1 . It was a dream born in fire. Andrea Peterson was five when she and her mother were trapped on the ledge (窗台) of a burning building.

“Throw the kid down!” said one of the firemen below, and little Andrea leaped into lifesaving arms and a life-long ambition: She wanted to fight fires like her rescuers did.

She told that to the men who had saved her, and they laughed good-naturedly the way grown-ups do when a kid says they want to be an astronaut or a sports star. But this was back in a time when little girls weren’t even allowed to fantasize about such grand goals.

“You’ll be a good mommy,” the firemen told her, “you’ll be a good teacher, maybe you’ll be a nurse, but you can never be a fireman.”

And then, as it tends to do, life sidelined her dreams. She was studying for a degree in aviation (航空) technology — the only female in her class — and that’s where she met her husband, Dennis.

Later, Dennis was diagnosed with cancer, and Peterson spent 31 years caring for him. At 61, she went on an ambulance ride-along. It turned out to be a life-and-death situation, and Peterson felt that long-ago childhood calling. She earned her emergency medical technician license and responded to fire calls with the ambulance. She found that her years of tending to Dennis had prepared her for dealing with various hurts and ills.

After a year, she told her boss she wanted to be a firefighter.

The fact that everyone else in her training unit was between 18 and 21 didn’t stop her. She passed the written test, she cleared the physical and, finally, that little girl’s dream became a reality.

1. What inspired Peterson to be a firefighter?

A．Her physical abilities.	B．Her being rescued in fire.
C．Her mother’s expectation.	D．Her lifesaving experience.

2. Why did the rescuers laugh about Peterson’s dream?

A．They thought it was a satisfying dream.

B．They thought she was gifted in being a nurse.

C．They thought it was just a childish dream for a girl.

D．They thought kids should dream of being an astronaut.

3. Which words can best describe Peterson?

A．Curious and wise.	B．Talented and educated.
C．Creative and devoted.	D．Determined and caring.

4. What can we know from the text?

A．She was most experienced in her training unit.

B．Her dream came true because of her childhood calling.

C．Her aviation technology enabled her to realize her dream.

D．Years of attending her husband contributed to realizing her dream.

2 . These science-themed field trips will offer you fantastic experiences.

London’s sites of scientific interest

Explore London’s notable sites of scientific interest along the River Thames, starting at Kew Bridge and walking to the Thames Barrier during the day with talks in the evening with some professors.

Visit the London Wetland Centre, Kew Gardens, Battersea Power Station, and the Greenwich Observatory. You will never be far from the river as you experience a wide range of topics including wildlife, medicine, power generation, engineering, physics and astronomy.

The science history of Scotland

Discover Edinburgh and Glasgow’s most famous scientific thinkers, and learn how their ideas supported our emerging understanding of the world from the 16th century onwards.

Enjoy expert talks and explore key sites from the Scottish Enlightenment (启蒙). Learn about the wide cast of advocates and hear from guest speakers, take part in walking seminars (研讨会) and enjoy several museum trips, as well as visits to two industrial wonders, the Falkirk Wheel and the Whitelee Windfarm.

Pre-Historic Southwest England

Involve yourself in the early human periods the Bronze and Iron Ages. A gentle walking tour that explores the pre-historic origins and evidence across Wiltshire and Dorset.

Visit several National Trust, English Heritage and UNESCO listed sites including Stonehenge and Maiden Castle and hear talks from the directors of the Wiltshire and Salisbury museums.

1. Which site can you visit along the River Thames?

A．Maiden Castle.

B．The Falkirk Wheel.

C．The Wetland Centre.

D．The Salisbury museums.

2. What is the visit to the Southwest England aimed at?

A．A closer look at the past.

B．A brief exposure to nature.

C．A new view about mysteries.

D．A deeper understanding of art.

3. What can visitors expect during all the three trips?

A．Talks with experts.

B．Visits to museums.

C．History explorations.

D．Scientific research.

3 . Traveling itself is an experience hard to be described in words.     1     Especially the solo (独自) traveling experience is so transforming that it lives with you forever. Here I am sharing some lessons.

    2     Thinking how I would manage my entire day among strangers on campus, I pretended to be sick. Then I had the same feeling when I was planning to travel alone. Exploring a city on my own was a big fear for me but I successfully managed it all and now, I seek out new opportunities and experiences. I love to push myself.    3    

Having grown up and lived all my life in a single place, I had a small set of friends since my school days which continued till my college days.    4     I met a few very interesting people with whom I could feel an instant connect and got some new friends for life.

