1 . More than one-third of the world’s food is wasted or thrown away, most of which ends up in landfills, producing very large amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now, many studies show that it is becoming harder to grow enough food to feed an increasing population due to climate change and soil degradation.
But one of the most promising and simplest solutions lies in the problem itself: this wasted food — if composted (堆肥) — could slow climate change and improve soil quality. Higher-quality soil also continues to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere, helping to improve plants and contributing further to fighting climate change. Returning one ton of organic matter to each hectare of soil would increase the production of cereal crops each year in Africa, Asia and South America by millions of tons.
While it is true that people can compost in their yards, community gardens, or even on their kitchen counters, larger-scale efforts, including infrastructure (基础设施) and incentives (激励) for consumers, would take it to the next level. Imagine if consumers could just leave unwanted food in a roadside bin for pickup, or drop it off at a local store, earning a few cents a bucket, just like what has been offered for recycling bottles or newspapers.
Moreover, in the case of composting, the payment incentive system would be sustainable because the end-product of compost can be sold to farmers, making it an economically workable model, something that is often lacking in recycling, especially for certain materials, like many types of plastics.
Eventually, more widespread composting of food would pave the way for solutions to additional waste challenges, such as the disposal of packaging and clothing. This will have other positive effects as well; if more consumers compost, companies will be more inspired to make and use compostable packaging, clothing, and other products. While more compostable items are starting to emerge today, additional composting will further drive demand and innovation, and offer a game-changing solution for the planet.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The uneven distribution of food around the world. |
| B．The burden of population growth on the planet. |
| C．The urgency of properly dealing with wasted food. |
| D．The great impact of climate change on food. |
| A．A good system is needed to carry out it effectively. |
| B．It would take a long term to have an effect. |
| C．It is only workable on a small scale. |
| D．It may raise people’s awareness of reducing food waste. |
| A．It is highly profitable. |
| B．It is easy to carry out. |
| C．It is a sustainable economic cycle pattern. |
| D．It is more effective than other recycling systems. |
| A．How Wasted Food Could Be Reduced |
| B．How Wasted Food Could Save the Planet |
| C．How Wasted Food Could Impact Humans |
| D．How Wasted Food Could Become a Business |
2 . While teenagers who are at risk of depression with risky behaviors — drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and cutting classes often alert parents and teachers that serious problems are brewing, a new study finds that there’s another group of adolescents who are in nearly as much danger of experiencing the same mental symptoms.
These teens use tons of media, get insufficient sleep and have a sedentary (不爱活动的) lifestyle. Of course, that may sound like a description of every teenager on the planet. But the study warns that it is teenagers who engage in all three of these practices in the extreme that are truly in a dangerous position. Because their behaviors are not usually seen as a red flag, these young people have been called the “invisible risk”group by the study’s authors.
The study’s authors surveyed 15,395 students and analyzed nine risk behaviors, including excessive alcohol use, illegal drug use, heavy smoking and high media use. Their aim was to determine the relationship between these risk behaviors and mental health issues in teenagers. The group that scored high on all nine of the risk behaviors was most likely to show symptoms of depression; in all, nearly 15% of this group reported being depressed, compared with just 4% of the low-risk group. But the invisible group wasn’t far behind the high-risk set, with more than 13% of them exhibiting depression.
The findings caught Carli off guard. “We didn’t expect that,” he says. “The high-risk group and low-risk group are obvious, but this third group was not only unexpected. It was so distinct and so large — nearly one third of our sample — that it became a key finding of the study.”
Carli says that one of the most significant things about his study is that it provides new early warning signs for parents, teachers and mental health-care providers. And early identification, support and treatment for mental health issues, he says, are the best ways to keep them from turning into full-blown disorders.
1. Which teenager probably belongs to the “invisible risk” group?| A．A teenager who skips school. |
| B．A teenager who drinks frequently. |
| C．A teenager who exercises regularly. |
| D．A teenager who suffers from lack of sleep. |
| A．It was intended to dig into the reasons for depression. |
| B．Its findings were under expectation of the research team. |
| C．It was conducted by analyzing and comparing the previous data. |
| D．It revealed an alarming rate of the invisible group suffering depression. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Concerned. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．To caution teens against developing unhealthy habit. |
| B．To share a novel psychological experiment with teens. |
| C．To introduce a new treatment for teens’ mental disorder. |
| D．To warn about the unobserved signs for teens’ mental problems. |
3 . There are thousands of puzzles to choose from for you, such as jigsaw puzzles, puzzle books and more. They all have something in common: they test your skills or knowledge. Here are four of the most common:
Word puzzlesOne of the most popular word puzzles — the crossword. It can be done with paper and pencil or online. Sometimes word puzzles involve finding new words within a large group of letters. This type of word puzzle is called a word search.
