1 . I wandered into the small store where I usually buy milk，when the store owner received a call from a customer. The customer and his wife had shopped there several months earlier. He noticed that his wife really liked one thing in the store，so he wanted to buy it as a surprise.
But the customer was in Tennessee，far away from the store which was in Maine. What was more，he had been to the store several months earlier，and it was difficult to believe that the store owner would remember him，or what he was looking for.
The store owner took a few close-up photos with her camera，and e-mailed them to the customer on the computer. The customer looked at the photos，and decided which one he wanted. They talked and discussed a price over the phone. She took care of the credit card transaction (交易) online，and promised the gift would be shipped out that afternoon.
The store owner was really smart. She was willing to push herself to find new ways to make the transaction actually happen. And it did work. However，it was the first time she had ever done it.
I was amazed that the store owner discovered a creative solution that could lead to a new way of doing business. I was impressed by what she did—so easily，but how difficult it is for many of us to make that leap (飞跃). I'm not just talking about technology，but about learning how to adapt to change. Most people hate or fear change unless they get to know exactly what change needs to be made. However，we should realize that challenge and opportunity go hand in hand.
1. According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE？| A．The customer had ever been to the store before. |
| B．The owner often did business by using her camera. |
| C．The owner and the customer discussed the price on the computer. |
| D．The gift was sent out by train that afternoon. |
| A．she was always ready to help others |
| B．she told the writer how to run a store |
| C．she managed to find a new way when facing change |
| D．she was a successful businesswoman |
a. e-mailing the photos to the customer on the computer
b. taking care of the credit card transaction online
c. taking a few close-up photos with her camera
d. talking about the price of the gift with the customer
| A．bcda |
| B．abcd |
| C．cabd |
| D．cadb |
| A．Tumorous |
| B．Creative |
| C．Confident |
| D．Honest |
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020 to two women scientists, Charpentier and Doudna, “for the development of a method for gene editing."
The discovery of these genetic scissors was unexpected.During Charpentier' s studies of Streptococcus pyogenes, one of the bacteria that cause the most harm to humans, she discovered a previously unknown molecule(分子），tracrRNA. Her work showed that tracrRNA is part of bacteria's ancient immune system, CRISPR/Cas. Charpentier published her discovery in Nature in 2011 and described how tracrRNA works with the Cas9 protein(蛋白质）to follow and kill viruses by cutting up their DNA.
Then in that same year,Charpentier began to cooperate with Doudna, an experienced biochemist in RNA.Together, they succeeded in recreating the bacteria's genetic scissors in a test tube and simplifying the scissors' molecular components so they were easier to use.They then reprogrammed the genetic scissors. In their natural form, the scissors recognize DNA from viruses,but Charpentier and Doudna proved that they could be controlled so that they can cut any DNA molecule at a predetermined site. Where the DNA is cut, it is then easy to rewrite the code of life.
Since the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors were discovered in 2012, their use has exploded though there are concerns that the technology could be misused. This tool has contributed to many important discoveries in basic research, and plant researchers have been able to develop crops that withstand mould, pests and drought. In medicine, clinical trials of new cancer therapies are underway,and the dream of being able to cure inherited diseases is about to come true.
1. According to Charpentier's studies of Streptococcus pyogenes, tracrRNA_____| A．can change life's DNA precisely |
| B．causes the most harm to human beings |
| C．is a previously unknown immune system |
| D．works with Cas9 protein to split viruses' DNA |
a. Charpentier began to cooperate with Doudna.
b. Charpentier published her discovery in 2011.
c.Charpentier studied Streptococcus pyogenes.
d. The bacteria's genetic scissors were recreated.
e.The genetic scissors were then reprogrammed
| A．a-b-d-c-e |
| B．c-a-b-e-d |
| C．a-d-e-c-b |
| D．c-b-a-d-e |
| A．Concerns about the misuse of genetic scissors. |
| B．The widely-spread use of the genetic scissors. |
| C．The important discoveries in basic research. |
| D．Contributions to cure for inherited diseases. |
| A．Cooperation:Secret to Success in Scientific Researches |
| B．Genetic Scissors:a Tool for Rewriting the Code of Life |
| C．Charpentier & Doudna:Women Scientists Acknowledged |
| D．The Nobel Prize in Chemistry: a Promoter of Gene Editing |
3 . One night in March, five years ago, during happy hour at a bar in my hometown, I made a surprise announcement to my friends: I was going to shut down my law practice and attempt to travel around the globe in a year. What’s more, I would do it without taking any flights or making a single advance reservation of any kind. My announcement drew mixed reactions from my friends. Some offered support and encouragement, while others were more doubtful.
