1 . In the 2006 film version of The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, scolds her unattractive assistant for imagining that high fashion doesn’t affect her, Priestly explains how the deep blue color of the assistant’s sweater descended over the years from fashion shows to departments stores and to the bargain bin in which the poor girl doubtless found her garment.
This top-down conception of the fashion business couldn’t be more out of date or at odds with the feverish world described in Overdressed, Elizabeth Cline’s three-year indictment of “fast fashion”. In the last decade or so, advances in technology have allowed mass-market labels such as Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo to react to trends more quickly and anticipate demand more precisely. Quicker turnarounds mean less wasted inventory, more frequent release, and more profit. These labels encourage style-conscious consumers to see clothes as disposable-meant to last only a wash or two, although they don’t advertise that-and to renew their wardrobe every few weeks. By offering on-trend items at dirt-cheap prices, Cline argues, these brands have hijacked fashion cycles, shaking an industry long accustomed to a seasonal pace.
The victims of this revolution, of course, are not limited to designers. For H&M to offer a $5.95 knit miniskirt in all its 2,300-plus stores around the world, it must rely on low-wage overseas labor, order in volumes that strain natural resources, and use massive amounts of harmful chemicals.
Overdressed is the fashion world’s answer to consumer-activist bestsellers like Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “Mass-produced clothing, like fast food, fills a hunger and need, yet is non-durable and wasteful,” Cline argues. Americans, she finds, buy roughly 20 billion garments a year—about 64 items per person—and no matter how much they give away, this excess leads to waste.
Towards the end of Overdressed, Cline introduced her ideal, a Brooklyn woman named Sarah Kate Beaumont, who since 2008 has made all of her own clothes-and beautifully. But as Cline is the first to note, it took Beaumont decades to perfect her craft; her example can’t be knocked off.
Though several fast-fashion companies have made efforts to curb their impact on labor and the environment—including H&M, with its green Conscious Collection line—Cline believes lasting change can only be affected by the customer. She exhibits the idealism common to many advocates of sustainability, be it in food or in energy. Vanity is a constant; people will only start shopping more sustainably when they can’t afford not to.
1. Priestly criticizes her assistant for her _____________.| A．poor bargaining skill. | B．insensitivity to fashion. |
| C．obsession with high fashion. | D．lack of imagination. |
| A．accusation. | B．enthusiasm. | C．indifference. | D．tolerance. |
| A．Vanity has more often been found in idealists. |
| B．The fast-fashion industry ignores sustainability. |
| C．People are more interested in unaffordable garments. |
| D．Pricing is vital to environment-friendly purchasing. |
| A．Satire on an extravagant lifestyle. | B．Challenge to a high-fashion myth. |
| C．Criticism of the fast-fashion industry. | D．Exposure of a mass-market secret. |
2 . What makes a human being? Is it our thoughts? Our emotions? Our behavior?
All of these things make us who we are, but at the center of the matter is the genome (基因组) — the genes inside our bodies that may determine everything from our hair colour to our intelligence. But if we could change our genome, what would it mean to us?
In an online video posted on Nov 26, He Jiankui, a biological researcher from Southern University of Science and Technology in China, said that he had helped to make the world’s first genetically edited babies.
These are twin girls, born in November, with genes edited in an attempt to help them fight against possible future infection (感染) with the AIDS virus.
He said that he chose to do this because HIV infections are a big problem in China. “I feel such a strong responsibility that it’s not just to make a first, but also to set an example,” He told the Associated Press(AP).
The announcement has caused an international storm. Some believe that success will benefit the families of HIV patients. Considering that HIV is “a major and growing public health threat,” attempted gene editing for HIV is justifiable, Harvard Medical School genetics professor George Church told AP.
However, others think that gene editing technology is still unsafe to attempt.
“Gene editing itself is experimental and is still associated with unexpected mutations (突变), causing genetic problems early and later in life, including the development of cancer,” Julian Savulescu, a specialist in ethics at the University of Oxford, told BBC News.
