1. What does Jack say about the Vulcan?
| A．It uses less energy than other cars. |
| B．It is faster than other cars. |
| C．It is heavier than other cars. |
| A．Design, Speed, and Truth. |
| B．Quality, Craftsmanship, and Luxury. |
| C．Power, Beauty, and Soul. |
| A．Ride in a Vulcan. | B．Attend a track event. | C．Buy a Vulcan. |
1. When was the National Library of St. Mark’s first designed?
| A．In 1588. | B．In 1570. | C．In 1537 |
| A．Being the first public library. |
| B．Surviving several wars. |
| C．Having the largest collection of books. |
| A．In Syria. | B．In Egypt. | C．In Greece. |
| A．Oak Village. | B．Red Rock. | C．Lakeview. |
4 . Why did humans evolve to walk upright? Perhaps because it’s just plain easier. Make that “energetically less costly,” in science-speak.
Bipedalism — walking on two feet — is one of the defining characteristics of being human, and scientists have debated for years how it came about. In the latest attempt to find an explanation, researchers trained five chimpanzees to walk on treadmill while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption. The chimps were measured both while walking upright and while moving on their legs and knuckles. That measurement of the energy needed to move round was compared with similar tests on humans and the results are published in this week’s online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It turns out that humans walking on two legs use only one quarter of the energy that chimpanzees use while knuckle-walking on four limbs. And the chimps, on average, use as much energy using two legs as they did when they used all four limbs.
However, there were differences among chimpanzees in how much energy they used, and this difference corresponded to their different gaits and anatomy. One of the chimps used less energy on two legs, one used about the same and the others used more, said David Raichlen, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona.
“What we were surprised at was the variation,” he said in telephone interview. “That was pretty exciting, because when you talk about how evolution works, variation is the bottom line, without variation there is no evolution.”
Walking, on two legs freed our arms, opening the door to manipulating the world, Raichlen said. “We think about the evolution of bipedalism as one of first events that led hominids down the path to being human.”
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the L. S. B. Leakey Foundation.
1. The underlined word “Bipedalism” means .| A．moving sideways | B．walking upright |
| C．walking on four legs | D．running fast |
| A．Masks protect chimpanzees from any harm. |
| B．Masks help chimpanzees walk steadily. |
| C．There was heavy smoke in the room. |
| D．Masks helped to measure how much oxygen chimpanzees consumed. |
| A．have no idea on how human walking on two legs came about |
| B．have had different views on why chimpanzees walk on four legs |
| C．have had different views on how human walking on two legs came about |
| D．have had similar views on how human walking on two legs came about |
| A．How did chimpanzees save energy? | B．Why didn’t chimpanzees walk on two legs? |
| C．David Raichlen researched into chimpanzees. | D．Different chimpanzees consume different energy. |
| A．conserve energy | B．differ from other animals |
| C．free their brains | D．strengthen their legs |
5 . Most Chinese know the story of mythological Chang’e. It’s a story about a woman who takes an immortality pill and flies to the moon. The story is s0 popular that people can’t hear the word Chang’e without thinking of romantic images of a moon goddess.
For this reason, China’s mission to the moon was calling for a strong female figure. Therefore, pictures of a 24-year-old female space commander have gone viral on Chinese social media for her work on the Chang’e-5 Moon exploration programme with comments about how she is a “frontline soklier in the field of aerospace” that young Chinese can look up to.
Ms Zhou, 24-year-old lady of the Tujia ethnic group, is China’s youngest ever space commander. She was involved in the successful launch of the Chang’e-5 lunar probe on 24 November, in charge of the rocket connector system, described as a key role.
In Wenchang space launch site, though she is only 1.58 meters tall and looks “mini”, she is called “Big Sister” for her powerful core and energy. Since senior high, she has dreamed! of being a member of a space research team. With her great efforts, she was admitted to an aircraft system and engineering major of a domestic university in 2014, making her acrospace dream come true. To grow into a commander, in two and a half years, she changed five positions to be familiar with multiple posts and types of work, each of which takes great courage and is full of challenges. In a working space with no air conditioning and narrow space to accommodate only three people, she worked for 60 days until the completion of “the Long March 5 rocket goes around” battle.
Her story has received attention from Chinese state-run media as well as overseas media outlets. However, it has not appeared to have had much of an effect on her. According to the media, she declined repeated requests for interviews because she does not wish to let fame get in the way of her work.
1. Why does the writer mention the myth of Chang’e at the beginning of the passage?| A．To tell a romantic story. | B．To spread Chinese culture. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To give an example. |
| A．Her youth and beauty. | B．Her pictures on the media. |
| C．Her identity of the Tujia ethnic group. | D．Her performance in the moon-landing program. |
| A．She was the youngest space commander of the Tujia ethnic group. |
| B．She was called “Big Sister” not because of her physical strength but her central status. |
| C．To become a commander, she took five challenging and courageous jobs in two and a half years. |
| D．She worked in severe conditions for 60 days until the Long March 5 rocket was-launched. |
| A．Because she was too shy. | B．Because she was not available. |
| C．Because she was devoted to work. | D．Because she hated being famous. |
| A．Attitude is altitude. | B．The early bird catches the worm. |
| C．Many hands make light work. | D．Diligence makes up for inability. |
6 . In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartments. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Some theorists argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. The price, which is the wage that employers must pay, increases. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics claim, an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decisions such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be correct only if “other things are equal” Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.
