1 . The grocery store might not be your favorite place to visit when you're at home, but is it ever fun when you're in another country? Honestly speaking, they're one of those strange little destinations that I like to sniff out everywhere I go, much as other travelers head toward clothing stores, libraries, coffee shops or galleries.
The greatest beauty of the grocery store –– whether it's a supermarket or a tiny shop –– is that it gives you a glimpse into what local people buy to cook their own meals. This offers clues into their lifestyles and preferences, and into the agricultural and cooking practices of the country. I stare at the strange fruits and vegetables, the seafood, the cheese, the spices, the bread, and oh, the chocolate...always the chocolate!
Being the environmental nerd（呆子）I am, I like paying attention to packaging, which can reflect people's attitudes towards environmental protection. Italy, for example, has a habit of requiring customers to bag their fruits and vegetables in plastic for weighing, while Sri Lanka leaves everything loose in bins. In Brazil, everything is prepackaged in a layer of plastic.
People in grocery stores tend to be friendlier. They smile, say hello, and sometimes ask questions, which can lead to great conversations. I had a further discussion with a teenaged cashier in Sri Lanka, over which bag of crunchy（松脆的）mix to buy. He insisted that the one labeled “spicy” would be too hot for me, but I told him I was willing to risk it. He laughed and we ended up talking about my favorite Sri Lankan foods for ten minutes.
It's interesting then to come home and look at one's own local grocery store through new eyes. What would a visitor think? What stands out, and what do the food displays say about us as a culture? You might be surprised by what you realize.
1. According to the author, what is the key benefit of visiting foreign grocery stores?| A．Learning to cook foreign dishes. | B．Making friends with local people. |
| C．Buying cheaper food and souvenirs. | D．Knowing local people and the country. |
| A．People's special lifestyles. | B．People's shopping habits. |
| C．People's environmental awareness. | D．People's packaging methods. |
| A．Sri Lankans know a lot about food. |
| B．Grocery stores are good social places. |
| C．Grocery stores vary in different countries. |
| D．Sri Lankans like to give strangers suggestions. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
2 . When our Scottish puppy, Annie, reached adolescence, she suddenly stopped following my commands. Previously, if I called “come”, she would fly across our yard to my arms. Now, the 8-month-old gave me a look and ran the other way. Our dog trainer advised us to stop worrying. “She's a teenager,” she said. “She'll grow out of it.”
Now, a new study is backing that up: Dogs experience a period that makes them act out, just like human teenagers. Puppies bond with humans much as children do. “But owners often feel like they're failing when their puppies reach adolescence,” said Lucy Asher, lead author of the new study.
Asher and her team monitored 70 female dogs being raised as guide dogs. They asked caregivers to score them on their attention-seeking behaviors like sitting close to their owners and separation-related behaviors like trembling when left behind. Both types of behaviors show general anxiety and fearfulness. Dogs with high scores entered adolescence earlier — at about 5 months, compared with 8 months for those with lower scores. Further, adolescent dogs that were stressed by separation from their caregivers were also increasingly disobedient to that person, but not others.
To test obedience, the scientists assessed a separate group of 69 guide dogs, first at 5 months and later at 8 months. They asked the dog's caregiver and a stranger to give the command to “sit”. All of the preadolescent puppies quickly sat for both people, but when the same puppies reached adolescence, they refused to follow the order from their caregivers. However, they readily obeyed the stranger. Dogs that weren't securely attached to their caregivers were even more willing to follow the stranger's commands.
Because of the similarity between adolescent puppies and humans, dogs could serve as a model species for studying adolescence in humans. And on a more practical note, the temporary nature of dog disobedience might make us worry less when our puppies suddenly get minds of their own. Just ask Annie — she's now happy to come, sit, and stay a while.
