1 . The tea gardens in Sri Lanka are actually large estates( 种植园). The best tea usually comes from plants grown on high grounds, the cool hilltops with rows and rows of tea plants. The plants are about one metre apart. The plant is often pruned so that it remains only 60 to   90 centimetres high. Pruning is important because it encourages the growth of tender shoots, or young leaves. It is from these shoots that the best tea is got.

Practically all the tea pickers are women. The estates prefer to employ women pickers because they are more careful. Their thin fingers can easily remove the twin leaves and new shoots from the plant, which are the parts used for processing tea. The pickers carry large baskets into which they throw their pickings. A skilled worker can harvest between 9 to 14 kilogrammes of tea leaves a day. Usually new shoots can be picked from the plants about every ten or fifteen days.

Processing tea shoots into the familiar dry tea leaves requires great care and skill. There are various methods of processing depending on the type of tea required. For black tea, the young green leaves are first spread out on shelves to dry. This process removes much of its water and the leaves become soft. After this, the leaves are passed through heavy rollers. This operation will press the leaves for juices which give the tea both its colour and taste. Then the leaves are spread out on floors and left to ferment（发酵）under wet conditions. Fermentation develops the rich taste of black tea. The fermented leaves are then dried with a hot-air blower until they become rolled-up black leaves. The final step is to sort and grade them before the black tea is ready for sale to countries all over the world.

1. In the first paragraph, the word “pruning” means ________ .

A．regular cutting of the plants

B．frequent watering

C．regular use of chemicals

D．growing the plants high in the mountain

2. One of the reasons why women are employed to do the picking is that ________.

A．they work harder than men do in the picking

B．they can throw their pickings more easily into the baskets

C．their fingers fit them better for the job

D．they can more easily find the twin leaves

3. How many processing steps are mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

4. What is the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To introduce various methods of tea processing.

B．To persuade readers to buy tea from Sri Lanka.

C．To tell a story that had happened in the tea gardens.

D．To inform readers of tea growing, picking and processing.

2 . The sixth mass extinction of life on the Earth is unfolding more quickly than feared, scientists have warned. More than 30 percent of animals with a backbone — fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals — are declining in both range and population, according to the first comprehensive analysis of these trends.

Around a decade ago, experts feared that a new range wipeout of species was appearing. Today, most agree that it is underway — but the new study suggests that the die-out is already growing fast.

The loss of biodiversity has recently accelerated. Several species of mammals that were relatively safe one or two decades ago are now endangered, including cheetahs, lions and giraffes, the study showed.

There is no mystery as to why: our own ever-expanding species — which has more than doubled in number since 1960 to 7.4 billion — is eating, crowding and polluting its planetary cohabitants out of existence. By comparison, there are as few as 20,000 lions left in the wild, less than 7,000 cheetahs, 500 to 1,000 giant pandas.

The main drivers of wildlife decline are habitat loss, over-consumption, pollution, other species, disease, as well as hunting in the case of tigers, elephants, rhinos and other large animals prized for their body parts.

Climate change is thought to become a major threat in the coming decades, with some animals — most famously polar bears — already in decline due to rising temperatures and changing weather patterns.

1. What does the underlined word “underway” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Doing.	B．On-going.
C．Increasing.	D．Keeping.

2. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The extinction reasons of the wild animals.

B．The disappearance of the wild animals is approaching.

C．The extinction of the wild animals is becoming faster.

D．The rising temperatures lead to the extinction of the wild animals.

3. Which word best describes the situations of the wild animals mentioned in the passage ?

A．Protected.	B．Endangered.
C．Comfortable.	D．Wonderful.

4. What is the main reason that the polar bears may disappear?

A．Climate change.	B．Humans’ hunting.
C．Loss of living areas.	D．Various illnesses.

3 . As my husband and I drove down a country road, we passed a fire station with a sign that read, "Are you ready for the next storm?” Our area had just been in the path of Hurricane Irma, causing downed trees and outages. We were stuck in the dark and cut off from the outside world.

We have had our share of storms in the past--a snowstorm and other heavy snows that knocked down trees, sometimes up to a week at a time. Those days in a cold house weren't fun, but we learned so much from those early storms, things that made later storms easier to bear.

Now we have stored up flashlights, lanterns and candles. We bought a battery-operated radio to keep up with the news. We stocked up on batteries so that we'd have plenty for extended power failures. We make sure our grill（烤架） is ready and its tank is full, and we purchase food that can be easily prepared and then cooked or heated on the grill. And we don't forget to buy emergency chocolate! We have book lights to read in the dark. We keep our car gas tanks full and have emergency cash on hand.

We're ready for the next storm, but we wouldn't have learned to do all those things if we hadn't encountered a storm in the past. The same is true spiritually. Those little storms in our lives are never fun, but they prepare us for the big storms--the big trials--that will come our way, They can teach us some valuable lessons.

