1 . Fritillaria plants should be simple to spot. The usually bright green plants often stand alone amid the rocks that top the Himalayan and Hengduan mountains in southwestern China — easy pickings for traditional Chinese medicine herbalists, who've ground the bulbs （鳞茎) of Fritillaria into a cough-treating powder for more than 2, 000 years. The demand for the bulbs is intense, since about 3,500 of them are needed to produce one kilogram of the powder,worth about $480.
But some Fritillaria are remarkably difficult to find，with leaves and stems that are barely distinguishable from the gray or brown rocky background. Surprisingly, the plants’ camouflage(伪装) seems to have evolved in response to people.
In wide open areas with little cover, like mountaintops, blending in can help the plants avoid hungry herbivores, says Yang Niu, a botanist at the Kunming Institute of Botany in China. But after five years of studying camouflage in Fritillaria, he did not spot any animals feeding on the plants.
So Niu, his colleague Hang Sun and sensory ecologist Martin Stevens of the University of Exeter in England decided to see if humans might be driving the evolution of the plants’ camouflage.
During their research, local herbalists noted the total weight of the bulbs harvested each year from2014 to 2019 at seven study sites. These records indicated contemporary harvesting pressure on the plants. In the meantime, the researchers assessed the ease of harvesting by recording how long it took to dig up bulbs at six of those sites. On some slopes, bulbs are easily dug up, but in others they can be buried under rocks. Both measures have revealed a striking pattern: The more harvested a site is, the better the color of a plant matches its background.
However, camouflage can present some challenges. Pollinators(花粉传播者) might have a harder time finding the camouflaged plants, and the gray and brown coloration could impair photosynthetic(光合) activity. Still, these Fritillaria show how adaptable the plants can be. The plants can better change their appearance than we might have expected.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The reason for picking Fritillaria. | B．The surviving skills of Fritillaria. |
| C．The history of traditional Chinese medicine. | D．The appearance of Fritillaria. |
| A．Fritillaria disguise themselves where people harvest often. |
| B．Animals drive Fritillaria to hide themselves better. |
| C．Frequent human activities make it easier to spot Fritillaria. |
| D．Fritillaria usually hide under rocks. |
| A．Plants can constantly change how they-look. |
| B．Camouflage can do harm to Fritillaria to some degree. |
| C．Fritillaria play an important role in the eco-system. |
| D．All plants are not good at camouflaging. |
| A．The Wall Street Journal. | B．The Economist. |
| C．Current Biology. | D．Conde Nast Traveler. |
2 . A teenager from the UK almost died because of an addiction to unhealthy exercise.
Lisa Fouweather, 19, was so addicted to working out that she ran half marathons before breakfast. She started to practice running, hoping to become excellent at her running club, but quickly became addicted.
She was hardly eating to keep in shape. The teen’s meals would only include a few pieces of food from her “safe foods” list which was mainly fruit and vegetables. She would avoid anything containing sugar or fat. “I would throw my orange juice and bread out of the window when my parents left the room,” she said. At one point, her weight dropped to just 75 pounds — around 34 kg.
This helped to improve her running in the short-term when, in fact, her whole life was falling apart. It affected her education as she would turn up late to school every day to finish her morning running. She said, “Six-mile runs became half marathons, all on an empty stomach before breakfast. Upon my return, I would eat only fruit.”
However, although warned by her parents, Lisa refused to admit she had a problem and wouldn’t give up her way of working out until one day she had a heart attack after her running and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with anorexic (厌食症) and banned from exercise. “I was told that I could have died because my heart was under great pressure.” She was given dieting advice by doctors to help treat her eating disorders. Thanks to hard work and professional help, she managed to put a stop to her extreme exercise and dieting and has been in recovery for nearly three years.
Lisa said, “I want people who are going through the same problem as I did to know that there is help and support out there, and don’t wait until you’re at breaking point to seek that help.”
1. Why did Lisa start practicing running at first?| A．To become great at the running club. |
| B．To keep in shape. |
| C．To help her with her diet. |
| D．To improve her education. |
| A．She ran half marathons on an empty stomach. |
| B．She had an unhealthy way of eating. |
| C．She didn’t get any warning from others. |
| D．She wouldn’t quit her wrong way of exercise at first. |
| A．There are many people going through the same problem as Lisa did. |
| B．Lisa can provide help and support to people with the same problem. |
| C．You can wait for help if you’re going through the same problem. |
| D．People with the same problem should ask for help in time. |
| A．Science. | B．Technology. |
| C．Health. | D．Nature. |
3 . 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. |
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1. What is one of the reasons why parents in Tampa, Florida think highly of EYS?| A．Their dance classes are enjoyable and safe. | B．Their coaches are all experienced. |
| C．Their Dance Studio is well equipped. | D．Their Dance Studio is large and comfortable. |
| A．They are clearly targeted at beginners. | B．They are offered at reduced prices now. |
| C．They are available for seven hours daily. | D．They are designed to keep kids stay focused. |
| A．An activity review. | B．An exhibition guide. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A course description. |
5 . Beijing will provide COVID-19 vaccinations(接种疫苗）for certain groups in nursing homes, including the elderly and caregivers, on a voluntary basis to prevent a renewed outbreak at nursing homes during autumn and winter, the local government said.
