1 . What is the greatest threat to mankind? Maybe different people come up with different answers. However, there is no denying the fact that the only threat to humankind, apart from humankind itself, is, without any doubt, the nature. Natural disasters are the result of natural environmental processes that have a damaging effect on people. Natural disasters can come in many forms: such as geological events like earthquakes, tsunamis or mud-rock flows, climatic events like storms, hurricanes or tornadoes and fire events like forest fires and wildfires.
The damage done by natural disasters is mainly as a result of our inability to predict exactly when they will happen. Although great progress has been made in designing and developing forecasting models for some natural disaster, complete certainty is still impossible. Even to be pessimistic there is a possibility that human beings will never achieve accurate prediction of the happening of all natural disasters.
What's more, even though we were able to predict these disasters from nature, preventing them is equally impossible. So we only have two ways to both prevent injuries or deaths and reduce economic losses to the least. These two methods are to prepare before a natural disaster comes to hit, and to manage the necessary resources and public services after a natural disaster strikes.
These two things have always been at the leading position of the projects of both national governments and international organizations. In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for the "preparedness, response and recovery planning" of both man-made and natural disasters.
Most natural disasters cannot be prevented, and both emergency preparation and good disaster management are the best ways to deal with them. Although natural events may appear to serve no purpose but simply to punish and destroy, natural disasters, a perfect symbol of the great power of the nature, are display of our planet's evolution and its state of change.
1. Which can't be regarded as a similarity between tornadoes and earthquakes?| A．They can not be prevented. |
| B．They are both geological events. |
| C．They cause damage to people. |
| D．They are both the result of natural environmental processes. |
| A．it is very difficult to predict when exactly they will happen |
| B．our forecasting equipment is too old for many natural disasters |
| C．we don't do enough preparation before natural disasters strike |
| D．we don't have the necessary public services to use after natural disasters strike |
| A．natural disasters can not be predicted at all |
| B．human beings are pessimistic to the future |
| C．being well-prepared can avoid economic losses |
| D．good preparation and disaster management are advisable. |
| A．a symbol of the power of nature | B．the greatest threat to mankind |
| C．Natural disasters and mankind | D．reduce losses to the least |
2 . The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie
By Chavonne D. Stewart, Jasmine Mills, published in 2014
Enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.It is the first book in a surprising series of children’s books. That’s fun and exciting and teaches kids valuable lessons.
Chester and Gus
By Cammie McGoven, published in 2017
Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems that dream might never come true－until a family adopts him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus. But Gus acts so differently from anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus, but he’s determined to figure it out and show he’s the right dog for the job.
Invisible Emmie
By Terri Libenson, published in 2017
The novel tells the story of two totally different little girls in a class — quiet, shy and artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie — and how their lives unexpectedly connected one day, when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands. Emmie eventually learns to speak up for herself, realizing that being social isn’t as impossible as she thought.
Ocean Meets Sky
By Terry Fan, Eric Fan, published in 2018
“Young readers will be attracted.”— The Washington Post.
Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out of his window, it’s a constant reminder of the stories that his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Finn’s grandfather has gone but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself! And when he arrives, maybe he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for.
1. What can we know about The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie?| A．It’s the first children’s book in 2015. |
| B．It’s only for children’s fun. |
| C．It may be gained for free. |
| D．It’s mainly about teachers’ lessons. |
| A．The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie | B．Ocean Meets Sky |
| C．Invisible Emmie | D．Chester and Gus |
| A．Chavonne D. Stewart and Jasmine Mills | B．Cammie McGovern |
| C．Terry Fan and Eric Fan | D．Terri Libenon |
3 . In the future, people may travel to Mars（火星)by water-powered spaceship! Today's spaceships are fine for getting things into space, but they are not so good at travelling long distances. These spaceships burn chemical fuels(燃料)and they are very expensive. Scientists say that a water-powered spaceship could make the trip to Mars much cheaper. The idea is just in the planning stages now, but scientists think such a spaceship could be developed soon.
