1 . Famous Israeli gastronome (美食家) Michal Ansky is a professional taster and a Master Chef judge. So when she was invited to the world’s first public blind taste test setting lab-grown chicken into competition against a conventionally raised product, she was confident that she would be able to tell the difference.
Surrounded by cameras at a restaurant bar, she tasted from two dishes, labeled A and B. A team of lawyers looked on, tasked with making sure that the tasting truly was blind. Even the chef who sautéed (嫩煎) the meat in sunflower oil—no salt, no seasonings—didn’t know which was which. Both were flavorless, Ansky noted, but she would bet her reputation that sample A was the real thing. It had a richer, more “chickeny” taste.
The tasting was hosted by a meat-tech startup SuperMeat at its in-house restaurant, The Chicken. Ever since 2013, when the first lab-grown hamburger was presented to the public with a $330,000 price tag, alternative-meat companies have been inching closer to a product that is just as tasty and nearly as affordable as the real thing, but without the climate impacts. One new study found high-income countries could cut agricultural emissions (排放物) by almost two-thirds by moving away from animal-based foods.
But one question remains: Would consumers be able to tell the difference? SuperMeat decided to put its product to the test without the deep frying and sauces that are usually used to mask a lack of flavor. Sample B had less flavor, so Ansky reasoned that it had to be the one grown in a lab. She was so convinced of her decision that when SuperMeat founder Ido Savir announced that it was in fact A that was lab-grown, she corrected him. “No,” she said. “A is the real chicken.”
A day later, I spoke to Ansky about the tasting. “It’s one of the only times in my life that I’m really happy that I was wrong,” she admitted.
1. What do we know about the taste test?| A．It was hosted by a chicken-themed restaurant. |
| B．Food samples were made with different flavors. |
| C．Michal Ansky was invited to the test for her reputation. |
| D．Lawyers were involved to ensure the authority of the activity. |
| A．lab-grown chicken tastes as good as raised chicken |
| B．meat eaters turn a blind eye to the taste of chicken |
| C．even a world-famous gastronome can make mistakes |
| D．chicken should be cooked well to appeal to customers |
| A．More chickeny taste. |
| B．More affordable price. |
| C．Less artificial flavor. |
| D．Less carbon footprint. |
| A．She wanted to ease her embarrassment. |
| B．She saw a milestone in the food industry. |
| C．She changed people’s opinion of her job. |
| D．She believed in the power of making mistakes. |
2 . Chase is always looking for ways he can help others. At just 13 years old, he has already contributed a great deal to the community in Port Allen, Louisiana. He has hosted dinners for senior citizens, donated hundreds of socks to the homeless, and now he is contributing directly to the kids at his school.
Chase noticed many children at Port Allen Middle School have a hard time affording new clothing, especially when events like school dances and graduations come up. So when school leaders asked students how they could improve their community, Chase suggested helping families get clothes.
The school agreed, so PAM’s Pantry was born. The concept is simple. First, people donate clothing, shoes, sports equipment, and other helpful personal items. Then, Chase helps organize the donations so headmaster Jessica and the teachers can hand them to those in need.
Jessica says this plan is meeting more kids’ needs than ever before, especially since they live in a low-income area. “We really want the kids to feel as if they have somewhere to go when they need something,” the headmaster said. “We only have 215 kids, so we’re able to get to know them really well and try to help them when we can.”
Amanda, Chase’s mother, said she was not the least bit surprised by what her son decided. “He seems to have a great passion for people,” she said. “I always encourage him to help others because they deserve happiness, too.”
If more people do as Chase does, the world will be a kinder place! Simply looking for ways of the change we want to see in the world can have life-changing effects, not just on us, but also on those around us.
1. What is Chase doing to help others?| A．He is hosting dinners for senior citizens. |
| B．He is organizing donations for the local students. |
| C．He is holding school dances and graduations. |
| D．He is donating hundreds of socks to the homeless. |
| A．A club. | B．A competition. | C．A company. | D．A charity. |
| A．Ordinary. | B．Costly. | C．Meaningful. | D．Creative. |
| A．To praise Chase. | B．To introduce Chase. |
| C．To call for help | D．To encourage kindnesses. |
3 . Some Sightseeing Tours
Tour A: Bath & Stonehenge, £39
It includes entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge. Visit the city with over 2,000 years of history and Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum. Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous monuments dating back over 4,000 years.
Tour B: Oxford & Stratford, £36
It includes entrance fees to the University St Mary’s Church Tower and Anne Hathaway’s house. Oxford: It includes a guided tour of England’s oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires (尖顶)” from St Mary’s Church Tower. Stratford: It includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.
