1 . While waste within the convenience economy should certainly be solved, it is neither realistic nor sustainable to work towards the complete abandonment of plastics for packaging and other convenience items. Plastics play a crucial role in preserving products both physically and from the effects of water, oxygen and other things. Further, we cannot over-rely on recycling when we consider weak market interest in low-grade materials.

What we need is a strong focus on improving the sustainability of the plastics that we will continue to need. For these plastics, the clear goal should be to stop the use of oil. We must turn to materials based on natural, renewable resources and produce plastics that have minimal impact on the environment after multiple use. Several of these products are already available on the market, but the key to challenging the dominance of oil-based plastics is extending and developing the capacity and range of such products with new material science.

Industrial biotechnology is becoming a cornerstone of the bio-economy. It involves working with natural processes to extend biochemical pathways that can be used in manufacturing (制造业). It has the potential to improve how we manufacture materials and allow us to produce entirely new materials, at the same time protecting the environment and reducing costs.

At Biome Bio-plastics, for example, our industrial biotechnology development programme has already successfully produced bio-based chemicals at sufficient scale (规模) for industrial testing from lignin, the woody material in plants and other renewable carbon sources. Availability of these chemicals could-completely transform the bio-plastics market, creating natural polymers (聚合物) that can compete with oil-based polymers on both cost and functionality. We believe that our product can deliver important changes across the materials industry and provide a critical tool in the fight against plastic pollution.

1. What does paragraph 1 mainly focus on concerning plastics?

A．Their source materials.	B．Their vital importance.
C．The problems they cause.	D．The methods to abandon them

2. What does the author think of future plastics?

A．They should be eco-friendly.	B．They could be a bit expensive.
C．They could be replaced by plant products	D．They should be made from used things.

3. What makes it possible for Biome Bio-plastics to create their competitive polymers?

A．The high cost of carbon sources.

B．The wide variety of their products.

C．The low availability of oil-based polymers.

D．The application of industrial biotechnology

4. Who is the author most probably?

A．A newspaper journalist.	B．A government officer.
C．A company manager.	D．A university researcher

2 . Years ago, I bought a blouse. That same day, I considered putting it on, but for no particular reason decided not to. That weekend, I again considered wearing the blouse, but the occasion didn’t seem special enough, so again, I passed. Fast forward to today. I have never worn that blouse.

What happened here? Why do people own so many unused possessions, treating them as though they are too special to use? To find out, I ran an experiment in which participants imagined buying a bottle of wine. We had half of the participants imagine considering opening it one night, but deciding not to. Then when we measured how special the wine seemed, and participants intentions to open it later we found that those who had imagined holding off on opening it were in fact less likely to intend to open it later. When asked the reason, most assumed they were waiting for a future occasion to open it a more special occasion.

Why do people fall into this mental trap? Prior research points to a recipe for what psychologists term “specialness spirals”. When you give up using something, if you believe that you are waiting to use it, the possession will start to feel more special. And as you search for the right occasion day after day it becomes more tempting (吸引人的) to hold out for a future occasion. The less you use it, though, the more special it feels, and the cycle continues. Ultimately, the likelihood (可能性) of using the possession becomes rarer and rarer. The more this happens, the more stuff you have lying around.

How can you fight specialness spirals? Try committing in advance to using an item on a specific occasion. When buying a dress, tell yourself you’ll wear it this weekend. Or when purchasing a candle, plan to light it that day. This strategy encourages you to actually enjoy your possessions.

1. Why has the author’s blouse sat unworn for many years?

A．She forgot where it was put.	B．She soon grew to dislike it.
C．She had no other clothes to match it	D．She failed to find a right occasion to wear it.

2. What were the participants asked to do in the experiment?

A．Discuss how to deal with the wine.	B．List reasons for drinking the wine.
C．Decide whether to drink the wine.	D．Evaluate the quality of the wine.

3. What can we learn about specialness spirals?

A．They result from an optimistic attitude to the future.

B．They help explain the psychology of delayed rewards.

C．They can attract people into shopping traps.

D．They can lead to a collection of unused stuff.

4. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To describe a purchase experience.	B．To explain a psychological phenomenon.
C．To criticize a wrong consumption concept.	D．To encourage people to prepare for a rainy day.

3 . Rescuers in Washington are praising the cleverness of a 10-ycar-old girl. She _________ on her own for more than 24 hours in the tough Cascade mountains after getting _________ while out with her family.

Shunghla was at a gathering with her _________ family in the Cle Elum River Valley on Sunday when she became _________ from the group as they crossed a bridge over the river to eat lunch near the Cathedral Pass Trailhead.

When the family _________ Shunghla hadn’t crossed the bridge with them, about 20 adults in the group went back and started _________. There is no _________ service in the area and the family had been looking for Shunghla for about two hours when a passerby _________ to call police from a satellite phone at their nearby cabin around 2 p. m.

