1 . Kamikatsu, a small town in Japan, has shown the world that our garbage has far-reaching effects, and not just on our environment.

The experiment in going zero waste started when the town built a new incinerator 20 years ago. But almost immediately, the incinerator was determined to be a health risk due to the poisonous gases when garbage was burned in it. It was too expensive to send waste to other towns, so locals had to come up with a new plan. Then the Zero Waste Academy was born, which helped perform this plan.

Now Kamikatsu people separate their waste into 45 different categories. But in the beginning, it wasn't easy to convince local people to do all this work, and there was some pushback. Only after that initial education period did most residents come on board.

This is all great news for waste reduction of course, but it has also had some unexpected social benefits as well. Like much of Japan, Kamikatsu's population is aging, and about 50 percent of the locals are elderly. The fact that the whole community takes their trash in to be recycled has created a local action and interaction between generations.

That idea has been purposefully expanded to include a circular shop where household goods are dropped off and others can take them, and a tableware "library" where people can borrow extra cups, glasses, silverware and plates for celebrations.

"The elderly see this not as a waste-collection service, but an opportunity to socialize with the younger generation and to chat. When we visit them, they prepare lots of food and we stay with them for a while, we ask how they are," Sakano, the founder of the Zero Waste Academy, said.

Sakano's ideas are truly revolutionary if you think about it. She's proving that community can be found through handling the stuff we no longer want and need.

1. What is mainly talked about in paragraph 2?

A．What harmful effects garbage burning has.

B．Why garbage sorting is necessary in Japan.

C．How the idea of zero waste was put forward.

D．What the Zero Waste Academy functions as.

2. What does the underlined word "pushback" probably mean?

A．Inactive response.	B．Generous reward.
C．Bitter suffering.	D．Beneficial guidance.

3. What is a bonus of the zero waste project?

A．Reducing waste.	B．Creating community.
C．Increasing people's income.	D．Developing a new technology.

4. Which part of a newspaper is this text most likely from?

A．Technology.

B．Health.

C．Workplace.

D．Lifestyle.

2 . Last year，my oldest son Matthew went off to college. Things at home were not as“busy”as they used to be. We still had our 15-year-old son Gabriel with us，but we missed having Matthew around.

My wife soon had a crazy idea. “Let’s get a dog. ”she suggested. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea，but I agreed. I mean，what better way to replace a kid that has gone off to college than to get a dog.

When we got to the animal shelter，it seemed like every dog was a pit bull(比特犬). I'd had many bad experiences with pit bulls as a child，so I didn’t want to take one of them home with me.

While I walked along the rows and rows of cold metal cages，a dog caught my eye. He was scared，and looked like he’d given up on life. There was only one problem：he was a pit bull.

As he looked at me with his big，beautiful eyes，I could see into his soul. I could see how scared he was and that he just wanted a happy life. I couldn’t just walk away—I had to at least go over and look at him. I approached his cage，and he just sat there，looking at me. I stuck my finger through the hole in the cage and petted him on the head. I expected him to get mad，but he didn’t.

I knew that this dog had never felt love before，and that he was enjoying every bit of the love I could give him in that moment. Tears began to stream down my face because I felt everything that this poor creature was feeling right then. He just wanted to be loved；he just wanted a home and a family.

It’s been a year since we took the dog home，and our lives have been changed forever.

Now，his favorite thing to do is give us kisses with his giant tongue every morning. He is always there to greet us when we come home with a huge smile. He’s shown us more love than any other living creature on Earth ever had before. And every time I look into his eyes I see love，compassion(同情)and gratitude—things I never thought that a pit bull was capable of feeling.

1. Why did the author’s wife want to get a dog?

A．Because she likes pit pull.

B．Because she thought it was a crazy idea.

C．Because she wanted the dog to replace her kid.

D．Because their kid went to college.

2. Which word has the similar meaning to the underlined word“thrilled”?

A．Accepted.	B．Excited.
C．Frightened.	D．Delighted.

3. What was the author and his wife’s life like with the pit bull?

A．They missed having Matthew around even more.

B．They found it hard to get along with him.

C．They lived a life full of love.

