1 . People think of cats as cute. But research published in a psychology journal calls them neurotic (神经质的) and unstable. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the Bronx Zoo in New York compared the personalities of domestic house cats with those of four different types of wildcats.
To better understand their personalities, the researchers rated a number of animals behaviors on what psychologists call the Big Five human personality traits (特征).
Domestic house cats have similar personality structures to African lions. “It’s what cats do pretty much on a daily basis, things like being anxious, being timid, being excitable, being aggressive toward humans, being aggressive toward each other, ”said Max Wachtel, a Denver psychologist who didn’t participate in the study. “All of those are characteristics you see in those cute little house cats, and you also see them in lions.”
If you ever thought your cat was anxious, insecure, tense, suspicious or aggressive toward you, you aren’t making it up, he said. If they were bigger, they probably would consider killing you.
But the news isn’t all bad: Just like lions, house cats are also playful, excitable and impulsively funny. They just aren’t very predictable. One moment cats will be enjoying bell scratches, and the next they will be biting you to make you stop.
“It is good to understand the personality characteristics of our pets,” Wachtel said “Different cats have different personalities, but as a species, there are a lot of commonalities.”
The researchers also studied personality traits of Scottish wildcats and some other animals “Across the five species we assessed, personality structure was strikingly similar and also seemed to be related to other studies’ findings, such as in tigers,” the researchers wrote in their study in the November 2014 issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology. But house cats were most like lions, potentially because they live in semi-social surroundings and lions are the most social of cats.
“They’re cute and furry, but we need to remember when we have cats as pets, we are inviting little predators into our house,” Wachtel said. “Cats can be fantastic, sweet companions—until they turn on you.”
1. Cats can be described as _____.| A．funny and safe |
| B．playful and stable |
| C．fantastic and devoted |
| D．neurotic and unpredictable |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By providing explanations. |
| A．The book really turned me on to science. |
| B．Upon entering the room, he turned on the light. |
| C．The hungry suddenly turned on each other for food. |
| D．The trial turned on the medical evidence presented by the defense. |
| A．Cats are best pets. |
| B．Domestic cats and wildcats. |
| C．Your cat may want to kill you. |
| D．Different cats, different personalities. |
2 . Environmental pollution kills 1.7 million children under the age of five every year worldwide. This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO warns that child deaths will increase greatly if pollution continues to worsen.
The most common causes of death among children aged one month to five years are diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. This is according to the WHO.
Air pollution is a leveler between rich and poor, according to WHO environment and health chief Maria Neira.
Cleaning up how the world cooks, heats and lights homes and other buildings is a big- picture goal. The WHO is advising government departments and industries such as construction and the health sector to work together to clean up their environment.
• Avoid walking where there is a high volume of vehicle traffic.
•
• Limit your time outside if you live in an area that issues warnings about air quality.
• Wear high-grade, rated face masks tightly to the face when air quality is poor.
• Remove your clothes and wash immediately after entering your house if you live or commute in a very polluted area.
| A．However, of all the environmental pollutants, air pollution is being called the most dangerous. |
| B．But what can individuals do to limit our family's exposure to air pollution? |
| C．Therefore, the WHO stresses that governments around the world need to take the lead on ensuring that children grow up in a clean environment. |
| D．The organization also says reducing environmental risks can prevent such deaths. |
| E．A polluted environment is a deadly one—particularly for young children. |
| F．Everybody, she says, needs to breathe. |
| G．Equip homes with air filters and air conditioning units. |
3 . International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing China
According to official statistics, over 110 nations and international organizations, over 120 unofficial exhibitors, as well as 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, together with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have established gardens in the Expo Park, each presenting their own distinctive gardening and horticulture(园艺学).
Main scenic spots include: Core Scenic Area --- International Pavilion(展馆), China Pavilion, Plant Pavilion, Horticultural Experience Pavilion and Guirui Theater, 12 typical sites, International Horticulture, Chinese Landscape Horticulture, Horticultural Industry Development Belt, Great Master’s Garden, and Special Gardens.
