2 . Earth is far more alive than we previously thought, according to “deep life” studies that reveal a rich underground ecosystem beneath our feet that is almost twice the size of all the world’s oceans. Despite extreme heat, no light and intense pressure, scientists estimate it has between 15 billion and 23 billion tonnes of microorganisms. “It’s like finding a whole new reservoir (储藏) of life on Earth,” said Karen Lloyd an associate professor at the University of Tennessee.

Results suggest 70 percent of Earth’s bacteria and archaea exist in the subsurface. One organism found 2.5 kilometers below the surface has been buried for millions of years and may not rely at all on energy from the sun. Also, the methanogen (产甲烷菌) has found a way to create methane in this environment, which the methanogen may not use to reproduce or divide, but use to replace or repair broken parts. Lengths of their lives were completely different. Some microorganisms have been alive for thousands of years, barely moving except with shifts in earthquakes or eruptions. They’re just active inside, with less energy than people thought possible to support life.

The team consists of 1,200 scientists from 52 countries in disciplines ranging from geology and microbiology to chemistry and physics. A year before the conclusion of their study, they will present the findings before the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting opens this week, which they say are made possible by technical advances on drills and microscopes.

The scientists have been wondering about the point beyond which life cannot exist, but the deeper they dig, the more life they find. There is a temperature maximum—currently 122℃—but they believe this record will be broken if they keep exploring and developing more advanced instruments.

Questions remain, including how the microbes interact with chemical processes, and what this might reveal about how life and Earth coevolved.

1. What do the scientists find about the underground organisms?

A．They can’t reproduce and divide.	B．They’re the oldest living things.
C．Some of them consume no energy.	D．Some of them almost always keep still.

2. What can we learn about the research from paragraph 3?

A．It last for around one year.	B．It involves efforts from many fields.
C．It promotes technical development.	D．It is conducted in 52 countries.

3. Why does the scientists dig deep?

A．To break their previous record.

B．To find the depth limit of life.

C．To discover more ancient microorganisms.

D．To measure the highest subsurface temperature.

4. Which of the following can be the best title?

A．Earth Depths Are Full of Life.

B．Organisms Live Better Underground.

C．Earth Is Fat Beyond Human Exploration.

D．Subsurface Life Differs from That on Land.

3 . As you walk around the UK in March, you might notice that some people are wearing a daffodil (水仙花) on their coats. The British wear these yellow flowers to show they support one of this country’s best-known charities: Marie Curie.

Marie Curie tries to ensure everyone who has cancer is cared for in the best possible way. It also helps fun d research into possible cures. Founded in 1948, it has been continuing with its goal ever since.

The charity was named after Marie Curie, a famous scientist. She experimented with newly-discovered elements to create the theory of radioactivity (放射性). Unfortunately, over-exposure to the radioactive elements made her develop a disease and die in 1934. Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in two different fields. Because of her pioneering work, the charity decided on the name of Marie Curie.

The daffodil is one of the first plants to flower during spring in the UK, which marks the return of flowering plants to the ecosystem after winter. Because of this, the charity uses the daffodil as a symbol, hoping cancer patients could recover from sickness.

Everyone you see wearing a daffodil has contributed to the charity, but each daffodil is worth only what you want to pay for it. The charity does ask that you stick to a minimum amount of £1.

The charity encourages people to start wearing their daffodils at the start of March, when the “Great Daffodil Appeal” kicks off. But that doesn’t mean you can only wear them in March. People are sometimes seen walking around with daffodils on their clothes all year round.

1. Why do some British people wear a daffodil?

A．To advocate a charity.	B．To celebrate patients’ recovery.
C．To remember a scientist.	D．To offer hope to cancer patients.

2. What makes the charity use the name of Marie Curie?

A．Marie Curie’s support for the charity.	B．Marie Curie’s achievement in cancer treatment.
C．Marie Curie’s study on radioactivity.	D．Marie Curie’s concern over cancer patients.

3. What does the daffodil imply according to the charity?

A．Bringing life to other people.	B．Returning of flowering plants.
C．Contributing money to the charity.	D．Encouraging patients to cheer up.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．A change in a British custom.	B．The effect of a campaign.
C．A special activity held in March.	D．The time to wear daffodils.