Once I’d said the words, there was no turning back. It took months to shut down my law practice and get things in order. Once I set off on my adventure in October 2016, I found that travelling without using planes was not easy. Trying to circle the globe in 16 months (it took me a bit longer than the initial 12 months I planned) made it even tougher. Even so, travelling overland was the most awe-inspiring way to truly understand the immensity of our wonderful planet.
I took three consecutive overnight buses to travel 3,000 km through Argentina, from Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, to the capital Buenos Aires. I would look out the windows for hours on end at the completely unspoiled plains, as if humans had never touched it.
It took seven consecutive days and nights on trains to get from Moscow to Beijing, each day spent gazing out the windows for hours as the West Siberian Plain swept by. Sometimes, I wouldn’t see a village or a human being for 10 hours. Later in my journey, it took 22 days on a cargo freighter to get from New Zealand through the Panama Canal and back to Philadelphia, to finish my round-the-world adventure.
It turned out that travelling with no reservations was far less difficult than I had imagined. Pulling into a city on a bus with a backpack, looking in a guidebook for a few suggestions of accommodations, and then finding an empty room was never much of a problem anywhere. It also kept me flexible and open about all my travel plans, which is advice I give everyone who asks—plan far less than you think you should.
1. The author’s trip was special in that .| A．he made it at the expense of giving up his job | B．it hardly cost him anything |
| C．he did not make advance booking or travel by air | D．it was a global trip |
| A．June 2017 | B．December 2018 |
| C．October 2017 | D．February 2018 |
①Moscow ②Philadelphia ③New Zealand ④Ushuaia ⑤Beijing ⑥Buenos
| A．⑤④①⑥③② | B．④⑥①⑤③② |
| C．④⑤①⑥③② | D．⑤①⑥④③② |
| A．challenging but pleasing | B．dangerous but wonderful |
| C．boring and disappointing | D．costly and painful |
4 . Planning to go to a gym? If you are one of those who have spent many days planning to join a gym or to attend it regularly, then why not choose some home exercises? Here are some home exercises without equipment.
Jumping jacks
This one is the best home workout without weights, which is a great exercise that will work your hands and legs. Perform this exercise by standing with your feet placed together and arms at your sides. Now tuck in your abs (收腹) and jump by bending your knees. At the same time, move your feet apart as much as you can and raise your hands to bring into line with your shoulders. While you come back you must be in a starting position, feet together, hands at sides and knees bent. You must land on your heels and again jump.
Jogging
Jogging is one of the best home exercises without weights. You don’t need to have a lawn or jogging track at home to perform this exercise. There are many benefits of jogging. It will work your entire legs. Moreover, it is a classic cardiovascular (心血管的) workout. Make sure you wear jogging footwear even if you are jogging at home to avoid any stress on your feet. Also, you can gradually increase the jogging time and speed.
Rotating (旋转) exercise
Start by rotating your wrists, clockwise (顺时针方向地) and anticlockwise. Now, alternately rotate your feet in the same fashion. Now place both your hands on the shoulders and start rotating your shoulders clockwise and anticlockwise. Place an exercise mat and lie flat on your back. Now lift your left leg and rotate it clockwise; do not bend your knees. Now rest the left leg, lift your right leg and rotate it
Anticlockwise
It is necessary to set a perfect mood for exercise which will help you stick to the exercise routine and excitement. Make sure you wear proper exercise clothes to perform the workout with ease. Also, putting on your favorite music will make your exercise session more lively. If you get bored with exercises, just dance, after all it’s also one of the best home exercises.
