1 . Getting paid to stay in bed all day sounds pretty good, but what if someone pays you $ 23, 000 to stay in bed for two months? That’s the deal that a medical research team in France is offering to 24 volunteers.
The researchers are looking for volunteers to help them study the effects of weightlessness (失重状态) on the human body and find ways to stop problems. Lying in bed isn’t exactly the same as being weightless, but the effects are alike.
When astronauts spend a long time in an environment with no gravity, their bodies change in many ways. After several months, their hearts don’t beat as hard. Their muscles become smaller and weaker. Their bones may be broken more easily. There may also be changes in the astronauts’ immune systems (免疫系统) and sleep habits.
The study will take 88 days. During the first two weeks, the volunteers will be tested to make sure of their levels of fitness. Then they will spend 60 days lying in bed with their heads lower than their bodies. They will have to do everything while lying down, including eating, brushing their teeth, and going to the bathroom. The rule is that they must have at least one shoulder touching the bed at all times. The last two weeks of the study will be spent trying to build up the volunteers’ fitness again.
Volunteers must be men between the ages of 20 and 45 who are in perfect health. The researchers completed one study in April. A second study will take place from September to December.
1. What’s the third paragraph mainly about?| A．How astronauts work in an environment without gravity. |
| B．Astronauts’ sleep habits in an environment without gravity. |
| C．Why astronauts’ bodies change in an environment without gravity. |
| D．The effects of an environment without gravity on astronauts’ bodies. |
| A．be women | B．come from France |
| C．be in excellent condition | D．be under twenty years old |
| A．How to build up astronauts’ fitness. |
| B．Researchers pay volunteers to stay in bed. |
| C．Effects of weightlessness on the human body. |
| D．Disadvantages of lying in bed for two months. |
| A．A medical magazine. | B．A short novel. |
| C．A grammar book. | D．A travel guidebook. |
2 . Tourist Guide to the National Gallery
Opening hours: Daily 10: 00 am- -6: 00 pm; Friday 10: 00 am- 9: 00 pm
Closed: 2426 December
Reasons to visit:
With over 2, 300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the Gallery. Here are some to get you started...
Get into great art. From Leonardo da Vinci to Vincent van Gogh: See priceless works of art for free.
Get creative. Brush up your skills, and create your own great works of art...
Learn about art. Discover more about paintings...
Regulations:
Talk in a low voice when you use your cellphone in the gallery
Please do not touch the paintings or other exhibits. Do not take pets in or cross the barriers.
Consume food and drink in designated areas only i.e. not in rooms that contain paintings.
Follow our no smoking policy in any part of the building.
Follow our no photograph policy in exhibitions where a sign is displayed.
Access:
The National Gallery aims to make access to the paintings enjoyable and welcoming to the widest possible public. There are a range of facilities to help you see the collection, visit exhibitions and come to events.
The Gallery offers British Sign Language-interpreted talks on paintings for visitors who are deaf, and special art sessions(展期) for visitors who can't see.
Address: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DN
Click here to find more information.
1. What are visitors allowed to do in the National Gallery?| A．Make a phone call. | B．Take a dog in. |
| C．Smoke a cigarette. | D．Take photos. |
| A．Young visitors. | B．Deaf visitors. |
| C．Blind visitors. | D．Old visitors. |
| A．In a newspaper. | B．On a poster. |
| C．In a magazine. | D．On the Internet. |
Wedding Customs from Around the World Each traditional wedding custom is very special, because it marks the importance of the wedding. |
| Brazil Important Details of the Wedding Ceremony A wedding ceremony in Brazil has many important details. For example, the bridegroom can't see the bride wearing her wedding dress before the ceremony. The bride has to use something old, something new, and something that is borrowed. One more detail is the bride's ring should be engraved the name of the bridegroom —María Celina Brandao |
| Eastern Europe Asking the Girl's Father for Permission In my country, the engagement is an event previous to the wedding. One month before the wedding, the bridegroom asks the girl's father for permission to take the girl out of her family house. He goes to her house early in the morning with a band, if he can afford the expense. All the neighbours come to see the new bride and to tell her something nice —Stoyan Grigorou |
| Japan A Wine Ceremony Symbolizes Dedication A Shinto wedding has a typical ceremony. A couple drinks Japanese rice wine in front of a priest. First, the bride drinks the wine from a small cup. Next, the bride passes the cup to the bridegroom and he also drinks the wine from the cup. They try to drink wine three times. This ceremony means that they promise to be dedicated to each other. —Maki Kubo |
| Venezuela Promises to Love and Take Care of Each Other The most important and unforgettable event of someone's life is marriage. In Venezuela, the bridegroom has to promise his bride to love her all his life and to take care of her forever. The bride also has to repeat the same commandments. It is popular for the couple to read the promises to each other. This moment is really beautiful. In addition, the couple receives a list of commandments. —Sonia Dale |
