1 . Bad news for banana lovers: A fungus (真菌) that’s particularly good at killing the fruit has finally reached Latin America — a major supplier of the world’s bananas.
Recently, officials in Colombia announced a national emergency after confirming the presence of this fatal fungus, known as Fusarium oxysporum Tropical Race 4 (TR4), in the country. This is the first time the fungus has been found in Latin America. However, the fungus isn’t new. Over the past years, it has been destroying banana plantations in Asia, Australia and East Africa.
Although this fungus isn’t harmful to humans, it is a “serious threat” to banana production. The fungus attacks the plants’ roots and blocks their vascular (维管的) system — the network used to transport water and nutrients (营养物) and finally kills the plants. Once the fungus finds its way into soil, it can’t be treated with fungicides, and it’s very difficult to remove.
What’s more, the fungus attacks the most commonly exported banana — the Cavendish banana. “For Western countries, the vast majority of the bananas we eat are from the same Cavendish subgroup,” said Nicolas Roux, a senior scientist.
Sarah Gurr, Exeter University’s chair in food security, continued to explained to Wired, “Cavendish bananas are in effect clones of their parents. So the similarity in their genes makes them easy targets of the disease. Actually, we are likely to lose the Cavendish banana.”
Officials reported that the TR4 fungus was found in a l75-hectare area in the La Guajira region of northern Colombia. The country has separated affected areas and destroyed some of them in an effort to fight the fungus. A number of ideas have come up to help save the Cavendish banana, including genetically engineering plants that will not be affected by TR4.
1. Why did Colombia announce a national emergency?| A．Because the TR4 fungus stops banana trees producing fruits. |
| B．Because there was TR4 fungus in Colombia. |
| C．Because a fearful fungus was spreading quickly. |
| D．Because Colombia had no bananas to transport to Europe. |
| A．It causes the death of banana plants. | B．It is dangerous for human beings. |
| C．It competes with banana trees for water. | D．It exists in the air to attack plants. |
| A．Their importance in global fruit supply. | B．Their poor ability to gain nutrients. |
| C．Their lack of genetic diversity. | D．Their wide planting in Latin America. |
| A．Bananas crisis in Latin America | B．The best bananas in the world |
| C．Fungus harms plants | D．Banana-killing fungus reached Latin America |
2 . Are you a fan of birds? If so, you may have admired their beautiful colors and sweet songs. But do you know these feathered friends can actually do more than that?
A new study published in the journal Scientific Reports finds that exposure to birds, either in the home or outdoors, can boost people’s moods.
Researchers at King’s College London used a smartphone app built by the school’s Urban Mind project to collect the real-time feelings of study participants upon seeing or hearing a bird. A total of 1,292 people living in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States participated in the study which was conducted between April 2018 and October 2021.
The app asked participants three times a day whether they could see or hear a bird followed by a series of questions on their mental well-being. Participants were also asked questions about whether they could see trees, plants or hear any water to see if people were experiencing better mental well-being due to being in or seeing nature, and not just because of exposure to birds.
According to the study, the mental well-being of study participants with and without depression was significantly improved after seeing a bird or hearing birdsong compared to not seeing or hearing a bird.
There is a growing number of studies that link spending time outdoors (either in green leafy places or next to bodies of water) to improved mental health. But there are few studies that look at how different aspects of nature can play into humans’ mental well-being.
And while the study adds to the small pile of research on birds and mental health, the report marks the first time researchers have studied the responses to birds and mental well-being in real-time, according to Ryan Hammoud, lead author of the study.
“They kind of examine nature as a single object when nature includes many different characteristics and features like trees, plants, water, birds,” said Hammoud, “We choose to focus on bird life to try and understand which specific characteristics of nature benefit mental well-being.”
