1 . Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.
| Name: Susan Lane Age: 22 Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 1994. Cost: $7,000 Organization: AFS Experience: I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
| Name: Sara Small Age: 23 Place: Crivitz, Germany, 1996. Cost: $8,000 Organization: EF Foundation Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it is worth it. I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
| Name: David Links Age: 16 Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 1996. Cost: $4,500 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
| Name: Tom Jennings Age: 21 Place: Conflans, France, 1995. Cost: $7,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture.” You just have to adapt to each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchange program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
| Name: Linda Marks Age: 19 Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 1994. Cost: $3,500 Organization: Rotary International Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
1. According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost ________.
| A．from $4,500 to $8,000 | B．from $3,500 to $8,000 |
| C．anything from $3,500 | D．no more than $7,000 |
| A．Susan Lane and Sara Small |
| B．Linda Marks and David Links |
| C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks |
| D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
| A．Iceland and America | B．Thailand and France |
| C．Germany and Iceland | D．Germany and Thailand |
2 . On paper, hydrogen（H2）looks like a dream fuel. Coal, oil, and natural gas produce carbon dioxide, which warms the earth when burned, Hydrogen produces pure water. Hydrogen packs more energy into less space than a battery（but certainly less than petrol）. Also, empty tanks（燃料箱）can be refilled with hydrogen much faster than refilling empty batteries with electricity.
While in practice, things are trickier. Storing a meaningful amount of hydrogen gas requires pressing it several hundred-fold. Changing it into the liquid form is another option, but it should be cooled to-253C. Both processes require a heavy and strong tank. While a 700 bar tank is acceptable for a city bus or a truck, adapting it for use in small vehicles is very difficult because the pressure during refilling would be too great.
The solution? Powerpaste.
A German team of researchers, led by Marcus Vogt, have come up with an interesting "powerpaste", which can store hydrogen energy at atmospheric pressure, ready for release when needed. It is so named because it comes in tubes and looks like toothpaste（牙膏）, not in its traditional form of gas.
The main ingredient（原料）of the paste is magnesium hydride, a substance that reacts with water to form hydrogen. The escaped hydrogen can then be directed into a fuel cell, where it reacts with oxygen from the air to produce electric power.
Refueling is very simple, as instead of going to a filling station, drivers and riders can simply replace an empty tube with a new one and refill the water tank.
Given that powerpaste only begins to break down at temperatures of around 250℃ it remains safe even when a vehicle stands in the baking sun for hours.
However, we will have to be patient. Just because researchers have succeeded in developing a new fueling way does not mean that we can expect to see such vehicles on the road anytime soon. It will indeed be several years before this concept is turned into reality.
1. As a fuel, what is the advantage of hydrogen over oil?| A．Refilling empty tanks will be more convenient. |
| B．It is less likely to worsen global warming |
| C．More energy can be packed in the same space. |
| D．It will produce pure water for people to drink. |
| A．The practical difficulties to use hydrogen as fuel in small vehicles. |
| B．The detailed processes of adapting a strong tank in small vehicles. |
| C．The differences in fueling between large vehicles and small ones. |
| D．The tricks of building strong tanks in small vehicles. |
| A．inexpensive | B．powerful | C．convenient | D．environment-friendly |
| A．Powerpaste-driven vehicles sometimes move very slowly on the road. |
| B．Practical use of powerpaste-driven vehicles will not come very soon. |
| C．Powerpaste-driven vehicles can only work after being in the sun for hours |
| D．It will be years before the researchers work out the concept of powerpaste. |
3 . Disease-carrying mosquitoes can spread diseases without affecting themselves. Nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year, which results in over one million deaths. Humans experience continuous pressures from disease-carrying mosquitoes in many parts of the world, so we have to find ways to fight against those insects because they keep getting scarier.