Tour C: Windsor Castle & Hampton Court, £37
It includes entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace, a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry Ⅷ’s favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle (entrance fees not included). With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four kings and one queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze (迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!
Tour D: Cambridge, £33
It includes entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great. It also includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.
1. Which tour is the most expensive?| A．Tour A. | B．Tour B. | C．Tour C. | D．Tour D. |
| A．They include a free tour of a church. |
| B．They offer a chance to visit some gardens. |
| C．They include a guided tour of a university. |
| D．They encourage visitors to know Shakespeare. |
| A．Meet a king. | B．Visit a palace. | C．Build a maze. | D．Live in a castle. |
4 . Jose Alberto Gutierrez’s life would never be the same again after finding a copy of Anna Karenina in the trash (垃圾) 20 years ago. It happened while he was driving his garbage truck through wealthier neighbourhoods and seeing books abandoned by the rich. It ignited his desire to start rescuing books from the trash. Eventually, he turned his book collection into a community library.
In Colombia’s capital city of Bogota, libraries tend to be far away from poorer communities. The option of buying new books is non-existent for poor families and having access to a library of books is a luxury. Gutierrez grew up poor, and his family could not afford to educate him beyond primary school. Nevertheless, his mother was a passionate reader and read stories to him every night. Her love for books left a deep impression on Gutierrez, who never let a lack of formal education stop him.
Today, his community library, “The Strength of Words”, occupies most of his home and is piled from floor to ceiling with fiction and non-fiction titles. Everything from school textbooks to storybooks can be found in his collection of over 20,000 books!
The Strength of Words library is open every weekend, and children in Gutierrez’s neighbourhood are allowed to look through the book collection. Adults are also welcome to expand their vision and develop new skills for a better life.
Today, the Gutierrez family doesn’t merely want to start libraries in neighbourhoods. They want to create more safe spaces for school children to spend their time reading. This is important for kids living in Bogota where many young people waste time in the streets.
Gutierrez’s journey to give treasure back to his local community is an amazing example of how every one of us can improve the lives of those around us by identifying needs, investing time and finding a simple solution. How might we take a leaf out of Gutierrez’s book?
1. What does the underlined word “ignited” mean in paragraph 1?| A．Satisfied. | B．Ignored. | C．Excited. | D．Expressed. |
| A．It aims to recycle and reuse the garbage. |
| B．It is sponsored by wealthier communities. |
| C．It is in the charge of his passionate mother. |
| D．It makes knowledge accessible to poor kids. |
| A．We should value Gutierrez’s spirit of paying back. |
| B．We can follow Gutierrez’s example to help others. |
| C．We should go to visit Gutierrez’s library personally. |
| D．We can donate deserted books to Gutierrez’s library. |
| A．From Trash to Treasure | B．The Books of Gutierrez |
| C．From Home to Community | D．The Strength of Reading |
5 . Ever wondered how many Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) ever walked around the Earth? The answer is 2.5 billion over the two million or so years in which the species existed, according to a calculation published today in Science. The figure has allowed researchers to estimate just how rare it is for animals to fossilize.
Researchers led by Charles Marshall used a method employed by ecologists studying contemporary creatures to estimate the population of T. rex during the late Cretaceous period.
The team used their estimates of the total range of T. rex across modern North America, combined with their estimates of the dinosaur’s weight, to calculate that, at one time, around 20,000 T. rex would have been alive on the planet. That translates to around 3,800 T. rex in an area the size of California, or just 2 T. rex moving around Washington DC. Calculating that T. rex survived for about 127,000 generations before disappearing, the researchers came up with a figure of 2.5 billion individuals over the species’ entire existence. Only 32 adult T. rex have been discovered as fossils, so the fossil record accounts for just 1 in about every 80 million T. rex. This means that the chances of being fossilized were small.
These numbers suggest that fossils in general are rare, and that many species that were less widespread than T. rex were probably never preserved, says Marshall, who adds, “The fossil record is our only direct knowledge of these past histories of our planet.”
Thomas Holtz, a researcher, says that “we always knew that the chance of any individual becoming a fossil was rare, but we lacked the calculation to figure out how rare”. He’d like to see comparable studies made on disappearing species with more abundant fossils, which might allow us to better understand historic ecosystems.
