1 . While learning the science lessons, I used to get a doubt—why ears, nose, tongue and eyes should be called as special senses? The basic reason is that these are the channels through which we maintain contact with the surroundings. Though apparently it may feel like these are individual sensory organs, they do show some connectivity. Interestingly, our hearing is less sharp after we eat a heavy food. Isn’t it good for a sound nap after a stomach-full meal? That does not mean we go deaf after a meal, but the hearing pitch (强度) does change after a heavy meal.
We usually give credit of the taste to our tongue, but do you know that unless saliva (唾液) dissolves something, our tongue cannot recognize the taste of the food eaten. Taste is nothing but the food chemicals dissolved in the saliva being sensed by the taste buds present on the tongue. Try to dry off your tongue and mouth with a tissue paper and then taste something.
Women are much better smellers than men. They are born with this characteristic ability and can correctly pinpoint the exact fragrance of the sample. We all can store almost 50, 000 different scents (气味), which are strongly tied to the memories.
Pupils (瞳孔) do not respond to light alone, but to the slightest bit of noise around too. Thus surgeons, watchmakers and those professionals who have to perform a much delicate job do prefer to have a sound-free environment. Even a small noise can dilate (扩大) their pupils, change the focus and blur (使模糊) their vision. If you do not wear glasses or contact lens due to having a 6/6 vision, you are just among the one third of the human population. It is now statistically proved that only one third of the population has perfect vision, rest all are either wearing glasses or are trying to read with a compromised vision.
Each and every one of us has a particular or individualistic or characteristic smell, which is unique to us, except for the identical twins. This smell is very subtle (微妙的) yet can be sensed even by a newborn. It may be due to this scent that the newborn recognizes the presence of his parents around. Many of us can pinpoint the smell of our significant friends and colleagues. A significant part of this phenomenon is guided by genetics but it is also changed by the environment, diet and personal hygiene. This all together creates the unique chemistry that is individualistic for each person.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.| A．sensory organs’ functions can never be changed for their particular character |
| B．our hearing is as good as before we have a full meal |
| C．we feel and learn about the world around us through our eyes, ears, nose and tongue |
| D．all sensory organs are connected and can be exchanged |
| A．Your hearing pitch may decrease. |
| B．Your eyes become dim. |
| C．Your tongue may lose the function of taste. |
| D．You may feel energetic and fresh. |
| A．If your tongue is dried with a tissue paper, it may work as well as before. |
| B．Our tongues can’t be dried while eating something. |
| C．A tissue paper is the only thing that can be used to dry our tongues. |
| D．If your tongue is dried without any saliva on it, it will not work. |
| A．The number of sensory organs. |
| B．The particular smell of a person. |
| C．The style of one’s behavior. |
| D．The functions of sensory organs. |
| A．A newborn’s senses of the sensory organs. |
| B．The functions of sensory organs. |
| C．The connectivity of our tongue and ears. |
| D．The differences of senses between women and men. |
2 . There is a wonderful story about a young girl who had no family and no one to love her.
One day, feeling very sad and lonely, she was walking through a grassland when she noticed a small butterfly caught in a thorn (荆棘) bush. The young girl carefully released the butterfly. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy. The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
“For your wonderful kindness, ” the good fairy said to the girl，“I will give you any wish you would like.” The little girl thought for a moment and then replied, “I want to be happy.” The fairy leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the fairy disappeared.
As the little girl grew up，there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her secret of happiness . She would only smile and answer，“The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.”
When she was very old and on her deathbed, the neighbors all gathered around her, and feared that her unbelievable secret of happiness would die with her. “ tell us，please, ” they begged，“ tell us what the good fairy said. ” The lovely old woman simply smiled and said，“ She told me that everyone，no matter how safe they seemed，no matter how old or young，how rich or poor, had need of me.”
1. ________the girl felt sad and lonely.| A．There were many friends but | B．There was nobody to love her so |
| C．There was nothing to do | D．Seeing the butterfly was caught |
| A．helped the butterfly escaped from the thorn |
| B．felt sorrow，but she didn’t go up to help it |
| C．fell down on it too |
| D．failed to help it release from the thorn |
| A．flied away | B．still died |
| C．changed into a fairy | D．was more beautiful than before |
| A．to be rich | B．to have her own parents |
| C．to have a lot of friends | D．happiness |
3 . Motion picture, also called film or movie, series of sill photographs on film, projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light. This new art form became one of the most popular and influential media of the 20th century and beyond. In early twentieth-century France, a new form of entertainment was becoming a hit—motion pictures. People crowded into theatres for short, silent, black-and-white films that showed everyday happenings, such as a train pulling into a station. These images were dimly projected onto white sheets. Usually, there was no sound. Occasionally, men at pianos played music to match the scenes.
