1 . 4 Really Strange Beaches

Sandy stretches of gray, brown or even white are the world’s norm. Even rocky beaches or those with sheer cliffs barring passage for everyone save the bravest adventurers are not rare. These unique beaches are some of the best treats nature has to offer.

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii, USA

Papakōlea Beach is a green sand beach located near South Point, in the Ka’ū district of the island of Hawai ’i. One of only two green sand beaches in the World, the other being in Galapagos Islands.

Papakōlea Beach is associated with the southwest rift (裂谷) of Mauna Loa. Since its last eruption, the cinder cone has partially collapsed and been partially swallowed by the ocean.

San Alfonso del Mar Beach, Chile

This beach is located between the largest artificial pool. San Alfonso del Mar Beach is an essential part of the luxurious resort of the same name.

It seems a strange spot for the world’s largest swimming pool. But the pool’s remarkable spaciousness (宽敞) complements the ocean beyond rather effortlessly, and jumping in the pool’s 79℉(26℃) water is a much more attractive prospect than venturing into the 63℉(17℃) seawater nearby.

Maho Beach, Sint Maarten

Maho Beach is a beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. It is famous for the Princess Juliana International Airport next to the beach.

Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of Runway 10 due to the short runway length of 380 metres, resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at minimal altitude.

Ocean Dome, Japan

This is an artificial beach constructed in the Seagaia re son along the coastal highway outside the city of Myazaki in Japan it has a fully controlled indoor climate throughout the year.

The Ocean Dome, which was a popular part of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort, measures 300 meters in length and 100 meters in width.

1. What has Papakōlea Beach experienced in Hawaii?

A．One mineral.	B．One connection.
C．One fierce rift.	D．One severe outbreak.

2. What’s the most exciting in San Alfonso del Mar Beach, Chile?

A．Jumping into the pool’s water

B．Learning to jump water in the pool

C．Building a spacious swimming pool

D．Taking a risk of swimming in the pool

3. What do Maho Beach and Ocean Dome have in common?

A．They lie beside good places built.	B．They both lie on an island.
C．They are both artificial beaches.	D．They are both well-known.

2 . Some of our planet’s power pollinators (传粉昆虫) may have originated tens of millions of years earlier than scientists once believed. In a study published July 27 in the journal Current Biology, a team of researchers traced bee family back over 120 million years to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana (冈瓦纳大陆). While looking deeper into bee history, the team found evidence that bees originated earlier, diversified faster, and spread wider than previously suspected, putting together pieces of a puzzle on the origin of these pollinators.

In the study, an international team of scientists would be in sequence and compared genes from over 200 bee species. They then compared these bees with the traits from 185 different bee fossils and extinct fossils to develop an evolutionary history and genealogical model for how bees have historically been spread around the world. The team was able to analyze hundreds of thousands of genes at a time to make sure that the relationships they inferred were correct.

“This is the first time we have broad genome-scale data for all seven bee families,” study co-author and Washington State University entomologist Elizabeth Murray confidently said in a statement. Earlier studies established that the first bees potentially evolved from wasps (黄蜂), transitioning from predators up to collectors of pollen and nectar (花蜜). According to this study, bees arose in the dry regions of western Gondwana during the early Cretaceous period, between 145 million years ago to 100.5 million years ago.

“There’s been a long-time puzzle about the origin of bees,” study co-author and Washington State University entomologist Silas Bossert said in a statement. “For the first time, we have statistical evidence that bees originated on Gondwana. We now know that bees are originally southern hemisphere insects.” The team found evidence that as new continents formed, the bees moved northward. They continued to diversify and spread in parallel partnership with flowering plants called angiosperms. The bees later moved into India and Australia and all major bee families appear to have split off from one another before the beginning of the Tertiary period (65million years ago).

1. What’s the purpose of bee history researchers do research on?

A．To discover the origin of these pollinators.

B．To find out some reasonable proofs.

C．To know much about our planet.

D．To study the life of bee species.

2. Which can replace the underlined phrase “in sequence” in Paragraph 2?

A．in danger.

B．in need.

C．in order

D．in favor.