1. Which of the following was used to figure out the population of T. rex?| A．The approach to calculating kinds of wildlife. |
| B．The method used by researchers to study fossils. |
| C．The comparison of various studies on disappearing species. |
| D．The way adopted by ecologists to study modern creatures. |
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By listing the figures. |
| C．By giving an explanation. | D．By presenting examples. |
| A．T. rex owns quite a few fossils. |
| B．The fossils record all the past of our planet. |
| C．Fossils of some species may never be stored. |
| D．Many species lived together in their whole life. |
| A．A new method to figure out the number of T. rex. |
| B．The fossil record to uncover the history of our planet. |
| C．Scientists employed fossils to understand past ecosystems. |
| D．The figure of T. rex helps calculate how rare their fossils are. |
6 . In 2010, my mother-in-law gave me her rather simple but graceful, antique “secretary desk”. The desk easily fit into the tiny room at the top of the stairs. I felt so secure, and confident when I sat down and began each writing session. Despite the desk’s appeal, its limited storage capacity meant that I often put file folders and books on the small floor space around me. After each writing session, I painstakingly gathered the tools of the trade and placed them on a nearby shelf until the next session.
A few years into my writing journey, we moved into a bigger home and I acquired my own office. My husband, Bill offered on more than one occasion to buy me a new desk for my office, but I ignored his offer.
One day, we stopped at the local office supply store. Bill found what he thought was the perfect desk for me. “I want to buy this for you, sweetie. My writer needs a bigger desk. ”He hugged me.
“Thanks, but I don’t want a bigger desk!” I said.
“Why don’t you want a bigger desk?” he said. “You must be afraid of something.”
“I’m not afraid of anything,” I said. “Like I said, I really like my little desk. So don’t ask me again.”
He didn’t.
A few weeks later, while working in my new office. I looked around at the folders, books and papers lying all over my office floor but couldn’t find what needed to meet a contest deadline. My heart raced. I looked around my office. The room basically swallowed the tiny desk, making it look slightly out of place. Maybe I did need a bigger desk. Was Bill right? Was I afraid of something?
Unable to write, I pulled c. JoyBell C.’s book of poetry, All Things Dance Like Dragonflies (蜻蜓), from the bookshelf. I flipped through its pages, and her words about faith jumped off the page into my heart. She talked about how she had trained herself to love the feeling of not knowing where she was going, and just trusting that as she opened up her wings and flew off in an unknown direction, things would work out.
At that moment, I recognized that a bigger desk symbolized bigger possibilities, stepping out in faith, and leaving my comfort zone.
1. What was the limitation of the “secretary desk”?| A．It was too old to be functional. |
| B．It competed with the shelf for room. |
| C．It prevented the author focusing on writing. |
| D．It was a bit small in size. |
| A．After she was stuck in a mess. |
| B．When she finished writing a book. |
| C．When she moved into a bigger house. |
| D．After she missed an important contest. |
| A．Unemployment. | B．Loss of inspiration. |
| C．Uncertainty. | D．Lack of trust. |
| A．My Writing Journey | B．On the Wings of Change |
| C．My Lifelong Faith | D．On the Desk of Fate |
7 . Technology is everywhere. Almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time. It’s true to say that technology makes our lives easier. However, scientists are saying that we need to give ourselves a break-otherwise we put ourselves at risk of developing hundreds of health problems. With all this free time, why not put it to good use and do something without technology?
To start with, you could learn a new skill. There are hundreds of possibilities: crafts(工艺), cooking, learning a musical instrument or a new sport. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to cook for your family, but haven’t had time? Perhaps you feel like learning how to knit(编织), so you can have a new sweater for the autumn? You could use your free time to learn something new—and perhaps it will lead to an exciting chance in the future.
If you just want to relax, why not go to a beach? Take along your favorite book and relax on the sand, or go for a walk along the coastline. If you don’t live near a beach, you could go to your local park. Why not take along a picnic, or try and discover some of the local wildlife?
Little things, like challenging yourself to complete a crossword or a Sudoku, are a great place to start. You could even follow the latest fashion: adult coloring books! Coloring is amazing, and it can be a nice way to escape from the pressure of modern life!
Whatever you choose to do with your summer, try something new! You might surprise yourself and find a hidden talent within you; you might make new friends along the way. Next time you find yourself aimlessly switching channels, have a think at what else you could spend your time doing.
1. According to scientists, using technology continuously may ________.| A．make people live longer | B．solve many social problems |
| C．provide people with more free time | D．have a bad effect on people’s health |
| A．Learning something new. | B．Taking exciting chances. |
| C．Making a living by knitting. | D．Getting together with the family. |
| A．It’s a great tourist attraction. | B．It’s a challenging game. |
| C．It’s a new fashion show. | D．It’s a book about coloring. |
| A．Make More New Friends | B．Follow the Latest Fashion |
| C．Make Plans for Summer Holidays | D．Take a Break from Technology |
8 . Discover all the great Sydney attractions. You’ll find many memorable things to do and fascinating museums to visit in Sydney, Australia.
