1 . Leonardo da Vinci is often thought of mainly as an artist, with world-famous works like The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.     1     But his notebooks, filled with his strange writing, show that his main interests were in engineering and technology.

    2     If his pioneering work on anatomy (解剖学) is also taken into consideration, it is not hard to see why Leonardo is considered to be one of the greatest geniuses (天才) of all time.

Born in 1452 to a Florentine lawyer and a local village girl, Leonardo was given only a very basic education. After ten years in the workshop of the artist Verrocchio, he began to work for himself. The work he did shows an unbelievable combination of technical skill and very careful observation.    3    

At the age of thirty, he left his hometown and moved to Milan, where he spent seventeen years working for the Duke of Milan.     4     In fact, his painting was increasingly influenced by his interest in mathematics. During this period, he painted The Last Supper and developed his ideas for chemical weapons (化学武器).

In 1506 he returned to Milan and became increasingly interested in science.     5     He also studied many other animals, comparing their bodies to the human body. From then on, Leonardo spent the rest of his life mainly on his scientific studies.

A．Before long, he returned to his painting.

B．Of course, his place in art history is certain.

C．It also shows his great interest in technology.

D．The notebooks are full of drawings for all kinds of inventions.

E．He began to study human bodies and the movement of the blood.

F．Here he continued to combine his scientific work with his painting.

G．It was a good chance to make some money with his new inventions.

2 . A bicycle may be seen by most people as just another vehicle(交通工具), but for many Londoners, cycling is a way of life. According to an official UK government survey in 2017, about 570,000 bike journeys are made every day in London. In fact, almost half of the vehicles that pass over London Bridge each day are bikes.

London introduced a public bike-sharing system in 2010. “There can be no doubt that our trusty bicycles have changed the way people get around our great city,” Johnson told The Guardian in 2015.

In London, bikes are used for more than just taking short trips to and from the subway. No matter where you want to go in the city, taking a bike is usually the quickest and easiest choice.

And it’s not just shared bikes that the government is encouraging people to ride. In many companies across the UK, the UK government’s Cycle to Work scheme(骑行倡议) allows employees to buy a brand new bike without having to pay any tax(税). This means that it’s common to see many people cycling to and from work, and some employers even provide workplace showers and lockers(储物柜) for their workers. More importantly, a cycle-friendly boss may let you off for being late if you rode a bike to work.

Not only is it great for the environment and our body, cycling is also good for the mind. According to National Geographic Magazine, “Bike riding can improve people’s happiness.”

1. How does the author show the popularity of cycling in London?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By giving examples.
C．By using numbers.	D．By using famous sayings.

2. What’s Johnson’s attitude toward the bike-sharing system in London?

A．Supportive.	B．Doubtful.
C．Disappointed.	D．Uninterested.

3. What can employees get from the government under the “Cycle to Work” scheme?

A．Free bike-sharing services.	B．A tax-free bike.
C．Shorter working hours.	D．Workplace showers and lockers.

4. What’s the article mainly about?

A．Cycling as a healthy way of life.

B．London’s public bike-sharing system.

C．Why Londoners are encouraged to ride bikes.

D．How cycling has become popular in London.

3 . My First Marathon（马拉松）

A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.

I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P.E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later informed me that I was ＂not athletic＂.

The idea that I was ＂not athletic＂ stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!

The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.

Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces(鞋带) became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!

At mile 3, I passed a sign: ＂GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!＂

By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.

By mile 21, I was starving!

As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.

I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.

Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a ＂marathon winner＂.

1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.

A．was well trained	B．felt scared
C．made up his mind to run	D．lost hope

2. Why did the author mention the P.E. class in his 7th year?

A．To acknowledge the support of his teacher.

B．To amuse the readers with a funny story.

C．To show he was not talented in sports.

D．To share a precious memory.

3. How was the author’s first marathon?

A．He made it.	B．He quit halfway.
C．He got the first prize.	D．He walked to the end.

4. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．A man owes his success to his family support.

B．A winner is one with a great effort of will.

C．Failure is the mother of success.

D．One is never too old to learn.

4 . Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours

Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!

Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)

Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.

Capital City Bike Tour In Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D. C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.

Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (7miles)

Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.

1. Which tour do you need to book in advance?

A．Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

B．Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour.

C．Capital City Bike Tour in Washington.

D．Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour.

2. What will you do on the Capital City Bike Tour?

A．Meet famous people.	B．Go to a national park.
C．Visit well-known museums.	D．Enjoy interesting stories.