Others fear that this could open the door to using gene editing technology to make designer babies. It might give the parents the choices to choose everything from their baby’s eye color to intelligence.
“You could find wealthy parents buying the latest ‘upgrades’ for their children, leading to even greater inequality than we already live with,” Marcy Darnovsky, director of the San Francisco Center for Genetics, told BBC News.
However, Merlin Crossley, a biologist at the University of New South Wales, Australia, believes that’s a long way off. According to him, many genes produce qualities like height and intelligence — not to mention environmental influences.
And he believes the technology will be better controlled in the future.
“It’s hard to get genies (妖怪) back into bottles — but I’m optimistic that this technology, which I think of as ‘genetic surgery’, could be controlled quite effectively in the future,” Crossley told ABC News.
1. Why did He Jiankui make the genetically edited babies?| A．Because he wanted to be a leader in gene editing technology. |
| B．Because he tried to do his part in fighting against HIV infection. |
| C．Because he attempted to help the twin girls who were infected with AIDS. |
| D．Because he wanted to became the first to make the genetically edited babies in the world. |
| A．Gene editing can cause genetic problems sooner or later in life |
| B．Gene editing may widen the gap between the rich and the poor |
| C．Gene editing may enable wealthy parents to design their babies |
| D．Gene editing can determine everything inside a person’s body |
| A．Absurd. | B．Hopeless. | C．Acceptable. | D．Skilful. |
| A．Gene editing: the genie in the bottle |
| B．Gene editing: the way we should go |
| C．Gene editing: hope or fear for human beings |
| D．Gene editing: a great success in human history |
3 . Heritage on the Edge
In an effort to preserve some of the world’s most famous landmarks，Google has announced a new project to transform a few of the most endangered by climate change into interactive 3D models，just in case one or all is irreparably(不能恢复地)damaged in the coming decades.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle comprises 27 buildings on top of an extinct volcano. It was home to many kings and queens. But old roofs and rainwater management systems will become insufficient as they will be unable to deal with the level of storm water associated with extreme weather events. Besides，if temperatures continue to rise，the rate of decay(腐烂)will increase further.
Kilwa Kisiwani
Kilwa Kisiwani was a regional center of the medieval trading civilization along the East African Coast. Its permanent architecture included ports，Muslim buildings，and the unique“stone houses”. However，the drier weather and subsequently heavy rainfall is threatening the stability of the ruins，causing the worsening of this exposed heritage site.
Mosque City of Bagherat
The Mosque City of Bagherat was once a lost city. It has many Muslim buildings，bridges，roads and palaces. A recent report stressed the increasing impacts of sea level rise and changes in salinity(盐度)on this community. Increased salinity not only makes much of the water undrinkable but damages structures.
Chan Chan
Chan Chan was the capital city of Chimu empire，stretching for nearly a thousand kilometers along the coastline. The city planning reflects a strict political and social strategy. But site managers today face challenges in rainfall and droughts due to El Nino events and climate change that threaten to gradually wash the ancient city away.
1. What do we know about Edinburgh Castle?| A．It was built along the coast. | B．It is the largest castle in the world. |
| C．It is in danger of being washed away. | D．It used to be the home of royal families. |
| A．Water pollution. | B．Water’s becoming salty. |
| C．Water shortage. | D．Water’s being overused. |
| A．Temperature rises. | B．Volcanic eruptions. |
| C．Sea water. | D．Environmental damage. |
4 . We all need to eat, and when we go to buy food at the supermarket, we’re offered many choice. But we often buy food that’s been produced in huge amounts and that’s traveled many miles before it ends up on our plate. So for some, growing their own food is a better choice – and it tastes good too!