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce a phenomenon. | B．To bring in the topic. |
| C．To ask an interesting question. | D．To provide background information. |
| A．By analyzing previous studies. | B．By observing the behavior of birds. |
| C．By gathering feelings of participants. | D．By studying people’s effect on birds. |
| A．Pioneering. | B．Interesting. | C．Conventional. | D．Practical. |
| A．Bird watching has become a popular hobby. |
| B．Exposure to birds can improve mental well-being. |
| C．Nature is the best medicine for mental health issues. |
| D．Spending time outdoors can impact mental health positively. |
内容包括：
1. 介绍自己的英语水平；
2. 请求当面指导；
3. 表达感谢。
注意：1. 写作词数为80字左右。
2. 邮件开头及落款已给，不计入总词数。
Dear Paul,
How is everything going?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Li Hua
Jingxi Taiping Drum is a traditional form of dancing. With its display of profound cultural elements, it
The
In the past decades, Beijing has made considerable efforts
Whether you are a lifelong bookworm or are trying to develop a love for reading in your little ones, the 2024 Miami Book Fair is for you.
❉When and Where Is the Fair?This much-loved South Florida event will be held from May 12 to 18, 2024 at the MDC Wolfson Campus Plaza in Downtown Miami. During this week-long book feast, you will find a group of events running from morning to night.
❉What to Expect at the Fair?This year, the fair will feature more than 400 celebrated authors from around the world. There will be a rich collection of writers and their works of nonfiction, romances, children’s literature, and almost every other type under the sun. For green writers, it’s a place to connect with their favorite editors. For book lovers, it’s an opportunity to get autographs (亲笔签名)from many popular authors and ask them some questions.
❉Is the Fair Kid-Friendly?Absolutely. Far from a boring cultural event, this literary festival has fun parent-children interactive games and educational tents. Besides, little readers can not only explore arts and crafts, but also experience face painting and book giveaways.
❉How Much Does the Fair Cost?On Friday, the fair is free. On Saturday or Sunday, it is $10 for adults for one day, or you can get a two-day pass for $15. Kids under age 12 can attend for free and the kids aged 13-18 are $5 per day. For people aged 62 and over, you can also get tickets for $5.
So head to Downtown Miami, and enjoy yourself in the heart of the city’s literary scene.
1. What can be expected at the fair?| A．Interacting with talents from all industries. | B．Seeking cooperation with publishers. |
| C．Voting on yearly best-sellers. | D．Exchanging ideas with favorite editors. |
| A．Learn face painting from artists. | B．Play games with their parents. |
| C．Exchange books with others. | D．Set up camp on their own. |
| A．$10. | B．$15. | C．$20. | D．$25. |
My mother believed in using things up. Last year, our cornfield had a bad harvest because birds feasted on the crops. It was probably then that Mom’s frugality(节俭)became even more extraordinary. She began keeping everything that seemed useless in the attic(阁楼)—worn-out clothes, old sheets, broken umbrellas, and some other old items. Mom’s favorite saying was “waste not, want not”(俭以防匮). My brother Josh and I weren’t sure what that meant until the “Affair of the Scarecrow(稻草人)”, which, as it later became known, left a lasting impression on us.
The story began with a pretty hat that Mom received as a gift to protect her from the sun. However, Josh and I could see that Mom’s frugal nature and fashion sense were in battle. Mom really didn’t want to get rid of the hat—it was new and had a lot of use left in it—but neither could she stand wearing it. She tried to take off the fancy decorations, but they were stuck on tight. She’d have to find some other solution.
Josh and I watched as Mom headed upstairs to the attic with the hat. “Waste not, want not,” she called back down. We heard boxes being moved around. Moments later, Mom leaned out, holding a flour bag full of straw, and with a mysterious smile, she placed the hat on it.
