1 . Today we know Antarctica as an extreme environment containing ice and snow. But new research provides evidence that the area had a rainforest in the past.
The researchers collected a piece of Earth sediment (沉淀物) from under the seafloor off the coast of Antarctica. In the sediment they discovered forest material that was estimated to be about 90 million years old. This would have been in the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs were the main land animals. The sediment was removed by scientists on the research icebreaker RV Polarstern in the Amundsen Sea near Pine Island Glacier.
Johann Klages is a geologist with the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research in Germany. He was the lead writer of a study on the findings, published in the journal Nature. He said the sediment was collected from a depth of about 30 meters below the ocean floor. Klages said an examination showed that the material didn’t form in the ocean.
The researchers estimate that the area—about 900 kilometers from the South Pole—had average yearly temperatures of about 12 to 13 degrees Celsius. During the warmest summer months, average temperatures likely reached between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. The soil included fine dirt particles (颗粒) and hard clay, as well as substances linked to at least 65 different kinds of plants, the study found. Klages added that the plants included trees, ferns and flowering plants. While no animal remains were found, Klages said there were likely dinosaurs, flying reptiles (爬行动物) and many insects in the environment.
The research represents new evidence of the major climate changes Earth has experienced in the past—and is currently undergoing today. The soil in the sediment dates back to the planet’s warmest period of the past 140 million years, with sea level about 170 meters higher than today. The researchers said that the rainforest environment in Antarctica was especially surprising because each year, the area experiences a four-month polar night when there is no sunlight to fuel plant life. Klages said no ice sheets were present during the time, but seasonal snowfall was likely.
1. How did the researchers come to their findings?| A．By collecting data on climate. |
| B．By researching special plants. |
| C．By exploring ice in Antarctica. |
| D．By analyzing the Earth sediment. |
| A．Its material developed in the ocean. |
| B．Its material formed on the land. |
| C．It dates back to cold times in Antarctica |
| D．It contained different animal remains |
| A．There were ice sheets 140 million years ago. |
| B．Seasonal snowfall made the forest disappear. |
| C．Antarctica’s natural environment has changed greatly. |
| D．Polar nights in Antarctica are getting shorter than before. |
| A．Antarctica is getting warmer like before. |
| B．Various wildlife once existed in Antarctica. |
| C．Antarctica had a different history of climate. |
| D．Researchers study the secrets of Antarctica. |
2 . Approximately 90 percent of the young Chinese participating in the latest survey conducted by the Global Times Research Center believe China should not “look up to the West” anymore.
Chinese analysts said the sustainable and fast development of China is the core (核心的) reason why more Chinese are becoming increasingly confident, and some key elements have sped up the process such as the rise of Trumpism (特朗普主义) in the US.
The survey, titled “Changing attitudes toward the West among young Chinese people,” showed that there has been a significant change in attitude among young people toward Western countries, as a growing number of respondents see them as equals while many previously looked up to them.
The survey showed 37.2 percent of the participants said that five years ago, they still believed they should “look up to the West”, but now, only 8.1 percent of these people have the same view. Meanwhile, the people who “look down on the West” rose to 41.7 percent while only 18.4 percent of them held the same opinion as they did five years ago. About 48.3 percent of the participants believe they should see the West equally now.
The core reasons that have driven such changes are mostly concerned with China’s achievements in recent years. For example, 53.8 percent of interviewees chose “China’s successful epidemic (流行病) prevention and control amid the COVID-19 pandemic”, 40.5 percent selected “China’s cooperation with other countries under the Belt and Road Initiative”, 37.6 percent said “China is the only major economy that keeps growing when the world economy is in a shadow”.
Viewing the West equally does not mean that China will be proud or will oppose the West. The survey also shows that the participants are realistic and rational as they are aware that the West still has advantages over China in certain fields. For example, 64.6 percent of the participants said China should still learn from the West in the fields of science and technology.
