1 . Recently, an unhappy event has happened in a kindergarten in Chongqing. Most primary schools suggest that parents should come along with their children to school and guard the school gates from 7:40 to 8:00 in the morning. Opinions on this problem are different from person to person.
Sun Zhenyao, 13, Jiangbei
Safety comes first. I don’t think it’s a big problem for parents. They just have to stay at the school gate for a little longer. Also, it’s very crowded around school gates in the morning. Traffic accidents can happen. Depending only on school guards is not enough. If parents can help, there will be fewer accidents.
Li Minyi, 14, Yubei
On weekdays, guarding schools and keeping students safe should be the schools’ responsibility – not the parents’. Also, the time during which they have to stand guard is usually about 7:40 to 8:00 am, the morning rush hour. Some parents might get caught in a traffic jam and be late for their work. I don’t think this task should fall on the parents.
Sun Run, 14, Beibei
This request is not just about children’s safety, but also supporting the school. It is a good way to improve relations between parents and schools. Secondly, parents can set a good example for their kids by working selflessly for their society.
Huang Xi, 15, Jiulongpo
Most of these parents are office workers. They have their own things to do. They hurry to go to work every morning. To meet this new request, some may have to ask for time off. This will affect their work performance.
1. The students who agree with the suggestion are_______.| A．Li Minyi, Sun Run |
| B．Huang Xi, Sun Zhenyao |
| C．Huang Xi, Li Minyi |
| D．Sun Zhenyao, Sun Run |
| A．Guarding schools and keeping students safe should be the schools’ job. |
| B．It is a good example for kids to have a sense of responsibility. |
| C．Some parents can ask for time off to guard the school gates. |
| D．There are not enough school guards in the primary schools. |
| A．a newspaper interview |
| B．a police report |
| C．a short story |
| D．a textbook passage |
2 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers' interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a personal biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a cultural newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
3 . What Does the Length of Your Fingers Say About You?
Are you the peace-loving type or the ambitious go-getter? Your finger length might be a clue. Take a look at your fingers. Would you believe me if I told you that the length of your fingers in relation to one another can predict your personality? I know that it sounds like one of those silly tests you see on Facebook, but I have to admit that it is exactly correct for me. Here's how it works.
Look at your three middle fingers of your hand. Is your index finger longer than your ring finger? Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? Or are the two of the same length? Find the situation that best matches your hand and see if what follows is an accurate description of your personality.
●Longer ring finger: The Sweet Talker
If your ring finger is longer than your index finger, research shows that you're likely a charming type, and you can probably talk yourself out of any situation. Others often find this personality type irresistible and will go to great lengths to help you. You're more likely to take risks, and you're good at problem-solving. People in this category make great engineers, soldiers and crossword-puzzle solvers.
●Longer index finger: The (Over) Confident One
If your index finger is longer than your ring finger, chances are you are full of confidence—possibly even to the point of being over-confident and proud. You are not necessarily introverted（内向的）,but you do enjoy time to yourself, especially when you're trying to complete a project. You are a dream pursuer who can make things happen, but you may be shy when it comes to taking the first step in a relationship. You are also probably happy with what you have, but you're always wishing for more.
●Index and ring finger are of the same length: The Peacemaker
If your index finger and ring finger are roughly of the same length, you are likely to avoid conflict at all costs and seek to keep the peace in your relationships. You are well-organized, faithful and sympathetic. But deep down under all of that caring and peace-loving, you also have a hot-tempered side that can appear unexpectedly when you're pushed too far. You will try your hardest to avoid a fight.
How well do these descriptions match your personality? I was surprised at the accuracy in my case, but I'm not going to tell you which one it was!
1. Which of the following hand could be an engineer's hand?A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．How accurate the description of the test is. |
| B．The length of fingers can reveal personality. |
| C．Why your fingers are not of the same length. |
| D．Personality is determined by your finger length. |
| A．An official report. |
| B．A biology textbook. |
| C．A popular magazine. |
| D．A public advertisement. |
You can make our great places better. Become a VIP and volunteer with us today!The National Park Service offers many volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups as part of the Volunteers-In-Parks program. We are aimed to promote all parks to be a better place for people of all ages and colors to live a nicer life. We would regularly organize activities like collecting litters, watering young plants or killing pests on trees and so on. Besides, posters and signs of bettering parks are also in our daily doings.
