1 . The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure parks, nature parks and so much more.
There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you’ll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas where they live.
When you are on a bicycle, you have the strength of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter way of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from either simply sunbathing or passing it in a car.
There are many choices of hiring a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast attractions. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many styles and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike (双人单车), now is your chance, because they have those too.
A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.
1. You’d better not drive in a car on Gold Coast because ________.| A．you will break the traffic rules | B．you will cause much noise |
| C．you can’t enjoy the beautiful sights well | D．you can’t drive into some parks |
| A．you can take photos of animals | B．it is a cheap way of traveling |
| C．you can get a clearer sight of animals | D．it is a good way to do sunbathing |
| A．advantage | B．weakness |
| C．appearance | D．importance |
| A．He thinks it’s a personal choice. | B．He supports it very much. |
| C．He doesn’t like this way of traveling. | D．He thinks it’s only good for adults. |
2 . Will human beings find intelligent alien (外星的) life anytime soon? Probably not, according to theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.
Hawking made the prediction during the Breakthrough Starshot announcement in New York City on April 12. At the news conference, Hawking, along with Russian billionaire sponsor Yuri Milner and a group of scientists, detailed a new project that aims to send a large number of tiny, wafer-size (薄饼大小的) spaceships into space to the neighboring star system Alpha Centauri (半人马座阿尔法星).
If these tiny spaceships travel at 20 percent of the speed of light, they'll be able to reach Alpha Centauri in just 20 years, Milner said. Once there, the spacecraft will be able to do a 1-hour flyby of Alpha Centauri and collect data that's impossible to gather from Earth, such as taking close-up photos of the star system, studying space dust molecules (分子) and measuring magnetic fields (磁场), said Avi Loeb, chairman of the Breakthrough Starshot Advisory Committee and a professor of science at Harvard University.
In addition to learning about space technology, the audience wanted to hear about aliens--specifically, when scientists might find them.
Hawking took questions from reporters in advance so that he would have time to prepare his answers.
Hawking has famously predicted that intelligent aliens might threaten humankind. Indeed, when asked about what Earthlings should do if we came across intelligent alien life, he said, “We should hope that they don' t find us.”
Other researchers at the conference offered a more optimistic view of alien life.
1. What are the wafer-size spaceships mainly designed for?| A．Looking for aliens. | B．Doing a 1-hour flyby. |
| C．Landing on Alpha Centauri. | D．Collecting data about Alpha Centauri. |
| A．pretty soon human beings will find alien life |
| B．we may find alien life a danger to human beings |
| C．Alpha Centauri is suitable for human immigration (移民) |
| D．scientists should be sent into space to collect data |
| A．sponsors | B．reporters |
| C．human beings | D．scientists |
| A．analysis of the data collected |
| B．other questions from reporters |
| C．possible ways to defend us against aliens |
| D．other scientist’ opinions on alien life |
3 . Osaka, Japan — Defending champions China lifted the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup trophy（奖品）with perfect 11 straight wins after easing past Argentina 3-0 here on Sunday. With their eleventh win at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, China won the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup.
This year, the World Cup has been played across different cities, and Team China had training sessions even on traveling days when some participating teams chose to rest up after a tiring flight. “Coach Lang focuses on details of the technique in the training sessions, and I feel our team has become more balanced.” Captain Zhu Ting said. This firm approach explains how China managed to turn the table against the United States at the World Cup. Never giving up, especially in adversity, that’s what the spirit of Chinese women’s volleyball means.
When the team struggled, Zhu was always there, doing whatever was needed to carry the team forward. That’s why she has become a national volleyball icon, just like “Iron Hammer” Lang. As for Lang, she took over the flag from her former coach Yuan Weimin, who was behind China’s rise in the beginning. From coach Yuan to coach Lang, and spiker（主攻手）Lang to spiker Zhu, the flag bearers may have changed over time, but the craving for championships and the steely desire and determination remain the same.
Volleyball is a team sport and behind the on-court team. There is always a supportive coaching team and staff. Lai was one of the members. Shouldering responsibilities as both vice director of China’s Volleyball Management Center and as assistant coach. Apart from coordinating between coaches and players, Chinese coaches and foreign coaches and sometimes within Chinese coaches, she also has to do chores. During Rio 2016, assistant coach Yuan Lingxi headed for the arena（竞技场）at 6 am every day to film the matches and would return to the Olympic Village at 2 am when he would start analyzing China’s opponents and file reports. There are many Lais and Yuans that are not known by the public, but who remain indispensable for the team to overcome difficulties and reach their peak.
