2 . 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.

2. In what way does Arctic bacteria differ from organisms on land according to the text?

A．Medicinal value.	B．The way of hunting.
C．The way of breaking down food.	D．Importance to humans.

3. What is special about the mixtures from seafloor samples?

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.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Diving for New Medicines	B．Threats from the Ocean
C．Future Sources of Bacteria	D．Danger of Diving in the Sea

3 . The University of Adelaide employs a full-time staff of fire prevention professionals. They inspect all campus buildings and maintain all sprinkler systems, fire alarms and fire extinguishers. They also provide educational programs on fire safety in the residence hall. Whenever you move to a new area, you should locate the fire alarm pull stations and the two exits nearest your room.

Fire Alarms

The floors of all campus buildings are equipped with manual fire alarm systems which include fire alarm pull stations and pipes. Most are also equipped with automatic fire alarm systems consisting of heat detectors, smoke detectors and sprinklers. For your safety, never toy with these systems. False fire alarms are illegal and may lead to imprisonment.

Fire Drills

A fire drill will be conducted in your residence hall every semester. During a fire drill, please do the following:

·Take your room key and ID. Close and lock the door to your room.

·Exit immediately from the nearest emergency exit and do not use a lift.

·Meet outside of your residence hall and wait for further instructions.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are located on each floor and in each apartment. Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained to do so. Irresponsible use of a fire extinguisher can create a dangerous situation for other residents and could result in damage to personal property. Misuse of a fire extinguisher will result in fines.

Smoke Detector

A smoke detector is on the ceiling in your room. Some buildings also have heat detectors on the ceilings. Do the following to ensure the safe operation of your smoke detector:

· If your smoke detector is working properly, the red light should be on. If the red light is not blinking, contact residence hall staff immediately.

·Do not cover or block your smoke detector in any way. If a smoke detector sets off an alarm and there is no fire or smoke, inform your hall staff.

1. What is the main duty of the fire prevention professionals?

A．To provide part-time jobs for students.

B．To lead the students to the nearest exits.

C．To check and maintain fire prevention equipment.

D．To train teachers to be fire prevention professionals.

2. In a fire drill, the students should                     .

A．rush quickly to a lift

B．gather at the nearest exit

C．shut the door and leave at once

D．wait for instructions in the hall

3. To ensure the safe operation of the smoke detector, one should           .

A．contact the hall staff regularly

B．cover the things that burn easily

C．start the smoke detector in a fire

D．make certain the red light is working

4 . Market traders and street vendors （摊贩）are making a comeback across China, and this time they find themselves equipped with a new set of digital skills essential to navigating the vast consumer market. To revitalize （复兴）retail stands, in a move aimed at stimulating domestic spending and stabilizing employment, the country's leading e-commerce platforms are lending a helping hand, offering services like accessible financing backed by technologies.

Domestic wholesale site 1688. com is among the first group of tech players with such offerings. At the heart of the action plan is an effort to link street vendors directly with factories, effectively avoiding middlemen and saving time and costs.

According to general manager Wang Hai, numerous small-scale merchants on the site have managed to gain the upper hand in price negotiations, while manufacturers are more willing to mass-produce as the economy of scale serves to reduce costs, thus creating a win-win situation.

“Data analytics also kicks in, giving traders some insight into current consumer trends so that they no longer need to operate their business purely based on intuition （直觉），and they can avoid stockpiling,“ Wang said. For instance, the most sought-after categories in markets are daily necessities _? underwear , digital gadgets and beauty products, according to the company, whereas the most passionate buyers come from Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.

Meanwhile, to stabilize employment _, e-commerce major JD. com vowed to add a number of job positions that either require flexible working hours, allow working from home or are designed to promote startup businesses. For posts related to delivery, warehouse management and packaging, priority is given to people from poverty-stricken areas.

“The COVID-19 outbreak will accelerate the digital transformation of the real economy, and individual traders and smaller stores are no exception,^” said Xu Lei, CEO of JD's retail unit. "We have the capability and, more importantly, the responsibility to inject vitality （活力）into these entities, thus contributing to the economic rebound （回弹）and stabilizing employment.

1. What can we learn about e-commerce platforms like 1688. com?

A．They have an advantage in price negotiation.

B．Their efforts help street vendors cut the cost.

C．They increase production through technology.

D．Their services are financed by the government.

2. How does data analytics benefit traders?

A．By improving traders' business intuition.

B．By helping traders find out market trends.

C．By telling traders when to stockpile goods.

D．By aiding traders in controlling the market.

3. Who is more likely to get a delivery job from JD?

A．A person experienced in driving a truck.	B．A person willing to start a new business.
C．A person from an underdeveloped village.	D．A person preferring flexible working hours.

4. Which column of a newspaper is the passage probably taken from?

A．Culture.	B．World.
C．Lifestyle.	D．Business.