1. What can we infer about Annie's disobedience according to Asher?| A．It is natural. | B．It is foolish. |
| C．It is unique. | D．It is impolite. |
| A．They became very fierce. |
| B．They were barely attached to anyone. |
| C．They became a little exhausted. |
| D．They were obedient in front of the stranger. |
| A．The author feels grateful for the trainer's advice. |
| B．The author is learning how to get on with his dog. |
| C．The author's dog has been out of its adolescence. |
| D．The author's dog has become a model for other dogs. |
| A．Adolescent Dogs Act like Human Teenagers |
| B．Humans Should Care about Their Puppies More |
| C．Puppies Are Closely Related to Human Teenagers |
| D．Dogs Tend to Obey Their Owners' Orders |
3 . I stood behind the curtain, my hands shaking. As I listened to the crowd laugh at the host's jokes, I thought about why I believed I could do that. Two months earlier, I had signed up for improv（即兴表演）classes at a local theater, along with four other graduate students.
When I first heard about the improv classes, I was torn. I feared getting on stage and performing in front of strangers. However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D., so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to improve my communication ability and gain confidence thinking on my feet.
During our first class, we learned the key concept of improv: “yes, and”. If someone says that rhinos are librarians, for example, then rhinos are librarians. We don't question the logic; we say “yes” and continue with the scene as if nothing is wrong. To do this effectively, we have to avoid second-guessing ourselves. Sometimes scenes go in unexpected directions. The best improv happens when performers stay open to different possibilities. Over time, I started to enjoy our classes. I also became better at listening and communicating clearly in the moment.
That training came in handy 6 months ago, when I was giving a seminar about my science research. An audience member surprised me with a question that didn't grow out of the information I had presented. Instead of getting perplexed, I used that approach, and it helped me find an appropriate answer.
Last year, I used that approach when dealing with confusing data. Instead of getting discouraged, I kept exploring the data and ended up identifying a new type of cell — one that wasn't behaving as expected. If I hadn't stayed open to the possibility that the results were real, I would have missed out on the most exciting finding of my Ph.D. program so far.
1. The author expected that the improv classes could help him ________.| A．gain better skills in communicating |
| B．rid his fear of appearing on the stage |
| C．recover from a mental illness |
| D．learn how to think independently |
| A．Pretending to be clever. |
| B．Understanding different scenes. |
| C．Accepting unexpected possibilities. |
| D．Asking others some questions. |
| A．Amused. | B．Confused. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．He failed in exploring the new cell. |
| B．He got stuck after finding unexpected data. |
| C．Science research made him more confident. |
| D．The improve skill helped him a lot in his Ph.D. studies. |
4 . Royal Dutch Shell is launching a $ 300 million and forestry program, at a time when an increasing number of oil companies are putting money in carbon offset（碳补偿）plans to meet climate goals. The company will spend the money over the next three years on projects to store carbon, including large forests in the Netherlands and Spain, and will start offering motorists the option of purchasing carbon offsets when they buy petrol at the pump.
The executives of the company explained that these carbon offset projects were a new business opportunity for Shell, as well as a way to meet its climate targets. “We believe that over time we will be building a business, because these carbon credits will become more valuable as carbon becomes more limited,” they said. Shell recently decided to cut its net carbon footprint by 2-3 percent in five years, which includes emissions from the products it sells. The company plans to produce carbon credits from the forestry projects, then sell these credits on to customers buying its oil and gas products, or apply the credits to its own operations to lower its carbon footprint.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and restoring forests and other natural areas is considered one of the simplest ways to store carbon. However, the voluntary market for carbon credits based on forestry projects has its critics, as projects in developing countries can be hard to monitor. Shell's move has also been criticized by some environmentalists. They worried that there was a risk of “green wash” when companies invested in forestry projects. “There is an entire debate about whether forestry projects truly reduce emissions or not,” they said, pointing out that planting it one area could cause deforestation to another.
Shell said it would rely on the third party to ensure its forest program to meet the Voluntary Carbon Standard and strict biodiversity requirements. Mark Lewis. head of climate change investment research at BNP Paribas, said. “Planting trees to offset emissions as far as it goes. is a step in the right direction.”