The Exhibition started on April 29 and will end on October 7, 2019, lasting for 162 days and spanning three seasons including spring, summer and fall.
International Horticultural Exhibition
According to the International Exhibitions Bureau, the world exposition can be divided into two major categories based on their nature, scale and duration(持续时间). One is international registered exhibitions, which are also the highest level of expos globally, such as the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The other is the international recognized exhibitions or specialized expos, such as the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019.
A glance at A1-level International Horticultural Exhibitions
The International Horticultural Exhibition (A1) is a horticultural exhibition of the highest level and greatest influence with AIPH’s approval and Bureau of International Exposition’s recognition. Beijing is the second Chinese city to hold the A1-level exhibition following Kunming in Yunnan Province. Cities in the following countries have also held the highest-level expo in the world: the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Canada, the U.K., Japan, Thailand and Turkey. Among them, the Netherlands has held six A1 exhibitions since 1960, followed by Germany, five.
1. Different gardens and pavilions are established to show __________.| A．the highest level of world exposition | B．special skills and cultures in gardening |
| C．greatest influence on horticulture | D．recognition from international organizations |
| A．explore | B．spread |
| C．include | D．witness |
| A．The International Horticulture Exhibition 2019 lasts over 5 months. |
| B．Kunming is the first city to hold the A1-level exhibition in China. |
| C．Germany ranks second in the time of holding A1-level exhibition. |
| D．Only two kinds of world exhibition are held according to the IEB. |
| Spire Primary School | ||||
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| Newsletter Principal’s Message Dear parents, I write to you this week to introduce a new idea for us all to think about. ‘Oh, no!’ I hear you say, ‘She’s got another idea!’ It is true that I often suggest new ideas, especially in areas that affect your children’s future, such as the preservation of our planet. We are the only local school that has a ‘Walk or Pedal to School Day’ once a week, rather than once a month or even once a term! We have four different bins for our waste products, not just three! But I think we at Spire can do more. We are responsible for the future of our world. I have become increasingly concerned about the amount of unnecessary packaging in our everyday lives. If we don’t do something about this now, the damage to the environment will be enormous. Last week I walked around the grounds at recess time, talking as I often do with any student who wanted to chat - many did, I am glad to say. I kept seeing your children holding little plastic packets with a few biscuits in one side and some cheese spread in the other. When the children had eaten, the little packets became waste material! I found myself wondering why those biscuits could not have been spread with cheese at home and brought to school in a re-usable container. Other children were drinking juice from cardboard boxes. Why not a washable plastic bottle? At our canteen I saw a child buy a sushi roll and apply soy sauce from a cute little plastic fish. That fish ended up on the ground until I asked the student to put it in the bin - more rubbish! Why not use a large bottle from which the sauce could be shared? (For that matter, how awful are those little tomato sauce containers given with meat pies – very dangerous if flicked into your eye!) I know how busy your lives are but you and I need to give children the same message about unnecessary packaging. How many nights a week do you eat takeaway? Plastic boxes of beef in black bean sauce, plastic bags of lettuce with the paper bag of spring rolls, little plastic containers of sauces. All these things increase the amount of waste. I am told you can buy carrots that are already peeled, washed and sliced - in another plastic bag - but why not prepare your own vegetables for the lunch boxes? I know reducing packaging will be a challenge at school and at home but it is one we must confront. I will be introducing a curriculum unit to teach about sustainability. As usual, your comments are welcome. Denise Walker, Principal | ||||
| Comments (1) Denise, you need to reconsider. It is a great pity if we don’t enjoy the benefits of 21st century living because of an unclear idea about what’s good for the environment. My partner and I have always supported your green ideas about the environment. Our kids walk to school every day! They put their rubbish in the correct bins. But mornings are already chaotic in our house. How much worse would it be if we had to spread cheese on biscuits (and won’t they go soft)? You wouldn’t believe how many plastic bottles we have lost during our time at the school. And filling them - another task taking time in the morning. Both of us parents have to get to work as well. Finally, why shouldn’t parents have the occasional night without cooking? Takeaway food is often a great help to busy people. Louise | ||||
