1 . A Japanese company has announced the successful test drive of a flying car. SkyDrive Inc. conducted the public demonstration on August 25. The company said in a news release at the Toyota Test Field, one of the largest in Japan, “This is the first time the flying car was exhibited to the public.”
“We are extremely excited to have achieved Japan’s first-ever manned flight of a flying car in the two dozen months since we founded SkyDrive...” CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said in a statement. “We want to realize a society where flying cars are an accessible and convenient means of transportation in the skies and people are able to experience a secure, and comfortable new way of life.”
The car, named SD-03, manned with a pilot, took off and circled the field for about four minutes. It is the world’s smallest electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle and takes up the space of about two parked cars, according to the company. It has eight motors to ensure “safety in emergency situations”.
“We wanted this vehicle to be futuristic, charismatic and desirable for all future customers, while fully incorporating the high technology of SkyDrive,” Design Director Takumi Yamamot said. The company hopes to make the flying car a part of normal life and not just a commodity. More test flights will occur in the future under different conditions to make sure the safety and technology of the vehicle meet industry standards.
The success of this flight means that it is likely the car will be tested outside of the Toyota Test Field by the end of the year. “The company will continue to develop technologies to safely and securely launch the flying car in 2024,” the news release said, “No price has been announced.”
1. What does the underlined word “demonstration” mean in the first paragraph?| A．Announcement. | B．Exhibition. | C．Experiment. | D．Statement. |
| A．Convenient and safe. | B．High-speed and splendid. |
| C．Comfortable and large-sized. | D．Space saving and economical. |
| A．It is similar to plane. | B．It is self-driving. |
| C．It is bigger than a common car. | D．It is energy saving. |
| A．To make it safer. | B．To reduce its price. |
| C．To test it in the laboratory. | D．To put it to the market at once. |
2 . Someone has put forward a dream home which is so advanced that its kitchen can suggest what to make with certain things. Also, a Microsoft home doesn’t just warn you when you’re out of milk — it can send you a fresh gallon.
But are these innovations just magic, or are they really coming soon to a neighborhood near you? To find out, US News asked some experts to get their opinions about the home of the not-so-distant future. Here’s a look at the innovations.
The housing boom was marked by mass-produced buildings filled with units which look the same. The coming years, however, will give way to a personalized approach to home construction, with houses as more of an instrument of self-expression. “The successful builders will be the ones that figure out how to change their production model enough to make the buyers feel like they are really getting something that is designed for them, not just a model,” says Kermit Baker, the chief economist at the American Institute of Architects.
Future homes will probably become smaller. “We will be building smaller but smarter houses,” says Ed MeMahon, a senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute. “Instead of having a room for just one use, consumers will demand homes that make better use of space,” says Susanka, whose best-selling book, The Not So Big House, has become increasingly influential in home design. Seldom-used quarters, such as dining and living rooms, will be replaced with space that can serve both functions. “The goal of his ‘right-size’ home is to fit its owners like a specially cut suit rather than a jacket you buy in a store,” says Susanka.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To present the main idea the passage. | B．To present what the future house is like. |
| C．To lead to the topic of the passage. | D．To show the history the housing. |
| A．Almost all the houses had no their own features. |
| B．The houses were designed according to owners’ idea. |
| C．The houses were smaller but smarter than before. |
| D．The houses could change production model easily. |
| A．Those that are much bigger and brighter. | B．Those that are much smaller but smarter. |
| C．Those that are much bigger and smarter. | D．Those that are environmental and energy saving. |
| A．Smart houses have a room for every use. | B．Smart houses can make better use of space. |
| C．Smart houses have very advanced furniture. | D．Smart houses can warn you when you’re out of milk. |
Bicycles have long been
But recently, cycling-the activity or sport of riding a bicycle for exercise-
“With the pandemic... it seems to be the only way for us
4 . My work started in 2003 at my local animal shelter’s Adoption Department. It seems like such a long time ago. In the 13 years that have
Tabby was one of the many
If Tabby’s story had simply ended with her
How could it be? There are some things that challenge logic and understanding in this world. Sometimes the best that we can do is to accept a
| A．passed | B．created | C．wasted | D．imitated |
| A．park | B．hospital | C．shelter | D．destination |
| A．usually | B．occasionally | C．frequently | D．always |
| A．animal | B．backpack | C．guest | D．treasure |
| A．content | B．homeless | C．disappointing | D．comfortable |
| A．chances | B．challenges | C．adventures | D．discussions |
| A．ordered | B．sold | C．advertised | D．named |
| A．got across | B．got through | C．suffered from | D．broke up |
| A．beyond | B．on | C．with | D．between |
| A．serious | B．bored | C．curious | D．interested |
| A．agree | B．grow | C．deal | D．doubt |
| A．destroy | B．win | C．adopt | D．save |
| A．successful | B．straight | C．traditional | D．miserable |
| A．special | B．normal | C．similar | D．difficult |
| A．which | B．when | C．where | D．what |
| A．noticed | B．greeted | C．occurred | D．met |
| A．release | B．warning | C．requirement | D．conflict |
| A．date | B．damage | C．habit | D．arrival |
| A．decision | B．contest | C．miracle | D．promise |
| A．describe | B．forgive | C．believe | D．explain |
5 . Around the world, almost 50 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition(营养不良), which is the deadliest form of hunger. Sadly, 45% of children die before the age of 5 do so from malnutrition that is treatable and preventable.
