1 . Who is a genius? This question has greatly interested humankind for centuries.
Let’s state clearly: Einstein was a genius. His face is almost the international symbol for genius. But we want to go beyond one man and explore the nature of genius itself. Why is it that some people are so much more intelligent or creative than the rest of us? And who are they?
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin. Perhaps this is not a surprise. It’s said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
A study recently published by Science found that as young as age six, girls are less likely than boys to say that members of their gender(性别)are “really, really smart.” Even worse, the study found that girls act on that belief: Around age six they start to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really, really smart.” Can our planet afford to have any great thinkers become discouraged and give up? It doesn’t take a genius to know the answer: absolutely not.
Here’s the good news. In a wired world with constant global communication, we’re all positioned to see flashes of genius wherever they appear. And the more we look, the more we will see that social factors(因素)like gender, race, and class do not determine the appearance of genius. As a writer says, future geniuses come from those with “intelligence, creativity, perseverance(毅力), and simple good fortune, who are able to change the world.”
1. What does the author think of victors’ standards for joining the genius club?| A．They’re unfair. | B．They’re conservative. |
| C．They’re objective. | D．They’re strict. |
| A．They think themselves smart. |
| B．They look up to great thinkers. |
| C．They see gender differences earlier than boys. |
| D．They are likely to be influenced by social beliefs |
| A．Improved global communication. |
| B．Less discrimination against women. |
| C．Acceptance of victors’ concepts. |
| D．Changes in people’s social positions. |
| A．Geniuses Think Alike | B．Genius Takes Many Forms |
| C．Genius and Intelligence | D．Genius and Luck |
2 . The connection between people and plants has long been the subject of scientific research. Recent studies have found positive effects. A study conducted in Youngstown，Ohio，for example, discovered that greener areas of the city experienced less crime. In another，employees were shown to be 15% more productive when their workplaces were decorated with houseplants.
The engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)have taken it a step further changing the actual composition of plants in order to get them to perform diverse，even unusual functions. These include plants that have sensors printed onto their leaves to show when they’re short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater. ＂We’re thinking about how we can engineer plants to replace functions of the things that we use every day,＂explained Michael Strano, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT.
One of his latest projects has been to make plants glow(发光)in experiments using some common vegetables. Strano’s team found that they could create a faint light for three-and-a-half hours. The light，about one-thousandth of the amount needed to read by，is just a start. The technology, Strano said, could one day be used to light the rooms or even to turn trees into self-powered street lamps.
In the future，the team hopes to develop a version of the technology that can be sprayed onto plant leaves in a one-off treatment that would last the plant’s lifetime. The engineers are also trying to develop an on and off＂switch＂where the glow would fade when exposed to daylight.
Lighting accounts for about 7% of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source(电源)-such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission(传输).Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A new study of different plants. |
| B．A big fall in crime rates. |
| C．Employees from various workplaces. |
| D．Benefits from green plants. |
| A．To detect plants’ lack of water |
| B．To change compositions of plants |
| C．To make the life of plants longer. |
| D．To test chemicals in plants. |
| A．They will speed up energy production. |
| B．They may transmit electricity to the home. |
| C．They might help reduce energy consumption. |
| D．They could take the place of power plants. |
| A．Can we grow more glowing plants? |
| B．How do we live with glowing plants? |
| C．Could glowing plants replace lamps? |
| D．How are glowing plants made pollution-free? |
Eva spent the first week of high school trying to keep her head above water. One of the major headaches for her was finding her way in the huge school building. It was a six-story building. On each floor, hallways stretched in four directions, leading to classrooms, laboratories, and teachers’ offices. Somewhere in the building, there was also a library, a cafeteria, and a gym.
Having a poor sense of direction, Eva found it impossible to get around in such a huge building. All the different hallways and rooms were too much to think about, let alone commit to memory. She decided that she would memorize where her classes were and then pretend that the rest of the place didn’t exist.
In her first PE class, Eva was shocked when Coach Pitt announced that everyone had to run one mile around the track outside. She searched the faces of her classmates for signs of panic. There was nothing she feared more than having to run a whole mile. To Eva, “a mile” was used to describe long distances. It was ten miles from her home to her grandfather’s, and that always seemed like a long way, even in a car!