Are you ready for the next storm? Now is the time to get ready. . . not when the storm arrives.

1. Which can replace the underlined word "outages” in paragraph 1?

A．weather change

B．virus' spreading

C．power failure

D．emotional reaction

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The lessons that storms can teach us.

B．The importance of being ready for storms.

C．The necessities the author bought for her daily life.

D．The preparations the author made for the next storm.

3. What does the author think of experiencing the past storms?

A．It was rewarding.

B．It was annoying.

C．It was thrilling.

D．It was frightening.

4. What can we learn from the author's story?

A．Things will work out.

B．Keep something for a rainy day.

C．Don't stop regardless of the weather.

D．Sunshine always comes after the storm.

4 . Created in the 1920s by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect who designed Waterloo Bridge, red public telephone boxes, which can be seen all over the UK, are regarded as one of the most typical symbols of this country.

However, public phones have had their day despite their lovely housings. While coin-operated and card-operated telephones are on the edge of extinction, mobile phones are playing a significant role in people's lives. Though they are more portable, flexible and extensively used, mobile phones have their weakness: battery life. Instead of trashing the phone booths, a project was then promoted to recycle and reuse them. To be consistent with the environment-friendly preference, people are allowed to rent and repurpose the red phone boxes. In this way, they are making an unusual come back. When you take a walk down Tottenham Court Road in London and find low-battery condition, there happens to be a green option for you. The abandoned the red phone boxes are being used as free charging stations powered by solar energy.

Inside the booths, which are newly painted green, there are various adaptors that can be connected to different brands and models of mobile phones. Just walk in, plug your phone in, and charge it up whenever it needs to be supplied with power. Most people would stay inside the boxes while they charge. Fully aware of this when launching the project, Solarbox can now reach a large quantity of audience by displaying ads on solid equipment. Its advertisers include well-known companies like Uber. Yet 30% of advertising space is reserved for local community projects.

Apart from converting phone booths into solar-powered charging stations, other forms of transformation can be found in and outside the UK. For example, there is medical equipment or minilibraries adapted from phone booths, while in America, thousands of phone booths have been transformed into wi-fi hot spots.

1. What do you know about the public phones boxes?

A．The public phones were abandoned.

B．The public phones have been replaced by mobile phones.

C．The public phones played a significant role in people's lives.

D．The public phones are regarded as typical symbols of this country.

2. What does the underlined word "repurpose" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Adapt.

B．Produce.

C．Unite.

D．Build.

3. What is an important factor that makes Solarbox launch the project?

A．New function.

B．Advertising profit.

C．People's affection

D．Companies support

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The future of the public phone.	B．The revival of the phone boxes.
C．The rise and fall of the red boxes.	D．The ups and downs of the payphone.

5 . There are about 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs in the world. They are also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the best­known in North America is the seven­spotted ladybug, with its shiny, red­and­black body.

In many cultures, ladybugs are thought to be good luck. Most people like them because they are pretty, lovely and do no harm to human beings. But farmers love them because they eat aphids and other plant­eating pests. One ladybug can eat up 5,000 insects in its lifetime!

Most ladybugs have dome­shaped bodies with six short legs. Depending on the kind, they can have spots, stripes, or nothing at all. Seven­spotted ladybugs are red or orange with three spots on each side and one in the middle. They have a black head. Ladybugs are colorful for a reason. They tell the enemy: “Eat something else! I taste terrible.” When threatened, they may play dead. Birds are ladybugs' main predators, but they are also eaten by frogs, spiders, and dragonflies.

Ladybugs are happy in many different places, including grasslands, forests, cities, suburbs, and along rivers. Seven­spotted ladybugs are native to Europe but were brought to North America in the mid­1900s.

Ladybugs are most active from spring until fall. When the weather turns cold, they look for a warm place to hibernate, such as in rotting logs, under rocks, or even inside houses. These hibernating places can have thousands of ladybugs.

The name “ladybug” was given by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them “beetle of Our Lady”. This later was shortened to “lady beetle” and “ladybug”.

1. The underlined word “aphid” in Paragraph 2 is probably a kind of         .

A．pest

B．bird

C．plant

D．tree

2. From the third paragraph we can infer that         .

A．all ladybugs have spots	B．the colorful body can protect them
C．most ladybugs are red or orange	D．frogs are not one of the predators

3. What can't we conclude from the text?

A．Ladybugs can live along rivers.

B．Seven­spotted ladybugs were brought to Europe from North America.

C．Ladybugs are very active in autumn.

