1 . There are some unusual wonders of our world places that most people haven’t heard about and probably don’t want to visit. But it’s good to take a step away from everything else we’ve known and see something new!
Library of Celsus, TürkiyeThe Library of Celsus was a public library built by Tiberius Julius Acquila in ancient Ephesus, now in modern-day Türkiye. It was built on the Mount Koressos and its construction began in 114 AD and ended in 117 AD. It is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings due to its Roman-time structures, which were built using marble, a type of hard, decorative stone.
Meteora, GreeceMeteora is a group of monasteries (修道院) in Greece located on top of tall rock pillars (柱子). Meteora contains 24 monasteries built on natural sandstone rock pillars between the 11th and 15th century AD. Meteora is one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations and has been a World Heritage Site since 1988.
Tower of Hercules, SpainThe Tower of Hercules is a Roman lighthouse built in 14 BC on the coast of Spain. You may be wondering how a place that was built much earlier than some of the other wonders of the world can still be considered a wonder today. Well, it was, once one of lighthouses in Europe. The tower has been rebuilt several times, but it still stands today.
Toruń, PolandToruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is the capital of the province of Kujawsko-Pomorskie. Toruń was founded by Teutonic Order in the mid-13th century as an important city on the trade route between Kraków and Gdańsk. The name “Toruń” comes from two German words — “tor” means gate or tower and “tun” means settlement; therefore, “Tower settlement”.
1. What makes Library of Celsus one of the best-preserved ancient buildings?| A．Its special purpose. | B．Its geographic position. |
| C．Its preservation skills. | D．Its construction materials. |
| A．Library of Celsus. | B．Meteora. |
| C．Tower of Hercules. | D．Toruń. |
| A．The origin of its name. | B．The theory of its design. |
| C．The time of its visit. | D．The ways of its construction. |
2 . In a new study, researchers found a link between outdoor education and science grades. The findings indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender (性别) gaps in science. “The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive,” says lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University.
“The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it’s also a great context for employing teaching practices like hands-on, inquiry-based learning or group work. These practices can be good for all students, but they may be particularly good for reaching students who aren’t as well-served in classroom settings,” Stevenson says.
The researchers studied the impact of an outdoor science education program called Muddy Sneakers on fifth graders’ science grades and knowledge of, and attitude about, science.
Fifth graders from western North Carolina attended between 6 and 10 days of Muddy Sneakers. They had science lessons in nearby natural areas, including state parks and school grounds, Outdoor lessons followed the standard course of study for science through hands-on activities, hikes, nature exploration, and reflections.
Researchers compared the performance of 237 students who learned about science in the classroom to 403 students who participated in the outdoor program. When researchers evaluated (评估) students’ science grades by gender, they saw that girls who participated in the outdoor science program maintained their science grades on average (平均), while girls’ average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in the outdoor program helped girls learn more about how science works on average, but traditional classrooms did not.
Boys in the outdoor and traditional class settings had fairly stable science grades on average and saw similar gains in knowledge of how science works. “Outdoor education seems to be one of those contexts that helps everyone learn, but it may be really, really helpful for some students in particular,” Stevenson says.
1. What does the underlined word “tangible” in paragraph l mean?| A．Practical. | B．Ineffective. | C．Challenging. | D．Unfair. |
| A．To improve fifth graders’ science grades. |
| B．To provide part-time jobs for the students. |
| C．To learn the effect of outdoor education on students. |
| D．To earn some money from different kinds of courses. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By interviewing students. |
| C．By explaining the causes. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. | C．Unclear. | D．Objective. |
3 . Grain Rain is the sixth solar term (节气) in the twenty-four solar terms, which is from an old Chinese saying — rain produces hundreds of grains.
The Chinese name of Grain Rain was originated from a folk story. When Cang Jie, an official in the Yellow Emperor period, created a set of characters from observing the tracks of animals, countless grain came down from the sky like rainfall.