1. There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may ______.| A．cause a shortage of apartments | B．worry those who rent apartments as homes |
| C．increase the profits of landlords | D．encourage landlords to invest in building apartment |
| A．will always benefit those who rent apartments | B．is unnecessary |
| C．will bring negative effects in the long run | D．is necessary under all circumstances |
| A．if the minimum wage is set too high | B．if the minimum wage is set too low |
| C．if the workers are unskilled | D．if the maximum wage is set |
| A．the relationship between supply and demand | B．the possible results of government controls |
| C．The necessity of government control | D．the urgency of getting rid of government controls |
| A．The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted. |
| B．Minimum wage cannot always protect employees. |
| C．Economic theory can predict the results of economic decisions if other factors are not changing. |
| D．Economic decisions should not be based on economic theory. |
7 . Whether you’re looking to learn more about sustainability or imagine yourself as a media big man at the head of a world-famous magazine, here are several books worth popping on your Good Reads list.
| The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline
| As the pressure to save the planet increases, it’s important to turn the conversation to our closet. Stockpiling endless printed books on sustainability seems somewhat unwise, but The Conscious Closet is easily the best of the lot. It exposes the true cost of fast fashion and encourages the reader to think twice about unwise purchasing, drawing deeply on Cline’s own experiences. |
| How To Dress Secret Styling Tips From A Fashion Insider by Alexandra Fullerton
| Former fashion editor at Stylist magazine, Alexandra Fullerton certainly knows something about getting dressed. Illustrated beautifully, this book allows you to dip easily in and out of her easy-to-follow advice, helping you carve out a signature style, shop more effectively and even wash and store your clothes to maximize their full potential. |
| The New Fashion Rules by Victoria Magrath
| One of the UK’s most successful fashion bloggers, Victoria McGrath has used her platform to demonstrate the growing value of influencer culture on fashion and new media. Her friendly, accessible tone is backed up with some serious knowledge — her PhD in fashion marketing allows her to explore how far fashion has come in recent decades, discussing many things including virtual reality shopping while offering up a brief tour of fashion’s 21st century history. |
| Advanced Love by Ari Seth Cohen
| The photographic blog series that made stars of Iris Apfel and Linda Rodin, the Advanced Style brand has grown over the past decade, demonstrating that real beauty is truly ageless. His third and most recent book, Advanced Love sees Ari Seth Cohen picturing couples from all walks of life, making a statement about our dismissal of romance within the over-40 set. The perfect festive gift for your special other-half, or a treat-to-self as a constant reminder that love never goes out of style. |
| A．By drawing deeply on his own experience. | B．By picturing couples from all walks of life. |
| C．By helping readers to shop more effectively. | D．By guiding readers to do some virtual reality shopping. |
| A．Advanced Love | B．The Conscious Closet |
| C．The New Fashion Rules | D．How To Dress: Secret Styling Tips From A Fashion Inside |
| A．Ari Seth Cohen’s book | B．Elizabeth L. Cline’s book |
| C．Victoria Magrath’s book | D．Alexandra Fullerton’s book |
| A．The growing value of influencer on fashion. | B．The permanence of real beauty. |
| C．The true cost of fast fashion. | D．The dismissal of romance. |
| A．They targeted on young ladies. | B．Their themes are all about fashion. |
| C．They advise us against unreasonable purchasing. | D．They all give practical advice on how to get well dressed. |
I was traveling with my husband and three teenage sons, in the United States. We ordered our food at a fast-food place, and with my meal I also wanted a blueberry pie. My husband is the chatty one in the family and likes to socialize, so he started to a conversation about the place where blueberries grow with the girl. She answered, with some anxiety, “They grow on trees.”
The whole family’s jaws dropped! How could this girl not know where blueberries grow? We tried not to embarrass her, and just took the opportunity to teach her a little about how blueberries grow, on small shrubs on the ground. She seemed to appreciate learning something new. We can’t know all the same things, as you’ll see from the next thing I’m going to tell you.
In 2002 our family made a short trip to a coffee plantation. The road to the plantation was narrow filled with hairpin bends. I worried about hitting another car. We didn’t, lucky us! When we finally got to our destination, we learned a lot about the plantation and coffee production, but we didn’t see any coffee plants. Where were they? We decided to ask one of the people working there. “So where are the coffee plants? We can’t see them anywhere.”
She reached out her arm and caught a twig right next to us and explained, “This is the coffee plant and these little things will be coffee beans.” I looked around in embarrassment, as we were surrounded by coffee plants! She explained that coffee plants aren’t big and that they have to grow in the shade of other bigger plants. I appreciated her lesson.
