1 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter
While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.
Virgin Islands National Park, St. John
Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.
1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?| A．Yellowstone National Park. | B．Joshua Tree National Park. |
| C．Grand Canyon National Park. | D．Virgin Islands National Park. |
| A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there. | B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs. |
| C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter. | D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather. |
| A．Hiking. | B．Skiing. | C．Swimming. | D．Hunting. |
2 . Winter can usually kill most wildfires. But in the far North，some forest fires just don’t die. They are thought of as “zombie (僵尸) fires”.
“Zombie fires” usually sleep underground in winter. Covered by snow, they smoke through the cold. Fueled by carbon-rich peat (泥炭) and soil in the North, most of these hidden fires spread slowly for less than 500 meters during the winter. When spring comes, the flames (火焰) of the fires appear near sites that they burned in winter, and they turn to burning fresh fuels around. This may happen well before the traditional fire season in the far North.
“Zombie fires” had been known mostly from firefighters’ stories. Few scientists studied them until details in some satellite images attracted one research team. Rebecca Scholten, a member of the team, studies earth systems at Vrije University Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Her team noticed an unusual thing. “New fires have been starting very close to the former years’ fires in recent years，and we wonder how often the fires might survive the winter,” Scholten explains.
These “zombie fires” are rarely seen before, according to a new study from Nature. But in recent years, they are becoming more common, the study warns. It is believed that the “zombie fires” are even on the road of being a threat. Forests in the far North are warming faster than the globe’s average (平均数). Scholten says, “We’re seeing more hot summers and more large fires and strong burning. That could set the stage for the fires to become a bigger problem,” she worries. And the region’s soils hold a lot of carbon—maybe twice as much as earth’s atmosphere. More fires here could give off huge amounts of greenhouse gases. That would drive a cycle of more warming and even higher risk of fires.
1. What do we know about the “zombies fires” in the far North?| A．They will completely die out in winter. |
| B．Carbon-rich peat helps them burn slowly in winter. |
| C．They often happen after the traditional fire season. |
| D．Their flames can only appear in spring. |
| A．“Zombie fires” appear earlier than the years before. |
| B．“Zombie fires” happen far from former years’ fires. |
| C．“Zombie fires” happen more frequently than before. |
| D．“Zombie fires” appear in different shapes every year. |
| A．The global warming is slowing down. |
| B．The hot summers are less and less seen. |
| C．The area’s soils are short of carbon. |
| D．More greenhouse gases are given off. |
| A．Where Are “Zombie Fires” From? |
| B．Are “Zombie Fires” Frightening? |
| C．Pay Attention To “Zombie Fires”! |
| D．“Zombie Fires” Are Caused By Humans! |
3 . Some interesting places in Barcelona
Barcelona is now Europe’s sixth most visited city. If you’ve never visited it before, a plan to go there is worth making because there’s so much to see. The following will definitely leave a deep impression on the first-timers in Barcelona.
Grab a fresh snack at La Boqueria Market
Barcelona’s biggest market is found right in the middle of the famous La Rambla. Its central location means that it’s always packed with people, so prepare to push your way through the stands! The selection and quality of ingredients are excellent. Grab a milk shake and get lost in the crowds.
Look down on the city from the majestic Park Guell
The mosaic-covered buildings of Park Guell have come to be the postcard photo of Barcelona! The park itself is remarkably beautiful and has one of the best views of the whole city. The best way to reach Park Guell from the city centre is to take Bus 24 from Placa Catalunya. Some areas of the park are free, while the best pats require you to buy a ticket.
Appreciate 4,000 original Picassos at the Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum in Barcelona showcases one of the most extensive Picasso collections in the world, with a particular highlight on much of his early work. Picasso spent his adolescent years in Barcelona, and it is the place where he developed his artistic training. The Museum is located in the heart of the Old Town, in the very streets where the young Picasso lived his Barcelona life.
Take a tour of historic Camp Nou
The second biggest association football stadium in the world is home to one of the most historic clubs of all time. A tour at Camp Nou includes access to the Camp Nou Museum where you will be able to see 22 Liga and 4 Champions League trophies in the same room. Explore an area solely dedicated to Barcelona’s hero, Leo Messi.
1. What can you do at La Boqueria Market?| A．Buy souvenirs for friends. | B．Enjoy freshly-made food. |
| C．Meet the footballer, Messi. | D．Buy postcards in the market. |
| A．Those who like beautiful scenery. | B．Those who like western paintings. |
| C．Those who are interested in football. | D．Those eager to taste delicious food. |
| A．To advertise for a grand park. | B．To attract more visitors to Barcelona. |
| C．To introduce a famous artist Picasso. | D．To praise delicious snacks in Barcelona. |
4 . Paper is one of our oldest, simplest and most important inventions. But it also presents a danger to the world in two significant ways. First, the making of paper requires the loss of millions of trees each year. Between 2001 and 2019, the world lost 386 million hectares of forest. Of the trees that were cut down, 42% went to paper production. And worldwide use of paper is expected to double in the next 40 years. Clearly, the planet cannot sustain such a high rate of forest loss.