Word puzzles usually test your vocabulary. Knowing the language that the game is designed in is required for success, however.
Mechanical puzzlesMechanical puzzles have pieces that must be arranged in some way. The world’s best-selling puzzle, the Rubik’s Cube, is a mechanical puzzle. As of 2020, over 450 million Rubik’s Cubes had been sold.
Jigsaw puzzles also fall into this category. They typically involve putting pieces in the right place to form a picture. Jigsaw puzzles have from two to over 550,000 pieces — the largest one on record.
Logic puzzlesFiguring out the solution to a logic puzzle requires careful thought rather than guessing. Sudoku and Mine Finder are examples of logic puzzles. In Mine Finder players must determine where the mines are hidden in a grid.
Math puzzlesMath puzzles involve numbers, words or objects and the use of math. Surprisingly, the ever-popular Candy Crush is classified as a math puzzle. Math skills are required for players to successfully move and match colored candies.
There are many other kinds of puzzles. But no matter which you prefer, puzzles are a great way to entertain.
1. What are the four puzzles similar to each other?| A．Requiring too much time and energy. | B．Examining your skills or knowledge. |
| C．Requiring careful thought rather than guessing. | D．Knowing much knowledge about a language. |
| A．Mine Finder. | B．The Rubik’s Cube. | C．Jigsaw puzzles. | D．Candy Crush. |
| A．Language study. | B．Study skills. | C．Science experiments. | D．Entertainment. |
4 . Technology is around us everywhere, from simple devices like our smartphones, laptops and TV to background technology we don’t even notice.
Technology boosts business. Many new tech advancements and innovations are made by and for businesses. Why?
Technology has advanced education. Some examples include the availability of online courses and unlimited online resources for research. Before technology, you’d have to physically go to class or go to the library to do research.
Technology makes everyday life better. Think about the introduction of self-driving cars: they were unheard of a few years ago, and now they’re a reality.
| A．Technology makes online shopping possible. |
| B．Technology has changed the world for the better. |
| C．We need to use technology in a healthier and more careful way. |
| D．Now, education is easier for everyone, no matter where you live. |
| E．The way we use technology can help or harm ourselves and others. |
| F．Besides, technology has also had a positive influence on household items. |
| G．Because companies want to improve their products and services for profit. |
5 . Emotional intelligence is highly important in a teen’s development. There is considerable evidence pointing to its positive role in helping students deal with stress, develop relationships, and handle the transitions (过渡) facing them.
Emotional intelligence helps us manage negative emotions and our behaviors in response to them. So, does it impact on how teens and students perform academically? Some research does, in fact, suggest a relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement. In one study of education students at university, self-emotion appraisal (评价) and understanding of emotion were revealed to have positive significant linkages with their academic performance on assessments. Later studies support this finding, with Sanchez-Ruiz and colleagues finding that emotional intelligence predicted academic performance better than established personality and cognitive (认知的) ability for Cyprus university students.
But what about teens specifically? Interestingly, there is also cogent evidence to suggest that teens with EI are better able to make the transition from high school to higher education. Results of a study of 1,426 first-year students found significantly higher interpersonal, stress management, and adaptability skills among students who were academically successful in entering university. The authors’ conclusion was that emotional intelligence has a large impact on students’ ability to deal with challenges such as developing new relationships and learning to live more independently, amongst other factors.
It is worth noting that while the studies above do provide evidence for some benefits of emotional intelligence skills for students, they don’t necessarily indicate an academic consensus (共识). As with most areas in the field, much room for future research remains. So interpersonal and emotional management skills may play a key part in helping students better handle the challenging aspects of academic life.