For more, please click here. |
1. What is a bridegroom in Brazil not expected to do?
| A．Use something not new. |
| B．Use something someone else lends him. |
| C．Have his bride wear the ring engraved with his name. |
| D．See his bride in a wedding dress before the ceremony. |
| A．Before the wedding is celebrated. | B．After the girl is taken out |
| C．After a band is paid by the bridegroom. | D．When the neighbours arrive. |
| A．It is the priest's order in the ceremony. |
| B．The cup is not big enough to hold much wine. |
| C．It means they promise not to be against each other. |
| D．It is typical for all young Japanese to drink wine. |
| A．Brazil. | B．Venezuela | C．Japan. | D．Eastern Europe. |
| A．A book on worldwide wedding. | B．A story about foreign customs. |
| C．A webpage about various wedding | D．Speeches about youngsters' trouble. |
4 . Disasters are like a mirror. They show both our bright and dark sides, as individuals and as a society. As citizens in China and beyond continue to fight against the coronavirus(新冠状病毒),the daily lives of many have gone through changes - from simple routine adjustments to complete devotion from volunteers.
People have consciously chosen to stay at home to prevent further human-to-human spread. However, that didn't stop employees and students from working and studying at home. On Feb 17, the scheduled first school day, many teachers started to give online lessons. Bored at home, many people began to learn new things to fill their newly-found time, such as baking or knitting.
The film named Contagion,2011 shows the worst-case that might happen after a worldwide epidemic. Fortunately, the situation in China couldn't be more different than the movie. Rather than violence and food shortage, everything has worked out rather well in China so far.
Scientists isolated (分离) the first virus strain, more than 30,000 medical workers in over 100 medical teams gathered and thousands of construction workers came to build hospitals in Wuhan, Hubei province. Thousands of volunteers are working nonstop to help deliver supplies and assist the affected regions.
Sociologists once debated whether volunteer service is common to see around the world. Indeed, more than 30 years of research—exploring disasters in Europe, Asia, and America—confirmed that the need to help is universal wherever disaster strikes.
“It's normal that when disasters happen, people will fall into panic. In reality, we're more likely to rush in to help others than run them over to save ourselves,” wrote American psychologist Kelly Caldwell in Pacific Standard. “It's an exercise in mass healing.”
1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell readers a lesson. |
| B．To show the effect of a disaster. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| D．To raise the readers' interest in the mirror. |
| A．People chose to stay at home to avoid panic. |
| B．People tried every means to learn new things. |
| C．Online working and studying became more popular. |
| D．People adjusted to their routines to avoid infection. |
| A．China's situation was the same with the movie. |
| B．China experienced violence and food shortage. |
| C．Chinese people have gone through many changes. |
| D．China's situation was quite different from the movie. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A medical journal. | D．A science report. |
5 . People have known for a long time that plants can hear, see, smell and communicate with each other. Now, they have been recorded making sounds when stressed.
In a study, Itzhak Khait and his team found that tomato and tobacco plants can make ultrasonic( 超声的 ) noises. The plant “cry out” due to lack of water, or when they are cut. The sound is just too high for human to hear.
Microphones were placed 10 centimeters away from the plants and picked up sounds in the range of 20 to 100,000 hertz( 赫兹). Human hearing usually ranges from 20 to 20,000 hertz. On average, “thirsty” tomato plants made 35 sounds an hour, while tobacco plants made 11. When plant was cut, tomato plants made an average of 25 sounds in the following hour, and tobacco plants 15.
Perhaps most interestingly, different types of stress led to different sounds. The researchers used a special machine to separate the plants’ sounds from those of wind, rain and other noises of the greenhouses. In most cases, it correctly told whether the stress was caused by dryness or a cut. Water-hungry tobacco made louder sounds than cut tobacco, for example. Although Khait and his team only looked at tomato and tobacco plants, they thought other plants also made sounds when stressed. Khait’s report also suggested that insects could hear the sound up to 5 meters away and respond.
The team said if farmers could hear these sounds, they could give plants the water they need. As climate change causes more droughts(干旱), they said this would be important information for farmers, for the sound that drought-stressed plants made could be used in agriculture.
If plants are screaming for fear of their survival, should we be thankful we can’t hear them?