The key to the water-powered spaceship is the engine(发动机).Regular engines push spaceships by burning fuel. The water engine will use steam, created by solar panels(太阳能板)that heat water to a high temperature. Of course, the spaceship will have to carry a lot of water for the long trip to Mars.
Today's spaceships could not carry that much water. But scientists think that a spaceship blown up like a balloon will be able to.
One Us company has already developed a spaceship like this. These spaceships are made of a strong material. Two of them have already been sent up into space, using rockets and then later filed with air. “Balloon” spaceships could be very large and carry enough water for a long trip. With the “Balloon” spaceships, enough water could be carried to power the engines and grow food during the trip. And the people on the spaceship might even get to take a hot bath!
Scientists say the biggest advantage of such a spaceship would be cost. The “Balloon” spaceship uses water to push it through space and costs about one thirtieth of a normal spaceship. Such savings naturally encourage continued research into balloon spaceships and water engines. If these scientists are correct, we may soon be on our way to Mars in a spaceship powered by water.
1. Which sentence best describes the main idea of the passage above?| A．The key to the water-powered spaceship is the engine. |
| B．In the future, people may travel to Mars by water-powered spaceship. |
| C．One US company has already developed a spaceship like this. |
| D．Scientists say the biggest advantage of such a spaceship would be cost. |
| A．use steam. |
| B．push spaceships. |
| C．heat water. |
| D．carry that much water |
| A．Take a hot bath. |
| B．Freeze dangerous things. |
| C．Blow up a balloon. |
| D．Change the surface of Mars. |
| A．www. freedictionary. com/power. |
| B．www. mooc. cn/music. |
| C．www. chinadaily. com. cn/culture. |
| D．www. space. com/spaceflight. |
4 . Every night, just after the sun goes down. Ruth Medjber talks with her neighbors in Dublin, Ireland, and takes a picture of them at their windows.
These photos, in some way, show people's lives during the global pandemic（大流行病）。
“I started out taking photos of just friends and family. In this way, I could connect with them during this special time when people have to stay at home,” the photographer explained. “I live alone, so I was missing the days when we were free to communicate with friends. Every evening, on my way to seeing friends, I had a sense of purpose.”
Now she's making new friends.
The photo project has taken off online, and she has opened it up to volunteers. But they must be the people who live within 5 kilometers of her home—the Irish government doesn't allow people to go farther out than that.
“I pick a street each night and try to take photos of volunteers,” Ruth said. “I usually take about four photos before it is completely dark, but two if I'm talking a lot—which I love to do.”
She said more and more neighbors are joining in her photo project and it has now got a name, Love at Home.
“I think people like knowing that they're not alone even if they have to stay at home, and they really try to pick out those who are similar to themselves in the photos,” she said. “It's also a different view（视角）of the pandemic: the more human view. Instead of showing what the pandemic has taken from us, it shows that it has given us more chances to be with family and friends and spend time together.”
“I think we'd love most to find something nice, even in the most serious situation as it is now,” Ruth said.
1. Ruth started out taking the photos in order to _______.| A．raise some money. |
| B．connect with friends and family. |
| C．make new friends. |
| D．join in a photo project of volunteers. |
| A．a photo project. |
| B．the picture shown in this passage. |
| C．a street in Dublin. |
| D．the special time when people stay home. |
| A．the beauty of streets in a city of Ireland. |
| B．how people do things when staying at home. |
| C．the moment of family and friends being together. |
| D．what the global pandemic has taken from people. |
5 . Life beneath the sea surface can be lovely and lively. But many organisms there produce poisonous chemicals to hunters. Divers are now collecting such poisons as drugs for human medicine.
Sharks aren't the scariest things in the ocean for scientists who dive to work. Powerful currents, creating where the ocean floor drops away, can be just as deadly. But the scientists who work underwater are trained to deal with these dangers. The rewards of research and underwater adventures are greater than the risks.