D．They regretted adopting him.

4. What is the main purpose of the article?

A．To share a warm story about adopting a pet.

B．To stress the benefits of keeping a pet.

C．To suggest people keep a pet of their own.

D．To give advice on how to keep a pet.

3 . I always wanted to be extraordinary at something. Not just as in, “Great job, Jimbo!” No, I wanted to be best-in-class, awe-inspiring, tiptop; a world-famous genius, like Michael Phelps or Mark Zuckerberg.

Unfortunately, my version of reality did not quite line up with thisdelusionalvision. I was a good swimmer, but I peaked at the collegiate State Championships level. My academic record was pretty solid, but I never would have made it into one of those ivy-league schools.

Though I rose to above-average status in a couple of areas, the disappointing truth was that I would never amount to anything more than a mid-sized fish in a small pond. God apparently had other plans.

What drove me crazy, though, was the superstar talent thrown in my face at every turn. Some folks just seemed to get an unfair intensive dose (剂量) of it. Why couldn’t I be like Bernie William, the famed New Yorkees player who also happens to be a world-class jazz guitar virtuoso (艺术大师)?

Some say greatness is simply a function of putting in the practice time. Around ten thousand hours, to be precise, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. I don’t question the theory of devoting extraordinary efforts to developing one’s expertise, but it seems that raw talent is equally important. You either have it or you don’t.

I’ve heard that as people approach middle age, their life satisfaction increases because they begin to accept the gap between the expectations for themselves and the reality. After a few decades of frustration without the desired results, we eventually come to terms with how our lives turned out, even if it falls far short of our idealized youthful expectation.

Hope bends, it seems.

1. What does the word “delusional” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?

A．Practical.	B．Realistic.
C．Abstract.	D．Imaginary.

2. In the passage, the writer thinks of himself as__________.

A．a world-famous genius	B．a mid-sized fish in a small pond
C．a world-class virtuoso	D．a student in an ivy-league school

3. According to the writer, what make “greatness”?

A．Raw talent.	B．Talent and time.
C．Extraordinary efforts.	D．Ten thousand hours of practice.

4. Which of the following might be the best title?

A．Hope Bends	B．Frustrating Decades
C．Practice Works	D．Youthful Expectation

4 . What is better for you? Exercising in the great outdoors, or signing up for a gym?To try and find out, the Guardian was invited to spend a month working withfitness and sports psychology experts at Bath University and the National Trust. The concept was that participants— including me — would spend alternate weeks exercising in a gym and on National Trust land.

The first week was spent on the exercise bikes, rowing machines and treadmills (跑步机) in a gym at Bath.Getting started at the gym was easy. There was a nice community too. People are gently teasing and encouraging each other.

On the downside, it was hard to ignore the background noise ofdance and pop music. And all the machines faced screens showing music videos, rolling news and sports channels. Not a place to get away from it all.

So it was a relief in week two to head for the hills of Dyrham, a National Trust parkland full of birds and deer.

Weeks three and four followed the same pattern. The diaries I had kept, questionnaires I had filled in, and heart monitors I had worn, were then analysed by scientists from Bath University.

The findings surprise me a bit. The heart monitors showed I had consumed a similar amount of energy whether exercising in the gym or outdoors. But fitness expert Martyn Standagewas most interested in the fact that on the days when my exercise had been done outside, I used more energy through the rest of the day.Standage said this fitted with studies that suggest working out in the outdoors leads to a greater feeling of vitality (活力).

Jo Barton, who specialises in studying outdoor exercise, suggested that working out in the fresh air could be “life-changing”.“Exercising in nature lifts your mood and increases your self-respect,” she said.

My verdict? It was more fun outside but sometimes more convenient to get to the gym. A bit of both may be the way forward.

1. Which shows the author’s exercisepattern in the four weeks?

A．in the outdoors→in the outdoors→in the gym→in the gym

B．in the gym→in the gym→in the outdoors→in the outdoors

C．in the outdoors→in the gym→in the outdoors→in the gym

D．in the gym→in the outdoors→in the gym→in the outdoors

2. What can we infer about the author?

A．He used more energy when exercising indoors.

B．He felt more energetic after exercising outdoors.

