5 . It is not rare in China that many seniors take advantage of their retirement years to please their grandchildren.

Some are good at sugar figure blowing art-the maker uses sugar as its basic material to boil and blow into various figures. Some can weave, using even the most unexpected materials such as leaves, and some excel in carpentry, using wood to carve lifelike dolls and toys.

Recently, in a small village in Fujian province, one — and — a — half — year — old Dandan became the most enviable child. His grandfather made a wooden " mantis cart （螳螂车）"for him. The wooden components on both sides of the cart would rise and fall with the metal wheels, resembling a mantis. This one-of-a-kind toy was filmed by the child's parents and posted online, immediately arousing curiosity.

The grandfather, Li Shishui, 70, who has been a carpenter for more than 50 years, retired in 2018. In his spare time, he picks up his old craftsmanship and uses the scrap （小块）wood from his old house to make the "mantis cart" with long legs. He also makes pure wooden toys such as robots , birds and even an   "Iron Man".

When Dandan goes out in the “ mantis cart"，   it never fails to turn heads and children of the neighbors next door shout and cry to their parents for one too.

Full of childlike fun, fatherly love and delicate design, the wooden toy, not merely catches the heart of children in his neighbourhood, some netizens also express their envy after watching online videos. "I want a grandpa like him too. " ^"Does grandpa want a granddaughter?" Some also recollect that although their grandfather is not a carpenter, these videos have brought back their fond memories when they were young — their grandfather also made some gadgets （小物件）for them.

Therefore, many believe, parents should stress the importance of the education of their children's interpersonal communication skills at an early age. Children who grow up in the love of their elders can expect to be more brave, positive, optimistic and confident than other children.

1. What does the author mean by the underlined part "This one-of-a-kind toy”?

A．The toy is hard-won.	B．The toy is specially made.
C．The toy is of high quality.	D．The toy is the only one made by Grandpa Li.

2. Which of the following is right about "mantis cart”?

A．All the components of it are made of wood.

B．Its online videos were not immediately accepted.

C．Its insect-like features attract both children and adults.

D．It was hand-made by Grandpa Li, a craftsman of sugar figures.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Much importance should be attached to children's behavior.

B．Children under the care of their elders may have better personalities.

C．Some netizens envy Dandan as their grandparents are not carpenters.

D．Some children of the neighbors cry as Dandan doesn't share the toy with them.

4. Which section of a web page can this passage be taken from?

A．Fashion.	B．Entertainment・
C．Lifestyle.	D．Transportation.

6 . Andrew Orkin was taking a break from his evening jog to sit by Prospect Park Lake when he was frightened to see a mass of snakes. They turned out to be swamp eels(黄鳝) that had escaped from one of two large plastic bags that split open as a man dragged them to the shoreline. After dumping the eels in the lake, the man walked away, explaining to bystanders that “I just want to save lives.”

The illegal release became a curiosity on social media, but the dumping of exotic(外来的) animals in urban parks isn’t new. New Yorkers free thousands of non-native animals every year. “People like animals and they sometimes think they’re doing a good thing by letting them go,” said Jason Munshi-South, an urban ecologist at Fordham University. “Most will die. Some will become a problem, and then there’s no going back.”

New York state and city officials say it’s too soon to know how the eels in Prospect Park might affect local species. The eels eat almost anything including plants, insects, frogs, turtles and other fish. And they could prey(捕食) upon or compete with the park’s native species for however long they survive.

There are no plans to eradicate the eels. Since they’re active at night and spend most of their time in the mud of lakes and rivers, spotting and removing them from the lake could be impossible. Officials say they will look for swamp eels during the agency’s next survey in the spring, but don’t expect them to make it through the winter. However, University of Toronto freshwater ecologist Nicholas Mandrak said, “Even if they don’t survive, they could have negative short-term effects.”

1. Why did the man pour the eels into the lake?

A．To challenge the law.	B．To increase the local species.
C．To keep the eels alive.	D．To become a web celebrity.

2. Why did the released eels become a concern?

A．They might get caught once again.

B．They might not adapt to the new environment.

C．They might frighten the joggers by the lake.

D．They might pose a threat to local species.

3. What does the underlined word “eradicate” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Get rid of.	B．Look after.
C．Sell.	D．Examine.