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum (AM) was founded in 1827 and is well-known as the nation’s first museum. The AM has been transformed and visitors can now enjoy transformed spaces and updated facilities. Free general admission includes entry to all permanent exhibitions and Prehistoric Playground, which is open daily on Level 2 and features a variety of activities for children of all ages including a fossil lab and interactive dinosaur design station.
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Explore five levels of art at one of Australia's most popular art museums, located within beautiful parklands overlooking Sydney Harbour, just 10 minutes’ walk from the city.
See an extensive collection of Australian art，including one of the largest galleries of aboriginal (土著的) art in the country, alongside Asian treasures and leading local and international contemporary art.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia - MCA
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is Australia’s leading museum dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art from across Australia.
Located at Circular Quay, the MCA is housed in the former Maritime Services building, a fine example of late Art Deco architecture.
Australian National Maritime Museum
Located at the waterfront of Darling Harbour, the Maritime Museum is an indoor/outdoor attraction and great entertainment for the whole family. The museum has one of the largest and most diverse in-water fleets (舰队) in the world. The museum hosts six permanent galleries, an ever-changing program of temporary exhibitions, and a 3D cinema, ensuring that there is something for everyone.
1. What is Australian Museum famous for?| A．The lowest price. | B．Contemporary art. |
| C．Outdoor attractions. | D．The longest history. |
| A．Australian Museum. |
| B．Art Gallery of New South Wales. |
| C．Australian National Maritime Museum. |
| D．Museum of Contemporary Art Australia — MCA. |
| A．A 3D cinema. | B．A design station. |
| C．Local contemporary art. | D．Late Art Deco architecture. |
9 . Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher? I do. Her name was Mrs White. I don’t remember much about what we learned in her class, but my mother once told me that we used to write a lot. And I would bring back what I wrote and she would look at it and see there were so many mistakes. But no red corrections. And always a star. It worried my mother, so one day she went to meet Mrs White and asked her why she never corrected my mistakes or pointed out grammatical errors.
Mrs White said, “The children are just beginning to get excited about using words and forming sentences. I don’t want to dampen (使受挫折) that enthusiasm with red ink. Spelling and grammar can wait. The wonder of words won’t…” She maybe didn’t say it exactly like that. My mother gave me what she could remember. I added in the rest. I grew up learning to use words like that.
And it occurred to me that if Mrs. White had used her red pen more, I probably wouldn’t be telling you about this now. I look back now and think she must have been a rather extraordinary teacher to allow the joy, wonder and excitement of expression to flower like that. Because to bloom is better than not to bloom.
I used to misspell ‘beautiful’ a lot. Pretty is easier to spell but it doesn’t hold as much as you mean sometimes. I kept on using ‘beautiful’. Eventually the letters settled into their right places. And thanks to Mrs White, I had been writing what I meant even if I couldn’t quite spell it out. Life isn’t Pretty. It’s Beautiful.
1. What worried the author’s mother?| A．The author’s learning little. | B．The author’s not getting a star. |
| C．The teacher’s not using red pens. | D．The author’s uncorrected mistakes. |
| A．She didn’t have a red pen. | B．She was too busy to do that. |
| C．She wanted to protect their excitement. | D．She just ignored the children’s mistakes. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Doubtful. | C．Regretful. | D．Respectful. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Caring. | C．Demanding. | D．Generous. |
10 . A very frightening thing happened on the weekend, but luckily a hero saved all. A New Jersey police officer safely caught a one-month-old baby dropped off a second-floor balcony over the weekend, authorities said.
The Hudson County prosecutor’s office said Officer Eduardo Matute was among those called to the Jersey City residence Saturday morning after reports that a man was threatening the baby.
NorthJersey.com reports that he and several officers were positioned below the second-floor balcony as the child was dangled over the balcony fence. Officials said the man dropped the baby after a long negotiation with the officers leader, and to the relief of everyone present, Matute caught the child on the spot.
City spokesperson Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said the child was taken to the hospital. Mayor Steve Fulop later posted a photo on social media of the officer holding the child, who was wrapped in a white blanket.
“Thankfully the baby wasn’t harmed physically,” Fulop said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what charges he would face. Other details weren’t available.
“Kudos to the JCPD and all the officers involved for their heroics and for bringing a safe conclusion to this dangerous situation,” the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
1. What is the probable meaning of the underlined word “dangled” in Paragraph 3?| A．Hung. | B．Fastened. | C．Exhibited. | D．Thrown. |
| A．Amazed. | B．Relieved. | C．Frightened. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．It lost its father. | B．It was seriously hurt. |
| C．It was completely safe. | D．It was without physical damage. |
| A．An Unknown Hero | B．A Lucky Dog |
| C．A Police Officer Saving a Baby | D．A Policeman Making a Breakthrough |
