1 . My brother belongs to a strange group known as birders. Together with his three friends who are likewise into the hobby of birding, they march on landfills, and hike through the wooded lands, each of them armed with a pair of binoculars (双筒望远镜), a digital camera, biscuits, and water. One of them carries a telescope which comes in handy in case they want to take a look at a bird up close.
Understandably, their clothing is light; their shoes are designed for comfort, and they never fail to bring with them hats. Moving at a slow pace, they go in search of birds. And, yes, they carry a field guide --- a manual for identifying birds.
It is interesting to note how my brother and his co-birders go through their hobby: first, they look for a bird (either with the naked eyes or with the help of their binoculars); when they find one, they identify it; they then write it down. In case they are unable to determine the bird’s identity, they search for it in the field guide. If the bird is not in the handbook, they take down notes, make a rough drawing representing the chief features of the bird, or even take a picture of it to be used as a future reference.
A device, called the National Geographic’s Handheld Birds Personal Digital Assistant, is available for those who plan to take up birding in North America. This handy device is a digital field guide containing more than one thousand five hundred visual representations of birds. It has a searchable database of over eight hundred North American bird species.
For those seriously considering birding as a hobby but having second thoughts for fear of catching the terrible bird flu, it is important to know that you can take up the hobby and be safe from the fatal disease if you strictly observe the slogan of birders worldwide: just watch, don’t catch.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about birders?| A．Their clothing is light and they never bring hats with them. |
| B．They carry a telescope to have a close look at the birds. |
| C．After they find a bird, they usually put it into the cage. |
| D．They go to search for birds moving at a rapid pace. |
| A．To take down notes. |
| B．To take pictures of birds. |
| C．To find the correct route. |
| D．To refer to information of birds. |
| A．look for birds |
| B．look at birds closely |
| C．make a drawing of birds |
| D．recognize different birds |
| A．Avoid catching birds. |
| B．Keep away from birds. |
| C．Give up keeping birds. |
| D．Wear protective clothing. |
2 . Every animal species carries unique viruses that have specifically adapted to infecting it. Over time, some of these have jumped to humans — these are known as “zoonotic” viruses.
As the population grows, we move into wild areas, which brings us into more frequent contact with animals we don’t normally have contact with. Thus viruses can jump from animals to humans and they can spread between humans, through close contact with body fluids (体液) like blood or urine.
Because every virus has evolved to target a particular species, it’s rare for a virus to beable to jump to another species. When this does happen, it’s by chance, and it usually requires a large amount of contact with the virus.
Initially, the virus is usually not well-suited to its new host and doesn’t spread easily. Over time, however, it can evolve in the new host to produce variants that are better adapted.
When viruses jump to a new host, a process called zoonosis, they often cause more severe disease. This is because viruses and their initial hosts have evolved together, and the species has time to build up resistance. The new host species, on the other hand, might not have evolved the ability to tackle (应对) the virus. For example, when we come into contact with bats and their viruses, we may develop rabies or Ebola virus disease, while the bats themselves are less affected.
It’s likely that bats are the original source of three recently emerged coronaviruses: SARS-CoV (2003), MERS-CoV (2012) and SARS-CoV-2. All of these jump from bats to humans via an intermediate animal; in the case of SARS-CoV-2, this may have been pangolins (穿山甲), but more research is needed.
1. Why is it rare for a virus to infect another species?| A．The new host can deal with the virus. |
| B．The new species builds up resistance. |
| C．Every virus can’t adapt to the new species. |
| D．Each virus develops to target a specific species. |
| A．The resistance of the old species. |
| B．The ability of the new host species. |
| C．The process of the viral infection. |
| D．The reason for the virus variation. |
| A．SARS-CoV. | B．SARS-CoV-2. |
| C．Not mentioned. | D．MERS-CoV. |
| A．Humans should not move into wild areas. |
| B．Wild animals are actually our best friends. |
| C．A virus can spread from animals to humans. |
| D．A virus can vary to infect another species. |
3 . I've come back to check on a baby. Just after dusk I'm in a car down a muddy road in the rain, past rows of shackled (戴镣的) elephants, their trunks swinging. I was here five hours before, when the sun was high and hot and tourists were on elephants' backs.
