1 . LAS VEGAS — It was different in the light of day.
There was no “pop, pop, pop” of gunfire, no screams. Just a quiet lot of cars abandoned by those, like Kassidy Owen, who escaped with their lives.
“It’s strange to hear the silence,” Owen said, “because all I remember was the noise.”
The 22-year-old was one of dozens of concertgoers who returned to the scene of the Route 91 Harvest festival on Wednesday morning to fetch the vehicles they left behind as they fled from a gunman raining down bullets from high above in the tower of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino across the street.
Survivors of the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday needed their cars to move on with their lives -- to get back to work, to school, home. It was the first time they were returning to a scene that would forever change them, when joy and celebration and music turned into killing and horror.
Before they could move forward, they had to go back to the place where they thought they were going to die.
Owen had run to her car to hide and had tried to drive away, but she couldn’t. People were running, bodies dropped to the ground, and cars bottlenecked in the parking lot. During a brief pause after more than 10 minutes of gunfire, she worried the lights of her SUV made everyone inside a shining target.
“They’re shooting again!” her best friend’s brother screamed. “Turn off the car!”
That’s when she got out and fled.
“I just remember shutting the door and running,” Owen said.
Now, nearly three days later, she was back, sitting in the driver’s seat of her SUV. Her eyes were swollen and red. This was a long way from over.
“You just keep hearing the gunshots in your head,” Owen said.
1. Why did Kassidy Owen return to the scene of terror?| A．To get back her car for daily life. | B．To show sympathy to the victims. |
| C．To search for her missing friends. | D．To look into the cause of the shooting. |
| A．abandoned | B．jammed |
| C．stopped | D．left |
| A．Because she had escaped being caught. |
| B．Because she wanted to find the gunman. |
| C．Because she couldn’t rid herself of those terrible scenes. |
| D．Because she had saved others’ lives by turning off the car. |
| A．Going back to where they would die | B．Owen’s experience in Las Vegas |
| C．How to survive in a mass shooting | D．Return to the unforgettable scene |
2 . Train yourself, save a life
On Friday afternoon, a male passenger with a heart attack on Beijing’s Line 2 subway died about one hour later. That’s the third heart attack death in 10 days that aroused public attention, with the other two being actor Godfrey Gao and Xu Yong, a senior journalist at Xinhua News Agency.
They are only three of the 550,000 people in China who suffer from sudden cardiac (心脏的) shock every year, of which only about I percent are saved. Actually, many more of these victims could have been saved if Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR心肺复苏) are popularized. When someone suffers a heart attack and falls unconscious, people nearby have a good chance of saving him with CPR.
CPR is really not so hard to learn. All one needs is to learn how to observe and decide if a person is unconscious, where to press on the patients chest, and how to blow air through the mouth and into the lungs. Besides that, public facilities such as airports, high-speed railway stations, and big subway stations could install the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED自动体外除颤器), a device that proves effective and easy to use in saving the lives of people suffering heart attacks. All one needs is to pick it up and follow the instructions.
Unfortunately, neither of the two is popular in China. According to data, the total number of AEDs in China is slightly higher than 2,000, of which most are located in metropolises, such as Beijing and Shanghai. On CPR, less than I percent of adults can master the skill, while many have never heard of it.
Both need improvements to save those 550,000 lives every year. The cost of installing AEDs might be high, and it does take time and resources to train more people in CPR, but it is really worth the effort because every life counts and should be saved in an emergency. It’s time to train everyone and equip more public facilities to save more lives.
1. What’s the major function of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the background of a story. |
| B．To lead in the topic of the passage. |
| C．To describe a social phenomenon. |
| D．To arouse the reader’s interest. |
| A．CPR is hard to learn |
| B．installing an aed does not cost much |
| C．CPR and AEDs are paid little attention to |
| D．more people suffer from sudden cardiac shock now |
| A．Big cities. | B．Public places. |
| C．Hospitals. | D．Subway stations. |
| A．Some knowledge about CPR. |
| B．More examples of the victims of sudden death. |
| C．The measures to be taken to solve the problem. |
| D．More reasons why learning CPR and Installing AEDs is necessary. |
3 . Pamela Simpson is 53,“not sporty” and has suffered from asthma(哮喘) all her life. Two years ago her son Jay-Teale, now 10, took up BMX(自行车越野赛).“I enjoyed watching him and thought I'd like to try it,” Simpson recalls. “But I didn't want to embarrass myself. I hadn't ridden for over 40 years.”
