1 . The Albatross (信天翁)
A What is an Albatross?
Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in existence, with wingspans (翼幅) which extend to over three metres in width. They represent a small subset of the larger group known as tube-nosed petrels, which have strong, curved sharp beaks which they use for catching fish and squid on the surface of the ocean. While there is some debate about the exact taxonomy of the species, it is agreed that there are somewhere between 21 and 24 species of albatrosses.
B A Special Breeding Site
Of these species, approximately half breed in New Zealand and about 80 percent breed (繁殖) or fish within New Zealand’s territorial waters. Six species breed only in New Zealand or on its offshore islands. One of only two mainland nesting sites for these birds in the world, for the northern royal albatross, is on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand; it is a popular tourist destination. Visitors can view the albatross colony (种群) from a special building which has been established beside the nesting ground and, while the site is closed during breeding season (繁殖季) , at other times it is often possible to see parents and their chicks living and feeding only metres away from human observers.
C Predators
However, there are risks to albatross chicks (幼鸟) on land. Natural predators (捕食者) such as seagulls can eat eggs and young birds, and in mainland areas there are also threats from dogs, cats and other land animals. On some offshore islands, sea lions have been observed raiding (袭击) nests for eggs. It is thought that this is a new behaviour.
D Threats (危险) for Adult Albatross
The main threats to the adult albatross occur at sea, and most of these are man-made. Albatrosses like to travel close to fishing boats, to eat the leftover scraps of fish that are dropped over the side of the boat. Sometimes, however, they also eat the bait (饵) and accidentally ingest (咽下) fish hooks (钩) , or get dragged (拖，拉) along on fishing lines and drown. The number of albatrosses that any one boat catches is small, but because there are so many fishing boats, this may have a long term impact on population numbers. It is estimated (预估) that at least 100,000 albatrosses die in this way each year. As for all sea bird species, there are other threats, such as drift nets, oil spills and rubbish such as plastic in the ocean. While there are international agreements and fishing conventions to try and protect sea birds, albatrosses are among the million or so sea birds that get caught in drift nets and die each year.
Answer the questions below. Use NO MORE THAN SIX WORDS OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
1. What is the distance from one wing tip (翅尖) to the other of an albatross?
2. How many kinds of albatrosses are there?
3. What can people see from the special building beside the nesting site?
4. How many albatrosses die each year because of fishing boats?
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage?
Write:
YES 正确
NO 错误
NOT GIVEN 没有提到
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
3 . It's tough for students in Asia's giant countries, where the competition for college entrance can be fierce. In India, over a million students have been finding out their final results in various high school exams. You have to get 90% or better in the 12th boards — India's final year tests which are mostly held in March 一 to get into many top school and university courses. In China, the world's biggest university entrance test, commonly known as the Gaokao, is an academic testing event held in June in Chinese mainland and is joined by millions of participants.
Perhaps all that pressure and stress is why, this year, thousands have been clicking on videos and pictures with a clear message: there's more to life than getting into college.
In India, in a video message, Indian comedian and actor Vir Das told students not to worry about their marks. More than a quarter of a million people have viewed the video. You are going to meet someone, " he says, “until you discover that the person you were waiting for wasn't the person you were looking at, or person you ever thought you'd meet. You will beg and borrow and steal, so that eventually you can risk and rent and lose, so that maybe you can own and invest and grow . . . What do all of these things have in common? Not one of them requires a mark sheet. "
Das said it was inspired by his own experience after scoring poorly in the 12th boards. He said he eventually got to study his chosen subject, economics, at an American university 一 but soon after discovered drama which led to his current career.
"I thought my life was over after exams and I had a terrible two months, he said. "Students can be depressed. They need to hear from a third person that everything is all right. "
1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that the 12th boards ________.| A．take place twice a year |
| B．are the world's biggest test |
| C．take place before the Gaokao |
| D．are held in many Asian countries |
| A．Test scores aren't very important. |
| B．High school students are living a tough life. |
| C．College entrance exams are extremely difficult. |
| D．High school students need to win the college entrance exam. |
| A．He failed to attend a university. |
| B．Economics is his current career. |
| C．Drama has always been his great hobby. |
| D．He was depressed after the 12th boards. |
| A．All roads lead to Rome. |
| B．Success comes from hard work. |
| C．Attitude makes a great difference. |
| D．Your choice determines your future. |
4 . Four 2021 book debuts(首发) to add to your reading list
Burnt Sugar
Avni Doshi
Tara was wild in her youth and dragged her daughter Antara along on all her crazy adventures. She abandoned her first marriage, joined an ashram, and became a beggar. As an adult, Antara never really felt that her mom cared for her and takes pleasure in her mother's current sadness. Still, Antara must make peace with the past as Tara slowly loses her memory. But is Tara’s memory loss real?
