1 . Galaxy saw a man and a woman who communicated with sign language at the train station when she was on the way home one evening. She noticed that the woman was asking the man for direction. He told her that he did not know. Galaxy decided to help them. She had learned sign language when she served as a volunteer in the deaf and mute (聋哑的) school. Then she showed the woman the direction and left her email address to them in case they needed her help later.
She received an email from that man the next day. Kazrim was his name. Galaxy replied his mail sincerely. They both started chatting online soon after and began seeing each other. Although they only communicated with the sign language, it never bothered her.
Galaxy grew fond of him gradually. Obviously, Kazrim was the same too. He presented Galaxy with a bunch of sunflowers and asked her sincerely, “Are you willing to be my girlfriend? Galaxy was pleasantly surprised. She requested him to give her some time to persuade her parents. As she had expected, her parents were furious after they had learned of their love story. Galaxy explained, “Kazrim is an excellent and a very optimistic person. He has a very positive attitude towards life and work. He cares for others always. He is 100% better than the normal. Moreover, the mute is still a human. He should have a perfect and wonderful love.”
Her parents asked to see him then. The very worried Galaxy took Kazrim home a few days later. When they were on the train, Kazrim told her, “I'm going to tell your parents that I'll be looking after you well with all my life!” Galaxy was deeply moved. As soon as they had entered the house, Galaxy introduced him to her parents. She said, “This is Kazrim.” Just right after her speech, an unbelievable thing happened. Kazrim threw the gift away and held her in his arms tightly. He said. “You CAN talk?” It was the same question that Galaxy wanted to ask, too. The four people were shocked all of a sudden. As a matter of fact, Kazrim always believed that Galaxy was a mute and he still fell in love with her deeply.
1. How did Galaxy and Kazrim get to know each other?| A．They were introduced to each other |
| B．They met each other by chance. |
| C．They once studied at the same university. |
| D．They both served in a special needs school. |
| A．Writing words on paper. |
| B．Using sign language. |
| C．Judging from his expression. |
| D．Speaking her native language. |
| A．Very curious. | B．Deeply moved. | C．Extremely angry. | D．Pretty disappointed. |
| A．To have a talk with Kazrim. | B．To prepare for her marriage. |
| C．To treat Kazrim as a normal person. | D．To accept Kazrim as her boyfriend. |
| A．They fell in love at the first sight. |
| B．They cheated each other to win love. |
| C．They mistook each other for being mutes. |
| D．They ignored the anger of Galaxy's parents. |
2 . Scientists are urging that deep sea metal mining should be stopped temporarily. They warn in a report that it can cause severe damaging effects on Pacific Ocean areas.
The recently-released report examined more than 250 published studies on deep-sea mining. The research was examined by the Deep Sea Mining Campaign — a collection of not-for profit organizations. The report centers on mining activities related to small metallic particles(金属颗粒)，called nodules, found on the seabed. The material can contain different metals. Increasing demand for these metals has led to a rise in deep-sea mining operations. The metals are commonly used in battery manufacturing and other technology products.
However, the scientists warn that mining for these nodules will cause irreversible(不可逆的) damage to an ocean already under pressure. The operations will affect areas across the South Pacific, including the nations of Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
The report notes that a moratorium is the only responsible way to move forward until certain conditions surrounding deep-sea mining can be met. The scientists are calling for additional study to fully understand the environmental, social and economic risks.
Andrew Chin is the report's lead researcher. He says in a statement that nodule mining will likely result in the loss of sea life and cause damage to deep seabeds for thousands of years. He adds that the operations can put people at risk who depend on the ocean and its continued health.
A company planning to be one of the first to carry out mining operations in the area is Canada's DeepGreen, which aims to begin by 2024. It seeks to mine metallic nodules to be used in power systems for electric vehicles. DeepGreen Chief Executive Officer Gerard Barron defended the company's plans in reaction to the report. He said deep-sea mining offered the best alternative to surface mining, which has long history of pollution and destroying forests and wildlife.
