1 . Being a plastic-free gardener is an important step for having an eco-conscious garden. Here’s how to garden by using alternatives to plastic plant pots.
Lots of pots
Plastic-free plant pot alternatives
The great news is that, the choice of alternative plastic-free pots is fantastic.
Ceramic (陶瓷) pots
Though expensive, when it comes to plant pots, there is not much that compares to the appeal of hand-made ceramic pots. Ceramic pots are made from the firing of clay.
Wool pots
Made from raw washed wool pots, these cute little pots are a very attractive natural alternative to plastic.
Hemp (麻) pots
Hemp pots are a great alternative to the plastic pots used to grow tomato and potato plants.
A.They are durable |
B.Limit the use of plastic in the garden |
C.Wool pots can be used to start young plants |
D.They are a replacement for those with limited growing space |
E.Many gardeners have a collection of plastic plant pots over the years |
F.Many of the pots in which plants were sold at the time were recyclable |
G.In addition to fabric, there is also wood, cardboard, bamboo, rubber, and even wool |
2 . Where do you expect to see graffiti (涂鸦)? Probably not in a museum. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, in the south-west of England, was the kind of place you went to see classical statues and stuffed animals in cases until the arrivals of the ‘Banksy Versus the Bristol Museum’ exhibition in 2009. The exhibition hosted more than 100 works by Banksy, one of the world’s most famous graffiti artists.
Banksy is a man of mystery (神秘). He hardly ever gives interviews and likes to be anonymous (匿名的). Nobody knows much about his life or his background but many people believe that his real name is either Robin Cunningham, Robert Banks or Robin Banks and that he was born in 1973 near Bristol.
Banksy’s questioned ‘street art’ includes paintings on live sheep and cows and graffiti on the huge wall put up to divide two areas. Brand Pitt spent over 82 million on a Bansky original. Banksy designed an album cover for the Britpop group Blur in 2003 but he has refused requests to do adverts for Nike. A year after the Bristol exhibition, Banksy made a film called Exit Through the Gift Shop. The film tells the story of a French street artist in America. Exit Through the Gift Shop received many positive reviews. Nobody knows if it was about a real artist or an invented character from Banksy’s imagination.
Bristol isn’t the only place in Britain to welcome graffiti. The DPM Park in Dundee, Scotland has the longest legal graffiti wall (almost 110m long) in the UK. Anyone can paint on the council-owned wall any time they like. Mike Crilley, the graffiti wall project organiser, promotes the positive side of graffiti and runs workshops for local children.
Is everyone doing graffiti? Can we do graffiti where we want these days? Not exactly. It’s illegal to paint on somebody else’s possessions, so make sure you find a legal graffiti wall like the one in Dundee if you want to have a go.
1. Why is Banksy a man of mystery?A.His works are mainly set in Bristol. | B.His works are not universally recognized. |
C.He’s likely to use a penname in his works | D.He comes from an area unfamilar to others. |
A.It was produced in the year 2010. | B.It was based on Banksy’s true story. |
C.It was directed and starred by Banksy. | D.It was filmed for the Bristol exhibition. |
A.On any wall in the UK. | B.On somebody’s outer wall. |
C.In Mike Crilley’s workshops. | D.In any nation-owned parks. |
A.Different opinions on graffiti. | B.Britain’s famous graffiti artist. |
C.Banksy’s most successful graffiti. | D.Graffiti in major cities in the world. |
3 . If something’s standing in your way to greatness, these top books on motivation can help you overcome roadblocks so you can realize your dreams. Here’s a look at some of the best books on motivation.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff ... and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
Learn how to turn problems into opportunities and stay calm in stressful situations with this handy guide focused on helping readers find happiness and peace of mind. Discover how to master your thoughts and fully live in the moment to appreciate what you have and get the most out of life.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Highlighting the habits that distinguish those people who deal particularly well with the world from everyone else, this popular motivation book explains how you can become a better person by adopting the attitude of the highly effective and aligning (使……一致) your life with universal principles.
How to Win Friends &Influence People by Dale Carnegie
A favorite presenting basic rules for how to make a good first impression and effortlessly win people over, this bestselling motivational book offers timeless advice backed by engaging anecdotes (轶事). Carnegie explains the easy techniques to help anyone become more popular and persuasive, and he shares simple guidelines to instantly make yourself more likable.
Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg
Being productive isn’t just about managing your to-do list; it’s also about making the right choices and maintaining the proper mindset. Staying motivated means sticking to your goals even when the world throws a challenge of bother at you. And by adopting a few easy methods to stay on track, nothing will stand between you and your dreams.
