1 . Koalas live in the eucalyptus （枝树）forests of southeastern and eastern Australia. They rely on the eucalyptus tree for both habitat and food. In fact, they seldom leave these trees. When not sleeping, they're usually eating. They can eat more than a pound of eucalyptus leaves a day. Eucalyptus is poisonous, so the koala's digestive （消化的）system has to work hard to digest it, breaking down the poisons and taking in the limited nutrients （营养）.That's why koalas sleep for 18 to 22 hours a day — they get very little energy from their diet.
Koala numbers decreased in the late 19th and early 20th century from hunting for their fur. Now they face serious threats from habitat loss. Land clearing and bush fires-especially the 2019-2020 Australia Bushfire Season-have destroyed much of the forest they live in. Koalas are easy to be affected by climate change. Increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is decreasing the nutritional quality of eucalyptus leaves and causing longer, more serious droughts and wildfires. In response to drought, koalas are forced to stop sleeping and come down from the trees to find water, putting them at a higher risk of being killed.
Koalas have been identified by the Australian government as one of the 113 animals requiring urgent （紧急的）help. Ensuring there's the right kind of forest for them to return to is extremely urgent. State governments should create new koala reserves and persuade landowners not to cut down eucalyptus trees. Meanwhile, getting the public to understand koalas' living habits and their health will throw light on koala biology, which helps to develop plans to better protect the species.
1. What can we learn about koalas?| A．They like moving around very much. |
| B．They have developed smart survival skills. |
| C．They can be found everywhere in Australia. |
| D．They often got ill while eating eucalyptus leaves. |
| A．Koalas' newly-formed habits. | B．Koalas' decreasing population. |
| C．The potential threats to Koalas. | D．The outcomes of increased carbon dioxide. |
| A．Conduct the research on their living habits. |
| B．Make sure they can have their habitat back. |
| C．Realize that they are sensitive to climate change. |
| D．Educate people about the awareness of protecting them. |
| A．A nature magazine. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A sports newspaper. | D．A health magazine. |
2 . Standing on the ruins（废墟）after the fire where his house had been, Peter Ruprecht admitted that he was not sure how or when to rebuild. He was still shocked by what Australia's increasingly changeable climate had already delivered: first a drought, then a destructive bush fire, then a foot of rain from a storm.
"It's unstoppable," said Mr. Ruprecht, a former dairy farmer. "We speak about the warmth of Mother Nature, but nature can also be vicious and wild and unforgiving."
Australia's' hellish（地狱的）fire season has eased（缓和）, but its people are facing more than a single disaster. With floods destroying homes not far from where fires recently spread, they are facing a cycle of what scientists call "compound extremes": one climate disaster strengthening the next.
Warmer temperatures do more than just dry out the land. They also heat up the atmosphere, which means clouds hold more moisture（水汽）for longer periods of time. So droughts get worse, giving way to fires, then to heavy rains that the land is too dry to absorb.
Many Australians in disaster zones complain that their government, after ignoring climate change for years, has not yet to draw up recovery plans that are clear and that take future threats into account.
At the same time, the economic costs of a changing climate are rising quickly. Philip Lowe, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, warned recently that Australia was already paying a price, and that it would only go up.
1. Why Peter Ruprecht is mentioned in the beginning?| A．To arouse readers' pity. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To stress the problem. | D．To call on readers to help. |
| A．grateful | B．advanced | C．responsible | D．forcible |
| A．Government inaction. | B．Warmer temperature. |
| C．The lack of money. | D．No recovery plans. |
| A．guidebook. | B．A travel journal. | C．A news report. | D．A book review. |
3 . Hampton Court Motor Cruiser
16 Hampton Court Road
TEL：208－977－1728
Hampton Court Motor Cruiser is a boat docked on the River Thames. Facilities (设施) include heating, Smart TV and Wi-Fi. The price per stay also includes the free use of a 4-seat electric boat and barbecue facilities. There is no staff at all on board during your stay.
