1 . Whether you feel like taking a road trip, or you just need some fun, you’ll enjoy this list of popular tourist attractions.
Alabama: Gulf Coast Beaches
If Alabama wasn’t the location for your next summer beach vacation, you may want to reconsider. There are 32 miles of white sands that have washed down from the Appalachian Mountains for thousands of years. That’s probably why over six million people visit Alabama’s Gulf Coast beaches every year. Ten dollars per person.
Alaska: Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise
Alaska is the place to go for spotting breathtaking (令人惊叹的) wildlife. In fact, the number of visitors who travel to Alaska to see wildlife has increased 45 percent. The Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise will bring you up close to whales, sea lions, and sea birds. A five-hour trip that starts at noon and covers 55 miles of sea will be the best $98 you’ve ever spent.
Arkansas: Hot Springs National Park
Skip the beach and choose a new type of relaxation at Hot Springs National Park. It’s America’s oldest national and the smallest national park. There’s a no-booking policy, perfect for travelers rolling through. Doors open at 8 a.m., so get there early!
Connecticut: Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is a must stop if you’re traveling nearby Yale University. It attracts plenty of people and has many collections including New England birds, dinosaurs, Greek and Roman antiquities, and even an Egyptian mummy. Adults pay $13 for entry, but if you want to visit for free, go on a Thursday.
Don’t miss the four best tourist attractions.1. Why do many people go to Alabama’s Gulf Coast beaches?
| A．It has a good and convenient location. | B．It has a history of thousands of years. |
| C．It has tens of miles of white sands. | D．The Appalachian Mountains are beautiful. |
| A．Five hours before it opens. | B．Five hours after it opens. |
| C．Before 8 a.m. | D．Before twelve o’clock at noon. |
| A．Many people go there to see collections. | B．You needn’t pay for it on certain days. |
| C．It makes you not want to leave. | D．It’s very beautiful and attractive. |
2 . My hometown is in a county (县) called Yongtai which is in Fuzhou of southern China.
Several days before the Chinese New Year, every family starts to prepare for the celebration. First of all, we do the spring-cleaning to welcome a new and clean year.
On the first day of the Chinese New Year, fathers will set off fireworks to “wake up the Chinese New Year”; mothers start to prepare a big breakfast.
On the first day just family members spend time together. From the second day on, every family will start to welcome the visitors and they can enjoy the get-together time, which is really nice.
| A．My favourite dishes are niangao and fish |
| B．Children will stay up late on New Year’s Eve |
| C．A fish dish is a necessity on the table every year |
| D．The next step is to prepare food for the New Year’s Eve dinner |
| E．After the spring-cleaning, every family starts to decorate their house |
| F．When the evening of New Year’s Eve comes, children will be very excited |
| G．Everyone should wake up by themselves and appear at the table in their new clothes |
3 . Many disaster-relief programs transport tons of supplies, such as food, water and heavy equipment, by road using large trucks. But some supplies may weigh just a few kilograms or less. For example, a package might contain a few doses of life-saving medicine.
The parachutes (降落伞) that carry these packages from planes are often made of nylon (尼龙). After one use, these parachutes are usually discarded. Because nylon is a polymer (聚合物), it does not decompose quickly. Therefore, Natalie looked for a greener alternative.
Nylon is strong, but a parachute used only once for light packages does not need to be that strong. Paper might be good enough, thought the teen. Plus, a paper parachute can be folded into a tiny package, just like a fabric parachute. Moreover, she notes there are many different ways to fold the unopened paper parachute.
Natalie came up with several folded designs and tested them. Her first models were small, so she could test them indoors. Two were triangular (三角形的). Two more were rectangular (长方形的). One of the rectangular ones opened most smoothly, she found. It also fell and landed most steadily as it dropped through the air. “Such features can be important when the goal is to deliver a package to the ground softly and accurately,” she says.
Natalie showcased her designs at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Natalie’s single-use paper parachutes are not harmful to the environment. They are also less expensive than parachutes made from more traditional materials. A nylon parachute of the same size as her design would cost about $31, she says. One made from silk, another common parachute fabric, would cost almost $16. But a parachute made from paper would likely cost less than $1, Natalie estimates.