We love our coffee, but I’m sure most of my countrymen would not be able to recognize a coffee plant among other tropical plants if asked. Our jaws can drop at different things, depending on geographical locations, at what we know and don’t know. Never take anything for granted!
1. What topic did the author’s husband discuss with the girl? (no more than 5 words)2. How do you understand the underlined part in Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
3. How was the way to the coffee plantation ? (1 word)
4. What did the author learn from the worker? (no more than 15 words)
5. What inspiration do you get from the story? Please express it in your own words. (no more than 20 words)
9 . When Ariella Pacheco of California was still a little girl, her parents let her pick out an American girl doll. She picked one that had the same hair color and style as her.
“She looked like me and I felt there was a piece of me in her,” Pacheco, 17, said. “You see yourself in a doll and it’s really special to have that connection.”
But what about children with rare medical conditions who don’t look like anyone else? One day in January this year, Pacheco read a story about doll designer Amy Jandrisevits. Her “A Doll Like Me” project makes look alike dolls for children with disabilities. Pacheco wanted to make similar dolls.
Over the past several months, Pacheco has designed and sewn (缝制) cloth dolls for four local kids who have birthmarks, surgical scars (手术疤痕), or other special physical features. Pacheco asked the kids about their favorite sports and hobbies. She also watched doll-making vides and attended sewing camp.
One of the doll receivers is no longer a child, but she’s honored to have been chosen for the project. Zulema Gillett, 21 of Temecula has a particular disease, which caused her to be born with a cleft lip (唇裂) and only one ear. “Who doesn’t want a doll that los like them and that they could relate to?” Gillett said It’s really nice and very thoughtful.”
After she got her own sewing machine, Pacheco taught herself to sew blankets and clothes for the dolls She designed her own patterns and figured out how to re-create the children’s various appearances. It was important for her that the children could recognize themselves in the dolls However, their differences were not the most noticeable feature.
“I really value the beauty in little things,” Pacheco said. Each of these kids is so unique, so special. I hope through these dolls they can see themselves in a new light and rally appreciate their beauty.”
1. According to the first two paragraphs, what made Pacheco feel special?| A．Making a doll on her own. |
| B．Having a doll that looks like her. |
| C．Receiving a doll from her parents. |
| D．Being able to pick out her own doll. |
| A．her parents. |
| B．Amy Jandrisevits. |
| C．children who love dolls. |
| D．kids with special physical features. |
| A．She went to sewing camp. |
| B．She got help from other children. |
| C．She played sewing games online. |
| D．She joined a doll designer’s project. |
| A．She thanks Pacheco for her friendship. |
| B．She is honored to be a volunteer of the project. |
| C．She believes having a doll is helpful to children. |
| D．She loves the idea of special dolls for special children. |
| A．feel less lonely. |
| B．develop new hobbies. |
| C．value their own beauty. |
| D．forget about their differences. |
10 . How the Vox Book Club Works
Every month, we pick a book. We go through it week by week, with a discussion post (帖子) going up on the site every Friday. Each discussion post will contain thoughts and discussion questions from our book critic, but we’ll also have comments turned on so you can share your thoughts there with a chief editor, a column writer and even a TV host. Use our discussion posts as a jumping off point (起点) with your friends and family. And at the end of the month, we’ll hold a discussion.
Next June’s Main Discussion
Next June, we’ll turn to William Goldman’s The Princess Bride. It is a comedy, which is about how Westley saved his lovely and beautiful girlfriend Buttercup from a wizard (巫师) prince. You’ve probably seen the classic 1987 movie adapted from the book, which is one of those book-ad-movie pairs where each part can stand on its own, though they also perfect each other in very wonderful ways. That’s probably because William Goldman was also one of Hollywood’s greatest screenwriters.
The Vox Book Club Project for Next June
Friday, June 3, 2022: Discussion covering the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition—Chapter 4
Friday, June 10, 2022: Discussion covering Chapters 5-6
Friday, June 17, 2022: Discussion covering Chapters 7-8 in the original edition, plus Buttercup’s Baby at the end of later editions
Thursday, June23, 2022: Virtual (虚拟的) live event.
Come to join us, and sign up for the Vox Book Club newsletter (简报) to get the latest messages.
1. Who will raise discussion questions every Friday?| A．A TV host. | B．A book critic. |
| C．A chief editor. | D．A column writer, |
| A．It is about a sad love story. |
| B．It was written before 1985. |
| C．It is Hollywood’s greatest film. |
| D．It has been adapted into a film. |
| A．June 3, 2022. | B．June 10, 2022. |
| C．June 17, 2022. | D．June 23, 2022. |
| A．Take part in a virtual live discussion. |
| B．Discuss several chapters together. |
| C．Sign up for the club newsletter. |
| D．Complete the latest updates. |
| A．To call on us to join a book club. |
| B．To advertise The Princess Bride. |
| C．To introduce a discussion activity. |
| D．To teach readers how to read a novel. |
