1 . Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be. It showed that pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

Sediment (沉淀物) and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons (骨架) left at the bottom of the sea by small marine creatures called polyps (珊瑚虫). The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef. Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

Steve Miles is Queensland’s environment minister. He says the research shows the Reef needs more protection. “Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides (杀虫剂) loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is that these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news. ” said Steve Miles.

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland’s sugar plantations used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides. Only 28 percent of land managers managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water run off to protect the health of the Reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

Scientists at the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences published their findings Wednesday, July 18 in the journal Science Advances. It found between 1992 and 2010, the recovery rate dropped by an average of 84 percent. But there is hope. The study also found some corals can recover quickly if “acute and chronic stressors” are lessened.

Meanwhile, the Australian government released its updated reef protection plan Friday. It clearly states global temperatures must be stopped from rising in order to save the world’s largest living structure.

1. What does the underlined word “They” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Diverse ecosystems.	B．Sediment and chemicals.
C．Reefs and corals.	D．Small sea creatures.

2. What can be learned from what Steve Miles said?

A．He is satisfied with the protection of the Reef.

B．He thinks that the Reef needs more protection.

C．He feels angry with what his children did.

D．He is very happy about the Reef progress protection.

3. What does the underlined word “flat-lined” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Not increase significantly.	B．Disappear.
C．Speed up.	D．Miss the chance.

4. The report found the majority of land managers in Queensland   ________.

A．were tough to deal with	B．failed to manage their land properly
C．reduced the amount of harmful water	D．were eager to quit pesticide soon

5. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science fiction.
C．A book review.	D．A guide book.

2 . Chichen Itza is an ancient site sitting in Yucatan State, Mexico, in Central America. This site has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chichen Itza was an extremely important religious site for 1,000 years for the ancient Maya people. The Maya civilization began before 2000 BC and lasted until 1697 when Spain took away their last remaining city. The Maya people lived in southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and EI Salvador.

From around 600 to 1050 AD, in Chichen Itza, people were able to buy things that were difficult to find. This was thanks to its port, Isla Cerritos, which allowed the city to trade through water. In the 10th century, it became the capital of the area from central Yucatan to the north coast.

The ancient city of Chichen Itza was well planned in design. The pyramids and temples were built in groups, with paved walkways in between. People have found over 80 of these walkways all over the site. The main building groups are the Great North Platform, the Old Chichen, plus the Ossario and Central Groups.

At the center of the site is a castle in a pyramid shape. In Spanish, it's called EI Castilo, which means the castle. But its real name is the Temple of Kukulkan and it actually sits on top of a much older temple. On the 20th of March and the 22nd of September, the sun's rays create a strange shadow across the Temple of Kukulkan. It looks just like a snake slithering down the pyramid staircase. And in fact, the temple is named after the Maya feathered snake god, Kukulkan.

1. What can we learn about the Maya civilization from the text?

A．Its development totally depended on Chichen Itza.

B．Its ancient site was mainly in eastern Mexico.

C．It lasted for 1,000 years.

D．It was put to an end by Spain.

2. What do we know about Chichen Itza from the year 600 to 1050 AD?

A．It was a trade center.	B．It was partly destroyed.
C．It took control of Yucatan State.	D．It attracted many foreigners.

3. The castle at the center of Chichen Itza________

A．is a palace built by the Spanish	B．sits under an older temple
C．is a temple to honor God Kukulkan	D．draw people's attention for its walkways

4. In which section of a magazine can we read this text?

A．Economy.

B．Science.

C．Culture.

D．Art.

5. What's the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To encourage us to visit Chichen Itza.	B．To talk about some pyramids in Mexico.
C．To let us lean about the ancient Maya people.	D．To introduce some basic facts about Chichen Itza.

3 . Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and -breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.

The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”

For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours a day of direct sunshine, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six，eight，even twelve hours a day of full sun, it also shows how plants and trees roots can share nutrients and water．Mr. Hoffman also planted asparagus（芦笋）around a tree at its drip line，the area below the outer limit of the branches. So when it rains，all the rain drips down right on the asparagus．Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.

Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.

Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world.

1. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To present a kind of eco-friendly lifestyle.

B．To recommend an approach to manage a website

C．To show vegetables can be planted in the shade.

D．To introduce Mark Hoffman and his family.

2. How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman’s garden?

A．five hours a day	B．Six hours a day
C．Eight hours a day	D．Twelve hours a day

3. What can we infer from the second paragraph?

A．Food and flowers produce more in the shade.

B．Food growing in the shade contains more nutrients.

C．Sun can affect the production of some plants.

D．Food growing in the shade is the best choice for most plants.

4. By using asparagus as an example, the author wants to explain that________.

A．asparagus prefer to grow in the shade.

B．how plants and tree roots share water.

C．vegetables grow better in partial shade.

D．how leaves gain sunshine under the tree.

5. We may read the passage on a website in the section of ______.

A．environment	B．traveling
C．lifestyle	D．agriculture

4 . Finland is about to start an extremely ambitious journey to test one of the most controversial economic theories of our time. The country’s social security institution known as Kela will be handing free money to thousands of jobless citizens on a monthly basis for the next two years. It’s a test of an economic strategy known as Basic Income, which at its core is essentially free money for every person once they reach a certain age, without any prerequisites.

The idea behind Basic Income is that by giving every individual a certain amount of money with which to keep themselves out of poverty, they are better off regardless of all other factors. If a person has a well-paying job, they still get Basic Income, just like everyone else, thereby creating a society in which every adult is above poverty and also continually contributing to the economy by spending money.

That sounds like a utopia, right? But there are other factors that create a lot of uncertainty, like whether or not free money will impact a society’s motivation to actually work. In the case of Finland’s experiment, individuals will be given a monthly payment of around $590, which is enough to prevent those individuals from becoming homeless, but obviously not enough to go clubbing on weekends or live extravagantly.

This is far from the first test of Basic Income and in recent years many programs have sought to put the theory to the test, even in the United States, Y Combinator, a venture fund which focuses on seed investments to startup companies, launched a small pilot program in Oakland, offering 100 citizens up to $2,000 per month just for existing. The program was small in scale and timeline, and many questioned whether or not it could possibly prove the theory one way or the other. At its heart, that’s the problem with all tests of Basic Income. When individuals know that it’s only a test and that the benefits aren’t permanent, they aren’t likely to change their behavior. If the test subjects in Finland find jobs and become rich, that doesn’t necessarily prove that they wouldn’t prefer to remain jobless if their Basic Income was promised for life. Whatever the case, it’ll be interesting to see how the large-scale test turns out to be the next 24 months.

1. The purpose of Basic Income is to _____.

A．help all citizens to live a rich life

B．test a controversial economic theory

C．help citizens get out of poverty and promote the economy

D．offer money to the unemployed and help them pull through

2. What does the underlined word “extravagantly” mean?

A．Honorably.

B．Wastefully.

C．Happily.

D．Freely.

3. Many people doubt Basic Income because _____.

A．the program is not fair for rich people

B．it can’t really help people break away from poverty

C．its test can’t reflect people’s real thought in the short term

D．its test failed to see how people behaved when they received free money

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The author expects the result of the test.

B．Basic Income hasn’t been tested before.

C．Y Combinator’s program is part of Basic Income.

D．Basic Income is not well-accepted by Finnish citizens.

5. In which column of a magazine will you most probably read the passage?

A．Travel and Fashion.	B．Finance and Economy.
C．Business and Culture.	D．Sports and Entertainment.

5 . Beaches are not only great for lying on and doing water sports, and in fact one of the best ways of enjoying them is a classic beach walk. Here at iWantSun.co.uk we’ve been searching the globe to find you the world’s best and most famous beach walks, and here’s our pick of the top. Click on the most interesting walks and join our tourist program.

The Footpath of the Gods, Amalfi Coast, Italy

The name says it all really and you truly feel excited there, walking along this wonderful mountain path, which offers some of the most striking views on the planet. The path begins at the town of Bomerano to charming Positano along the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Amalfi Coast. The whole walk will take you about four and a half hours to complete and pass over narrow rocky paths.

Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk, Australia

Sydney’s coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world. Here you have national parks, historic sites, shining and quiet beaches all in one place. Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk runs all the way from Barren Joey in the north to Royal National Park in the south and takes an unbelievable seven days to complete. However, if you’re not up to doing the full walk, there are many different parts of the walk that you can do right in the city itself. Walking from the city’s famous Bondi Beach to the sweeping curve(大半径曲线) of Bronte Beach takes just an hour, which takes in some top sceneries.

Great Ocean Walk, Australia

The Great Ocean Walk covers 104km along Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road, located on the southern coast of Australia, from the holiday town Apollo Bay to the splendid Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are the area’s famous stone landmarks which stand out like giants from the sea. The walk passes through a range of landscapes and sights, from national parks, famous surfing spots and deserted beaches, to wild coastlines, waterfalls, lush(茂盛的) forests, historic lighthouses and ghostly(幽灵似的) ship wrecks(残骸). Day walks and shorter three-hour walks such as The Wreck Beach Walk or the Lighthouse Cemetery and Lookout Walk can also be enjoyed.

So next time when you’re looking for a beach holiday, don’t just think about the holiday towns and the sand, but consider a more active sun holiday. If you have interest in any of the above places, please contact us, and we can give you the best services.

1. When you arrive at Amalfi Coast, _____.

A．the scenic beauty can fill you with charm

B．the walking can be started from Positano

C．you must be fed up with the footpath

D．narrow rocky paths may trap you

2. What are the distinct characteristics of Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk?

A．It takes more than a week to complete.

B．It really has the longest coastline in the world.

C．It provides visitors with a variety of great landscapes.

D．It starts from Barren Joey in the south.

3. According to the fourth paragraph we can know that _____.

A．Apollo Bay is at the end of the Great Ocean Walk

B．visitors have various walking choices in the Great Ocean Walk

C．the Twelve Apostles stand below the surface of the sea

D．most visitors have to finish the 104 km walk quickly

4. We can probably read the passage in _____.

A．an online advertisement	B．travel magazines
C．a handbook to tourists	D．a poster in a foreign travel agency

6 . Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French. Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time.

You will be taught by native French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques. Lessons are interesting and you will speak French on the first day both inside and outside the classroom.

Learners

1.Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced (高级的)

2.Over 18 years old

Class Schedule (课表)

1.Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer.

2.Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test. It will help to place you in the right class.

3.Classes run from Monday to Friday each week.

4.Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level.

5.You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each.

6.You will have a short break between classes.

Free Time and Tours

1.The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week. These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visits to Paris, cycling, movies and much more.

2.You will have plenty of free time to explore (探索) the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference.

Other Information

1.You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you.

2.Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever.

1. What is special about the French courses?

A．They are taught in small groups.	B．The teachers are young French speakers.
C．They will offer a wine tasting license.	D．People learn French in and out of class.

2. On the first day, the students should ______.

A．pay for their study	B．take a language test
C．do a survey	D．introduce themselves to the class

3. How many lessons are there in a week?

A．21.

B．30.

C．12.

D．15.

4. We can learn from the text that the course ______.

A．is not suitable for teenagers	B．provides dictionaries for students
C．has a short game between classes	D．offers cooking classes as well

5. You can most probably read the passage in ______.

A．a newspaper

B．a travel guide

C．a text book

D．a story book

7 . Interschool Sports Programme

Interschool Sports Programme is coming. It will start on 30th April and end on 15th June.

Students in our school will join the boys' basketball games. Each Wednesday the players will travel by bus to Sports Centre, Erinvale Street, Corinda. They will leave school at 12: 20 p.m. It will take them about 20 minutes to get there. The games will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. Players must wear their school clothes and sports shoes. It will be great if they can bring large water bottles.

If you are good at playing basketball and want to join the games, please go to Mr. David's office (Room503) before 15th April to fill in form. We will choose 15 players.

Volunteers are also needed. Anyone who wants to be a volunteer needs to send an email to Mr David (davidss@qq.edu.au) to introduce yourself before 20th April.

For more information, please call Mr David (6783-5682) or visit his office.