1. Why are many relief supplies mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To list an example. | B．To answer a question. | C．To lead in the topic. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Go bad. | B．Break down. | C．Run away. | D．Bend down. |
| A．A small one. | B．A big one. | C．A rectangular one. | D．A triangular one. |
| A．Reducing Environmental Impact with Paper Parachutes |
| B．Eco-friendly Paper Parachutes for Disaster Relief |
| C．The High Cost of Traditional Parachutes |
| D．A Teen’s Quest for Better Disaster Relief |
4 . High school can be an exciting yet challenging experience for many students. Read on and take a look at the following suggestions to help you make it through this period of your life.
Take your studies seriously. High school is a time to start thinking about your future. Good grades will open many doors for you, including higher education opportunities and personal growth.
Make good use of the resources in your school. High schools offer many kinds of resources that can help you to learn and achieve personal growth.
Be open to making new friends. Hanging out with friends is great. However, it’s better to step out of your familiar environment and introduce yourself to new people. Making new friends can open up more possibilities, sharpen your social skills, and build a support system for you.
Take care of your mental health. High school life is stressful for many reasons, and it’s important to pay attention to your mental health.
| A．Develop good time management skills. |
| B．They include libraries, labs, gyms and more. |
| C．Moreover, friends can bring joy and happiness to your life. |
| D．So, make sure you are putting studies at the top of your list. |
| E．It’s a time of change, growth, exploration and self-discovery. |
| F．Taking a good rest and getting exercise can help reduce stress. |
| G．Exchange programs offer you an opportunity to experience new cultures. |
5 . To get kids into science for the long term, new findings suggest it’s best to engage them alongside their families. The finding runs counter (背道而驰) to the current framework, in which children attend science-related summer camps and after-school programs apart from their families. That approach may reduce the long-term potential of what they learn.
“Most kids have interest in science,” says lead author Megan Ennes. “For them, it’s about curiosity and wonder, but research shows that as they make their way through middle school, there’s a significant decline. So we want to focus on the finding so that we can build a support system around it.”
In partnership with North Carolina State University, the researchers based their study on a family science program hosted at three museums. Over the course of ten months, families met on weekends for science themed events. Afterward, the participants attended an activity led by professionals in science, technology, engineering or math, allowing families to experience what it’s like to work in those fields.
During an event with a focus on local wildlife, a bird expert helped families capture birds with nets and unite the ones that hadn’t been caught before to monitor their populations. “After the bird banding, one of the parents took it home so they could continue talking about birds at home,” Ennes says. “Our goal isn’t to persuade students to become scientists. But if we can help families see science as something they do for fun together, then we can help ensure they have a lifelong engagement with it.”
“Some of the greatest challenges and opportunities our society is faced with will be solved by teams rather than by individuals,” Ennes says. “Helping families see science as something they do together with a community can help build 21st-century skills needed to be successful in science and society. It also builds a supportive network to allow youth and families to explore new careers and lifelong hobbies related to science.”
1. Why did the researchers carry out the study?| A．Most children show no interest in science. |
| B．Children are curious about many things. |
| C．Students should be encouraged to love their families. |
| D．Middle school students reduce their interest in science. |
| A．Experience the work in science. | B．Host events about science. |
| C．Share the information in science. | D．Visit three museums for free. |
| A．To get students into science for the long term. | B．To monitor the number of some birds. |
| C．To make more students want to be scientists. | D．To encourage students to learn to love wildlife. |
| A．Students will face great challenges and chances. |
| B．It’s hard for students to solve problems by themselves. |
| C．It’s good to let students engage in science with families. |
| D．The community is good for science development. |
6 . As a kid, Pamela Akuku spent her weekends exploring the National Museums of Kenya, following along with her mom who worked there. Akuku became fascinated with the researchers. She saw them using various equipment and researching the fossils carefully. “But I didn’t know what they were doing at the time,” she says. “I kept asking my mom about it.”
Akuku’s mom saw her daughter’s curiosity and signed her up for the museum’s Young Researchers Club. Akuku soon took part in mock excavations (模拟挖掘) and reconstructed bones. “I enjoyed reading and puzzles,” says Akuku. “And this was a mixture of the two.”
The museum experiences helped inspire her career as an archeologist. After her four years in university, she was sure that she wanted to study archaeology. She did her master’s in South Africa and majored in zooarchaeology (动物考古学). She is now at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution in Tarragona, Spain. There, she studies how ancient humans modified (改良) animal bones. Her research is helping to reveal more about where early humans lived. She’s currently studying the remains from Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge, where researchers previously discovered stone tools and evidence of early human ancestors going back as far as 2 million years.
