gratitude. |
| D．The stranger wanted to stretch his body. |
4 . Saving Mr. Banks (2013) ★★★
BBC One, 10:30 p.m.
John Lee Hancock’s film unapologetically tells the Disney side of the twisted making of Mary Poppins. It presents Walt Disney’s (by Tom Hanks) struggle with PL Travers (by Emma Thompson), who wrote the original books, as a kind of Norman Conquest of charm over a brilliant but unhappy writer. The sugar-to-medicine rate is 15 parts to one, but there’s nothing wrong with true sweetness.
The Dark Mirror (1946, b/w) ★ ★ ★
BBC Two, 8:05 p. m.
Olivia de Havilland, one of the last surviving stars of golden-age Hollywood cinema, died last month, so this film makes for a sad rewatch. It’s an old-fashioned thriller in which psychiatrist (精神病医生) Lew Ayres has to decide which identical twin ( both played by de Havilland) has committed a murder. The entire story is somewhat unrealistic but de Havilland fully shows her acting skills. Robert Siodmak directs.
Jonathan Edwards: One Giant Leap ★ ★ ★ ★
BBC Two, 8:30 p.m.
Twenty-five years ago, medals for British athletes were very rare indeed. The 1995 World Athletics Championships brought just one gold for the UK, for triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards, whose world record leap (跳) of 18. 29 m stood for two decades. This film tells a story of pressure, faith and positive thinking.
The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
ITV4, 9:55 p.m.
In the famous college experiment of the title, a psychology professor set up a make-believe prison and randomly assigned students to be either prisoners or guards to study the effects of unearned authority. The frightening results are captured (捕获) in Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s recreation. Ezra Miller plays a prisoner abused by the guards, while Billy Crudup is excellent as the unknowable professor.
1. Who is Olivia de Havilland?| A．A detective. | B．A murder. | C．An actor. | D．A psychiatrist. |
| A．Saving Mr. Banks. | B．The Dark Mirror. |
| C．The Stanford Prison Experiment. | D．Jonathan Edwards: One Giant Leap. |
| A．They are night programs. | B．They are all rated 4-star films. |
| C．They are films by the same director. | D．They are shown on the same channel. |
5 . Love, joy, and the warm feeling of pulling together to get through tough times don’t cost a thing. But gifts do cost money. So, what’s a poor family to do?
When Christmas season rolled around again, I told my mother that the only thing I wanted was a pogo-stick (弹簧单高跷). However, my mother told me they were too expensive and that we simply couldn’t afford one.
On a Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks before Christmas, my mom and dad told me we needed to go to Sears to pay our-credit card bill. While my mother and I were at the counter paying the bill, my dad said, “I’ll be right back — I need to see something in the tool department.” A little later, my dad came back with a long box. I remember wondering at that very moment if it was a pogo-stick in that box.
When we arrived back at home, my dad put the box in the garage. While my parents were busy with their chores, I quietly walked out to the garage and found the box. I was so excited and I knew that as soon as I opened that magical box my bright, shiny pogo-stick would appear. No such luck! Inside the box was a silly old broom. And so Christmas morning was both great and disappointing. I got some nice gifts but I didn't get the present that I really wanted.
After all the wrapping paper was cleaned up my dad said he needed to tend to something in the garage. When he came back in, he was carrying a beautiful pogo-stick. I couldn’t believe it! My parents probably got quite a laugh from the trick they played on me.
Although we didn’t have much money, my parents gave me the most important gift of all: lots of love. My dad worked hard to provide for us and my mother knew how to stretch a dollar. That was over 60 years ago and I still think about those wonderful Christmas memories every year during the holiday season. My parents were the best and I will never forget all the joy they brought into my life.
1. Why did the author’s mother refuse to give him a pogo-stick?| A．They’re dangerous for kids to play with. | B．They didn’t have enough money to buy one. |
| C．She had already bought him another gift. | D．He already had too many pogo-sticks. |
| A．Amazed. | B．Disappointed. | C．Hopeful. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Their unconditional love. |
| B．His pogo-stick. |
| C．The ability to get through tough times. |
| D．All the great memories of Christmas |
6 . First published in 2001, the book Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize and an Asian American Prize for Literature. It is the story of a young boy named Pi who spends 227 days at sea with a small group of animals after disaster strikes their ship and is an account of his journey of survival and hardship.
Piscine (“Pi” is short for Piscine) Molitor Patel, on whom Life of Pi is based, is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns a zoo. The story starts when Patel's family decide to move to Canada, along with their zoo animals for their new home.
However, because of the bad weather, the ship sinks. Pi, an orangutan(猩猩), an injured zebra, a hyena(鬣狗) and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker are the only survivors who take shelter in a small lifeboat. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed and eaten by the hyena. The tiger in turn kills and eats the hyena, leaving just the two of them alone on the boat now.