We provide a one-time service or a longer term position in many partner organizations. Opportunities are available for anyone who are willing to serve for the society. And the working specific places are various ,from your nearby parks in your community to all other places throughout the United States, including the territories(边境) in the Pacific and the Caribbean（加勒比海）. Some positions are specialized and need particular talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as a background check, such as writers or editors need to have good abilities of words. Other positions only require a willingness to volunteer. If you want to be a part of a shared future and do something for the world, please join us and your coming can make a big difference!
To learn more about us and details that guide our volunteer programs, click www.Volunteer.gov and then search for a volunteer event on the webpage, or contact us at 789-431-45
1. The National Park Service aims at helping ______.| A．better parks | B．water young plants | C．collect litters | D．kill pests |
| A．one-day tour in USA |
| B．weekend services for community |
| C．services in Canada |
| D．a one-time and long-term activity |
| A．a newspaper | B．a magazine | C．a text book | D．a website |
| A．to call on people to attend the National Park Service |
| B．to introduce a volunteer group to readers |
| C．to show how to visit parks in the USA |
| D．to make people know the value and importance of protecting parks |
5 . The way Jason Momoa describes Hawaii’s beloved inactive volcano, Mauna Kea, makes you understand why it’s considered sacred(神圣的).
"It’s kind of the umbilical cord(脐带) to earth," the actor tells CNN. "You know, if you think about the Hawaiian islands, that’s the biggest mountain in the world, right? All the way up. So Mauna Kea is the most sacred. We call it the belly button, too. That’s like our birthplace. That’s how our islands were formed. So how can that not be sacred?"
He would know. Jason, a native of Hawaii, has had a near-constant presence there when he’s not working, fighting with local protestors to stop the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, or TMT, which would drill directly into the mountain and invade its precious water supply. So far, protestors have successfully blocked the only road crews seeking to go up the mountain in order to build the billion-dollar observatory.
"It started in 2015. What’s happening over there was just not right," Jason says. "And I went over there to meet with everyone to bring the point to the world." Jason joins the protests when he can. He cared so deeply about the preservation of the land that when he had spare time to lend his support, he was there. "You also have to remember, that’s our water source. So having an 18-story building built on top of the tallest mountain from the sea level on our water level is terrible."
The Game of Thrones star says he feels the movement is working and describing his part in it as a calling to do what he feels right in his soul. "There’s massive progress that’s bringing our people together," he says, adding, "I think there are a lot of problems in Hawaii. There are a lot of things that have happened in our history, a lot of injustice, and so we’re shining a light on it. People like myself or Dwayne Johnson, Bruno Mars are trying to spread the concern all around the world. For my soul I need to be there."
1. Why is Mauna Kea sacred according to Jason?
| A．It’s still growing upwards. | B．It looks like the belly button. |
| C．It’s the birthplace of Humans. | D．It brings the islands into being. |
| A．The project of building TMT. | B．The event of blocking the road crews. |
| C．The shooting of Game of Thrones. | D．The movement of preserving the land. |
| A．Bringing Hawaiian people together. | B．Witnessing the history of Hawaii. |
| C．Bringing Hawaii problems into focus. | D．Making Mauna Kea better-known. |
| A．Travel. | B．Celebrity. |
| C．Culture. | D．Technology. |
6 . Lincoln High Calculus (微积分) teacher Anthony Yom has given his students the desire to learn and the will to succeed. While his classes are challenging, the educator does all he can to keep his students invested, combining real-life situations and his lessons to show them the value of their work. He challenges us to the maximum, so we do better on tests, sophomore student Alexis Pong told the Los Angeles Times. One of Yom’s other students, 17-year-old Cedrick Argueta, completed a perfect test paper on the Advanced Placement Calculus exam. Only 12 students in the world accomplished this. As for, all of Yom’s other AP Calculus students, each of them passed the challenging exam.
Yom said most of the praise should go to the kids, though he does go above and beyond his students. However, when he first started teaching at Lincoln High, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Yom felt nervous about the number of students who were unmotivated and unprepared. Some even attempted to physically threaten the teacher. But he didn’t give in. And he gave up his free time to tutor on weekends and during vacations.