1. According to the passage, why are more Chinese becoming increasingly confident?| A．Because Trumpism is rising in the US. |
| B．Because China has been developing rapidly and steadily. |
| C．Because there are few patients with the COVID-19 pandemic in China. |
| D．Because China cooperates with other countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing figures. |
| C．By making remarks. | D．By showing facts. |
| A．China will he the most powerful country in the world. |
| B．Most young Chinese are probably unwilling to go to the West. |
| C．Cooperation and win-win contributes to China’s development. |
| D．China’s economy is the strongest when the world economy is in a shadow. |
| A．Objective | B．Disapproving | C．Supportive | D．Subjective |
3 . Shetara Sims experienced some tough years. In 2012, her eldest daughter was murdered during an argument in Kansas City, Missouri. Last year, the single mother lost her job in the recession. She had only $7 in her pocket as she headed into the grocery store one day last July with her 12-year-old daughter, Rakiya Edmondson.
And then lady Luck finally cut Sims some slack. She and her daughter found a dollar bill in the parking lot. Maybe this was their day, they told each other. So they bought a lottery ticket and won $100.
But before they could spend their windfall, Rakiya had an idea. The news in Kansas City that week had been filled with stories about a police officer, Tyler Moss, who had been shot in the head in the line of duty. He was in critical condition. Rakiya and her mother had never forgotten how kind the police had been after their own family member was killed. “The detectives were really there for us.” Sims said, “They came to see my kids. They were fathers, therapists. They were everything.” Rakiya wanted to give their lottery winnings to Officer Moss’s family. Her mom readily agreed.
On July 10, Sims called the police and made an anonymous donation. Moved by her generous expression of thanks, the officers did what they could do best-they tracked Sims down. When she explained the family’s motivation, the officers could hardly believe it. “With her current financial hardship, we encouraged her to keep the money,” the department later explained. “She refused, saying the officer’s family needed it and the police needed to know they were supported.”
By then, that feeling of support was mutual. The police set up a GoFundMe page for Sims, whom they dubbed “The Woman with the Heart of Gold”. Their goal was $10,000. As of January 11,2021, they had raised $165,405. Even better: Officer Moss, who had a 1 percent chance of survival, is out of the hospital and recovering.
1. Why could the police hardly understand the family’s intention?| A．Because Sims was out of job. |
| B．Because Sims refused to keep the money. |
| C．Because Sims’s donation was not made public. |
| D．Because Sims was in financial difficulties at present. |
| A．They served as therapists and fathers. |
| B．They praised her for the act of kindness. |
| C．They established a GoFundMe page to raise money for Sim’s family. |
| D．They assisted Moss’s family with lottery winnings to get through hardships. |
| A．Kind-hearted and hardworking. | B．Creative and caring. |
| C．Grateful and kind. | D．Optimistic and devoted. |
| A．Just the Ticket. | B．Money isn’t Everything. |
| C．Story of Rakiya’s Family. | D．The Woman with the Heart of Gold. |
4 . A trip to a bank’s ATM machine is usually a common affair, but for Jose Nunez Romaniz. his visit on Sunday is one that he will remember for the rest of his life. The 19-year-old was helping his grandfather buy a pair of socks online when he noticed his account balance was low. So he drove to the nearest Wells Fargo to make a deposit. Little did he know, he was about to make an incredible discovery.
When he arrived to make his deposit, Jose noticed a clear plastic bag on the ground filled with cash. It turned out to be $135,000 worth of $50 and $20 bills. When he first saw it, he stared at it for a few seconds, not knowing what to do. He was very shocked. He had never seen so much money. After taking a moment to collect himself, Jose did what he knew was the right thing: he called the police. They soon discovered that the money had accidentally been left behind by a worker tasked with refilling the ATM.
Jose’s childhood dream has been to work in law enforcement himself as a crime scene investigator and he currently studies criminal justice at Central New Mexico Community College. Local businesses have offered Jose rewards. He has received git cards from local restaurants, sports gear, and season tickets for University of New Mexico football team of ESPN radio. He was also given a $500 scholarship from an electric company. And, perhaps best of all, the police chief invited Jose to apply for a job as a public service aid for the department. It was also the best gift for Mother’s Day. “She called me and almost started crying... She told me I did the right thing and that she was proud of me.”
