1 . The Tibet autonomous region has placed nearly half its land area under the strictest ecological supervision (监督).It was announced at an annual meeting of the regional People's Congress, which kicked off on Wednesday.

The ecological protection area, which covers more than 539,000 square kilometers, makes up 45 percent of the region's area, and 22 ecological reserves have been built and are operational.

According to the government work report, the rate of days with good air quality in Tibet's cities has reached 99.4 percent, and all the region's drinking water sources have met applicable standards.

The report also said that the number of Tibetan antelope (羚)in the region has risen to more than 200,000, wildlife species to 1,072 and black-necked cranes to more than 8,000. Five rare new species have been discovered in recent years. The region has spent 12.2 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) on ecological protection projects in recent years. Five cities and three counties have been named as national-level ecologically civilized model cities and counties, and more rural residents have benefited financially by undertaking part-time ecological protection work.

More advanced monitoring facilities have been in place in the reserve, with more ecological protection inspectors employed to undertake protection work. The professional ecological inspectors are provided with basic tools such as motorcycles, telescopes and paging receivers, and they provide feedback regularly. Professional inspectors also receive one week of training every year from professors at Tibet University.

Kunsang Darje, a railway maintenance worker in Nagchu, said that apart from maintaining the railway and highway, he also collects trash along the section with his colleagues. “The place I work is in a no-man's land, and I think it's very important to protect the animals there without affecting them with human activities, and we are also bound to take responsibility there," he said.

1. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The ecological situation in Tibet has been totally improved.

B．Almost half Tibetan land has been ecologically supervised.

C．Many more operational ecological reserves have been built.

D．More Tibetan protection inspectors have been employed.

2. Which of the following is the positive effect of Tibet's ecological protection?

A．Larger protection areas.	B．Numerous rare new species.
C．More days with quality air.	D．Global capital investments.

3. By doing ecological protection work, ____________.

A．protection inspectors can employ other people

B．protection inspectors are supplied with cars

C．Tibet's rural residents can get annual training

D．Tibet's rural residents can earn extra money

4. What can be inferred from Kunsang Darje's words?

A．He asks his colleagues not to litter everywhere.

B．He attaches importance to raise animals there.

C．He keeps railway and highway in good condition.

D．He has a sense of duty to protect animals there.

2 . A recent study suggests that vitamin D pills can help speed up the time taken for burns to heal, and prevent scarring(结疤). The vitamin, which is produced naturally in the body when the skin is exposed to sunshine, is believed to help protect against burning.

Previous studies have shown that vitamin D pills help decrease redness and swelling after sunburn, and may be one of the reasons why the body produces the chemical.

The research from Birmingham University, has found they may also help relieve other types of burn. Researchers monitored 38 patients who had suffered serious burns for a year and recorded their levels of vitamin D. They found that those with the highest levels of vitamin D had better wound healing and fewer scars.

Professor Janet Lord said: “Low vitamin D levels were associated with worse results in burn patients including life-threatening infections(感染),death and delayed wound healing. Major burn injury severely reduces vitamin D levels and adding this vitamin back may be a simple, safe and cost-effective way to improve the condition for burn patients.” Professor Lord and her team are now focusing on finding out why there is a rapid loss of vitamin D in patients immediately following burn injury and hope that they may be able to prevent this in future.

The amount of reduction in patients’ vitamin D levels was not related to the severity(严重程度) of the burn, so levels may also be decreased in minor burn injury, suggesting taking vitamin D pills could also help people with everyday burns. Public Health England now recommends that all Britons take vitamin D pills in the winter because it is impossible to make sufficient quantities in the darker months.

1. What does the new study find?

A．People with low vitamin D levels get burned easily.

B．Vitamin D helps with the recovery from burn injury.

C．Vitamin D pills aid in reducing the swelling from burns.

D．Vitamin D is more beneficial to serious burns than minor burns.

2. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．The severity of one's burn reflects his vitamin D levels.

B．Vitamin D pills are more needed in the autumn months.

C．Burn patients lacking vitamin D are at high risk of infection.