Policemen, _________ ground search teams and crews from nearby law enforcement agencies __________ to the area. Drones and helicopters were also __________ to help find Shunghla. The office had the girl’s father record words of __________ in their native language that was __________ over the search area. The message told Shunghla that there were people looking for her and trying to __________.

She was __________ around 3 p. m. Monday by two ground search volunteers about 1.5 miles south of where she was last __________. She had minor scrapes (擦伤).

“I was trying to go to __________ in the night and then wake up early in the morning, and then I`ll find my dad and mom in the forest,” Shunghla told CNN of her night in the wildnss.

“She __________ downstream through the dense forest and spent the cold night between some trees. She said she knew it was the __________ thing to follow the river. She proved a(n) __________ resourceful and adaptable 10-year-old,” the office said.

1.

A．suffered

B．described

C．explored

D．survived

2.

A．hurt

B．lost

C．broken

D．cheated

3.

A．learned

B．simple

C．extended

D．balanced

4.

A．tired

B．separated

C．distinguished

D．hidden

5.

A．explained

B．announced

C．noticed

D．concluded

6.

A．discussing

B．searching

C．researching

D．touching

7.

A．cell

B．law

C．rescue

D．traffic

8.

A．offered

B．turned

C．hoped

D．agreed

9.

A．amateur

B．distant

C．volunteer

D．flexible

10.

A．kept

B．preferred

C．flocked

D．led

11.

A．given away

B．got about

C．brought in

D．made out

12.

A．wisdom

B．emergency

C．convenience

D．comfort

13.

A．instructed

B．spread

C．broadcast

D．circulated

14.

A．warn

B．help

C．disclose

D．train

15.

A．caught

B．spotted

C．followed

D．cured

16.

A．recognized

B．heard

C．understood

D．seen

17.

A．work

B．sleep

C．jog

D．bed

18.

A．jogged

B．hiked

C．swam

D．played

19.

A．right

B．possible

C．lucky

D．easy

20.

A．frequently

B．consequently

C．accidentally

D．extraordinarily

4 . Have you ever set a goal for yourself, like getting fit, making honor roll, or being picked for a team? Like lots of people, maybe you started out doing great, but then lost some of that drive and had trouble getting motivated again.     1     It all comes down to good planning, realistic expectations, and a stick-to-it attitude. Here’s what you need to do:

First, know your goal. Start by writing down your major goal. For example, “I want to’ make honor roll,” or “I want to get fit enough to make the cross-country team,” or even, “I want to play in the Olympics” are all major goals because they’re the final thing the goal ‘setter wants to see happen.     2     That’s how people get things done. You just have to remember that the bigger the goal, the more work it takes to get there.

Make it specific. It’s easier to plan for and master a specific goal than an unclear one.     3     That’s pretty unclear. Make it specific by defining what you want to achieve, why you want to get fit, and by when. This helps you make a plan to reach your goal.

    4     People often abandon their goals because their expectations are unreasonable. Part of staying motivated is being realistic about what you can achieve within the time-frame you’ve planned. Competing on the Olympic ski team is a workable goal if you are 15 and already a star skier. But if you’re 18 and only just taking your first lesson, time isn’t exactly on your side.

Break it down. Making any change takes self-discipline. You need to pay constant attention so you don’t get sidetracked.     5     For example, let’s say you want to run a marathon. If it’s February and the marathon is in August, that’s a realistic time-frame to prepare. Start by planning to run 2 miles and work up gradually to the distance you need.

A．Make it realistic.

B．It’s OK to dream big.

C．What if you keep slipping up?

D．Let’s say your goal is to get fit.

E．So how do you stay motivated and on track with your goal?

F．One way to make this easier is to break a big goal into small steps.

G．Finding the motivation to do it isn’t necessarily easy, but it is always possible.

5 . Here are some charities for you. It’s a good time for you to give people love. If you are a loving person, go ahead.

Family Promise of NewRock

It is in need of household supplies including paper products, cleaning products, laundry detergent (洗衣粉), and dryer sheets. For more information on how you can donate, please call 770-262-7816. If you would like to make a financial donation please visit www.familypromiseofnewrock.org.

Rockdale Emergency Relief (RER) Community Food Bank

It needs your help in donating food items to help those in need within the community. The most needed items are: canned meat. Hamburger Helper, instant mashed potatoes, pork & beans, and canned tomato products.

The RER Community Food Bank

It is also looking for part-time volunteers who can help this summer when some of our regular volunteers will be on vacation. If you have time available to work in the warehouse area where you would receive donations of food, we could use your help! Volunteers need to be at least 18 years of age and able to lift 20-25 pounds on occasion. Please call Susan Clark at 770-922-9210 for more information. We would love to have you help us serve our community this summer!