The sea may seem like a strange place to look for new drugs. But organisms in the ocean have had to adapt to a tough environment. The chemicals they make for survival might help people, too. More than 50 years ago, scientists discovered a new anticancer drug in a sea sponge. Since then, researchers have been hunting for more of such useful natural products in the seas.
With the help of underwater robots and small submarines, scientists are searching the seas—from shallow reefs to the ocean's great depths.
Bacteria living in the Arctic's cold waters break down their food using more different ways than organisms on land do. This process of turning food into energy for growth, activities and reproduction is called metabolism (新陈代谢). These pathways also produce chemicals called “secondary metabolites”. One day they also might help people.
During a fouryear project called PharmaSeas, scientists made thousands of extracts from those seafloor samples. In about a dozen of them, researchers found mixtures that can kill bacteria that some of today's antibiotics (抗生素) cannot kill. Three other newfound chemicals reduce epileptic seizures (癫痫病发作) in mice. Yet another compound may reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
1. Why do sea organisms produce chemicals?| A．To warn themselves in the sea. | B．To benefit other creatures. |
| C．To change their environment. | D．To struggle for survival. |
| A．Medicinal value. | B．The way of hunting. |
| C．The way of breaking down food. | D．Importance to humans. |
| A．They have the same effects as today's medicine. |
| B．They have unique functions. |
| C．They can treat most diseases. |
| D．They can kill all bacteria. |
| A．Diving for New Medicines | B．Threats from the Ocean |
| C．Future Sources of Bacteria | D．Danger of Diving in the Sea |
6 . Traveling to a foreign country can make you frightened if you don't know the local language.Mr.Thibault has a number of tips to help travelers manage in a destination when they don't speak the native tongue, based on his own experience.Here are a few of them.
Download a Language Translation App
Mr.Thibault tends to rely on Google Translate and suggests that travelers find an app that works for them.Ideally, find one that specializes in the language you need to translate especially if the language uses a character set you’re not familiar with, or have difficulty pronouncing.
Speak with Your Hands and Head
Pointing with your hands and nodding or shaking your head, Mr.Thibault said, are easy ways to communicate with locals in the country you’re in.“Gestures are all universally understood，” he said.
Learn a Few Key Words
Knowing basic words and phrases like "hello""thank you” and “I’m sorry，I don’t speak your language.Do you speak English?” is a must, Mr.Thibault said.Showing that you care enough to learn some of the language before you go, and at least enough to acknowledge that you don’t know more, is a form of respect and will make you go a long way to be liked by locals.
Work with a Local Travel Agent
If you feel particularly uncomfortable in the country you’re heading to, and you have to go anyway, relying on a local travel agent who knows both your and your destination's languages can be incredibly useful.
Hire a Local Tour Guide
A tour guide can help you get a better grasp of the local language and is a good person to practice words and phrases with.Whenever Mr.Thibault visits a new country, he books a sightseeing tour with a guide on the first day of his trip.“I use this day to learn about my destination and get familiar with the language,”he said.
1. In what situation should a language translation app be applied while traveling abroad?| A．When you have trouble pronouncing the words. |
| B．When you want to acknowledge your ignorance. |
| C．When you want to practice the local language. |
| D．When you feel uncomfortable in the country. |
| A．Downloading a language translation app. |
| B．Learning a few key words. |
| C．Using body language. |
| D．Working with a guide. |
| A．By speaking with your hands and head. |
| B．By learning a few key words. |
| C．By downloading a language translation app. |
| D．By hiring a local tour guide. |
7 . Emily Harrington climbed her way into the history books last week, becoming the first woman to free-climb the Golden Gate route（路线）of Yosemite National Park's EI Capitan in less than one day. EI Capitan is considered one of the most difficult rock climbing places in the world. She topped the 3,000-foot mountain last Wednesday in 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51seconds.
Free-climbing-the method Harrington used-requires climbers to use their hands and feet to push themselves up, but they wear ropes and other protective equipment in case of a fall. However, it is not without its dangers: One of Harrington's climbs on El Capitan last year landed her in the hospital.