Walking now, I can barely see the path in the glow of my phone's flashlight. When the wooden fence post stops me short, I point my light down and follow a current of rainwater across the concrete floor until it washes up against three large, gray feet. A fourth foot twisted above the surface, tied tightly by a short chain and choked by ring of metal spikes(尖刺). When the elephant tires and puts her foot down, the spikes press deeper into her ankle.
Meena is four years and two months old, still a child as elephants go. Khammon Kongkhaw, her caretaker, told me earlier that Meena wears the spiked chain because she tends to kick. Kongkhaw has been responsible for Meena here at Mactaman Elephant Adventure, near Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, since she was 11 months old. He said he keeps her on the spiked chain only during the day and takes it off at night. But it's night now.
I ask Jin Laoshen, the Mactaman worker accompanying me on this nighttime visit, why her chain is still on. He says he doesn't know.
Mactaman is one of many animal attractions in and around tourist-crowded Chiang Mai. Meena's life is set to follow the same track as many of the roughly 3,800 captive(被捕获的) elephants in Thailand. When Meena is too old or sick to give rides -- maybe at 55, maybe at 75 she'll die. If she's lucky, She will get a few years of retirement. She'll spend most of her life on a chain.
1. Why does the author decide to come back?| A．She knows a baby is in need of help urgently. |
| B．She wants to feed those shackled elephants. |
| C．She wants to release those shackled elephants |
| D．She wants to check baby elephant Meena. |
| A．The author is scared of walking in the path. |
| B．Meena only has three healthy legs. |
| C．Meena is treated badly and very painful. |
| D．One of Meena's legs is badly broken. |
| A．Indifferent | B．Critical |
| C．Sympathetic | D．Negative |
| A．to appeal to people to care about the fate of those elephants |
| B．to describe those elephants to attract tourists around the world |
| C．to tell readers the story of a baby elephant in Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| D．to tell the reason why the number of elephants is decreasing |
4 . If you make list of the world’s top ten most challenging jobs, chances are that being a teacher will not make the cut. But think about the discouraging task millions of educators face each day as they try to shape group of often bad-tempered, wild kids into intelligent, well-rounded individuals. That surely has to be the toughest job in the world, especially given that there is no promotion or bonus awaiting them even if they are wildly successful!
What if these all-important individuals that we often take for granted disappear from our lives? That was what Project Ed and Participant Media’s Teach campaign asked filmmakers of all ages to imagine in their recently-held competition Entitled “A World Without Teachers”, its purpose was to inspire more young people to become teachers. However, the 62 amazing video submissions also serve as a reminder of how horrible things would be if we didn’t have these selfless individuals guiding us through life. What was interesting is that even the youngest participants did not appear to be happy at the idea of not having anybody telling them what to do.
High-school student Savannah Wakefield reflected if art as we know it today would have been different without teachers. Would Monet have discovered his talent for impressionism? Los Angeles-based Miles Horst, who won the 1000 USD prize for the best adult submission imagines a world where teachers are replaced by a “brain box” in his fun lively entry.
Youth category winner Marina Barham’s video represents a fact we all know but often forget. Teachers don’t just teach, they inspire-something that no electronic device, no matter how smart, can do! So the next time you think your teacher is being “mean” for trying to channel you in the right direction, imagine life without him/her. We have feeling it will not appear as rosy!
1. From the passage we can learn that ________.| A．teaching naughty kids is a very discouraging task |
| B．teachers have little influence on kids’ individual development |
| C．a successful teacher has the greatest chance to be promoted |
| D．being a teacher is one of the most challenging jobs in the world |
| A．To attract kids to submit more videos of their teachers. |
| B．To remind students to appreciate teachers’ hard work. |
| C．To expect teachers to devote themselves to their jobs. |
| D．To encourage more people to go into teaching career. |
| A．A world without teachers will be unimaginable. |
| B．The future of teachers’ work appears inspiring. |
| C．Teaching is quite different from other jobs. |
| D．Many people attach more importance to teaching |
| A．A survey of people’s views about teachers. |
| B．The campaign to promote teachers’ status. |
| C．The significance of teachers. |
| D．A competition to win the prize for the best teacher. |
5 . I am an active playgoer and play-reader, and perhaps my best reason for editing this book is a hope of sharing my enthusiasm for the theater with others. To do this I have searched through dozens of plays to find the ones that I think best show the power and purpose of the short play.