1. While jogging at home, you__________.| A．may exercise your body entirely |
| B．had better choose a pair of proper shoes |
| C．should find a space as the jogging track first |
| D．must stick to a fixed time and speed |
| A．Hands-legs-back-legs. |
| B．Wrists-hands-feet-shoulders. |
| C．Wrists-feet-shoulders-legs. |
| D．Hands-shoulders-knees-legs. |
| A．a good mood and atmosphere |
| B．a good coach |
| C．a professional teacher |
| D．a good timer |
5 . Brownie and Spotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in most any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their respective houses.
One evening, Brownie's family noticed that Brownie hadn't returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn't show up the next day, and despite their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing. Curiously, Spotty showed up at Brownie's house alone. Barking, whining and generally pestering Brownie's human family. Busy with their own lives, they just ignored the nervous neighbor dog.
Finally, one morning Spotty refused to take "no" for an answer. Ted, Brownie's owner, was steadily harassed by the furious, adamant little dog. Spotty followed Ted about; barking insistently, then darting toward nearby empty lot and back, as if to say, "Follow me! It's urgent!"
Finally, Ted followed the frantic Spotty across the empty lot as Spotty paused to race back and bark encouragingly. The little dog led the man under a tree, past clumps of trees, to a desolate spot a half mile from the house. There Ted found his beloved Brownie alive, one of his hind legs crushed in a steel leg hold trap. Horrified, Ted now wished he'd taken Spotty's earlier appeals seriously. Then Ted noticed something quite remarkable.
Spotty had done more than simply led Brownie's human owner to his trapped friend. In a circle around the injured dog, Ted found an array of dog food and table scraps which were later identified as the remains of every meal Spotty had been fed that week!
Spotty had been visiting Brownie regularly, in a single minded quest to keep his friend alive by sacrificing his own comfort. Spotty had evidently stayed with Brownie to protect him from predators, snuggling with him at night to keep him warm and nuzzling him to keep his spirits up.
Browni’s leg was treated by a veterinarian and he recovered. For many years thereafter, the two families watched the faithful friends playing and chasing each other down that well-worn path between their houses.
1. What's the correct order of the following?① They couldn’t find him everywhere.
② Spotty went to Brownie’s master's house to ask for help.
③ One evening, Brownie was missing.
④ Spotty found Brownie and helped him by giving him food.
⑤ They play together happily again.
| A．③①②④⑤ | B．⑤③①④② | C．③①④②⑤ | D．③①④⑤② |
| A．Spotty took Brownie's food to him every day. | B．There was a natural path between the two houses. |
| C．The legs of Brownie were hurt by the steel trap. | D．Brownie disappeared for more than a week. |
| A．Ted noticed Spotty’s earlier actions. | B．Brownie’s family were thankful to Spotty. |
| C．They asked the police to find Brownie for them. | D．Spotty led Brownie’s owner to feed him. |
6 . Do you know Ma Yun? He is the founder and chairman of Alibaba Group. Ma was born in Hangzhou. At an early age, Ma wanted to learn English so he rode his bike each morning in order to go to a nearby hotel and talked with foreigners. He would guide them around the city for free in order to practise and improve his English.
Ma was never afraid of failure in his youth. Although he failed the College Entrance Examination three times, Ma entered Hangzhou Normal University(师范大学). He majored in English and graduated in 1988. While at school, Ma was elected student chairman. He later became a lecturer(讲师) in English and International Trade at the Hangzhou Dianzi University.
In the early 1995, he went to the United States, and with the help of his friend he got introduced to the Internet. In April 1995, Ma, his wife and a friend collected twenty thousand dollars and started an Internet company. He named their company“China Yellow Pages”. Within three years, his company had made 5,000,000 Chinese Yuan. In 1999, he decided to give up his job in the US, and went back to Hangzhou with his team in order to found Alibaba. Alibaba is a China-based business-to-business marketplace site on the Internet, which serves more than 79 million members from more than 240 countries and areas.In September 2014 Alibaba became one of the most valuable companies in the world. Ma Yun became one of the most successful businessmen in China.