This year it was not all plain sailing. As Emily began her climb a little past 1:30 a. m, she kept telling herself: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." At one especially difficult point in the climb, as her hands, covered with sweat, reached for her next move, she fell over and knocked her head against a rock. The injury wasn't serious, but Harrington, bloody, tired and defeated, considered stopping. After taking a rest and putting a bandage（绷带）on her forehead, Harrington got back to work. She reached the top at 10:30 p.m., welcomed by close friends and her husband-to-be, Adrian Ballinger.
"I think the reason it was successful was kind of a mixture of finally being prepared enough, finally having the experience required, having the fitness and the training, as well as a little bit of luck," Harrington said.
Harrington celebrated the moment, like many would, with a bit of Champagne. Now that one life dream is out of the way, Harrington said she and Ballinger plan to take a break from the "big goals" for a while.
1. How does Emily make a history?| A．By going across a park in 21 hours. |
| B．By becoming a woman free-climber. |
| C．By reading a number of history books. |
| D．By free-climbing a mountain in one day. |
| A．Introduce the topic of the text. |
| B．Give description of a relaxing sport. |
| C．Add information about free-climbing. |
| D．Discuss possible dangers of climbing. |
| A．Told herself to slow down. |
| B．Continued to climb after a while. |
| C．Turned to her close friends for help. |
| D．Rested against a rock for several hours. |
| A．To have a rest | B．To set big goals. |
| C．To celebrate her success. | D．To take up new sports. |
| A．Calm and creative. | B．Clever and lucky. |
| C．Kind and imaginative. | D．Brave and determined. |
8 . Some teens are disapproving of compulsory BMI (body mass index) （身体质量指数） checks in PE classes. Do BMI checks at school do more harm than good? Two teens take sides.
Maya Meade, a high school freshman in Ohio, says yes. “I understand that schools want to weigh students because they are concerned about their physical health. That’s not a bad thing! But what about their mental health? For many students, appearance and self-image are huge sources of stress. Forcing teens to be weighed at school will only increase the pressure they feel to fit a certain mold (模子)”, says Maya.
In Maya’s opinion, weight is a personal matter that should stay between a doctor and a patient. She says, “Just imagine someone who struggles with body image being told that his or her BMI is too high as classmates look on! Even if other kids can’t hear, no student wants to feel judged by his or her teacher. That’s not why we go to school.”
Maya thinks if a school wants to have an impact on a student’s physical health, there are better ways to do it, such as providing healthy but filling meals, encouraging physical activity and teaching students about nutrition.
Ben Bagbek, a second-year student in a high school in New York, holds a different opinion. “There is no reason why a school should not be allowed to weigh its students and teach them how to calculate BMI! Obesity (肥胖症) is a huge public health concern in our country. And schools are in a position to help students understand what their weight means to their health -- before they’re at risk of life-threatening conditions.”
“A school’s job is to help students reach their full potential, and your health undoubtedly plays a role in your academic performance. BMI is not a perfect measurement, but it can help you identify the need for healthier eating habits or more physical activity.” says Ben.
The bottom line is: When you feel good, you learn better. As long as the actual number on the scale stays private, it should be viewed as an important part of your health education.
1. What are the two teens debating?| A．Whether students are enjoying PE classes. |
| B．Whether schools are body-shaming students. |
| C．Whether students should pay attention to weight. |
| D．Whether schools should help students lose weight. |
| A．Healthy diets. | B．Emotional stress. |
| C．Fierce competition. | D．Positive self-awareness. |
| A．It’s private. | B．It’s important. |
| C．It’s hard to lose. | D．It’s not a big deal. |
| A．Most school students are overweight. |
| B．BMI checks are of little help to students. |
| C．Schools have the right to weigh students. |
| D．It’s not schools’ duty to help students keep fit. |
9 . Best Tours in Auckland
Waiheke Island
With the best of the island’s two selling points — nature and wine — this tour will have you cross through the island’s bushland, and drink award-winning wines. You’ll see New Zealand’s famously shy wildlife and native plants.