Hilton London Green Park
4－6 Half Moon Street
TEL：207－629－7522
Hilton London Green Park stays in the heart of London. It features modern rooms with air conditioning. Wi-Fi is available in public areas and is free of charge. There is also a cocktail bar on site. All children and pets are welcome.
Arbor City
12 Osborn Street
TEL：207－247－3313
Arbor City Hotel is just next to the White chapel Art Gallery. It offers free Wi-Fi and 24－hour room service. Air-conditioned rooms feature a TV, a safe and a shower. Parking is available on site and costs GBP 24 per day. For an additional charge, the hotel offers various breakfast options: English breakfast, Continental breakfast, Vegan and Dairy-free breakfast. The hotel is 10 minutes' tube ride from the West End.
Abercorn House Hostel
28－30 Bute Gardens
TEL：203－696－0215
Abercorn House Hostel is located just a 3-minute walk from Hammersmith Underground Station, with a 24-hour front desk. Guests can stay in rooms or dormitories fitted with a wardrobe. Some come with a shower, while others offer access to a shared bathroom. They can also use a shared kitchen to prepare their meals. Wi-Fi is available and costs GBP 1 per hour. Non-smoking throughout.
1. Which of the following can offer a river-view?| A．Arbor City. |
| B．Abercorn House Hostel. |
| C．Hilton London Green Park. |
| D．Hampton Court Motor Cruiser. |
| A．28－30 Bute Gardens. |
| B．12 Osborn Street. |
| C．4－6 Half Moon Street. |
| D．16 Hampton Court Road. |
| A．207－629－7522. |
| B．208－977－1728. |
| C．207－247－3313. |
| D．203－696－0215. |
| A．a survey. |
| B．an announcement. |
| C．an advertisement. |
| D．an academic report. |
4 . By now, most of us have picked up at least one pandemic hobby. And there's a seemingly common pandemic hobby trend: People who haven't been able to go anywhere are making imaginary travel plans. Maybe you're among those who have spent hours researching locations-even though you're not actually planning to travel.
It turns out that you aren't alone. People who seem to be sticking to public safety recommendations are still planning trips they don't intend to book. And, when I suddenly found myself addicted to an imaginary girls' trip to Joshua Tree, I wondered whether this was a healthy distraction.
"It's an escapist imagination," said Regine Galanti, a psychologist, adding that there's nothing wrong with escapism during a global pandemic.
On the one hand, distractions are often beneficial right now. We are a full year into living with COVID-19 as a pandemic, and that means you've probably had to navigate a range of emotions like discomfort, sadness, or even boredom. So any hobby that doesn't harm anyone or endanger your well-being is probably a worthy attempt.
Even if vacation planning is your happy place, Dr. Galanti suggests you "actually think about what you're trying to achieve." Why? "Maybe what you're saying is, I need a vacation from work," Dr. Galanti explains. "Then take three days off even if you are not going anywhere. "When you figure out what you're looking for, you might be able to find a small socially distanced adventure in your backyard or a quiet place. Vacation planning is a good way to spend some time, but there might be an even better way to get what you're desiring.
Anyway, when uncertainty is all around us, creating things to look forward to isn't a terrible idea. And when things are safer, you'll have all your plans in place.
1. Why do people make imaginary travel plans during the pandemic?| A．To develop a new hobby. | B．To stay safe and sound. |
| C．To be distracted from reality. | D．To get ready for future travel. |
| A．Express. | B．Balance. | C．Adapt to. | D．Deal with. |
| A．Objective. | B．Negative. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Figures. | B．Lifestyle. |
| C．Food and recipe. | D．Science and technology. |
5 . 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. |
6 . Have you ever wondered if you see the same colours as other people? Most people know what blue is when they see it. They call it "blue” because they were taught the word and connected it with what they saw. But how do you know what you see as blue isn't someone else's red?
The ability to perceive （感知）different colours is up to receptors （接受器）in our eyes. Light waves hit these receptors and they react depending on which colour the light is, sending signals to the brain. The brain then reads these signals to determine which colour light the eyes are receiving.