1. The underlined sentence She’s got another idea’ implies that ________.
| A．she is a clever principal in others’ eyes |
| B．parents are grateful to the principal’s ideas |
| C．parents are impatient with her new suggestion |
| D．she attaches great importance to children’s future |
| A．asking questions that force the reader to think |
| B．appealing to a feeling of sympathy from the reader |
| C．appealing to fear from the reader because of the danger |
| D．listing common packaging unneeded for students’ food |
| A．To introduce a curriculum to protect the environment. |
| B．To prove her responsibility in protecting the environment. |
| C．To suggest reducing packing to preserve the environment. |
| D．To attack the damage students have done to the environment. |
| A．A student. | B．A parent. |
| C．A dustman. | D．An expert. |
| A．indifferent | B．critical |
| C．appreciative | D．professional |
| A．The principal has done some things unique to her school. |
| B．The principal has obtained support from parents and students. |
| C．The principal’s latest idea brings much inconvenience in Louise’s eyes. |
| D．The principal’s latest idea is not good for the environment in Louise’s opinion. |
5 . Nowadays，cats and dogs are popular pets. However，when it comes to the relationship with their owners，cats are usually seen as unfriendly and distant with respect to their owners，compared with dogs. It is usual for them to be indifferent(漠不关心的)when humans call their names. Are we sure that they don't understand human voices at all？
A recent study published in the journal of Scientific Reports suggests that we've been fooled.
Japanese scientists found that cats can recognize their names if their owners regularly use them.
In the study，scientists studied 78 domestic cats. They played recordings of voices of their owners saying five words: the first four words they heard were some nouns that resembled their names while the final word they heard was just the cat's name. Then they observed the cats' responses，if there were any.
Most cats moved their ears or heads when they heard their names，while they made no response to other words which sounded seemingly like their names.
That suggested，"cats were paying attention to you，what you say and what you do，"John Bradshaw，an expert on human-animal relations at the University of Bristol，UK，told The Times.
“And cats were just as good as dogs at learning，"she added.
In the study，when people called their names，cats often connected the words with rewards，such as food or play，or with punishments such as having a bath or going to the vet. This made cats sensitive(敏感的)to words. After the cats had been called several times，they could respond to the words.
But the scientists added that while dogs have evolved to follow their owners' orders，cats have not. Although cats appear to be distant，they do have special relationships with their owners.
According to study co-author Atsuko Saito，cats have evolved not to show their emotions as a survival method. One example is illness，which they tend to hide because in the wild，no one can save them and hunters are more likely to pay attention to them, Saito explained.
However，technology may help bridge the communication gap between our feline(猫科的)friends and us. There are now mobile apps available to explain what their meows mean. So，the next time you hear "meow，meow"，your cat may be telling you:“Hi，you haven't cleaned my liter box recently.”
1. The underlined word “resembled” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by______.| A．were limited to | B．were similar to |
| C．were different from | D．were away from |
| A．they are not sensitive to human voices |
| B．they want to protect themselves from harm |
| C．they always connect words with punishments |
| D．they failing to pay attention to their surroundings |
| A．It's important to communicate with cats. |
| B．It's difficult to understand the cats' needs. |
| C．Cats have a good relationship with their owners. |
| D．We may know cats better with the help of technology. |
| A．Cats do understand their owners. | B．Cats are cleverer than dogs. |
| C．Cats are distant from their owners. | D．Cats show respect for their owners. |
 | Tate Modern，London，UK Together with three other Tate museums. Tate Modern located in London is a national museum of international音modern art. It is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world. Most of the exhibit items are open to the public for free，only charging for major temporary（临时的）exhibitions. | |
 | The Musee du Louvre，Paris，France It is the world's largest and most visited art museum and a historical land mark of Paris. Housed in the Louvre Palace，the museum has been added to many times since its opening in 1793. Its glass pyramid in the main courtyard was designed by Chinese American architect Ieoh Ming Pei，and it later became a signature design of the museum. appearing in the hit thriller The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. | |
 | National Museum of China, Beijing, China Near Tiananmen Square in Beijing, it's one of the largest museums in the world and the second-most visited art museum in the world, just after the Musee du Louvre. Covering a time span from the Yuanmou Man of 1.7 million years ago to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the museum houses around 1. 05 million items-and many cannot be found in museums elsewhere. | |
 | State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia The State Hermitage Museum is the second-largest art museum in the world. The public can visit five of the main buildings: the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage and Hermitage Theatre. Frequently seen in pop culture. it often appears as a setting for films. TV series, novels and even video games. | |
