1 . I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows(誓约) mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today.
So here's what I wanted to tell you today:
Get a life. A real life, not a desire of the next promotion(提升), the bigger paycheck, the larger house.
Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure(空闲); it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an email. Write a letter. And realize that life is the best thing and that you have no business taking it for granted.
It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. Something really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had my choice, it would never have been changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all: I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and totally. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned.
By telling them this: Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a deadly illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion(激情) as it ought to be lived.
1. What's the author's attitude toward work?| A．Do it well to serve others. |
| B．To earn enough money to make life better. |
| C．Try your best to get higher position and pay. |
| D．Don't let it affect your real life. |
| A．it is so easy to keep alive but not to live a real life |
| B．it is very hard to live a real life |
| C．it is so easy to make a living |
| D．it is more difficult to exist than to live a happy life |
| A．By working and social experience. |
| B．By learning from her friends. |
| C．Through an unfortunate experience. |
| D．From her children and husband. |
| A．Love Your Friends | B．Live a Real life |
| C．Don't Waste Time | D．Be a Good Mother and Wife |
2 . It was a fine day. Jeffrey Del Monte was driving With his friend late Friday afternoon along the beach near Ramp 49 in Friso when they heard the screams of children. They surveyed the water trying to locate the screams and， two young girls were spotted apparently struggling while being swept out in a rip current（激流）.
Del Monte then swam out into the ocean and helped one of the girls who were caught in the rip current, passing her to his friend for the lengthy swim back to shore. He then went back to search for the second girl and found her in great pain before he swam back to shore, bringing the child to the beach from nearly 100 yards out.
After both girls were safe on the beach, Del Monte and his friend attended to them until Dare County Emergency Medical Services and a Cape Hatteras National Seashore Ranger arrived on the scene. The children's parents also arrived and expressed their thanks to Del Monte and his friend.
“Jeffrey Del Monte's heroic, selfless and quick actions were key to saving these two girls from a very dangerous situation," National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent David Hallac said in a statement. "His courage and expertise allowed him to perform this successful ocean rescue. "
Park officials said the incident was a reminder of how quickly ocean conditions could change, even on what appeared to be a perfect clay.
“A perfect clay on the beach doesn't always mean that it's a perfect day in the ocean, so it is important that all visitors check the beach forecast for danger and rip currents before heading to the beach and always use something that floats when in the water. If individuals do find themselves caught in rip currents, please don't swim against the currents, instead swimming out of the currents and then to shore," David Hallac said.
1. Why did Del Monte hand the first rescued girl to his friend?| A．To go to seek for the other struggling girl. |
| B．To give his friend a chance to be praised. |
| C．To relieve his pain caused by the current. |
| D．To experience the lengthy swim himself. |
| A．They took them to hospital quickly. | B．They looked after them on the beach. |
| C．They drove them back to their parents. | D．They blamed them for taking the risks. |
| A．Worried, | B．Envious. | C．Appreciative. | D．Grateful. |
| A．Going swimming with others. | B．Avoiding floating in the water. |
| C．Swimming against the currents. | D．Preparing well for beach trips. |
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 . The Sahara Desert, which covers over 3.6 million square miles of Northern Africa, is one of the most unsuitable places for most animals to live in on the planet today. However, new research conducted by a team of international biologists has found that millions of years ago, the area was filled with frightening animals feeding on meat, including dinosaurs,
“It was the most dangerous place in the history of planet Earth because it was home to so many different kinds of dangerous animals in all shapes and sizes," says study leader Nizar Ibrahim, a biologist at the University of Detroit Mercy.
The researchers found the fossils (化石) of three of the world's largest-known dinosaur species that raised the Kem Kem beds to the status of “the most dangerous place in Earth's history”.
They included the "shark-toothed dinosaurs”. Larger than even the T-Rex, the massive theropods (兽脚亚目恐龙) measured 13 feet tall, 45 feet long, and weighed as much as 17,637 pounds. The creatures sported enormous jaws and teeth up to eight inches long. The mid-sized theropod, which grew to about 26 feet in length, had unusually slim hind limbs (后肢) for its size, suggesting it may have been a swift runner.
