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 . Vegan leather(纯素皮), a cruelty-free and environment-friendly substitute for animal leather has long been the ultimate goal of sustainable fashion. Now, an alternative may be making the jump from the lab to cupboards, and its source may surprise many people: the forest floor.
Mycelium(菌体丝), the fibrous roots of fungi(真菌), is being made into durable clothes and bags with a lower carbon cost than animal's skin or plastic, and it's a material that won't pile up in landfills. While products made from it aren't available to buy yet, industry experts say the material has great potential to influence the market for animal and synthetic(合成的)leathers. And it has a unique look and feel.
Leather production relies on skin from cattle and sheep, whose raising is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Leather processing also uses dangerous chemicals and generates large mounts of waste from treating raw skin. By contrast, fungi's growth is effectively carbon neutral since they catch and store carbon that would otherwise be emitted or remain in the atmosphere, according to Nature. Pure and untreated fungi-leather also breaks down easily.
A number of companies are relying on consumer's interest in a true fungi leather. Some 66% US respondents to a survey by the consulting firm Mckinsey & Company said they consider sustainability when making a luxury purchase. California-based Mckino is perhaps closest to producing a commercially available product called Reishi. "It has the same quality and artistic value as animal leather and it will be launched in partnership with top brands in the coming months," said Sophia Wang, the company's co-founder.
One of the challenges with fungi-leather is making a uniform "mat" with consistent thickness, appearance and color, according to Nature. It's also necessary to balance durability with biodegradability(降解).
1. What do we know about Mycelium?| A．Its products are available now. |
| B．It is likely to gain some market share. |
| C．It has a high carbon emission. |
| D．It accounts for a large part of waste. |
| A．By making a comparison. |
| B．By reasoning and arguing. |
| C．By analyzing the research process. |
| D．By providing background information. |
| A．Most people like animal leather. |
| B．Consumers are indifferent to Reishi. |
| C．Sophia has confidence in Reishi. |
| D．Mckino ranks among top brands |
| A．Opinion. | B．Agriculture | C．Fashion. | D．Lifestyle. |
3 . 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. |
4 . 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. |
5 . Despite the lack of new releases due to the outbreak of COVID-19, there was no shortage of good films in 2020. We've rounded out the top 4 films. Check them out!
Soul
In the first Pixar cartoon to have an African-American lead character. Jamie Foxx provides the voice of a music teacher who dreams of making it as a jazz pianist. But just after a successful interview, he falls down a manhole and finds himself in a soul world where human spirits are assigned their personalities. And things get even stranger from there.
Nomadland
When Fern loses her husband and can't afford to live in a house, she packs her few belongings into a camper and drives off into the Nevada desert. She encounters a large community of senior citizens who have also been forced to live on the road, supporting themselves with short-term- jobs along the way. What makes Nomadland unique is that while Fern is played by an Oscar-winning actress, nearly all she meets are real people who relate their own experiences. Written and directed by Chloe Zhao, the film is a combination of documentary and fiction.
The Croods: A New Age
The prehistoric family from 2013's hugely enjoyable cartoon, The Croods, directed by Joel Crawford, makes a welcome return, so we can expect more crazy adventures and unusual animals. In the much-delayed- sequel, they meet another family, the Bettermans, whose advanced lifestyle and technology make the Croods look even more primitive than they did already. There's conflict but they learn to appreciate each other's differences.
Wolfwalkers
The year's finest cartoon film comes from Cartoon Saloon, an Irish studio specialising in stylised hand-drawn 2D art. Its latest production is set in the mid-17th Century, when English soldiers are trying to occupy the wild woods. One hunter's daughter meets with a girl wolfwalker and they make joint efforts to rescue the forest. It's a heartwarming story of friendship and an inspiring adventure about two girls finding themselves Wolfwalkers stands proud as new classic.