D．The name “ladybug” came from “beetle of Our Lady”.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．Seven­spotted Ladybugs	B．The Development of Ladybugs
C．The History of Ladybugs	D．Ladybugs

6 . Feel nervous on the first day of school? You are not alone! Here is some advice on how to make you feel comfortable.

Get ready the night before. Plan out what you’re going to wear and what you will need for class. Then get a nice, long sleep. There’s nothing worse than looking terrible on the first day of school. If you don’t want to oversleep, set an alarm on your phone, or alarm clock to wake you up on time.

Eat a good breakfast. You’d be surprised at how much happier and more focused you’ll be after eating a good breakfast. Have a healthy breakfast.A rich breakfast may make you feel lazy and sugar rich foods may affect your ability to stay focused.

Decide whether to take the bus, walk, or have a ride from your parents. It’s your call. If you want something familiar, take a bus ride and sit next to someone you already know. However, if you are really nervous, you can ask your mom or dad to drive you to school, but expect that there will be heavy traffic.

Smile and be friendly! You want to seem easy to get along with and that you had the best summer. Smile and be friendly. Instead of coming up as a boring person, compliment people. Everyone needs a little confidence and is happy when praised on the first day of school.

1. What is the worst thing on the first day of school?

A．Being late for school.	B．Not getting things ready.
C．Long sleep in class.	D．A terrible look.

2. How will you feel if you have a healthy breakfast?

A．Concentrated.	B．Surprised.
C．Lazier.	D．Popular.

3. What does the underlined word “compliment” most probably mean?

A．Say good words to.	B．Say “hello” to.
C．Say goodbye to.	D．Say “no” to.

7 . Last summer, Katie Steller pulled off the freeway on her way to work in Minneapolis and stopped at a traffic light, where a man was sitting with a sign asking for help. She rolled her window.

“Hey!” She shouted. "I'm driving around giving free haircuts. If I go grab my chair, do you want one right now?”

The man looked to be in his 60s. He laughed, saying, "Actually, I have a wedding to go this week. I am really hoping to get a haircut. "

"I'll be right back," Steller said.

She drove off, went to the salon (美发厅) she owns, and moved a red chair into her car. en she drove back. The man, named Edward, took a seat. She started to give him a haircut. He told her about his growing up in Mississippi and moving to Minnesota to be closer to adult children. After the haircut was done, Edward looked in a mirror and said gladly, "I look good!”

To date, Steller has given 30 or so such haircuts to people around the city. It's more than haircut. Steller wants it to be a gateway to express care, value and appreciation, but also to know more people.

Steller knows that a haircut can change a life. One changed hers: As a teen, she suffered m a serious disease and her hair thinned drastically. Seeing this, her mother arranged for Steller’s first professional haircut. "To sit down and have somebody look at me and talk to me like a person and not just an illness, it helped me feel cared about and less alone,“ she said.

After that, Steller knew she wanted to have her own salon so she could help people feel the way she'd felt that day. Not long after finishing cosmetology school in 2009, she began what she now calls her Red Chair Project, reaching out to people on the streets.

1. What did Steller offer to Edward?

A．Encouragement.	B．A free haircut.
C．A comfortable chair.	D．Financial assistance.

2. Why did Steller start her Red Chair Project?

A．To advertise her salon.	B．To change the poor's life.
C．To show acts of kindness.	D．To draw others' attention.

3. What does the underlined word “drastically” in paragraph 7 mean?

A．Sharply.

B．Occasionally.

C．Cautiously.

D．Painfully.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Free Haircut	B．A Chair Project
C．More than a Haircut	D．Less Prejudice and Cruelty

8 . As scientists around the world race to find a treatment for the coronavirus, a young girl among them stands out.

Anika Chebrolu, a 14­year­old from Frisco, Texas, has just won the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge ­­ and a $25,000 prize ­­ for a discovery that could provide a potential therapy to Covid­19 (or SARS­CoV­2 virus).

Anika's winning invention uses in­silico methodology to discover a lead molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS­CoV­2 virus.

"The last two days, I saw that there is a lot of media hype about my project since it involves the SARS­CoV­2 virus and it reflects our collective hopes to end this pandemic as I, like everyone else, wish that we go back to our normal lives soon," Anika told CNN.

The coronavirus has killed more than 1.1 million people globally since China reported its first case to the World Health Organization (WHO) in December. The United States has more than 219,000 deaths, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Anika, who is Indian American, submitted her project when she was in 8th grade ­­ but it wasn't always going to be focused on finding a cure for Covid­19. Initially, her goal was to use in­silico methods to identify a lead compound that could bind to a protein of the influenza virus.

"After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this," Anika said.

"Because of the immense severity of the Covid­19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS­CoV­2 virus." Anika said she was inspired to find potential cures to viruses after learning about the 1918 flu pandemic and finding out how many people die every year in the United States despite annual vaccinations and anti­influenza drugs on the market.