In an effort to avoid being eaten by Richard Parker, Pi acts himself as the head of the group and remains safe from harm. Since he does not want the tiger to die for fear of going mad by being alone on the boat, he fishes and feeds the two of them in order to stay alive.
The life of Pi then enters its third stage when their lifeboat washes up on the shores of Mexico and the tiger escapes into a nearby forest leaving Pi alone. After the Mexicans refuse to believe Pi's story, he changes his story by replacing the animals with his mother, a cook and a sailor and asks the Mexicans which one they prefer. They prefer hearing the first story though they do not believe a word of it.
In my view, Life of Pi is a must read book for all those who love reading.
1. Through the passage, we know the book Life of Pi ________.| A．was written 2 years ago | B．was awarded two prizes |
| C．is about a pleasant voyage | D．is a good history book |
| A．Piscine | B．the zebra |
| C．the orangutan | D．Richard |
| A．By catching fishes for the tiger. | B．By locking the tiger in a cage. |
| C．By being the head of them two. | D．By fighting with the tiger. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Doubtful. |
7 . Almost every family buys as least one copy of a newspaper every day. Some people subscribe to as many as two or three different newspapers. But why do people read newspapers?
Five hundred years ago, news of important happenings--battles lost and won, kings or rulers overthrown(推翻)or killed--took months and even years to travel from one country to another. The news passed by word of mouth and was never accurate. Today we can read in our newspapers of important events that occur in faraway countries on the same day they happen.
Apart from supplying news from all over the world, newspapers give us a lot of other useful information. There are weather reports, radio, television and film guides, book reviews, stories, and of course, advertisements. The bigger ones are put in by large companies to bring attention to their products. They pay the newspapers thousands of dollars for the advertising space, but it is worth the money for news of their products goes into almost every home in the country. For those who produce newspapers, advertisements are also very important. Money earned from advertisements makes it possible for them to sell their newspapers at a low price and still make a profit.
1. The phrase “subscribe to” in the first paragraph means“________”| A．go to the newspaper stand and buy | B．send their own news stories to |
| C．agree to buy for a specific period of time | D．become faithful readers of |
| A．bad news traveled quickly and good news slowly |
| B．few people cared about events that took place in faraway countries |
| C．kings and rulers were often overthrown or killed |
| D．news was passed from one person to another |
| A．wasted | B．not much |
| C．well spent | D．of no use to anyone |
| A．Five hundred years ago it took a long time for news to reach other countries. |
| B．Newspaper advertisements turn people’s attention away from their products. |
| C．The news that we read in newspapers is mainly about new products. |
| D．When newspapers are sold at a low price, the newspaper producers will lose money. |
8 . Sharp drops in temperatures, strong winds howling...A cold snap (寒流) has struck many parts of China.
The National Meteorological Centre ( NMC) (国家气象中心) issued an orange alert on Dec. 28, as a cold air mass swept across the country from north to south. This is the first orange warning since 2016, which is the highest in the three-tier (三级的) ranking, followed by yellow and blue.
On Dec. 27, the temperature in the Greater Hinggan Mountains of Heilongjiang province fell to-44. 5℃, the lowest since winter began, the region's meteorological service said.
According to Sun Jun, the chief forecaster from the NMC, this round of the cold wave is tougher than the same period in normal years. Temperatures in more than 25 cities could reach record lows. Even in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, temperatures have reached subzero.
Since early December, China has reported power squeezes in the provinces of Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang. Street lamps in several cities have not been on. Elevators in some office buildings haven't worked. The central air conditioning in malls，libraries and government buildings has been off for several days, Xinhua reported.
According to the National Development of Reform Commission ( NDRC) ( 国家发展改革委员会)，the power cuts in these provinces are a result of the dramatic increase of demand for electricity fueled by the high demand of industries that have now recovered and are keen to make up for the lost time earlier in the year and the low temperatures.
Meanwhile, domestic needs for electricity also surged. For instance, in Hunan, low temperatures came at least one month earlier than usual in the province this year. Millions of people started using space heaters to deal with the cold weather.
In order to help people get through these conditions, China is increasing its supply of natural gas and coal to ensure its power generation and heating needs，according to the NDRC. Major coal producers in the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi have been instructed. to boost production capacity and coal imports. The NDRC has ordered power plants to have coal reserves for at least 18 days. It would also guarantee the power support to regions in Hunan and Jiangxi, which are short of the supply of coal.
1. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 5 probably mean?| A．Shortage. | B．Abundance. |
| C．Waste. | D．Improvement. |
| A．Temperature of this winter is likely to be the coldest. |
| B．Temperature in Hunan province never reached subzero. |
| C．Orange alarm is higher than blue in the three-tier ranking. |
| D．It's impossible for the power plants in Hunan to have coal reserves for at least 18 days. |
| A．natural gas | B．street lamps |
| C．gas central air conditioning | D．the use of electricity by households |
| A．Science Study | B．Weather |
| C．Discovery | D．Our World |
9 . Most adults firmly believe that as kids reach their teens, they start to take crazy risks that get them in trouble. Do teenagers simply love taking all risks much more than adults? A recent study suggests otherwise.
Scientists designed a simple experiment involving 33 teenagers and three other age groups. In the experiment, the researchers tried to distinguish between two very different kinds of risk-taking. The first they called a willingness to take known risks (when the probability of winning is clear) and the second they called a willingness to take unknown risks (when the possibility of success is uncertain).
The study offered participants the opportunity to play two kinds of games. They had the chance to win money, with one game offering a known risk and the other offering an unknown risk. On each round of the game, each participant had to choose between taking a sure $5 and known or unknown risks of winning a lot more. If on one particular round they had picked the $5 for sure choice, then they got $5. But if on that round they had chosen to take a risk, the rules of the game will determine whether or not they had won. If they did win, they went home with between $8 and $125. And, of course, if they lost, they went home with nothing.
What the scientists found was really quite surprising. It turned out that the average teenager was very hesitant when risks were known—more careful than college students or parents-aged adults, and about as careful as grandparent-aged adults. This means that when the risks were known, teenagers were not risky in their behavior at all. Only when the risks were unclear did teenagers choose them more often than other groups. Under those kinds of conditions, they were much more willing to take a risk than any other group.
So, what does all of this mean? The research suggests that adults should probably focus more energy on trying to educate teenagers about risks than limiting them. Teenagers who understand the risks associated with a decision are more likely to be careful in their behavior.
1. This experiment was carried out by ________.| A．dividing the teens into three groups |
| B．comparing the reactions to different risks |
| C．giving equal amount of awards to the participants |
| D．observing the emotional changes of the teenager |
| A．Teenagers. | B．College students. |
| C．Parent-aged adults. | D．Grandparent-aged adults. |
| A．guaranteeing children to be careful |
| B．setting age limits on dangerous activities |
| C．respecting teens to make their own choices |
| D．guiding teens to learn more about the effect of risks |
10 . Educational programs often use fear-based messaging and films of crash scenes to reduce risky driving behavior among young people. But does this “scary” approach work? A new study suggests that fear-based messaging fails to reduce risky driving behavior, while fear-based Virtual Reality (VR) films showing a violent collision may actually lead young drivers to take more chances behind the wheel.
A team of psychologists in Belgium conducted a study of 146 students who had been legally driving for less than five years. The researchers examined the impact of both content (fear vs. positive) and delivery mode (2D vs. VR) of driver safety intervention programs.
By showing a serious consequence such as death, fear-based driver education films attempt to arouse a sense of fear and persuade young people to drive more carefully. Positively framed films take the opposite approach, using humor and modeling safe driving behaviors that result in positive consequences.
Three tests were used to analyze the risk-taking behavior of the young drivers before and after participating in the intervention program. One was a questionnaire. Another was a test on traffic, which asks participants to watch video clips of driving situations and choose whether they view a situation as too risky, for example, choosing whether to pass another car in icy conditions. A third test was used to measure the level of emotional arousal (such as feeling afraid) after watching a film.
The results showed that participants who viewed the fear-based VR film reported riskier driving behaviors afterward, while those who viewed a positively framed VR film exhibited the greatest reduction in risky driving behavior. This finding supports other research that has shown that exposing participants to an extreme collision tends to activate defensive mechanisms, such as paying attention for a shorter time, disengaging, rejecting a message, and an increase in risky behaviors.
“Fear appeals have been used in many health and environmental campaigns, such as smoking and anti-drug,” says Dr. Cutello of the research team. “Further experimental research is needed to determine whether the use of fear is effective.”
1. What is the new study about?| A．VR’s application on driving education. | B．Young drivers’ risky driving behaviors. |
| C．The deadly consequence of violent crashes. | D．The effect of drivers’ educational programs. |
| A．To assess driving emotions. | B．To judge driving behaviors. |
| C．To gain driving competence. | D．To keep safe driving in mind. |
| A．Drivers show fewer risky behaviors. | B．Drivers were less able to focus long. |
| C．Drivers were unwilling to cooperate. | D．Drivers became more open to advice. |
| A．More research should be conducted. | B．Fear-based education shouldn’t be used. |
| C．The result of his research is unconvincing. | D．The use of fear education has been cut down. |