1. Interschool Sports Programme is about             long.

A．half a month

B．one month

C．one and a half months

D．two months

2. The basketball games will begin at             .

A．12:20 p.m.

B．12:40 p.m.

C．1:00 p.m.

D．2:30 p.m.

3. If Peter wants to join the basketball games, he needs to             .

A．practise every Tuesday

B．buy new sports clothes

C．call Mr David

D．fill in a form

4. If one wants to be volunteer, he or she needs to        .

A．know something about basketball	B．send an email to Mr David
C．bring a large water bottle	D．wear sports shoes

5. The material is a            .

A．school notice

B．news report

C．teacher' email

D．students' entail

8 . While doing some grocery shopping one day, I realized I had spent close to 30 minutes just in the produce section, meticulously(细致地，一丝不苟地) choosing the best-looking apples, bananas that were ripe but not spotted and ears of corn with perfectly neat rows of kernels(谷粒). However, I bet I’m not the only one that rejects the slightest imperfections in fruits and vegetables.

I’ve also seen how my pursuit of perfect produce has influenced my children. When I pack their lunches, I make sure I include fleshy tomatoes, crisp blueberries, and cucumbers without any scratches. But one day when my daughter refused to eat a pear that was turning slightly brown, I knew I had to change my way. I realized I was unconsciously teaching my children to accept society’s standards of perfection and that these perceptions could have a disastrous impact on our environment.

In the US, up to 40 percent of food is wasted every year. Most of this waste ends up in landfills that creates dangerous greenhouse gases. Around 20 percent of food waste is produced directly at the farm, for the so-called “ugly” food may not meet certain standards set by grocery stores, though the food is still perfectly consumable.

On a recent night in San Francisco, I attended a dinner party to raise awareness about this growing problem. It was the brainchild of food waste activist Josh Treuhaft, which was an intimate gathering of 16 people dinning on a table made from recycle wood. The chef, Pesha Perlsweig, prepared a six-course meal with food, which was purchased from Imperfect Produce that specifically sells “ugly” fruit and vegetables. The organic twisted carrots or knobbly sweet potatoes can be bought at this market for 30 to 50 percent of the price.

I was blown away by Perlsweig’s creative, delicious dishes made from the “ugly” food. Before each dish, Persweig offered guests tips on how we can reduce our food waste. For example, if you cut off the end of a limp carrot and place it in water, it will become firm again.

After the evening’s dinner, I became inspired to rethink the way I shopped for and consumed food, and to accept the imperfect. Though looking ugly, the food contains no less nutrition than normal food. Furthermore, it’s cheap at the price. My actions inspired my daughter to think differently as well. One morning, while she was helping prepare her school lunch, I noticed her choosing a handful of cherry tomatoes with slight flaws. “They’re special,” she said.

I’m hoping that these small changes in our perception can make a big difference to our world.

1. Why did the author spend about 30 minutes buying produce?

A．She was very picky about produce.	B．She had lots of spare time that day.
C．She is addicted to grocery shopping.	D．She had difficulty in making a decision.

2. What does the author mean by saying “I had to change my way” in paragraph 2?

A．She wouldn’t be too particular about produce.

B．She would change her way of educating her children.

C．She would no longer do everything for her children.

D．She would choose food for her children more carefully

3. What can we learn about the private gathering?

A．Lots of food went to waste that day.

B．The guests got some tips at the gathering.

C．Most of the dishes were made from organic food.

D．It aimed to recommend a chef cooking “ugly” food.

4. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the author accepted the imperfect food?

A．It is more delicious after creatively cooked	B．It is cheap and as nutritious as perfect food.
C．It can always help to protect the environment.	D．It can have a good effect on children’s growth.

5. What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?

A．To offer tips on how to reduce food waste.	B．To introduce a new market for “ugly” food.
C．To share her experience of educating children.	D．To show how she fell in love with “ugly” food.

6. Which column in a magazine may the article be chosen from?

A．Environment

B．Education

C．Cooking

D．Food

9 . First aircraft carrying medical supplies from China arrives in U.S

An aircraft carrying personal protective equipment donated by China, along with U.S.-purchased medical supplies, arrived in New York on March 29.

