1 . It is in human nature to explore new things. To that end, many countries have been exploring space for many decades, particularly the US, Russia, and countries in Europe.
President Xi Jinping praised the success of the Chang’e 5 mission (使命) in bringing back the country’s first samples (样本) collected from the moon. The whole country is proud of this breakthrough. The Chang’e 5 mission has achieved many significant breakthroughs, including China’s first lunar (月球的) surface sampling, first liftoff from the moon and the first spacecraft with the ability to gather and meet in lunar orbit with samples to re-enter the Earth s atmosphere.
The success of the Chang’e 5 mission marks a conclusion of China’s current lunar exploration project. The successful re-entry and landing of the Chang’e 5 capsule (太空舱) have enabled China to obtain its first lunar samples, marking a new start for lunar and planetary research. With this achievement, China sets a new milestone in space exploration.
No matter how far China goes into space, it always stays true to its original mission-uncovering the secrets of the universe and contributing to human’s peaceful use of space. China is a peace-loving country and will use its achievements for promoting peace around the globe.
China views these efforts as part of the world’s lunar exploration. It chose a different landing site and is promising to share its samples to enrich the planet’s knowledge. Some foreign scientists have shown particular interest. The exploration is not for commercial purposes, but international scientific research. Human beings shall explore the moon together, as it will finally need large projects requiring international cooperation. China will play a leadership role in the international scientific community.
1. What made Chinese people feel proud according to the passage?| A．Landing on the moon successfully. | B．Gaining admission to exploring the moon. |
| C．Strengthening the ability to promote the peace. | D．Bringing back first samples collected from the moon. |
| A．Horrible but romantic. | B．Fearful but successful. |
| C．Challenging but rewarding. | D．Dangerous but peaceful. |
| A．The original mission remains unchanged. | B．Countries join together to explore the moon. |
| C．China takes pride in the achievements in space. | D．China sets a new milestone in space exploration. |
| A．A poster. | B．A leaflet. | C．A newspaper. | D．A guidebook. |
2 . Wherever we humans go, we leave behind a mess. That goes for space, too. An estimated 500,000 pieces of debris (碎片) litter the Earth’s orbit as a result of man’s explorations of space. Some satellites have been hit by fast-moving pieces of junk. The remains of old rockets can be the size of a bus, while other debris pieces are simply tiny spots of paint.
Today, our species is responsible for the junk dashing around Earth at high speeds, and if we don’t start actively removing the largest pieces, the risk of collisions will only grow worse. “Imagine how dangerous sailing the high seas would be, if all the ships ever lost in history were still floating on top of the water,” says Jan Wörner, ESA director general. “That is the current situation in orbit, and it cannot be allowed to continue.”
It’s almost as if we need a truck to remove all of failed satellites from our orbit. By 2025, the agency plans on launching the world’s first orbiting junk collector, a four-armed robot that tracks down space waste. The first-of-its-kind task, known as ClearSpace-1, will start collecting only a single piece of space junk to prove the concept works. The target in this case is called Vespa, a leftover from ESA’s Vega rocket launch in 2013. This piece of junk weighs roughly the same as a small satellitle and has a simple shape that should make it easy to grab with four robotic arms. Once it’s safely in the arms of the garbage collector, it will then be dragged out of orbit and allowed to burn up in the atmosphere.
In addition, an Australian company, Electro Optic Systems, has received a $ 3.5 million government fund to develop the world’s first laser tracking (激光跟踪) technology. It would replace existing radar (雷达) networks that currently monitor that part of space. The goal is to track small objects with great accuracy.
1. Why does Jan Wörner refer to ships on the high seas?| A．To explain the danger of space debris. | B．To describe the universe’s huge space. |
| C．To praise man’s explorations of space. | D．To compare the oceans with the universe. |
| A．ClearSpace-1 and Vespa |
| B．ESA’s Vega rocket launch and radar networks |
| C．the orbiting junk collector and the first laser tracking technology |
| D．truck to remove all of failed satellites and track small objects |
| A．Dangerous Space Exploration | B．Cleaning up Space Junk Pieces |
| C．Developing Space Technology | D．Launching A Four-armed Robot |
| A．An astronomy report. | B．A travel guidebook. |
| C．A science fiction. | D．An environmental magazine. |
3 . Several Eye-Opening Facts about Tears
Humans make three different versions of tears.Basal tears help our eyes move smoothly,reflex tears form in response to irritants(刺激物）such as smoke and dirt,and emotional tears flow when we're sad or over-joyed.Onion tears are obviously of the reflex variety-but what's the irritant?It turns out onions produce a chemical to defend themselves.To cut down on its release,freeze the onion before slicing,then use a sharp knife to reduce the damage to the onion and the release of the chemical.
Crying can be good for you.Some studies have shown a good cry can cause the release of certain chemicals that make us feel better.Crying can also improve people's sense of well being by bringing about social support.On the other hand,crying can sometimes make you feel worse than if you haven't cried at all.One study found that people who tend to cry in general more often feel worse after crying during a movie than people who seldom cry.
According to Entertainment Weekly,the biggest Hollywood tearjerker of all time is Terms of Endearment,about how a family deals with a cancer diagnosis.Number 2:Bambi.According to Merriam-Webster,the term tearjerker first appeared in 1912,which happens to be the same year the Titanic sank.(The movie Titanic is 16th on EW' s tearjerker list.)