Some people's receptors are more developed than others. The inability of the receptor to feel the light waves correctly means that some people cannot tell the differences between similar colours. Those with more developed receptors can see more colours. We sometimes hear people having an argument about whether something is dark blue or black. It might be because one person has stronger receptors to feel the light than another.
In the past, most scientists would argue that everyone saw colours in the same way. However, research was conducted on monkeys, in which their receptors were changed. This enabled them to see more colours than usual. Normally monkeys can only see blue and green, but the change allowed them to see red. Their brains automatically got used to new colours. This suggests that our brains may find new colors of the things we see. Colours could be a very personal experience , unique to everyone.
So, the next time you talk about your favourite colour, just remember if yours is blue and your friend says red, you two might actually be thinking about the same colour. What if everyone in the world has the same favourite colour, but just calls it different names?
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．How we perceive colours. |
| B．The inability to see colours. |
| C．What the brain does with signals. |
| D．The connection between receptors and light waves. |
| A．Some people cannot feel colours with their developed receptors. |
| B．The more light people feel, the weaker receptors they have. |
| C．People with poor receptors usually have colour weakness. |
| D．People who have strong receptors can see dark blue. |
| A．To test the monkeys with colours. |
| B．To develop the receptors of humans. |
| C．To enable monkeys to find more colors. |
| D．To prove everyone sees colours in a different way. |
| A．A film review. | B．A science magazine. |
| C．An art journal. | D．A business newspaper. |
7 . It's always adventurous and romantic to visit an island country. Take a look at some breathtakingly beautiful island countries in the world, which everyone should visit at least once in his lifetime.
Maldives
It's believed that Maldives is one of the most popular honeymoon places as well as one of the most beautiful island countries. Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Maldives is made up of a series of ancient coral reefs that grow up along the sides of ancient volcanoes, with fascinating beaches.
Fiji
Fiji has plenty of surprises for any adventurous travelers. It is famous for the world's best surf scenes, attracting many surfing lovers to ride the great waves. Well, if surfing is not for you and you love sitting on the beach and relaxing, hiking or seeing breathtaking waterfalls, Fiji is also a suitable island country to visit.
Malta
Malta, a beautiful southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea, has a rich history and culture. There are amazing sky-high cliffs to climb, wonderful temples to visit and lots of amazing places to go diving. There are plenty of interesting things to explore here and everyone can find something to enjoy. The historic part of Malta is shown in its architecture, great walled cities, and many underground tunnels.
1. Which place will be most likely to be chosen by a newly-married couple according to the text?| A．The Mediterranean Sea. | B．Maldives. |
| C．Malta. | D．Fiji. |
| A．You can see the world’s most breathtaking waterfalls. |
| B．It is surfing lovers' favourite island country. |
| C．There are sky-high cliffs to explore. |
| D．You can try the world's longest tunnels. |
| A．Hike on green plains. | B．Ride the greatest waves. |
| C．See breathtaking waterfalls. | D．Explore underground tunnels. |
| A．A hotel advertisement. | B．A travel guidebook. |
| C．A geography book. | D．A service newspaper. |
8 . Tai chi, a centuries-old Chinese martial art and an internationally popular form of exercise, has been added to the cultural heritage list of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
As its initial (最初) application was turned down in 2008, for more than 10 years, China has been trying to have Tai chi — also known as taijiquan — recognised officially by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表). At the time, judges told China it had applied for too many listings for Tai chi to be considered for a place. China was told to reduce its applications from listings, which included tai chi, Shaolin kung fu, Peking opera and acupuncture (针灸).
According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, doing Tai chi can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, improve energy and stamina (耐力), strengthen the immune system (免疫)and reduce joint pain. “It is not just a sport to make people fit, but also contains Chinese culture and philosophy,” researcher Yan Shuangjun also told Xinhua News Agency. The application started in 2008 and now we made a victory, which will help this sport to reach more places.