1. Tate Modem, London, UK is attractive partly in that.
| A．it is a national museum with three branches |
| B．entry to most of its exhibitions is free of charge |
| C．its exhibitions range from ancient art to modern art |
| D．visitors can purchase some wonderful exhibit items |
| A．It often serves as a setting for films. |
| B．It slays the same as it was when first built. |
| C．It is the most visited art museum in the world. |
| D．It was designed by a Chinese American architect. |
| A．Tate Modern. London, UK. |
| B．The Musee du Louvre, Paris, France. |
| C．National Museum of China, Beijing. China. |
| D．State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia. |
7 . Grandparents are respected in many human societies. But telling stories about old times and overfeeding grandchildren seem like human qualities. Are these classic grandparent behaviors really limited to humans？
Do any animals know their grandparents the way people do?
For most species on Earth，the answer is certainly “No”. "Usually，there aren't grandparents around anymore when an animal is born，"said Mirkka Lahdenpera，a biologist at the University of Turku in Finland. "Even if an animal's life span does overlap（重叠）with its grandparents'，most species spread out to avoid competing for resources，so the chance of running into a grandparent is slim. "
But there are a few clear exceptions，primarily among mammals（哺乳动物）that live in close social groups. In troops of langur monkeys in India，older females lived together with their daughters and grandchildren. The grandmother langurs defend the group's babies against attacks and even give their own grandchildren special treatment.
Many whale species，too，travel in family groups that include both grandmothers and grandchildren.
Elephant herds are also famously matriarchal. They are led by a grandmother，who can live to around 80 years old，and are generally made up of her daughters and their young. The females in a herd form close bonds and work together to raise their young.
Lahdenper found that the babies of young mothers were eight times more likely to survive if their grandmothers lived near them than if they didn't. When the young mothers were older and more experienced at raising babies，this beneficial grandmother effect disappeared even if the actual grandmothers were still around.
Indeed，most evidence for the benefits of grand parenting comes from mammals. But in 2010，researchers found that in troops of insects called gall-forming aphids，older females defend their relatives after they've stopped reproducing（繁殖）.
And what about grandfathers？Studies of humans in recent decades have shown that a living grandfather can improve a person's mental health and other indicators of well-being. But there's no evidence of that in the animal kingdom. Male animals rarely socialize with their own children，let alone any grandchildren.
1. From what Mirkka Lahdenpera said, we can learn that___________.| A．an animal is not very likely to meet a grandparent |
| B．an animal is taken away from its grandparents at birth |
| C．animals' grandparents move away to avoid responsibility |
| D．animals' grandparents often fail in competition for resources |
| A．elephants have a high level of intelligence |
| B．elephants enjoy an equal and fair social system |
| C．elephants are the largest land animals with a long life |
| D．elephants live in social groups with females in charge |
| A．Insects still able to reproduce will defend their relatives. |
| B．Animals' beneficial grandmother effect will exist forever. |
| C．Animals can be mentally healthier with their grandfathers. |
| D．Male animals seldom spend time with their grandchildren. |
| A．Do any animals know their grandparents? |
| B．Do any animals respect their grandparents? |
| C．How do animals live with their grandparents? |
| D．How do animals socialize with their grandparents? |
注意1.词数100左右
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Boys and girls, good afternoon! I’m excited to stand here to share the travel into the past and the future with my Time Machine.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you!