3. What’s the viewpoint of Elizabeth Murray to the bee family?

A．Unbelievable.

B．Reliable.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．The earliest home of bees may be in Gondwana.

B．The world’s earliest bees were found in India and Australia.

C．The researchers are going on doing research on bee families.

D．The researchers get a lot evidence to prove their research.

3 . Picking up after your dog is interesting, but it must be done. Most dog owners understand the importance of picking up their dogs’ waste, so it can be especially frustrating to see dog owners that obviously refuse to perform this duty.     1    , but by asking them the right way, informing them of the risks and consequences of not picking up after their dogs, and providing them with the right collection tools, you may be able to get them to change their ways.

Ask them directly. Talking to another dog owner about picking up their dogs’ waste can be uncomfortable. However, asking the owner directly to pick up after their dog will often work to fix the problem.     2    . Maybe they think no one notices or that their actions don’t directly affect those around them. Asking the person directly lets them know you, and others, have noticed their actions and are being affected negatively by them.

Use a friendly tone. Although you are probably fed up and mad at a dog owner that isn’t cleaning up after their dog, approach them in a friendly manner. Yelling at them may make them defensive and angry.     3    .

Give them a reason. It’s possible this person doesn’t realize how their neglect in picking up after their dog is negatively affecting those around them.     4    , give them a reason why you want them to do so.

    5    . When facing someone on this issue, don’t exaggerate (夸大) the truth or make up reasons they should comply with your request. Be honest with them about why you want them to pick up after their dog and what could happen if they don’t.

A．Be honest

B．Raise some dogs

C．If you want to help them to sweep their waste

D．And they will likely do more harm than good, too

E．When you ask them to pick up their dogs’ waste

F．There are many reasons people don’t pick up after their dogs

G．Figuring out how to convince these owners to change their ways can be difficult

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Emotional eating is eating as a way     1    (ease) negative emotions, such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness. Major life events or, more     2    (common), the troubles of daily life can arouse negative emotions that lead to emotional eating and disturb your weight-loss     3    (effort).

Although some people eat less in the face     4     strong emotions, if you’re in emotional distress you might turn to impulsive or binge (暴饮暴食) eating, quickly consuming whatever is convenient without     5    (enjoy).

In fact, your emotions can become so tied to your eating habits that you automatically reach for a treat whenever you’re angry or     6    (stress) without thinking about what you’re doing.

Food also     7    (serve) as a distraction. If you’re worried about an upcoming event or     8     conflict, for instance, you may focus on eating comfort food instead of dealing with the painful situation.

Whatever emotions drive you to eat more, the end result is often the same. The effect is temporary, the emotions return     9     you likely then bear the additional burden of guilt about     10     (set) back your weight-loss goal. This can also lead to an unhealthy cycle.

5 . Seven-year-old Everett Botwright is a bright, imaginative kid. Like many children on the autism spectrum (自闭症), he also _________ with the smell and taste of many foods. So when the boy showed great interest in Star Wars Kraft Dinner, his parents were _________. “It was amazing,” father Reed Botwright says. “My wife cried. She hadn’t seen him _________ in, not to mention addicted to a new _________ in a long time.”

There was only one _________ . After buying all the _________ they could find in their hometown of Nanaimo, B. C., the family _________ needed more. In February, Botwright _________ a request on Facebook, asking for _________ tracking down the limited-edition pasta.

The __________ went viral. Thousands shared Botwright’s post on __________ media, including Star Trek legend William Shatner. Star Wars Kraft Dinner __________ from across North America. “People have reached out and many thanked us for __________ our struggle,” Botwright says.

Kraft Heinz Canada donated $10,000 to autism charities, __________ 144 boxes to the Botwrights and even asked Everett to select the __________ Kraft Dinner shape. On his birthday, March 7, he __________ the Minions (小黄人). Nanaimo’s Real Canadian Superstore donated 411 packages, and a class of Ouebec teens sent a shipment; __________ boxes came from as far away as Florida.

The __________ number: over 800 boxes, and Botwright says, “We’re still counting.” Everett is __________ thank-you cards for every donor, and Botwright says the outpouring has taught his four kids, ages three to eight, a lesson: “There is __________ in the world.”