1. Why are deep-sea mining operations on the rise?| A．More metals are needed. | B．Surface mining is banned. |
| C．Battery industry is falling. | D．The seabed is easy to find. |
| A．Loose measure. | B．Thorough study. |
| C．Permanent deal. | D．Temporary stop. |
| A．Conditions surrounding deep-sea mining are great. |
| B．The damage caused by nodule mining is reversible. |
| C．Nodule mining can cause harm in various aspects. |
| D．People sure less likely to be affected by nodule mining, |
| A．Opposed. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．introduce a new mining technology |
| B．inspire deep-sea mining |
| C．draw attention to environmental protecting |
| D．call on the stop of mining in the sea |
3 . Scientists are urging that deep sea metal mining should be stopped temporarily. They warn in a report that it can cause severe and damaging effects on Pacific Ocean areas.
The recently-released report examined more than 250 published studies on deep Sea mining. The research was examined by the Deep Sea Mining Campaign——a collection of not-for profit organizations. The report centers on mining activities related to small metallic particles(颗粒; 微粒), called nodules, found on the seabed. The material can contain different metals. Increasing demand for these metals has led to a rise in deep-sea mining operations. The metals are commonly used in battery manufacturing(制造) and other technology products.
However, the scientists warn that mining for these nodules will cause irreversible（无法复原的）damage to an ocean already under pressure. The operations will affect areas across the South Pacific, including the nations of Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
The report notes that a moratorium is the only responsible way to move forward until certain conditions surrounding deep-sea mining can be met. The scientists are calling for additional study to fully understand the environmental, social and economic risks.
Andrew Chin is the report’s lead researcher. He says in a statement that nodule mining will likely result in the loss of sea life and cause damage to deep seabeds for thousands of years. He adds that the operations can put people at risk who depend on the ocean and its continued health.
A company planning to be one of the first to carry out mining operations in the area is Canada’s Deep Green, which aims to begin by 2024. It seeks to mine metallic nodules to be used in power systems for electric vehicles. Deep Green Chief Executive Officer Gerard Barron defended the company’s plans in reaction to the report. He said deep-sea mining offered the best replacement for surface mining, which has a long history of pollution and destroying forests and wildlife.
1. Why are deep-sea mining operations on the rise?| A．More metals are needed. | B．Surface mining is banned, |
| C．Battery industry is falling. | D．The seabed is easy to find, |
| A．Loose measure. | B．Thorough study. |
| C．Temporary stop. | D．Permanent deal. |
| A．Conditions surrounding deep-sea mining are great. |
| B．The damage caused by nodule mining is reversible. |
| C．Nodule mining can cause harm in various aspects. |
| D．People are less likely to be affected by nodule mining. |
| A．scientists | B．Deep Sea Mining Campaign |
| C．Andrew Chin | D．Gerard Barron |
4 . When there are some strangers in front of us, which of them will we trust?
According to a new study in the online PLOS One, people make their decisions to trust others largely based on their faces. Your appearance can do a lot for you, especially if you are in the financial industry. The more trustworthy you look, the more likely people will buy what you're selling.
Researchers from Britain's University of Warwick Business School, University College London, and Dartmouth College, US, did a number of experiments.
The research team used computer software to make 40 faces from the least to the most trustworthy-looking.The study said that the difference between a trustworthy face and one that isn't as trustworthy comes from features that look slightly angry or slightly happy, even when the face is at rest. However, a slightly happy face is more likely to be trusted.
Researchers gave participants some money and asked them which face they trusted to invest the money for them. Then researchers gave some good and bad information about the people with these faces, and asked the participants again whom they trusted. The results showed that even if they got different information, the participants didn't change their choices. They were still more likely to invest their money with the more trustworthy-looking faces.
Chris Olivola, one of the study's authors, said in the University of Warwick's press release: "It seems we are still willing to go with our own instincts about whether we think someone looks like we can trust them."