9 . Sadiman，a 67-year-old man，single-handedly restored an entire forest to save his village from hunger. He is a（n）
He came up with the
Non-stop since the early 1990s，Sadiman has
| A．salesman | B．farmer | C．reporter | D．official |
| A．polluted | B．dirty | C．dry | D．wide |
| A．project | B．suggestion | C．opinion | D．idea |
| A．ends | B．chances | C．goals | D．plans |
| A．cut | B．protect | C．plant | D．inspect |
| A．exactly | B．gradually | C．likely | D．simply |
| A．housing | B．living | C．health | D．spirit |
| A．gathering | B．growing | C．buying | D．raising |
| A．reached | B．cost | C．remained | D．occupied |
| A．challenge | B．standard | C．activity | D．request |
| A．reality | B．question | C．fact | D．hope |
| A．even | B．thus | C．just | D．still |
| A．However | B．Moreover | C．Therefore | D．Meanwhile |
| A．lived | B．relied | C．moved | D．kept |
| A．Instead of | B．As for | C．Thanks to | D．Apart from |
| A．recovered | B．cleaned | C．applied | D．expected |
| A．sure | B．proud | C．fond | D．aware |
| A．forest | B．picture | C．task | D．business |
| A．separate | B．forbid | C．save | D．get |
| A．floods | B．disease | C．storms | D．starvation |
10 . Tiny microbes(微生物)are at the heart of a new agricultural technique to manage harmful greenhouse gas. Scientists have discovered how microbes can be used to turn carbon dioxide into soil-enriching limestone(石灰石), with the help of a type of tree that grows in tropical areas, such as West Africa.
Researchers have found that when the Iroko tree is grown in dry, acidic soil and treated with a combination of natural fungi(霉菌)and other bacteria, not only does the tree grow well, it also produces the mineral limestone in the soil around its root.
The Iroko tree makes a mineral by combining Ca from the earth with CO2 from the atmosphere. The bacteria then create the conditions under which this mineral turns into limestone. The discovery offers a new way to lock carbon into the soil, keeping it out of the atmosphere. In addition to storing carbon in the trees leaves and in the form of limestone. the mineral in the soil makes it more suitable for agriculture.
The discovery could lead to reforestation(重新造林) projects in tropical countries, and help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the developing world. It has already been used in West Africa and is being tested in Bolivia, Haiti and India.
The findings were made in a three-year project involving researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Granada, Lausanne and Delft University of Technology. The project examined several microbiological methods of locking CO2 as limestone, and the Iroko-bacteria way showed best results. Work was funded by the European Commission under the Future&Emerging Technologies(FET)scheme.
Dr Bryne Ngwenya of the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, who led the research, said:“By taking advantage of this natural limestone-producing process, we have a low-tech,safe, readily employed and easily operating way to lock carbon out of the atmosphere, while improving farming conditions in tropical countries.”
1. The passage is mainly introducing______.| A．some useful natural fungi and bacteria |
| B．a new way to deal with greenhouse gas |
| C．a newly-found tree in West Africa |
| D．the soil-enriching limestone created by scientists |
| A．Most tiny microbes like living in dry, acidic soil. |
| B．CO2 can be broken down by natural fungi and bacteria. |
| C．The more greenhouse gas is, the more active tiny microbes become. |
| D．Tiny microbes get along well with the Iroko tree in special soil. |
| A．Soil. | B．Carbon. |
| C．Limestone. | D．Carbon. |
| A．The action of the tiny microbes can increase the oxygen in the earth |
| B．Researchers have done the experiment on trees in Africa for three years |
| C．Researchers tend to use natural power to solve their problem |
| D．West Africa is one of the most polluted areas all over the world |