Support organizations that distribute food. Food banks(救济食品发放中心)and charities need funding to stay open. They often rely on help from volunteers.
Take food directly to those in need.
Research to find out what type of help is needed. Solving a big problem like world hunger can feel overwhelming, but there are a lot of resources to help you get started. Learn more about agencies and nonprofits who are already helping people in need.
| A．Get your employer involved. |
| B．Donate food items to local organizations. |
| C．This will help you understand the best way for you to help. |
| D．Some measures can be taken to help world get rid of hunger. |
| E．Additionally, they can typically buy more food at a lower cost than you can. |
| F．You don’t need to wait for a food shelter to distribute food items to people in need. |
| G．This means these people will have more money to buy things like food for their families. |
6 . Greenhouse gas emissions would rise if all farms in England and Wales went organic. Though the emissions of each farm would go down, much more food would have to be imported, as the amount they would produce would decrease greatly.
“The key message from my perspective is that you can’t really have your cake and eat it,” says Laurence Smith, now at the Royal Agricultural University in the UK, who was part of the team that ran the numbers. Smith is a supporter of organic farming and says “there are a lot of merits of the organic approach”, but his analysis shows that organic farming has downsides too.
Farming and changes in land use, such as cutting down forests, are responsible for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. That means reducing farming emissions and the land needed for farming is required to limit further global warming.
Smith and his colleagues found that emissions per unit of food are, on average, 20 per cent lower for organic crops and 4 per cent lower for organic animal products. However, organic harvests per hectare (公顷) are also lower on average. For wheat and barley, for instance, harvests are just half of those of conventional farms. This means 1.5 times as much land would be needed to grow the same amount of these foods.
The estimated increase in emissions varies greatly, depending on where the extra farmland comes from. If only half comes from turning grassland into farms, the increase could be as low as 20 per cent. If grassland that would otherwise have been reforested is turned into farmland, emissions could nearly double.
This doesn’t necessarily mean people should stop eating organic produce, says Smith. People might choose organic food for other reasons, such as to reduce their pesticide exposure (though contrary to popular belief, organic farmers do use pesticides) or for the sake of wildlife.
Going 100 per cent organic could also harm global biodiversity. The extra land used for farming would mean the land available for wildlife would be smaller and more fragmented (碎片化的).
Smith says the best option may be to use some organic and conventional farming methods at the same time.
1. What would be the result if England went organic farming EXCEPT?| A．Greenhouse gas emissions would go up quickly. |
| B．The emissions of each farm would decrease greatly. |
| C．The amount each farm produce would not change. |
| D．More food would depend on importation. |
| A．Objective. | B．Favorable. | C．Indifferent. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．Through experts’ introduction. | B．Through the research in the lab. |
| C．Through listing a lot of examples. | D．Through data comparison. |
| A．Stopping Organic Farming | B．Mixing Organic and Traditional Farming |
| C．Turning Back to Traditional Farming | D．Forbidding Cutting Down Forests |
7 . For many people, bookstores are wonderful places. That’s because the books on the shelves can take you away to magical lands, help you learn a foreign language, or cook a delicious meal. But when your community is too small to house a brick bookstore, you have to come up with another idea. A mobile bookstore was the result. That is the case for Rita Collins, 70, who dreamed of opening a used bookstore after retiring from teaching.
