1 . He had run for 208 hours and 35 minutes in ten days. So, when Pan Junfan managed to cross the finish line in Guazhou, Gansu Province, on Sept. 18, the tears began to flow.
The 513 kilometers he had completed over rough terrain (地形)in northwestern China would challenge the greatest athletes in the world. The challenge was all the greater for Pan, who pulled off the remarkable feat (功绩) after having part of his right leg amputated (截肢) following a car accident in 2015.
Pan’s challenge was originally the Ultra Gobi, which is considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many marathon runners. Unfortunately, the 400-km race was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. After careful consideration, Pan contacted the race’s organizers and they agreed to reschedule the route and allow him to undertake solo challenge.
During the challenge through the Gobi Desert and the Altun Mountains, the 40-year-ad faced temperatures ranging from—20℃ at right to 30°C by day, wild animals and even a hurricane. Carrying a backpack containing the hare minimum of equipment he would need, Pan battled sleep deprivation(缺乏) and very low body temperature during the journey.
Beginning from the “Mars Camp”in Qinghai Province, the ultra extreme course was expanded to more than 500 km over sand dunes (沙丘), dry valleys, stony plateaus and snowy mountains, finishing in Guazhou.
“I hope that by completing the challenge I can inspire people and tell them that life has limitless possibilities and not to stop trying,” Pan said.
In the last few years, Pan has established a dozen firsts for below-the-knee amputees (被截肢者). These included completing the 2018Ironman 70. 3 Xiamen’s 113 km triathlon (铁人三项) in 7 hours and 26 minutes, finishing the Gangshika Xtrial’s 100 km race in 27 hours and 40 minutes, and successfully conquering the Ironman Western Australia in 2019 which involves swimming for 3. 8 km, cycling for180 km and running for 42. 2 km. As a result, he has been dubbed “the Chinese blade runner”.
1. When did Pan Junfan start his 513-kilometer challenging race?| A．On Sept. 3. | B．On Sept. 9. | C．On Sept. 15. | D．On Sept. 19. |
| A．He had part of his left leg removed. | B．He established a hi-tech company. |
| C．He was involved in a traffic accident | D．He participated in the Ironman Australia. |
| A．Losing touch with his team. | B．Getting lost in the desert. |
| C．Having a high fever. | D．Lacking enough sleep. |
| A．Strong-willed. | B．Warm-hearted. | C．Quick-minded. | D．Cold-blooded. |
2 . Last year, brilliant’ botanists from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discovered, identified and named 114 spectacular new species of plants and fungi (真菌) from around the world. Let’s find out more about some of Kew’s most wonderful new finds.
ROYAL MUSHROOM
NAME: Queen’s hedgehog fungus
FROM: Surrey, England
Named after the late Queen Elizabeth II, this rare fungus was found in an ancient forest in White Down, Surrey. According to the scientists who discovered it, the soft, white needles under the fungus’15cm-wide cap look like hedgehogs’ needles — giving it the second part of its name. Cool!
WORLD’S STRANGEST DAFFODIL
NAME: Sternbergia mishustinii
FROM: Turkey
The flowers of this rare species are bright yellow, but they’re only 2cm long and don't open up into a visible flower. Just 300 of these plants have been discovered, secret to hide them from illegal plant collectors.
RECORD-BREAKING WATERLILY
NAME: Giant Bolivian waterlily
FROM: Bolivia. South America
Check out this huge waterlily — its 3m wide leaves are big enough for a kid to float on! The big species has just won three Guinness World Records for largest waterlily, largest waterlily leaf and largest undivided leaf. And get this — although the giant plant was only named last year, a dried sample has been kept in Kew’s own Herbarium since 1845! Botanists had thought it was a similar, related species. Thankfully, the case of mistaken identity is all cleared up now. Unbe-leaf-able!