Then she noticed a session for women and girls at Burgess Park BMX Track in Peckham, south-east London, where Jay-Teale trained. This season Simpson raced at the London BMX series and finished third in her category.
“It was the most worrying experience of my life. But it was also exhilarating,” she says cheerfully. “My son is proud of me. We now share a real love for the sport. It has brought us closer together.”
Since becoming part of the Olympic Games in 2008, the popularity of BMX has risen. A program introduced in London in 2011 by the sports development charity Access Sport has seen tracks built in several London regions, backed up with investment in coaching, and the program is being rolled out to Bristol.
Mavolwane Wright's children Skye,11 and Xander,10 are sponsored riders who have represented Great Britain in every world championship since 2014. Mavolwane Wright says she was motivated to start BMX herself out of an interest aroused by watching so much of it. “It's an eye-opener to share your children's interests,” she explains. “You comprehend what they go through in a much more direct way. It adds another dimension to your relationship.”
It is also a high-impact sport and the risks are fairly obvious. “I totally get the fear,” says Emma Budgens, 51, a BMX exercise coach and cycling instructor. “It's the fear of doing something new, of getting hurt. But I say, ‘Come and give it a try.’ The chance of having an accident is slim, and you can spend time on the flat to improve your confidence.”
1. What can we learn about Pamela Simpson from the first two paragraphs?| A．She tended to be inactive. | B．She performed poorly in the race. |
| C．She used to feel awkward in public. | D．She trained at Burgess Park BMX Track. |
| A．Annoying. | B．Inspiring. |
| C．Thrilling. | D．Challenging. |
| A．More life skills. | B．Stronger will. |
| C．More confidence in themselves. | D．Better parent-child relationships. |
| A．Risky but actually secure. | B．Demanding but open to all. |
| C．Competitive but instructive. | D．Pleasant but time-consuming. |
4 . Like you and your pet dog, plants are living things: they eat, drink, and grow. Unlike you and your dog, they can't run away, use fists or teeth, or hide under the covers when they're threatened. But they can fight back.
Why would a plant need to fight back? To avoid being eaten, of course! Plants have several ways of protecting themselves. A plant can grow in a hidden or hard-to-get-to place. Think of plants you've seen growing on steep, rocky cliff (悬崖). Or, a plant could make only some parts of itself attractive to hungry insects and animals. For instance, if a plant produced really tasty leaves, herbivores (creatures that eat only plants) might eat the leaves instead of the seeds, which the plant needs for making more plants. Some plants have sharp or slippery (滑的) parts that discourage insects and other animals from getting too close, like the thorns(刺) on a rosebush.
But the most interesting way that plants fight back is by using chemicals. Plants take minerals from the soil and combine them into chemicals that do a lot of work. For example, plants produce chlorophyll(叶绿素), which helps convert sunshine and water into the sugars that plants eat.
They also produce chemicals to help protect themselves. One kind of tobacco plant releases a chemical into the air whenever small bugs begin to eat it. The chemical signals large bugs, saying "Dinner's ready!" The big bugs come to eat the little ones and save the plant.
Most plants use chemicals in a more direct way against their enemies. In other words, plants make poison.
1. What does the underlined word "convert" mean?| A．Change | B．Separate |
| C．Form | D．Produce |
| A．Some plants hide under the covers when faced with threat. |
| B．A plant grows in a hard-to-get-to place to draw people's attention. |
| C．Some plants produce tasty leaves to protect their seeds. |
| D．Plants produce chemicals to meet the needs of big bugs. |
| A．Different effects that different plant poisons cause on plant eaters. |
| B．Different kinds of plants in the world. |
| C．Why plants make poison? |
| D．How to protect plants? |
| A．Plant information. | B．Plant enemies. |
| C．Plant poisons. | D．Plant protection. |
5 . So you think that by staying at home you are safe from all the terrible kinds of pollution present outdoors? Recent research done at the University of Texas has shown that staying indoors may actually be more harmful to one’s health than being outdoors in smoggy cities.
