1 .

Antarctica (南极洲)

Weather Antarctica lies in the most southern part of the world. It is the coldest area on Earth. There isn’t much rain, but there is a lot of snow and wind. The lowest temperature was on 21 July in 1983 at -89.2℃ !

Population Nobody lives in Antarctica all the time! The first people to stay there for a while were fishermen in 1786. Now there are about 5, 000 scientists and researchers there in the summer

History of exploration (探险) During 1907-1909, British explorer Earnest Shackleton explored Antarctica on foot. In 1911, two explorers — a British man named Scott and a Norwegian named Amundsen — raced 1, 400 kilometres to the South Pole (南极). Amundsen arrived first.

Animals and birds There aren’t any large animals in Antarctica. Polar bears live at the North Pole. But there are a lot of penguins and seabirds. Every spring there are over 100 million seabirds in Antarctica.

1. When did the lowest temperature appear in Antarctica?

A．In 1786.

B．In 1983.

C．In 1907.

D．In 1911.

2. Who first stayed in Antarctica for some time?

A．Fishermen.

B．Scientists.

C．Researchers.

D．Explorers.

3. What animals or birds do not live in Antarctica?

A．Penguins.

B．Seabirds.

C．Polar bears.

D．Fish.

3 . Scotland is packed with beautiful places to visit and you could honestly spend months and months exploring everything this wonderful country has to offer! Next I’m going to take you through some of the best place to visit in Scotland, based on where we have personally visited so far!

Glen Coe

If you asked me where my favourite place to visit in all of Scotland is... I would say, Glen Coe. The whole area of Glen Coe constantly had my face in shock due to the beauty that I was witnessing1 was witnessing (亲眼看见). It’s just a stream of dramatic mountains, lakes, rugged (崎岖的) beauty and more.

Fort William

Fort William is probably one of the most well-known places to visit in Scotland. It’s a popular tourist destination thanks to being home to the UK’s tallest mountain: Ben Nevis. Fort William is also the starting point for one of the world’s most famous train rides: The Jacobite. Harry Potter fans will recognize it as the Hogwarts Express, and this train ride will take you through the beautiful countryside, crossing some iconic Harry Potter filming locations such as the Dumbledore’s Grave and the Glenfinnan Viaduct!

Isle Of Skye

This island feels totally different from other parts of Scotland and is truly rugged and ready! There are many hot spots to explore including the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Glen. I even stayed on a private island with its very own lighthouse, which was one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited and one of the most romantic places stay in Scotland.

Cairngorms National Park

This is the largest national park in the UK so it’s another popular place to visit in Scotland and it’s no surprise why. It’s absolutely beautiful and there’s so much happening at the Cairngorms National Park! From skiing or meeting local reindeers, you’ll not go bored and you’ll be surrounded by beauty the entire time.

1. Which place probably attracts Harry Potter fans most?

A．Glen Coe.	B．Isle Of Skye.
C．Cairngorms National Park.	D．Fort William.

2. What can you see in Cairngorms National Park?

A．The Jacobite.	B．Local reindeers.
C．The UK’s tallest mountain.	D．A cool lighthouse.

3. Where is the text probably from?

A．A geography textbook	B．A science journal.
C．A travel blog.	D．A diary.

4 . The best spring destinations in Tibet

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has long been an ideal and mysterious destination for visitors. Now with the arrival of spring, the climate is becoming more pleasant and Tibet has become an even better trowel destination. Here we recommend some of the best tourist destinations in Tibet which might suit your travel taste.

Peach blossom valley: Nyingchi

The peach blossoms in Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region have been named as “the most beautiful peach flowers in the world”. A great time to visit Nyingchi for the peach blossoms would usually be from March 20 to Apil 15 each year.

The peach blossom valley in Bomi County, Nyingchi, stretches for 30 kilometers, making it one of the longest in China. Peach blossoms can be seen everywhere- around houses, across farmlands and along streams. Peach trees bloom depending on the altitude and climate, so visitors will have the chance to enjoy the blossoms throughout April.

The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon

The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world. With a total length of about 500 kilometers, its altitude spans from 1,182 meters at Namchak Barwa, the highest peak of the eastern Himalayas, to 550 meters around the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley in Metog County.

One unique feature of the spring sight here is that visitors can enjoy both the peach blossoms and the snow-capped mountains at the same time.

Nanyi Valley

Nanyigou scenic spot is 20 kilometers away from Milin County and is an important birthplace of the mysterious Tibetan medicine culture. The scenic area rovers a total area of 820 hectares. The ecological conditions here are so good that the place is rich in various animal and plant species.

Surrounded by mountains and shrouded (遮蔽) in clouds, Nanyi Valley is an ideal spring destination for visitors, where you can find peach and azalea blossoms everywhere.