1. What is the film Soul about?| A．pianist's dream coming true. | B．A musician's romantic journeys. |
| C．A music teacher's unusual experiences. | D．An African-American actor's success story. |
| A．Soul. | B．Nomnadland. | C．The Croods: A New Age. | D．Wolfwalkers. |
| A．Science. | B．History. | C．Entertainment. | D．Medicine. |
6 . A glimpse at Spring Festival Chinese film releases
The clock is ticking down to 2021! We’ve handpicked some films to help you get in the spirit of the season.
Hi, Mom
The film is widely regarded as the top dark horse thanks to its tear-jerking narration of mother-daughter affection, which is directed by Jia Ling.
Time： Feb. 12—14 9：30 a. m.〜11 ：30 a.m.
Place： Room 1
Treats： Popcorn, Ice cream
Price： ¥80
Detective Chinatown 3
Directed by Chen Sicheng, this movie topped the list of the most-anticipated holiday films sent by movie ticketing platform Maoyan.
Time： Feb. 14-16 1：00p. m.〜3：00P.m.
Place ： Room 2
Treats： Popcorn, Ice cream （for free）
Price： ¥75
A Writer\ Odyssey
Director Lu Yang showed a boldly imaginative visualization of a horrible fantasy world, taking the third seat with 410 million yuan.
Time： Feb. 13—17 9 ：30 a. m. 11 ：30 a. m.
Place： Room 3
Price： ¥65
Endgame
The film illustrates a comical up and down fate between an unsuccessful theater actor and a famous professional assassin（刺客）who loses his memory accidentally.
Time： Feb. 15 — 18 3：30 p. m.〜5：30 p. m.
Place： Room 4
Price： ¥60
Welcome to book through the WeChat account!
1. Which room will show a film about family love?| A．Room 1. | B．Room 2. | C．Room 3. | D．Room 4. |
| A．Feb. 16 3：00 a. m. | B．Feb. 15 2：00 p. m. |
| C．Feb. 18 2：00 p. m. | D．Feb. 14 11 ：00 a. m. |
| A．A report. | B．A poster. | C．A journal. | D．A guidebook. |
7 . 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. |
8 . Many college students turn to ADHD（注意缺陷障碍）medicine during the exam week, which is regarded as “smart drugs” that will help their academic（学术的）performance. The thinking is that if the drugs help students with ADHD improve their focus, they should provide the same benefit for people who don’t have the disorder.
But a new study shows that drugs can actually damage brain function of healthy students who take the drug hoping to boost their intelligence. “It’s not a smart drug which will suddenly improve their ability to understand information they read,” said Lisa Weyandt, a professor at the University of Rhode Island.
To test whether this effect is real or not, researchers organized 13 students to take part in two five-hour study sessions（一段时间）in the lab. The students took the standard 30mg ADHD drugs before one session, and a sugar pill before the other. Students on ADHD drugs did experience an increase in their blood pressure and heart rates. “The medicine was having an effect on their brain,” Weyandt said. The students also showed an improvement in their ability to focus, the researchers found.
However, students on ADHD drugs experienced no improvement in reading comprehension, reading fluency or knowledge reviews, compared to when they’d taken a sugar pill. “We read aloud stories to them and asked them to recall information from the stories, ”she said. “That didn’t improve.”
Worse, the ADHD drug actually harms students’ memory. It’s often misused because people pull all-nighters and they’re tired, and they think it’s going to keep them awake. Maybe it does, but it’s certainly not going to help their academic work. The brain is still developing until the mid to late 20s. It’s important to keep it healthy. There’s also a chance that ADHD drugs could endanger a student’s heart health.
1. Why do some college students take ADHD drugs?| A．To improve their sleeping. | B．To get higher marks. |
| C．To make them feel relaxed. | D．To treat brain disorder. |
| A．Analyze. | B．Affect. |
| C．Improve. | D．Understand. |
| A．They became more focused. |
| B．Their blood pressure was reduced. |
| C．Their reading fluency was greatly raised. |
| D．They could remember better and more quickly. |
| A．In a drug instruction. | B．In a biology textbook. |
| C．In a travel magazine. | D．In a news report. |
9 . Do you want to have an interesting summer picnics with your family? Here we offer four of the top picnic areas across the US.