D．Minor burns have no effect on patients’ vitamin D levels.

3. What does the underlined word “they” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The researchers.	B．Vitamin D pills.
C．Previous studies.	D．Some kinds of vitamins.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the text?

A．Vitamin D: A Necessity for Our Health

B．Vitamin D Pills: When Are They Needed?

C．Vitamin D: How Much Does the Body Need?

D．Vitamin D Pills: Heal Burns &. Prevent Scarring

3 . Faced with a declining population and workforce, Japan has been increasingly turning to robots for help. Over the years, the robots have carried out a large number of human tasks, including building products and providing care for the elderly.

However, the robots currently being used by companies, like Walmart and Amazon, are only able to perform single, repetitive tasks, such as stacking boxes. Model-T, on the other hand, has a wider range of movement and is able to hold, pick and place objects of several different shapes and sizes into different locations, making it ideal for convenience and grocery stores, which sell a large variety of items.

Model-T robots are operated from a distant location by human “pilots” wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset and special gloves, which allow them to feel the product the robot is holding in their hands and guide it to the right shelf.

The VR-controlled robots are ten times cheaper than automated robots, because they don’t require advanced programming and are easier to develop and maintain. And their easy-to-use controls require little training. Tomohiro Kano, a general manager in charge of development at FamilyMart, believes this will enable the chain to recruit workers who would typically not work in stores.

Though Model-T appears to be getting rapidly through the experiments, it is not quite ready to enter the workforce. Besides being a lot slower than humans, it is also only able to lift packaged items, and cannot get hold of things such as fruits and vegetables. The company is working to improve the weaknesses and hopes to introduce a faster, more skillful Model-T within the next two years. They believe that in addition to the stores, the robots could also be useful in hospitals, allowing doctors to do operations from remote locations.

1. What is one of the features of Model-T according to the text?

A．It works much faster than humans.	B．It can easily hold all kinds of objects.
C．It can be operated from a distance away.	D．It is harder to produce than an automated robot.

2. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The low price of Model-T.	B．The easiness to operate Model-T.
C．The low-level programming of Model-T.	D．The strict training for maintaining Model-T.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Model-T is now being massively produced.

B．Japan’s workforce will be reduced by Model-T.

C．The weaknesses of Model-T have been overcome.

D．Model-T may be used in wider fields in the future.

4. In which section of a website can we read this text?

A．Technology.

B．Economy.

C．Lifestyle.

D．Environment.

4 . One day, Amanda was diagnosed (诊断) with cancer of an early stage. During this time, she was admitted to a college. She planned to save money to meet the college expense and then seek medical treatment for the cancer.

Her father, Clint and her friends didn’t want her to put off her treatment due to the expense. They took matters into their own hands and started a GoFundMe campaign. A longtime friend of the family was cofounder of a group named Praynksters, known for random acts of kindness. The friend decided to use their own group to help the family. The group came up with the creative idea to spread the word and invite families, friends, and strangers who wanted to help to take part in a donation activity. The event induced the enormous assistance from the local community.

Clint and Amanda were moved as the crowd passed by and the donations poured in. The event brought the family over $13, 000 in donations to go towards her medical treatments. The generous act of kindness gave the family a comforting, and optimistic feeling during a time when all hope seemed lost. Clint said that Amanda struggled with the idea of asking for help. She felt guilty and undeserving compared to others who are also struggling. She is still humbled by it all.

After several months of treatment, life for the family has started getting back to their normal routine. Once Amanda got her strength back, she returned to school and completed her bachelor's degree. The family is now inspired to volunteer in their local neighborhood and contribute to crowdfunding (众筹) efforts. They are grateful for the opportunity to give back and help others as many have helped them.

1. Why did Amanda postpone her treatment of cancer?

A．She didn't care about her disease.

B．She had to take care of her family.

C．She was in a bad economic situation.

D．She couldn’t find an effective treatment.

2. What does the underlined word “induced” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Brought about.	B．Made up.
C．Gave away.	D．Set about.

3. Which of the following best describes Amanda?

A．Shameful but caring.

B．Kind-hearted and grateful.