1. According to the study, which of the following faces is most likely to be trusted?| A．A slightly smiling face. | B．A disappointed face. |
| C．An embarrassed face. | D．A nervous face. |
| A．The trustworthy faces were given good information. |
| B．Researchers took photos of the 40 people's faces in colleges. |
| C．Participants liked to choose the faces with good information. |
| D．Most participants gave their money to the trustworthy-looking faces. |
| A．Opinions that grow out of social practice. |
| B．Judgments that are easily changed by others. |
| C．Good information that are given by people around. |
| D．Feelings rather than opinions or ideas based on facts. |
| A．Why people trust a stranger with good appearance. |
| B．People usually judge strangers according to their faces. |
| C．How different information affects people's decisions. |
| D．Why the research team carried out the experiment. |
5 . One summer during high school, my mom volunteered me to help Grandpa research our family tree. Great, I thought, imagining hours spent pawing through dusty, rotting boxes and listening to boring stories about people I didn't know. "You'll be surprised," my mom promised, "Family histories can be very interesting."
In truth, Grandpa didn't want to limit my work to just research, hoping to also preserve our family memories. He'd discovered a computer program that helps digitally scan old pictures and letters to preserve their contents before they crumble from old age. Grandpa wanted me to help him connect the scanner and set up the computer program. He could type documents and send emails, but had never used a scanner.
Soon after, I became fascinated with my relatives' lives. I asked Grandpa to tell the story behind every picture and letter we scanned. The stories, which turned out not to be boring at all, helped me not only understand but also relate to my relatives. I became so hungry for more information that Grandpa needed additional props to keep me satisfied. He showed me a chest filled with random stuff, all covered in dust.
Perusing through their belongings, I felt I was opening a window into the world of my relatives, a world long since gone. Grandpa showed me a bundle of letters he had sent to Grandma from the front lines of World War II and I could almost smell the gunpowder. I turned the pages of my great-grandmother's recipe book and could picture her cooking in her kitchen. All of the people who had been merely names to me now had faces to match.
Later, Grandpa admitted, "I probably could have done this project myself. I just wanted someone to share it with." I can't thank him enough for sharing the experience and making me appreciate the family members who have made me the person I am. I will cherish family memories and hope that someday will be able to pass them down to my own grandchildren.
1. Which of the following can best describe the author's first impression of research?| A．Delightful. | B．Tiresome. |
| C．Surprising. | D．Interesting |
| A．Come to life. | B．Tear apart. |
| C．Fall to pieces. | D．Break through. |
| A．To show him a bundle of letters. | B．To keep him away from boredom. |
| C．To give him something to sort out. | D．To fulfill his desire to know more. |
| A．He used to serve in the army. | B．He knew nothing about computer. |
| C．He buried the letters under gunpowder. | D．He loved sharing what he had with others. |
| A．Precious family memories | B．My grandpa and his belongings |
| C．My grandpa and his family tree | D．Helping my grandpa in summer |
6 . It has been two months since I moved to China, but its digital advancement hasn’t stopped impressing me ever since. One of the major things that I cannot imagine living without anymore is mobile payment. There are two major mobile payment apps here, Alipay and WeChat Pay. Both have similar payment features, though WeChat has more like a social media. That’s why I will focus on this “super app”.
So far, I’ve been overwhelmed by how efficient life can be with WeChat. It is present in every aspect of people’s daily life, from paying water and electricity bills, meals, cinema tickets to calling a taxi, following news, and chatting with friends. Most merchants have adopted it, from tiny local street food stalls to high-end（高端的）stores. A cashier may be surprised if you do not pay with WeChat or Alipay at the grocers or in restaurants. And it seems like the entire payment industry has encouraged this shift to mobile payment, equipping payment terminals with QR code scanners to simplify payments. Mobile payments are so common here that I realize that I can perfectly survive if I forget my wallet at home one day because most days I just don’t take it out of my bag!