Even though DEET remains the most commonly used, and most powerful, mosquito repellent (防护剂) ever developed, scientists are actively pursuing effective products based entirely on plant oils. While DEET is an effective contact repellent, many people dislike the oily feel and smell on their skin, and sometimes some people are sensitive to it. Consumers are always interested in alternatives to DEET and other synthetic (合成的) repellents, so there are numerous natural repellents on the market.
In my lab at Iowa State University, my team and I have been conducting research on natural products as possible insect repellents for the past 20 years. In the past few years, three of my Ph. D. students have contributed greatly to our research by designing, synthesizing, purifying, characterizing and testing more than 300 closely related chemicals coming from the best of natural repellents like citronellol, menthol and thymol.
These students have successfully tested these repellents against three species of dangerous mosquitoes. The first group of the new repellents act through the air. These chemicals have a vapor action that provides protection. These are potentially most useful in backyards, parks, houses, barracks and horse barns. The other group of the new repellents are the classic ones that stop insects from standing on a treated surface, such as human skin, clothing or tents; some researchers have conducted testing on some humans to confirm the effectiveness and identify the very best ones.
The new repellents were designed and made from the natural materials in plant essential oils. They maintain many of the advantages of the natural repellents: They are fully biodegradable (可生物降解的), with no ecological concerns or environmental wastes, and generally considered safe like the thousands of types of plant essential oils used in the flavor and perfume industries. However, thorough testing will be conducted to determine if they are truly non-poisonous because there is still no enough evidence.
1. What does the author mainly want to show in Paragraph 1?| A．The way mosquitoes spread disease. |
| B．The high death rate of mosquito-borne illness. |
| C．The difficulty of fighting disease-carrying mosquitoes. |
| D．The urgency of finding tools to fight against mosquitoes |
| A．It causes discomfort to the users. |
| B．It greatly harms people's health. |
| C．It can't be applied universally. |
| D．It won't be effective for long. |
| A．They can kill mosquitoes indirectly. |
| B．They are mainly used in the open air. |
| C．They are more effective on human skin. |
| D．They can prevent mosquitoes from contacting users. |
| A．Disapproving | B．Negative | C．Objective | D．Subjective |
4 . Are your kids interested in science and technology? Help them sign up for any of the following programs, and your kids will thank you more than enough.
Science is Beautiful Arts Contest
Location: Canada
Project Type: Arts
Grade Level: 11-12
The “Science is Beautiful” arts contest is open to Canadian students in grades 11-12. Both individual and group entries are accepted. But there is a limit of one submission per individual or group. There is no restriction on the type of submission — your artwork can consist of photographs, sculptures, poems, songs or any other medium that allows you to share the beauty of science!
Tomatosphere Action Project
Location: Across Canada
Project Type: Data Collection
Grade Level: 10-12
Tomatosphere is a program that uses the excitement of space exploration to teach the skills and processes of scientific experimentation and inquiry. Participating classrooms compare the germination rate (发芽率) of tomato seeds which have been exposed to a space-like environment with that of a control set of seeds.
DNA Barcoding (条形编码) at the Toronto Zoo
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Project Type: Student Science Club
Grade Level: 7-12
DNA technology is in use right now to preserve and catalogue life’s biodiversity through a Canadian invention: the DNA barcode of life. This colourful barcode is already being used to fight the greatest crime of our lifetime — the loss of biodiversity. By adding information to a few exhibits at the zoo, high school students can witness the power of biotechnology in solving global issues.
Dandelion (蒲公英) Project
Location: Ontario
Project Type: Data Collection
Grade Level: 11
This dynamic and hands-on program focuses on studying evolution of a species available all around us: the dandelion. Students will actively make observations, generate predictions, design experiments, collect and analyze the data and communicate their findings.