Seeing peonies (牡丹) three days after Grain Rain has become a tradition in northern China. Because the flowering of the peonies happens during Grain Rain, it is also known as the “Flower of the Grain Rain”.
| A．There is an interesting folk story about Grain Rain |
| B．The customs of Grain Rain vary from place to place |
| C．Therefore, the Yellow Emperor named this day as guyu |
| D．The flower represents grace and honor in Chinese culture |
| E．They play an important role in our traditional farming society |
| F．This means the rain is important for the growth of grain at this time of year |
| G．On the day of Grain Rain, people will come to pick some new tea and drink it |
4 . With mounting evidence that nanoplastic particles (纳米塑料微粒) are in our bodies, there is growing concern over their potential health impacts. Now a new study finds a relation between nanoplastics in the brain and a higher risk for Parkinson’s disease.
Nanoplastics appear when the plastic packaging breaks down into small pieces. These particles can enter the blood and cross the blood-brain barrier, with European researchers reporting earlier this year that in animal experiments, it can take two hours or less for certain nanoplastics to reach the brain after being eaten.
In humans, it’s long been thought that environmental factors play a role in Parkinson’s disease but specific causes are still unclear. The new study from the Duke University School of Medicine details how nanoplastics cause chemical changes in the brain that can, in turn, make Parkinson’s and related types of diseases more likely.
That’s because the nanoplastics attract a protein (蛋白质) called alpha-synuclein, known to play a role in Parkinson’s and related disorders. In lab and animal studies, the plastic’s interaction with it leads to increases in the affected neurons in the brain. This interaction appears related to favorable conditions in which Parkinson’s can develop.
The study authors note that Parkinson’s disease existed long before nanoplastics appeared in the environment, but they think that this “nanoplastics pollution in the human brain” may prove a new poison.
Further, the Duke team led by Dr. Andrew West notes that Parkinson’s disease is among the fastest growing nervous diseases in the world, even as the amazing amount of plastic pollution builds across the planet. This is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“The technology to monitor nanoplastics is still at the earliest possible stages and not ready yet to answer all the questions we have,” West said. “But hopefully efforts in this area will increase rapidly, as we see what these particles can do in our experiments.”
1. Where is the text most probably taken from?| A．A product advertisement. |
| B．A science journal. |
| C．An art magazine. |
| D．A travel brochure. |
| A．The conditions leading to Parkinson’s. |
| B．The cause of alpha-synuclein’s appearance. |
| C．The principle of nanoplastics’ impact on Parkinson’s. |
| D．The difference between Parkinson’s and related disorders. |
| A．Plastic pollution will by no means be avoided. |
| B．Nanoplastics are impossible to deal with at present. |
| C．Fewer people will suffer from Parkinson’s in the future. |
| D．More efforts in the study of nanoplastics will be put in. |
| A．Nanoplastics can enter the brain through blood |
| B．Nanoplastics may promote Parkinson’s disease |
| C．Alpha-synuclein plays a role in Parkinson’s disease |
| D．Nanoplastics will do serious harm to human health |
5 . Are you looking for some movies? You’ve landed on the right place. Let’s take a look at the list I’ve collected.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is the story of John Nash, a mathematician who went on to win the Nobel Prize for his Game Theory. This movie brings his whole journey on screen—from his beginning to his downhill ride.
The first half is all about his rise to fame while the second half shows how he slowly falls into madness. After many years of fighting, he finally is victorious.
I.Q.
The story is about an auto mechanic who falls for Albert Einstein’s niece. The only problem is that she is engaged (已订婚的) to someone else. Fortunately, Einstein likes him. The young man pretends to be a physicist to run after her, but things don’t go as he has planned.
If A Beautiful Mind was a little too heavy for you, I.Q. would be the perfect fit. It’s a light drama that is funny and heartwarming for the most part.
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting is a touching tale of a troubled young man called Will Hunting who is gifted with a natural talent in mathematics.