From growing vegetables in little pots on your balcony to taking care of a small plot of land, there are many ways to produce home-grown food. It can be backbreaking work digging, weeding and watering the soil, but the result is fresh, home-grown fruits and vegetables, helping us keep a ‘five-a-day’ diet.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic lock-down means demand for homegrown food has seen a comeback in the UK. Miriam Dobson from the University of Sheffield, told the BBC that some people have been spending a lot of their time on their plots, growing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables – which, at times, have been challenging to buy in supermarkets. She says “Coronavirus has reminded people of the weakness within our global food system. In such a difficult time, interest in self-support rises.”
But for those with limited space, a solution to grow your own vegetables lies closer to home – using pots. Sheila Brand lives in a third-floor flat in Rotterdam. She has managed to grow tomatoes and eggplants and is already harvesting raspberries. She told the BBC watching the plants grow “is very exciting: 'Oh it's got a new leaf!' ”
As well as the benefits of saving money and enjoying tasty food, growing your own from a balcony or window ledge not only improves your well-being and immediate environment, you can actually grow a lot of vegetables. So, maybe it’s time for us all to get planting and develop our green fingers!
1. A “five-a-day” diet (Para. 2) probably refers to a diet that include__________ every day.| A．Five meals | B．Enough fruits and vegetables |
| C．Five kinds of rice | D．Plenty of water |
| A．It’s more interesting, cheap and delicious. |
| B．our global food system is doing harm to us. |
| C．It saves the time and money on transportation. |
| D．it can be hard to buy fresh food during the pandemic. |
| A．In a pot. | B．On a plate. | C．In a garden. | D．On the roof. |
| A．Growing your own food can do good to your health. |
| B．Growing your own food can make your fingers green. |
| C．Growing your own food can improve your gardening skills. |
| D．Growing your own food can bring your family more happiness. |
5 . Sitting by the fire on a cold night, wearing a woolen sweater, while drinking wine and petting a dog—probably surrounded by candles. That’s certainly “Hygge”. Eating home-made cakes. Watching TV under a warm quilt. Family get-togethers at Christmas. They’re all Hygge too.
The Danish word, pronounced “Hoo-ga”, is usually translated into English as “coziness”. But it’s much more than that; it is an entire attitude to life that makes Denmark to compete with Switzerland and Iceland to be the world’s happiest countries.
Morley College, in central London, is teaching students how to reach the state of Hygge as part of its Danish language course. “We have long, cold winters in Denmark,” says lecturer Susanne Nilsson. “That influences things.” With up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depth of winter, and average temperatures staying around zero degrees, people spend more time indoors as a result, says Nilsson, meaning there’s greater focus on home entertaining.
“Hygge could be families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed, or it could be time spent on your own reading a good book,” she says. “it works best when there’s not too large an empty space around the person or people,” the idea is to relax and feel as at home as possible, forgetting life’s worries.
The recent growth in some restaurants, cafes and bars in the UK is helping to introduce Hygge to the public, she adds, with their warm environment, lively decorations and concentrations on comforting food. Most customers won’t have heard of the word, but they might get a sense of it.
1. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．List the good results of Hygge. | B．introduce the topic of Hygge. |
| C．Describe the spread of Hygge. | D．point out the importance of Hygge. |
| A．Being careful | B．Being responsible |
| C．Being comfortable | D．Being hard-working |
| A．Danish are crazy about outdoor activities. | B．Danish prefer home entertainment to work. |
| C．Hygge is part of the Danish language course. | D．Winters in Denmark are quite long and cold. |
6 . Nobody knows what bombs were supposed to hit during the War, but they landed in a small orphanage (孤儿院). Two children were killed, and several children were wounded, including a girl, about eight years old, who suffered wounds to her legs. Without immediate action, she would die from loss of blood and shock.
A quick blood typing showed that several of the uninjured children could help. Then the doctor tried to explain to the frightened children that unless they could give some blood to their little friend she would certainly die. He asked if anyone would be willing to give blood. After several long moments, a little hand slowly went up, dropped back down, and a moment later went up again.