1. What does the underlined word “lifted” probably mean in paragraph 1?| A．Raised. | B．Won. |
| C．Beat. | D．Expected. |
| A．Being a special team. | B．Sticking to the end. |
| C．Winning every game. | D．Training hard every day. |
| A．She wins many awards in the World Cup. |
| B．She keeps strong desire and determination. |
| C．She takes lots of training after the tiring fight. |
| D．She does almost everything to help the team forward. |
| A．Hard work is vital in volleyball matches. |
| B．The coach has a great influence on players. |
| C．The staff behind the on-court team is also important. |
| D．Understanding opponents is necessary to win the game. |
4 . A robot called Bina48 has successfully taken a course in the philosophy of love at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), in California.
According to course instructor William Barry associate professor at NDNU, Bina48 is the world's first socially advanced robot to complete a college course, an achievement he described as “remarkable." The robot took part in class discussions, gave a presentation with a student partner and participated in a debate with students from another institution.
Before becoming a student, Bina48 speared as a guest speaks in Barry's classes for several years. One day when addressing Barry's class, Bina48 expressed a desire to go to college, a desire that Barry and his students enthusiastically supported. Rather than enroll Bina48 in his Robot Ethics: Philosophy of Emerging Technologies course^ Barry suggested that Bina48 should take his course Philosophy of Love instead. Love is a concept Bina48 doesn't understand, said Barry Therefore the challenge would be for Barry and his students to teach Bina48 what love is.
"Some interesting things happened in the class," said Barry. He said that his students thought it would be straightforward to teach Bina48 about love, which, after all, is "fairly simple — it's a feeling," said Barry. But the reality was different. Bina48 ended up learning "31 different versions of love," said Barry, highlighting some of the challenges humans may face when working with artificial intelligence in future.
Bina48 participated in class discussions via Skype and also took part in a class debate about love and conflict with, students from West Point. Bina48's contribution to the debate was filmed and posted on YouTube. It was judged that Bma48 and NDNU classmates were the winners of this debate.
In the next decade, Barry hopes Bina48 might become complex enough to teach a class, though he says he foresees robots being used to better the teaching and learning experience, rather than replacing instructors completely。
1. What was Bina48's performance like in class?| A．Unattractive. | B．Impractical. |
| C．Unbelievable. | D．Extraordinary. |
| A．Giving a speech to. | B．Consulting with. |
| C．Dealing with. | D．Sending a letter to. |
| A．It was impossible for Bina48 to learn about love. |
| B．It was quite difficult for Bina48 to learn about love, |
| C．Humans can launch, a challenge to artificial intelligence. |
| D．Artificial intelligence may somehow be superior to man. |
| A．It will surely be able to serve as a teacher. |
| B．It will completely take the place of instructors. |
| C．It will be able to promote learning and teaching. |
| D．It will be smart enough to control human beings. |
5 . Some 15 years ago, Ross Willard volunteered with a food program in Harrisburg Pa. He found children riding bicycles with brakes that didn't work. The retired railroad manager saw the importance of safely riding for children, so he began repairing bicycle on street corners.
Over time, more and more people came to have their bicycles repaired. Mr. Willard opened his first shop in 2007 and three years later he founded his own company Recycle Cycle Harrisburg. The all-volunteer nonprofit organization has been offering service for residents in the community. Regular visitors include children and their parents, as well as halfway house residents seeking to perform community service hours while so building their own bikes.
The organization has a do-it-yourself philosophy: Although there is no charge for any repair, or even bicycles, most visitors( except young children)are tasked with making their own repairs with the assistance of volunteer trainers.
Since its founding, Recycle Bicycle has distributed thousands of donated bikes to the Harrisburg community averaging about 900 per year in the past decade. He's known as “Mr. Bicycle, around the Pennsylvania capital. He estimates that the organization repairs some 3,000 bikes a year.
Sitting in the organization’s shop space, he discusses the volunteerism and sense of service that were imprinted on him as a child by his parents. This led to a strong belief about fixing problems that one finds in the community.
1. Why did Willard begin repairing cycles on street comers?| A．He needed to make some extra money. |
| B．He decided to set up his own business. |
| C．He wanted to ensure the safety of cyclists. |
| D．He felt bored with the food program. |
| A．Young children. | B．Volunteer trainers. |
| C．Shoppers. | D．Visitors. |
| A．impressed | B．realized | C．ignored | D．depended |
| A．Repairing a bicycle yourself can save time and money. |
| B．Community needs bicycle repair service. |
| C．How to repair a bicycle. |
| D．The organization offers service for the community. |
6 . Do you like shopping? Or does the thought of wandering round the shops fill you with terror? For some of us, shopping is an enjoyable way of spending our spare time and our money. For me, it’s something I would rather avoid. Thank goodness for the Internet! It’s more convenient to buy CDs, electrical items, even food, from the comfort of your sofa. But that’s not the only reason: price is an important factor. We can buy goods and services cheaper online. But sometimes the problem is knowing what to buy. This has led to a type of shopping called “showrooming”.