I totally agree that traveling with family and friends is fun and enjoying. But traveling alone is satisfying too. It’s among those few things that you do for yourself and nobody else.    5     During my solo travels I have explored my inner self and have expanded my boundaries which people around me have acknowledged at times.

A．I want to experience more.

B．But all this changed with my first solo trip.

C．I never thought I would travel alone in my life.

D．I was so scared when I went to school first time.

E．Every journey prepares you for the journey of life.

F．The farther you travel, the more independent you become.

G．After all you need to take care of yourself a bit too at times.

4 . Little Oliver was Mason and Rebecca’s miracle child. Rebecca suffered three miscarriages (流产) before Oliver was born. When they were still in extreme _________, Rebecca accidentally found the little boy never reacted to any sound. After examination it was confirmed that Oliver was born _________.

Facing such a blow, Mason and Rebecca never felt _________. A few weeks later, Oliver got his first hearing aid. Despite several _________, Oliver could at last hear! Rebecca and Mason were delighted.

Three years passed, and it was time to send Oliver to _________. But the first day Oliver returned home _________. “I don-don’t want to go to school... I have no friends...”

One day, Rebecca and Mason were called to the school, where Oliver’s teacher, Sophia told them Oliver never _________ with his classmates. He was afraid that his classmates would _________ him over his deafness. Though Sophia talked to him again, he was _________ to communicate.

Rebecca and Mason told her their son was __________ for friendship inside’ Sophia decided they had to do something to help Oliver out of his __________. They made a plan and put it into action on his sixth birthday. Oliver __________ his classroom and found it decorated with balloons. He was surprised and sat in his chair,__________ what was happening. Suddenly, all his classmates marched inside. They all wore colorful birthday caps and smiled at him. Oliver’s eyes rose with tears as he watched them sing a happy birthday song in __________. They had learned sign language to surprise the birthday boy and make him feel __________. Oliver was touched. It felt like heaven to be surrounded by friends.

1.

A．sorrow

B．happiness

C．surprise

D．loss

2.

A．dumb

B．blind

C．deaf

D．one-handed

3.

A．discouraged

B．annoyed

C．embarrassed

D．confused

4.

A．operations

B．tests

C．worries

D．struggles

5.

A．school

B．hospital

C．station

D．work

6.

A．laughing

B．crying

C．adding

D．explaining

7.

A．debated

B．agreed

C．studied

D．interacted

8.

A．punish

B．scold

C．complain about

D．laugh at

9.

A．unwilling

B．cautious

C．confused

D．unable

10.

A．grateful

B．desperate

C．responsible

D．concerned

11.

A．doubt

B．failure

C．insecurity

D．reach

12.

A．locked

B．cleaned

C．entered

D．designed

13.

A．confirming

B．concluding

C．ignoring

D．wondering

14.

A．gesture

B．return

C．deed

D．word

15.

A．independent

B．sensible

C．included

D．praised

5 . “To repair ancient books, we have a lot to do,” says Song Jing, 34, who has been working in the restoration division for ancient books at the National Library of China in Beijing for eight years. Before starting a restoration project, Song and her colleagues have to evaluate the subject to consider what problems can be solved through restoration and those that cannot. Fearing the chemicals in commercially produced pastes (胶水) might harm the books, they have to make the glues they need by themselves, starting from removing starch(淀粉) from flour.

“The restoration also requires high levels of control in brushing the paper. If the pressure is not properly controlled during the brushing process, the paper may tear, but if the touch is too light, the paper won’t stick,” Song explains.

Song was determined to join the field from an early age. As a child, she was attracted by documentaries about the world’s cultural relics (遗物) and became deeply interested in the art of artifact restoration.

In senior middle school, those earlier experiences helped her to set her sights on becoming a master restorer of ancient books.

There were not many schools offering cultural-relic restoration courses back then, and her dream destination, Peking University, only offered openings every other year.

As Song looked into undergraduate curricula (本科课程) arrangement for that particular field of study, she found it was mostly related to chemistry. Therefore, she chose to start a chemistry degree at Fudan University in Shanghai in 2008. In her spare time, she continued to read up on cultural relics and study how museums operate.