1. What’s Queen’s hedgehog fungus like?| A．It has yellow flowers. | B．It’s native to England. |
| C．It looks like hedgehogs. | D．It’s critically endangered. |
| A．The oldest fungi. | B．The biggest leaves. |
| C．The fastest growing plant. | D．The largest waterlily species |
| A．A botanical magazine. | B．A geographic textbook. |
| C．A historical document. | D．Guinness World Records. |
注意：写作词数应不少于80。
Please Be a Wise Smartphone User
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 . In 1670, two Scottish doctors set up a garden in the city of Edinburgh to find out connections between plants and medicine. That first garden wasn’t very big — about the size of a tennis court. Fast-forward 350 years, and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) now covers an area bigger than 1,000 tennis courts. The RBGE’s goal is to “explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future”.
After doctors and distant cousins Robert Sibbald and Andrew Balfour graduated from university in the mid-17th century, they shared the goal of improving Scottish medicine by looking into botanical (plant-related) research. They found some land near Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh and started to collect plants. They taught students how to grow exotic (外来的) plants and use them to make medicines. As the collection expanded (增加), the garden moved to different sites, including what is now Edinburgh’s Waverley Station.
In 1823, the garden was moved to its current location in Inverleith, a suburb of Edinburgh. It took three years to move the collection of plants and trees using specially built machines. The Tropical Palm House was built in 1834, and it was joined by the larger Temperate Palm House in 1858. Both are still popular with visitors. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the RBGE continued to search for new specimens (标本) from around the world.
The RBGE has about 13,500 species of living plants in its collection today. The herbarium — a collection of dried and protected species — includes more than three million plant samples, which represent more than half of the world’s known plants. The oldest specimen dates back to 1697. Experts continue to recognize new species each year, as well as growing plants that are extinct in their own habitats. The RBGE also works with botanical gardens around the world, including in Africa and South America, and supports them with conservation projects, education and training.
1. Why did Robert and Andrew build up the garden?| A．To teach people some knowledge about exotic plants. |
| B．To do research on plants and medicine. |
| C．To protect endangered wildlife. |
| D．To practice their tennis skills. |
| A．In the mid-17th century. | B．In the 20th century. |
| C．In1834. | D．In1858. |
| A．It has made achievements in growing extinct plants. |
| B．It has collected less than half of all known plants. |
| C．It is going to expand its sites in other countries. |
| D．It collects native plants only. |
| A．How the RBGE has expanded. | B．The progress of saving endangered plants. |
| C．Why a botanic garden was built. | D．An introduction to the RBGE. |
5 . A pair of best friends from Texas are proving that adventure doesn’t have an age limit — even when you’re 81.
Ellie Hamby, a photographer, and Sandy Hazelip, a physician, toured the world in 80 days, adventuring from the beaches of Bali to the deserts of Egypt.
Their first stop was Antarctica. “The beauty of the Antarctic is just unbelievable,” Hamby recalled. Since then, the pair have visited 18 countries across all seven continents.
And despite the challenges international travel presents, the best friends say they finished their trip without any arguments.
“We’re both independent, very stubborn. But we seem to allow each other to give space,” said Hamby. “We just understand each other and we know this is a good thing we’re doing and we kind of respect each other’s feelings.”
For Hamby, the most interesting aspect of the trip was the people they met along the way.
“We love all the sights that we saw, but the things that we remember the most are the people that we met,” she said. “We met some of the most wonderful, kindest, friendliest people in the world. We just have friends now all over the world that we love dearly.”
And they shared an important piece of advice for any travelers worried about the language barrier on their own adventures.
“You know, people ask us often about the language, how we manage it,” said Hamby. “We say with Sandy and Ellie, there’s one language and that’s a smile. And we found that worked wonders because we were often aware that there was not English spoken. But a smile covers all languages.”