Showrooming is something I’ve done. I will go to a shop to see, touch and try out products but then go home and buy them online at a knock-down price. I’m not alone in doing this. Research by a company called Foolproof, found 24% of people showroomed while Christmas shopping in 2013.
Amy Cashman, head of Technology at TNS UK, says the reasons for this new shopping habit are that “people are lacking time, lacking money and they want security about the products they are buying”. She explains that consumers are not only shopping online at home but they are using the Internet in store or on their smartphones to shop around.
But does this mean technology will kill shops? Certainly shops will change. They will have to offer more competitive prices or encourage people to buy more by giving in-store discounts or free gifts.
We mustn’t forget that buying in a shop means you can get expert advice from the sales assistant and you can get good aftercare. It’s good to speak to a real human rather than look at a faceless computer screen but at least by showrooming, you get the best of both worlds!
1. The two questions in Paragraph l are raised to ________.| A．introduce the topic |
| B．give two examples |
| C．compare different opinions |
| D．get answers from readers |
| A．Trying in shops and buying online. |
| B．Showing products in a room. |
| C．Buying something in a store. |
| D．Shopping on the Internet. |
| A．The lack of time. |
| B．The comfort of the sofa. |
| C．The shortness of money. |
| D．The security of the product. |
| A．critical | B．neutral |
| C．supportive | D．casual |
7 . EcoTreasures, a young tour company based in Sydney, have involved a new plan in their Manly Coastal Walks to remove marine debris from Penguin habitats.
The tour company specializes in Ecotourism experiences on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales. Ecotreasures have been lucky to host a range of international study tour students visiting Sydney this winter, who have been participating in the plan. The students arrive in Australia for short stays of generally 7—14 days, which consist of English lessons and Australia tour experiences. EcoTreasures owner, Damien McClellan, has been happy to host the students on his tours and to involve a new element in the half-day adventure, with a purpose to clean up marine debris that accumulates in the natural environment known to be the habitat for little penguins.
McClellan has been very proud to run these tours, which highlight a range of environmental awareness messages, and mentions, “when we visit the little penguin habitat at Collins Beach in Sydney Harbour National Park we conduct a beach clean-up. The students always put in 110% and we remove as much as marine debris from the catchment(积水处) as possible. We are all giving back to the location we are appreciating because of its natural beauty, and I’m proud of all these international guests caring for Australia’s environment.”
The tours offer a great display of Sydney’s natural setting right on the city’s door step. Mr. McClellan also adds, “The students and teachers really enjoy their experience on the walk around Manly. We visit the beach, Sydney Harbour National Park, Cabbage tree Aquatic reserve and Manly suburbs all in a half day adventure. We always keep the walk fun and interesting by identifying native plants & searching for Whales from land with binoculars and other wildlife along the way.”
EcoTreasures was founded in 2010 by Damien McClellan, and the business is looking forward to working with more partners in the future, developing new ecotourism plans for a range of target markets, and keeping it fun is part of the plan. EcoTreasures is Advanced Ecotourism and ROC certified.
1. What does EcoTreasures mainly specialize in?| A．protecting Little Penguins. |
| B．teaching students about environmental protection. |
| C．cleaning up penguin habitats. |
| D．holding ecotours in certain areas. |
| A．water | B．animal | C．trash | D．rock. |
| A．His appreciation for natural beauty. |
| B．His purpose to run the tours. |
| C．His pride to run the tours. |
| D．The importance of raising environmental awareness. |
| A．the tours are pleasant and valuable. |
| B．the tours make the students tired. |
| C．the tours are held far from Sydney. |
| D．the tours are held mainly for students |
8 . What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed at the entrance? Or the softbackground music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop's scent(香味) may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is proving to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive (独特的)scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, by scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 percent.
But while e-shops can only use sights and sounds, bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut（椰子)scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store's windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.