The research shows that chemicals added to our local water supply to kill harmful bacteria can have unwanted side effects. These chemicals can cause potential harm through drinking and in such seemingly harmless activities as cleaning one’s house. These additives are released from water by daily actions like water running out of taps, spraying from garden hoses, or splashing in dishwashers and washing machines. As the water is agitated (搅动), these chemicals are released into the air and then breathed in. Once inside our bodies, they start to affect our health harmfully.
Does this mean we should stop bathing? No, say the scientists, but we should put all pollution into perspective. Activities at home such as the burning of candles and incense release a lot of things which have been proven as harmful to health as working or living near high density traffic. New rugs, bedding, and even clothing give off that “new smell”, which is a sure sign of chemicals. In the office, newly-applied paint, newly-purchased telephones and other telecommunications equipment, and computers and their peripheral (外部设备) release polluting chemicals, too. As offices and homes often have inadequate ventilation (空气流通), these chemicals can build up to become health trouble. Their toxic effects are only now being slowly recognized.
These facts suggest that, at a minimum, proper airing of newly-purchased goods with an obvious chemical smell is a wise precaution. Home and office windows should be opened during good weather to allow a flushing of stale air. Even one’s car needs to be ventilated as well as the garage.
Until we understand the effects of our new technological environment better, we can only hope that “there is no place like home”.
1. According to the text, why is the local water supply unsafe?| A．Because it contains harmful chemicals. |
| B．Because it contains poisonous bacteria. |
| C．Because the activities of using water are harmful. |
| D．Because washing dishes makes the water polluted. |
| A．long-lasting | B．poisonous |
| C．obvious | D．immediate |
| A．Present more detailed information. | B．Summarize the previous paragraphs. |
| C．Introduce a new topic for discussion. | D．Give some advice about the problem. |
| A．Enclosed environment may have potential health risks. |
| B．Staying indoors is actually less risky than going outside. |
| C．Home and office windows should be opened at any time. |
| D．Any use of electronic devices should be banned to prevent pollution. |
6 . Our dog Sandy is a golden retriever（猎犬）. He sits in front of our house all day waiting for someone to come by and throw him a stick. Chasing sticks or tennis balls and bringing them back is the major activity in his life.
Once we performed an experiment to see how Sandy found these sticks and balls quickly.
There was one particular pile that must have had hundreds of sticks. We picked up one stick, walked away from the pile and then threw it back into the pile. It was impossible for us to tell with any certainty which stick we had originally chosen. So many of them looked alike to us that the best we could do was pick out seven sticks which resembled the one that had been thrown.
We tried the same thing with Sandy, only before throwing the stick we carved an X on it.
Then we threw it, not once but a dozen times into the pile. He circled the pile over and over.
Each time he brought back that stick. It wasn’ t the shape or the size or look of the stick that he used to pick it out from all the others. It was the smell we left on the stick. It is hard to imagine, but for dogs every living creature has its own distinctive smell.
The environment is the world that all living things share. It is what is — air, fire, wind, water, life, sometimes culture. Living creatures are born into the environment and are part of it too. For a dog like Sandy a book isn’ t much different than a stick, whereas for us one stick is pretty much like every other stick. There is no one world experienced by all living creatures. Though we all live in the same environment, we make many worlds.