1.

A．starts

B．deals

C．struggles

D．agrees

2.

A．thrilled

B．annoyed

C．satisfied

D．worried

3.

A．engaged

B．interested

C．disappointed

D．involved

4.

A．food

B．idea

C．book

D．movie

5.

A．goal

B．reason

C．solution

D．problem

6.

A．toys

B．boxes

C．cards

D．packages

7.

A．still

B．obviously

C．actually

D．probably

8.

A．denied

B．received

C．answered

D．issued

9.

A．help

B．treatment

C．advice

D．permission

10.

A．advertisement

B．photo

C．request

D．video

11.

A．local

B．traditional

C．social

D．technical

12.

A．broke in

B．took off

C．came off

D．flooded in

13.

A．sharing

B．broadcasting

C．composing

D．printing

14.

A．sold

B．packed

C．collected

D．delivered

15.

A．next

B．classical

C．regular

D．special

16.

A．bought

B．designed

C．chose

D．released

17.

A．heavy

B．other

C．limited

D．beautiful

18.

A．daily

B．final

C．monthly

D．official

19.

A．paying

B．translating

C．printing

D．signing

20.

A．luck

B．Internet

C．good

D．dream

6 . Sometimes science advances at a snail’s pace, but in this case that’s a good thing: researchers have created a soft material that combines polymers with liquid metal, demonstrated in a snail-like robot. Developers say this electrically conductive gel(凝胶) could be used to make self-healing electronic circuits and biological monitors for measuring heart and muscle activity-and maybe even lead to robot nervous systems.

The complex substance can stretch and is soft like living tissue. If it breaks or tears, the edges can be touched together, and the material’s molecular bonds quickly re-form without any additional heat or chemical treatment. And crucially its developers say, it is the first such material that also conducts electricity.

These abilities could lead to wire-free medical monitors as well as fully soft robots. “For my research, one thing that’s really big is, ‘How do you put multiple functions into a single material?’” says Lillian Chin, who develops soft robotic components as part of her own research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Existing soft-bodied robots, she says, often require at least some rigid metals and silicon(硅)components. But soft, flexible living tissues can perform multiple tasks; muscles, Chin notes, both move our bodies and provide electrical feedback about that movement to our brains.

For a recent study in Nature Electronics, the researchers used their new material to connect motors to power sources in two basic machines: a snail-like soft robot and a toy car. The material’s self-healing ability helped these simple circuits(电路) be easily reequipped. For example, the team cut the car’s power-carrying gel “wires” and shifted their connections to power both movement and a small light fixed in the bottom.

1. What’s the function of the conductive gel?

A．To make a soft material.

B．To connect material and metal.

C．To restore robot nervous systems.

D．To produce electronic and biological monitors.

2. What’s the complex substance used for?

A．Being connected.	B．Providing heat.
C．Conducting electricity.	D．Handling chemical.

3. What does Lillian Chin emphasize in the third paragraph?

A．The good benefits of the single material in her study.

B．Multiple functions of the single material.

C．The movement from human bodies in her study.

D．The massive tasks done in her study.

4. What makes the new material able to help simple circuits?

A．Its soft ability.	B．Its helpful ability
C．Its wireless ability.	D．Its self-healing ability.

7 . Chris Kyle is an entrepreneur(企业家), so he’s always looking for ways to support his fellow small business owners. Chris says he feels fortunate that his work allows him to spend a lot of time at home, so he can be fully present for each stage of his daughter Ava’s life. He was skeptical when his wife purchased Ava a toy kitchen set, but his daughter adores it and has now become a “small business owner” in her very own living room!

“When my wife made the purchase, I was hesitant about spending a few hundred dollars on it,” Chris explained. “It has been worth every penny. Ava is the star of her own little world when she is ready to play.” Chris paid a visit to his daughter’s at-home restaurant and shared his frank but funny “review” on his Instagram page. “So I tried to support another Black Owned Business for lunch today,” he wrote. “It’s called Ava’s Kitchen, just opened the end of April. It’s a very clean kitchenware, but let me tell you about this owner.”