Later, with the introduction of colour and sound, the silent film soon disappeared. Colour and sound introduced a new world into the cinema and steadily grew more effective. It can be used to produce a powerful dramatic impression. Moving images at theatres are now no longer novel, but back at the beginning of the art form, surprises lurked around every corner. During the initial showings of basic silent movies, some people in the audience screamed in fear, reacting to what they saw as if it were happening in real life. Moviegoers were known to even leap out of their seats due to the trains on the screen. At that time, few people understood what motion pictures were, so audience members could easily be fooled.
Today, people crowd into theatres for the latest 3D movies. Even older movies, such as the popular Star Wars series, are being re-released in 3D. Moviemakers are excited about the ability to involve the audience more directly in the story or film. In addition, theatres invest tens of thousands of dollars on high-quality audio systems so that everything from the safest whispers to the largest explosions sounds clear and realistic. Sound, dialogue, and music are used in combination not only with one another but also with the visual image. They can overlap and vary in intensity in a flexible and complex pattern with those high-quality audio systems.
What will movies be like 100 years from now? Will audience be able to smell scents in the films, taste the food that characters are eating, or even become part of the stories themselves? Only time will tell.
1. What can we know about the motion pictures in early 20th century France?| A．They were in color. |
| B．They were the main form of entertainment. |
| C．They greatly appealed to people then. |
| D．They often had background music. |
| A．Because the movies were too scary. |
| B．Because they didn't see trains in real life. |
| C．Because the old theaters were too crowded. |
| D．Because audiences were unfamiliar with the movies. |
| A．To re-release more old movies. |
| B．To develop movie-making technologies. |
| C．To improve movie-goers' experience. |
| D．To make the explosions safe. |
| A．To explain how realistic movies are today. |
| B．To tell something about future movie plans. |
| C．To introduce the history of movie technology. |
| D．To compare movie theatres over the last century. |
Before entering college, I had heard so many stories about how stressful freshman year could get and that this would potentially be the most difficult experience I would ever have to go through. And yes, for the most part, those stories did live up to the reality.
In the first several months, I was urged to improve my social skills and to befriend people. Personally, there was a clear struggle on wanting to adjust and not simply adapt. Adapting required a change in behavior for the sake of fitting in and I didn't want that. Luckily and eventually, I was able to find my own group. It just required extra work and patience.
Naturally, there were academic obstacles that arose. The biggest one was my major. I was enrolled as a communication studies major. I chose it because it seemed like a safe haven. But I later discovered that it didn't actually fit my likes. After two quarters, serious thinking and several mini breakdowns, I switched to philosophy.
Ever since I was younger, I have known I wanted to work in the field. It has always intrigued me. To be honest, I've never had to read such challenging texts in my life, but I enjoy it. It pushes me beyond my limits in a good way. It introduces me to concepts and theories that I've never heard of. More importantly, it doesn't only make me more logical. It also makes me more empathic(有移情作用的)and understanding of others.
I eventually overcame the obstacles. As I recall it now, I'm thankful that the good always outweighed the bad. The good came in the form of new friends, significant learning and deepened self-understanding. As I head off to sophomore year, I plan to bring this good with me.
1. How was the author's freshman year in college? (no more than 5 words)2. What troubled the author in his first several months in college? (no more than 10 words)
3. Why did the author switch to philosophy? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 mean? (no more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of the author? Please explain. (no more than 25 words)
5 . There is no shortage of family fun in New York City, especially when you and your family visit the many amazing museums for kids. Every site offers something exciting. If you're looking to spice up a weekend or a day off school, have a look at some of the museums for kids NYC has to offer
Children's Museum of Manhattan
This nearly 40,000-square-fbot institution makes learning about culture and science an enjoyable experience for kids. It also hosts classes and workshops which are all designed with the latest child-development research in mind.
Brooklyn Children's Museum
When it was founded in 1899, the BCM was the country's first museum specifically designed for children. Today, it's one of the most comprehensive museums, with a permanent collection of 30,000 objects, including musical instruments, masks, dolls and fossils. Kids have fun while learning at interactive exhibitions like “World Brooklyn"， a mini city lined by stores where children can make bread at the Mexican Bakery, or shop for candy at the International Grocery. .