“I got to learn how certain aspects of chemistry are going a long way in restoring cultural relics,” she says.

After graduating from Fudan, she was accepted as a master’s candidate to the cultural heritage preservation program at Peking University. From then on, she has been on a mission to make her dreams a reality.

1. What will ruin a restoration work?

A．Brushing the paper.	B．Man-made glue.
C．Removing starch.	D．Incorrect assessment.

2. Which of the following best describes Song’s job?

A．Demanding and Boring.	B．Complex and challenging.
C．Complicated and Dangerous.	D．Entertaining and profitable.

3. Why did Song study chemistry at Fudan University in 2008?

A．She didn’t reach the requirement of Peking University.

B．Only Fudan University offered her favorite course.

C．She wanted to be better prepared for her dream occupation.

D．Her interest had shifted from book restoration to chemistry.

4. What can we learn from Song’s story?

A．History mirrors future.	B．Courage is the key to achievements.
C．Education breaks down barriers.	D．Commitment and hard work pay off.

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7 . There are hundreds of genres (流派) of music, so while some might like one kind, others might like something completely different. Why do people like different kinds of music?

    1     At the same time, music can also help us feel like part of a group or a culture, especially one that shares an interest in a certain kind of music.

Music can also be nostalgic, that is, it creates a kind of longing for the past. Musicians leave behind a footprint with their music.    2     Even long after the musicians are gone, people still find something in the musicians’ recordings that they can enjoy.

We may also find that the music we like is strongly tied to our memory. Maybe there was a song that someone sang to us when we were little that brings up good memories.     3    

When we listen to music that we like, a chemical called dopamine is sometimes released in the brain, which can make us feel good.     4     There are some algorithms (算法) today that can help pick up on the kind of music we like. When we are streaming music, some programs will let us like or dislike songs.

People’s taste in music can remain the same in their whole life or it can change many times. But the truth is, we don’t know all the exact answers to why people like different kinds of music — or sports, or food, or colors.     5     We are all different people who like different things.

A．It’s music to our ears.

B．Music can be a part of our identity.

C．It becomes a mirror that we are holding up.

D．They leave a permanent mark in people’s lives.

E．Therefore, we might want to listen to a song on repeat.

F．Other times, we might find music can bring up sad memories.

G．There are lots of different factors that can influence our preferences.

8 . Below is today’s schedule for Pacific Science Center’s programming. Daytime laser (激光) and planetarium (天文馆) shows are included in general admission tickets, but timed tickets are needed to enter the show. Please note: Planetarium shows have a limited number of tickets and sell out quickly. IMAX documentary and feature movies are not included and must be purchased separately.

TIMING

Live Science Shows: 15 minutes   IMAX Documentary Movies: 45 minutes

Daytime Laser Shows: 30 minutes   Planetarium Shows: 40 minutes

SCHEDULE

Show	Time	Place	Ticket
Dinosaurs of Antarctica	1:00 pm	PACCAR Theater	IMAX Tickets Required
Preschool All Stars	10:30 am	Building 2, Planetarium	Included in General Admission Timed Tickets Required
Live Science Show	1:30 pm	Building 1, Live Science Stage	Included in General Admission
Laser Jukebox	11:45am	Laser Dome	Included in General Admission Timed Tickets Required

GENERAL VISITOR POLICIES

◇Pacific Science Center is a tobacco- and e-cigarette-free zone, including all outdoor spaces.

◇While pets are not permitted inside Pacific Science Center, service animals are welcome.

◇If you want to listen to music during your visit, we kindly ask that you use headphones.

◇Pacific Science Center reserves the right to refuse entry for ticket holders more than 15 minutes late for their exhibition entry time without refunds (退款).

◇All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.

◇All exchanges must be processed at least 24 hours before the time and date of the event or reservation.

1. Where can visitors learn something about a prehistoric animal?

A．In Laser Dome.	B．In Building 2, Planetarium.
C．In PACCAR Theater.	D．In Building 1, Live Science Stage.

2. When will Live Science Show end?

A．At 11:45 am.	B．At 1:30 pm.
C．At 1:45 pm.	D．At 2:15 pm.

3. What is allowed in Pacific Science Center?

A．Refunding the ticket.	B．Bringing a service dog.
C．Entering half an hour late.	D．Smoking in outdoor areas.