1. The "Science is Beautiful" arts contest mainly sets a limit on _____.| A．the type of the artwork submitted |
| B．the number of the artwork submission |
| C．the ability to express the beauty of science |
| D．the number of the participating group members |
| A．Science is Beautiful Arts Contest. |
| B．Tomatosphere Action Project. |
| C．DNA Barcoding at the Toronto Zoo. |
| D．Dandelion Project. |
| A．By doing some practical activities in person. |
| B．By learning about the history of dandelions. |
| C．By asking experts about dandelions’ details. |
| D．By referring to previous studies on dandelions. |
5 . A Portland, Oregon man has become the first person to travel across Antarctica by himself without receiving any assistance.
Colin O’Brady has completed the 1,500-kilometer trip. He crossed the continent in 54 days. Friends, family and other people followed his progress through messages and pictures he left on social media.
O’Brady spoke with his wife Jenna Besaw by telephone soon after he completed the journey. “It was an emotional call,” she said. “He seemed overwhelmed by love and appreciation, and he really wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of us.”
The 33-year-old O’Brady documented the trip on the social networking services Instagram. He called his journey “The Impossible First”. He wrote that he traveled the last 129 kilometers in one big, final push to the finish line. The distance took over one day to complete. O’Brady wrote, “While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced.”
The day before, he wrote that he was “in the zone” and thought he could make it to the end without stopping. “I was listening to my body and taking care of the details to keep myself safe,” he wrote. “I called home and talked to my mom, sister and wife. I promised them I would stop when I need to.”
Other people have traveled across Antarctica, but they all had some form of assistance. They either had better, more plentiful supplies or devices that helped move them forward.
In 2016, British explorer Henry Worsley died in his attempt to travel alone across Antarctica unassisted. Worsley’s friend Louis Rudd, also from Britain, is attempting an unaided solo journey in Worsley’s honor. He was competing against O’Brady to be the first to do it. Besaw told the Associated Press that her husband plans to stay in Antarctica until Rudd finishes his trip.
1. What did O’Brady think of his journey in Antarctica?| A．It was pleasant. | B．It was discouraging. |
| C．It was impossible to complete. | D．It was hard to complete. |
| A．Making sure of his safety. | B．Trying to achieve the goal. |
| C．Keeping in touch with them. | D．Stopping the travel halfway. |
| A．To wait for another explorer. | B．To compete with others. |
| C．To help other explorers. | D．To make his victory recognized. |
| A．The Antarctic Continent | B．The Impossible First |
| C．Traveling in Antarctica | D．An Incomplete Journey |
6 . Non-Credit Courses
The Pre-College Program offers non-credit courses. Students will experience college-level courses given by some of our college’s leading experts and will receive written feedback (反馈) on their work at the end of the course. Pre-College students will also receive a grade of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory and a certificate of completion at the conclusion of the program.
All non-credit courses meet from 9:00 a. m.-11:30 a. m. daily and may have additional requirements in the afternoons or evenings.
COURSE: Case Studies in Neuroscience
·June 11— July 2
·Leah Roesch
Using student-centered, active-learning methods and real-world examples, this course is designed to provide a fuller understanding of how the human brain works.
COURSE: Psychology of Creativity
·June 15—June 28
·Marshall Duke
Why are certain people so creative? Is it genetic (遗传的), or a result of childhood experience? Are they different from everyone else? This popular psychology course highlights the different theories of creativity.
COURSE: Creative Storytelling
·June 21 — July 3
·Edith Freni
This college-level course in creative storytelling functions as an introduction to a variety of storytelling techniques that appear in different forms of creative writing, such as short fiction and playwriting.
COURSE: Sports Economics
·July 19 — August 1
·Christina DePasquale
In this course we will analyze many interesting aspects of the sports industry: sports leagues, ticket pricing, salary negotiations, discrimination, and NCAA policies to name a few.
1. Who is the text intended for?| A．The general public. | B．College freshmen. |
| C．Educational experts. | D．High school students. |
| A．Sports Economics. | B．Creative Storytelling. |
| C．Psychology of Creativity. | D．Case Studies in Neuroscience. |
| A．Leah Roesch’s. | B．Edith Freni’s. |
| C．Marshall Duke’s. | D．Christina DePasquale’s. |
7 . Claire Wyatt, a 24-year-old British volunteer, led eight Cambodians living with disabilities on a 155-mile bike ride from Phnom Penh, the nation’s capital, to Siem Reap to raise money and deliver supplies to those in need in the coronavirus pandemic(新冠病毒大流行).