“What is that for?” I asked, confused. “A scarecrow! ” Mom exclaimed. “But not a good one yet.It needs a strong body to stand firm in the field,” she said with a frown. “And it doesn’t look scary enough,” Josh remarked. I had to admit that Josh, though younger than I was, could sometimes be more imaginative. Josh and I turned to each other, searching for a good idea. Soon enough, Josh’s eyes lit up with inspiration.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: “Come with me!” Josh called out.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: In the following days, the scarecrow stood proudly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . In 2010, Justin Horner was driving down a busy freeway in Portland, US, when his tire blew out. He
Three hours later,
As they slowly drove off, Horner unwrapped the tamale and discovered his
Months later, Horner shared his experience online, which
| A．came in | B．moved on | C．pulled up | D．dropped out |
| A．note | B．sign | C．call | D．deal |
| A．notably | B．eventually | C．secretly | D．immediately |
| A．race | B．traffic | C．nationality | D．language |
| A．examined | B．powered | C．cleaned | D．fixed |
| A．hesitated | B．attempted | C．refused | D．pretended |
| A．declined | B．appreciated | C．withdrew | D．accepted |
| A．promised | B．questioned | C．insisted | D．complained |
| A．snack | B．pie | C．soup | D．fruit |
| A．wallet | B．gift | C．money | D．key |
| A．simply | B．carefully | C．truly | D．slowly |
| A．wave | B．bow | C．sigh | D．touch |
| A．confirmed | B．updated | C．made | D．drew |
| A．expressed | B．practiced | C．invented | D．promoted |
| A．regional | B．universal | C．funny | D．creative |
8 . The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in. Here are four of them to feed your imagination.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
How did it all begin? And how did we get here? Combining history and science, the book offers a comprehensive yet entertaining answer to these questions. Bill Bryson takes the reader on an impressive journey through the greatest cientific discoveries in history. It explains scientific topics in a vivid way, but it's quite a long read.
Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe
How do helicopters work? Or cells? Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common 1,000 words in English. It will shift your approach to explanation. So, next time explain how something works rather than merely call it by its name. However, additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.
Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake
What does it feel like to fly into space? How do you prepare for it? Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space. The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science, as well as the day-to-day life on board of the International Space Station. Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers, but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.
Deep Time by Riley Black
Want to know the story of our planet? Riley Black takes us on a journey, in the order of time, through the geological(地质的)events that have shaped our planet. The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments. It also expands on key concepts in geology, astronomy and biology. Yet, measuring the size of some objects on the photos is difficult due to the lack of a scale bar (比例尺).
1. What's a shortcoming of Thing Explainer?| A．It is too long. | B．It lacks technical terms. |
| C．It is written in plain language. | D．It fails to include clear images. |
| A．A Short History of Nearly Everything. | B．Thing Explainer. |
| C．Ask an Astronaut. | D．Deep Time. |
| A．They entertain readers of all ages. | B．They feature vivid illustrations. |
| C．They introduce astronauts' daily life. | D．They combine science and history. |
9 . Adding to the achievements of a remarkable year, Taylor Swift has been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023.
Already a superstar before 2023, Swift’s career has reached new heights thanks to the beginning of her Eras Tour that brought her 3.5-hour performance to 66 shows in 23 cities across North America, Argentina and Brazil. Promoted by her tour, Swift has been named the most-streamed female artist in the history of Spotify and Apple Music. According to Billboard, the tour made about $900 million (about 6.4 billion yuan) in 2023. In addition, the tour’s movie Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour became the biggest concert movie of all time, taking more than $250
million globally.As she was declare a billionaire by Bloomberg in November, a hidden “Taylor Swift economy” also promoted sales for business owners across the US. From soaps to a cruise inspired by her different “eras”, interest in Swift-related products went way up.
Apart from her financial contributions, Swift made a significant cultural impact by taking back control of her music. In 2019, her old record label, Big Machine, sold the master tapes of her first six albums (专辑) to Scoot er Braun. The sale meant that she didn’t have the rights to the albums. In response to this, Swift began re-recording her first six albums, tagging (加标签于) them “Taylor’s Version”. This move stressed her belief that artists deserve to own their work. “It’s all in how you deal with loss,” she told Time. “I respond to extreme pain by resisting.”
Heading into 2024, Swift will start the Eras Tour again in Japan and Australia. As USA Today noted, “Her current top has been a long time coming, but it may also be just beginning.”
1. What do we know about Taylor Swift?| A．She broke a new record on her tour. | B．She toured South America before 2023. |
| C．Her achievements received great recognition. | D．Her performance began with the Apple Music. |
| A．She proved herself to be an artist. | B．She learned to make some products. |
| C．She had influence on music culture. | D．She sold her master tapes to a company. |
| A．She will end her music career. | B．She will continue her Eras Tour. |
| C．She will reach her top in Japan. | D．She will make a record in Australia. |
| A．Admirable. | B．Uncaring. | C．Doubtful. | D．Critical. |
1．提出建议； 2．阐明理由。
注意：
1．写作词数应为 80 左右；
2．请按如下格式作答。
Dear Mike,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