C．He was very tired after finishing daily exercise.

D．He summarized the findings after the experiment.

3. What was Barton’s attitude to outdoor exercise?

A．Supportive.	B．Doubtful.
C．Tolerant.	D．Uncaring.

4. The underlined word “verdict” in the last paragraph can be understood as __________.

A．concern	B．opinion
C．chance	D．challenge

5 . Argentina soccer legend Diego Maradona has died aged 60 of heart failure on Wednesday. Heart failure is a chronic condition that gradually damages the heart's ability to pump blood. Fluid can build up in the lungs as a result — a condition known as pulmonary edema. It is an increasingly common problem that can be fatal.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Maradona became a household name after inspiring his country to World Cup glory in 1986. He took center stage at the tournament with a memorable performance against England where he scored a symbolic goal that he later described as the "Hand of God".

The small forward out-jumped legendary keeper Peter Shilton and knocked the ball into the net. The goal was allowed to stand, though it was claimed to be a handball. Later in the very game he scored one of the best goals in history after weaving his way past seven English defenders.

His impressive career was also marked by numerous controversies and his notorious lifestyle led to alcoholism and addiction.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez announced three days of national mourning for the passing of the superstar, and posted a tribute to Maradona on Twitter. "You took us to the top of the world. You made us feel incredibly happy. You were the greatest of all. Thank you for having existed," it read.

Maradona will lie in honor for public viewing at Argentina's presidential palace. Fans headed to the streets across Argentina and in Naples on Wednesday to pay tribute to（悼念） their hero. Meanwhile, a minute's silence would be observed ahead of all European matches this week in honor of the Argentine.

"He will go down in history as someone who set football alight and thrilled global fans young and old with his brilliance and skill."

1. Why did the famous football player Maradona die?

A．Old age.

B．Heart illness.

C．Loss of blood.

D．Lung cancer.

2. What do paragraphs 2 and 3 mainly talk about?

A．His achievements in life.	B．His "Hand of God".
C．His great performance in 1986.	D．His legendary life.

3. What does the underlined phrase "notorious" in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．good

B．bad

C．common

D．healthy

4. What can we know from the paragraph 6 about the attitude towards Maradona?

A．Respectful.

B．Unkind.

C．Impolite.

D．Friendly.

6 . Four years ago, more than 700 computer scientists competed in a contest to build an artificial intelligence (AI) that could pass an 8th-grade science exam. They all flunked. Even the most developed system couldn’t score higher than 60 points on the test. AI can’t match the language and logic (逻辑) skills that students are expected to have when they enter middle school.

Later, a system named Aristo was developed by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a lab in the US. It recently passed an 8-grade science exam taken by many US students, the New York Times reported. It correctly answered more than 90% of the questions. Then it was given a 12th-grade exam and it scored more than 80 points.

Aristo was able to pass the exam because it can not only understand language but also use logical thinking to solve difficult problems. For example, it can understand what a forest fire is and how it could affect animals like rabbits. The Aristo system used Bert, a kind of technology developed by Google, to answer the questions. Bert has “read” thousands of Wikipedia articles and books. If it looks at a sentence with a missing word, it can correctly guess what the word is. With the help of Bert, Aristo has “read” a lot of science questions and answers. Over time, it was able to find logical patterns (模式) on its own.

Aristo’s success means that AI systems are getting better at understanding language and even respond to language. However, we can’t compare this technology to real human students and their logical ability, said Jingjing Liu, a Microsoft researcher, who has been working on similar technologies.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “flunked” in the first paragraph?

A．Failed.

B．Passed.

C．Missed.

D．Improved.

2. Why was Aristo developed?

A．To help students do well in exams.

B．To improve the logical skills of AI.

C．To help make school tests more scientific.

D．To show ATS ability to solve science problems.

3. What is the purpose of the third paragraph?

A．To show what else Aristo can do.

B．To tell what Aristo can learn on its own.

C．To explain how Aristo learns to solve problems.

D．To introduce another achievement in technology.

4. What do Jingjing Liu’s words show?

A．AI is not as developed as it might seem.

B．Humans can’t live without AI in the future.