The plane is the first in a series of flights over the next 30 days organized by the White House to help fight the coronavirus, the White House said. Most of the purchases are from Asia including Malaysia and Vietnam.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. retweeted a report from Axios, which said that 12 million gloves, 130,000 N-95 masks, 1.7 million surgical masks, 50,000 gowns, 130,000 hand sanitizer units, and 36,000 thermometers from China have arrived in the United States.

Along with the goods, Chinese company Huawei donated 10,000 masks, 20,000 articles of protective clothing, 10,000 gloves and 50,000 goggles to New York state.

Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed the donation and thanked Huawei on Twitter.

The plane was funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It landed at John F. Kennedy airport carrying gloves, gowns and masks for distribution in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, three hard-hit states battling to care for a crush of coronavirus patients.

The airlift is a product of a team led by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, which formed "Project Airbridge," a partnership between large U.S. healthcare distributors such as Mekesson Corp, Cardinal, Owens & Minor, Medline and Henry Schein Inc, and the federal government.

The flight from Shanghai was the first of about 20 flights to arrive between now and early April, according to the White House. Additional flights will carry similar gear from China, Malaysia and Vietnam.

1. From the passage we know that ________.

A．all good on the plane are donated by China

B．all goods on the plane are purchased from China

C．all good on the plane are donated by Huawei

D．some of the goods on the plane are from donation while others are purchased from Asia

2. Which is not the hard-hit state battling to treat coronavirus patients?

A．New York.

B．New Jersey.

C．California.

D．Connecticut.

3. Who built “Product Airbridge” between large U.S. healthcare distributors and the federal government?

A．The federal government.	B．A team led by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.
C．Large U.S. healthcare distributors.	D．White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.

4. What does the underlined word "gear" mean in the last paragraph?

A．Protective equipment and medical supplies.	B．Parts of the machine.
C．Medicine.	D．Food.

5. Where do you think passage is most probably taken from？

A．A textbook.	B．A collection of stories.
C．A guide book.	D．An official report.

10 . Assistant Professor, Musical Theatre Dance

Wichita State University seeks to hire a full-time, 9-month assistant professor, beginning in August. Applicants are required to have a degree in dance, teaching experience at the professional or college level, the ability to direct and teach stage movement. The salary depends on qualifications and experience.

For complete information see https://www.wichita.edu.

Associate/Full Professor in Theatre and Dance

The Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of California, San Diego(http://www.theatre.uesd.edu)

is seeking an experienced theatre artist in lighting design. Professional experience is required.

A review of applications will start on June1. The application deadline: September 1.

Technical Director in Performing Arts

DeSales University’s Division of Performing Arts seeks a highly skilled, professional technical director. The position is a 10-month, staff position with the possibility of summer employment with the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. BA degree or equivalent professional experience is required; MFA is preferred.

Please email materials to John. Bell@desales.edu.

Screening of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Assistant Director of Media Resources Center

Maryland Institute College of Art is seeking an assistant director of Media Resources Center in the Office of Academic Affaira.

Position qualifications include a degree in Art History or a related field with knowledge of art and design history, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and familiarity with Photoshop and scanning.

A review of applications will begin immediately. Applicants may email a letter of interest to jobs@ mica.edu. The salary differs depending on your experience. Please include desired salary in your letter of interest.

Application

Interested persons should electronically submit a covering letter highlighting their experience and qualifications, and names of three professional references with phone and email contact information using the Apply Now link above.

1. Wichita State University offers_______________.

A．A part-time assistant professor job	B．A job where people can work for many years.
C．A flexible pay to the future assistant professor	D．Work that requires people to act on the stage

2. If you are good at communicating with others, you should apply to ____________.

A．DeSales University	B．Wichita State University
C．The University of California, San Diego	D．Maryland Institute College of Art

3. What do we know about pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival?

A．Applicants can apply for a position in it by sending an email.

B．The technical director has an opportunity to work for it.

C．It will last for 10 months in total in summer season.

D．DeSales University organizes this festival every year.

4. In which section of a newspaper can we probably find the passage?

A．Employment Information.	B．University Introduction
C．Internet Technology.	D．Commercial Advertisement.