DiMenna Children^ History Museum
Exhibitions and programs at this kid-focused arm of the New-York Historical Society transport children back through 350 years of U.S. history. Galleries stress the lives of kids who grew up to become famous doctors, athletes and political figures, and Little New-Yorkers classes invite kids to join in singalongs and make crafts.
Children's Museum of the Arts
This museum is especially designed for kids so that they can travel around the art world. The 10,000-square-foot institution has more than enough room to house its 2,000-piece collection of international children's art, including a huge center gallery to display it in. Artists lead workshops in classrooms, studios and media labs-which are famous for a sound station, a clay bar and the video-making equipment. CMA's WEE Arts Program develops kids' artistic expression, which the Art Colony camps invite kids aged 6 to 15 to participate in disciplines like drawing and sculpture.
1. What can children do in Children's Museum of Manhattan?| A．Make bread at the museum by themselves. |
| B．Know about culture and science pleasantly. |
| C．Design classes and workshops on their own. |
| D．Carry out researches on child development. |
| A．Children's Museum of Manhattan |
| B．Brooklyn Children's Museum |
| C．DiMenna Children's History Museum |
| D．Children "s Museum of the Arts |
| A．should be prepared to sing songs |
| B．can experience life 350 years ago |
| C．may meet with some famous figures |
| D．can know some successful peopled childhood |
| A．To help children explore the art world. |
| B．To develop children's artistic expression. |
| C．To house international artists' famous works. |
| D．To help children learn art creation from artists. |
| A．To call on parents to take kids to museums. |
| B．To compare four famous museums in NYC. |
| C．To show the benefits of visiting museums. |
| D．To introduce some museums to children. |
6 . A serious attack on the fantasy story for children comes from those who do not wish children to be frightened,” writes C.S. Lewis in an essay named Three Ways of Writing for Children. Those who say that children must not be frightened mean two things. Firstly, they mean that we mustn’t do anything likely to give children fears, and secondly, they want to keep out of their minds that they are born into a world of death, violence, wounds, good and evil (邪恶). C.S. Lewis says he agrees with the first reason, but not the second.
He goes on to remark, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least hear of brave fighters and heroic courage. By limiting your child to perfect and nice stories of child life in which nothing alarming ever happens, they would fail to face fears and hardships.” “It would be nice,” he continues, “ if no little boy in bed ever hears a frightening sound. But if he is to be frightened, I think St. George, or any bright hero in armor, is a better comfort than the idea of the police.”
Bruno Bettelheim, a well-known child psychologist, also points out that fantasy stories provide children with a valuable education about good and evil. He believes that all children have many personal fantasies filled with fears and fantasy stories comfort them and offer solutions. Happy endings tell them that solutions and hope are real and model the kind of happy life children want to find.
A good fantasy suggests rather than teaches possible answers to life. It’s believed that reading fantasies quickens the ability to get and put ideas from books to reality. It’s what good literature does — it makes life larger.
1. According to the first paragraph, C.S. Lewis thinks that______.| A．children shouldn’t read any fantasy story because it is bad |
| B．adults shouldn’t do things that may frighten their children |
| C．death and badness should be kept out of children’s minds |
| D．writing a fantasy story is the best way of writing for children |
| A．He is a policeman in real life. |
| B．He is a murderer caught by the police. |
| C．He is a brave man in a fantasy novel. |
| D．He is a frightening person in a story. |
| A．Because it encourages children to have a lot of fantasies. |
| B．Because it helps children overcome fears and find solutions. |
| C．Because it teaches children to write their own fantasy stories. |
| D．Because it gives children a happy memory when they grow up. |
| A．good literature can give readers more valuable stories |
| B．fantasies can improve one’s ability to solve problems |
| C．personal fantasies can help children get away from danger |
| D．most children can understand what fantasy literature is |
7 . In 2016, the world’s population cast aside 49 million tons of electronic waste, known as e-waste. It has been calculated that this number will grow to more than 60 million tons by 2021.
What is causing the upsurge（激增）in e-waste? Technology is becoming more and more widespread, covering almost every aspect of our lives. Meanwhile, the lifespan of devices is getting shorter-many products will be thrown away once their batteries die, to be replaced by new devices. Companies intentionally plan the obsolescence（过时）of their goods by updating the design or software and discontinuing support for older models, so that now it is usually cheaper and easier to buy a new product than to repair an old one. Since prices are falling, electronic devices are in demand around the world.