Attachments
Jeff Arch
Stewart Goodman and Sandy Piccolo are both in love with their best friend Laura Appleby, a girl they met at their Pennsylvania boarding school. In 1972, the three best friends formed a strong family-like bond with Henry Griffin, the school’s dean. Twenty years later, Griffin’s deathbed request brings the three of them back to campus to solve a puzzle that only Griffin has the answers to.
Wings of Ebony
J.Elle
Rue’s optimistic life is rudely awakened when her mother is shot dead on their doorstep. She’s then sent away with her estranged(不和的) father and leaves her younger sister behind. She’s taken to the hidden island Ghizon where magic men live. Rue must use her powers to save her neighborhood before the people of Ghizon burn it down.
Mona at Sea
Elizabeth James
The 2008 economic crisis(危机)was the worst thing to happen for Mona the perfectionist. Even though she has an outstanding ability and a top-of-her-class degree, she still finds herself without a job, living with her parents, and lost in life and love. When she finally finds her life’s meaning throughout all her hardship, will she be ready to face it?
1. Which of the following books tells about schoolmates?| A．Burnt Sugar. |
| B．Attachments. |
| C．Wings of Ebony. |
| D．Mona at Sea. |
| A．Tara. |
| B．Laura. |
| C．Rue. |
| D．Mona. |
| A．Wings of Ebony. |
| B．Mona at Sea. |
| C．Burnt Sugar. |
| D．Attachments. |
| A．To promote some books to readers. |
| B．To talk about the pleasure of reading. |
| C．To introduce some writers to readers. |
| D．To recommend some books to readers. |
5 . Try one of these amazing destinations on your next vacation.
Mallorca
On the popular Spanish island of Mallorca, farmhouse inns focus more on providing isolation and quietness than offering hands-on farming experiences. With millions of visitors staying on the beaches of Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands each summer, a little bit of isolation is a good thing for aloneness-seeking travelers. Mainly located in the hills of inland Mallorca, these inns range from rustic century-old farmhouses to luxury(奢侈的) villas with spas and swimming pools.
Hawaii
People who don't want to dig out their passport but still want their farm adventure can head to the island of Hawaii. The 50th state talks much about the well-developed farm tourism industry that can hold people with different interests. Agritourism choices range from visiting coffee plantations(种植园) in the Big Island's Kona region to exploring the plantations on Maui to staying on farms on the easily reachable island of Oahu.
California
California is one of the best places in the U. S. to enjoy a farm-stay, thanks to the diversity of crops and farms. Small family farms and large farms offer a more hands-on approach to agritourism. Many of them teach small-scale farming techniques and even offer strategies for organic growing. The University of California system, one of the largest state-run higher education systems in the U.S., has a small-farm program that helps growers create agritourism businesses.
Philippine Islands
With diverse conditions on different islands, the Philippine Islands are ideal places for visiting multiple agritourism sites or focusing on one product. Tourists can visit a huge pineapple plantation for a taste of large-scale agriculture, or they could focus on smaller operations such as bee farms, and even small plantations that specialize in growing tropical produce such as dragon fruit.
1. What kind of people will choose to go to Mallorca?| A．Those who prefer peace of mind. |
| B．Those who like lying on the beach. |
| C．Those who enjoy the luxury of tourism. |
| D．Those who want to experience farming. |
| A．Live in farmhouses. |
| B．Visit plantations. |
| C．Learn farming techniques. |
| D．Take part in a farm program. |
| A．Locations. |
| B．Environments. |
| C．Local products. |
| D．Tourism features. |
1. Why did the girl switch language classes?
| A．Her class was too easy. |
| B．Her mother asked her to do it. |
| C．Her interests were in another language. |
| A．Spanish. |
| B．German. |
| C．Italian. |
| A．Speak to his relatives. |
| B．Listen to the teacher. |
| C．Study the class material. |
7 . During your teen years, you will make some key decisions that can shape your future. So, choose wisely, and don't blow it.
If you do happen to blow it, however, it's not the end of the world.
Many decisions you make as a teen can impact your life forever. The good news is, where you end up ten years from now is up to you.
The reality is that although you are free to choose, you can choose the consequences of your choices. They're preloaded. It's a packaged deal. As the old saying goes “when you pick up one end of the stick, you also pick up the other”
The word “decision” comes from the Latin root meaning “to cut off from”.
| A．It can be different sometimes. |
| B．Your choice and consequences go hand in hand. |
| C．You need to think twice before you take action. |
| D．Saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to another. |
| E．You may not have thought much about these decisions. |
| F．You are free to choose what kind of life you want to have. |
| G．Just get back on track quickly and start making smarter choices |