At Lincoln High, 80% of the students are Latino (拉丁裔) and Yom hopes to encourage more of them to take his college prep classes, which are currently dominated (支配) by Asians. “I don’t think the Asian students are any smarter than the Latino students,” the teacher states, mentioning that low Latino participation can be connected to cultural differences and expectations. Fortunately, Cedrick Argueta’s AP Calculus success story serves as the perfect example. “My mother cleans houses,” Argueta reveals. “My father is a factory worker.” But the student would be likely to work for NASA or become a teacher.
What is the key to Yom’s success as a teacher? “This may sound dull, but you really have to love them.” the devoted instructor concludes.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Getting a full mark on the APC exam. |
| B．Preparing for a key university. |
| C．Passing the APC exam. |
| D．Learning very well. |
| A．Kind and smart. | B．Proud and rude. |
| C．Mean and stubborn. | D．Modest and devoted. |
| A．To praise Cedrick Argueta’s great efforts. |
| B．To encourage parents to send their children to school. |
| C．To show Latino students can be clever and successful. |
| D．To show Cedrick Argueta’s idea is better than teachers. |
| A．A math book. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A guidebook. | D．A sports magazine. |
7 . Dutch officials toasted on Tuesday the opening of what is being called the world’s first 3D-printed concrete bridge, which is meant to be used by cyclists. There was applause as officials wearing hard hats and workmen’s jackets rode over the bridge on their bikes at the opening ceremony in the southeastern town of Gemert.
“The bridge is not very big, but it was rolled out by a printer which makes it unique,” Theo Salet, from the Eindhoven University of Technology, told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Work on printing the bridge, which has some 800 layers, took about three months after starting in June and it is made of pre-stressed concrete, according to the university. “One of the advantages of printing a bridge is that much less concrete is needed than in the conventional technique in which a mould (泥浆) is filled,” it said on its website, adding “a printer deposits the concrete only where it is needed.”
The eight-metre (26-foot) bridge crosses a water-filled channel to connect two roads, and it was tested for safety to bear loads of up to two metric tons in cooperation with the BAM Infra Construction Company. “Although designed for bikes, it could take up to 40 trucks,”the designers said. “We are looking to the future,” said the head of BAM, Marinus Schimmel. “3D printing meant fewer rare resources were needed and there was significantly less waste,” he added.
The Netherlands is among countries, with the United States and China, taking a lead in this cutting-edge technology, using computers and robotics to construct objects and structures from scratch without using much traditional manpower. Last year a Dutch architect unveiled (提示) a unique 3D printer with which he hopes to construct an “endless loop” building. And a Dutch start-up called MX3D has begun printing a stainless-steel bridge, of which a third is already completed. The aim is to finish printing by March and lay the bridge over an Amsterdam canal in the future.
1. According to the text, what makes the bridge unique?| A．It adopts 3D printing. |
| B．It opens only to cyclists. |
| C．It is made of new material. |
| D．It uses much less concrete. |
| A．In theory, it can support up to 40 bicycles. |
| B．The kind of bridge is energy-saving. |
| C．The kind of bridge is safer than traditional ones. |
| D．The technology has been used widely. |
| A．The project of an “endless loop” building has begun. |
| B．A stainless-steel bridge has been half constructed. |
| C．China is a country with advanced 3D printing. |
| D．3D printing technology needs no manpower. |
| A．News report. | B．Engineering paper. |
| C．History textbook. | D．Advertisement. |
8 . How to survive in the jungle
When you’re in the jungle (丛林), you need to leave all your mobile phone, your favorite coffee and your chocolate bars at home. When you’re in the jungle, you need only four things—water, food, shelter, and fire. You can find all of these easily, but you must know what to look for.
Let’s start with water. Even though there’s a lot of water in the jungle, you may not find it Insects can also be a good sign, because they usually build their nests near water. However, don’t only look for rivers. You can also find water in some plants such as roots and palm trees.
You can usually find a lot of food in the jungle, but you must be happy to eat things you wouldn’t normally want to, for example, insects. However, you need to know the difference between those you can eat and those that are poisonous, so start reading about them now!
For cooking and for warmth, collect dry firewood, leaves, and grass. Then make fire using dry sticks-take a box of matches or a lighter with you!