The most interesting thing was the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus (埃及棘龙). The massive 50-foot long, 15,434-pound animal had a long nose, similar to those of a crocodile's stomach, and long teeth. The dinosaur's most unusual feature, however, was its tail. Unlike the tails of other dinosaurs, such as the T-Rex, it was flexible with a large surface area.
To test the tail’s abilities, the biologists created a plastic one and attached it to a robotic swimming device. They found that the paddle-like structure was capable of moving sideways, suggesting that the dinosaurs could easily push through water. The researchers believe the dinosaurs were equally comfortable on land, where they came to lay their eggs.
1. What was the Sahara Desert like millions of years ago?| A．Animals there mainly lived in water. | B．There lived many dangerous animals. |
| C．Dinosaurs were the only animals there. | D．Dinosaurs there fed on three animals. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By using experts' words, |
| C．By listing some figures. | D．By showing plastic ones. |
| A．Its huge stomach. | B．Its long nose. |
| C．Its sharp teeth. | D．Its flexible tail. |
| A．The Sahara Desert Was Once Home to Dinosaurs |
| B．Dinosaurs Lived on the Earth for Millions of Years |
| C．Dinosaurs Were Once Dangerous to Many Animals |
| D．Researchers Have Found Fossils of Many Dinosaurs |
5 . With experts on board and in the company of fellow travelers who enjoy the discovery of science, we are not taking bookings but below are a selection of our tours for you to look forward to and gain inspiration from. If you register your details against a specific tour, we will contact you when the time is right.
Learn to dig Mycenaean archaeology (考古学): Greece
8 days May, 2021
An interactive tour of the key Mycenaean sites includes a unique experience at Mycenae where you will be taught how to explore, map and excavate (挖掘) the sites with archaeologists.
Dinosaur hunting in the Gobi Desert: Mongolia
15 days August, 2021
Join New Scientist on a thrilling and unique expedition to find dinosaur remains in the wilderness of the Gobi Desert with professional experts from the Mongolian Institute. Fully participate in live prospecting(勘探)and fossil digging across key sites.
The history and future of space exploration: USA
12/13 days September, 2020 and May 2021
A comprehensive tour covers key sites in the history and future of space exploration, from the first rockets to the iconic missions, space stations and developing space tourism industry, including three NASA space centers and Virgin Galactic Spaceport America.
Endangered wildlife of Malaysian Borneo: Malaysia
9 days July, 2021
Explore Malaysia's primary rainforests and wetlands crowded with rare and endangered species as Alfred Wallace did before writing his 1869 book The Malay Archipelago, Expect to see orangutan (红毛猩猩), sun bears, civet cats, proboscis monkeys, rhinoceros hornbills and many more. Led by conservationist and photographer Charles Ryan who will also help you gain the best wildlife shot.
1. Which of the following tours lasts the longest?| A．Endangered wildlife of Malaysian Borneo: Malaysia. |
| B．Learn to dig Mycenaean archaeology: Greece. |
| C．Dinosaur hunting in the Gobi Desert: Mongolia. |
| D．The history and future of space exploration: USA. |
| A．Greece. | B．Mongolia. | C．Malaysia. | D．America. |
| A．Excavate dinosaur remains. | B．Watch various wild animals. |
| C．Shoot some animals for food. | D．Explore key Mycenaean sites. |
6 . Sometimes buying groceries can be an expensive thing. We go in, thinking that we won't be buying any big-expense item, and start picking up small items here and there, in fact, getting practically anything that comes to mind. As we reach the check-out counter, we can't believe the check, But it's too late to do anything by then. Here are a few money-saving tips to remember for the next time you go shopping for groceries.
Being prepared matters a lot when it comes to buying groceries. This means taking the trouble to come up with a list of things you need. Look around the house first and list down things as you go along. After you have your list, add up all the amounts and see if that's what you want to spend. If not, then cross out some items on the list.
Importantly: preparing a List is one thing, but following it to the letter is another. Make sure that once you're in the supermarket, you don't pick up things that aren't on your list. Remember, that's accurately why you came up with the list in the first place.
Choosing the best and most cost-effective store around is also important. Compare prices at different places. Compare quality. Check out the discounts that they are offering. At first glance, the prices of goods may differ by an insignificant value, but adding them all up can burn a hole in your pocket.