Those who will receive the vaccines include nursing home kitchen workers, security guards and cleaners. Beijing Daily reported on Friday.
Xing Yinli ,director of Jingkangyuan, a nursing home in Fengtai district with about 290 elderly residents(居民），said they have received the document(文件）recently and will strictly follow its guidance.
It’s our top duty to strengthen prevention and control.,"Xing said,adding they have been using methods such as keeping detailed records of resident contacts outside the nursing home,and encouraging online visits for family members..
As to vaccinations, she said they will ask for permission from residents,their family members and workers before giving vaccines.
In late October,Shaoxing,Zhejiang province carried out an emergencyCOVTD-19 vaccine program,allowing the public to ask for injections(注射）in advance,with key groups first. A similar program was also organized in Jiaxing,Ningbo and Yiwu in Zhejiang.
Nationwide,emergency use of home grown COVID-19 vaccines was approved in June and launched in late July. China now has four coronavirus candidate vaccines in the third stage clinical trials(临床试验）.
The document from Beijing also said nursing homes should conduct nucleic acid testing(核酸检测） every month among kitchen workers and residents who leave the nursing homes to see a doctor. Tests will cover all people in nursing homes considered at high risk if new infections are reported in the city. Besides, routine disinfections (消毒） should be strengthened in kitchens, storerooms and restrooms, it said. The document also recommended noncontact visits from family members.
1. Where can you probably find this article?| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a fashion magazine. |
| C．In a book review. | D．In a travel journal. |
| A．The nursing home kept detailed records of residents, |
| B．All the members will make preparations for injections. |
| C．The nursing home takes prevention and control seriously. |
| D．Jiaxing is the first city to have carried out an emergency program. |
| A．China is providing vaccinations nationwide. |
| B．China has made great progress in coronavirus vaccines. |
| C．Chain has taken the lead in coronavirus vaccines worldwide. |
| D．The four candidate vaccines have finished clinical trails |
| A．Nursing homes should conduct nucleic acid testing. |
| B．Beijing nursing homes are to be provided vaccines. |
| C．Certain groups will have vaccines first in late June. |
| D．Routine disinfections should be strengthened in kitchens. |
6 . 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. |
7 . At the age of 86, agriculture teacher Gerald Bonds has seen plenty of crises during his career. He sees no reason to leave the profession over the coronavirus crisis. Bonds is in his 58th year of teaching at Farmington High School in Farmington, New Mexico. Like most teachers in his state, he has been instructing his students from home, which he truly dislikes.
“I hate it. I want to see the students face to face and talk to them,” Bonds told reporters with The Associated Press. Some teachers have retired early or taken leave because of the difficulties of distance learning and the health risks of in-person teaching. But many longtime instructors like Bonds are choosing to stay.
The states of New Mexico and Maine have the oldest teachers in the country, with one in four older than 55. That information comes from a 2018 study of teachers and school leaders by the National Center for Education Statistics. Almost six percent of New Mexico’s educators are 65 or older, notes the New Mexico Public Education Department.
With few exceptions, New Mexico’s schools have been providing only distance learning. So far, this has saved many teachers from dealing with the health risks of being in classrooms with students. Ryan Stewart is the New Mexico Education Secretary. He told the AP that his state is making health and safety number one. Teachers whose health is at a high risk can ask for low-contact or no-contact teaching work, he said. For some parts of the state, this will cause a shortage of teachers and make it harder to return to in-person learning, he noted.
1. Which words can best describe Gerald Bonds?| A．Dutiful and devoted. | B．Diligent and talented. |
| C．Adaptable and learned. | D．Capable and dynamic. |
| A．Because they have no passion to teach. |
| B．Because they have been past retirement age. |
| C．Because they’re afraid of the high risk of infection. |
| D．Because they failed in conducting distance teaching. |
| A．Distance learning results in the lack of teachers. |
| B．Distance learning has saved many infected teachers. |
| C．Returning to in-person learning has been raised in the agenda. |
| D．New Mexico attaches great significance to teachers’ health and safety. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Culture. | C．Health. | D．Education. |
8 . A 3-year-old boy called Casey who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But he told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends at his grandfather’s house in the southern state of North Carolina. When the other children returned to the house and Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search and rescue team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and still no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying they heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. They pulled him out of some briar (多刺野灌木). He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers that he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his “friend”.
Officer Hughes spoke with reporters from several agencies. He said Casey did not say how he was able to survive the woods for three days in the cold, rainy weather. However, he said, “Casey did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear. And at no point do I think he was taken away illegally.”