However, he is struggling to find his identity. He can solve any math problem, but not the one he seems to be struggling within his life. His life seems to be getting only worse until one day he meets Sean, a therapist, who helps him find direction in life.
Creation
Creation is a story of a famous scientist, Charles Darwin, best known for his Theory of Evolution. This movie attempts to bring his struggling days into focus, the time when he was dealing with the loss of his daughter and was suffering from hallucinations (幻觉). At the same time, he was working on a book called On the Origins of Species, which he finally completed.
All in all, Creation is a great historical drama.
1. If you are interested in a relaxing movie, which one can you see?| A．I.Q | B．Creation | C．A Beautiful Mind | D．Good Will Hunting |
| A．Will Hunting and Sean. | B．John Nash and Will Hunting. |
| C．Charles Darwin and Sean. | D．John Nash and Charles Darwin. |
| A．To introduce movies. | B．To promote science. |
| C．To recommend actors. | D．To compare movies. |
6 . What do you do with the things you love? You probably take care of them and keep them safe. That’s not what Cameron Payne does. The boy from North Carolina is sharing his love of books by giving them away.
When Cameron heard about a family who lost everything in a house fire, he was looking for a way to help them. He was sad that all of their books were destroyed. That’s when he created his program, which gives books away to people in need.
Cameron’s program collects books for young people of all ages and reading levels. He collects books for kids who are blind or with low vision, too, because he wants everyone to have books. Cameron knows that books can help kids think about their future. They do this by helping kids dream about what they might be when they grow up. Learning about new things can give kids new interests. Six years later, Cameron is still giving away books.
Many of the books he gives away were given to him by others, but Cameron’s grandmother also shops for books that don’t cost a lot. She buys books that are new or that look new. In addition to working with schools, Cameron and his grandmother give books to children in places near their home, such as hospitals, libraries, and day camps.
Cameron wants to keep his program going and growing. Over the past six years, he has given away more than 3,000 books. He has also won many prizes for his work. His program has grown over the years, too. Last Christmas, Cameron was able to give away toys and books.
Cameron Payne does a lot for kids by giving away the things he loves. Who needs help in your community? How might you help?
1. What caused Cameron to create his program?| A．His own books destroyed by a fire. |
| B．Someone’s losing all the books to a fire. |
| C．His house’s being burned down by a fire. |
| D．Somebody’s sadness about the accident. |
| A．Children with hearing loss can receive new books. |
| B．Books are given to children with advanced levels. |
| C．Children have no interest in new books at all. |
| D．Cameron’s granny makes contributions to book collection. |
| A．Because the author intends to encourage more people to help others. |
| B．Because the author would like to attract readers’ interest. |
| C．Because the author wants to remind people to value books. |
| D．Because the author plans to leave a deep impression on readers. |
| A．Selfish and distant. | B．Selfless and helpful. |
| C．Well-rounded and hopeful. | D．Confident and positive. |
7 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf causes serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following does the author most probably recommend?| A．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Cycling around a lake. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| C．It pollutes the Earth with chemicals and wastes. |
| D．It needs water and energy to keep its courses. |
| A．it uses fewer resources | B．it improves our health |
| C．it is an outdoor sport | D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．show us the function of major sports |
| B．encourage us to take up green sports |
| C．discuss the major influence of popular sports |
| D．introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
8 . Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize winner, is a Pakistani teenage girl. And she is best known for her wonderful work advancing the education and rights of women and girls in Pakistan.
Born in 1997, Mala la grew up in the Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, where the leading party gained control in 2007, and education for girls and cultural activities like playing music and flying kites were banned (禁止).
Despite the dangers, Mala la continued to attend school and became an outspoken speaker for educational rights for girls in Pakistan. In 2012, at the age of 15, she was shot in the head on her way home from school.
Fortunately, Mala la survived the attack and continued her work from abroad, eventually becoming the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, at the age of just 17.
