1 . How Star Wars Changed Movie-making Forever
“May the force be with you!” If you are a Star Wars fan, then you have probably heard this phrase many times.
“A long time ago in a galaxy (银河系) far, far away...”is how Star Wars begins. Its plot was not creative.
It was the special effects that made Star Wars much better than other movies. People still talk about the light swords (剑) that could cut, burn and melt through most substances. Spaceships sped through space and landed on huge, realistic-looking space stations.
Theaters needed more movies to show on all the additional movie screens and in all the new multiplexes. So new movie companies sprang up, including small ones creating experimental movies.
| A．They tried out new techniques. |
| B．In fact, it was quite old-fashioned. |
| C．Audience had never seen anything like these. |
| D．Thus, audience began to enjoy science fiction movies there. |
| E．Star Wars was the first really successful movie trilogy in history. |
| F．If you are not a fan, you are still likely familiar with these words. |
| G．If you are a movie maker, you may be inspired by this classic film. |
2 . During the outbreak of novel coronavirus, wearing masks is widely believed to be a simple but effective method to protect oneself from a variety of harmful things. In fact, masks have been helping mankind for centuries. Let’s take a look at some mask-related history.
1st century
In that era, many people in Roman Empire worked underground in mines to support their families. But most of them suffered from and even eventually died of respiratory (呼吸的) illnesses. To handle this problem, Pliny the Elder (23 — 79 AD), a Roman philosopher and naturalist, recommended the use of animal bladder (膀胱) skins to stop dust from being inhaled (吸入). Although primitive, his idea was considered the very first recorded mask invention.
16th century
Early inventions did not stop with Pliny. Many centuries later, Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci (1452 — 1519), suggested using a woven cloth dipped in water over the face to protect against the toxic (有毒的) chemicals.
19th century
The design of the mask took a big step forward in the 19th century. In 1848, American Lewis Hassley became the first person to patent (注册专利) a protective mask for miners, which was a milestone in face mask history. Masks at this stage were similar to gas masks. Later, in 1897, Polish-Austrian doctor Johann von Mikulicz-Radecki designed a simple mask made up of one layer of gauze (纱布), recommending medical workers to wear it to prevent infection. That was the first recorded use of a surgical mask.
20th century
In 1910, an epidemic broke out in Northeast China. Chinese doctor Wu Liande designed a cheap face mask called “Wu’s mask”. Made of two layers of surgical gauze, it could be wrapped around the back of the head and tied in a knot. This mask was praised by many experts around the world, as it was simple to make and had a low production cost.
Modern exploration
With several outbreaks of infectious diseases and the flu, and the rise of pollution caused by industrial waste, the materials in masks have continued to evolve to better protect its wearer. For example, in 2012 when China suffered from smog, mask models such as N95 and KN90, which can filter out (过滤掉) this fine particulate (微粒) matter, became highly popular.
1. According to the text, why were masks invented?| A．To reduce the risk of infection. |
| B．To protect miners from dust. |
| C．To indicate patients with respiratory illnesses. |
| D．To protect workers from harmful chemicals. |
| A．Using a woven cloth instead of animal skins. |
| B．Getting a patent on protective masks for miners. |
| C．The invention of surgical masks in 1897. |
| D．Using more than one layer of surgical gauze. |
| A．it could be used multiple times |
| B．it was simple for people to wear |
| C．it was cheap and easy to produce |
| D．it could better protect people from smog |
| A．The development of masks. |
| B．The benefits of using masks. |
| C．A comparison of different masks. |
| D．The roles masks played in ancient times. |
Of all the t
4 . By reading books, you can learn about different cultures and ways of looking at the world. It might also help you to discover a new favourite series or author.
So that you can choose and buy the new books you want, when you want, the team at National Book Tokens has created Bookily. With a Bookily card, you’ll get a monthly amount of money just for books, and you can spend it in hundreds of bookshops and online.
The benefits of Bookily
With a Bookily card, you receive a monthly books budget. The Bookily card is made from board that is not harmful to the environment and arrives in packaging (包装) with all the information you need to get started. You can also change your card into an eGift, making it even easier to spend whenever you want.