Here's another tip from my brother, Leonard. He often eats at home before heading to the grocery. Of course, you know why. Once you get there, there are just so many delicious-looking and fine-smelling treats all over the place that we can hardly resist.
Remember to use these tips to save money when you go to buy groceries.
1. Why do we feel shocked at the check-out counter?| A．We have to wait for long to check out. | B．We find we've spent too much money. |
| C．The goods we buy are more expensive. | D．It is too late for us to select more goods. |
| A．Refer to others' shopping lists. | B．List some unnecessary things. |
| C．Make a list based on your budget. | D．Cross out listed expensive goods. |
| A．Freely. | B．Secretly. | C．Strictly. | D．Traditionally. |
| A．To stress the importance of resisting spending. |
| B．To explain a theory related to commercial ads, |
| C．To show the effectiveness of money-saving tips. |
| D．To introduce a way to avoid blind consumption. |
7 . Barry Farmer didn't have the easiest childhood, but it was an experience that made him who he is today—a foster father（养父）.
“When I was very little, I was going from home to home, living with friends of my parents. ” Farmer said. He then lived with his aunt, followed by a foster home.
When Farmer was four years old, something happened that would change his life forever： He moved in with his grandmother. At his grandmother's house, he had neighborhood friends, a good school and a sense of community. That stability was beneficial to Farmer,
“I lost my parents but I gained a whole village of support. That inspired me to become a foster parent, too," Farmer said.
When he was just 20 years old, he saw an advertisement about how to become a foster parent, "A year after getting licensed, I got my first case," he said. Farmer said social workers were not willing to assign（分配）him cases since he was not old enough, but he finally got his first child.
About a month after that child moved out, Farmer received another case. Farmer decided to take in 8-year-old Jaxon, “He was supposed to be with me temporarily," Farmer said. However, when Jaxon moved out, he was placed with a family who was supposed to adopt him but he didn't like it, "He missed me and I missed him because I wasn't really prepared for him to go,” Farmer said, "That's when I made a decision to keep him. ”
Foster care itself is so unpredictable. You don't know what to expect once you sign up," Farmer said, “There's no easy way to foster. It's an emotional（情感上的）journey. And you have to put your own personal feelings aside to make sure you're doing what's best for the children. But at last, both you and your foster children can benefit a lot. ”
1. Why did Barry Farmer want to be a foster father at first?| A．His grandmother expected him to do so. |
| B．He wanted to be independent of his aunt. |
| C．He loved this kind of life as a foster father. |
| D．He was inspired by his childhood experience. |
| A．His bad behavior. | B．His young age. |
| C．His lack of licenses. | D．His poor living condition, |
| A．They got on badly with each other. | B．They missed their own families a lot. |
| C．They possibly built a close connection. | D．They got well prepared for departure. |
| A．It is hard but rewarding. | B．It is harmful to children. |
| C．It is an emotionless journey, | D．It is easy and predictable. |
8 . If social distancing is driving you a little crazy, here are four world's most beautiful natural pools for you to get relaxed.
Devil's Pool
Victoria Falls in southeastern Africa measures 108 metres tall and more than 1676 metres wide. But for some brave people, the top of the Falls, known as Devil's Pool, is just another swimming hole. With water levels at their lowest from September to December, large numbers of swimmers adventure into the pool.
Barton Springs Pool
Barton Springs Pool in Austin, U. S. , covers three acres and maintains a temperature of about 20 degrees year-round. Admission to the 5-metre deep pool ranges from midMarch until the end of September. For local residents （居民）,the cost is $ 3 for adults and $ 1 for kids under 8 （non-residents pay $ 8 for adults and $ 3 for kids under 8）.
Bondi Icebergs Public Pool
A 15-minute drive from Sydney's CBD sits the Bondi Baths at Bondi Icebergs. The historic 50-metre public saltwater pool has been around for more than a century and features a small beach, where you can enjoy the sunshine. The entrance cost （ $ 7 for adults； $ 5 for kids） isn't much considering the million-dollar view.
Dudu Blue Lagoon
Want to float （漂浮）in a quiet 30-metre-deep freshwater pool? Then check out Dudu Blue Lagoon on the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic. The lagoon also features underwater caves, making it a popular diving destination.