1. Why did they finish the trip without arguments?| A．They had different personalities. |
| B．They prepared presents for each other. |
| C．They understand and respect each other. |
| D．They allowed each other to voice their ideas. |
| A．The beautiful sights. | B．The wonderful people. |
| C．The interesting activities. | D．The cultural experiences. |
| A．Rely on the smile. | B．Be more adventurous. |
| C．Hear English spoken more. | D．Learn more languages. |
| A．Language Struggles: Testing Friendship |
| B．Travel Troubles: Friendship Tested Abroad |
| C．Talking Struggles: Adventures Lost in Translation |
| D．Limitless Adventure: Two Friends Break Age Barriers |
·The Seattle Great Wheel
The Seattle Great Wheel, open to the public in 2012, is a popular landmark in the city located on the west coast. The great Ferris wheel is 175 feet high. Appropriate for all ages, it is a must try ride in the city for a full view of Seattle. Fine dining restaurants and great wheel light shows add up the cheer to the place.
Timings: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Ticket Price: $14 (Adults) $9 (Kids)
·Great Wolf LodgeThe Great Wolf Lodge was opened in 2008 with variety of amusement activities. Attractions like body slides, tube slides, lazy river etc. are featured in the amusement mark, making it perfect for all age groups. Fun rides, fitness centre and food court increase the enjoyment in the park.
Timings: 11:00 AM to 08:00 PM
Entry Fee: $50 per person
·Wild Waves Theme ParkWild Waves Theme Park is one of the major amusement parks in Seattle. It was opened in 1977, serving Seattle’s population with an exciting and fun experience. Rides and attractions in the park are divided into 5 major sections. It also celebrates annual festivals with lights, making the place more attractive.
Timings: 11:00 AM to 06:00 PM
Entry Fee: $34 (Adult) $24 (Children)
·Oaks Amusement ParkOne of the oldest amusement parks around Seattle, Oaks Amusement Park was opened in 1905. Among various amusement divisions, rides, skating rink, miniature golf court are few popular spots. The rides section of the park featuring kiddie rides, thrill rides, family rides, and height rides.
Timings: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Entry Fee: $10 to $100 (Varies as per the activities)
1. What can visitors do at the Seattle Great Wheel?| A．Have a full view of Seattle. | B．Play in the golf court. |
| C．Enjoy the festival celebration. | D．Experience the body slides. |
| A．$37. | B．$50. | C．$92. | D．$100. |
| A．The Seattle Great Wheel. | B．Great Wolf Lodge. |
| C．Wild Waves Theme Park. | D．Oaks Amusement Park. |
7 . Feed your mind
We have known about the link between what we eat and our physical health for a long time.
The Mental Health Foundation produced a report called “Feeding Minds”. The report states that the brain is a physical part of our body that needs the correct food to work properly, just like the heart. The food should contain carbohydrates (碳水化合物), vitamins and fish oil.
There is also research that shows how a good diet can improve the behavior of children and their concentration. Daniel Brown is the head teacher of Barnet School.
With regard to serious mental illnesses Jacka and Sanchez-Villegas say that eating fruit, vegetables and fish helps to prevent depression.
However, many medical professionals feel that the research by Jacka and Sanchez-Villegas is too early.
The research recommends that people eat particular food for particular mental health issues. To improve your memory, eat salmon and nuts. To improve your concentration, eat vegetables.
Overall, it seems clear that we need to eat healthy food for our mind. Although we do not fully understand the link between the two, we suggest that we choose this as an important topic for publicity.
| A．We still need to test their findings. |
| B．If you have problems sleeping, eat nuts. |
| C．Is your usual diet healthy for both your mind and body? |
| D．But eating a lot of sugar makes depression more likely. |
| E．Try eating a good breakfast because that gives you a lot of energy for the day. |
| F．Recently, we have learned more about the link between our diet and our mind. |
| G．He says after his school stopped selling junk food, the students’ concentration levels increased. |
8 . If you’re a teen in high school then you’re probably eager to see more of the world. Well, good news — with these volunteer abroad programs for high school students, you don’t have to wait until you’ve finished school to travel overseas!