Doctors at Carolina East Medical Center treated Casey for minor injuries. He was then released to his family on January 25.
His mother Brittany Hathaway talked with reporters from a local news agency and thanked everyone who joined in the search and rescue efforts.
“We just want to tell everybody that we’re very grateful that you took the time out to come search for Casey and prayed for him, and he’s good,” said his mother. “He is good, he is up and talking. He’s already asked to watch Netflix.”
1. What happened to Casey?| A．He was ignored by his friends. | B．He went missing in the woods. |
| C．He was attacked by a bear. | D．He was wanted by the police. |
| A．How Casey managed to survive. | B．When he was successfully rescued. |
| C．Why he was seriously injured. | D．How many hours he was trapped. |
| A．His mother cared about him. | B．His mother was very grateful. |
| C．Casey deserved a good rest. | D．Casey was in good condition. |
| A．survey | B．news report | C．advertisement | D．travel brochure |
9 . Panera Bread has announced that it will update its menus with a series of climate-friendly food designed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) that helps inform consumers about how their food choices affect global climate change.
The “Cool Food Meals” sticker (标签) will appear on Panera Bread’s menu to show that the carbon dioxide used to create the ingredients (成分) is low enough to agree with the research published by the WRI, which matches agriculture and food-related emissions (排放) with the reduction in CO2 emissions needed to meet the 2030 Paris Agreement on climate change.
People are becoming more aware of climate change and its effects, but many still don’t know what they can do about it. Cool Food Meals helps people understand that taking action is as simple as what we eat. A busy parent or a college student—almost anyone—can now go into Panera and by choosing a Cool Food Meal, they are part of a growing group of people who are building a climate-friendly lifestyle.
In some ways, more consumers are looking for more climate-friendly food according to a small survey of 1,000 Americans aged 18-80. 69% of those surveyed said it was important to them that their food should be produced in a sustainable manner. 68% of participants said they tried to stay away from carbohydrates (碳水化合物) and sugar.
Through WRI’s Cool Foods Initiative (倡议), Various cities and universities have signed on to the Cool Foods Pledge (宣言) to try and turn civil food service bodies into ones that reduce the amount of CO2 in the supply chain.
According to WRI, first data shows that Cool Food Pledge Members have already reduced their food-related emission by 3%, which is beyond the course to reach the reduction aims in line with the Pans Agreement.
1. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the World Resources Institute. |
| B．To advertise Panera Bread. |
| C．To encourage new ideas. |
| D．To raise the topic of the passage. |
| A．It helps people to build a climate-friendly lifestyle. |
| B．It helps people to lose weight. |
| C．It contains higher carbon dioxide. |
| D．It gives people a chance to taste various food. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Uncertain. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Health. | B．Education. | C．Science. | D．Environment. |
10 . I have always found the Chinese to be a very polite people. In particular, Chinese frequently compliment (称赞) foreign friends on their language skills, knowledge of Chinese culture, professional accomplishments, and personal health. Curiously, however, Chinese are as loath to accept a compliment as they are eager to give one. As many of my Chinese friends have explained, this is a sign of the Chinese virtue of modesty.
I have noticed a difference, though, in the degree to which modesty is emphasized in the United States and China. In the US, we tend to place more emphasis on “seeking the truth from fact”, thus, Americans tend to accept a compliment with gratitude.
Chinese, on the other hand, tend to reject the compliment, even when they know they deserve the credit or recognition which has been awarded them. I can imagine a Chinese basketball fan meeting Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. He might say, “Mr. Jordan, I am so happy to meet you. I just want to tell you, you are the best basketball player in the world; you’re the greatest!” to which Jordan would probably respond, “Thank you very much. I really appreciate it! I just to try to do my best every time I step on the court.” If an American met Deng Yaping, China’s premier pingpong player, he might say much the same thing: “Ms. Deng, you’re the best!” but as a Chinese, Deng would probably say, “No, I really don’t play all that well. You’re too much kind.”
Plainly, Americans and Chinese have different ways of responding to praise. Ironically, many Americans might consider Ms. Deng’s response the less modest, because it is less truthful—and therefore less sincere. Americans generally place sincerity above manners; genuine gratitude for the praise serves as a substitute for protestations of modesty. After all, in the words of one of my closest Chinese friends, modesty taken to the extreme is pride.
1. What does the underlined word “loath” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Polite. | B．Uncertain. | C．Curious. | D．Unwilling. |
| A．To note they do as much as they can each time they play against others. |
| B．To remind readers they are the best players in basketball and table tennis. |
| C．To explain they deserve the credit or recognition for their great contributions. |
| D．To show they as Chinese and Americans are different in accepting praise. |
| A．They think sincerity matters the most. | B．They think her reply is against the fact. |
| C．They think she is too modest to believe. | D．They think manners is more important. |
| A．Education. | B．Sports. | C．Culture. | D．People. |