As more people buy electronic equipment，manufacturers（制造商）are beginning to face shortages of the raw materials needed to make their products, so recycling and reusing materials from discarded（扔掉的）products and waste makes economic and environmental sense.
Recycling e-waste is practiced both formally and informally. Proper or formal e-waste recycling usually involves taking apart the electronics, separating and sorting through the materials and cleaning them. Companies must obey health and safety rules to reduce the health and environmental hazards of handling e-waste by using pollution-control technologies. All this makes formal recycling expensive. Informal recycling is typically unlicensed and uncontrolled. At informal recycling workshops, men and women recover valuable materials by burning devices to melt away non-valuable materials. Usually they do not wear protective equipment and lack any awareness that they are handling dangerous materials.
With the amount of e-waste growing around the world, recycling alone will not be enough to solve the problem. In order to reduce e-waste, manufacturers need to design electronics that are safer, and more durable, repairable and recyclable. The best thing you can do is resist buying a new device until you really need it. Try to get your old product repaired if possible and, if it can’t be fixed, resell or recycle it responsibly. Before you recycle your device, put any broken parts in separate containers and close these tightly to prevent chemicals from leaking. Wear latex gloves and a mask if you’ re handling something that’s broken.
1. Which of the following is the reason for e-waste’s increasing sharply?| A．The results of updating devices. |
| B．The methods of recycling e-waste. |
| C．The causes of devices’ price dropping. |
| D．The shortages of protective equipment. |
| A．To increase the variety of electronic products. |
| B．To lower the costs of technology innovation. |
| C．To relieve the lack of raw materials. |
| D．To improve the poor quality of e-devices. |
| A．Influence. | B．Harm. | C．Limits. | D．Costs. |
| A．Their ways of reusing waste are encouraged largely. |
| B．They are blamed for generating all the dangerous chemicals. |
| C．They aim to discover rare materials from waste for new products. |
| D．Their workers are unaware of the danger from dealing with devices. |
| A．Everyone should take action to reduce e-waste. |
| B．Companies should be mainly responsible for reducing e-waste. |
| C．Fixing a device could cause more pollution than buying a new one. |
| D．E-waste could be broken down by burying it underground for a long time. |
8 . Chichen Itza is an ancient site sitting in Yucatan State, Mexico, in Central America. This site has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chichen Itza was an extremely important religious site for 1,000 years for the ancient Maya people. The Maya civilization began before 2000 BC and lasted until 1697 when Spain took away their last remaining city. The Maya people lived in southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and EI Salvador.
From around 600 to 1050 AD, in Chichen Itza, people were able to buy things that were difficult to find. This was thanks to its port, Isla Cerritos, which allowed the city to trade through water. In the 10th century, it became the capital of the area from central Yucatan to the north coast.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza was well planned in design. The pyramids and temples were built in groups, with paved walkways in between. People have found over 80 of these walkways all over the site. The main building groups are the Great North Platform, the Old Chichen, plus the Ossario and Central Groups.
At the center of the site is a castle in a pyramid shape. In Spanish, it's called EI Castilo, which means the castle. But its real name is the Temple of Kukulkan and it actually sits on top of a much older temple. On the 20th of March and the 22nd of September, the sun's rays create a strange shadow across the Temple of Kukulkan. It looks just like a snake slithering down the pyramid staircase. And in fact, the temple is named after the Maya feathered snake god, Kukulkan.
1. What can we learn about the Maya civilization from the text?| A．Its development totally depended on Chichen Itza. |
| B．Its ancient site was mainly in eastern Mexico. |
| C．It lasted for 1,000 years. |
| D．It was put to an end by Spain. |
| A．It was a trade center. | B．It was partly destroyed. |
| C．It took control of Yucatan State. | D．It attracted many foreigners. |
| A．is a palace built by the Spanish | B．sits under an older temple |
| C．is a temple to honor God Kukulkan | D．draw people's attention for its walkways |
| A．Economy. | B．Science. | C．Culture. | D．Art. |
| A．To encourage us to visit Chichen Itza. | B．To talk about some pyramids in Mexico. |
| C．To let us lean about the ancient Maya people. | D．To introduce some basic facts about Chichen Itza. |
9 . A perfectly preserved wreck (沉船) that has lain unnoticed in the icy Baltic Sea for over 500 years has finally been confirmed. The European ship was first observed in 2009, when a sonar(声呐) exploration by the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) indicated a large object in the area. However, it was not until early 2019 that researchers from Soton and MMT found evidence of the sunken ship using underwater robotic cameras.