Cumberland Islands, Georgia
Just hours south of Savannah, this national seashore is an ideal picnic place. It' s not a destroyed place in the Deep South with over 50 miles of hiking trails (路线).Covered in Spanish moss (苔藓)，the paths are lined with trees and since it' s still a rural area, the stars gather for a spectacular show at night and create the perfect evening starlit picnic opportunity.
Grant Park, Chicago
Go for a taste of a 20-day lakefront for delicious food in Chicago, because food festival happens in October each year. Take a spot near the fountain to enjoy your picnic, appreciate the city scenery and lake views and relax with family and friends. If you are there on July 1st, make sure to plan the day to include the fireworks display at the Navy Pier.
Cranberry Islands, Maine
Here, you'll enjoy natural picnics with island views. The islands are a delightful group of islands about 20 minutes offshore from Acadia National Park. You can visit the islands by private boat. Bring a picnic basket along for the ride as it 's a romantic picnic area to go for a family outing to visit the islands.
Big Sur, California
The Point Lobos State Reserve is a small gem (胜地).Besides the coastal wildlife there are rare plant communities, and unique geological formations. It's good to have a picnic there. You are recommended to bring a telescope, because much of the wildlife can be seen only at a distance.
1. What can we know about Cumberland Islands?| A．You can go there by boat. |
| B．You can't have a picnic in the evening. |
| C．It is developed into a beautiful scenery. |
| D．It attracts lots of people for its splendid stars. |
| A．Big Sur. | B．Grant Park. |
| C．Cranberry Islands. | D．Cumberland Islands. |
| A．A personal diary. | B．A travel magazine. |
| C．A science report. | D．A geography textbook. |
10 . I look around and can't recognize where I am. I see my friends gathered by a stage where music is playing and I run over. As I begin running towards them, they become further and further away. I keep calling for them, but no one hears me. I start hearing a distant alarm-like sound and I am transported away. I woke up in at a loss sitting in my bed. “Oh, it was only a dream,” I said to myself. I have always had vivid and intense dreams.
Today, dreaming is being studied even more than ever. Some say that dreams are how your receptors (受体) make sense of random thoughts while you sleep. Some say that you can't dream of a face you have never seen before, so everyone you see in your dreams you have at least laid eyes on at one time or another.
Other people think dreams are ways of expressing stress or internal feelings you may be experiencing. A lot of people say that they have dreams about being chased (追逐).
A common interpretation of the “being chased” dream is that you are feeling threatened. Some dream interpretation sites say you should try to reflect on what or who is chasing you to get a better idea of what is making you feel this way.
Another dream that is often experienced is flying. This dream has a much more positive interpretation, which is that you are feeling free or have broken out of a bad situation such as a relationship turned sour or a job you hate.
Unfortunately, if you even remember your dreams at all, you forget half of your dream within five minutes of waking up and within 10 minutes, you usually forget 90 percent of it.
Dreamologists who devote time to the study of dreams, suggest if you want to try to remember and study your dreams you should keep a journal beside your bed and jot down what you dreamt as soon as you wake up so you can reflect on it later.
1. Why does dreams of “being chased” occur?| A．You are feeling threatened |
| B．You just quit a job you hate |
| C．Your friends are far away from you when in need |
| D．Your receptors is always thinking while you sleep |
| A．It can help us sleep well without dreams. |
| B．It can help us get out of the intense dreams. |
| C．We usually forget 90 percent of dreams within 10 minutes. |
| D．We need to chase those people who appeared in our dreams. |
| A．A biology textbook. | B．A travel guidebook. |
| C．A physics book. | D．A science newspaper. |
| A．Why am I Always Dreaming | B．How is My Dream Created |
| C．What do My Dreams Mean | D．How to Avoid Dreams |