4 . Travelling with friends can be an amazing experience where you could make lifelong memories or it could ruin your friendship.     1     Here are some rules you should follow to make sure your next trip with friends goes as smoothly as possible.

    2     Sure, you and your friends probably have some similar interests, but that’s not always the case. In an effort to keep everyone happy, go over travel plans and expectations ahead of time. Have each person categorize activities or sights into “must-see”, “want to see” and “would go if we have time”. Plan accordingly and make sure everyone can see some of their top attractions.

Communicate and respect each other. Everyone has personal preferences when travelling— from getting the bed closest to the bathroom or sitting in the airplane’s window seat. But sometimes things don’t go as you like. In this case, share your requirements directly with your travel companions.     3     Have a conversation when problems arise, for communication is the key.

Don’t disappear. When travelling with a group — or even just one other person — you may want some alone time. That’s completely fine, but make sure your friends know where you are and have a way of contacting you.     4    

Get off your phone. Of course, your friends will understand if you need to take a call from a family member, or in the event of a work emergency, but other than that, try to stay off your phone.     5     After all, the appeal of this type of trip is to spend time with friends. Just enjoy it!

A．Give each other some space.

B．Include at least one activity for everyone.

C．So it’s important to make sure you and your friend(s) are on the same page.

D．At the same time, listen to their concerns and be respectful of them.

E．Don’t respond to less important work contact or send messages frequently.

F．It’s especially true of travelling in foreign countries or unfamiliar places.

G．And remember that consideration and respect go a long way.

5 . There are many weird sports that are present around the world. From each region of the world, along with the very popular common sports, there are also those really popular but very weird kinds of sports.

The Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses

This is indeed a very strange kind of sport that tests your stamina (耐力). You will learn how to be agile (灵活的) while competing against a horse. This game originated in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells. This sport really has to do with strength. You will require great agility and strength in order to take part in this. Marathon human contestants are put to compete against those mounted people. This is how the marathon testing takes place.

Love Locked Races

This is a sports event that was first introduced in Finland. This is all about a male competitor racing with a female in a certain way. There would be many obstructions and blocks on the way which would definitely bring you challenges. The person to win would have to finish the race without losing his female partner in the course of overcoming the obstacles even for once. This race takes place really fast and the obstacles are set that way.

The Toe Sport

This is yet another weird sport that welcomes you to use your toes. This is quite the same kind of sport that you used to play as a child which involved toe wrestling. This has now been turned into a major sport that even has a World Toe Wrestling Competition. It first originated in a pub of Derbyshire.

The locals took this sport with great enjoyment and then made this so popular that it soon had its own championship. The individuals who participate have only got to use their feet and then this is tougher than it may sound.

The Mud Pit Belly Flop

This is a kind of game where even the spectators (观众) get splashed with mud but in fact that is quite the fun. The very annual Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin bring about this game and bring about some of the greatest hubcap-discus throws with it. This is also a great sport to show the strength and dexterity of your feet.

1. Which sport requires couples to participate?

A．The Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses.	B．Love Locked Races.
C．The Toe Sport.	D．The Mud Pit Belly Flop.

2. Which statement shows the popularity of the Toe Sport?

A．It first originated in a pub of Derbyshire.

B．The locals took this sport with great enjoyment.

C．It has a World Toe Wrestling Competition.

D．Even kids are fond of the sport.

3. What kinds of people are likely to take part in the Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses?

A．People with agility and strength.	B．People with companions.
C．Marathon runners.	D．Horse riders.

6 . Teenagers who travel around the world alone have been making headlines quite often. A young person alone in a dangerous situation attracts attention and supporters. Young sailors also attract various views. For example, Jessica Watson was asked by the government to call off her solo trip across the ocean, yet the Prime Minister (总理) called her “a hero for young Australians” when she returned.   It seems views are poles apart on the ability and independence of young people.

Some experts tell us that teenage brains are likely to make wrong judgments. But such ideas often do not apply to specific individuals (个体) . Between the ages of 14 and 18, teenagers differ greatly in their abilities. The amount of independence that each is allowed should be determined not simply by their ages but by discussion with the related, responsible adults. Some teens are certainly inexperienced and make childish mistakes, but the ones who attempt dangerous journeys normally do so by winning the confidence of hard-headed and experienced adult supporters.