“Leading this trip was an incredibly special experience for me,” said Claire. “Not only was I encouraged by the determination of each and every rider, but also the team taught me every day not to focus on their disability.”
When she was first asked to lead the trip, Claire admitted, she was feeling nervous about her team traveling such a distance in just a few days because cycling with a disability can come with added physical and emotional challenges.
One team member named Dy, who lost an arm in an accident, biked using just one arm to balance. Another named Vulta could only pedal on one side due to polio(小儿麻痹). Despite all the difficulties, Claire realized quickly that she didn’t have to worry about her team. She saw them deal with rough area that she had seen abled cyclists give up on before.
The volunteers covered the distance in just four days, not only helping so many people across the country, but also overcoming huge difficulties to get there.
“The best thing about this ride is that the riders have all volunteered their time to do this. They are so enthusiastic about Cambodia and raising money for others in need,” said Claire. “The money raised will feed 99 families in Siem Reap.”
Claire recalled her favorite moment of the experience, when one of the cyclists pushed an exhausted teammate up a hill for 2 miles. “One moment that stood out for me was when Naret, our only female rider, was feeling tired,” she said. “Her fellow rider gently put his hand on her back and pushed her for 2 miles! They were encouraging each other to push through the tiredness.”
1. Why did Claire and eight Cambodians cycle 155 miles?| A．To challenge themselves. | B．To help out needy people. |
| C．To take part in a competition. | D．To raise money for the disabled. |
| A．She might be injured on the road. | B．She would be unable to lead the team. |
| C．Her team might be looked down on. | D．Her team couldn’t finish the route. |
| A．Confident, calm and friendly. | B．Honest, patient and open-minded. |
| C．Strong-minded, brave and caring. | D．Curious, creative and experienced. |
| A．It could have taken less time. |
| B．It was amazing and inspiring. |
| C．It changed her idea about human nature. |
| D．It was more difficult than she had expected. |
8 . As young students, you have many dreams. These dreams can be very big, such as winning the Nobel Prize; they can also be small, such as becoming one of the best students in your class.
Once you find a dream, what do you do with it? Do you ever try to make your dream real?
Andrew Matthews, an Australian writer, tells us that making your dreams real is life’s biggest challenge. You may think you’re not very good at some school subjects, or that it’s impossible for you to become a writer. Those kinds of ideas stop you from realizing your dream.
In fact, everyone can realize his dream. The first thing you must do is to remember what your dream is. Don’t let it leave your heart. Keep telling yourself what you want every day and then your dream will come true faster. You should know that a big dream is, in fact, made up of many small dreams.
You must also never give up your dream. There will be difficulties on the road to your dreams. But the biggest difficulty comes from yourself. You need to decide what is the most important. Studying instead of watching TV will help you to get better exam results, while saving five yuan instead of buying an ice cream means you can buy a new book.
As you get closer to your dream, it may change a little. This is good as you have the chance to learn something more useful and find new hobbies.
1. Which of the following isn’t mentioned(提到) in this passage?| A．You may think you’re not good at some school subjects. |
| B．Making your dreams real is life’s biggest challenge. |
| C．You must never give up your dream. |
| D．Listening to English more can help you realize your dream. |
| A．can’t be realized | B．can be very small |
| C．will come true | D．can be very big |
| A．Remember what your dream is. |
| B．Don’t let your dream leave your heart. |
| C．Keep telling yourself what you want every day. |
| D．A, B and C. |
| A．to remember what your dream is |
| B．to decide what is the most important |
| C．to learn something more useful and find new hobbies |
| D．to get better exam results |
| A．How to Become a Writer |
| B．How to Make Your Dream Real |
| C．A Big Dream Is Made Up of Small Dreams |
| D．Everyone Can Realize His Dream |
9 . What can holidaymakers in Argentina do in the country? Express.co.uk spoke to the travel experts to find out more.