1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?| A．Emotional intelligence is only helpful to negative emotions. |
| B．Our behaviors can’t be treated with our emotional intelligence. |
| C．Research on the function of emotional intelligence isn’t reliable. |
| D．Emotional intelligence is connected with academic performance. |
| A．Insufficient. | B．Specific. | C．Usual. | D．Convincing. |
| A．Emotional intelligence doesn’t adapt to teens yet. |
| B．More research is needed for emotional intelligence. |
| C．Emotional intelligence equals academic performance. |
| D．Interpersonal management counts in school examinations. |
| A．We Should Develop Our Emotional Intelligence |
| B．Emotional Intelligence Means a Lot to Educators |
| C．Emotional Intelligence is Important for Teenagers |
| D．We Need Further Study on Emotional Intelligence |
6 . A key part of protecting endangered species is figuring out where they’re living. Using environmental DNA, or eDNA, to track species isn’t new. For a few years now, researchers have been using DNA in water.
Two teams of scientists — one in Denmark led by Dr Kristine Bohmann and one in the UK led by Dr Elizabeth Clare — came up with the same question at about the same time: Could they identify the animals in an area from DNA that was simply floating in the air? DNA in the air is usually so small that it would take a microscope to see it. “I thought the chances of collecting animal DNA from air would be slim though much time had been spent on it, but we moved on,” said Bohmann who was trying to think of a crazy research idea for a Danish foundation that funds far-out science.
One team collected samples from different locations at Denmark’s Copenhagen Zoo, and the other at Hamerton Zoo Park in the UK. Clearly, they both chose the zoos. “We realized we have the Copenhagen Zoo,” Bohmann recalls. In fact, both the zoos in the UK and Denmark were almost like the zoos that were custom-built for the experiments: The animals in the zoos were non-native, so they really stuck out in DNA analyses. “If we detect a flamingo (火烈鸟), we’re sure it’s not coming from anywhere else but the zoo,” Bohmann says.
In the laboratory, by comparing their samples with examples of DNA from different animals, the scientists succeeded in identifying many different animals at the zoos.
Neither team knew that the other team was working on a similar experiment. The two were nearing submission to a scientific journal when they discovered about the other experiment. Rather than compete to rush out a publication first, they got in touch and decided to publish their findings as a pair. “We both thought the papers are stronger together,” says Clare.
“The next step is to figure out how to take this method into nature to track animals that are hard to spot, including endangered animals,” says Bohmann.
1. What did Bohmann initially think of the experiment?| A．It could be a failure. | B．It wouldn’t take long. | C．It wasn’t original. | D．It would cost much. |
| A．They raised many rare animals there. | B．The zoos were specially built for them. |
| C．They could collect enough animal DNA. | D．They could recognize animals confidently. |
| A．Competitive. | B．Inseparable. | C．Cooperative. | D．Casual. |
| A．Research Teams Test DNA in Nature | B．DNA in the Air Helps identify Animals |
| C．Different Zoos Conduct DNA Studies | D．eDNA Protects Endangered Animals |
7 . In the early hours of March 23, about 12 hours before our treasured 12-year-old son died of a rare form of brain cancer, I climbed into his hospital bed,
My child was no longer
My son had been
My son was also a passionate
Then it came — at 12:52 am on March 23, my son’s heart stopped beating forever. Despite my
It
| A．fed | B．hid | C．wrapped | D．rocked |
| A．ambitious | B．conscious | C．wise | D．sensitive |
| A．win | B．stop | C．preserve | D．calm |
| A．familiar | B．concerned | C．bored | D．satisfied |
| A．leading to | B．listening to | C．taking to | D．agreeing to |
| A．kindness | B．patience | C．courage | D．honesty |
| A．reader | B．poet | C．fan | D．believer |
| A．extending | B．valuing | C．wasting | D．occupying |
| A．nearly | B．surely | C．hardly | D．finally |
| A．refused | B．pretended | C．expected | D．offered |
| A．anxiety | B．loneliness | C．illness | D．anger |
| A．struggle | B．preparation | C．tolerance | D．power |
| A．amused | B．comforted | C．shocked | D．confused |
| A．forced | B．advised | C．convinced | D．promised |
| A．admired | B．helped | C．encouraged | D．loved |
8 . Those of you who have seen the amazing National Geographic documentary Free Solo will know just how fascinating it can be to watch a professional climber scale the side of a mountain.