When Coach Pitt blew his whistle (哨子), Eva figured she would be left in the dust. However, while some of her classmates edged ahead, others actually fell behind. ” It’s just the beginning, “she thought.” I’ll come in last for sure. “
Soon Eva began to breathe hard, with her heart pounding and legs shaking. Feeling desperate, Eva started using a mind trick on herself. She stopped thinking about the word” mile. “Instead, she focused on reaching the shadow cast on the track by an oak tree up ahead. Then she concentrated on jogging to the spot where the track curved (拐弯). After that, she tried to see if she could complete her first lap. One lap turned into two, then three, then four.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2, 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
When Coach Pitt said “Nice work!” to her at the finish line, Eva was surprised.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Eva decided to use the same trick to deal with the school building.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(1)介绍活动目的；
(2)说明参赛要求。
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。
Welcome to Join the English Writing Competition
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hector stood in the front of his fifth-grade classroom as one of the last two competitors in the Room Five Geography Bee. His opponent having missed the last question, it was Hector’s turn. If he answered his question correctly, he would be the Room Five champion.
“Where did I put that second sheet of questions?” Mr. Adler whispered while searching through a thick pile of papers on his messy desk. Mr. Adler, though a great teacher, had a reputation of being disorganized with a long history of misplacing things. “Oh well, I apologize for the delay.” said Mr. Adler after what seemed like a long time. “Hector, please tell us the capital city of Brazil.” Hearing the question, Hector smiled. Then, there was the answer.
Later that day in the courtyard, many classmates congratulated Hector. Wearing a proud smile, he greeted and thanked them all. Oh, the sweet taste of victory.
As it was getting late, the courtyard became deserted. But Hector still didn’t want to leave. Then he saw Mr. Adler crossing the courtyard and holding a half-open bag full of papers. As he hurried past, an envelope dropped out but Mr. Adler was unaware, turned a corner and disappeared out of sight. Hector picked it up. On the envelope were the words “Fifth Grade Geography Bee Questions and Answers”. Hector stared wide-eyed at the envelope. Before he even had time to reflect on the consequences, he opened it and read the questions.
As soon as Hector had done it, he knew it was the wrong choice. He’d cheated and whatever he did now, he couldn’t change the fact. “What if Mr. Adler thought I stole this morning’s questions too?” Hector thought. “He’d take away my Room Five victory for sure.” Little did he know that one of the best days in his life would be turned into the worst so quickly. Torn by his conscience, Hector was totally at a loss what to do.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Before he realized it, Hector found himself standing in Mr. Adler’s room.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The next day the entire school came to watch the Fifth Grade Geography Bee.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . One spring evening, I was incredibly worn after a long day of school. I wished for
I was playing Moldau to Kate, my teacher. I simply couldn’t play with
Pulling out paper and a pencil, she asked, “Can you
Minutes later, I completed my drawing. “Now, play the piece again with this.
As I
The
| A．care | B．relaxation | C．freedom | D．motivation |
| A．courage | B．concern | C．wisdom | D．emotion |
| A．numbers | B．standards | C．notes | D．lines |
| A．failed | B．desired | C．managed | D．offered |
| A．watched | B．listened | C．performed | D．prayed |
| A．blankly | B．angrily | C．enviously | D．gratefully |
| A．shoot | B．evaluate | C．sculpt | D．draw |
| A．personality | B．imagination | C．ambition | D．curiosity |
| A．pictured | B．replaced | C．identified | D．explored |
| A．messy | B．amusing | C．vivid | D．strange |
| A．common | B．brief | C．childish | D．exceptional |
| A．wrapped up | B．noted down | C．reflected on | D．set about |
| A．preserve | B．spread | C．interpret | D．compose |
| A．inspiring | B．confusing | C．shameful | D．adventurous |
| A．information-sorting | B．problem-solving | C．critical-thinking | D．decision-making |
7 . Is going alone in an unknown area the right way to go, or do you want a tour guide to show you the highlights? I think that you can combine the two ways in one trip and have the best of both worlds.
Let’s look at the San Francisco Bay Area which is another one of my favorite vacation spots. Some areas are so familiar to tourists that it’s possible to view the attractions on your own.
You can go alone to attractions or take a guided tour. It’s your choice and you can choose whichever would give you the most memorable experience.