1. What is popular among oil companies these days?| A．Investing projects to store carbon. | B．Launching forestry programs. |
| C．Working out carbon offset plans. | D．Selling carbon credits. |
| A．By abandoning the emissions of its products. |
| B．By commercializing carbon credits it produces. |
| C．By limiting the oil used by other companies. |
| D．By reducing its carbon footprint sharply. |
| A．Discount | B．Cheat |
| C．Decline | D．Change |
| A．They sharply reduce emissions. | B．They will fail in developing countries. |
| C．They require broader monitoring. | D．They contribute to deforestation. |
Situated within walking distance of St David's, the smallest city in Europe, the house stands in its own attractive gardens and has private off-road parking. In the opposite direction, there is easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. where you can see some of Britain's most spectacular coastal scenery with its abundant bird life and wild flowers.
We have three double and three twin rooms. Each is individually furnished and decorated to 4-star standard with comfortable beds, central heating, remote control color TV, hair dryers and plenty of mirrors. All the rooms have a modern, well-lit en-suite bathroom with WC, shaver socket and electric shower.
All first-floor rooms have views of either the sea, the Cathedral or open country, and there are three ground-floor rooms with garden views, ideal for guests unable to climb stairs.
Our full Welsh breakfast offers you a great start to the day with homemade bread, cookies and preserves. We can also prepare fresh picnic lunches for your day out walking the Coast Path or on the beaches.
There is comfortable lounge with lots of books and leaflets about Pembrokeshire to help you plan your trips. Weather permitting, guests may enjoy the peace and quiet of our gardens and watch the birds feeding. Drinks are served in both the garden and lounge.
We also have secure bicycle storage, a drying room and light laundry facilities.
Nearby are some of the safest and cleanest beaches in Europe offering a variety of water sports including sailing, surfing, wind-surfing and sea angling. Visitors are welcome at St. David's City Golf Club and several other Pembrokeshire clubs. We are also conveniently situated for easy access to the bird sanctuary islands of Ramsey, Skomer and Skokholm.
A warm welcome awaits you at Ramsey House all year round. You will find it the ideal touring center in all seasons.
House Owners: Ceri & Elaine Morgan 01437 7202121.
1. According to the passage, St. David's is the name of _________.| A．a Bed & Breakfast hotel | B．the Coast Path |
| C．a Welsh town | D．Ramsey House |
| A．Guests may come to this house by car or by bike without parking problems. |
| B．Guests have to eat their lunches out on the Coast Path or the beaches. |
| C．Guests staying in the lowest-level rooms have a good view of the sea. |
| D．On the Coast Path guests can enjoy water sports and play golf. |
| A．Ana, a wheelchair user, who enjoys holidays by the coast. |
| B．A married couple with two young children showing interest in Penbrokeshire. |
| C．Tony, a Ph. D graduate, who attaches great importance to travel safety. |
| D．Xavier, a bird-watching enthusiast, who knows little about the local area. |
6 . Hidden beneath the surface in the roots of Earths astonishing and diverse plant life, there exists a biological superhighway linking together the members of the plant kingdom in what researchers call the "wood wide web".
The network is comprised of thin threads of fungus (真菌) that grow outwards underground up to a few meters from its partnering plant, meaning that all of the plant life within a region likely connected to one another. The partnership is beneficial for both parties involved, plants provide carbohydrates (碳水化合物) to the funguses and in exchange, the funguses aid in gathering water and providing nutrients to its partnering plant.
A study conducted by Rensen Zeng of the South China Agricultural University found that this also allowed for plants to warn one another of potential harm. The study showed Broad Beans used the fungal network to spy on one another for upcoming danger.
Like our Internet, this fungal connectivity is also full of crime. Some plants, such as Golden Marigolds have been found to release poisons into the network to slow down the growth of surrounding plants in the fight for water and light. Other plants, such as the Phantom Orchid, do not have the chlorophyll (叶绿素) and must get the necessary nutrients from surrounding plants.