1. What won Anika Chebrolu the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge?

A．The discovery of a therapy to Covid­19.

B．The invention of the in­silico methodology.

C．The finding of a molecule that may help treat Covid­19.

D．The invention of a lead molecule.

2. What do people want with Anika’s project?

A．They want to get rid of pandemic and restore their lives.

B．They want more racial equality in the world .

C．They want to strengthen the education of science.

D．They want to see a lot of media hype about her project.

3. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word ‘Initially’ ?

A．Fortunately	B．Finally
C．Personally	D．Originally

4. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．Anika experienced the 1918 flu pandemic.

B．Vaccinations and anti­influenza drugs work perfectly.

C．Vaccinations and anti­influenza drugs are not good enough.

D．A lot of people die from flu every year.

9 . Basketball star Lebron James made ＄33 million last year. And that probably doesn’t surprise anyone. We’re used to watching professional athletes(运动员) make and spend millions of dollars.

But there was a time when professional athletes could barely buy a car. For most sports teams in 1950, there were main ways to make money. They sold tickets to games and popcorn in the stadium. For fans, it was a good deal(交易). You could see a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game for 60 cents. For players, the deal wasn’t so great. There wasn't much money to go around. So salaries(薪水) stayed low. In some professional sports, players couldn’t spend the off-season working out. They had to get second jobs so they could pay the rent.

In the 1960s, television changed everything. In 1950, only 1 in 10 American homes had TVs. By 1960, 9 in 10 homes had TVs. And people loved watching sports. At first, team owners were worried about TV. They thought fans wouldn't pay to come to the stadium anymore. But the TV networks paid millions of dollars for the right to show games. That’s when sports teams started to get rich. Finally, the teams shared their wealth with players. In 1974, several baseball teams wanted a player named Catfish Hunter, who chose to play for the New York Yankees. They paid him ＄1 million just for picking their team. Since then, athletes have only gotten richer. In 2018, the highest-paid player in baseball will make ＄33 million. In basketball, the average salary is about ＄7 million a year.

Are sports stars worth the money? Many fans seem to think so. They will pay crazy prices to cheer for their favorite players.

1. What does the underlined word “barely” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．finally

B．hardly

C．usually

D．personally

2. What would fans think of paying 60 cents for a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game in 1950?

A．It was unfair to players.	B．It was a bit expensive.
C．It was cheap at the price.	D．It was less attractive to them.

3. What influence did TV have on sports in the 1960s?

A．Sports became a big business.

B．People were more willing to play sports.

C．More and more fans came to the stadium.

D．Tickets to games became more expensive.

4. What does the text mainly tell us?

A．How sports stars become famous.

B．Why fans are crazy about sports star.

C．Why sports become more and more popular.

D．How professional athletes started getting rich.

10 . Come and discover the little big city in Switzerland. It’s worth it to see the nicest' sights. In fact, no matter what your idea of fun is, you'll find it in Zurich.

If it is your first stay in this city, you should start in the heart of Zurich, the historical romantic old part of a town. Here, you’ll have a wonderful time drinking and eating in a charming bistro where you can sit outside and enjoy the sun.

If you like, you can climb aboard a lake cruiser for a 3-hour tour around the lake or just walk up to the border of the lake and feed the proud swans and cute ducks, which is the cheapest way to enjoy the lake. You will be absolutely amazed at the nice view over the lake of the high Alps covered with snow.

Be sure to visit the beautiful mountain called House Mountain, which can give you the most unforgettable overview of Zurich. You can take a ride on the railway built in 1923 to the top where you can breathe the fresh mountain air. From the lookout tower, you’ll have a picturesque view of the lake, the city and the amazing Alps. Last, don’t miss walking down the most famous shopping street, the Bahnhofstrasse, a distance of 1.4 kilometers. On both sides, you'll find everything you need and of course, you' ll find the well-known Swiss banks.

Come to see us. You'll have an unforgettable stay in this little big city. You won’t regret it.

1. What does the underlined word "bistro" in Paragraph 2 probably refer to?

A．A bookstore

B．A library.

C．A small restaurant

D．A shopping center.

2. How can you enjoy the view of the lake if you don’t have much money?

A．By taking a lake cruiser.

B．By climbing the snow-covered Alps.

C．By taking an old railway train.

D．By walking to the lake and feeding birds there.

3. If you want to get the most unforgettable overview of Zurich, you should visit_________

A．Bahnhofstrasse

B．Alps

C．Swiss bank

D．House Mountain

4. The purpose of this passage is to___________

A．introduce some interesting places in Zurich

B．encourage people to go to Zurich to have a visit

C．let people know more about the history of Zurich

D．tell people how to get fun when visiting Zurich