1. What does Sandy love to do in daily life?| A．Keep the house. | B．Frighten away passers by. |
| C．Hunt for food. | D．Run to catch sticks or balls. |
| A．By its size. | B．By its shape. |
| C．By its smell. | D．By its look. |
| A．Typical. | B．Weak. |
| C．Terrible. | D．Nice. |
| A．Sandy — A Brave Retriever |
| B．One Environment, Many Worlds |
| C．The Environment Made by Animals |
| D．The Stick — A Perfect Toy for Dogs |
7 . Artists are continually trying to find creative ways to show their talent. Some, like Iris Scott, paint with their bare fingers. Now Turkish artist Garip Ay has become well-known worldwide by adopting Ebru, an ancient technique that allows him to create amazing paintings on water.
Believed to have originated in Central Asia in the 13th century, Ebru made its way to Turkey by the 16th century, where it was perfected. The art form remains popular in Turkey, with many painters using the technique to create attractive pieces, coveted by both collectors and tourists.
Ebru artists begin by adding some gum to water to help increase the water's viscosity(黏 度)and prevent it from mixing with the paint. The solution (溶液)is then poured into a wooden container with the same dimensions as the solid surface on which the painting will finally rest. To keep the colors afloat, and improve their ability to spread across the water's surface, some drops of ox bile(胆汁)are mixed in with each color.
To create the paintings, the artists first splash(泼洒)the paints on the water using brushes made with horsehair. They then use droppers(滴管)to carefully shape the colors and create the perfect designs. When complete,an absorbent surface, such as paper, is carefully placed on top to get the painting. Once dry, the artwork is flattened and polished by hand.
Ebru was initially used for book covers or to decorate the inside pages with wildly colorful papers. However, artists like Ay have added a modern twist by using absorbent fabrics, glass, and wood as solid surfaces.
Though Ay has created several amazing paintings since he began using Ebru in 2007, the most famous is his 2016 recreation of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night. Those seeking a more modern Ebru creation is pleased to know that in 2017. The artist also painted characters from the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things.
1. What does the underline word "coveted" in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Produced. | B．Impressed. |
| C．Desired. | D．Learned. |
| A．The preparations for creating Ebru paintings. |
| B．How to mix up water and a variety of colors. |
| C．The whole process of creating Ebru paintings. |
| D．How to spread paints across the water's surface. |
| A．He makes some improvements on it. | B．He discovers it in Starry Night. |
| C．He comes up with it and spreads it. | D．He adds a traditional twist to it. |
| A．Great Artists Create a Lot of Unique Paintings |
| B．An Ancient Technique Is Used to Paint on Water |
| C．Painting on Water Becomes Possible Eventually |
| D．A Turkish Artist Is Famous for His Paintings |
8 . Do you look down when you speak? Play with your hair? Lean to one side? Every last gesture tells a story. What you are saying to others is not only reflected in the words coming from your mouth, but also through the gestures and motions you make with your body. Kristin Appenbrink, Associate Editor for RealSimple. com, shows what your body language is saying about you.
Standing with your legs together is considered more of a conservative stance (站姿). It looks like a solider facing his officer. This way of standing usually indicates respect.
This way you move your body reflects your attitude. And shifting your weight from side to side or front to back indicates that you are anxious or disappointed. Basically, this is a physical representation of what is going on in your head: you are having so many unsettling thoughts that you can’t stop moving from one to the other.
Crossing your arms and legs is a defensive position. Take note of the surroundings. More often than not, this just means a person is cold. Many people also find this position to be comfortable.
Pointing toes (脚趾) in, big toe to big toe, indicates you are closing yourself off because you feel awkward or insecure. But, if you’re sitting up straight with your shoulders aligned (对齐的) and your head up — signs of an open body position — your feet may be betraying you.
Opening up your hands by spreading your hands means you are open to new ideas being offered. Facing your palms down or grasping your fists firmly shows you have a strong position — one that may not be so flexible.
1. Which of the following does Kristin Appenbrink probably agree with?| A．Body language will replace spoken language. |
| B．Standing with arms crossing indicates respect. |
| C．Body language can express what we want to say. |
| D．Our bodies’ motions are different from our gestures. |
| A．Making comparisons. | B．Analysing causes. |
| C．Raising questions. | D．Giving examples. |
| A．Satisfying. | B．Upsetting. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Unconscious. |
| A．He feels embarrassed and unsafe. |
| B．He thinks someone has betrayed him. |
| C．He feels like hiding something from others. |
| D．He’s willing to accept new ideas from others. |
9 . Plants go into a state of complete “panic” when it rains, according to surprised scientists. This response is so unusual because plants obviously need water to live. The researchers think that the “panic” response is due to the fact that moisture creates the number one way for diseases to spread in vegetation.