1. According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand stores?| A．Friendly assistants. | B．Unique scents. |
| C．Soft background music | D．Attractive window display. |
| A．show the advantages of bricks-and-mortar stores |
| B．urge shop assistants to change their attitude |
| C．push stores to use sights and sounds |
| D．introduce the rise of e-commerce |
| A．a platform that exhibits goods | B．a spot where travelers like to stay |
| C．a place where customers love to go | D．a target that a store expects to meet |
| A．compare and evaluate | B．examine and assess |
| C．argue and discuss | D．inform and explain |
9 . Inventor, physicist, surveyor, astronomer, biologist, artist… Robert Hooke was all these and more. Some say he was the greatest experimental scientist of the 17th century. In the course of his work, he cooperated with famous men of science like Isaac Newton, and the great architect Christopher Wren.
Hooke's early education began at home, under the guidance of his father. He entered Westminster School at the age of 13, and from there went to Oxford, where he came in contact with some of the best scientists in England. Hooke impressed them with his skills at designing experiments and inventing instruments. In 1662, at the age of 28, he was named Curator of Experiments at the newly formed Royal Society of London — meaning that he was responsible for demonstrating (展示) new experiments at the society’s weekly meeting. Hooke accepted the job, even though he knew that the society had no money to pay him!
Watching living things through a microscope was one of his favourite pastimes. He invented a compound microscope for this purpose. One day while observing a cork (软木塞) under a microscope, he saw honeycomb-like structures. There were cells — the smallest units of life. In fact, it was Hooke who invented the term “cell” as the box-like cells of the cork reminded him of the cells of a monastery (修道院).
Another achievement of Hooke’s was his book Micrographia, which introduced the enormous potential of the microscope. It contains fascinating drawings of the thing he saw under the microscope. The book also includes, among other things, ideas on gravity, light and combustion (燃烧) that may have helped scientists like Newton when they were developing their own theories on these phenomena.
Hooke made a valuable contribution to astronomy too. A crater (火山口) on the moon is named after him in honour of his services to this branch of science.
1. Which is the possible reason why Hooke accepted the job as Curator of Experiments?| A．He liked designing experiments. |
| B．His family needed his support. |
| C．He wanted to please the famous scientists in England. |
| D．His parents couldn’t afford his education. |
| A．Jobs | B．Experiments |
| C．Hobbies | D．Structures |
| A．Hooke went to Oxford in 1645. |
| B．Hooke was well paid in the Royal Society of London. |
| C．Hooke made a contribution to medicine. |
| D．Hooke's book Micrographia may have helped Newton. |
| A．Hooke was the greatest experimental scientist of the 17th century |
| B．Hooke was good at making discoveries |
| C．Hooke's contributions were not limited to one field |
| D．Hooke was one of the greatest astronomers |
10 . Once I had a student called Jamal. He would squirm (扭来扭去)in his chair during independent work, and he would never stay still for more than three or four minutes. Students like Jamal can confuse brand new teachers because they’re not quite sure how to support young people like him. I took a direct approach. I negotiated with Jamal. If he could give me focused work, then he could do it from anywhere in the classroom: from our classroom rug, from behind my desk, or from inside his classroom locker, which turned out to be his favorite place.
Jamal’s least favorite subject was writing, and he never wanted to read what he had written out loud in class, but we were still making progress. One day, I decided to host a mock (模拟的)2008 presidential election in my classroom. My third graders had to research and write a speech for their chosen candidate: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain. The favorite candidates were obvious, but one student chose John McCain. It was Jamal. Jamal finally decided to read something that he had written out loud in class, and sure enough, Jamal stunned all of us with his brilliance. Just like Jamal’s dad, John McCain was a veteran, and just like Jamal’s dad protected him, Jamal believed that John McCain would protect the entire country. He wasn’t my candidate of choice, but it didn’t matter, because the entire class erupted into applause for our brave friend Jamal who finally showed up as his most confident self for the first time that year.
A lack of confidence pulls us down from the bottom and weighs us down from the top, crushing us between a flurry of can’ts and won’ts. Without confidence, we get stuck, and when we get stuck, we can’t even get started. Instead of getting mired in what can get in our way, confidence invites us to perform with certainty.
1. Which of the following best describes Jamal?| A．Naughty and stubborn | B．Determined but shy |
| C．Smart but unfocused | D．Confident and generous |
| A．Because John was the least popular among the three choices. |
| B．Because John had written something about him before. |
| C．Because John shared some similarities with Jamal’s father. |
| D．Because John was a soldier who could protect the country. |
| A．Amaze. | B．Cheer. | C．Awake. | D．Entertain. |
| A．To introduce the change of the authors student. |
| B．To show how to deal with problem students. |
| C．To stress the importance of encouragement. |
| D．To encourage us to be confident. |