Research suggests that animals such as insects and worms may be able to detect slight exchanges of nutrients through the network, allowing them to more easily find delicious roots to feed on; however, this has not been conclusively made clear in experimentation. The more we learn about this phenomenon, the more our understanding of the plant life of our planet will continue to change. Perhaps one day, we may be able to map out these complex networks entirely.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To explain the aim of the web. |
| B．To introduce the main topic. |
| C．To give definition of diverse life. |
| D．To show the importance of plants. |
| A．compete for survival |
| B．gather more water |
| C．take in sunlight |
| D．break natural rules |
| A．Animals can also feed on the fungus. |
| B．Nutrient exchanges are too slight to detect. |
| C．No experiment can prove the phenomenon. |
| D．More needs to be done to work out the network. |
| A．The Partnership between Plants |
| B．The Unknown Roots of the Earth |
| C．The Superhighway Linking the Plants |
| D．The Mysterious Map Changing the World |
7 . Fertile Sichuan has long been one of China's major tea- producing regions. Chengdu had been noted for its teahouses by the Tang dynasty—as early as the ninth century. For centuries, teahouses were places for entertainment as well as tea, with performances of storytelling, music, and Sichuan opera in particular. That is a fading art these days, but Yuelai Teahouse beside Jinjiang Theater still hosts opera every Saturday afternoon.
You will find most of Chengdu's old-school teahouses in parks and temple compounds (大院). Heming Teahouse in Renmin Park buzzes with morning retirees, lunchtime office workers, and afternoon visitors. All of them sit under red lanterns by a lotus pond. When the loud confused noise gets too much, move on to Shaocheng Teahouse in the same park. Regulars are older and quieter. They bring songbirds on outings, hanging their cages in the branches of willow trees, and play mahjong in a pavilion covered with moss. In more recent years, however, increasingly elaborate(精致的) teahouses have opened to appeal to the younger generation. They tend to have a taste for superior teas in a more contemporary style. The most famous one of them is Mi Xun Teahouse in Taikoo Li, which is right in the city's most fashionable retail(零售) district.
As in all teahouses, the tea comes in individual packets with a thermos of water. Maofeng green tea from Mount Emei, south of Chengdu, is the traditional favorite. Shake the loose leaves into your palm-sized cup. The cup usually comes with a saucer and a lid that both functions to strain surface-floating leaves and to keep the tea warm. Don’t let the water level in your cup get too low, since any bitterness from the tea leaves is concentrated at the bottom. You can top up your tea all afternoon and needn't buy anything else.
1. What aspects of Chengdu's teahouses does the first paragraph mainly focus on?| A．Art & history. | B．Art & popularity. |
| C．Function & popularity. | D．History & function. |
| A．Tourists. | B．Owners. | C．Customers. | D．Waiters. |
| A．Yuelai Teahouse. | B．Mi Xun Teahouse. |
| C．Heming Teahouse. | D．Shaocheng Teahouse. |
| A．Some useful tips for readers who want to visit Chengdu's teahouses. |
| B．Some interesting facts the author found in books on Chengdu's teahouses. |
| C．Some painful lessons the author learned from his trip to Chengdu's teahouses. |
| D．Some basic rules readers have to follow if they want to visit Chengdu's teahouses. |
| A．To experience Chengdu's everyday life. |
| B．To introduce Chengdu's teahouse culture. |
| C．To stress the advantages of a slower pace. |
| D．To inspire readers to travel to Sichuang. |
8 . People across Western Europe are experiencing a heat wave this week, with the worst still to come on Thursday. Officials sounded high-temperature health warnings on Wednesday, mindful that some heat waves before had caused thousands of deaths across an area where people are not used to such weather and few homes have air conditioning.
Rene Pierron, 51, a street cleaner at Paris City Hall, was not lucky, and said it was difficult to work outdoors under such conditions. “The buildings and roads here take the heat in during the day and act like radiators (散热器) — it's unbearable,” he said while taking a break near the Avenue des Champs-Elysees.
Kate Simmonds, also 51, who works in a restaurant in central London, could commiserate (同情).“It's so hot—we can’t work like this,” she said on Wednesday. But she said business was good this week, with plenty of people buying cold drinks and ice cream.