It was Jasper.
He was quickly laid on a bed, his arm cleaned, and a needle was put into his arm. Through all of this, He lay stiff (僵硬的) and silent. After a moment, he let out a long sob, quickly covering his face with his free hand.
"Is it hurting, Jasper?" the doctor asked.
Jasper shook his head silently, but after a few moments more tears came, and again he tried to cover up his crying. Again the doctor asked him if the needle in his arm was hurting, and again Jasper shook his head. But now he was silently crying, his eyes held tightly shut, his fist in his mouth trying to stop his sobs.
The doctor now was very worried that something was very wrong. At this moment, a nurse came and had a face-to face talk with the boy. After a moment, the little boy stopped crying, and looked questioningly at her. When she nodded, a look of great relief spread over his face.
It turned out that Jasper thought he was dying. He thought he had to give all his blood so the little girl could live.
"But why would he be willing to do that, anyway?" asked the doctor.
"She's my friend." answered the boy simply.
1. How badly was the girl injured?| A．She would never be able to walk again. | B．she would die without being given blood. |
| C．She would have to get her legs removed. | D．she would get better after some bed rest. |
| A．Because he thought he would die. |
| B．Because he worried about his friend. |
| C．Because he could not stand the pain. |
| D．Because he had never given blood before. |
| A．The gift of life |
| B．A hero during the war |
| C．Jasper and his friend |
| D．A misunderstanding in hospital |
7 . For Stevens Point locals in the US, the city is flooded with delicious fried fish. Here are four top choices for the community to have a try.
Hilltop Pub&Grill
Hilltop Pub&Grill first opened in the 1980s and took the Stevens Point community by storm with its delicious food and unique decoration style. Its fried fish are beloved due to the use of “high-quality North Atlantic fish, with a light beer batter (面糊)”.
The Final Score Bar&Grill
The Final Score Bar&Grill aimed to become a local hot spot in 2001 when Jim Billings, the owner, took charge of the business. Billings feels that their five batter choices set them apart from their neighboring bars. Besides, various wines are available.
Point After Pub&Grill
Point After Pub&Grill started serving delicious food and cold beers in a welcoming environment in 2009. But its history runs much longer. “Before it was Point After Pub&Grill, it had been Northside Bar for 30 plus years,” explained Molski, the owner. Molski feels that the pub’s four special batter choices and other fish specials are what help make it an area landmark.
Two Harps Pub
This Irish pub opened its doors to the public in 2017 and has been drawing fans and locals ever since. “I had done my career for a long time and was kind of bored with it,” said Nick Moore, the owner. “And this opportunity fell into my lap, so I went with it. It really made sense to open up an Irish bar.” The growing pub advises guests to try a cold beer with their Friday fried fish.
1. What makes Hilltop Pub&Grill popular with customers?| A．The convenient location. | B．The special food. |
| C．The high-quality service. | D．The unique wine. |
| A．They are both run by the same company. | B．They are both famous for great wines. |
| C．They both feature some particular batter. | D．They were both founded ten years ago. |
| A．It is the newest among the four pubs. | B．It offers free cold beers to customers. |
| C．It only provides fried fish on Fridays. | D．It has a unique decoration style. |
8 . When most high school students complain about having to wake up extra early，they're usually referring to a swim practice before class or the last minute study before a test. But that was never the case for Corey Patrick，who woke up at 4：30 every morning last year in order to arrive on time at Tarrant High School in Alabama.
Patrick had attended Tarrant City Schools since his fourth grade，but things got difficult when his family moved to a town 14 miles away. Even though his family didn't have any forms of transportation，Patrick didn't want to miss out on his senior year with friends，so he woke up at 4：30 every morning in order to make it to a 5：41 a．m.bus that would help him get to Tarrant on time.And just as he had done every other school day of the year，Patrick got up one morning to start the journey from his home to his high school; the only obvious difference that morning was that he was wearing his graduation gown (毕业礼服)，which made that day's bus driver，DeJuanna Beasley, take some photos of him. She then shared them online with these words，“You tell me this isn't determination.He got on my bus to go to his graduation，and no one was with him.Sometimes it's all in what you want out of life.I was so proud of this young man.”