“First of all, I asked why there are balloons on my chair, and it’s not my birthday?” Chris continued. “She said those are Mommy’s.” But Chris didn’t stop there. In addition to the questionable choice of balloons as a decoration, he said the service at Ava’s Kitchen was not exactly putting the establishment anywhere near the Zagat scale. “I have been waiting on my order to get done for 45minutes, and I’m the only customer here,” wrote Chris. “She was making good progress at first, then she stopped for 20 minutes to go to watch Paw Patrol. Overall the customer service could be better, but the cook is lovely. So I’ll give her another chance.”

Chris and Ava are thrilled that their post went viral. I’m glad to see our post shine bright in the lives or people around the world, said the proud dad.

1. Why does Chris mainly think he is lucky?

A．Because he has enough time to work at home.

B．Because he has been looking for some ways.

C．Because he can accompany his daughter.

D．Because he suspects Ava’s mother.

2. What does Chris doubt about?

A．Buying a toy kitchen set.	B．Living in a small room.
C．Supporting another business.	D．Spending too much money.

3. Where is the third paragraph written?

A．On the Internet.	B．In the newspaper.
C．On a travel magazine.	D．In a notice.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Dad Leaves His Review After Visiting Ava’s Kitchen

B．Dad Is Honest And Funny After Talking With His Daughter

C．Dad Helps Ava Get a Good Chance to Surf the Internet

D．Dad Builds a Kitchen For His Own Daughter Happily

8 . Dublin is one of Europe’s smaller capital cities, but it has an outsized number of places to see. Here’s a decent sampling of the great attractions that await when you come to Dublin to play.

National Gallery of Ireland

Ireland is a country known for its literary contributions, but don’t overlook its contributions to the artistic world. It houses a number of works by Rembrandt, Goya and Monet. The collection’s 15,000 Irish and European works date from the 13th to mid-20th centuries and include paintings, prints and national portraits (肖像). Particularly prized is the Yeats Collection, consisting of works and other materials related to Irish painter Jack B. Yeats, brother of poet and playwright W. B. Yeats.

Ha’penny Bridge

This modest cast-iron bridge over the River Liffey has become the symbol of Dublin, with its wonderful design and old-fashioned lampposts. Before it became a tourist attraction,

Ha’Penny Bridge was a welcome addition for local people. Before its construction, most of them had to ferry (摆渡) across the river. When it was built in 1816, Ha’penny Bridge was the first iron bridge across the Liffey.

Dublin Castle

You’re in Europe. It’s hard to resist a good castle. And you have one right in the heart of Dublin. And like all good castles, it has a storied history—from its start in the 1200s on the site of a Viking settlement to 1922, when it was handed over to the new Irish government after independence from the United Kingdom. A fire in 1684 damaged a good bit of the castle, and in reconstruction, parts of it took on the look of a Georgian palace, making for an interesting mix of styles today.

St. Stephen’s Green

As a treasured part of the city for centuries, the park, which is in the heart of Dublin, has important sculptures of major figures in Irish history and well-maintained Victorian grounds in the center. A variety of trees line the perimeter (周边) to help block city noise, and it’s a haven for birds as well as people.

1. What can visitors see in National Gallery of Ireland?

A．W. B. Yeats’ collection of poems.

B．Works about painter Jack B. Yeats.

C．Over 15,000 European literary works.

D．Irish paintings dating from the 11th century.

2. What was Ha’penny Bridge originally built for?

A．Attracting foreign visitors.	B．Offering shelter to ferrymen.
C．Replacing a cast-iron bridge.	D．Helping people cross a river.

3. What do the last two attractions have in common?

A．They feature a variety of rare birds.

B．They are not well-maintained at present.

C．They are located in the center of Dublin.

D．They take on the look of a Georgian palace.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Who helped the woman arrange her accommodation?

A．Her father.

B．The man’s relatives.

C．The man’s friends.

2. Which place is the woman’s first destination?

A．Athens.

B．Istanbul.

C．New York.

3. Why does the woman prefer Montreal to New York?

A．It’s more modern.

B．It’s more relaxed.

C．It’s more beautiful.

4. What does the woman say about Mexico City?

A．It is a little noisy.

B．It is very European.

C．It has many museums.