1. What do the three tourist destinations have in common?

A．They are all covered with snow.

B．They are rich in various animal and plant species.

C．They provide beautiful peach blossoms for visitors.

D．They are the birthplaces of the Tibetan medicine culture.

2. What can we learn from The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon?

A．It’s the second deepest canyon In the world.

B．Visitors can have fun from March 20 to April 15 each year.

C．It is 550 meters away from the eastern Himalayas.

D．Visitors can admire the snow-capped mountains there.

3. Which column in the newspaper can we find this article?

A．Tourism.

B．Technology.

C．Agriculture.

D．Photography.

6 . “Why did the fox steal my shoes?” sounds like the start of a brain teaser (脑筋急转弯) or an annoyingly hot song. But for people in Berlin, it was a real question that a local fox was behind a series of shoes thefts.

About two weeks ago, Meyer, a resident of Berlin, noticed that one of his new running shoes had disappeared from his porch, and he decided to examine the theft, a German news site reported.

Meyer quickly learned that he was not the thief’s only victim, and a tip helped him catch the fox. Days later, Meyer spotted the fox again; he followed it and discovered the fox’s secret place of more than 100 shoes.

Meyer got a photo of the thieving fox and its ill-gotten shoes, which he shared on Twitter. The shoes contained sneakers, and slippers in range of colors, shapes and sizes, though the most numerous shoes by far were Crocs.

This isn’t the first time that an urban fox has demonstrated a seeming shoe fetish (恋物). In August 2019, a fox in Melbourne, Australia, repeatedly visited a woman’s porch and stole three boots over the course of a week. In a small town in western Germany, a female fox stole about 110 to 120 shoes in just one night, presumably “for her babies to play with”, according to Reuters.

It’s unknown whether all of these foxes were acting independently or whether their actions were linked, perhaps as part of an international shoe-stealing group with a bad purpose that humans can only imagine.

1. What can we know about Meyer according to the passage?

A．He had his shoes stolen.

B．He was physically attacked by a fox.

C．He moved out of Berlin and settled in a new place.

D．His favorite shoes were Crocs.

2. What did Meyer do when he found the fox’s hiding place?

A．He drove the fox away.

B．He took a picture and posted it on social media.

C．He sent some food to the fox.

D．He followed the fox and found many other foxes.

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word in paragraph 5?

A．Totally.

B．Partly.

C．Definitely.

D．Possibly.

4. How does the author sound in the last paragraph?

A．Delighted.

B．Serious.

C．Humorous.

D．Terrified.

7 . The number of weather-related disasters has increased by five times over the past 50 years, the latest report by the World Meteorological (气象) Organization (WMO) said on September. However, thanks to improved early warning systems and disaster management, the number of death from these hazards (危险) has been almost three times less.

According to the WMO, from 1970 to 2019, weather, climate and water hazards accounted for 50 percent of all disasters. Among the top 10 hazards that led to the largest loss of human life during this period were droughts, storms, floods and extreme temperatures. However, deaths fell from over 50, 000 in the 1970s to less than 20, 000 in the 2010s.

“Weather, climate and water extremes are increasing and will become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world as a result of climate change,” says WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

“That means more heat waves, drought and forest fires such as those we have observed recently in Europe and North America. We have more water vapor in the atmosphere, which is worsening extreme rainfall and deadly flooding. The warming of the oceans has affected the frequency and area of existence of the most intense tropical storms.”

“Economic losses are increasing as exposure increases. But behind the statistics lies a message of hope. Improved multi-hazard early warning systems have led to a significant reduction in deaths. Quite simply, we are better than ever before at saving lives,” Taalas said.

1. What do we know from the first paragraph?

A．Disasters connected with weather have gone up.

B．The number of weather-related disasters has decreased.

C．The number of deaths from hazards has been increasing.

D．Early warning systems have made disasters decline much.

2. What will happen according to Petteri Taalas?

A．There will be more extreme weather.

B．Extreme rainfall will no longer exist.

C．Water vapor in the atmosphere will go down.

D．Humans will defeat extreme weather in the end.

3. What is hopeful behind the bad news?

A．Improved warning systems will save economic losses.

B．Economic losses are going down as exposure increases.

C．More lives will be saved thanks to early warning systems.

D．Improved early warning systems will control extreme weather

4. Where may the text be taken from?

A．A novel.

B．A brochure.

C．A magazine.

D．A guideline.

9 . It is not easy to excite New Yorkers or keep them going easy on things around. This is one reason why actors and other famous people move to the city. They can live quieter lives and escape the paparazzi photographers who would follow them in Hollywood.