A business planning class from the American Booksellers Association convinced Collins to give up her idea of opening a bookstore in the small town where she lives. Her town, Eureka, Montana, only has a population of 1,517. Collins asked her instructors about a traveling bookstore on wheels and they doubted her idea. But she insisted on it.
Collins was inspired by Dylans Mobile Bookstore, a traveling bookstore in Wales run by Jeff Towns. She contacted Jeff for advice but she was largely on her own when it came to building her bookstore. First, she had to find a vehicle large enough to stand in. Then she had to have it refitted with shelves that would hold the books at a 15-degree angle so that they would stay in place while traveling. Collins named her bookstore St. Rita’s Traveling Bookstore, which has been on the road since 2015.
At first, she drove through Montana and then she made her first cross-country trip in 2016. After she retired in 2017, it became a full-time job. Collins and her bookstore have visited 30 states, stopping at festivals and events along the way. Collins loves meeting people and making connections. While she loves what she does, Collins doesn’t think she can keep doing it. In several years, she hopes to pass her traveling bookstore onto another book lover who shares the same interest and will keep it on the road.
1. According to the passage, what’s the basic requirement for opening a bookstore?| A．There must be a community with a popularity of 1517. |
| B．The American Booksellers Association should support the store. |
| C．A bookstore must store enough books. |
| D．The bookstore must offer delicious meals. |
| A．With a large vehicle. | B．At a 15-degree angle. | C．On the wheels. | D．On the road. |
| A．Nobody supported Collins at first. | B．Jeff helped Collins a lot in building her bookstore. |
| C．Collins made the bookshelves by herself. | D．Collins would devote all her life to her bookstore. |
| A．How to make her bookstore popular. | B．How to raise more money to support her store. |
| C．How to choose more suitable books. | D．How to choose a man who can inherit her bookshop. |
8 . A trip to the capital wouldn’t be complete without seeing the following attractions in London.
The London Eye (Tickets from £ 24.50)
Explore London from above on the London Eye. Your ticket includes a 30-minute flight with breathtaking views over London as well as an amazing 4D experience. Book ahead to save money and skip most of the queues with a fast-track entry ticket.
Tower of London (Tickets from £ 25)
Hear the many stories of the Tower of London on a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour. See the famous Crown Jewels, the White Tower and find out what it was like to be a prisoner in the Tower of London.
Kidzania London (Tickets from £ 18.50)
Test out a range of professions and activities including journalism, animal care, cabin crew and tour guiding at KidZania London. Work to earn KidZos and save them for next time or spend them in the Airport Shop. Great for kids to learn and have fun.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich (Tickets from £ 16)
Visit the home of time and explore outer space at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. See and stand astride the Prime Meridian line(子午线), the reference point for Greenwich Mean Time. Learn about the history of longitude(经线), touch a piece of rock from outer space, and enjoy amazing views over London.
Coronavirus information: London is currently subject to a four-week national lockdown from 5 November, which means attractions are temporarily closed. You can still book tickets in advance ready for when they reopen with social distancing and other safety measures in place. Cycle or walk to these attractions where possible.
1. Which trip can you experience London in the high air?| A．The London Eye. | B．Tower of London. |
| C．Kidzania London. | D．The Royal Observatory Greenwich. |
| A．Booking ahead The London Eye is a waste of time to enter. |
| B．A prisoner once died in Tower of London. |
| C．There are many jobs in Kidzania London. |
| D．The Royal Observatory Greenwich offers chances to experience an alien rock. |
| A．You can visit London at any time. | B．Keeping a safety distance is a must. |
| C．Driving is not allowed here. | D．Avoid booking tickets in advance. |
1. What time will passengers finish the journey to Boulogne?
| A．At 9 a.m. | B．At 9:30 a.m. | C．At 11:30 a.m. |
| A．Windy. | B．Sunny. | C．Cloudy. |
| A．Exchange money. | B．Have hot meals. | C．Play electronic games. |
| A．Moving. | B．Interesting. | C．Disappointing. |