When the team observed the pictures of the 60-foot-long shipwreck, they were surprised to discover it was 99 percent complete. The scientists considered that the wreck's good condition is due to its place in the Baltic Seabed, where the oxygen levels are low. Oxygen is key to most ocean life's survival. Therefore, such an environment where the shipwreck stays reduces or completely removes the creatures that feed on rotting wood.
So although this ship is contemporary to the times of Christopher Columbus, it shows a remarkable level of preservation after 500 years at the bottom of the sea. Dr. Pacheco-Ruiz, who led the MMT effort, said,“It's almost like it sank yesterday. It's a truly astonishing sight."
The scientists are unsure what let the ship sink. However, the ship's guns, which are in their"ready to fire" positions, indicate it may have been the victim of a naval battle. Since the ship dates back to the early 16th century, historians predict it may have sunk during Sweden's three year independence war with its Danish rulers between 1521 and 1523. Alternatively, it could also have been involved in the border dispute (争端) between Russia and Sweden from 1554 to 1557.
The ship is by far the best-preserved shipwreck ever found from the Age of Exploration, when Europeans explored the world by sea.
What's more exciting is that the ship is similar to the Pinta and La Nina, which Comlubus famously sailed toward North America. The scientists, who continue to observe the shipwreck hope the boat's design will expose some of the technologies available to the Italian explorer during his 1492 voyage of discovery.
1. What scientific achievement did Soton 's and MMT' s researchers make?| A．Discovering a wreck using sonar. |
| B．Getting the wreck out or icy water. |
| C．Identifying the object found by SMA. |
| D．Making the ancient wreck well preserved. |
| A．It is generally unfit for creatures to live in. | B．It is tough for scientists to do research. |
| C．It contains too many harmful gases. | D．It is filled with rotting wood. |
| A．his curiosity about the time when the ship sank |
| B．his amazement at the ship's previous grandness |
| C．his surprise at the wreck's well-preserved condition |
| D．his shock at the sinking of the great European ship |
| A．The damage to the ship. | B．The causes of the ship's sinking. |
| C．The construction of the ship. | D．The possible function of the ship. |
| A．Recovering the ancient ships, the Pinta and La Nina. |
| B．Finding every aspect of life in the Age of Exploration. |
| C．Exploring the role the ship played in Columbus' exploration. |
| D．Leaning about Columbus' voyage according to the ship's design. |
10 . Spring lifts our spirits. It's a time for Nature to bring us back to life after a cold season. I live not far from the Kairaku Park, which is one of the largest gardens in Japan, and famous for its near 10,000 plum trees. I am fortunate to have them all outside my backyard, and take advantage of the walking paths daily.
I see the same trees and swans every day, but that day was different. At the edge of the small lake, I saw some new -born black swans. They were pretty and cute. They stayed with their mom.While taking a few photos of the sunset, I was interrupted by a high sound going on for some time. So, I turned around and saw one little swan was stuck by two stones. Its mother was trying to make it out but failed. I tried to get near but the mother was ever so angry! She wouldn't allow me to get close, so I turned to an old man sitting on the bench and said,“Excuse me, the swan baby can't move and I want to help it, but the mother is extremely angry! Could you please do me a favor?"
After hearing my words, the man smiled at me first and then agreed to help me. He drove the mother away with great efforts, and for several times, he was almost hurt by the mother. Thanks to him, I was able to get there and push the little swan out of the gap finally. Oh, I really hoped it wasn't injured, but at least it was alive and swimming!
In spring, I become more physically active. Things around don't make us, but Nature does, and it keeps us going. I am positive that all of us have a little piece of nature in our own neighborhoods. Somewhere we will be reminded why natural life is so important-- -because we grow with it! Personally, I am happy that baby birds can put a smile on my face! I struggle for having a small number of "things" in life, and being filled with simple reality--at one with Nature.
1. What can we know about the author from Paragraph 1?| A．Her favorite season is spring. | B．She enjoys doing outdoor sports. |
| C．Her backyard is filled with plum trees. | D．She is satisfied with her living environment. |
| A．She took a few photos of the sunset. |
| B．She made a little swan's mother angry. |
| C．She met some swans and helped one of them. |
| D．She met an old man and made friends with him. |
| A．Well-known. | B．Warm-hearted. | C．Selfish. | D．Outgoing. |
| A．Nature. | B．kindness. | C．The garden. | D．The things around. |
| A．is really a nature lover | B．is short of some life skill |
| C．asks people to help the weak | D．calls on more people to protect the environment |