1. When is a good time to swim in Devil's Pool?| A．March. | B．June. | C．August. | D．October. |
| A．$7. | B．$9. | C．$19, | D．$24. |
| A．Sunbathe on the beach. | B．Float in a saltwater pool. |
| C．Have a good view of the waterfall. | D．Dive into the underwater caves. |
9 . While we may think it feels good to complain, complaining has some bad effects associated with it.
Why isn't complaining beneficial? Research shows that it connects our brain with negativity. The brain is designed to work efficiently. This means that when we repeat a thought, negative or positive, the nerve cells form a bridge between each other to pass information in a higher speed. Therefore, the next time we have a similar type of thought, it is more easily passed. This explains why certain thought patterns become habits.
Yet the harmful effects don't stop there. A study shows that complaining causes the hippocampus (海马区), which plays a vital role in problem-solving, to become smaller. In addition to causing brain damage, complaining also releases a stress hormone: cortisol, a kind of chemical the body produces when we meet with some danger. Constantly having a high level of cortisol results in high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and lower immunity.
The ill effects of our complaining aren't just limited to ourselves: they also involve those around us. We tend to mirror the moods of our friends. For this reason, we should be cautious about having stubborn complainers in our circle of acquaintances and companions.
The best way to deal with constant negativity is to develop a sense of gratitude. Just like complaining acts as a poison, gratitude acts as a medicine. Research shows it lowers cortisol levels by 23 percent, as well as reduces blood pressure and blood sugar. It also decreases tiredness and depression. Gratitude is the perfect cure for complaining, a behavior that steals our brain power, happiness and physical well-being.
What have you observed about the effects of complaining in your own life or in the lives of others? Have you noticed that when you are grateful, you feel better all over? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
1. What do paragraphs 2-3 mainly talk about?| A．The bad effects of complaining on brain power. |
| B．The decrease of a vital part of our brain. |
| C．The diseases caused by complaining. |
| D．The reason why certain thought patterns become habits. |
| A．Gratitude functions as an effective cure for cortisol. |
| B．Having a high level of cortisol can lead to many health problems. |
| C．Our body produces cortisol when we feel excited. |
| D．Cortisol is a chemical that can cause brain damage. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Neutral. | C．Skeptical. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．To encourage readers to share ideas. |
| B．To introduce different emotions. |
| C．To analyze the reasons for complaining. |
| D．To inform readers the effects of complaining. |
10 . I always wanted to have extraordinarily good command of something. I wanted to remain the best in class, awe-inspiring and tip-top; a world-famous genius, like Michael Phelps, or Mark Zuckerberg.
Unfortunately, my version of reality did not quite line up with this delusional vision. I was a good swimmer, but I peaked at the collegiate State Championship level. My academic record was pretty solid, but I never would have made it into one of those exceptional Ivy League Schools.
Though I rose to above-average status in a couple of areas, the disappointing truth was that I would never amount to anything more than a mid-sized fish in a small pond. The destiny apparently had drawn up other plans.
What drove me crazy, though, was the superstar talent thrown in my face at every turn. Some folks just seemed to get an unfair share of it.Why couldn't I be like Bernie Williams, the famed New York Yankees player who also happened to be a world-class jazz guitar virtuoso (艺术大师)?
Some say greatness is simply a function of putting in the practice time. It is around ten thousand hours, to be precise, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. I don't question the theory of devoting considerable efforts to developing one's professional knowledge, but it seems that talent carries much weight alike.
I've heard that as people approach middle age, their life satisfaction increases because they begin to accept the gap between the expectations for themselves and the reality. After a few decades of frustration without the desired results, we eventually come to terms with how our lives turned out, even if it falls far short of our idealized youthful expectations.
Hope bends, it seems.
1. What does the underlined word "delusional" in paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．Realistic. | B．Imaginary. | C．Disappointing. | D．Material. |
| A．a world-famous genius | B．a world-class virtuoso |
| C．a mid-sized fish in a small pond | D．a student in an Ivy-League school |
| A．Talent and practice. | B．Ten thousand hours of practice. |
| C．Talent and professional knowledge. | D．Extraordinary efforts. |
| A．Youthful Expectations. | B．Frustrating Decades. |
| C．Practice Counts. | D．Hope Bends. |