A new documentary, Explorer: The Last Tepui, shares a lot with Free Solo, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Not only does it star rock climber Alex Honnold, it also shows him hanging off the side of a mountain in precarious positions that will make your stomach drop in extreme fear.
While his athletic achievements are amazing, Honnold isn’t the most appealing character in the film. That honor goes to Bruce Means, who has spent his academic career finding new species throughout South America to prove to the world that the area is a biodiversity hot spot to be protected at all costs. In Explorer:The Last Tepui, the 80-year-old ecologist decides to climb the 300-plus metres to the peak of the Tepui, deep in Guyana’s Amazon rainforest.
Means, Honnold, leader Mark Synnott and a world-class team of climbers have to hike 56 kilometres over 10 days across increasingly dangerous areas to reach the base of the Tepui. This is a very big deal because Means has problems with his knees. Once at the Tepui, Honnold and other team members plan to climb to the top and then pull Means up, which will allow him to explore the cliff wall for novel animal and plant species.
Unsurprisingly, because of the area they must cross to reach the Tepui, various major barriers soon get in the way of the party. The detailed descriptions of Means’ determination to overcome these challenges due to his age and health just add real suspense (悬念) to the documentary.
The constantly changing viewpoints and potentially life-threatening issues ensure that Explorer: The Last Tepui remains compelling (扣人心弦的) to the very end. Even though it is just 54 minutes long, you will still feel tired out, as well as inspired, by the time it is over.
1. What does the underlined word “precarious” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Comfortable. | B．Dangerous. | C．Easy. | D．Correct. |
| A．The 2019 Academy Award. |
| B．The discovery of new species. |
| C．Means’ plan to climb the peak of the Tepui. |
| D．Honnold’s appearance in the film. |
| A．Ensuring food supplies at the base of the Tepui. |
| B．Topping the Tepui as quickly as possible. |
| C．Helping Means find long lost species. |
| D．Assisting Means in carrying out the exploration. |
| A．It is inspiring and funny. |
| B．It is long and tiring. |
| C．It is full of heart-stopping moments. |
| D．It is filled with complicated elements. |
9 . Back in January, my partner and I resolved to take exercise seriously. This would mean spending hours every week working out, stretching and sweating our way to better health, which is something that is particularly difficult when you glance at the weather outside and see dark clouds on the horizon.“It looks like it is about to rain. I guess I’ll go for a run tomorrow instead.”But then just as we were on the edge of giving up again, we discovered a brilliant new way to make exercise better: by turning it into a videogame.
SWIFT is a cycling game that you control by pedaling your real bike, which is fixed onto a device called a turbo-trainer. As you pedal, the trainer sends signals back to your computer to control the character on screen. And smartly, the game sends back instructions to the trainer to apply different levels of resistance, so that as you’re cycling up a hill in the game, you can actually feel it on the bike.
So, after restoring our small garage and signing up for a $12 per month subscription, we had our TV, bike and all-important cooling fan ready to go.
Once you’re ready, you can participate in virtual cycle rides in 3D-recreations of real places, like London and New York, or fictional locations. And importantly, other real human cyclists appear alongside you, sharing your journey.
The genius of the design is that it has used lots of the tricks of traditional videogames to keep pushing you a little bit further and harder: go a little faster, and you’ll be rewarded with a little achievement marker, and if you pedal harder, you might win a race against another real player. It’s essentially generating some sort of dopamine（多巴胺）hits that riding along on a traditional exercise bike simply can’t match.
I’m not the only person who has noticed this. Today many other companies in the tech industry are chasing the same users, and they all offer their own unique versions.
1. Why was it very difficult for the author and his partner to maintain exercise routine?| A．They didn’t have enough time. |
| B．The weather was unpleasant. |
| C．They lacked proper equipment. |
| D．Their garage needed restoration. |
| A．A real bike fixed onto a turbo-trainer. |
| B．A subscription to access cycle rides. |
| C．An all-important cooling fan. |
| D．Outdoor running equipment. |
| A．It offers its own special versions. |
| B．It helps them to master accurate weather information. |
| C．It uses videogame tricks that provide rewards for performance. |
| D．It provides professional training programs tailored individually. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Objective. | C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
When you are surfing the Internet, you can be anyone or anything. Avatars are a key part while people use the Internet to communicate. and express themselves. The first simple 2D avatars