The type of shelter you need depends on the weather and the kind of animals in the jungle. Some insects can be very dangerous, so protect yourself against bites .If you don’t have any insect repellent (驱虫剂), try putting mud on your skin.
Of course, if you’re lost in the jungle and want to get home again, the sun and stars can help you find your way.
1. If you adventure in the jungle, you should bring ________.| A．chocolate bars | B．coffee |
| C．a mobile phone | D．a box of matches |
| A．food | B．fire |
| C．water | D．shelter |
| A．Learning about what food is safe. |
| B．Protecting the skin from sunlight. |
| C．Predicting the weather by the sun and stars. |
| D．Collecting leaves to build a place to live in. |
| A．A business newspaper. | B．A health guide. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A science journal. |
9 . Scientists blame greenhouse gases for being a major cause of climate change around the world. This is because greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and make the planet warmer.
Now, a team of researchers has announced a successful experiment that turned carbon dioxide into useful liquid fuel. The researchers created a device, called a reactor, which changes bon dioxide into a pure form of formic acid(甲酸). Formic acid is a substance (物质) found in ants and some other insects, as well as in many plants. It is used as an antibacterial material and in the processing of some kinds of clothing.
Haotian Wang led the research team. He said in a statement that the results of the experiment were important because formic acid is a major carrier of energy. So, the substance can provide a way to reuse carbon dioxide and prevent it from being released into the atmosphere. “It’s a fuel-cell fuel that can generate electricity and send out carbon dioxide which you can grab and recycle again,” Wang said.
“Other methods for turning carbon dioxide into formic acid require intense purification processes,” Wang said. Such methods are very costly and require a lot of energy. The Rice University team said it was able to reduce the number of steps in the traditional process to create a low-cost, energy-saving method.
The researchers reported the reactor device performed with a conversion rate (转化率) of 42 percent. This means that nearly half of the electrical energy can be stored in formic acid as liquid fuel. The team said the reactor was able to create formic acid continuously for 100 hours with little degradation (退化) of the device’s parts.
Wang said the reactor could easily be used to produce other high-value products, including alcohol-based fuels. The researchers noted that the technology could also be a big help in solving another major energy problem—how to store large amounts of power in small places.
1. What factor is the main cause of climate change?| A．Greenhouse gases. | B．Chemistry waste. |
| C．Formic acid. | D．Liquid fuel. |
| A．It is a large amount of power. | B．It can be found in ants. |
| C．It is high- value equipment. | D．It is a substance in clothing. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Aggressive. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．A travel magazine. | B．A sports magazine. |
| C．A music magazine. | D．A science magazine. |
10 . For some of us, the excitement of seeing a performance at a European opera house is just not enough. Fortunately, opera houses throughout Europe open their backstage doors to the public. Take advantage of these opportunities to look behind the scenes of some of the world's great opera houses.
Teatro alla Scala Opera House Tours—Milan
Discover the activities within the opera house on a backstage tour of the La Scala theater in Milan. The tour also includes an overview of the history of the theater and guides you through the auditorium(观众席) and the theater boxes.
Paris Opera House Tours—Paris
While it is possible to walk around the public areas of the beautiful Paris Opera House on your own, guided tours are also offered and are led by an English-speaking guide. During the 90- minute tour, you will learn about the theater's history and its architecture. You will also have an opportunity to visit the grand staircase.
Royal Opera House Tours—London
It is one of the most comprehensive of the opera house tours in Europe. The guide at the Royal Opera House takes you through sections of the backstage area to the props (道具) room, where workers build the sets, the costume shop and the ballet studios. There's a chance that you will even catch the ballet dancers backstage in practice in their big ballet studio.
La Fenice Opera House Tours—Venice
Teatro La Fenice in Venice offers a couple of options for visitors. A self-guided tour of the beautiful halls and grounds with a voice guide is available at the box office. Guided tours are also available with an expert that will explain the history of the opera house from its origins to its rebuilding.
1. In which opera house might you be able to see a costume shop backstage?| A．The Teatro alla Scala Opera House | B．The Paris Opera House |
| C．The Royal Opera House | D．The La Fenice Opera House |
| A．They all offer free guided tours. |
| B．They all open their backstage areas to the public. |
| C．They are all free to the public. |
| D．They are all located in France. |
| A．In a sports magazine | B．In an adventure novel |
| C．In a history book | D．On a culture website |