Malala’s story proves the power of cultural diversity and the importance of fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all to the world. Her unshakable devotion to education and helping women and girls for their rights has inspired people around the world and serves as a reminder that even in the face of great adversities, change is possible.
In addition to her work, Mala la has also founded the Malala Fund, which aims to provide education and resources to girls in some of the world’s least developed areas.
Today, Mala la continues to be a leading voice in the fight for equality and justice, and her story also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving and celebrating diversity in all its forms.
1. What does Mala la Yousafzai want most to achieve for girls in Pakistan?| A．Their rights for voting. | B．Their rights for schooling. |
| C．Their opportunities for jobs. | D．Their chances for key positions. |
| A．Times. | B．Difficulties. | C．Situations. | D．Puzzles. |
| A．Ambitious and energetic. | B．Responsible and thoughtful. |
| C．Brave and determined | D．Pioneering and adventurous. |
| A．Her surviving the killing. |
| B．Her winning the Noble Peace Prize. |
| C．Her seeking for justice for her people. |
| D．Her fighting for equal rights for females. |
9 . Are you thinking about what to do in your free time? Come and join us — Youth Club! Join in lessons and activities. It’s fun! For more information, call 34789256!
Lessons | Activities |
| Monday-Friday 6:00 pm-7:30 p.m. Computer lessons for beginners | Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Basketball and volleyball playgrounds open |
| Monday and Wednesday 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Dance lessons for dance-lovers You can learn and enjoy wonderful dances | Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Swimming pool open |
| Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Cooking lessons Learn to cook delicious dishes from all over China | The second and last Saturdays of every month 7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Concert time Enjoy Swedish rock, American jazz and beautiful songs from different parts of the world! |
| A．Computer lessons. | B．Cooking lessons. |
| C．Dance lessons. | D．Swimming lessons. |
| A．Saturday and Sunday. | B．Monday and Saturday. |
| C．Monday and Wednesday. | D．Monday and Sunday. |
| A．Twice a week. | B．Twice a month. |
| C．Four times a month. | D．Five times a week. |
10 . Text messaging, or simply “texting”, which allows people to send and receive messages on mobile phones, becomes very popular today.
The advantages of texting are obvious. Texting helps to save money. If you have a few words to greet your families and friends on their birthdays or on some important festivals, sending messages can be cheaper than phone calling. Texting helps to save time. Even if you want to send a message to 100 people, you can do it one second. Texting helps you to “talk” to someone when he is too busy to answer the phone. Texting can also help you to “talk” to someone secretly if you don’t want others to hear what you are talking on the phone. These advantages are so amazing that many people are crazy about it. They hold mobile phones in hands all day long, send dozens of messages each day, and even text while driving or walking.
However, texting has its disadvantages. Junk messages may come into your mobile phone box now and then. When your phone box gets too full, you can’t receive any more messages. You may therefore miss some important information.
What’s more, if you don’t do texting properly, for example texting while driving or walking, it can be dangerous. It can cause injuries and even death. It was reported that about 6,000 people were killed and half a million were injured for this reason each year. In Fort Lee, a small town in New Jersey, USA, three people died because they walked into traffic while texting in 2011. Two researchers at Stony Brook University, New York found that texters are 60% more probably to have an accident than others. When people are texting, they don’t notice other people or things around them. To reduce traffic accidents, all drivers of the UN are now not allowed to text while driving. About 32 countries have passed laws restricting the use of mobile phones while driving.
Texting is a wonderful way of communication. However, only when we use it properly, can we fully enjoy the fun it brings.
1. How many advantages of texting are mentioned in the passage?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．6,000 people were killed and injured. |
| B．Texters are easier to have an accident. |
| C．Texting is a good way of communication. |
| D．Many people text to greet families and friends. |
| A．not allowing | B．not telling | C．enjoying | D．making |
| A．we should do less texting | B．texting has many advantages |
| C．texting is better than phone calling | D．we should do texting properly |