C．Curious and warm-hearted.

D．Hard- working and humorous.

4. What can we infer from the text?

A．It's quite easy to cure Amanda’s cancer.

B．Praynksters is a nonprofit organization funded by Clint.

C．Volunteering is very popular in Amanda's community.

D．A GoFundMe campaign is actually a crowdfunding activity.

5 . Amsterdam,the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands，is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world，famous for its beautiful canals，top art museum，cycling culture，and Red Light District.Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

Must-See Attractions

Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre,which is full of traditional architecture，shopping centers,and coffee shops.You’ll also want to check out Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter in the South District，which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark.The top museums to visit are the Rijksmusuem,the Ann Frank House,and the Van Gogh Museum.The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and is a popular place for celebrity spotting and nightlife today.

Transportation

Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world.This airport is located about 15 kilometers southwest of city center.You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station，which has many connecting routes.It’s typically not a good idea to drive a car to the city center because traffic is heavy and parking is difficult to find.Cycling is incredibly popular here,and it’s easy to find cheap bike rentals around town.Amsterdam has a flat terrain(地形) and is a great city to explore on foot.

Money Saving Tips

Unless you really want to see the tulips(郁金香) blooming，avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May.This is when hotel and flight prices rise.

Look for accommodations in Amsterdam’s South District，where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

Instead of hiring a tour guide，hop on a canal boat.They’re inexpensive and will give you a unique point of view of the city.

Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights,hotels,and rental cars before you book.

1. Which attraction was built with the original purpose of drawing the rich?

A．Albert Cuyp Market.	B．The Ann Frank House.
C．The Van Gogh Museum.	D．The Canal Ring.

2. Which means of transportation is not advisable in Amsterdam according to the passage?

A．The plane.	B．The train.
C．The car.	D．The bike.

3. Which way can help visitors save money in Amsterdam?

A．Seeing the tulips blooming in spring.	B．Avoiding accommodating downtown.
C．Buying car tickets at the machine.	D．Hiring a local tour guide.

6 . According to a recent study,a new genetically modified(转基因的）rice can prevent infections of HIV,the virus responsible for the disease AIDS.

The study reports the newly-developed rice produces proteins(蛋白质）that attach directly to the HIV virus. This process keeps the virus from mixing with human cells. The scientists say it can remove the effect of the virus and block its spreading.

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS reports that worldwide, nearly 37 million people were living with HIV in 2017. The organization says the largest number of those are in ·developing countries. Nearly two-thirds of HIV cases are in Africa. Now there is no cure for HIV/AIDS though there have been developments in oral drug treatments to slow the progression of the disease.

The new study predicts the rice-based method will lead to long-term use of the anti-HIV treatment across the developing world. Researchers said the "groundbreaking" discovery is “realistically the only way" that anti-HIV combination treatments can be produced at a cost low enough for the developing world.

They say the easiest and most cost-effective way to use the rice will be to make it into a cream to be put on the skin. The HIV-fighting proteins can then enter the body through the skin. People all over the world could grow the rice and make the cream themselves. This would prevent the cost and travel required for many patients to receive treatments and medicine.

The process of changing the genetic structure of food crops has been debated for some time. Critics of genetically engineered crops believe they can harm people. The scientific team says further testing is needed to ensure that the genetic engineering process does not produce any additional chemicals that could be dangerous to people.

1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The terrible situations of HIV infections.

B．The rapid development of Africa.

C．The practical ways to cure AIDS.

D．The efforts made by the United Nations.

2. In which way will the rice be used at the lowest cost?

A．By transforming it into proteins.

B．By processing it into a cream.

C．By attaching it to the HIV virus.

D．By adding it to an oral drug.

3. What can we infer about the genetic engineering process?

A．It can prevent infections of HIV.

B．It has produced dangerous chemicals.

C．It is intended for the developed world.

D．It requires further testing to ensure the safety.

4. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A biology textbook.

B．A first aid brochure.

C．A social web page.

D．A health magazine.

7 . Technology is forever changing the way we get our news. Many people now get a lot of their news on electronic devices, instead of traditional media, such as newspapers, television or radio. Now, there is a new way we get the news: computer-created news readers.

