I grew up in southeastern Michigan. I was a fan of Detroit Tigers, a famous baseball team, as a young boy.
My childhood dream was to be like my hero, Al Kaline, and someday play for the Tigers. My Dad would take me to Tiger Stadium several times a year and my hero Al Kaline would never let me down. We never attended a game that he didn’t get at least one hit.
I was crazy about baseball. If there was a game in my high school, I was never absent. I kept practising so that I could achieve my dream of playing for the Tigers, and I was doing well at each level of play. Later, I got a chance to sign up for a strong American Legion baseball program. There I met our coach, Bob Ohm, who knew a lot of baseball and taught each of us the basics as well as more advanced baseball skills. With Bob Ohm’s help and my hard work, I had set new records in many baseball championships.
My dream to be like my hero seemed to draw near. One summer, I went up to play the final season in Marinette. There were scouts who came to find the best players. This was it! My big chance!
Well, as the game progressed I hit the ball very well getting five hits in the game. Unfortunately, I also made four mistakes. The final mistake actually drew laughter from the crowd.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
After the game, I knew my dream of playing professional baseball was lost.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Today, I teach baseball in a high school.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Walking might seem simple. “But it’s not,” explains Peggy Cawthon, a professor at Harvard Medical School. “It’s an amazingly complex behavior when we try to understand how to improve our lives as we age.”
Don’t stop exercising
Cawthon agrees that the worst thing a person can do is to stop exercising. “You’ll feel the effects almost immediately,” says Cawthon. Sitting for hours leaves her uncomfortable, and it’s the days when she types that her arthritis (关节炎) doesn’t cause much pain.
Train yourself to walk with skill
To truly improve your walking, you need to think like an athlete. Imagine you want to play tennis, but you have a bad backhand. Playing lots of tennis won’t fix the problem, Cawthon says.
Give your brain a boost (激励)
So when should we face the music about our mobility? There is no final answer for when walking problems begin to come up. “You should be as active as you can at any age,” Cawthon says, noting that people who are healthy in their 20s and 30s are best equipped to deal with future age-related challenges. “The best time to start is now. Next best is tomorrow,” she says.
| A．Start planning now |
| B．Be in pretty good shape |
| C．You need to improve your skill |
| D．So what steps should we take to do it right |
| E．How can you sweat your way to good health |
| F．It is a helpful reminder that our bodies need action |
| G．Basically, the body part controlling everything is your brain |
3 . People tend to use trees for papermaking. But maybe electronics (电子) engineers are missing out on something here. “It turns out that two major building blocks of wood have a lot of electrical qualities,” says Magnus Berggren, a professor at Linköping University.
His team has been working to make parts for electronics from the forest. Right now, they’re focusing on two materials of trees. The first material is cellulose, which can make energy. Lignin, the second material, can store that energy, just as a battery does. The team has found when pressed, cellulose can produce electricity.
Some device must then store the electricity until it’s needed. Batteries can do this. But batteries aren’t very green. They have harmful materials. That’s where lignin comes in.
Batteries cause electrons to flow from one place to another, which can produce electricity. In a typical battery, one material must give electrons. The other must accept them. Lignin can do both. A weak acid (酸) encourages lignin to produce electrons. “With a metal wire (金属线) to guide those electrons, you’ll have electricity,” says Berggren.
Berggren’s team use this quality to create its new lignin-based battery. Typical batteries use a metal wire as a path to guide the flow of electrons into or out of the device. But since Berggren wants to make a battery of the forest, he looks for a natural way. Once again, he turns to cellulose.
This natural material can serve as a wire-like path for electrons. To make it work well, Berggren lines them with another chemical known as PEDOT, which isn’t from a tree. But when PEDOT is added to cellulose, they can conduct electricity like a wire. “With a weak acid, now you have a battery,” Berggren says. “And two of its three materials come from the forest.”
Berggren can imagine one day having mobile phone batteries made largely from forest products. Tree-based electronics might also be useful in lighting.
1. What is cellulose used to do in the study?| A．Act as a weak acid. | B．Collect rainwater. |
| C．Produce electricity. | D．Make quality paper. |
| A．Well-received. | B．Eco-friendly. | C．Harmful. | D．Heavy. |
| A．They may change farming practices. | B．They might save a lot of wood. |
| C．They would serve the elderly. | D．They could light the rooms. |
| A．A Green Way to Make and Store Energy | B．An Attempt to Raise Power Production |
| C．Practical Suggestions on Planting Trees | D．Recent Advances in Mobile Phones |
4 . Our two-year investigation into caged (关在笼中) tigers in America sent us through 32 US states—with some truly shocking experiences. But as the deadline neared, I still needed a powerful and hopeful image.
When we began our reporting in 2017—Sharon, writing; me taking photos; and our son, NickRuggia, filming—more tigers likely lived in cages in the US than remained in the wild. The number ranged from 5,000 to 10,000, but without strict government oversight, no one knew for sure.