Refuge Pregnancy Center

It is a non-profit organization here in Old Town Conyers. Currently they are in need of baby car seats with base, baby food, diapers (尿布) and baby clothes.

If you are a part of a local charity and wish your immediate needs to be published on our website at www.emetrotimes.com/share-the-love, please email info@emetrotimes.com. We will update this list monthly.

1. If you want to donate money, you should ________.

A．call 770-262-7816

B．email info@emetrotimes.com

C．call Susan Clark at 770-922-9210

D．visit www. familypromiseofnewrock. org

2. Which charity needs donations of baby supplies?

A．Refuge Pregnancy Center.

B．Family Promise of NewRock.

C．The RER Community Food Bank.

D．Rockdale Emergency Relief (RER) Community Food Bank.

3. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To advertise products.

B．To show what the community needs.

C．To introduce some food and clothes to people.

D．To provide some charities for people to give love.

6 . There are some people who are always surrounded by friends, and there are others who are always standing on the outside, looking at the crowd of friends.     1     Here are four tips that will help.

1. Be yourself.

Nobody likes a liar.     2     When the time comes that you feel comfortable enough to act like yourself again, you may not be well received, because you are a totally different person. Let people get to know the real you.

2. Start with people you know.

Even if you don’t think that you have a lot of friends, you are likely to know a lot of people. Reach out to get in touch with acquaintances and reconnect with old friends you haven’t seen for a long time. Don’t forget about friends of friends.     3     If you are invited to go out, go. If you stay home, you will have no chance to meet people.

3. Be open-minded.

    4     Instead, be open to other people’s views, and that will help you meet new friends easier.

4. Be there.

In order to have a good relationship with your friends, you need to be a friend. This means that you need to be there when your friends need you. For example, if one of your friends calls you in the middle of the night crying, don’t hang up.     5     Just listen to him and let him feel your concern about him.

A．You may see some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends.

B．When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves.

C．In fact, if you aren’t yourself, it isn’t you that others are becoming friends with.

D．If you don’t know where to start, join a community group or a club.

E．He calls you because he considers you to be a friend.

F．If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to come out of your shell and start making new friends.

G．Don’t go into a situation with a judgmental attitude which will make you less popular.

7 . You don’t know me. I have chosen you to be my pen friend. Our English teacher said it would be a good thing if we all chose a pen friend, as it would help with our writing. I chose you from a list of people wanting a pen friends in last Sunday’s paper. I hope you haven’t had so many letters that you can’t reply to me.

I chose you for two reasons. I like the sound of your name, and you live in the country. I’ve only been to the country once. We live in high buildings — our flat is on the tenth floor. But that doesn’t mean people can’t look in. I mean in the city planes go past all the time, and you never know who could be in them. And, anyway, at night when the lights are on, people from other flats can look in, and who would want that?

I’ll tell you a bit about myself. I’ve worked hard at being interesting, because I’m not much to good at. My name is Maria. I hate it. There are five Marias in our class. I am by far the most exciting of the five.

I live in Richmond, in Melbourne, with my beautiful mother and boring father, and a brother who is best ignored. I go to South Richmond High School, and I’m fourteen, just.

My mother works with a cosmetic company (化妆品公司). My father is a public servant and does nothing. Actually, he is a clerk in the railways but I prefer to call him a public servant. It makes him sound cleverer than he is.

I think you are the only one called Emily in your class. Please answer soon and tell me about yourself and your family and everything.

1. Why did Maria choose Emily as her pen friend?

A．The girl was good at writing.	B．The girl was different from her.
C．The girl loved reading newspapers.	D．The girl wanted to be her pen friend.

2. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Being seen by others.	B．Seeing planes flying by.
C．Living in high buildings.	D．Having unfriendly neighbors.

3. What does Maria think of herself?

A．Clever.

B．Boring.

C．Interesting.

D．Good-looking.

4. What does Maria expect Emily to do?

A．Serve the public.	B．Reply to her letter.
C．Work hard at school.	D．Teach her how to write.

8 . Humans have a positive view of nature. But is this due to an approach we have learned while growing up, or is it something we are born with? The answer is “Both”, according to researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Our love of nature is highly individual and should influence how we plan our cities, say the researchers.

It is well known that nature has a positive effect on people. In cities in particular, studies have shown that trees and other greenery contribute to people’s wellbeing. However, experts do not agree on the reasons behind this phenomenon.

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have reviewed several studies within this field that examine both innate factors and what individuals experience during their lives, primarily as children.

In a Japanese study, subjects were asked to walk in a forest and in a city while their heartbeat was measured. This showed that positive emotions increased in 65% of people while they are walking in a forest. Thus, far from everyone had a positive view of nature.

Another environmental psychology study found that research subjects are unconsciously (无意识地) drawn to nature instead of cities, and that this attraction was strengthened in those whose childhood was rich in nature.