But New York has a new media star. And this star is not living so quietly. The star is a colorful Mandarin duck. The bird first appeared this month in a small body of water in Manhattan’s Central Park. Large crowds have gathered to see the duck. Reporters have been following its every move. The media attention on the duck has earned the name “quackarazzi” – a word combination of paparazzi and the sound a duck makes!

The duck has chosen to live in a costly part of New York -- just off Fifth Avenue, near the historic Plaza Hotel. There, hundreds of people turn up every day, hoping to see the bird show off its extremely colorful feathers. Many people like the duck because its colors are like “sunsets,” says New Yorker Joe Amato. He comes to the park nearly every day with his camera equipment. Bird lovers have been keeping record of the bird’s daily life through social media postings and videos. People have noted how effortlessly the duck moves through the water.

This week, New York’s newest celebrity seemed to enjoy its fame, showing off its wings while members of the “quackarazzi” pushed each other to get a closer look. Leesa Beckmann traveled over two hours from her home in New Jersey to see the duck. She says her 90-year-old mother has been talking all about the duck since its first appearance.

“I’ve got to see this...duck,” Beckmann told her mother. She plans to take pictures and give them to her mother.

Bird expert Paul Sweet heads a large collection of bird species at the New York-based American Museum of Natural History. He says there is nothing special about a Mandarin duck in Central Park. Central Park Zoo has its own Mandarin duck, he says. These ducks are often imported to the United States from Asia for use on private property.

“A lot of non-birders tend to see (colorful) birds as more beautiful,” Sweet said, “But to me, it’s no more beautiful than, say, a sparrow.”

1. From the passage we can know _______

A．New Yorkers are always excited about new things.

B．A super star is giving a performance in Manhattan’s Central Park.

C．Bird lovers are interested in recording the life of the new “guest”.

D．Everyone agrees Mandarin duck is a new species.

2. Many New Yorkers like the bird for the reason that _____.

A．It’s famous in Hollywood films.

B．It has a beautiful color and likes to show its wings.

C．They can take lots of pictures and sell for money.

D．They are lucky and precious.

3. Paul Sweet may agree that ______.

A．His mother will surely like the pictures of the birds.

B．“Quackarazzi” is a good name for the duck.

C．New Yorkers need to protect the new species.

D．Mandarin duck can be brought into America from other countries for use.

4. Which of the following can be the best title?

A．Colorful Mandarin Duck Excites New Yorkers

B．Come and Meet Mandarin duck in Central Park

C．Mandarin Duck in Central Park---A Rare Species

D．A Most Beautiful Bird

10 . Across the globe, we've developed a coffee addiction, and we've become addicted to single-use cups: 600 billion disposable cups are produced and sold annually. But there's a growing push to cut this down.

Here's the problem with disposable coffee cups: The thin, waxy, plastic coating inside makes it tricky to recycle or compost them. So, they most go into a landfill （垃圾填埋场）. More than that, it takes a lot of energy and resources to make them. Starbucks and McDonald's are trying to develop a disposable coffee cup that can be both recyclable and compostable. But that's easier said than done. The coffee giants have been dangling a million dollars to anybody who can crack the code.

The Rolling Stones are also thinking about the sustainable cups. If you see the Stones in concert this summer and go to get a drink, there may be no single-use plastic cup for you. The bands approached Michael Martin, who has produced a bunch of big Earth Day concerts, asking for help to eliminate plastic waste. He came up with a simple solution.

"When you come up to get your first beverage（饮料）, you put down a $3 deposit, you get a really high-quality Rolling Stones-branded cup," says Martin. "You use it throughout the night, and at the end of the event you can turn your cup in and get your $3 back or you can keep your cup." If you return the heavier plastic cup at the end of the show, it gets washed and used again. Or recycled.

But this idea — returning and reusing a cup — this is not that complicated. So why is this just being tried now? "That's a really good question," says Martin. "In America, we're a throwaway society, and so we're hoping we'll be able to wake people up and change things." He's starting with rock concerts because artists have a pretty powerful platform. I mean, if Mick Jagger tells his fans to stop abusing the planet, who's going to say no to that?

1. Why is there a growing push to cut single-use cups down?

A．Because too many people are coffee addicts.

B．Because disposable cups are hard to recycle and compost.

C．Because it takes a lot of energy and resources to recycle them.

D．Because Starbucks and McDonald's are dangling a million dollars.

2. What does the underlined phrase "crack the code" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．develop a cup.	B．set up a recycling company.
C．find the password.	D．tackle the problem.

3. What can we infer from Martin's solution?

A．People will wash the cups at the end of the show.

B．People hand in the cup and get 3-dollar reward.

C．People can own the cup by paying 3 dollars.

D．People must pay 3 dollars and return the cup.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Artists have a great impact.

B．Martin is giving a rock concert.

C．Mick Jagger' fans are abusing the planet.

D．Mick Jagger' fans never disagree with him.