But it’s also wrong to think that any 16-year-old can make a hit as Jessica Watson. Watson calls herself “a common girl who had a dream”. Her purpose is to encourage teenagers but this idea can have the opposite effect of making them feel not good enough because great achievements are beyond them. Should all teens have such wild dreams? Actually, individuals face different conditions that limit their dreams.

Teenagers who travel around the world alone should not be judged by preconceived (先入为主的) views about young people. Nor should young “common” teenagers feel pressure to long for extraordinary personal goals. In fact, I believe the example of solo sailing overstresses what an individual can do. The teenage years are when most of us “common” people learn that we can achieve great things in cooperation with others.

1. Why is Jessica Watson mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To set a heroic example for teenagers.

B．To point out the public’s interest in young people.

C．To introduce different opinions on teenagers’ adventures.

D．To show the Prime Minister disagreed with the government.

2. What can determine the amount of teenagers’ independence?

A．Different journeys.	B．Brain development.
C．Communication with adults.	D．Confidence in themselves.

3. What does Watson mean by calling herself “a common girl who had a dream”?

A．She likes dangerous journeys.	B．Teenagers can make success.
C．She can accept she is common.	D．Teenagers should go travelling.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards teenagers’ act of travelling alone?

A．Doubtful.

B．Supportive.

C．Uncaring.

D．Uncertain.

7 . Mandy and Joe have been married for five years and they both love travelling to new countries. But while this hobby brings them together, it is also a source of contention. “I do all the planning and book.” says Mandy. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy it, but if Joe paid a bit more attention, he wouldn’t have turned up for a flight to Grenada packed for a winter city break. ‘Jumpers and boots?!’I cried.’ You’re supposed to have packed shorts and T-s—it’s 30℃ in the Caribbean!!Then I realized he thought we were going to Granada, in Spain.”

How Joe and Mandy each approach their travel plans is just one example of the many ways in which men and women differ. Yet, is what goes on inside our minds and bodies really so different? Furthermore, are we born that way?

On this issue, scientists are divided. The majority of scientists believed that patterns of behavior thought to be: male or female are learnt firstly from our parents, then from our peers(同伴)and, ultimately, from the societies in which we live. As Simone de Beauvoir famously said, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.”

On the other side of the fence sat those who believed that male and female brains are actually wired (与生俱来的) differently. In one study in which 34 monkeys were required to interact with different types of toys, the males showed s strong preference for toys with wheels rather than soft toys, whereas the females were noticeably drawn to soft toys. These preferences were clearly not the result of parental influence.

Whatever the truth behind the differences between men and women, we can safely conclude that although the social impact on how we think and behave is undoubted, there exists a biological contribution. The question that now needs answering is to what degree biology affects the choices we make and the way other people treat us.

1. What does the underlined word “contention” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Satisfaction.

B．Disagreement

C．Influence.

D．Information

2. What topic does the text focus on?

A．Whether men and women are different	B．Why minds and bodies are so different.
C．How different males and females are.	D．What causes the sex difference.

3. What does the study about monkeys prove?

A．Monkeys have their own preferences.	B．Parents indeed have strong impacts.
C．Men and women are born different.	D．Females and males behave differently.

4. Which statement about sex differences does the author probably agree with?

A．Biology leads to the differences.	B．Biology mostly affects our choices.
C．Social influence can be ignored.	D．Peers have more impact than parents.

8 . I just flew from Berlin, Germany, to Atlanta,Gcorgia, and it took me 24 hours due lo the weather-related delay during my stopover in New York. Like many other passengers, I was so worm out, annoyed, and helpless that I could barely hold it together.

The pilot, called Thiemy Beyeler, was different. He left the flight deck and walked to the dissatisfied passengers to apologize and comfort them.The pilot's appropriate behavior set the tone and ensured no one got angry. It reminded me of the beauty of “elegance(优雅)under pressure”. Thierry Beyeler was a pilot with Swiss International Air Lines, for which he flew various aircraft. During the delay, I had the chance to speak to Beyelor and learn about his experience as a pilot.