C．AI will soon replace humans in many tasks.

D．Aristo’s logical ability still needs improving.

7 . Have you ever been on an airplane, minding your own business, and found your eyes filled with tears for no reason? Or perhaps you sat near someone who burst into tears. Is there something happening to your body that triggers(引发) the tears?

There sure is! When you’re inside a flying airplane, you’re miles off the ground. Not exactly a place where humans usually find themselves. The airplane is pressurized(加压) to keep passengers comfortable. But it’s still not the pressure levels that you’ll experience at ground level. It’s a bit like having climbed a pretty high mountain.

The primary tear-trigger is the lower amount of oxygen in your blood. The oxygen levels in the plane are lower than you’ll find on the ground. And it can bring you bad feelings.

Another cause is dehydration. Because the air in the plane is very dry, we may get dehydrated. And being dehydrated can have all kinds of harmful effects on your 30,000-foot-high body, which is making you have bad feelings like sadness and worry.

In fact, there is a spiritual reason, too! Even if you’re not afraid of planes, it’s a high-stress situation. Taking a flight often involves saying goodbye to someone in the place you’re leaving. You can also be worried about plane crash or losing your baggage.

You can drink plenty of water before your flight to fight back your tears. You can also keep your mind busy with a puzzle or brain game. And if you’re going to watch a movie, maybe choose one that’s a bit more relaxing. In short, make flying a more pleasant and less stressful experience.

1. In Paragraph 1 the author started with questions in order to .

A．lead to the topic of the text

B．give background information

C．ask why some people feel bad on the plane

D．show the do’s and don’ts on the plane

2. What triggers tears when you’re on an airplane?

A．The weather.	B．Your health.
C．The altitude.	D．The temperature.

3. What does the underlined word “dehydration” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Catching a disease.

B．Drinking too much water.

C．Sleeping too much in the daytime.

D．Losing too much water from one’s body.

4. In the last paragraph, the author mainly tells us .

A．suggestions on how to take a safe flight

B．tips on how to hold back tears while flying

C．advice on how to get over fears when flying

D．ways of making yourself comfortable while flying

8 . As a mother, let me begin by saying that I am one of “those” parents, maybe one of the few: I am excited that my sons are able to receive instruction online and are able to learn at home. I’m unbelievably happy that they haven’t had to be in a school building all these months. I feel more comfortable with this scenario than I would with any other.

I know I am in a good position — I am able myself to work from home most days of the week. We have not had issues with access to technology and have backup plans for those problems we have experienced. I know there are many more people who are not as fortunate. That being said, one of the greatest advantages that online learning has brought is that I get to hear my sons being taught. My middle school son and I work in the same room, and I have heard his teachers giving instruction.

This cannot be said enough: Teachers, you are amazing. Not only are you teaching good, solid, and in many cases, timely content, but you are doing so much more. I have heard every teacher do wellness check-ins with their students, both in a structured way and just casually, on a day-to-day basis. I have heard teachers joking with their students and still carry the topic of their lesson. I have heard teachers building close relations with students, despite being faced with a screenful of turned-off cameras, silenced mikes, and overactive chat boxes.

My high school son’s teachers have been excellent at reaching out to him and to me to give him support and help direct him when he’s struggled. They have been kind and understanding and flexible. Online schooling has its shortcomings and challenges for both students and teachers, but for me as a parent, it has given me the opportunity to be in the classroom with my sons, to gain greater insight into how they are being taught and to have deeper conversations with them about the content of their learning.

1. What does the underlined word “scenario” probably mean?

A．Experiment.

B．Schedule.

C．Reference.

D．Attitude.

2. What can we know about the mother?

A．She doesn’t need to work.	B．She can stay at home most time.
C．She is expert at teaching.	D．She can learn something online.

3. How does the author make her point acceptable in paragraph 3?

A．By telling stories.	B．By making comparisons.
C．By giving comments.	D．By offering examples.

4. How does the author as a parent find online teaching?

A．Troublesome.

B．Challenging.

C．Meaningful.

D．Difficult.

9 . A deadly virus is spreading from state to state and has infected 26 million Americans so far, killing at least 14,000 people this season alone. It’s not a new pandemic (传染病) – it’s influenza.