In medieval(中世纪）times,crying was perfectly acceptable,even manly.In the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf,when Beowulf was killed by a dragon,his soldiers were extremely sad and cried aloud for his death.King Arthur was also known to turn on the waterworks.
Speaking of war,tear gas was banned on the battlefield via the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993,which was made to happen by Iraq's use of chemical weapons in Iran in the 1980s.That said,American police can still legally use tear gas for crowd control.
1. Why do people have tears while cutting onions?| A．Because they are sad. | B．Because their eyes are affected by a chemical. |
| C．Because they are over-joyed. | D．Because their eyes can't move smoothly. |
| A．a popular newspaper | B．a touching movie |
| C．a deadly disease | D．an interesting book |
| A．Crying is always beneficial to people. |
| B．Tear gas is strictly forbidden in any case after 1993. |
| C．Emotional tears only form in response to negative feelings. |
| D．It is socially acceptable for men to cry in medieval times. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A chemistry paper. |
| C．A medical report. | D．A popular science magazine. |
4 . 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. |
5 . The worst outbreak of desert locusts (蝗虫) in decades is presently underway in the Horn of Africa. It is the biggest of its kind in 25 years for Ethiopia and Somalia — and the worst Kenya has seen for 70 years.
What we are seeing in East Africa today is unlike anything we’ve seen in a very long time. Its destructive potential is enormous, and it’s taking place in a region where farmers need every gram of food to feed themselves and their families. Most of the countries hardest hit are those where millions of people are already vulnerable (脆弱的) or in serious humanitarian need, as they endure the impact of violence, drought, and floods.
We have acted quickly to respond to this outbreak. The primary method of battling locusts is the aerial spraying of pesticides (杀虫剂). FAO’s “Locust Watch” service explains that “although giant nets, flamethrowers, lasers, and huge vacuums have been proposed in the past, these are not in use for locust control. People and birds often eat locusts but usually not enough to significantly reduce population levels over large areas.”
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has released $10 million from its Central Emergency Relief Fund to fund a huge scale-up in aerial operations to manage the outbreak.
But the window to contain this crisis is closing fast. We only have until the beginning of March to bring this infestation under control as that is when the rain and planting season begins. If left unchecked — and with expected additional rains — locust numbers in East Africa could increase 500 times by June.
We must act now to avoid a full-blown catastrophe. And we will. At the same time, we need to pay attention to a bigger picture. This is not the first time the Greater Horn of Africa has seen locust outbreak approach this scale, but the current situation is the worst in decades. This is linked to climate change. Warmer seas mean more tropical storms, generating the perfect breeding conditions for locusts.
1. What is implied in paragraph 2?| A．People in East Africa are suffering drought. |
| B．People in East Africa are going through floods. |
| C．The locust outbreak will cause crop failure. |
| D．The locust outbreak is worsening locals’ life. |
| A．We need a bigger picture to study the disaster. |
| B．It is the second outbreak of locusts in East Africa. |
| C．It is the largest outbreak of locusts ever in history. |
| D．The outbreak of locusts is fueled by global warming. |
| A．To analyse and compare. | B．To inform and call for. |
| C．To argue and discuss. | D．To introduce and assess. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A news report. | D．A chemistry paper. |
6 . I first saw a crayfish (小龙虾) around 2001. A friend brought one into the office and told me it was a female animal that was reproducing (繁殖) on its own. We realized the new type of animal was reproducing itself by the millions.
We think that in the 1990s, two crayfish got children either in a pet store or in the wild. Something went wrong and one of the daughters laid eggs without any males. It’s not unusual for such a sudden change like this to happen, but normally, the children can’t live on or reproduce, and the new type won’t spread. For some reason, this daughter and her children did.
In some way, many of the new crayfish appeared in German pet stores. They would naturally increase, and their owners would often set the children free, which let the animals reproduce and spread farther. In 2003, scientists officially proved that animals like crayfish were, in fact, reproducing themselves. They’ve gone from that single female 25 years ago to millions, or maybe billions, of the same crayfish found throughout Europe and Madagascar.
In 2018, we published a map of the clones’ genetic code (克隆类遗传密码图). This type is becoming a really useful tool for researchers like me: We can use crayfish-like animals to study everything from cancer development to the effects of drugs on the brain. Now that we know this code, we can start to try it in the lab. For example, we might try to make these animals grow to larger sizes so people can sell them for food. This is already happening in Madagascar. It turns out that crayfish are pretty tasty. It’s easy to get lots of them too because they grow up in about three months and lay hundreds of eggs. Just put one in a pool and wait.
1. What do people think happened to crayfish in the 1990s?| A．Crayfish’s children could not live on or reproduce . |
| B．Crayfish got their lives in a scientific way in the lab. |
| C．A daughter crayfish got a strange ability to reproduce. |
| D．All animals like crayfish could reproduce themselves. |
| A．The reason why crayfish became pets. | B．The place where crayfish came from. |
| C．The different ways to raise crayfish. | D．The fact of crayfish’s self-reproduction. |
① diet ② medicine ③ brain ④ ocean
| A．①② | B．③④ | C．①③ | D．②④ |
| A．a cookbook | B．a science magazine | C．an advertisement | D．a guide brochure |