He said, “Flying is a bit like eating chocolate. I love every flight. However, when you have 16 flights in four days, then that's too much chocolate for me..." As for crisis(危机)situations, he did have a few. “Once, I had an engine failure, but that's rare, and we handled it. Another time, we had smoke in the cabin,and we went to land quickly. In end, it was just the air conditioning having some problems…."He believes, "As Murphty's law puts it, 'What can be wrong will go wrong'. So think about it and try to prepare mentally."

Beyeler continued, "Compared with cars, a flight is a high-risk environment; it's not like riding a bike. Even if there was a minor error, it could have fatal consequences. Every pilot is quite professional in the field. But it is the strong mindset(观念模式)in the chaos(混乱)that plays the key role. Humans stop in technical systems to solve items countless times a day, and it would be dangerous if the pilot became nervous and forgot that."

I’ve been touched by Beycler's words. I understand that human factors, including confidence, courage, sensibility, and emotional intelligence are becoming more and more important in today's world.

1. How did Beyeler sound facing the long delay according to the text?

A．Discouraged and tired.	B．Calm and positive.
C．Helpless and anxious.	D．Annoyed and cold-hearted.

2. What does Beycler want to show by mentioning"eating chocolate"?

A．Flying brings him much fun.

B．Flying involves various crisis situations.

C．Too many flight tasks can be unacceptable for him.

D．Too many crisis situations have Happened to him.

3. What does Beyeler consider important for pilots during crises?

A．Gaining a good sense of time.	B．Having great strength of mind.
C．Knowing all the technical systems well.	D．Having a good grasp of professional knowledge.

4. What did the author think of his communication with Beyeler?

A．Boring.

B．Frightening.

C．Rewarding

D．Confusing

9 . I live in Xizhou in Yunnan Province, on the historic Tea Horse Road. I have to admit that when I first heard that Paul Salopek was going to walk the entire globe on his own two feet, I was blown away. I couldn’t imagine that there could be such an unusual person in the world.

Last May, I met Paul. He told me that it was his first time in China. He talked to me with great excitement about the history, migrations, and discoveries in my region of China. He spoke of the Shu-Yandu Dao (the Southern Silk Road), the travels of the 17th-century Chinese explorer Xu Xiake, the Tea Horse Road and the early 20th-century American botanist Joseph Rock. He also talked of Xuanzang. Paul considered many of them heroes and in a sense Chinese pioneers of slow journalism.

I decided to accompany Paul on his walk toward Yunnan. On September 28, 2021, we set out. Our days were simple: walk, eat, sleep, and repeat. We woke up at sunrise, set off in high spirits, and rested at sunset, dragging ourselves into exhausted sleep.

We met many people on the road. Some were curious, surrounding us and watching us; some gave us directions; some invited us into their home to take a rest; some spoke of the charm of their hometown. We met many beautiful souls, simple souls and warm souls. We were walking with our minds.

Together, we were impressed by the biodiversity of the Gaoligong Mountains. As I walked on ancient paths through mountains, I seemed to hear the antique voices of past travelers urging me to be careful on the road.

Looking back on the more than 200 miles I walked with Paul, I came to a realization. Walking for its own sake, while healthy and admirable, is only a small part of the benefit of moving with our feet. A deeper reward is rediscovering the world around us, shortening the distance between each other, and sharing each other’s cultures.

1. How did the writer first respond to Paul’s travel plan?

A．Scared.	B．Puzzled.
C．Disappointed.	D．Surprised.

2. What can we learn about Paul Salopek from paragraph 2?

A．He was a western journalist.	B．He had a knowledge of China.
C．He came to China several times.	D．He was Joseph Rock’s acquaintance.

3. What does paragraph 4 tell us about the writer and Paul?

A．They honored the ancestors.	B．They set off in high spirits.
C．They satisfied the locals’ curiosity.	D．They built bonds with people.

4. What is the main purpose of the writer’s writing the text?

A．To share and reflect on a journey.	B．To suggest a new way of travel.
C．To advocate protection of biodiversity.	D．To introduce and promote Chinese culture.