1. Which did Khait and his team find from their research?| A．Only tomato plants could make ultrasonic noises. |
| B．Humans can hear plants crying while cutting them. |
| C．Plants were able to produce sounds when stressed. |
| D．Plants made ultrasonic noises to communicate with each other. |
| A．Cut tobacco plants made weaker sounds than drought-stressed ones. |
| B．Tomato plants reacted to different stresses with the same sound. |
| C．Cut tomato plants produced more sounds than water-hungry ones. |
| D．Tobacco plants made louder sounds than tomato plants when short of water. |
| A．Farmers imagine what the future agriculture will be like. |
| B．Farmers have contributed a lot to the research. |
| C．Farmers can apply the result of the research to agriculture. |
| D．Farmers will face lots of challenges in the future. |
| A．A nature magazine. | B．A novel. | C．A diary. | D．A guidebook. |
6 . Go to college or university in Ontario, Canada
Come and learn the relevant information about Ontario’s 20 public universities, 24 colleges or 400+ registered private career colleges.
Admissions standards and what to offer
In most cases, you need a high school diploma to go to college or university in Ontario. If you are 19 or older without a diploma, you can still apply to most, if not all schools.
Colleges offer certificate programs, diplomas, and degrees. Universities offer under-graduate and graduate degrees and other professional programs. All programs vary in length and preconditions—the pre-work or qualifications you need to be eligible (符合条件) for a program.
Check a school’s website or contact them directly for specific information about admissions.
How to apply
The process depends on where you want to go to school and your personal situation. If you live in Ontario, anywhere else in Canada or abroad, you apply through 1 of 2 places:
Colleges: www.ontariocolleges.ca
Universities: www.ouac.on.ca (the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre)
You will need to apply directly through a school if you are:
● planning to study part time
● a mature student (generally of a certain age and away from formal education for some time)
● an international student
● applying for graduate studies (e.g., a Masters or Doctoral degree)
● planning to attend a private career college
Loans, grants (补助金), scholarships
Canada Student Loans, Grants and Scholarships are open to all Canadians.
Canadian citizen and Ontario resident for at least 12 months: you could be eligible for OSAP (the Ontario Student Assistance Program) and other financial aid programs.
Canadian students living outside of Ontario: you can apply for financial aid through your home province or territory.
International students: you can apply for scholarships offered through the federal (联邦的) government, community agencies and colleges and universities directly.
1. What do universities in Ontario offer students?| A．Honors degrees. | B．Associate degrees. |
| C．Certificate programs. | D．Professional programs. |
| A．Through community agencies. | B．Through their home governments. |
| C．Through other provinces in Canada. | D．Through the Ontario Student Assistance Program. |
| A．A scientific journal. | B．A research paper. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．An official website. |
7 . The Best Family Reunion Spot in Every State
The location for your family reunion could make the event. Choose one of these unique and comfortable spots in every state.
Alabama—Doublehead Resort, Town Creek
You can’t beat the waterfront cottages available at Doublehead Resort. Each has a washer and a full kitchen. A cottage can sleep ten people, making this resort the perfect relaxing location for your family reunion. This could be the setting for another funny family vacation story.
Arkansas—Whitney Mountain Lodge, Garfield
This Northwest Arkansas hotel has a breathtaking view of Beaver Lake. Located between the Rockies and the Appalachians, this peaceful site is the perfect place to escape with your family. They have three private dining rooms, all available for rent for your events. Arkansas might not be the first family reunion destination that comes to mind, but it has one of the coolest hidden sightseeing.
California—The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, Solvang
If budget isn’t an issue, book a family reunion at the Alisal Guest Ranch Resort in the Santa Ynez Valley. This 10,000-acre cattle ranch (牧场) is the ideal reunion spot for horse-back-riding families, and there’s also a spa for the family members who would prefer to relax.
Delaware—Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes
Enjoy a beachside reunion at one of Delaware’s most scenic state parks. The pavilion (大帐篷) is available for rent, so make your base camp at the group site as you have fun at the two beaches and 18-hole golf course. You can also climb up to a former military bunker (碉堡) for a brief history lesson.
1. What is Doublehead Resort special about?| A．The weather. | B．The sightseeing. |
| C．Its stories. | D．Its cottages. |
| A．Doublehead Resort. | B．Whitney Mountain Lodge. |
| C．Cape Henlopen State Park. | D．The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort. |
| A．Daily life. | B．Travel guide. |
| C．Entertainment. | D．Environment. |
8 . America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while—then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending (延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily, but truly can’t manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes,
For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for pure business matters. So accept their hospitality at home !