Nation after nation have given health-related warning for people becoming tired and weak in the heat. Belgium gave its highest warning since its weather warning system was put in place 20 years ago, and Germany placed the whole country under a heat warning.
Britain's weather service, the Met Office, placed five of England’s nine areas, including London, on a “Level Three” heat health watch, one level short of a national emergency.
Liz Bentley, the chief executive of Britain’s Royal Meteorological Society, warned: “While a country like Britain is not used to heat waves, they could become more common because of the changing climate. If you live in a Mediterranean(地中海) country, the population adapts to these temperatures. But we’ll see the number of deaths go up in the next coming days.”
1. What did Rene Pierron think of the weather?| A．It created some business chances. |
| B．It made his work more difficult. |
| C．It might cause people to die. |
| D．It would end sooner or later. |
| A．It provided air conditioning for poor people. |
| B．It suggested people stay away from work. |
| C．It has carried out many helpful actions. |
| D．It warned the whole country of the heat. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．Such weather will appear less frequently. |
| B．The danger of the weather have been gradually realized. |
| C．People from Mediterranean countries adjust to the weather. |
| D．Fewer people from Britain have been influenced by the weather. |
| A．Heat Wave Spreads across Western Europe |
| B．Heat Wave Makes Things Bad for Human Beings |
| C．Europe Tries to Find Ways to Deal with Heat Wave |
| D．Heat Wave Reminds People to Protect the Environment |
9 . On her third Christmas, my daughter Jillian didn't have the energy for opening presents. At 23-months, she had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, an aggressive tumor. I didn’t know how challenging the holidays could become until Jillian died. Being sorrowful became my full-time job in the following days. The pain was a wildfire in my chest and nothing could put it out.
A week before the fourth Christmas, Tom and I bought a three-foot plant that slightly resembled a Christmas tree. My adult nephew Frankie came along. We were busy decorating the tree and Frankie reached into a Christmas decoration box and pulled out a toy angel with a white gown that my aunt had crafted years before. As he lifted the angel, her hair fell out in one big bunch, just like Jillian's.
We burst into laughter. In between gasps, Frankie looked up with the angel in hand and said, “Hi, Jillian.” Tom emerged from the bedroom and saw our tree, “It’s small, bald and beautiful! Just like Jilly-boo. I like it.”
I moved closer to Tom and he put his arm around my shoulder. Looking at the angel, I knew it would help us through the holidays. Like us, it was sad and pitiful, but full of beautiful memories of Jillian.
“Do something new.” said a minister who ran a support group I went to. It’s as if you must create a new space in your heart to keep it beating, despite the bleeding hole.
Tom and I were eventually able to experience the wonder of a four-year-old at Christmas. On the one-year anniversary of Jillian’s death, I discovered I was pregnant. Our second daughter, Cadence, brought us back to joy and hope. Cadence is nine now, and hoping Santa will bring her a dog this year. Eleven years after Jillian’s death, Christmas is almost Christmas again.
1. What does the author say about herself after Jillian’s death?| A．She went on her life as usual. | B．She was drowned in tears. |
| C．She decided to start a new life. | D．She quit her full-time job. |
| A．It was a beautiful decoration. | B．It was a gift from Jillian. |
| C．It was a relief to the author. | D．It was a symbol of strength. |
| A．Her family can reunite again. | B．She has been out of sadness. |
| C．Santa will bring them gifts. | D．She has another daughter. |
| A．Mother’s love is forever strong. | B．One should depend on himself. |
| C．Family is everything for people. | D．Life goes on despite misfortunes. |
10 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.
Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.
They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.
1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?| A．They produce oxygen. | B．They cover a vast area. |
| C．They are well managed. | D．They are rich in wildlife. |
| A．Heavy rains | B．Big trees. |
| C．Small plants. | D．Forest animals. |
| A．For more sunlight. | B．For more growing space. |
| C．For self-protection. | D．For the detection of insects. |
| A．Life-Giving Rainforests | B．The Law of the Jungle |
| C．Animals in the Amazon | D．Weather in Rainforests |