Solo (单人的) volunteer trips
1) Work with sea turtles (海龟) in Greece
During your time volunteering, you’ll be based in Giannitsochori. This village is a nesting (筑巢) site for one of the world’s most endangered and oldest ocean species: the Loggerhead sea turtle. You’ll do daily morning and night surveys to record turtle nesting activity and act as a lookout to protect turtle nests.
2) Hike the Himalayas in Nepal
In this exciting program, you’ll help with improving the safety standards of educational facilities in Pokhara. You could be building desks for classrooms or setting up water storage equipment for the local community.
Group volunteer trips
1) Travel to Thailand for a preservation experience
Take a class trip to Thailand and get involved in (参与) hands-on preservation efforts. You’ll assist with long-term preservation projects. For instance, work with the traditional Karen community of Huay Pakoot to contribute to elephant protection, or work with local community members at turtle protection facilities in Phang Nga.
2) Contribute to community development projects in Cape Town
During this program, your group of teen volunteers will learn about the history of Cape Town. You’ll work with the communities near our base, offering support where needed. For example, previous volunteers assisted with projects like brightening up educational facilities with wall paintings or building a greenhouse for the local community.
1. What can volunteers do in the program in Greece?| A．Go on exciting mountain hikes. | B．Setup water storage equipment. |
| C．Observe how the turtles build their nests. | D．Assist with educational facilities projects. |
| A．Cape Town. | B．Thailand. | C．Pokhara. | D．Greece. |
| A．A travel brochure. | B．A research paper. | C．A print advertisement. | D．A geography textbook. |
1. The causes of water pollution.
2. The consequences of water pollution.
3. How to control water pollution.
注意：写作词数不少于80。
开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Water pollution
There are various causes of water pollution.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . On August 15th, in the tiny farming town of Frost, Minnesota, Scott Legried was driving his pick-up truck when a puppy ran in front of him. Changing the direction suddenly to avoid the puppy, Scott’s truck rolled over and he was severely injured.
“I got knocked out and when I finally recovered consciousness, I couldn’t move,” Scott said. “I couldn’t even reach up to get my cellphone from the dashboard of my truck. I remember saying, ‘I’ mgoing to need some help here in the next 5 or 10 minutes.’”
And that help came. A strange driver Tim Steer called 911. He was rushed to the closest hospital, and then airlifted to the Mayo Clinic, where he stayed for the next several weeks. Tim visited Scott in the hospital several times and took him out for a drive after his shoulder surgery in August.
The October harvest was only six weeks away, and Scott had 600 acres of soybeans (大豆) and corn to harvest. Not harvesting them in time could destroy his crops, his sole means of income. Who would maintain and harvest his corn and soybean crops? And because Scott lives alone, who would care for his dogs, and maintain his home and yard? This town of 198people did. While volunteers checked his home, mowed his lawn, and fed his dogs, 18 farmers conducted the harvest. Farmers in Frost, Minnesota, gathered to harvest Scott’s soybean crops on October 4th.
Scott plans to plant his new crops next spring. If he needs help, he knows where to findit. “Frost really is the heartland of America,” he said. “One day, I hope I’m able to pay the favor back.”
1. Why did Scott have an accident?| A．He felt a sudden pain. | B．He didn’t want to hurt a dog. |
| C．He was hurrying to meet Tim. | D．He was not familiar with his car. |
| A．He is a farmer. |
| B．He has known Tim for many years. |
| C．He recovered fully before the harvest time. |
| D．He kept conscious after the accident happened. |
| A．They gathered soybean crops for him. |
| B．They often visited him in the hospital. |
| C．They provided food and clothes for him. |
| D．They offered him soybean seeds for free. |
| A．Drive more carefully. | B．Help other farmers in need. |
| C．Plant no soybean crops at all. | D．Spend more time with his neighbors. |