1. Why did Nunez Romaniz go to the nearest Wells Fargo?| A．His grandfather asked him to go there. |
| B．His grandfather was waiting there. |
| C．He was hoping for un incredible discovery. |
| D．He needed to increase his account balance. |
| A．Jose. | B．The police. | C．A staff of the bank. | D．A customer. |
| A．He became very wealthy. | B．He got a job chance. |
| C．His school gave him a scholarship. | D．He was admitted to college. |
| A．Honest and kind. | B．Wise and generous. |
| C．Brave and strong. | D．Modest and smart. |
5 . Facial expressions are the primary way people exhibit emotion and read the feelings of others. Happiness, sadness, fear and surprise can be communicated through facial expressions alone. But when part of the face is masked (戴口罩), it becomes more difficult to recognize these cues.
If you cannot read other’s emotional state, your ability to empathize (共情) with them may be weakened. Moreover, if your mask is hiding your emotional state, others may not be able to empathize with you. Wearing a mask can also make you feel more distracted, further weakening your connection to others.
Fortunately, you can regain some control over communication by working with what you have left—the eyes. If you want to increase understanding with a masked individual, you should look them in the eyes, which may be easier said than done. Eye contact may cause discomfortable after only three seconds. But keep in mind, eye contact can also make you appear more intelligent and trustworthy.
You might be surprised how much information is conveyed by the body itself. For instance, when someone is happy, they stand up straighter and lift their head; when they are sad, they slouch and drop their head; and when they are angry, their whole body tenses up. Learning how people use their bodies to convey emotion may help reduce the uncertainty you feel when communicating with someone in a mask.
Don’t forget the impact of your voice. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. Along with the actual words, you also use volume, tone and pauses to convey your message.
Before your next interaction with a friend, think of ways to improve your connection. Pull your hair back so they can see your eyes clearly. Use your body and voice to convey the emotions you fear your mask might hide.
By all means, remember that social distance doesn't have to mean socially distant.
1. What is the function of eye contact according to the author?| A．You seem to be more friendly with eye contact for a long time. |
| B．Proper eye contact makes you appear more trustworthy. |
| C．Only eye contact can avoid misunderstanding. |
| D．Eye contact for five seconds makes you feel comfortable. |
| A．Learning body languages well can increase smooth communication. |
| B．There is little information conveyed by the body itself. |
| C．When people are sad, their whole body tenses up. |
| D．Standing up straighter and lifting one’s head means a person is angry. |
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
| A．We have to keep social distance strictly. |
| B．We can regain some control over communication by social distance. |
| C．Social distance can increase understanding with a masked individual. |
| D．Social distance should not keep people distant and cold. |
6 . This past weekend my wife and 1 had the opportunity to be in Colorado for a school reunion.On Saturday, we decided to take a day trip up to the mountains for a hike.The hike started at Echo Lake, near the base of the beautiful Mt Evans.The path would follow a river up the mountain to another lake.
We crossed the river a few times on wooden planks and walked through some thick trees slowly and unsteadily but eventually we made it to the lake.It was absolutely beautiful and definitely worth the hike.But we noticed that the path continued up the mountain further.We had plenty of water and a little more energy so we decided to keep going and see where it led.
The path got steeper from there and sometimes it was hard to find.But we stuck with it because every quarter mile the trees would open up and we’d get an amazing view of the mountains around us.Eventually, the path led us to another lake that was even more beautiful than the first.
We were about to stop and eat lunch, having reached our destination, when my wife noticed a waterfall at one end of the lake.We could see that the path we were on continued up the mountain to what must be the source of the waterfall.Having seen it, we knew we had to try and make it.
During the next mile of hiking we had to trudge through dark, sticky mud and then hop on logs and rocks across rivers.The last half mile was really steep, and we had to hike through the thick snow which was far beyond our expectations.The altitude was starting to affect us as the air got thin and our muscles ached.
Eventually, we made it to the top and found one of the most beautiful sights I have ever had the privilege to see.At the top there was yet another lake, with amazingly blue water, the snow-capped mountains reflected on its surface.It was breathtaking.
I learned a lesson about setting goals that day.