As mentioned earlier, WeChat is also a major social media platform with about one billion daily users, which is more than the entire population of European Union. So I have to say Chinese technological and digital development is a real miracle.
1. What does the underlined word “overwhelmed” mean in paragragh 2?| A．Encouraged. | B．Shocked. | C．Confused. | D．Panicked. |
| A．WeChat is more a social media than Alipay. |
| B．All merchants have adopted mobile payment. |
| C．A cashier may be surprised if you pay with WeChat or Alipay. |
| D．It causes trouble if you don’t take your wallet with you. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Opposed. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．The Different Opinions About Mobile Payment |
| B．The Development of Mobile Payment |
| C．The Popularity of Chinese Mobile Payment |
| D．Two Major Apps of Mobile Payment |
7 . Beijing is a rather strange city to many western people. One of my foreign friends told me that when he came to Beijing, at first he couldn't understand why most people wear masks when spring comes to Beijing. He thought people wanted to keep their appearance a secret. Well, one of the symbols of spring coming to Beijing is that more and more people start wearing masks. The reason for it is the arrival of so called “sandstorms”.
It is said that each year sandstorms hit Beijing 4 to 5 times. The sand is brought to Beijing by wind from the western part of China. Tons of soil and dust travel hundreds of miles and blanket Beijing's streets, parked cars and apartment buildings. You would be amazed to see the ground has turned yellow overnight. The storm is so violent that you do not want to have a conversation with your friend on the road. If you open your mouth and then you close it, you may have the raw taste of sand in your mouth.
People in Beijing hate those storms. Sandstorms make the traffic jam in rush hours even more unpredictable, because the drivers have to drive slowly in order to have a clear view of the road conditions. Young students also hate sandstorms because whenever there is a sandstorm, they are not allowed to have any activities outside the classroom. It is so boring to sit in the classroom all day and the youngsters are so eager to go out and do some sports.
It is said that the closest desert is only 80 kilometers away from the city center.There is definitely much more to do for the local government to deal with the environmental problem.
1. Why do people in Beijing wear masks in the spring?| A．Because they are rather strange. |
| B．Because there are serious sandstorms. |
| C．Because their appearance are not beautiful. |
| D．Because they want to keep their face a secret. |
| A．Dry. | B．Cross. | C．Destroy. | D．Cover. |
| A．Drivers clean the road. | B．They hold some activities. |
| C．Youngsters go out to do sports. | D．Students stay in the classroom. |
| A．People in Sandstorms | B．How to Prevent Sandstorms |
| C．Sandstorms in Beijing | D．What to Do in a Sandstorm |
8 . A painting stamped with more than 4.8 million fingerprints and cost over 80, 000 yuan in paper has set the Guinness World Record for the largest fingerprint painting.
The fingerprint painting, named Descendants of the Dragon, was created by Kuang Xianpeng, a 35-year-old painter from Zhuzhou, Hunan Province. It describes a mix of nine Chinese dragons and six arts in ancient Chinese culture.
With a surface area of 1195. 14 square meters, 51. 526 meters long and 23. 195 meters wide, the whole painting used 685 pieces of xuan paper and took Kuang over two years to complete. It also took 40 volunteers two whole days to lay out the painting for Guinness certification officer to measure.
Kuang said it was a very arduous journey, and he had used up all his spare time to finish the work. “It was very hard to master the amount of strength you put in your fingers, ” he said. “You can’t press too hard or too light. Otherwise, your prints will blur. I have wasted over 300 pieces of paper due to blurred fingerprints. ”
The Guinness certification officer Luo Qiong said this world record wasn’t easy to earn. She said each fingerprint must be clear, the painting must have more than four different colors, and the distance between each fingerprint mustn’t be more than 1 centimeter.
The world record for this category had been broken 15 times since 2014, with the previous one set by an Indian with a work measuring 1, 188 square meters.