The second great problem with paper is what happens once it is no longer useful. A huge quantity of wastepaper ends up in dumps and landfills (垃圾填埋场), where it can produce harmful gases. Paper in landfills leads to the release (释放) of methane, a gas that is a significant contributor in global warming.
One simple solution can greatly reduce both of these problems: paper recycling. Paper is mainly made from cellulose (纤维素), which makes up the cell walls of trees and many other plants. Because of its structure, cellulose can be used repeatedly in papermaking. So far, trees are the only source of cellulose that can fill the massive demand for paper products. Therefore, recycling paper is simply one of the best ways to save trees.
Thanks to advances in processing, recycled paper isn’t the dull-colored stuff many of us are familiar with any more. It now can offer the same print performance as non-recycled paper.
Effective recycling requires a consistent effort. The way to begin is with education and understanding. Once enough people realize the need for recycling, more effective recycling systems can be carried out. The massive loss of trees affects everybody on earth. Everyone should do their part to recycle paper and encourage government and industries to do the same.
1. What does the author want to express in paragraph 1?| A．Consequences resulting from forest loss. |
| B．The significance of paper in daily life. |
| C．The disadvantages of current paper production. |
| D．The severe situation caused by papermaking. |
| A．It releases smelly gases. | B．It results in global climate change. |
| C．It pollutes the nearby land. | D．It may lead to fire accidents. |
| A．It produces cellulose to make more paper. | B．The structure of cellulose makes it possible. |
| C．The color of recycled paper is different. | D．It produces cellulose without using trees. |
| A．To introduce paper recycling technology. | B．To stress the threat of global warming. |
| C．To appeal to people to recycle paper. | D．To describe the considerable need for paper. |
5 . Decision hard
From the moment we wake up each day, we’re faced with a continuous stream of choices.
When decision fatigue kicks in, you may feel like you just don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with more decisions.
Here’s how to minimize or manage this phenomenon:
Tune into how you’re feeling. Be watchful of signs of decision fatigue and act accordingly: If you’ve had a demanding day that was filled with lots of decisions, put off making another one if you can. If things that wouldn’t normally upset you start bothering you, consider that a sign that you may not be in the best state of mind to make a major decision. “People may not realize that they’re experiencing decision fatigue,” Baumeister, a professor of psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia, says. “
| A．Make some choices automatic |
| B．It’s something to watch out for |
| C．They should turn to the experts for advice |
| D．Put down what you have in hand and take a break from them |
| E．This can lead to decisional disfunction or decreased self-control |
| F．If you like having oatmeal for breakfast, stick with it on a daily basis |
| G．We tend to feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed or otherwise out of sorts |
6 . Some high school students think it useless to receive higher education. Therefore, they choose not to go to college. If you're one of them, think again. Here are some reasons why you should go to college and receive a good education there.
Schools and universities are the first places to get knowledge. We take that knowledge later on to build our careers after graduation. More knowledge will be gained after you start working, but without education, that job will not be within easy reach. Knowledge leads to knowledge.
While limited within the walls of the educational places, we openly explore other cultures of the world! We come to know that ours is not the only culture. Other cultures have valuable things to share, enriching our own. Education also makes us want to travel and exchange with various cultures, getting more experience.
When there's a recession in the economy（经济）, those who attended college will be more likely to find a new job than those who only finished high school and have a limited skills set. The more education you have, the more chances you will get to improve the quality of your life as you have a better job and earn a higher salary.
When you're skillful and knowledgeable, you gain access to people of similar backgrounds and tastes. It means a good education leads to excellent networking. Good networking can benefit you a lot in your later life.
A good education makes you a more interesting person. You can talk about ideas and events instead of just other people and what's on sale in stores. An educated person doesn't gossip（说闲话）, having a preference to discuss ideas and listen to what other people have to say.
1. What can we learn about college education from Paragraph 2?| A．It offers you a chance to study abroad. | B．It can allow you to gain more knowledge. |
| C．It can improve the quality of your daily life. | D．It encourages you to travel around the world. |
| A．change. | B．drop. | C．growth. | D．support. |
| A．You can gossip about others’ affairs. | B．You are likely to study well at school. |
| C．You can work well with your coworkers. | D．You get to know excellent people with similar interests. |
| A．The benefits of attending college. | B．The exchange with other cultures. |
| C．The access to good networking. | D．The ways of college education. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last weekend, my class went on a field trip to Jianmenguang, which nature reserve is quite fascinating. It is about 300 kilometer away from Nanchong.