1. Why did Ma Yun guide foreigners around the city for free?| A．Because he wanted to practise his spoken English |
| B．Because he was a translator |
| C．Because he was a volunteer |
| D．Because he wanted to prove himself |
| A．China Yellow Pages | B．Hangzhou Dianzi |
| C．Alibaba | D．Taobao |
a.Ma Yun started an internet company “China Yellow Pages”
b.Ma Yun founded Alibaba
c.Ma Yun went back to Hangzhou with his team in 1999
d.He became a teacher in English and International Trade
| A．a-b-c-d | B．c-d-a-b | C．b-c-a-d | D．d-a-c-b |
| A．The story of Alibaba |
| B．The story of China Yellow Pages |
| C．The story of Ma Yun |
| D．How Ma Yun Learned English |
7 . Mae Jemison was born in 1956 in Decatur, Alabama. Her father was a worker. Her mother was a school teacher. Both her parents encouraged their children to keep learning and go after their dreams.
One day when Mae was young, her thumb got hurt. She watched pus oozing out (脓流出). She was curious about pus: what was it and why was it coming out? That simple incident turned into a learning experience. She ended up doing a whole project on pus.
It was no surprise that Mae did well at school. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering (化学工程) and another degree in African and Afro-American Studies from Stanford University.
But Mae didn’t want to study or do just one thing. She chose to study medicine next at Cornell University Medical College. Then she became a doctor. She enjoyed her job, yet her childhood dream of going into space was still in her mind. So she later tried to join NASA’s astronaut (宇航员) training program.
She tried twice and was accepted finally! In 1992, her dream came true. She became the first African-American woman to go into space. Shortly after that, she quit from NASA to do other things. She then became a teacher at Dartmouth College.
Mae’s path wasn’t always easy. At that time, many believed that women didn’t have a place in the world of science. But nothing would stand in her way.
Through the course of her life, Mae was an excellent doctor, scientist and astronaut. Although she has left her job and stopped working, she’s still active. She speaks at many schools and talks about the importance of going after one’s dreams.
1. Why did Mae begin to study science?| A．She wanted to be like her mother who was a scientist. |
| B．Her parents encouraged her to study science. |
| C．She was curious about pus when she was hurt. |
| D．She did best in science at school. |
| A．People didn’t believe women could do well in science. |
| B．She failed many times in her project on pus. |
| C．She was seriously injured and had to quit from NASA. |
| D．She couldn’t focus on one thing for a long time. |
a. She became a teacher at Dartmouth College.
b. She learned medicine and became a doctor.
c. She studied science at Stanford University.
d. She got training in NASA’s astronaut training program.
| A．c-a-d-b | B．c-b-d-a | C．a-b-d-c | D．b-d-c-a |
| A．lived a poor life when she was young |
| B．went into space at the age of 36 |
| C．studied medicine at Stanford University |
| D．had dreamed of being a doctor since childhood |
8 . Look at the center circles of Diagram A and Diagram B. Which of the center circles looks larger? In Diagram B? In fact, they are exactly the same size.
Then look at the picture on the right. What do you see? A vase? Or two faces？Does the picture change quickly from one to the other again and again? Maybe or maybe not, but you can never see them at the same time.
“What’s happening? Is something wrong with my eyes?” You may wonder at what you see.
Don’t worry. Here is how it goes:
When we look at things, our eyes send messages to our brains and then our brains interpret the information. However, sometimes our brains interpret the received information in a wrong way. It seems that our eyes are playing a joke on us. This often happens and we call it “visual illusion ( 错误)”.
Movie makers often make use of visual illusions. They make the objects around actors much smaller or bigger than usual. This makes us believe that the actors are much larger or smaller than they usually are. The movies Jurassic Park and Honey I shrunk the kids just make use of visual illusions.