Each play has a theme or central idea which the playwright(剧作家) hopes to get across through dialogue and action. A few characters are used to create a single impression growing out of the theme. It is not my intention to point out the central theme of each of the plays in this collection, for that would, indeed, ruin the pleasure of reading, discussing, and thinking about the plays and the effectiveness of the playwright. However, a variety of types is represented here. These include comedy, satire, poignant drama, historical and regional drama. To show the versatility(多面性) of the short play, I have included a guidance play, a radio play and a television play.
Among the writers of the plays in this collection, Paul Green, Susan Glaspell, Maxwell Anderson, Thornton Wilder, William Saroyan, and Tennessee Williams have all received Pulitzer Prizes for their contributions to the theater. More information about the playwrights will be found at the end of this book.
To get the most out of reading these plays, try to picture the play on stage, with you, the reader, in the audience. The houselights dim(变暗). The curtains are about to open, and in a few minutes the action and dialogue will tell you the story.
1. What do we know about the author from the first paragraph?| A．He has written dozens of plays. | B．He has a deep love for the theater. |
| C．He is a professional stage actor. | D．He likes reading short plays to others. |
| A．Stating the plays’ central ideas. | B．Selecting works by famous playwrights. |
| C．Including various types of plays. | D．Offering information on the playwrights. |
| A．Control their feelings. | B．Apply their acting skills. |
| C．Use their imagination. | D．Keep their audience in mind. |
| A．A short story. | B．An introduction to a book. |
| C．A play review. | D．An advertisement for a theater. |
6 . Researchers continue to show the power behind our sense of smell. Recent studies have found, among other things, that the smell of foods like pizza can cause uncontrollable anger in drivers on roads.
The review explains that smell is unique in its effects on the brain. According to Conrad King, the researcher who carried out the review, "more than any other senses, the sense of smell goes through the logical part of the brain and acts on the systems concerned with feelings. This is why the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter."
Smell, which dictates the unbelievable complexity of food tastes, has always been the least understood of our senses. Our noses are able to detect up to 10,000 distinct smells. Our ability to smell and taste this extremely large range of smells is controlled by something like 1,000 genes (基因), which make up an amazing 3% of the human genome. Researchers Richard Axel and Linda Buck were together awarded a Nobel Prize in 2004 for their ground-breaking research on the nature of this extraordinary sense. These two scientists were the first to describe the family of 1,000 olfactory (嗅觉) genes and to explain how our olfactory system works.
According to one study in the research review, smelling fresh pizza or even the packaging of fast foods can be enough to make drivers feel impatient with other road users. They are then more likely to speed and experience uncontrollable anger on roads. The most reasonable explanation is that these can all make drivers feel hungry, and therefore desperate to satisfy their appetites.
In contrast, the smells of peppermint and cinnamon were shown to improve concentration levels as well as reduce drivers’ impatience. Similarly, the smells of lemon and coffee appeared to promote clear thinking and mental focus.
However, the way genes regulate smell differs from person to person. A study by researchers in Israel has identified at least 50 olfactory genes which are switched on in some people and not in others. They believe this may explain why some of us love some smells and tastes while others hate them. The Israel researchers say their study shows that nearly every human being shows a different pattern of active and inactive smell-detecting receptors.
1. What did Richard Axel and Linda Buck find out?| A．The category of food smells. |
| B．The logical part of human brain. |
| C．The nature of human olfactory system. |
| D．The relationship between food and feelings. |
| A．Bread. | B．Fruits. |
| C．Coffee. | D．Fast food. |
| A．Some people can recognize up to 50 smells. |
| B．Every person has a different pattern of genes. |
| C．Different people are sensitive to different smells. |
| D．There are still some olfactory genes to be found out. |
| A．Logic and behaviour. |
| B．Smell and its influence. |
| C．Sense ability and food tastes. |
| D．Olfactory genes and its system. |
7 . If you are a movie fan, here are the latest movies highly recommended by viewers and critics.