As scheduling, we set off by bus from the school at 6;00 am. When we arrive at our destination, we began to climb the steep mountains. Cold and rainy it was, we enjoyed the uniquely views and played some exciting games. Additionally, we paid a visit at some museums to remember the soldiers who sacrificed themselves in the battles.
From my point of view, it's a rewarding experience for us, which can not only broaden our horizons, but offered us some time to enjoy us after a long period of intense learning. I hope more activities is like this will be held in the future.
8 . Experts using a high-tech laser scanner (激光扫描仪) have discovered thousands of ancient Maya buildings hidden under the thick forests of northern Guatemala, officials said Thursday. Some 60, 000 buildings were found over the past two years in a scan of an area in the northern department of El Peten between Mexico and Belize, said Marcello Canuto, one of the projects’ lead researchers.
These findings are a “breakthrough in Maya archeology(考古),” Canuto said.
The new discoveries in this Central American country include city centers with sidewalks, homes, wide steps, farming facilities and so on, said Canuto, an archaeologist at Tulane University in the United States.
Among the finds was a 30-meter high pyramid (金字塔) that had been earlier recognized as a natural hill in Tikal. Also discovered in Tikal: a series of holes and a 14 kilometer-long wall.
The Maya development reached its height in what is present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, and parts of Belize, El Salvador and Honduras between 250 and 950 CE. Researchers now believe that the Maya had a population of 10 million, which is “much higher” than previous judgment, Canuto said.
The project depended on a remote (远程的) sensing method known as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Aircraft with a LiDAR scanner produced 3D maps of the surface by using light in the form of laser linked to a GPS system.
The technology helped researchers discover sites much faster than using traditional archeological methods. “Now it is no longer necessary to cut through the jungle to see what’s under it,” said Canuto.
Details of the research will appear in a documentary to air on February 11 on the National Geographic TV channel, said Minister of Culture and Sports Jose Luis Chea.
1. What did Canuto think of the new discoveries in the past two years?| A．Leading. | B．Frightening. | C．Annoying. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．It saves time in discovering site. |
| B．It is more convenient for researchers to work in forest. |
| C．Explorers have to go deep into the jungle to research. |
| D．Research can be done at a distance. |
| A．that lay in Africa | B．that was less developed |
| C．whose pyramid was made of a hill | D．with a surprisingly large population |
| A．To inform readers of the new discoveries about Maya. |
| B．To introduce a new method used to discover Maya buildings. |
| C．To show Maya development was of great influence. |
| D．To tell us a new documentary will be launched on TV in Feb. |
9 . Yangzhou paper cutting, with a history of 2,000 years, can be dated back to the Sui Dynasty, making Yangzhou one of the places where paper cutting first became popular.
In the Sui Dynasty, the people of Yangzhou would cut colourful paper or silk and satin (缎子) to celebrate festivals. It is said that Emperor Yang came to Yangzhou three times. In winter, the flowers and trees in the garden became dry and weak. The emperor ordered the gril servants to cut fine silk and satin into flowers and leaves and use them to decorate the trees and lakes. Since then, “colorful cutting” has become a popular art in Yangzhou.
In the Tang Dynasty, the paper cutting industry was highly developed and a large amount of high-quality paper was made as presents to the Court (宫廷).
In the Qing Dynasty, because of the economic development, the people of Yangzhou became interested in wearing fine clothing, especially embroidered (刺绣的) clothing. The embroidered designs were based on paper-cuts, the most well-know of them was from Bao Jun, a paper cutting master. He won a high reputation (名声) as Magic Scissors for his wonderful cutting skills.
After the People’s Republic of China was started, the Chinese government accepted the importance of paper cutting like many other arts and skills. In 2007, China Paper-cuts Museum opened to the public in the back garden of the Wang’s Residence (住所), Yangzhou, greatly helping the development of Yangzhou paper cutting.
1. When did “colourful cutting” become a popular art in Yangzhou?| A．In the Sui Dynasty. | B．In the Tang Dynasty. |
| C．In the Ming Dynasty. | D．In the Qing Dynasty. |
| A．种植 | B．装饰 | C．浇水 | D．砍伐 |
| A．In 2007. | B．In 2008. | C．In 2009. | D．In 2010. |
| A．How to make paper cutting. |
| B．The way to cut paper. |
| C．The importance of Yangzhou paper cutting. |
| D．The history and development of Yangzhou paper cutting. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
The other day, my roommate and I have our appointments for vaccine（疫苗）. I was OK that day, but next morning I had some reactions—I started to feel uncomfortably. Every part of my body ached and I had difficult sleeping. I live far from my hometown, because there was no one to take care of me except my roommate. But he was also going through the same problems with me.
However, he forgot that all his own pains. He tried his best to look after me, which moved us a lot. What fortunate I am to have such a loved roommate!