Recently, China's Xinhua launched (推出) the world's first AI news presenters with the Chinese search engine Sogou. The news readers created by machine learning technology are based on two real-life newsmen. One is able to present newscasts in English; the other, in Mandarin Chinese.

One Xinhua's report said machine learning was used to examine video images and sounds of the two newsmen, which look and sound like real people.

Some machine learning experts said the system showed off China's latest progress in voice recognition, text-to-speech technology and data analysis. But several experts suggested that the term AI does not correctly describe abilities of the robotic news readers.

On social media, many Chinese noted that the AI presenters did not seem real. People blamed them for not being more lifelike. Others wondered about the effects robots might have on employment and workers. Some people argued that only low-level jobs requiring heavy labor will be easily replaced by robots. Others praised the technology as a way for companies to make money from low-cost labor machines.

Some businesses have experimented with similar technology for possible use in news operations. Britain's BBC recently released a video that used machine learning to make it look like one of its news readers speaking different languages. The London-based company that developed the system says its goal is to "remove the language barrier" for many different kinds of video across the Internet.

1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 1?

A．Introduce the topic of the text.

B．Summarize the different opinions.

C．Add some data about the AI presenters.

D．Compare different ways of getting news

2. What is the machine learning technology used to do?

A．To keep AI presenters from making any mistakes.

B．To make AI presenters speak more fluently.

C．To ensure images and sounds are like real persons.

D．To bring newscasts up to date every hour.

3. What are some people worried about when AI presenters were launched?

A．Robots will eventually replace human all over.

B．Robots may threaten some people's employment.

C．Robots may endanger most people's health.

D．Robots will rule over the world in the end.

4. From the last paragraph we know that______.

A．BBC has removed the language barrier in newscasts

B．BBC's news readers can speak different languages

C．BBC shows interest in Xinhua's AI news presenters

D．BBC has done similar experiments as Xinhua does

8 . Marian Wright Edelman, an American lawyer, educator and children’s rights activist, was born on June 6, 1939 in South Carolina, one of five children. Her father Arthur Wright was a preacher (牧师) who died when she was only 14 years old. In his last words to her, he advised her not to “let anything get in the way of your education.”

After high school, Edelman went on to study at Spelman College and later traveled to the Soviet Union. When she returned to Spelman in 1959, Edelman became involved in the civil rights movement. This work inspired her to drop her plans to enter the Foreign Service and study law instead. In 1973, Edelman set up the Children’s Defense Fund as a voice for poor and disabled children. She served as a public speaker on behalf of these children.

During a tour, Marian met Peter Edelman, an assistant to Kennedy, and the next year she moved to Washington, D. C. to marry him and to work for social justice in the center of America’s political scene. The couple had three sons: Joshua, Jonah and Ezra. Jonah is the founder of Stand for Children, a group that promotes children’s education, and Ezra is a documentary (记录片) filmmaker who won an Emmy for his film “O.J.: Made in America.”

Edelman is the author of many books for children and adults. Her titles for readers include I’m Your child, God: Prayers for Our Children, Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations for Our Children, Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors, and The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours, which was a surprising success.

1. What do we know about Edelman’s family?

A．She was the single child.

B．Her mother was a preacher.

C．They took education seriously.

D．The family had a poor life.

2. Why did Edelman drop her plan to enter the Foreign Service?

A．She wanted to study abroad.

B．She intended to be a lawyer.

C．She had little time for her work.

D．She was interested in civil rights.

3. Where did Edelman get married?

A．In Washington D. C.	B．In the Soviet Union.
C．In South Carolina.	D．In Spelman.

4. What can be learned about Edelman’s children?

A．They all worked for social justice.

B．They achieved something in career.

C．They won many awards in their lives.

D．They contributed to their mother’s books.