Before this painting, Kuang had spent 14 years in drawing a pen-and-ink painting of 247 meters long and 1. 6 meters wide, telling stories of historical myths. He also said he would never stop exploring more creative works.
1. What can we know about the painting created by Kuang Xianpeng?| A．It’s worth at least 80, 000 yuan. |
| B．It measures 1, 188 square meters. |
| C．It took him 14 years to complete it. |
| D．It consists of over 4.8 million fingerprints. |
| A．Difficult. | B．Satisfying. |
| C．Thrilling. | D．Frightening. |
| A．The colors of paints. |
| B．The amount of strength. |
| C．The quality of xuan paper. |
| D．The distance of fingerprints. |
| A．He is full of creativity. |
| B．He is full of imagination. |
| C．He is very courageous. |
| D．He is rich in experience. |
9 . Do you remember what happened on Sponge Bob Square Pants yesterday? The day before? If so, you may be in need of a TV timeout!
Kids today are watching more TV than they watched before, researchers say. Kids ages 6 to 11 in the United States watch more than three hours of TV each day. Ten years ago, children watched only about two hours and 40 minutes of TV each day.
Why the increase? Experts say more TV shows today are focused, or aimed, at kids.
Some people want to limit kids' TV time. Researchers say that children who watch TV shows for more than three hours a day do not do as well in school. However, some programs can help kids learn. One example is BrainSurge. Some people say the show teaches kids facts.
How do you know whether a TV show can make you smart? Think about what you learn from watching, says Aletha Huston. She is a TV expert. But, she warns, don't spend too much time watching. “Limit the amount you watch. Get off the couch and do something else.”
TV Guide
This pie chart shows how long kids ages 6－11 use different types of TV technology each week.
1. What is the main idea of the text?
| A．Kids today watch more TV than they did before. |
| B．BrainSurge helps kids learn facts. |
| C．Kids do not watch proper TV shows. |
| D．More TV shows today are created for kids ages 6－11. |
| A．unusual | B．aimed | C．suitable | D．pleasant |
| A．Three. | B．Five. | C．Four. | D．Six. |
| A．Video games | B．DVD | C．VCR | D．TV |
10 . Johnny Cash was born in 1932 in the southern state of Arkansas. His parents were poor cotton farmers. As a school boy, he began writing songs and he performed on radio programs. After high school, he joined the United States Air Force and served as a radio operator in Germany.
He returned to the United States in 1954 and formed a band with two friends and performed at local events. They began recording for Sun Records in Memphis. One of the songs Cash wrote became the first country music hit record for the company. It was “Cry, Cry, Cry.”
Johnny Cash performed all across the United States and Canada. By 1958, Johnny Cash was a successful recording artist, songwriter and singer. He was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
Johnny Cash won many awards, including eleven Grammy Awards and the Kennedy Center Honors. He was elected to both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
He died on September 12, 2003, in Nashville at the age of seventy-one.
Fans say that Johnny Cash's music was important because it told simple stories about life and death. They say he cared about social issues and continued to express support for those who are poor and without political power. One of the last songs he recorded was one made popular by the rock and roll group Nine Inch Nails. It is called “Hurt.”
1. Johnny Cash returned to the United States after ________.| A．he finished high school | B．he formed a band |
| C．he served in US Air Force in Germany | D．his song Cry, Cry, Cry became famous |
| A．Johnny Cash performed his famous song Cry, Cry, Cry at the Grand Ole Opry |
| B．Johnny Cash didn't care about social problems |
| C．Johnny Cash's music was only loved by his fans |
| D．the Grand Ole Opry is a place where famous singers hold their concerts. |
| A．Beat | B．Failure | C．Strike | D．Success |
| A．he won many awards in his lifetime |
| B．he often performed in the Grand Ole Opry |
| C．his songs expressed support for the poor people with no political power |
| D．his songs were sung by the rock and roll group Nine Inch Nails |