| A．I recommend both. |
| B．It’s possible to drive to the area and go alone. |
| C．One trip we recently took was to Washington DC. |
| D．Some attractions are worth having a tour guide for. |
| E．Chinatown Walking Tours are a tour-guided must-see. |
| F．That allows you to take your time and go at your own pace. |
| G．The tour guides know what we have never found out on our own. |
8 . Smith brought his three-month-old son out for breakfast one day. He was playing with his son and tending to him while eating, and just doing his
But then he noticed a
As it
“Today your meal is on my wife and me,” it read. “
For Smith, it was a happy moment of reassurance (认可) and feeling
He wrote that he’ll share this
“I make sure I’m
| A．unusual | B．rare | C．big | D．regular |
| A．stranger | B．woman | C．couple | D．waiter |
| A．embarrassed | B．confused | C．worried | D．scared |
| A．shouting | B．aiming | C．smiling | D．getting |
| A．turns out | B．turns on | C．strikes out | D．goes on |
| A．relationship | B．appreciation | C．friendship | D．instruction |
| A．bill | B．note | C．excuse | D．notice |
| A．credit | B．cash | C．change | D．fortune |
| A．Enjoy | B．Share | C．Protect | D．Cheer |
| A．lost | B．exposed | C．wronged | D．seen |
| A．significant | B．occasional | C．grateful | D．influential |
| A．idea | B．breakfast | C．joy | D．story |
| A．feeling | B．comfort | C．power | D．consequence |
| A．carrying it through | B．paying it forward | C．making it up | D．putting it down |
| A．approach | B．address | C．bless | D．watch |
9 . As you read this, pause to reflect on your recent interactions. As a politician, husband, and father, I encounter various spoken language styles: analytical or chatty, formal or informal, pointed or gentle, cooperative or decisive. Talk is the currency of politics. It is our way of negotiating, debating, and persuading. Talk is also the currency of learning-how we develop our ideas, deepen our thinking and share our feelings.
That’s why I want speaking skills, sometimes called “oracy”, to play an important part in Labor’s plans for a reformed school curriculum (课程).
Employers value speaking skills equally with reading and writing. The ability to speak well and express yourself should be something every child should master. But the curriculum doesn’t allow us to provide this. This is short-sighted. An inability to express your thoughts fluently is a key barrier to getting on and doing well in life.
Oracy is in part about good public speaking and debating skills, but in reality, it’s about teaching young people to make strong arguments, choose wise words, understand their audience, form meaningful social connections, and use facial expressions and body language to convey their message. Above all else it’s about finding your voice. To work out who you are and what you believe. If reading opens up a world of imagination and possibility, then speaking and listening opens up a lifetime of empowerment-a chance for those who feel invisible in their own country to be heard. It is about the confidence to speak out, to call out injustice or harm.
And the other side of speaking is listening, which can also be taught. Listening, truly listening, develops tolerance and understanding. And as parents we can play our part. We’ve all been there, at mealtimes, silent as we all stare at our devices. Our job, all of ours, is to get off our screens and give young people, and adults, the gift of listening.
So, oracy―speaking and listening―needs to be placed firmly at the heart of school life.
1. How does talk help a politician?| A．It deepens his wishful thinking. |
| B．It enhances his analytical skills. |
| C．It strengthens persuasive power. |
| D．It provides emotional support. |
| A．Employers underestimate the value of speaking. |
| B．Academic pressure makes students poor-sighted. |
| C．Spoken language is regarded as least important. |
| D．Oracy should deserve more attention at school. |
| A．By sharing different opinions. |
| B．By clarifying the definition. |
| C．By describing personal experiences. |
| D．By employing the concept. |
| A．Set a good example for their children. |
| B．Balance screen time and mealtime. |
| C．Have oral face-to-face communication. |
| D．Disconnect from the virtual world. |
Catherine was the coolest kid in her class. Whenever she went,she was in the spotlight,with a bunch of kids following her and doing everything she did.
Her desk mate,Landy,however,was not in the cool kids’ group.Being the tallest kid in her class, she was teased by her classmates,who were always chanting “Landy,Landy,long as spaghetti (意大利面)”.Every time Landy heard those silly chants， she could feel her face burst into flames. God knew how she wished the ground to crack and swallow her!
Catherine didn’t really like it when the kids chanted “Landy,Landy,long as spaghetti”.But she never told them to stop either, and nor did she ever talk to her. She liked being popular.
One weekend, Catherine went over to her grandfather for Thanksgiving. Her grandfather lives on a farm at the opposite end of town,where he keeps chickens. While helping to feed the chickens, Catherine noticed a peculiar one. Curling in the corner,it looked smaller than the others and was almost half-bare!
“What’s the matter with it?”She asked her grandfather, with a puzzled frown on her face. Her grandfather told her how chickens could act.’“They have a pecking(啄) order，” he explained，wrinkles of concern spreading around his forehead.“If one chicken is different, the others will push it away and keep pecking it. Sometimes they peck it so much that it dies.”
“Oh，what a poor little thing!”Catherine let out a sigh as she scooped(捧起)the frightened chicken up in her arms,whose heart was beating fast in the bony little body.注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Suddenly,she thought of Landy,the girl being ”pecked“by her classmates
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But Catherine walked directly toward Landy,regardless of what they said.
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