Roadside zoos that allowed tourists to take pictures of young tigers were the main cause of what’s been called a US tiger crisis (危机). Caged cats often ended up in the illegal wildlife trade. Young tigers, parted from their mothers at birth, were fed poorly and touched by hundreds of people. When they grew too big and dangerous to pet at around 12 weeks, young tigers were put on show, or simply disappeared.
While we documented the unpleasant part of this industry, we also wanted to show the good life these impressive animals could have. With two weeks left before my deadline, I headed to the Wild Animal Sanctuary near Denver, where well-cared cats walked freely in their habitat.
There I met Clay, Daniel, and Enzo, three of 39 tigers rescued from an animal park in Oklahoma. These nearly grown cats raced beside our car, which I’d seen only in the wild. It was a hot July day and soon two of the cats jumped into a pool to cool off. The third rested beside them on the ground. I crossed the road to take a picture of them. Then quietly, I came up close, trying not to disturb (打扰) them. I had the shot.
1. Why did the author start her reporting?| A．To dig out the dark truth of caged tigers. | B．To explore the amazing land in the country. |
| C．To tell people that baby tigers are harmless. | D．To share the happy moment during the trip. |
| A．Forest fires. | B．Climate change. | C．Roadside zoos. | D．Water pollution. |
| A．They prefer to stay indoors. | B．They are badly treated. |
| C．They get used to the changes. | D．They are traded legally. |
| A．To praise her family for their effort. | B．To explain what the animals suffered. |
| C．To introduce a special kind of tigers. | D．To show some tigers lead an easy life. |
5 . Leah Brown aged 36 fell several hundred feet from Oregon’s highest mountain right before the eyes of a group of volunteer rescue workers who rushed to her aid and helped save her life.
The woman was coming down a popular path (小路) on Mt. Hood, about 70 miles east of Portland, on Saturday morning, according to the local police. Mt. Hood is the highest in Oregon, standing at around11.240 feet.
The fall was seen by members of Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR), a volunteer organization focused on helping people in mountainous areas. The group called 911 and rushed to the woman, providing medical care. They helped keep the woman warm for seven hours as the police worked to get her off the mountain safely. Finally, the woman was evacuated (转移) to a parking lot at 9:30 pm and taken to a hospital.
The climber, Leah Brown, said she didn’t know what caused her fall. “I can only guess it was either an ice tool or a crampon (冰爪) that didn’t land and stick like it should have, so I became detached from the mountain,” Brown said. “The thing I’d like to most stress is my appreciation for the members of PMR who evacuated me and took good care of me the whole time,” Brown added. “They saved my life. ”
In a statement after the rescue, PMR warned of the dangerous winter conditions at the mountain. “The short days and lower temperatures mean that the snow tends to be very hard and icy, and the conditions tend to be much steeper. Climbing the mountain in icy conditions is much more difficult,” the group said.
1. What happened to Brown on Saturday morning?| A．She lost her way in a forest. | B．She hurt her eye unexpectedly. |
| C．She failed to call her family. | D．She fell down on a downhill path. |
| A．Different. | B．Hidden. | C．Separated. | D．Tired. |
| A．Thankful. | B．Regretful. | C．Surprised. | D．Concerned. |
| A．Climbing requires teamwork. | B．Climbing in winter is too risky. |
| C．We must remain positive in hard times. | D．We can admire the view on sunny days. |
I walk into Prince’s Hot Chicken, and order hot fried chicken legs. “Oh, enjoy it,” says the hostess. Her reply is a commonly
My chicken arrives and is too hot
How does a dish so challengingly hot become well-received? Like so many Southern foods, fried chicken has a long history. Hot chicken first appeared in the 1930s, when a man
After a few years,
These days, you’ll find hot chicken all over the city. I feel at home with the
7 . Their father passed away, their mother is laid off, and the family has no heat in their house as the winter sets in. This is just one of the
Sometimes the solution is
“There have been other needs that have come forward, like medical costs for students,” said Michael Happ, the program’s director. “So there’s a real
| A．shocking | B．pleasant | C．strange | D．unique |
| A．led to | B．come across | C．worked out | D．made up |
| A．fun | B．real | C．risky | D．simple |
| A．medicine | B．tools | C．food | D．houses |
| A．miss | B．track | C．deliver | D．prefer |
| A．concentrating on | B．going through | C．wondering at | D．finding out |
| A．deal | B．lesson | C．game | D．loss |
| A．Refused | B．Burned | C．Founded | D．Ignored |
| A．digital | B．unusual | C．informal | D．various |
| A．grown | B．hidden | C．shown | D．ended |
| A．buy | B．report | C．increase | D．describe |
| A．chance | B．hunger | C．pity | D．excuse |
| A．replaced | B．questioned | C．disliked | D．recognized |
| A．respect | B．money | C．humour | D．water |
| A．in need | B．in patience | C．in peace | D．in control |
8 . Mundi, a 41-year-old female elephant, was orphaned (使……成为孤儿) at a young age, captured, and sold to the Mayaguez Zoo in Puerto Rico. The animals housed at the zoo were in such bad shape that they were being moved to various shelters under an order from the US Department of Justice.