1. If you want to be popular, which book may you read?A.Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff... and It’s All Small Stuff. |
B.The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. |
C.How to Win Friends & Influence People. |
D.Smarter Faster Better. |
A.Richard Carlson. | B.Stephen R. Covey. |
C.Dale Carnegie. | D.Charles Duhigg. |
A.It motivates you to achieve your dreams. | B.It emphasizes the importance of willpower. |
C.It teaches you how to keep a peaceful mind. | D.It tells about specific basic rules for success. |
4 . All three of my children were subject-matter experts before they even left primary school. My eldest son memorized every statistic on every football trading card he got his hands on. His brother knew hundreds of car makes and models by heart. And I’m sure that my daughter — a huge One Direction fan — remembered more facts about the band than they did! The experience of becoming an expert can bring long-term benefits for learning — and it’s never too late. “Having a specialist subject helps you learn anything,” says our memory expert, Jonathan Hancock, “There are good reasons for all of us to do a spot of specialist learning.”
It schools our observation: a vital first step to remembering. Children are particularly good at seeing slight differences — like my younger son and his cars — then using them to organize information and inspire recall. But focused learning like this can push anyone to start noticing key details — ready to remember them.
It gives us a mental framework (框架), to which we can attach unrelated ideas. Even when his trading-card period was over, my son often linked new numbers with stored-away sports statistics. Your own area of interest might help you by suggesting soundalike words for people’s names, or letting you “map” travel directions.
It gets us learning in a variety of ways, often with the help of all our senses. My daughter’s pop knowledge was a rich mix of music, dances and colourful costumes, with precise facts. Burying yourself in a subject boosts your brain to work at its best.
It restores our confidence to remember. We get to see what a difference it makes to be interested in something, to build up information in layers (层次), and to keep refreshing, testing and showing off what we know. It can give all our learning a boost.
Why not pick a topic that interests you, find some books, take a course, join a club... and enjoy becoming at least an entry-level expert? Even a short spell of specialist study can reawaken learning skills that used to feel like child’s play.
1. What do the author’s children have in common?A.Having a variety of hobbies. | B.Dreaming of being a top-class expert. |
C.Learning school subjects well. | D.Showing exceptional talent in their areas. |
A.Recognizing a pair of twins. | B.Lecturing at an opening ceremony. |
C.Learning English by watching a film. | D.Planning a tour route in a strange city. |
A.To advocate. | B.To confirm. | C.To evaluate. | D.To explain. |
A.Raise Children’s Memory | B.Remember Like an Expert |
C.Reform Learning Methods | D.Reawaken Learning Skills |
5 . Emily was once invited to a party. Not knowing anyone except the host, she was anxious. An hour before her scheduled
You can do something to fight such anxiety. First, step outside your comfort zone, and gradually you’ll find the world
A.performance | B.departure | C.return | D.interview |
A.arrange | B.confirm | C.announce | D.cancel |
A.Apparently | B.Originally | C.Temporarily | D.Repeatedly |
A.struggle | B.assist | C.deal | D.engage |
A.design | B.complete | C.revise | D.attend |
A.inspector | B.leader | C.teacher | D.monitor |
A.growing | B.messing | C.dressing | D.standing |
A.simpler | B.smaller | C.less confusing | D.less frightening |
A.permission | B.evidence | C.support | D.respect |
A.strategies | B.treatment | C.communication | D.teamwork |
A.escapes | B.seizes | C.ignores | D.angers |
A.discuss | B.ask | C.resolve | D.know |
A.enjoy | B.reflect | C.reward | D.adjust |
A.take off | B.catch up | C.look out | D.fit in |
A.risks | B.invitation | C.promises | D.outcome |
The past summer in Antarctica, Elaine had spent long hours inside the plain, practical buildings of the MeMurdo research station. Her job was to look after the fire-fighting equipment and fire alarms of this remote outpost. But on her days off, Elaine loved to go skiing and explore the ice and caves beyond the station.
With winter coming, she’d be heading home soon. But before she left there was one more thing Elaine wanted to do. She was determined to see a penguin (企鹅) — up close. She’d heard interesting tales from the biologists, about how penguins played and took care of one another, how they were curious and often approached people. She had spotted a few, but only from far away. But that night after dinner, someone said there was a lone penguin on the ice on the far side of the station. Elaine rushed out, hoping to get a closer look.