4. What is the officials’ opinion about dealing with the problem?

A．It is risky.	B．It is tricky.
C．It takes patience.	D．It requires legal support.

7 . They say everything is bigger in Texas. While that may be true, some of the best things in Texas are quite small. Case in point: tiny Mount Vernon, a town of just under 3,000 people. But if you do come across Mount Vernon, you might just get an intention to stay. That happens a lot around here, and it’s worth noting how remarkable that is.

Tom Wilkinson was born in Mount Vernon 87 years ago and moved back after he retired from his career as a college English professor in Dallas. Like many of his neighbors, Wilkinson can track his ancestors back to the pioneers who settled here in the 1870s. And like many, he values the simple life you can’t easily find in big cities. “People are still polite. They hold the door open for you.” he says, “We grow strong roots here!”

Preserving and honoring the past has been key to helping Mount Vernon survive. The residents have restored and reopened some of the empty stores, including the old barbershop, built more than 100 years ago. An old general store was turned into a combination space. Wander in on any given day and you might find a book club discussion, a Coffee Ladies meet-up, or a work session for the local genealogy(家谱) group among the tables of people chatting over cups of coffee and plates of food.

Mount Vernon has the kind of big hearts you tend to find in a small town. For instance, when a local policeman was diagnosed with cancer last year, ten-year-old Lola McKellar set up a lemonade stand to raise money for his treatments. In 2015, when a 350-year flood sent water rushing into local homes, an army of volunteers showed up to get a wheelchair-bound neighbor and his wife to higher ground, and then came back to help rebuild.

1. What does the author think of Mount Vernon?

A．Remote.	B．Wealthy.
C．Primitive.	D．Attractive.

2. Why did Tom Wilkinson come back to Mount Vernon?

A．He preferred the simple and natural life.	B．He could continue his language teaching.
C．He could live together with his ancestors.	D．He could meet more neighbors of his age.

3. What can we infer about people’s way of life in Mount Vernon from Paragraph 3?

A．It is in danger of extinction.	B．It is quickly changing over time.
C．It is conservative but harmonious.	D．It is being disturbed by the outside world.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The history of Mount Vernon.	B．The humanity of Mount Vernon.
C．The volunteers of Mount Vernon.	D．The reconstruction of Mount Vernon.

8 . The United States is a nation of car owners. Ninety-five percent of households own a car, and 85 percent of people get to work in one. This lifestyle contributes to congestion on our roads and damages the environment. As autonomous vehicles begin to hit the streets over the next decade or so, it's believed that all this will change.   

Autonomous vehicles will most likely decrease the number and severity of crashes, allow cars to travel more closely together and improve cooperation between vehicles, all of which tend to reduce traffic jams and increase capacity.

However, this future is not assured. To realize the full potential benefits of driverless cars, we will have to act soon to encourage a culture in which transportation is shared. Many people in the automobile industry assume that driverless vehicles will automatically be shared, but there is little evidence that this is true. Most estimates suggest that driverless cars will eventually be only slightly more expensive than traditional cars, which means they'll be within reach of many consumers, so users are not willing to share rides.

If most people are going to buy-in to a shared-ride culture, they need to get a significant benefit. Saving a few dollars off the fare isn't likely to promote the movement dramatically. A better benefit would be knowing that you're going to reach your destination more quickly. The way to guarantee quick passage is to redesign our roads to give priority to ride-sharing autonomous vehicles like building priority lanes. The cost of travel will also be varied based on how efficiently a vehicle uses the roads. Autonomous vehicles carrying multiple people should get higher priority than those carrying one or none at all.

Decision-makers must push for incentives that encourage the most efficient use of our limited roadway infrastructure(基础设施). The autonomous future is rapidly approaching; it is critical that we act now, while the impacts of autonomous vehicles on traffic jams and emissions are still largely within our control.

1. What's the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To introduce the topic.

B．To tell the severe traffic problem.

C．To prove the necessity of autonomous vehicles.

D．To show the damage of cars to the environment.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Autonomous vehicles worsen traffic jams on roads.

B．Autonomous vehicles are likely to reduce traffic jams.

C．Saving some fares contributes to shared-ride significantly.

D．Many people have ridden autonomous vehicles to avoid traffic jams.

3. Which will be a benefit of sharing autonomous vehicles?

A．To save a large amount of money.

B．To promote the development of science and technology.