1. Why did the writer and his wife go to Colorado?| A．To hike in the mountain for a day. |
| B．To visit Echo Lake near Mt Evans. |
| C．To attended a get-together with classmates. |
| D．To be reunited with former colleagues at school. |
| A．Tough. | B．Easy. | C．Flat. | D．Even. |
| A．The steep cliff. | B．The thick snow. |
| C．The waterfall. | D．The muddy path. |
| A．Great energy is just for a great purpose. |
| B．The secret of success is to firm the target. |
| C．A person can only address a limited goal. |
| D．We’ll never reach the end of our goals sometimes. |
7 . The owner of a dog has received a message saying her dog would be killed unless she paid 1,000 pounds. Cathryn Hussain said her Christmas had been “a washout” of “sick” prank (恶作剧) calls about her dog.
Five days before Christmas, Waffle, a six-month-old labradoodle, was stolen in St Austell while the owner Cathryn took him for a walk in Belmont. Cathryn said she was approached by a male holding what she believed to be a knife. The suspect was dressed in black and spoke with a foreign accent.
Sergeant Steve White from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “The family of Waffle are very upset at the theft of their pet dog. All of the officers at the police station dealing with this crime also feel very sad for the family over what is a cruel and mean-spirited crime, especially during the Christmas period.” Officers have been checking local CCTV and making enquiries into the theft of Waffle.
Waffle still hasn’t been found. Police are trawling through lots of CCTV.
“We are all just a bit fed up of the prank calls that all seem to go through to my daughter’s phone. We received a text from someone saying they wanted 1, 000 pounds or Waffle would be beheaded.” Police have traced the person who was a male and not from Cornwall. “How dare someone use Waffle’s disappearance to make money. ”
“Christmas was difficult as I’ve got a five-year-old grandson so I had to force a smile for him. We haven’t told him exactly what happened to Waffle yet. Christmas really was a washout and was extremely upsetting for us. We just want Waffle to go home and things to go back to normal.”
1. What does the underlined word “washout” mean?| A．Failure. | B．Surprise. | C．Shock. | D．Fortune. |
| A．A man stole the dog from the owner’s house. |
| B．The owner walked the dog and it ran away by itself. |
| C．The dog lost its way when wandering around. |
| D．Someone threatened the owner and the dog was stolen. |
| A．The family have been troubled by prank calls during Christmas. |
| B．The police have traced the person who was a female from Cornwall. |
| C．The grandson was upset when he knew the dog’s disappearance. |
| D．The family wanted to pay 1000 pounds to let the dog back. |
| A．A sad owner of a pet dog | B．A valuable pet dog stolen at Christmas |
| C．Prank calls about a pet dog during Christmas | D．A lost pet dog found during Christmas |
8 . Should swimming lessons be compulsory (强制的) in schools?
Guangdong province is set to make swimming lessons compulsory in primary schools staring from 2020, proposing the courses should be given from the fourth grade. Do we need to make swimming compulsory in schools? Forum (论坛) readers share their opinions.
White Bear (Poland)
In Poland swimming lessons are not compulsory, but most of the schools have them. I think that when it is only possible-there should be the swimming lessons for kids. It is a lifesaving skill.
Mister Panda (France)
I come from France where swimming lessons in school are compulsory (dating back to Charlemagne!). I even got my lifesaving certificate in school.
Boilermaker (Expert in China)
There are swimming lessons in my city, but I was very disappointed in how they were taught. The kids spent 45 minutes of the one hour lesson practicing strokes on dryland. They only spent 15 minutes in the water. All of the children panicked and sank immediately to the bottom. Then all of the parents scolded the children, telling them they weren’t paying attention to the teacher and that they were failures.
Yunzhang (China)
It is a pity that many Chinese: athletes have won world championships in swimming while most schools don’t have the swimming facilities. Swimming is an essential lifesaving skill that everyone should have access to. The earlier, the better. The government needs to put money into the popularity of the sport.