1. Why does the center circle in Diagram A look smaller than that in Diagram B?| A．Something is wrong with our eyes. |
| B．The two circles are not the same size. |
| C．The two pictures change quickly from one to the other. |
| D．Our brains interpret the information in a wrong way. |
a. We look at things with our eyes. b. Our brains interpret the messages.
c. Our brains tell us what we have seen. d. Our eyes send messages to our brains.
| A．c a b d | B．a d b c | C．a c d b | D．b c a d |
| A．To make the actors seem different in size |
| B．To make the actors much braver |
| C．To help the actors become stronger |
| D．To help the actors look better |
9 . Surtsey was born in 1963.Scientists saw the birth of this island. It began at 7.30 a.m. on 14th November. A fishing boat was near Iceland. The boat moved under the captain's(船长)feet. He noticed a strange smell. He saw some black smoke. A volcano(火山)was breaking out. Red-hot rocks, fire and smoke were rushing up from the bottom(底部)of the sea. The island grew quickly. It was 10 meters high the next day and 60 meters high on 18th November. Scientists flew there to watch. It was exciting. Smoke and fire were still rushing up. Pieces of red-hot rock were flying into the air and falling into the sea. The sea was boiling and there was a strange light in the sky. Surtsey grew and grew. Then it stopped in June 1967.It was 175 meters high and 2 kilometers long. And life was already coming to Surtsey. Plants grew. Birds came. Some scientists built a house. They want to learn about this young island. A new island is like a new world.
1. Surtsey is ______.| A．an island not far from Iceland | B．a new volcano |
| C．a fishing boat | D．a place in Iceland |
| A．to watch the birth of the island | B．to save the fishing boat |
| C．to learn about the island | D．to build a house |
| A．Before the volcano broke out. | B．As soon as the volcano broke out. |
| C．About four days after the volcano broke out. | D．After the volcano stopped rushing up. |
a. The captain found the boat was moving.
b. A new island appeared in the sea.
c. Fire, smoke and rocks were seen rushing up.
d. A fishing boat was near Iceland.
e. The island grew quickly.
| A．d-a-c-b-e | B．a-b-c-d-e | C．a-b-e-c-d | D．b-e-d-a-c |
| A．A new island | B．The birth of an island |
| C．A new world | D．Scientists discovered Surtsey |
10 . Yellowstone National Park became America’s first national park in 1872.The National Park Service was formed 44 years later. Yellowstone, which is mostly in the state of Wyoming, is considered as a great example of the National Park System. Humans have been present in Yellowstone for more than 11,000 years.
The first organized exploration of the area which lies close to the Continental Divide of North America took place in 1870.Those first organized explorers must have seen right away how special the land was. Yellowstone contains beautiful mountains, deep canyons, lakes and rivers.
The name Yellowstone comes from the river running through the area. At first known as Rock Yellow River, later it became known as the Yellowstone River. Yellowstone is home to many different species of plants. However, the park is most special because of what lies underneath it. It sits on top of an ancient super volcano. And it remains an active volcano. It is believed that the last time the volcano erupted was a half million years ago. The area has had three major eruptions in the last three million years. Experts say it may erupt again in another 1,000 to 10,000 years. But each year, there are thousands of earthquakes at Yellowstone. Most are too small to be felt by people visiting the park.
Yellowstone is filled with the beauty of many hot water springs. Of all the geothermal(地热的)places in the world, half are in Yellowstone. In places of geothermal activity, hot water and gases are trapped under the earth’s crust. In places like Yellowstone, they rush to the surface in the form of hot water and steam to form geysers(喷泉).There are more geysers and hot springs in Yellowstone than anywhere else on Earth. The most famous geyser is Old Faithful. It erupts about every hour or hour and a half. The eruption can last from one and a half minutes up to 5 minutes. The amount of hot water it pours in that time can be as much as 31,000 liters or more.
1. Which shows the correct time order according to the text?a. Explorers organized the first exploration of Yellowstone.
b. The National Park Service was formed.
c. The park became the first national park in America.
d. Humans showed up in Yellowstone.
| A．a,d,c,b | B．d,c,b,a |
| C．d,a,c,b | D．d,a,b,c |
| A．The beautiful mountains and deep canyons. |
| B．The different species of plants. |
| C．The ancient active volcano. |
| D．The lakes and rivers. |
| A．It is the largest geyser in Yellowstone. |
| B．It may erupt over twenty times every 24 hours. |
| C．It can be easily affected by active volcanoes. |
| D．It pours over 31,000 liters of hot water every minute. |
| A．Yellowstone lies in the state of Wyoming. |
| B．Rock Yellow River is near the Yellowstone River. |
| C．Yellowstone has the most famous plants in the world. |
| D．Yellowstone National Park is successful in National Park System. |