The 2019-2020 flu season, which began September 29, is projected to be one of the worst in a decade, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. At least 250,000 people have been hospitalized with symptoms from the flu, and that number is predicted to climb as flu activity spreads quickly.

Dr. Nathan Chomilo, an assistant professor at University of Minnesota Medical School, said that the commonness of the flu often underplays its severity, but people should take it seriously.

The flu becomes dangerous when secondary infections emerge, the result of an already weakened immune system. Bacterial and viral infections worsen the flu’s symptoms. People with chronic illnesses are also at a heightened risk for flu complications.

Those complications include pneumonia(肺炎), inflammation in the heart and brain and organ failure – which, in some cases, can be deadly.

Influenza is tricky because the virus changes every year. Sometimes, the dominant strain in a flu season will be more virulent than in previous years, which can impact the number of people infected and the severity of their symptoms.

Most of these changes in the virus are small and insignificant, a process called antigenic drift. That year’s flu vaccine is mostly effective in protecting patients in spite of these small changes.

Occasionally, the flu undergoes a rare antigenic shift, which results when a completely new strain of virus emerges that human bodies haven’t experienced before.

This flu season, there’s no sign of antigenic shift, the most extreme change. But it’s happened before, most recently in 2009 with the H1N1 virus. It became a pandemic because people had no immunity against it, the CDC reported.

1. What do the numbers indicate in the first two paragraphs?

A．The flu is rather serious.	B．The flu is quite common.
C．The flu is easy to control.	D．The flu season lasts long.

2. When does the flu become dangerous?

A．There appear new symptoms of flu owing to antigenic shift.

B．The number of patients becomes large with the virus spreading.

C．Relative infections turn up because of the weaker immune system.

D．The virus changes its form with no immunity against it.

3. The underlined word “virulent” in paragraph 6 means ___________.

A．changeable

B．deadly

C．peaceful

D．different

4. Why is the H1N1 virus in 2009 referred to in the last paragraph?

A．To warn people that the antigenic shift is impossible.

B．To inform people that the virus can be cured.

C．To show people that the vaccine is effective.

D．To remind people that the virus can be changed.

10 . To say there are many new holiday romantic comedies made for television every year is the kind of understatement nearly like a joke. One of the reasons they tend to be formulaic is that to tell a love story in roughly an hour and a half without challenging an audience’s settled expectations, there are only so many ways to go with the rhythm. Perhaps that’s why Netflix has better luck with Dash＆Lily, an eight-episode limited series that’s got the charm that a lot of holiday films lack.

Our story begins when a lonely Lily leaves an interesting note in a book on the shelf at The Strand, hoping a stranger will start an adventure with her. Dash finds it and reads it, and he accepts its challenge. Thus begins a correspondence in which they each write in the book and then leave it somewhere for the other, so that they never meet in person, but they get to send each other to their favorite places, sometimes to complete dares before the book can be found. Now, you do not want to think too carefully about this——the idea that Lily’s original clue would be found by an age—appropriate straight boy who likes mysteries and looks like he was born to be in adaptations almost as much as she does is the height of magic, so just stay relaxed and go with it.

These eight episodes, each around 25 minutes, never drag; they fly by joyfully. The ending, as is often the case with love stories, sort of lands with a cloud of glitter, a little messy but worth cheering for. It’s as lovely and comfortable as you could want, just about perfect for a weekend with a blanket over you.

1. What made Dash＆Lily stand out among other films?

A．Being formulaic to tell a romantic story.	B．Presenting a new romantic television show.
C．Attracting the audience with its typical charm.	D．Satisfying the audience’s settled expectations.

2. What does the underlined word “correspondence” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Relationship between two facts.	B．Message connecting two persons.
C．Course of study sending off work by post.	D．Action of writing, receiving, and reading letters.

3. Which of the following best describes Dash?

A．Preferring reading.	B．Behaving strangely.
C．Acting romantically.	D．Enjoying adventures.

4. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To introduce a charming movie.	B．To recommend a holiday comedy.
C．To praise the romantic director.	D．To explain what makes a good film.