5 . Computer programmer David Jones earns ￡35 000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card. Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David’s firm releases two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.

But David’s biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot, he cannot drive a car, take out a mortgage (抵押贷款), or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. “I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,” he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes，and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.

“Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school,” he said. “But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway.” David added, “I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”

1. In what way is David different from people of his age?

A．He has a handsome job.

B．He cannot have a credit card.

C．He graduated with six O-levels.

D．He often goes out with friends.

2. What is one of the problems that David is facing now?

A．How to get more spare time.

B．Buying a car suitable for him.

C．How to deal with his income.

D．Releasing two new games each month.

3. Why did David decide to leave school and start working?

A．He received lots of job offers.

B．He lost interest in school studies.

C．He was eager to help his mother.

D．He wanted to earn his own living.

4. What was David’s attitude towards the computer market in the future?

A．Positive

B．Critical

C．Worried

D．Hopeless

6 . Do dogs understand us?
Be careful what you say around your dog．It might understand more than you think．
A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany．The dog also appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child．Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee．
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects．Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back．In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right．As the dog couldn't see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words．
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew．The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before．
The correct object was chosen in seven out of ten tests, suggesting that the dog had worked
out the answer by process of elimination（排除法）．A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive．
Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog．For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed （品种）known for its mental abilities．In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months．
It's hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say．Even if they do, they can't talk back．Still, it wouldn't hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then．You might just get a big, wet kiss in return!
1. From paragraph 2 we know that __________．

A．animals are as clever as human beings

B．chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills

C．dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees

D．dogs have similar learning abilities as 3-year-old children

2. Both experiments show that_____________．

A．Rico is smart enough to get all commands right

B．Rico can recognize different things including toys

C．Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics

D．Rico won't forget the names of objects once recognizing them

3. Which of the following statements is true?

A．Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training．

B．The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie's mental abilities．

C．The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects．

D．Rico is born to understand its owner's commands．

4. What does the writer want to tell us?

A．To train your dog．	B．To talk to your dog．
C．To be careful with your dog．	D．To be friendly to your dog．

7 . Each year, half a million people die from brain aneurysms（动脉瘤）—when a blood vessel（血管）bursts in the brain. An aneurysm is a bulge（膨胀）in a blood vessel that can burst. If that happens in the brain, it can be deadly. For survivors, physical disabilities are often severe. They may include memory problems, loss of balance, trouble speaking and even blindness. But new technologies are increasing survival rates and reducing disabilities.

Beaumont Bacon is a survivor who makes light of her experience because she is a comedian（喜剧演员）. She uses humor to make others laugh. Now she’s working on a new show. Michael Alexander is her doctor. He operated on Beaumont Bacon after her attack. “She had bleeding in the frontal area of her brain, so right above the eyes. The part that was in the brain was about maybe the size of an egg. So, that’s a fairly large bleed.”

Ms. Bacon had a better chance at survival than most people because of Dr. Alexander. He directs the Neurovascular Center in Los Angeles. The center offers new technologies that include placing a catheter（导管）into an aneurysm, then threading wires to promote blood clots（血栓）. This technique reduces the chances of another burst blood vessel. “You don’t have to open up the skull（头盖骨）or open up the brain to do surgery. It’s all done from inside the blood vessels. So it reduces the amount of blood loss, and the recovery is much faster.”

For Beaumont Bacon’s recovery, the hospital worked to prevent problems commonly found in patients with a burst aneurysm. The problems include brain swelling that can shut down blood vessels. She spent a month in a coma（昏迷）—unable to communicate with doctors, friends and loved ones. But with a year of treatment, she recovered. Now, she is making people laugh.

1. What do you know about aneurysms?

A．No technologies can treat them nowadays.

B．They may cause severe disabilities.

C．Few people die from them every year.

D．They are deadly wherever they happen.

2. The new technology has the following benefits EXCEPT that ________.

A．it is much faster for the patient to recover

B．it brings no problems after the operation

C．it reduces the amount of blood loss

D．it doesn’t need to open up the brain to operate

3. It can be known from the passage that Beaumont Bacon ________.

A．was always in an unconscious state after the operation

B．recovered soon after the treatment

C．returned to work after the treatment

D．was the first to try the new technology

4. The author shows the effect of the technology by ________.

A．providing an example	B．making comparisons
C．offering data	D．giving explanations

8 . The bed should be reserved as a place for sleep，but people tend to read an iPad a lot in bed before they go to sleep．

Charles Czeisler，a professor at Harvard Medical School，and his colleagues got a small group of people for an experiment．For five days in a row，the people read either a paper book or an iPad for four hours before sleep．Their sleep patterns were monitored all night．Before and after each trial period，the people took hourly blood tests to paint a day-long picture of just how much melatonin（褪黑激素）was in their blood at any given time．