Mundi was the zoo’s major attraction. Her departure caused so much argument that armed guards came to see her off the island. She was so popular that people lined the streets to say goodbye.
Mundi’s new home is certainly beautiful. After living in the zoo for 35 years with no other elephants, Mundi met Bo and Tarra, with whom she’s now sharing 850 acres. She was first housed in a separate place, but she and the other elephants could see each other, and they started getting along quickly. Soon, Mundi was no longer separated from the others. Tarra immediately acted as a big sister and mentor to Mundi, while Bo became her playmate. Now, they spend a lot of time together and the public can watch their interaction and learn about their behaviors on the shelter’s official website.
Carol Buckley, the founder of Elephant Aid International, first imagined setting up the Georgia shelter after meeting Tarra in 1974, when the elephant was less than a year old. At the time, Tarra belonged to the owner of a tire store, who used her to advertise the place.
Buckley ultimately became an advocate for elephants worldwide and designed the retirement home in Attapulgus to address their needs. Attapulgus was selected as the location for the shelter because its climate allows the elephants to be outdoors most of the time, almost year-round.
1. What can be inferred about the animals in Mayaguez Zoo?| A．They lived a normal life. | B．They were not welcome. |
| C．They were not well treated. | D．They were living happily. |
| A．To prevent possible accidents. | B．To protect the animals around. |
| C．To say goodbye to Mundi. | D．To show their respect for Mundi. |
| A．Taking care of Mundi. | B．Buying tires for her owner. |
| C．Working as a store keeper. | D．Advertising a tire store. |
| A．Its small space. | B．Its weather pattern. |
| C．Its special design. | D．Its convenient transportation. |
9 . How Important Is General Awareness?
Many people today are highly specialized and know a lot about their specific field or set of interests, but they often lose sight of general awareness. We might believe the first thing we read online if we don’t have a clear idea about many things in the world. Our general awareness can protect us against a variety of issues.
We can understand general awareness as a two-fold concept.
The better we understand the world around us, the more empowered we are to make good decisions.
| A．Let’s take a look at how it helps us |
| B．Nobody knows everything, and that is fine |
| C．General awareness refers to being aware of current events |
| D．With higher levels of awareness, you may have limited choices |
| E．It’s easy enough to understand why we should be more aware of ourselves |
| F．Knowing more about our country and community politics can allow us to make predictions and decisions |
| G．Firstly, it refers to the general sense we have of the world: how it works, what is going on and more |
Carl moved to Arizona in December. He came from the round, green mountains of Vermont to the Sonoran Desert where the mountains were sharp, brown, and wrinkled. Carl was homesick.
Carl’s new home was the town of Silverbell. Silverbell sat near a river with the same name. But there was not a drop of water in this river.
Carl hadn’t made any real friends yet. He always walked home from school alone. One day, though, he heard a lonely melody (旋律) floating in the wind. It sounded wonderful-and fitted Carl’s mood just right. He followed the music to the schoolyard and found Tadio, the kid who always sat by himself in the lunchroom. He sat on the steps playing a wooden flute (长笛).
“That song is wonderful!” Carl said.
“Thank you,” Tadio said with a bright, sunny smile.
“I’m Carl. I play, too.” He took out bis own silver flute.
“Ah, my name is Tadio. Let’s play together.”
Carl joined Tadio. They played Ode to Joy, a piece that they both knew by heart. The two got along so well that Carl felt comfortable telling Tadio about his homesickness.
“It just doesn’t feel like winter around here,” Carl said. “I don’t think it ever will. It’s too hot.”
Tadio said, “It feels like winter to me, but I’ve lived in Silverbell my whole life.”
“So, why is it called Silverbell anyway?” asked Carl.
“Because of the canyon (峡谷). My grandfather said at special times, one could hear her ring like a silver bell…for example when the rain poured down,” Tadio said.
Then Carl complained about Principal Ramire’s request for his flute solo at tomorrow’s winter concert.
“Ah, you are shy, but you play very well. Let’s meet tomorrow before the concert to practice. Maybe that will help ease your fear. I know a spot beside the canyon where I often go to play. Sometimes, her echo (回音) sounds like she’s singing with me,” Tadio laughed.
The next day was sunny and warm. After school, the two boys spread out a blanket beside Silverbell Canyon and played, stopping only when they heard the sound of distant thunder. The rain followed.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
As the rain poured down, Carl started to understand what Tadio said earlier.
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He woke up from the amazing scene and joined the other students for the concert.
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