1 . Some people take their holiday decoration very seriously. And some take it to the next level. The Griffith family in Kenova, West Virginia, is in this camp. They put on a display that shows they’re just filled with Halloween spirit.
Each year, this family displays 3,000 pumpkins (南瓜) in front of their home for the Halloween season. Yes, you read that right. Ric Griffith puts out one jack-o’ -lantern (南瓜灯) for every person who lives in Kenova.
Of course, he doesn’t do it all on his own. He has a lot of help from his family, and also from members of the community who are super-proud of what has become quite the tourist attraction over the years. More than 30,000 people stop by to see the amazing display, which includes jack‑o’ ‑lanterns cut to look like the faces of famous people, animals, cartoon characters, and other creative designs. It’s certainly a must-see as part of the area’s Ceredo-Kenova Autumnfest.
To fit in all 3,000 pumpkins, Griffith and his helpers spread them across the home’s garden and front porch (门廊), as well as on the roof!
Griffith began the tradition back in 1978 with just five pumpkins and, many years later, it’s much bigger and better. People can’t help but come to the area, walking along the sidewalk outside the house to get that perfect Halloween experience.
“Locals take great pride in it, and then there are people from around the country who plan fall trips and include it in their trips so they can see it,” said Tyson Compton, president of the Cabell‑Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s really something.”
“It’s become a tradition for many people in our area, and it feels good to keep that going,” Griffith said.
1. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The Griffiths selling 3,000 pumpkins a day. |
| B．Ric Griffith giving 3,000 jack-o’ ‑lanterns to tourists. |
| C．Ric Griffith teaching 3,000 people how to display jack-o’ ‑lanterns. |
| D．The Griffiths decorating their house with 3,000 pumpkins. |
| A．Ric Griffith’s idea has received support from his community. |
| B．There are only two kinds of jack-o’ ‑lanterns. |
| C．Ric Griffith dislikes asking for help from others. |
| D．There are 30,000 people in Kenova. |
| A．It began with 1,978 pumpkins. |
| B．It has lasted more than 40 years. |
| C．It includes five pumpkin competitions. |
| D．It encourages people to do more exercise. |
| A．Worried. | B．Uncaring. |
| C．Favorable. | D．Uncertain. |
2 . The good news is that more people bought electric vehicles （EVs） in 2020. The bad news is that sport utility （多用途的）vehicles （SUVs） continued to grow in popularity, too. “The fall in oil consumption due to the first trend was completely canceled out by the second," said Laura Cozzi, an officer at the International Energy Agency （JEA）,
Between 2010 and 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions （排放）from conventional cars fell by nearly 35 billion Lons, due to reasons such as fuel efficiency improvements as well as the switch to electric cars. Emissions from SUVs rose by more than 50 billion tons. "While the growth in EVs is encouraging, the boom in SUVs is heart-breaking," says Peters at the Cicero Climate Research Centre in Norway.
There are many reasons for the growing popularity of SUVs. For example, rising economic boom in many countries means more people are able to afford them. Some people see them as status symbols. Also, SUVs are heavily advertised by car-makers, whose profit is higher on these vehicles. Some countries, including France, have introduced plans under which more taxes are paid on heavier cars. But Peters thinks that people who are rich enough to afford SUVs won't be deterred by slightly higher taxes. "There are now some electric SUVs available, but 1 hope one day you will see more electric vehicles brought to the SUV market," says Peters.
Even if it happens, switching to electric SUVs isn't a good solution. Due to their size and bigger batteries, it takes more resources to build electric SUVs, and they consume around 15 percent more electricity. That means higher emissions unless the electricity comes entirely from renewable sources, and higher electricity demand makes it harder to green the electricity supply.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?| A．Scientists should devote themselves to improving fuel efficiency. |
| B．The emission of carbon dioxide of motor vehicles has hit a new low. |
| C．Electric vehicles will certainly take the place of sport utility vehicles. |
| D．The popularity of SUVs destroys some efforts at environmental protection. |
| A．Blocked. | B．Encouraged. | C．Removed. | D．Involved. |
| A．SUVs are discounted heavily. |
| B．SUVs are often advertised by car producers. |
| C．SUVs are taxed at a lower rate in some countries. |
| D．SUVs consume fewer resources than other vehicles. |
| A．The electric SUVs should be made smaller and lighter. |
| B．The electric SUVs are a good guarantee for less pollution. |
| C．More electric SUVs don’t necessarily mean "environment-friendly". |
| D．Future electric SUVs will be powered with completely green energy. |
After travelling more than seven months in space, Tianwen 1 is one step
A small step on the red planet is a big step for human beings. Humans
Among the three tasks, touchdown on the red planet is the most difficult. The result : mainly depends
5 . One weekend, a woman headed for her hotel room carrying a bucketful of coins she won at a slot machine. As she was about to walk into the
Both were
But fear seized her. She stood and stared at the two, anxious and ashamed. She hoped they didn't
Seconds passed. The elevator didn't move. Panic
"I'm about to be robbed!", her heart
"Hit the floor", one of them said. Her sweats poured... Without delay, she threw out her arms and
"Take my money and
She was too
They helped gather up the coins and refill her
The next morning a bunch of roses were delivered to her room. Attached to the roses was a card
| A．room | B．hotel | C．hall | D．elevator |
| A．properly-dressed | B．well-behaved | C．bad-tempered | D．strong-built |
| A．rob | B．help | C．recognize | D．grab |
| A．change | B．read | C．slip | D．speak |
| A．knowing | B．greeting | C．joining | D．judging |
| A．exited from | B．stepped onto | C．dashed into | D．headed off |
| A．freed | B．stopped | C．consumed | D．escaped |
| A．sank | B．broke | C．ached | D．bled |
| A．rolled | B．slept | C．lay | D．collapsed |
| A．handful | B．shower | C．bag | D．bunch |
| A．spare | B．save | C．forgive | D．forget |
| A．rudely | B．loudly | C．politely | D．madly |
| A．click | B．pull | C．push | D．untie |
| A．Delighted | B．Confused | C．Shocked | D．Worried |
| A．tongue | B．teeth | C．nail | D．lip |
| A．scared | B．surprised | C．frustrated | D．embarrassed |
| A．failed | B．hurt | C．warmed | D．discouraged |
| A．bucket | B．pocket | C．handbag | D．wallet |
| A．writing | B．drawn | C．saying | D．posted |
| A．coins | B．laugh | C．flowers | D．apology |
6 . Prague is one of Europe's most magical cities with its postcard views. To experience the best of Prague, we've put together a walking guide to help you explore the city. Choosing this self-guided tour means that you can do it at your own pace.