9 . California Condor’s Shocking Recovery

California condors are North America’s largest birds, with wind-length of up to 3 meters. In the 1980s, electrical lines and lead poisoning(铅中毒) nearly drove them to dying out. Now, electric shock training and medical treatment are helping to rescue these big birds.
In the late 1980s, the last few condors were taken from the wild to be bred(繁殖). Since 1992, there have been multiple reintroductions to the wild, and there are now more than 150 flying over California and nearby Arizona, Utah and Baja in Mexico.
Electrical lines have been killing them off. “As they go in to rest for the night, they just don’t see the power lines,” says Bruce Rideout of San Diego Zoo. Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.
So scientists have come up with a shocking idea. Tall poles, placed in large training areas, teach the birds to stay clear of electrical lines by giving them a painful but undeadly electric shock. Before the training was introduced, 66% of set-freed birds died of electrocution. This has now dropped to 18%.
Lead poisonous has proved more difficult to deal with. When condors eat dead bodies of other animals containing lead, they absorb large quantities of lead. This affects their nervous systems and ability to produce baby birds, and can lead to kidney(肾) failures and death. So condors with high levels of lead are sent to Los Angeles Zoo, where they are treated with calcium EDTA, a chemical that removes lead from the blood over several days. This work is starting to pay off. The annual death rate for adult condors has dropped from 38% in 2000 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rideout’s team thinks that the California condors’ average survival time in the wild is now just under eight years. “Although these measures are not effective forever, they are vital for now,” he says. “They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them. ”
1. California condors attract researchers’ interest because they _________.

A．are active at night

B．had to be bred in the wild

C．are found only in California

D．almost died out in the 1980s

2. Researchers have found electrical lines are _________.

A．blocking condors’ journey home

B．big killers of California condors

C．rest places for condors at night

D．used to keep condors away

3. According to Paragraph 5, lead poisoning _________.

A．makes condors too nervous to fly

B．has little effect on condors’ kidneys

C．can hardly be gotten rid of from condors’ blood

D．makes it difficult for condors to produce baby birds

4. This passage shows that _________.

A．the average survival time of condors is satisfactory

B．Rideout’s research interest lies in electric engineering

C．the efforts to protect condors have brought good results

D．researchers have found the final answers to the problem

10 . Passenger pigeons (旅鸽) once flew over much of the United States in unbelievable numbers. Written accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries described flocks(群) so large that they darkened the sky for hours.

It was calculated that when its population reached its highest point, there were more than 3 billion passenger pigeons—a number equal to 24 to 40 percent of the total bird population in the United States, making it perhaps the most abundant bird in the world. Even as late as 1870 when their numbers had already become smaller, a flock believed to be 1 mile wide and 320 miles (about 515 kilometers) long was seen near Cincinnati.

Sadly the abundance of passenger pigeons may have been their undoing. Where the birds were most abundant, people believed there was an ever-lasting supply and killed them by the thousands. Commercial hunters attracted them to small clearings with grain, waited until pigeons had settled to feed, then threw large nets over them, taking hundreds at a time. The birds were shipped to large cities and sold in restaurants.

By the closing decades of the 19th century, the hardwood forests where passenger pigeons nested had been damaged by American’s need for wood, which scattered (驱散) the flocks and forced the birds to go farther north, where cold temperatures and storms contributed to their decline. Soon the great flocks were gone, never to be seen again.

In 1897, the state of Michigan passed a law prohibiting the killing of passenger pigeons but by then, no sizable flocks had been seen in the state for 10 years. The last confirmed wild pigeon in the United States was shot by a boy in Pike County, Ohio, in 1900. For a time, a few birds survived under human care. The last of them, known affectionately as Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoological Garden on September 1, 1914.

1. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, passenger pigeons ________.

A．were the biggest bird in the world

B．lived mainly in the south of America

C．did great harm to the natural environment

D．were the largest bird population in the US

2. The underlined word “undoing” probably refers to the pigeons’ ____.

A．escape	B．ruin
C．liberation	D．evolution

3. What was the main reason for people to kill passenger pigeons?

A．To seek pleasure.	B．To save other birds.
C．To make money.	D．To protect crops.

4. What can we infer about the law passed in Michigan?

A．It was ignored by the public.	B．It was declared too late.
C．It was unfair.	D．It was strict.