Now she was filled with excitement.... and cold. The day had been sunny and warm (for Antarctica, meaning around 20°F or-6℃, still below freezing). But a sudden storm could drop the temperature by 50°in just a few minutes. The glacier’s (冰川) huge pressure created crevasses (冰裂缝) — deep blue holes in the ice beneath the snowy surface, If someone dropped into the crevasse, nobody would ever find him.
A frosty wind blew, and she reached up to cover her bare ear. Oh no, where was her hat? Elaine had left her backpack — with her warm coal, hat, and emergency radio — back at MeMurdo! Normally, she carried that orange pack everywhere. But hearing about the penguin, she’d rushed out without her backpack and she was out on the ice alone.
Maybe the cold had slowed down her brain, but Elaine didn’t consider the danger. All she could think of was the penguin. Watching the penguin coming closer, she spied a flash of yellow. It was an emperor penguin! Elaine followed the bird farther out on the ice, away from the base.
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。
Soon the penguin stood right in front of her.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Suddenly, a strong wind knocked her off. She was lying on a thin skin of ice above a deep hole.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . Going to the gym can take time and effort, it often hurts, and it can be extremely tiresome. Most weight-related exercises are a combination of sets and reps (组和次). In order to see any significant change from any exercise, it will probably need to be repeated six to eight times, fora minimum of three sets, for about three months. For some, there’s nothing more boring than endless miles spent running on a treadmill (跑步机).
But what if there were a way to relieve the tedium of exercise while still getting a good workout? Luckily for us, there’s virtual reality.
Many VR games are played while standing. In order to play properly, the player is forced to move around swinging their arms or using their legs. After an hour of this on a regular enough basis, it’s not surprising that many people unexpectedly find themselves a little fitter. There are already a number of virtual reality games which, intentionally or not, result in their player ‘getting a good sweat on’ if played for enough time. For example, there’s a first person shooter which forces the player to sidestep, duck and other sport actions. That’s cardio (有氧运动). Or there’s a music game which forces players to shadowbox in order to hit the notes—that’s an upper-body workout.
The potential for VR to help people get fit has been noticed by one company. They want to take the whole experience into the gym. They are making a resistance machine, designed to be used in combination with a VR headset. Players challenge a virtual opponent in a series of games, which results in a 30-minute full-body workout. However, the cost of the equipment is expensive and there are safety concerns to be worked out. So don’t hang up your gym shorts just yet.
Although it’s early days, for those of us who struggle to keep passionate about exercise, anew solution could be coming. And a world where a person can exercise and have fun at the same time might be something that many people would want—virtual or not.
1. In paragraph l, the author mainly conveys that going to the gym__________.A.cannot avoid being hurt | B.is hard to hold on |
C.makes sense in a short time | D.means three months of exercise |
A.Boredom. | B.Tiredness. | C.Expense. | D.Inconvenience. |
A.Several security problems have been solved. |
B.The relevant equipment has complex designs. |
C.It has turned out to be very effective and popular. |
D.It may be unavailable due to some disadvantages. |
A.Indifferent. | B.Positive. |
C.Tolerant. | D.Doubtful. |
China’s central bank issued an e-CNY (digital yuan) user guide on Monday, the
Mobile phone users can search for “e-CNY” in the App Store or Google Play to download and install (安装) the digital yuan app,
The e-CNY wallet can be registered
In order to further enhance payment
(1)体验过程;
(2)你的感受。
注意:
(1)写作词数应为80个左右;
(2)请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
My job experience
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in a row. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favorite shows stream (流播) directly to their television at their convenience.
This behavior is nothing new. In fact, binge-watching has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.
However, recent research suggests that out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back (一集接一集地), almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and 25% have neglected their household chores (家务活). Next we’ll be missing work!
Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of them are often associated with a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director, said, “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist (抗拒) watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?
The countless number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. However, when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning, then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, “A little of what you fancy does you good.”
1. How did the writer develop the first paragraph?A.By giving a definition. | B.By telling a story. |
C.By listing some examples. | D.By analyzing the cause and effect. |
A.For convenience. | B.At the same time. |
C.In detail. | D.Free of charge. |
A.people can’t control their feelings | B.people can’t resist the temptation of Bingeing |
C.people have no patience to do work | D.people are addicted to waiting for a new episode |
A.To keep online media from stopping functioning. |
B.To enjoy entertainment as much as possible. |
C.To learn life lessons from the episodes. |
D.To watch episodes in a moderate way. |