1. Where are we expected to call our American friends if we go there by plane?| A．On the bus. | B．At the airport. |
| C．Near their home. | D．At our own hotel. |
| A．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
| B．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
| C．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
| D．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
| A．Treating friends at home. | B．Sharing everything they have. |
| C．Taking days off to be with friends. | D．Meeting friends at the airport at midnight. |
| A．Culture. | B．News. |
| C．Story. | D．Travel. |
9 . Vitamin B could help lessen the effects of the most dangerous type of air pollution，according to a new study published recently. In the first study of its kind，a team of international researchers looked at the damage caused by one of the pollutants that has the most severe impact on health: PM2.5.
Particulate matter，or PM，is a type of air pollutant consisting of small particles of different sizes. PM2.5 has a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometers，about 30 times smaller than a human hair. These particles are so small that they can go into our respiratory system (呼吸系统), resulting in lung and systemic inflammation (炎症) and stress.
The team found that something as simple as a daily vitamin B supplement could potentially reduce the impact of the tiny particles on the human body，although they stressed that the research was in its early stages and the sample size was small.
For this study，10 volunteers were initially exposed to clean air and given a placebo (安慰剂) to check their responses. The group then took another placebo for four weeks before being exposed to heavily polluted air from downtown Toronto，where an estimated 1，000 cars pass every hour. The bad air was delivered to the volunteers through an “oxygen－type” face mask. The experiment was then repeated，with each volunteer taking a vitamin B supplement daily made up of 2.5 mg of folic acid，50 mg of vitamin B6，and 1 mg of vitamin B12. B6 can be found in liver，chicken and nuts，and B12 in fish，meat，eggs，milk and some cereals.
The researchers found that four weeks of vitamin B supplements reduced the damage of PM2.5 exposure by 28%－76%. The results highlight how prevention at an individual level could be used to fight the harmful effects of PM2.5.
1. Why is PM2.5 harmful to our health?| A．It pollutes and poisons the air. | B．It is too much to be got rid of. |
| C．It carries viruses and diseases. | D．It is easily breathed in and damages our body. |
| A．The process of the research was not scientific. |
| B．This kind of research has been done many times. |
| C．Further studies are needed to confirm their findings. |
| D．Vitamin B is hard to obtain in people’s daily life. |
| A．International researchers have a new finding. |
| B．Vitamin B could reduce the damage of PM2.5. |
| C．Particulate matter does great harm to our health. |
| D．Emission control and regulation are badly needed. |
| A．in a science journal | B．on a government website |
| C．in a fashion magazine | D．in a medical textbook |
10 . Welcome to our full-hotel hotel for dogs and cats. Here your cats can rest easy in comfortable quarters (住处)and dogs can enjoy playtime, salon services, training classes and more!
Accommodations Standard Guest Rom An open space that's cleaned daily and furnished with comfortable bedding Private Suite Large suits (套房) separated from the standard rooms for a more peaceful, private environment and they are perfect for multiple family pets. Rooms are cleaned daily and feature a raised cot (小床) and TV tuned to pet-themed shows. Kitty Cottage Cat cottages are kept separate from dog guest accommodation and they are cleaned daily. Boarding two cats? Cottages with connecting doors are available. Meals We serve meals for free. If you're bringing meals from home, please portion (分配) them into disposable (一次性的) sealed bags marked with your pet's name. Want to surprise your pet with a tasty snack? We also have treats and doggie ice cream available for purchase. Comforts Our cozy rooms and private suites are stocked with comfortable bedding but please feel free to bring your pet's bed, blanket and toys to make them feel even more at home. |
Boarding requirements Vaccinations Vaccinations (疫苗) must be administered at least 48 hours prior to arrival under the guidance of a licensed veterinarian (持证兽医). However, we prefer that vaccinations should be administered 10 to 14 days before check-in to make sure maximum efficiency. Witten proof is required. Fleas & Ticks In addition to vaccinations, all pets should be flea and tick (虱子) free. Overnight "guests" with signs of fleas And/or ticks will not be allowed to check in. |
Additional Requirements All PetsHotel guests must be over four months old before we can offer hospitality. |
①clean and comfortable quarters
②salon services and training classes
③free meals for pets
④tick and flea clean-up service
| A．①②③ | B．①③④ | C．①②④ | D．②③④ |
| A．Private suites in PetsHotel are only for guests with many pets |
| B．PetsHotel offers delicious snacks for pet guests for free. |
| C．Toys are not allowed into PetsHotel. |
| D．PetsHotel only accommodates pets aged four months and above. |
| A．On the website of an animal protection group. | B．In the Life section of a newspaper. |
| C．On the leaflet of a hotel for pets. | D．On the announcement board of a pet clinic. |