C．To redesign roads to prioritize car-shared modes.

D．To allow you to reach your destination much more quickly.

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Driverless Cars Will Make Our Traffic Problems Worse.

B．Autonomous Vehicles Will Make a Difference to Traffic.

C．Decision-makers Should Take Some Measures Quickly.

D．The Current Situation of Cars in the United States is Serious.

9 . Like most couples, my husband and I dreamed of becoming homeowners. Sure, apartment living comes with its own set of advantages—less housework, shared comfort, less to clean up and care for, and usually cheaper rent. As a result, we decided to downgrade from our neat five-bedroom, 2,700-square-foot house on the water to a three-bedroom, 1,369-square-foot apartment, with two kids.

Once we arrived in our new apartment, we were surprised to find that things flowed relatively smoothly. There was so much less to keep up with—fewer floors to mop, fewer windows to clean, fewer walls to wipe, etc. Now I think of our home as our little playhouse, since it's much smaller and everything is closer together. That also makes it so much easier for me to keep up with as a mom. I collect laundry all on one floor comparing with having to climb stairs to the house's second floor!

In our new home, we use lots of shoe organizers inside of every closet door for more than just shoes—baby items, office items, and medicines. We also have a functional room that serves as an office and gym. Since both my husband and I work from home, we require at least one room to share as an office with fitness equipment fitted into a corner.

While many people choose to downsize for financial reasons, that actually wasn't a factor in our decision. We wanted to be in a lively area with like-minded young families. That was our first priority. Though we may still buy another house in this area at some point down the line, for now, we're thrilled with the concept of renting an apartment. Let me put it this way: We’re not really the “handy” types, so being able to call maintenance(维修)for any repairs is worth every rent coin!

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．Our old house was upgraded.	B．Living in a house has advantages.
C．Our new apartment was downsized.	D．Smaller size means more housework.

2. How do the couple feel about the new apartment?

A．Confused.

B．Amazed.

C．Tired.

D．Challenged.

3. Why do the couple make changes to their new home?

A．To build up their body.	B．To create a home office.
C．To enlarge all the rooms.	D．To make full use of space.

4. What is the couple’s first concern when moving?

A．Transportation.	B．Neighbourhood.
C．Repair work.	D．Money.

10 . The University of Adelaide employs a full-time staff of fire prevention professionals. They inspect all campus buildings and maintain all sprinkler systems, fire alarms and fire extinguishers. They also provide educational programs on fire safety in the residence hall. Whenever you move to a new area, you should locate the fire alarm pull stations and the two exits nearest your room.

Fire Alarms

The floors of all campus buildings are equipped with manual fire alarm systems which include fire alarm pull stations and pipes. Most are also equipped with automatic fire alarm systems consisting of heat detectors, smoke detectors and sprinklers. For your safety, never toy with these systems. False fire alarms are illegal and may lead to imprisonment.

Fire Drills

A fire drill will be conducted in your residence hall every semester. During a fire drill, please do the following:

·Take your room key and ID. Close and lock the door to your room.

·Exit immediately from the nearest emergency exit and do not use a lift.

·Meet outside of your residence hall and wait for further instructions.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are located on each floor and in each apartment. Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained to do so. Irresponsible use of a fire extinguisher can create a dangerous situation for other residents and could result in damage to personal property. Misuse of a fire extinguisher will result in fines.

Smoke Detector

A smoke detector is on the ceiling in your room. Some buildings also have heat detectors on the ceilings. Do the following to ensure the safe operation of your smoke detector:

· If your smoke detector is working properly, the red light should be on. If the red light is not blinking, contact residence hall staff immediately.

·Do not cover or block your smoke detector in any way. If a smoke detector sets off an alarm and there is no fire or smoke, inform your hall staff.

1. What is the main duty of the fire prevention professionals?

A．To provide part-time jobs for students.

B．To lead the students to the nearest exits.

C．To check and maintain fire prevention equipment.

D．To train teachers to be fire prevention professionals.

2. In a fire drill, the students should                     .

A．rush quickly to a lift

B．gather at the nearest exit

C．shut the door and leave at once

D．wait for instructions in the hall

3. To ensure the safe operation of the smoke detector, one should           .

A．contact the hall staff regularly

B．cover the things that burn easily

C．start the smoke detector in a fire

D．make certain the red light is working