Around the world
We could fill a whole book with reading recommendations from across the world. Here are a few to get you started on your trip:
United States
Front Desk
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets and she wants to be a writer. It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she go for her dreams?
Egypt
Death Sets Sail
Our heroes Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are hoping for a relaxing cruise (乘船游览) along the Nile, admiring the architecture (建筑) of ancient Egypt. What they discover instead is a strange secret society ...
Holland
The Unadoptables
In 1880, five babies are discovered at the Little Tulip Orphanage. They are determined to stay together. When danger comes, they escape in search of a home.
India
Asha & the Spirit Bird
Asha lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. When her papa suddenly stops sending his wages (工资), her family finds themselves in serious trouble. Asha decides to cross the highest mountains to find her father ...
1. Why did the team create the Bookily card?| A．To introduce global writers. |
| B．To encourage readers to buy books. |
| C．To get new people to join a reading club. |
| D．To recommend bookstores in the world. |
| A．It has been created mainly for online shopping. |
| B．It will be given to readers without any guide. |
| C．It provides readers with a weekly budget. |
| D．It is environmentally friendly. |
| A．Front Desk. | B．Death Sets Sail. |
| C．The Unadoptables. | D．Asha & the Spirit Bird. |
5 . Around the world, support is growing for electric cars. Car makers are producing more electric cars with a longer distance and lower prices. Some European countries plan to be all-electric by 2040 or sooner. However, there are a lot of difficulties, including one practical consideration for customers:If they buy electric cars, where will they charge (充电) them?
Public charging stations arc not built evenly around the world. Places with lots of support from governments, like China and the Netherlands have thousands of public charging stations. But in many places, there are not many public chargers. That’s a problem for people who need to drive further than the 200 miles or so that most electric cars can travel.
This situation worries many potential (潜在的) electric car owners. “If I can’t charge, there’s no way for me to have an electric car as my primary transportation,” says Solie, who works far from his home.
Mr. Romano, the CEO of ChargePoint, says workplaces should have around 2.5 chargers for every employee and stores need one for every 20 electric cars. Highways need one every 50 to 75 miles, he says.
Luckily, car makers and governments are pushing to fill the gaps. The number of chargers grew by 72 percent to more than 322, 000 last year, the International Energy Agency says. BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen, and Ford are building 400 fast-charging stations in Europe.
But there are pitfalls. There arc different types of charging stations, and no one knows the exact mix drivers will finally need. A store might spend $5, 000 for a charger, which provides a car with 5 to 15 miles of range in 30 minutes. But once most cars get 200 or 300 miles per charge, slow chargers are less necessary.
1. What prevents potential customers from buying electric cars?| A．The long-time charging. | B．The power problem. |
| C．The safety. | D．The price. |
| A．Tired. | B．Hopeful. | C．Supportive. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．There is a great need for chargers. | B．The government should take action. |
| C．Car makers will have a bright future. | D．Electric cars are becoming less popular. |
| A．Dangers. | B．Problems. | C．Advantages. | D．Achievements. |
By the Shang Dynasty (around L600-1046BCE), these s
Emperor Qinshihuang united the seven m
7 . The “Chong Yang Festival” is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, which is also known as the Double Ninth Festival.
Climbing mountains.
People like to climb mountains on this festival, so the Double Ninth Festival is also called “Mountain-climbing Festival”. The ninth lunar mouth, with clear autumn sky and cool air, is a good time for sightseeing.
Climbing mountains also means “climbing to a higher position”.
Drinking Chrysanthemum Flower (菊花) Wine.
The chrysanthemum flower wine is made with special process. In ancient times, people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month, and made the mixture of them and grains into the wine.