The Irishman (2019) Rate: 8.7/10 14,071
R | 3h 29min | Biography, Crime, Drama | 27 November 2019 (USA)
Legendary director Martin Scorsese spent a long time developing crime epic The Irishman; talk of the director reuniting with his old muse Robert De Niro for the project was happening as far back as 2010.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Charles Brandt (book), Steven Zaillian (screenplay)
Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci | See full cast & crew »
Frozen II (2019) Rate: 7.3/10 13,162
PG | 1h 43min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy | 22 November 2019 (China)
Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom.
Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writers: Jennifer Lee (screenplay by), Jennifer Lee (story by) | 4 more credits »
Stars: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad | See full cast & crew »
Ford v Ferrari (2019) Rate: 8.3/10 35,096
PG-13 | 2h 32min | Action, Biography, Drama | 13 November 2019 (France)
American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
Director: James Mangold
Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth | 1 more credit »
Stars: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal | See full cast & crew »
Joker (2019) Rate: 8.8/10 488,619
R | 2h 2min | Crime, Drama, Thriller | 4 October 2019 (USA)
In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.
Director: Todd Phillips
Writers: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver | 3 more credits »
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz | See full cast & crew »
1. Which of the movies lasts the shortest time?| A．The Irishman. | B．Joker. |
| C．Frozen II. | D．Ford v Ferrari. |
| A．they are both tragedies | B．they are both about crime |
| C．they are produced in the USA | D．they are released in the same month |
| A．Frozen II has got the highest rating. |
| B．Arthur Fleck is ill-treated by some revolutionaries. |
| C．Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles are very determined. |
| D．Martin Scorsese wrote the stories for the movie himself. |
8 . Wonderful Museums in Cyprus.
The Leventis Municipal Museum
It shows the history of the city of Nicosia from prehistory to the present time and covers several traditional buildings on Hippocrates Street No.15-17. The idea of creating a museum memorizing the history of Nicosia was that of the former city leader, Lellos Demetriades. The museum was planned in 1984 and finished in 1989. Two years later, the Leventis Museum was honored with the European Museum of the Year Award. The museum aims to contribute to the protection of Nicosia's history.
Opening hours：Tuesday—Sunday (10:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m.）
Closed：Monday and public holidays
Entrance：Free. The Museum provides equipment for visitors with disabilities.
The Stemi Museum of Village Life
The museum shows the history of Stemi Museum from its foundation to the end of World WarⅡ. Sewing tools and equipment, handkerchief, kitchenware, pots and jars，traditional clothing are some of the exhibitions of this amazing museum.
Open: All year round
Monday to Sunday—October 1 to March 31 (10 a.m.—4 p.m.）
Monday to Sunday—April 1 to September 30 (10 a.m.—6 p.m.）
Free entrance
Marion-Arsinoe Archaeoloigical Museum
The Museum of Marion-Arsinoe is located in Polis Chrysochous. The exhibits are from the ancient city of Marion, renamed Arsinoe in the 3rd century BC.
Address: 26 MakariosⅢ Avenue, Polis, Paphos.
Opening hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday (8 a.m.—3 p.m.), Thursday (8 a.m.—5 p.m.), Saturday (9 a.m.—3 p.m.)
Monday and Sunday closed.
Entrance Fee：￡1.75；half price on national holidays.
Maa-Palaeokastro Museum
The small museum is located within the Maa-Palaeokastro site. Built in 1989，the museum's unusual design is the work of architect Andrea Bruno. The museum houses a small collection of objects，mainly copies, as well as some educational information on the site.
Open daily: 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. (November—March), 8:30 a.m.—6 p.m. (April—October). All year round.
Entrance Fee：￡1.75
1. Which museum takes disabled visitors into consideration?| A．Maa-Palaeokastro Museum. |
| B．The Stem Museum of Village Life. |
| C．Marion-Arsinoe Archaeological Museum. |
| D．The Leventis Municipal Museum. |
| A．Famous paintings. |
| B．Things used in daily life. |
| C．The education of the villagers. |
| D．The story of the village leader. |
| A．The Leventis Municipal Museum. |
| B．The Stem Museum of Village Life. |
| C．Maa-Palaeokastro Museum. |
| D．Marion-Arsinoe Archaeological Museum. |
9 . On average ,Americans spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer or other electronic devices and less than 30 minutes a day outdoors. That is a claim made by David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. In his 2017 TED Talk , Strayer explained that all this time spent with technology is making our brains tired.