1. Who is doubtful about the effect of swimming lessons?| A．White Bear | B．Minter Panda | C．Boilermaker | D．Yunzhang |
| A．Swimming lessons are made compulsory in high schools in Guangdong. |
| B．Swimming lessons are not compulsory in Poland, but most schools have them. |
| C．In France only a few schools have swimming lessons. |
| D．Most of the readers think swimming is an unnecessary skill. |
| A．Pitiful | B．Positive | C．Concerned | D．Opposed |
9 . A flock of wild mandarin ducks(鸳鸯) are the biggest draw in the West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, with tourists flocking from around the country to see them. However, some of the tourists have been feeding the ducks, even pulling them by the neck to force-feed them. On Monday, a video claiming that some of the ducks had died from over-feeding went viral on social networking sites.
Although there are prominent signboards warning people against feeding them, tourists just cannot hold back. Some even believe the ducks are underfed and they are doing them a favor, little realizing that their action can be detrimental to the birds' health.
Human food does not always go down well with ducks, particularly potato chips, as the oily snack can damage the health of mandarin ducks. However, tourists can frequently be seen feeding the ducks food that the birds cannot digest. Besides, feeding the ducks could stop them from competing in the wild to find their food. If they become dependent on food provided by humans, they will lose their survival skills. Also, by giving food to them, the tourists are polluting the environment. Especially, food thrown into the water could harm the ecosystem there.
However, the tourists know little about the harm they cause to the environment and there is a need to create awareness about it. Meanwhile, the number of mandarin ducks at West Lake has dropped from 336 last year to 260 this year. Maybe the declining numbers will wake the tourists up to this reality.
1. What is the main reason for the ducks' death in the West Lake according to the passage?| A．The ducks are fed with oily snacks. | B．The tourists fail to see the warning signs. |
| C．The tourists feed the ducks too much food. | D．The tourists kill the ducks by pulling their necks. |
| A．harmful. | B．sensitive. | C．vital. | D．beneficial. |
| A．Human food is not suitable for ducks to digest. |
| B．Food thrown into the water does harm to the ecosystem. |
| C．Tourists' feeding ducks may have a bad effect on ducks and the environment. |
| D．Ducks may lose their survival skills if receiving food from people all the time. |
| A．More mandarin ducks are seen in the West Lake this year than before. |
| B．People have already known the damage they did to the mandarin ducks. |
| C．More mandarin ducks are likely to be introduced to the West Lake in the future. |
| D．It's high time that people should be aware of the harm to ducks caused by overfeeding. |
10 . “Why did the fox steal my shoes?” sounds like the start of a brain teaser or an annoyingly hot. But for people in Berlin, it was a real question that a local fox was behind a series of shoe thefts.
About two weeks ago, Meyer, a resident of Berlin, noticed that one of his new running shoes had disappeared from his porch and he decided lo examine the theft, German news site reported.
Meyer quickly found out that he was not the thief’s only victim, and a tip helped him catch the fox. Days later, Meyer spotted the fox again; he followed it and discovered the fox’s secret place of more than 100 shoes.
Meyer got a photo of thieving fox and its ill-gotten shoes,which he shared on Twitter. The shoes contained sneakers, and slippers in a range of colors, shapes and sizes, though the most numerous shoes by far were Crocs.
This isn’t the first time that an urban fox has demonstrated a seeming shoes fetish(恋物). In August 2019, a fox in Melbourne, Australia, repeatedly visited a woman’s porch and stole three boots over the course of a week. In a small town in Western Germany, a female fox stole about 110 to 120 shoes in just one night, possibly “for her babies to play with”, according to Reuters.
It’s unknown whether all of these foxes were acting independently or whether their actions were linked, perhaps as part of an international shoe-stealing group with a bad purpose that humans can only imagine.
1. What happened to Meyer?| A．He had his shoes stolen. |
| B．He loved Crocs best. |
| C．He was physically attacked by a fox. |
| D．He moved out of Berlin and settled in a new place. |
| A．He drove the fox away. |
| B．He took a picture and posted it on social media. |
| C．He sent some food to the fox. |
| D．He followed the fox and found many other foxes. |
| A．To analyze the reason for fox’s behavior. |
| B．To introduce more people’s similar experience. |
| C．To explain how many shoes were stolen by the fox. |
| D．To prove some fox does have affection for shoes. |
| A．Delighted. | B．Serious. | C．Humorous. | D．Terrified. |