9 . For Sara’s family, decorating the yard was always a celebration for the New Year. This year Sara’s father _________ colorful lights all round their roof. On New Year’s Eve, light _________ the whole house. Everything seemed to be going fine until _________ struck: Sara’s father passed away suddenly. Sara was _________ by great sadness. However, seeing the hanging lights, she was in a state of feeling happy, gaining a tiny thread of _________.

The lights were the last _________ of her beloved father. Taking them down meant the _________ connection with her father would disappear, which she wasn’t ready to accept. So she _________ them. One day in March, Sara received an _________ note in the mail: “Take your New Year’s lights down!” She couldn’t __________ her anger, and shared it with her story online. Messages of support __________ into Sara’s inbox quickly. Besides, one day, Sara found that New Year’s decorations __________ on houses in her neighborhood—her neighbors hung their lights back up in __________ of her father!

She never learned the sender’s identity. But for her, that hurtful deed was far less __________ than so many acts of kindness. A few weeks later, Sara took down the decorations. “It was hard. But __________ all that support and love, it was not as hard as I thought.”

1.

A．strung

B．purchased

C．removed

D．checked

2.

A．caught

B．enveloped

C．exposed

D．included

3.

A．danger

B．challenge

C．misfortune

D．fire

4.

A．overcome

B．frightened

C．approached

D．beaten

5.

A．hope

B．relief

C．sadness

D．anxiety

6.

A．possessions

B．inventions

C．presents

D．reminders

7.

A．positive

B．symbolic

C．final

D．private

8.

A．preserved

B．cleaned

C．recovered

D．replaced

9.

A．unimportant

B．unreliable

C．unmarked

D．unsigned

10.

A．bring about

B．hold back

C．put aside

D．go through

11.

A．slid

B．pressed

C．flooded

D．broke

12.

A．updated

B．reappeared

C．faded

D．increased

13.

A．honour

B．search

C．defence

D．support

14.

A．influential

B．possible

C．helpful

D．significant

15.

A．regardless of

B．more than

C．due to

D．apart from

10 . Many years ago, I was living with my best friend and we had many happy moments together. But there was one night that ________ our lives forever.

On the night of November 25, 2011, I got into a fistfight with my best friend in our kitchen. It all started because I was trying to help him. He was drinking a lot, arguing with everyone and ________ himself from others by keeping silent most of the time. This had been going on for weeks and finally I decided it was time for a(an) ________ I told him that he needed to stop drinking so much and tried to ________ his alcohol and he got angry and started ________ with me. It was scary, but by the end of the night, we were able to calm down and talk to each other.

I thought alcohol ________ was his main problem. But he was just using alcohol to ________ himself through. He was lonely, heartbroken and struggling to connect with people. So during the Christmas season a few weeks later, I gave him a ________ that I didn’t even know I had.

That Christmas my friend didn’t have any place to go, so I invited him home to my parents’ house in Lancaster. They ________ cleaned up our guest room for him and even bought him some Christmas gifts. I’ll never forget the night we arrived at my home. My parents were already ________, but my mom had prepared dinner for us, baked some cookies and left us a note. My parents are known for their ________, so I wasn’t surprised by this warm welcome. But when my friend read my mom’s note and saw all that she had prepared, he broke down and cried. That’s when I ________ how much I took my loving family for granted.

That year my friend and I both received gifts that we would ________ forever. I gave him the gift of a warm, loving, safe place to spend Christmas. And he gave me the gift of a new ________ on life. If I hadn’t shared my home with him, I wouldn’t have understood how ________ I am.

1.

A．defined

B．inspired

C．created

D．changed

2.

A．defending

B．separating

C．protecting

D．locking

3.

A．communication

B．investigation

C．exploration

D．promotion

4.

A．put up

B．take away

C．break out

D．call off

5.

A．talking

B．crying

C．fighting

D．laughing

6.

A．access

B．addition

C．abuse

D．affection

7.

A．look

B．break

C．drive

D．carry

8.

A．time

B．holiday

C．gift

D．family

9.

A．happily

B．generally

C．formally

D．hurriedly

10.

A．awake

B．asleep

C．available

D．absorbed

11.

A．generosity

B．curiosity

C．ability

D．creativity

12.

A．admitted

B．realized

C．recognized

D．accepted

13.

A．exchange

B．present

C．treasure

D．appreciate

14.

A．day

B．test

C．skill

D．eye

15.

A．kind

B．grateful

C．blessed

D．healthy