Biochemist Harvey Millar from the University of Western Australia explained: “When a raindrop splashes across a leaf, tiny droplets of water go in all directions. These droplets can contain bacteria, or viruses. A single droplet can spread these up to 10 meters to surrounding plants.” The longer a leaf is wet, the greater the chance that a disease can take hold.
So this is why the researchers think plants react to rain like humans would react to someone sneezing on them. They conducted an experiment in which they mimicked rain with a spray bottle and noticed rapid microscopic reactions from the plants that are invisible to the human eye. After the first 10 minutes of artificial raining, over 700 genes in the plants were said to respond in a panic-like manner and most of them continued to do so for around 15 minutes. In this time chemical reactions like how the plant creates proteins and its hormone balance were affected.
A single touch of water activated an immediate response from plants. The reactions created warning signals that travelled from leaf to leaf and resulted in the plant producing a range of protective measures. Plants that were repeatedly watered eventually suffered from stunted growth and delayed flowering.
Interestingly, the plants were also found to be communicating their “fears” with nearby vegetation. They did this by producing airborne chemicals that can be picked up by other plants and inform them what’s going on and how they’re coping. Millar said: “If a plant’s neighbors have their defence systems turned on, they are less likely to spread disease, so it’s in their best interest for plants to spread the warning to nearby plants.”
1. Paragraph 2 mainly talks about ________.| A．how droplets spread bacteria or viruses |
| B．why plants get into a “panic” when it rains |
| C．how tiny drops of water go in all directions |
| D．that longer leaves can take hold of more diseases |
| A．poured | B．fetched |
| C．contained | D．imitated |
| A．To question the ideas mentioned above. |
| B．To introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| C．To offer additional topic-related information. |
| D．To compare it with previous experiments. |
| A．Plants respond to water slowly. |
| B．Plants shut their defence systems when it rains. |
| C．Plants only communicate within their own species. |
| D．Plants may not grow well when watered too frequently. |
10 . School is, waking up early in the morning, whether it is hot or cold, putting on school uniform and rushing to the bus stop to catch the school bus and getting used to the words “Hurry up! You will be late!” You reach school and again the same words “Hurry up!” do not let you rest in peace.
Throughout the day, it is a mad rush. One period gets over, the other starts and you are ready for the second subject. When you forget to do your homework, you try to sit at the back and pretend to be looking for something on the floor or in your bag. You are lucky if you are not seen and it is bad luck if you get caught. If you are not lucky, be ready for a good scolding during break or after school. If you are lucky and your teacher is in a good mood, you may be left with a warning.
However, school is not so dull all the time; the games, library period and breaks are a welcome time. When you can relax, joke and have fun with your friends. There are some teachers, too, who can make school very exciting. For example, Mr. Taneja, has a typical style of talking, making us always hooked on the playground.
School can be fun, real fun, when picnics and field trips are organized. We wait for them eagerly and keep on requesting our class teacher to organize one for us. Debates, quizzes, cultural programmes also add luster to an otherwise dull school life. Fun increase after real hard work and you tend to enjoy more than those who had been lazy and have wasted their time. I think this period of your life is the most wonderful period-full of dreams and hope.
1. How is the school life described by the author in the passage?| A．Dull and stressful. | B．Stressful but interesting. |
| C．Strict and fearful. | D．Annoying but funny. |
| A．Some students hope to get away with their fault. |
| B．Teachers should be more patient to their students. |
| C．Some students dislike finishing their homework. |
| D．Teachers should reduce the amount of homework. |
| A．Physics. | B．Language. | C．Chemistry. | D．Physical Education. |
| A．Difficulty. | B．Value. | C．Pleasure. | D．Trouble. |