The Double Ninth cake is also known as “flower cake”. It is from Zhou Dynasty. It is said that the cake was prepared after autumn harvests for farmers to have a taste of what was just in season before, and it gradually turned into the present cake for people to eat on the Double Ninth Festival.
| A．Eating Double Ninth cake |
| B．Making “flower cake” with friends |
| C．So people love to go sightseeing this month |
| D．It would not be drunk until the same day next year |
| E．Here are some traditional customs of the Double Ninth Festival |
| F．But few Chinese people are aware of the importance of the festival |
| G．That’s another reason why climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the old |
8 . Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1, 500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use email to “speak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fastfood restaurant or under the trees — anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State highereducation officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”
1. The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ________.| A．use for their schoolwork |
| B．access the Internet |
| C．work at home |
| D．connect them to libraries |
| A．All teachers use computers. |
| B．1, 500 students have laptops. |
| C．It is an old college in America. |
| D．Students there can do everything. |
| A．attend lectures on information technology |
| B．travel around the world |
| C．get information from around the world |
| D．have free laptops |
| A．The program is successful. |
| B．The program is not workable. |
| C．The program is too expensive. |
| D．We don’t know the result yet. |
9 . China Small Group Tours
◆Tour Route 1: 11 Days Private Beijing - Lhasa - Xi’an - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Follow us on a Buddhist pilgrimage to Tibet & appreciate the profound culture
Have a leisurely walk or an exciting bicycle ride on the time-honored City Wall of Xi’an
View the soaring city skylines and feel the pulse of modern Shanghai
From $ 2, 459 per person
◆Tour Route 2: 11 Days Private Bejing - Xi’an - Chonqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Wariors
Try biking on the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi’ an, or tour by electric car
Enjoy the Three Gorges (三峡) scenery on Yangtze River & feel totally relaxed
From $ 1, 879 per person
◆Tour Route 3: 12 Days Private Bejing - Shanghai - Xi’an - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Hong
Kong
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Experience the Bund, classical garden, modern and old in contrast in Shanghai
Feel the lively atmosphere & explore busy markets freely in Hong Kong
Walk into a local family, learn to cook Chinese food & dine with the hosts in their home
From $ 2, 499 per person
◆Tour Route 4: 12 Days Private Bejing - Xi’an - Chengdu - Guilin - Shanghai
Tour Highlights:
Must-see sights in China — the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas
Come to Chengdu, the hometown of giant pandas to visit and observe the cute creature
Cruise on the meandering Li River & admire Guilin landscape
Walk into a local Chinese family, interact & dine with the hosts in their home
From $2, 079 per person
1. What do Tour Route 1 and Tour Route 2 have in common?| A．They have cycling activities. |
| B．They include a visit to Tibet. |
| C．Visitors enjoy the Three Gorges scenery. |
| D．Visitors pay the same amount of money. |
| A．Tourists can travel by bike. |
| B．Tourists can visit a huge dam. |
| C．Tourists can dine with a family. |
| D．It is the most expensive of the four. |
| A．Tour Route 1. |
| B．Tour Route 2. |
| C．Tour Route 3. |
| D．Tour Route 4. |
10 . Rave-on!
How about learning new skills on the guitar, drums and keyboard by video? Follow the touch-screen instructions to find lessons on each instrument, or search for a song to practise playing along to. Try our Professional Selection, with video clips of band members who will explain the techniques that make their recordings so individual.
Show-in-a-day!
Be a star singer or dancer for the day in a one-time-only special performance! Experts in international music and dance styles will train you, and costumes provided for the performance help create a really special, individual show. Get your friends and family to come and see you perform, as no videoing or photography is allowed.
Archived Images
Want to find out about a new band, or just want more information about an old favourite? Visit our collection to find out facts and figures, or see the actual possessions of famous bands and musicians you are interested in. You can actually get to touch things worn on stage at major rock and pop events, and there are plenty of other concert souvenirs.
Rhythm-studio
Get your body moving in the studio and learn to move to rhythms and sounds from the past to now, including Soul and Disco. Learn your steps from our professional onscreen dance instructor, then watch your performance and become the star in your own video recording which you can take away!
1. Which one can collect information about someone’s favourite bands?| A．Rave-on! | B．Archived Images. |
| C．Show-in-a-day! | D．Rhythm-studio. |
| A．Rhythm-studio offers free gifts from musicians. |
| B．Rhythm-studio has experts to teach face to face. |
| C．Rhythm-studio gets family members to enjoy the shows. |
| D．Rhythm-studio allows people to bring videos home. |
| A．In a report. | B．In a travel brochure. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a science magazine. |