Tai chi has a massive, devoted global following. Millions of elderly Chinese people practise it every day in city parks. Each year, tens of thousands of people from other counties come to China to learn it. Gisele Bundchen, one of the highest-paid models in the world, makes Tai chi into her daily life. Others who have been attracted by its use in their lives include actors Terence Stamp and Paul Adrian, Bollywood star Kunal Kapoor, and musician RZA of the Wu Tang Clan — to say nothing of its importance to martial artists such as Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li.
1. What can we learn about the applications in 2008?| A．The first application of tai chi was accepted. |
| B．Tai chi is a Chinese martial art with a short time. |
| C．China applied for acupuncture and Peking opera. |
| D．China thought itself had applied for too many listings. |
| A．Help people think more quickly. |
| B．Reduce headache and promote sleep. |
| C．Lead to some depression and severe joint pain. |
| D．Help people build up energy and reduce stress. |
| A．Healthy. | B．Hard to learn. | C．Welcomed. | D．Time-taking. |
| A．Culture. | B．Life style. | C．Education. | D．Custom. |
9 . Next time you go on holiday, it’s going to feel pretty different. You may have to wear a face mask. And that means getting your point across in an unfamiliar language—all while keeping your mouth covered—could become a bit of a problem.
That’s where the C-mask, by Japanese company Donut Robotics,comes in.It’s a smart, Internet-connected mouth covering that can make calls, raise the wearer’s voice, and most helpfully for travelers,translate conversations into eight different languages.
If need be, you simply place it over a standard face mask and connect it via Bluetooth to a smartphone. A special app will then allow you to record live conversations, turn them into text and translate them into English, Chinese,French, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Spanish or Vietnamese(currently only from Japanese)—making it easy to understand what people are saying. It won’t actually speak the translated phrases for you, but it does have a built-in amplifier（扩音器）to help you make yourself heard.
“We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used what we’ve researched to create a product that responds to how COVIP-19 has reshaped society,” Donut’s CEO recently told reporters. The firm has already raised more than 28 million yen via crowdfunding（众筹）to develop the product, which will go on sale for 3,980yen in Japan.
There are all manner of fashionable, eco-friendly masks you can now get your hands on—check out these in London, Singapore and Barcelona.But in creating an affordable,high-tech mask, Donut could well be on to something.
1. The C-mask is developed to___________.| A．seek fashion | B．reshape society |
| C．replace cellphones | D．improve communication |
| A．How the C-mask speaks. | B．How the C-mask works. |
| C．What advantages the C-mask brings. | D．What languages the C-mask translates. |
| A．Health. | B．Tourism. | C．Technology. | D．Education. |
10 . Counseling（咨询）Services
Counseling Services is a place on campus where you can find someone to talk when you're feeling hopeless, lonely, depressed, confused, upset over a relationship, or just anxious. If you or anyone you know has been disturbed by recent events,please come to Counseling Services，which can provide a safe and comfortable environment for all students.
Service Time
Counseling Services will be closed from Monday. December 21st 2020 through the beginning of Spring Term 2021. But we will continue to provide Tele-health services by phone and email Monday through Friday from 8:00 .AM to 4:30 PM. We will be fully closed on the following dates: December 24th. 25th. 30th. 31st. January 1st. 2021.
Appointment
To make an appointment, call （715） S36-552I during our business hours: Monday-Friday S:00 AM-12:00 PM. 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. We are open 8:00 .AM to 6:00 PM on Wednesdays.
What You Can Get
In addition to services on phones or on line. you can now check out our Attacking .Anxiety and Depression Workshop Videos, or see what our office is up to on Instagram and Facebook. We have also been collecting COVID-19 specific online resources.
If you want to know more, please click here.
1. Who may need Counseling Services?| A．Anyone living alone. |
| B．Pupils wanting to live comfortably. |
| C．Students suffering from anxiety. |
| D．Students feeling hopeful. |
| A．Wednesday. | B．Friday. |
| C．Monday. | D．Tuesday |
| A．A textbook. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A website |