That was soon shared by many people online，and it caught the attention of radio host Rickey Smiley，who surprised Patrick by giving him a car later. Smiley confirmed that he would make sure that Patrick received help with getting his driver's license. A GoFundMe was also created for Patrick，which has raised over $20,000. And Patrick has got a scholarship (奖学金) to Jacksonville University，where he plans to study computer science.
1. Why was Patrick different from most students when it comes to rising early?| A．It had something to do with study. |
| B．It was a part of daily life for him. |
| C．He was unwilling to get up early. |
| D．He spent more time in studying. |
| A．Patrick dressed poorly on his graduation day. |
| B．It took Patrick an hour to get to the bus stop. |
| C．The driver was moved by Patrick's story. |
| D．There was no school in Patrick's town. |
| A．Patrick's request for help on the Internet. |
| B．The difficulties that Patrick experienced. |
| C．The information about Patrick's university. |
| D．The message published online by the driver. |
| A．GoFundMe. | B．Rickey Smiley. |
| C．Patrick's high school. | D．Jacksonville University. |
9 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.
Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.
They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.
1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?| A．They produce oxygen. | B．They cover a vast area. |
| C．They are well managed. | D．They are rich in wildlife. |
| A．Heavy rains | B．Big trees. |
| C．Small plants. | D．Forest animals. |
| A．For more sunlight. | B．For more growing space. |
| C．For self-protection. | D．For the detection of insects. |
| A．Life-Giving Rainforests | B．The Law of the Jungle |
| C．Animals in the Amazon | D．Weather in Rainforests |
10 . Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork—everything from taking tests to researching a paper. But unfortunately, most schools don’t have classes that teach you how to take notes. So here are some tips.
Write down key facts. If you have a teacher who writes notes on the board, that’s good: You can copy them down. If not, write down the most important points from class. Does your history teacher mention the date of a key Civil War battle? Does your English teacher give examples of Shakespeare’s use of irony(讽刺)? Write them down!
Different teachers do things differently. For example, some teachers may mention lots of dates and facts in class but only write the key ones on the board. Other teachers may not write anything down, but they may repeat a certain date or a piece of information. After a while, you’ll get to know a teacher’s style.
Don’t overdo it. Don’t go crazy taking notes. You’ll be frantic(慌乱的) if you try to write down every word that’s said in class. And if you focus too much on getting your notes right, you might miss important points. Some people actually learn better by listening, writing down a few key points, and then going over the material after class.
Ask. Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss. If the teacher is going too fast, your classmates will also be happy to hear the information again. If you don’t want to ask in class, see your teacher afterwards. It’s much easier than wondering if you got the notes right as you study.
Compare. Keep your notes handy when you’re doing your reading homework. Compare what you wrote with what the reading says—you may even want to add to your notes as you read.
1. What’s an advantage of note-taking according to the writer?| A．It helps you to get good marks in tests. | B．It’s a basic skill in researching a paper. |
| C．It helps fix your mind on what the teacher says. | D．It gives you a better understanding of key facts. |
| A．To introduce the topic of note-taking. | B．To compare writing styles in different times. |
| C．To give an example of forming good habits. | D．To explain what a key fact is in a teacher’s class. |
| A．Teachers encourage their students to be active in class. |
| B．It’s helpful for teachers to learn from each other in styles. |
| C．It’s not always possible to note down all information in class. |
| D．A teacher’s style should be taken into consideration when taking notes. |
| A．Students must try to take correct and detailed notes in class. |
| B．Students should put down only key points while listening carefully. |
| C．Students must not interrupt the teacher by asking questions in class. |
| D．Students should put down as much information as possible in class. |