When subjects read on the iPad as compared to the paper books，they reported feeling less sleepy at night and less active the following morning．People also took longer to fall asleep on the iPad nights，and the blood tests showed that their melatonin secretion（分泌）was delayed by an hour and a half．

The researchers conclude in today's journal article that gives the rise of e-readers and the increasingly widespread use of e-things among children and adolescents，more research into the"long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed．"Czeisler and colleagues go on，in the research paper，to note"Reading an iPad in bed may increase cancer risk．"

However，software has been developed that can reduce some of the blue light from the screens of phones and computers according to time of day，and there are also glasses that are made to filter（过滤）short wavelengths．While they seem like a logical solution for the nighttime tech users，it needs more research．

1. In Charles Czeisler's experiment，all the subjects were asked to ______ ．

A．sit in a row and receive the strict tests

B．have their sleep patterns observed all night

C．read a paper book and an iPad at the same time

D．have their blood tested per hour during the trial

2. The third paragraph tells us the iPad readers were likely to ______ ．

A．feel less sleepy and tired in the day

B．fall asleep more easily after reading

C．have a lot more melatonin secretion

D．become less energetic the next morning

3. The special software recently developed can ______ ．

A．remove the blue light from your devices completely

B．help prevent eyes being harmed by short wavelength

C．weaken the harm done by doing nighttime e-reading

D．be used in all the e-things widely and safely

4. What's this passage mainly about？ ______

A．No e-reading in bed before sleep

B．New software for night e-readers

C．Wrong behaviors before bedtime

D．No games on iPad in bed．

9 . It has been four years since the Flashfood App was set to hit Canadian grocery stores and make it easier for shoppers to buy soon-to-expiry (保质期) food at a discount. Much to my delight, I heard it advertised recently on a radio station and figured it’s time for an update, especially since people became more aware of food waste’s role in the climate crisis.

The first thing I did was download the App. I hadn’t done it before because it was limited to a few locations, but now it’s all over Canada. I could see immediately that many brands of yogurt are all marked down 50 percent. Users pay for the food using the App, and then pick it up at a marked location in the store. There is no need for you to worry about them actually being bad.

It makes sense for retailers to get behind this App because it offers a win-win situation for everyone involved. Flashfood sells 75% of the products made available through its App while saving consumers an average of 50% on those grocery items, and it has 300,000 active users right now. That number is expected to grow naturally as Flashfood partners with more grocers.

“As a food retailer, we are in the business of providing food, not wasting it. The Flashfood program allows us to provide our customers with a convenient and environmentally sustainable (可持续的) way to purchase food. Loblaw sells 77% of the items it puts on Flashfood, moving an average of ＄800 to ＄1,000 worth of goods weekly at each of its largest stores,” said Gord Chem, senior VP with Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstores.

I love looking for discount deals at the grocery store and always keep an eye out for the hot pink clearance stickers. But it’s always random, and I never know what I’m going to get from week to week. The appeal of Flashfood is that I can see what’s available, pre-purchase it, and leave it off my shopping list.

1. What can we know about the food on the Flashfood?

A．It’s delivered directly to the customers.	B．Much of it is charged at half the price.
C．Users can pay for it in the marked store.	D．It’ll be a month away before it goes bad.

2. According to Gord Chem, the Flashfood is ________.

A．beneficial

B．popular

C．creative

D．reliable

3. How is the advantage of Flashfood introduced in the last paragraph?

A．By listing some examples.	B．By making a comparison.
C．By explaining the cause.	D．By introducing the result.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Customers can buy much cheaper food on a recent app.

B．A win-win situation has been set for Canadians involved.

C．Canadians have a smart approach to reducing food waste.

D．Canadians adopt a new way of protecting the environment.

10 . Island of Feelings

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave.

Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave.

She began looking for someone to ask for help. Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, ''Richness, can I come with you on your boat? ''

Richness answered, ''I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere. ''

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing by in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, ''Vanity, help me please! '' ''I can't help you, '' Vanity said, ''You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat. ''

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, ''Sadness, please let me go with you. ''

Sadness answered, ''Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now. ''

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, ''Happiness, please take me with you. '' But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, ''Come Love, I will take you with me. '' It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked, ''Who was it that helped me? '' ''It was Time.'' Knowledge answered. ''But why did Time help me when no one else would? '' Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, ''Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is. ''

1. Which one was the last to leave the island?

A．Happiness

B．Sadness

C．Richness

D．Love

2. How many feelings in all are mentioned in the passage?

A．five

B．six

C．seven

D．eight

3. Who is the elder?

A．Knowledge

B．Time

C．Love

D．Happiness

4. Which one is both clever and honest?

A．Knowledge

B．Time

C．Love

D．Happiness