An additional study on identical and non-identical twins showed that a genetic (遗传的) component influences an individual’s positive or negative relationship with nature. But the study also highlighted the importance of environment in terms of attitudes towards nature.

Moreover, nature can mean completely different things to different people. Some enjoy parks with lawns and planted trees, while others prefer being in the wilderness. The researchers believe that this variation is also determined by both genetics and environment.

“So it’s important that we don’t standardise nature when planning greenery in our towns and cities,” adds Marcus Hedblom, a researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and co-author of the article. “We shouldn’t replace wild greenery with a park and assume that it will be good for everyone.”

1. How did the author introduce the topic?

A．By bringing up an argument.	B．By listing a series of facts.
C．By referring to different opinions.	D．By asking and answering questions.

2. What does the underlined word “innate” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Social.

B．Inborn.

C．Extra.

D．Unique.

3. What did the Japanese study indicate?

A．People had a negative experience in nature.

B．People were unconsciously drawn to nature.

C．All people didn’t respond to nature positively.

D．The feeling toward nature was related to childhood.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Why Do We Love Nature?	B．How Do People Feel in Nature?
C．What Makes Nature So Powerful?	D．Why Is Nature Important to Humans?

9 . A study led by the University of Eastern Finland suggests that teenagers who engage in active school transport (walking/cycling to or from school at least once per week) and leisure-time physical activity perform better at secondary school than their inactive peers (同龄人). Regular leisure-time physical activity was also associated with lower possibilities of school burnout (倦怠). The findings were published in the European Journal of Public Health.

The relationship of physical activity and academic achievement is complex. However, previous studies have found that especially school-based physical activity, such as physical education, can improve classroom performance — particularly in mathematics. Despite this, few studies have examined the association between active school transport and educational outcomes.

In the recently published study of over 34, 000 teenagers, researchers observed that active school transport was associated with higher chances of high perceived academic performance and self-reported competence in academic skills. Being physically active before school could, for example, enhance concentration in class. The association was even stronger for leisure-time physical activity. Similar to previous studies, the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and mathematical skills stood out.

Leisure-time physical activity was also inversely associated (负相关的) with school burnout. As little as 30 minutes of weekly activity was associated with 24% lower possibilities of school burnout. Teenagers who engaged in leisure-time physical activity for 4 to 6 hours a week had 46% lower possibilities of school burnout compared to their physically inactive peers. Both leisure-time physical activity and active school transport were also positively

associated with school enjoyment.

“To the best of my knowledge, this was the first large-scale study to examine the association between physical activity and school burnout among teenagers. Leisure-time physical activity can be an effective way to disconnect from schoolwork and the potential stress related to it. If schools can increase the amount of leisure-time physical activity among youth, both learning and wellbeing benefits can be significant,” said Juuso Jussila, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.

1. Which aspect of the study does paragraph 1 focus on?

A．Its purpose.

B．Its subjects.

C．Its result.

D．Its process.

2. According to the text, the relationship between workout and academic performance is ________.

A．complex

B．clear

C．meaningless

D．simple

3. How may a student cycling to school perform?

A．Feel tired in class.	B．Pay more attention in class.
C．Be afraid of learning mathematics.	D．Be eager to do physical activity.

4. What’s Jussila’s suggestion for schools?

A．Asking students to respect teachers.	B．Teaching students how to be happy.
C．Focusing on improving students’ scores.	D．Increasing students’ time for physical activity.

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

I have never been creative, so despite enjoying most of school, I had a tough time with creative writing assignments. One year, we had a short story assigned that was especially big — ten to twenty pages — and worth an especially large part of that semester’s final mark. I was unable to think up even a bad idea, let alone a good one.

Then, the Sunday before it was due, I awoke having had a dream that would work fine for the short story! I wrote it all down. A young man killed all the bad men in the village, but then more people became bad guys. In the end, the young man realized that killing could never make the world a better place.

Monday arrived, but the teacher announced an extra week was being given since many kids were having trouble getting their stories done on time. So, a few of us who had our stories ready exchanged them to read. My friend read my story. I said, “I had great trouble doing it, but then, like a miracle, this came to me in a dream!”

My friend was surprised, “That wasn’t out of your subconsciousness (潜意识). That was the story of the last movie you saw. How could you forget? ! We watched it three weeks ago.”

“Oh my God. You’re right! What have I done? This is cheating!”

I was a good kid who got good marks easily, so I had never even for a moment considered cheating before. But I had no other story idea with which to redo the assignment. Eventually, I persuaded myself it was morally acceptable because I had written it in my own words, with the story of my choice, not copied something completely, and I had not stolen the idea purposely. So, I handed it in.

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。

A few days later, I was called into the teacher’s office.

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I couldn’t accept this excellent award with peace of mind.

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