Using an electronic device to answer emails, listen to the news and look at Facebook puts a lot of pressure on the front of the brain, which, Strayer explains , is important for critical (有判断力的)thinking , problem-solving and decision-making.
So, it is important to give the brain a rest. And being in naure , Strayer claims , helps get a tired brain away from too much technology. More than 15,000 campers from around the world attended an international camping festival in September. That is when friends and family take time off and escape to nature for several days. They take walks, climb, explore , swim, sleep, eat and play. Camping may be just what a tired brain needs.
Take Carl for example .He lives in West Virginia and enjoys camping . He says that staying outdoors makes him feel at ease. It also prepares him for the work he must do. Kate Somers is another example who also lives in West Virginia. She says she enjoys camping with her husband and two children . She calls it a “regenerative” experience.
At the University of Utah , David Strayer has studied both short-term and long-term exposure to nature. He found that spending short amounts of time in nature without technology does calm the brain and helps it to remember better. However ,he found , it is the long-term contact with nature that does the most good. He and his research team found that spending three days in nature without any technology is enough time for the brain to fully relax and reset itself.
1. What is David Strayer’s opinion ?| A．Americans dislike outdoor activities |
| B．Electronic equipment should be quitted |
| C．New technologies are a double-edged sword |
| D．Electronic equipment brings great convenience |
| A．To try another lifestyle | B．To refresh our brain |
| C．To make better decisions. | D．To play with our family and friends |
| A．Reborn | B．Memorable | C．Remarkable | D．Tiring |
| A．Electronic Equipment Harms the Brain |
| B．Good Rest Develops Good Memory |
| C．Tips on Using New Technologies |
| D．Being in Nature Is Good for the Brain |
10 . Hiking is a great way to get active and reduce stress while you are exploring the city.Visit our page to find some of the best free walking tours across New York City.
Community Days at Conference House Park
Wednesday ,September 19, 2018 12:00p.m.---2:00p.m.
Enjoy new gardens at the Visitor Center. Explore and help repair the three self-designed gardens: vegetable, native plant, and sculpture. Experience kids crafts，adult art programs, Tai Chi and more in this lovely setting.
Position: Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island
Event Organizer: Conference House Park
Phone Number: (718)227-1463
Contact Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov
Greenbelt on the Go
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 10:00a.m.---11:30a.m.
Join us for relaxing walks through our parks. Enjoy the pretty views of them, as we point out a few of the distinct features that make each park special. The length of each hike will be determined by the pace of the group. Registration is required.To register, please email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org before August 14.
Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island
Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department
Phone Number: (718)351-3450
Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org
Adult Afternoon Hikes
Wednesday, October 10,2018 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.
Get familiar with the Greenbelt and local parks by hiking with other adults !You’re encouraged to bring small meals and drinks for the break time.
Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island
Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department
Phone Number: (718)351-3450
Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org
The South Pole at Wards Point
Thursday ,November 15,2018 7:00a.m.---7:00p.m.
The three miles of nearby natural shoreline are a sandy beach. Shells ,rocks , and stones of every shape and size can be found here. Not to be missed are the park’s other attractions: acres of woodland ,four galleries, and five historic houses!
Position: Conference House Park Visitor Center in Conference House Park ,298 Satterlee Street ,Staten Island
Event Organizer: Conference House Park
Contact Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov
1. Which walking tour may attract people interested in Chinese culture?| A．Community Days at Conference House Park |
| B．Greenbelt on the Go |
| C．Adult Afternoon Hikes |
| D．The South Pole at Wards Point |
| A．The length of the hike is settled |
| B．People will visit three distinct parks |
| C．It takes place in Conference House Park |
| D．Visitors need to register in advance |
| A．They are all for adults. |
| B．They all charged no fees |
| C．They’re held by the same organizer. |
| D．They require visitors to bring food. |