Tour: Waiheke Island Vineyards and Bush Walk
Money: $ 130 for a family of three
Coromandel
This day tour allows you to get to some of the area’s places far away. Your guide will drop you off at Stony Bay where you will begin the 10-kilometre hike to Fletcher Bay, where you will be collected. You can enjoy its natural beauty, with the shining ocean alongside you. Don’t forget your bathing suit to make the most of the place at the end of the route.
Tour: Coromandel Coastal Walkway Day Tour
Money: $ 45 per person
Hamilton
Explore endangered species of flora and fauna at Sanctuary Mountain. It’s a place where at-risk species can grow without human nearing them. Your guide will explain the species and the reasons they’re endangered to you.
Tour: Guided Forest Tour of Sanctuary Mountain
Money: $ 42 per person
Waitomo
Put on your boots and helmet, and prepare to go down underground, hiking among rocks and streams. The tour is limited to six people, allowing you a much more comfortable and personalized experience.
Tour: Glow-worm Caving Adventure
Money: $55 per adult &. $ 25 per child
1. Where can a person go for swimming according to the passage?| A．Waiheke Island. | B．Coromandel. |
| C．Hamilton. | D．Waitomo. |
| A．Waiheke Island Vineyards and Bush Walk. |
| B．Coromandel Coastal Walkway Day Tour. |
| C．Guided Forest Tour of Sanctuary Mountain. |
| D．Glow-worm Caving Adventure. |
| A．People can hike a long distance. |
| B．Endangered animals can be seen. |
| C．The number of tourists is limited. |
| D．Tourists can drink award winning wines. |
10 . When Simon Cane was in the second grade, he began learning about all the ways humans have an impact on the environment and really took those classroom lessons to heart in a way that set him apart from his schoolmates at his elementary school, P. S. 81, in the Bronx. “He told me we drove too much and made too much pollution,” his dad, Jonathan Cane, told Runner’s World. So Simon convinced his parents to start hanging their clothes to dry, taking the stairs instead of elevators, and other “green” measures.
“For much of kindergarten and first grade I rode my bike to Simon’s school with him on the back,” Jonathan said. “We had a lot of fun being outdoors. We’d stop to give our dog treats and generally enjoyed it.” As Simon got bigger, though, it wasn’t practical for him to ride on his father’s back, but it also didn’t make sense to ride together — both because of safety concerns and because there was no place to put away Simon’s bike. So, most of the time they drove the 1. 5 miles to school.
But in 2019, when Simon was going into third grade, the 8-year-old came up with a new way to help the planet: running the 1. 5 miles to P. S. 81. And Jonathan promised his son he’d join him for as long as he wanted.
“We did a test run one day in August, and decided to give it a go. To be honest, I thought he’d blink (眨眼)after it got really cold or rainy, but he never did,” Jonathan said. He recalled one day when the weather was particularly bad. “It’s really raining out there today,” he told Simon. “And Simon said, ‘Well then we’re going to get wet!’ He took pride in toughing it out, and it became a really fun family routine.”
Since the start, Simon has run with his dad and their black dog, Lola, and has even inspired his mom, Nicole Sin Quee, to join in. They soon became known as “the family that runs to school”.
1. What makes Simon different from his classmates?| A．Washing his clothes by himself. | B．Taking many classes after school. |
| C．Raising strange questions in class. | D．Taking green measures to protect the environment. |
| A．By car. | B．By cycling. | C．By running. | D．By school bus. |
| A．Simon has trouble with his eyesight. | B．Simon is really stubborn and inflexible. |
| C．Simon is much tougher than expected. | D．Simon didn’t get support from his father. |
| A．The Best Way to Go to School |
| B．Father and Son Run for the Environment |
| C．A Teenager Keeps Running to Inspire Father |
| D．Three Inspiring Running Athletes to Protect the Environment |