Vrtba Garden
One of Prague's most beautiful and precious gardens. The garden dates back to 1720 with its old school Italian baroque style. This is one of Prague's lesser known attractions so you may not find many tourists around, but it's well worth the visit and a great way to start your walking tour of Prague.
Address: Kamelitsksá, 373/25, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana, Czechia
Saint Nicholas Church
The most famous church in Prague is the Saint Nicholas Church. Three generations of great architects took around 100 years to build this magnificent church. The church remains active to this day, so why not go and have a close look at the church?
Address: Malostranské nám., 118 00 Praha I-Malá Strana, Czechia
Prague Castle
Situated on a hill on the left bank of river Vitava, the Prague Castle is roughly the size of seven football fields, which is the largest ancient castle in the world, so there's a lot to see. The Prague Castle has been rebuilt many times through the centuries, so it is an obvious mix of architectural styles.
Address: 119 08 Prague 1, Czechia
Lennon Wall
The wall is not just a memorial for John Lennon and his ideas for peace. It speaks highly of freedom of speech and is a form of non-violent rebellion of Czech youth who fought against authorities during 1980.
Address: Velkopřevorské náměstí, 100 00 Praha 1, Czechia
1. What is the advantage of the self-guided tour?| A．It offers tourists a visit to Prague for free. |
| B．It provides a guide to help with the tour. |
| C．There is no need for tourists to rush. |
| D．There are many beautiful postcards on sale. |
| A．It is the oldest garden in Prague. |
| B．It has already attracted most tourists. |
| C．It is a good choice to begin your tour. |
| D．It is the only one in Italian baroque style. |
| A．You should allow more time to explore the site. |
| B．You should have a good time playing football. |
| C．You should research the history of the Castle. |
| D．You should be careful when crossing the river Vitava. |
7 . When it comes to sitting properly, we all know the correct way even if we don' t do it to the letter. No crossed legs, bottoms touching the back of the chair and feet on the ground. But even if you' re doing it right, sitting for long periods is shockingly bad for you. It has been described as the new smoking, linked to heart disease and even cancer. There is no doubt we should all try to do less of it. But perhaps we could also do it better.
A classic survey, published in 1953, described 100 different sitting postures adopted by 480 cultures around the world. Among the most common were sitting cross-legged, kneeling and the deep squat (深蹲), with feet flat on the ground and bottoms resting on or just above it. Even in Western cultures, these are preferred sitting positions among young children. But Westerners tend to prefer chair use from an early age, insisting children sit on seats in school.
One big problem with this desire for chairs is that they make sitting so, well, sedentary (久坐不动的). Consider the Hadza, a group of hunter-gatherer people in Tanzania. They spend around 9 hours a day sitting. However, they squat and sit on the ground in various positions, and this involves high levels of muscle activity. The supportive nature of chairs, with their high backs and armrests, removes this effort perhaps the reason that people love them.
So what' s the best way to sit? Josette Bettany-SaItikov at Teesside University, UK has found that kneeling can help keep the spine in a better position as does squatting. We might also take inspiration from traditional cultures like the Hadza. "Use a variety of postures and preferably not just still postures but some which allow movement," says Bettany-Saltikov.
Bettany-Saltikov believes that we should be rethinking what it means to do a desk job. "We still need to design workplaces that enable people to be productive while being lightly active, like with under-table cycling or walking desks," she says. For now, if your job is sedentary, don' t forget to stand up regularly and move around.
1. What does the author think of sitting properly for long?| A．It still does some harm. | B．It improves body shape. |
| C．It can prevent heart disease. | D．It may cause smoking-related illnesses. |
| A．Children should sit in their preferred manner. |
| B．Children should take their seats while sitting. |
| C．Children should practice sitting cross-legged. |
| D．Children should learn different sitting postures. |
| A．They sit for short periods of time. | B．They sit for the purpose of exercise. |
| C．They use some muscles while sitting. | D．They remain generally still while sitting. |
| A．Combine exercise and their work. | B．Improve their productivity at work. |
| C．Kneel or go cycling as often as possible. | D．Start exercising as soon as they leave work. |