3. Which of the following does the bicycle tour at night provide?

A．City maps.	B．Cameras.
C．Meals.	D．Safety lights.

5 . A sense of humor is something highly valued. A person who has a great sense of humor is often considered to be happy and socially confident. However, humor is a double-edged sword.Sometimes it can damage self-respect and annoy others.

People who use bonding humor tell jokes and generally lighten the mood. They’re thought to be good at reducing the tension in uncomfortable situations. They often make fun of their common experiences, and sometimes they may even laugh off their own misfortunes. The basic message they deliver is: We’re all alike, we find the same things funny, and we’re all in this together.

Put-down humor, on the other hand, is an aggressive type of humor used to criticize others through teasing. When it’s aimed against politicians, as it often is, it’s extremely funny and mostly harmless. But in the real world, it may have a harmful effect. An example of such humor is telling friends an embarrassing story about another friend. When challenged about their teasing, the put-down jokers might claim that they are “just kidding,” thus allowing themselves to avoid responsibility. This type of humor, though considered by some people to be socially acceptable, may hurt the feelings of the one being teased and thus have a bad effect on personal relationships.

Finally, in hate-me humor, the joker is the target of the joke for the amusement of others. This type of humor was used by comedians John Belushi and Chris Farley—both of whom suffered for their success in show business. A small amount of such humor is charming, but routinely offering oneself up to be embarrassed destroys one’s self-esteem, and fosters depression and anxiety.

So it seems that being funny isn’t necessarily an indicator of good social skills and well-being. In certain cases, it may actually have a negative effect on interpersonal relationships.

1. What does the underlined sentence mean? ―Humor is a double-edged sword.

A．Humor is a tool to do two things.

B．Humor has its own advantages and disadvantages.

C．Humor is like a sword with two edges.

D．Humor is double as meaningful as a sword.

2. In bonding humor, people create a relaxing atmosphere by _______.

A．teasing experiences of their friends

B．showing their personal relationships

C．joking about experiences they share

D．laughing at other’s misfortunes

3. Which of the following is among the common targets of put-down humor?

A．Comedians.

B．Jokers.

C．Actors.

D．Politicians

4. In the passage, the author mainly conveys ______.

A．humor has its bright side and dark side

B．humor can be classified into three kinds

C．humor deserves to be studied

D．humor is highly valued

6 . How to keep fit

Nowadays, with the high pace of modern life, more and more people are in the state of sub-health (亚健康). A healthy body is very important to every one of us. The steps to good health aren’t complex. Here are some suggested ways.    1    

• Form good healthy habits. Better your healthy lifestyle by adopting a variety of healthy habits, including getting enough sleep. Sleep is one of the most important bodily functions to make cells healthy again.    2    Do your best to manage stress through healthy activities. Cutting down on alcohol use, quitting tobacco, and staying connected to friends and family members can also keep you healthier.

• Do exercise. I don’t know whether you discover that most of the ancient people are healthy.    3    It is approximately equal to doing exercise every day. If people want to be healthy, they had better do exercise frequently. As for what kind of exercise you should take, I would say just depending on yourselves. If you are a busy person and have no special time allocated to do these things, there are still some ways useful to keep fit. The easiest way is to walk to your office instead of taking a bus.

•    4    people in the modern society have many choices to pick food. What people pick the most is meat and high caloric (热量的) food. Those foods can easily make people get fat.    5    Therefore, keeping a good diet is necessary, which means eating more fruits and vegetables in the meat world. However, this doesn’t mean you have to completely give up your favorite foods. A healthy diet is all about balance.

A．Keep a good diet.

B．And then the health problem comes.

C．Realize the importance of keeping fit.

D．You should get at least six hours of sleep a night.

E．If you try, a life of good quality will be the reward.

F．The reason is that they have to do labor work every day.

G．It is said that keeping a good mood will lead to a good body.

7 . Have you felt annoyed when a cellphone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this. Now in New York City, USA, a rule is carried out in schools. Students can’t even bring cellphones to school. Is it a good thing or not?

Anxious parents say that cell phones are an important tool in holding New York City’s families together.

＂I worry about it,＂ said Elizabeth Lorries Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid. It’s necessary in our everyday life. We have a washing machine. We have running water, and we have cell phones.＂

Many American parents think cell phones connect them to their children on buses, getting out from subways, and walking through unknown places.

＂I have her call me when she gets out of school,＂said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl’s mother.＂No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cell phone.＂

What about the cell phone owners, the students? Most of the students said cell phones were essential and the cell phone was like an extra hand or foot for them.