The best time to visit Argentina
If you want to avoid crowds and peak prices while still enjoying everything offered, Lloyd, Director of Sunvil Latin America, advises visiting from October to mid-December and April to mid-June.
If you want to see the Patagonia penguins (企鹅), Tom Bourlet, a travel blogger, advises going between October and March.
The best places to visit in Argentina
“Buenos Aires is a melting pot of cultures,” said Tom Hughes, “Here travellers will discover a wealth of culture, not to mention it is the birthplace of a fast dance, tango. Nature lovers should head to the world’s largest waterfall system, Iguazu Falls.”
“I highly recommend San Carlos de Bariloche,” Tom Bourlet said. “It’s a quite beautiful and fantastic, and also acts as a good base for exploring the Lake District.”
“The best holiday destination in Argentina is Patagonia. The most famous place is Ushuaia — the southernmost city in the world. Expect glaciers (冰川), national parks, wildlife and end of the world cruising,” said Lloyd.
The best accommodation in Argentina
Lloyd advises avoiding some of the chain hotels. “While it may be attractive to stay at famous hotels, I recommend some of the smaller boutique hotels in the city,” he said.
Bourlet also recommends staying in some of Argentina’s more unique accommodation, such as a youth hostel and a boutique hotel in the heart of Argentina’s wine country.
1. Which time is available for tourists to observe penguins?| A．May 1st. | B．July 24th. | C．September 3rd. | D．November 11th. |
| A．Tango was born there. |
| B．Its scenery is quite beautiful. |
| C．Tourists can explore in national parks. |
| D．It is the southernmost city in the world. |
| A．A chain hotel. | B．A youth hostel. |
| C．A boutique hotel. | D．A well-known hotel. |
10 . Things To Do in Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend, September 18-20, 2020
Families will find fun things to do with your kids this weekend from September 18th to 20th. Make some art, visit a museum, enjoy a drive-in movie, and more!
Bowers Museum
2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
The Bowers Museum is now open and ready to safely welcome your family. Current exhibitions include Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic, a 10,000-square-foot traveling exhibit that features more than 400 objects. Timed tickets will be required. Make your reservation online.
The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival
3857 Birch Street, Suite 414, Newport Beach, CA 92660
The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival begins on Monday, September 14th and continues until Saturday, September 26th. A variety of activities are planned including story times, illustrating demonstrations, interactive activities, discussion panels, and much more. Check the website for a complete schedule of events.
Sawdust Art Festival: An Outdoor Marketplace
935 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
The Sawdust Art Festival: An Outdoor Marketplace opens this weekend on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The Outdoor Marketplace will be open on weekends only, and advance tickets are required. Families will have the opportunity to safely shop, watch live art demonstrations, and enjoy outdoor dining and live music. Tickets are available online. Admission is $10 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.
Drive-In Movies at the Mall: The Princess Bride
500 Lakewood Mall, Lakewood, CA
Enjoy a drive-in screening of The Princess Bride at the Lakewood Center Mall on Saturday, September 19th. The movie starts at 8:00 pm and the parking lot is not accessible until 7:00 pm. A free goody bag will be provided to each car. Tickets are available online.
1. Which of the following does NOT require tickets?| A．Bowers Museum. |
| B．Sawdust Art Festival. |
| C．Drive-In Movies at the Mall. |
| D．The Virtual Orange County Children’s Book Festival. |
| A．Appreciate live music. | B．See drive-in movies. |
| C．Enjoy dining indoors. | D．Watch free art demonstrations. |
| A．6:25 pm, September 19th. | B．7:25 pm, September 19th. |
| C．9:00 pm, September 19th. | D．8:25 pm, September 19th. |