＂I feel so empty,＂said May Chom, 14. ＂There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone. It will be a really, really boring trip.＂

1. Students often use a cell phone _____________.

A．to enjoy listening to music	B．to make phone calls to their teachers
C．to walk as an extra foot	D．to work as a washing machine

2. According to the passage, _____________.

A．many American parents don’t think cell phones are necessary for the students

B．cell phones only bring troubles to the school life

C．cell phones connect children with their families when they are outside

D．cell phones can help students learn better

3. What does the underlined word ＂essential＂ mean in Chinese?

A．时髦的

B．重要的

C．多余的

D．昂贵的

4. What’s the parents’ attitude towards the rule — not to use a cell phone in school?

A．Supportive.

B．Negative.

C．Objective.

D．Doubtful.

8 . The journey to the moon had been the first step toward future exploration(探险) in space. The distance between the Moon and Earth is very short indeed when compared with the distances between Earth and the other planets. Mars, the nearest planet to Earth is millions of miles away. Traveling to the planets will be man’s next aim. Such travels will be more challenging than the trip to the moon and certainly more adventurous.

Recently, two American spaceships, Vikings 1 and 2, landed on Mars trying to discover whether that planet has any life on it. So far the signs of life on Mars has neither confirmed(确认) nor ruled out. Russians have discovered that the surface of Venus(金星) is so hot that it is almost certain that there is no life there. Also the atmosphere of Venus is extremely dense(稠) and the pressure is nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Scientists believe man may find planets which have the same conditions as those we have on Earth, but man should realize Earth will be his only home for a long time and begin to love and care for it.

1. According to the passage, traveling to the planets will be ________.

A．much easier and even more interesting

B．far more exciting and dangerous

C．man’s final aim

D．man’s first step

2. Which of the following is Not true?

A．Mars is nearer to the earth than the moon.

B．The moon is much nearer to the earth than Mars.

C．Of all the planets, Mars is the nearest to the earth.

D．All the planets are much farther to the earth.

3. From the passage, we can guess ________.

A．there is life on Mars

B．there is no life on Mars

C．the atmosphere of Mars is not so dense as that of Venus

D．scientists will have little hope to find the answers

4. Man can live on under the conditions of _______.

A．much too hot surface	B．the same pressure as we get on earth
C．normal atmosphere as we have on earth	D．both B and C

9 . I love charity(慈善) shops and so do lots of other people in Britain because you find quite a few of them on every high street. The charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won’t find in the shops anymore. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.

The first charity shop was opened in 1947 by Oxfam. The famous charity’s appeal to aid postwar Greece had been so successful it had been flooded with donations(捐赠物). They decided to set up a shop to sell some of these donations to raise money for that appeal. Now there are over 7,000 charity shops in the UK. My favourite charity shop in my hometown is the Red Cross shop, where I always find children’s books, all 10 or 20 pence each.

Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public. Every morning you see bags of unwanted items outside the front of shops, although they don’t encourage this, rather ask people to bring things in when the shop is open.

The shops have very low running costs: all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than ￡110 million a year, funding(资助) medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. What better place to spend your money? You get something special for a very good price and a good moral sense. You provide funds to a good cause and tread lightly on the environment.

1. The author loves the charity shop mainly because of       .

A．its convenient location	B．its great variety of goods
C．its spirit of goodwill	D．its nice shopping environment

2. The first charity shop in the UK was set up to       .

A．sell cheap products	B．deal with unwanted things
C．raise money for patients	D．help a foreign country

3. Which of the following is TRUE about charity shops?

A．The operating costs are very low.	B．The staff are usually well paid.
C．90% of the donations are second-hand.	D．They are open twenty-four hours a day.

4. Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?

A．What to Buy at Charity Shops.

B．Charity Shop: Its Origin & Development.

C．Charity Shop: Where You Buy to Donate.

D．The Public’s Concern about Charity Shops.

10 . As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.

In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.

In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory (交互记忆)”

According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn’t mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.

1. The passage begins with two questions to ________.

A．introduce the main topic	B．show the author’s attitude
C．describe how to use the Internet	D．explain how to store information

2. What can we learn about the first experiment?

A．Sparrow’s team typed the information into a computer.

B．The two groups remembered the information equally well.

C．The first group did not try to remember the formation.

D．The second group did not understand the information.

3. In transactive memory, people ________.

A．keep the information in mind

B．change the quantity of information

C．organize information like a computer

D．remember how to find the information

4. What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?

A．We are using memory differently.

B．We are becoming more intelligent.

C．We have poorer memories than before.

D．We need a better way to access information.