Akuku gives some advice to people who want to do her job. “Be prepared to come across hard conditions. Working in this field is challenging. You have to work twice as hard just to be recognized,” Akuku said. But she has learned to deal with it. Now she always tells everyone the efforts are worthy.
1. Why did Akuku’s mother let her join in the Young Researchers Club?| A．Akuku showed interest in the club. | B．Akuku’s mom was curious about the club. |
| C．Akuku’s mom wanted Akuku to help with her job. | D．Akuku hoped to be an archaeologist. |
| A．Why zooarchaeology is popular. | B．When the relics of Tarragona appeared. |
| C．What can be found from ancient fossils. | D．How ancient people modified animal bones. |
| A．Many stone tools remain to be found there. | B．Ancient human may live there 2 million years ago. |
| C．There are few relics left at present. | D．Few researchers show interest in it. |
| A．deal with challenges with colleagues | B．learn to be very smart |
| C．do the job harder than other people | D．believe what you do is important |
7 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.
Qinghai Lake National Nature ReserveQinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.
Bayanbulak National Nature ReserveThe only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.
Rongcheng Swan National Nature ReserveAs one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.
Sanya Coral Reef (珊瑚礁) National Marine Nature ReserveThis reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,
1. What do the first reserve and the second reserve have in common?| A．The area of wetland. | B．The geography of them. |
| C．The year of becoming the national reserve. | D．The friendly environment for migratory birds. |
| A．Its saltwater lake. | B．The whooper swans. |
| C．Its rich spring water. | D．The warm climate. |
| A．Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve. | B．Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve. |
| C．Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve. | D．Sanya Coral Reef National Marine Nature Reserve, |
8 . Minor Cold is the 23rd solar term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms. For most areas of China, it marks the start of the coldest days of the year. Still, bitter cold can’t prevent people from enjoying their lives.
Enjoy Mutton hot pot and baked sweet potato.
Mutton hot pot, and baked sweet potato are two recommended foods for Minor Cold.
Eat Laba porridge.
Another important traditional food for Minor Cold is Laba porridge.
People in Nanjing used to take Minor Cold quite seriously, and they still keep a custom of eating vegetable rice to celebrate this solar term. The rice is steamed with aijiaohuang, sausage and salted duck that are all the specialties in Nanjing.
Make Chinese traditional herbal medicine.
| A．Stock up for New Year. |
| B．Taste Nanjing vegetable rice. |
| C．It is made from over 20 kinds of nuts, cereals and dried fruits. |
| D．Minor Cold is also the busiest time for doctors and pharmacies, |
| E．Here are some things that help us stay warm during Minor Cold. |
| F．Beef, sesame and walnuts are also good choices for Minor Cold. |
| G．According to Chinese tradition, people eat food containing more yang energy. |
9 . Most of us have heard of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. It is the core principle of a sustainable (可持续的) life, but few of us can apply it in our own lives. Now, there’s a “lab” you can explore and discover a way toward living sustainably.
3R Lab is located in Xuhui district, Shanghai. It offers exhibitions, activities and goods that showcase the 3R principle. The key to a sustainable life, according to Vincent T. M. Fong, the 32-year-old from Hong Kong who created the lab, is to make it a long-term promise. “A sustainable life should be sustainable itself in the first place. You can’t lead a sustainable life on a whim. Small and comfortable changes are exactly what you need,” Fong said.
The lab regularly hosts ugly fruit markets, offering these strange fruits which are often thrown away by traditional markets and consumers at a quite attractive price. “They’re thrown away simply because of their appearance. Buying fruit regardless of how they look reduces food waste significantly in our daily life,” Fong commented.
A water tank with two types of straws is another equipment in the lab. “One type is made from normal plastics widely used in our daily life while the other is from PHA, a new replacement for plastics, and the water is sourced from the Suzhou River,” explained Ni Li, an employee of the lab. Visitors can see how the PHA straws degrade (降解) into a thin layer in just one month, while the others remain unchanged.
“Leading a sustainable life does not necessarily mean sacrifice,” said Fong. Consuming ugly fruit and using degradable plastics are small changes that are good for the environment and easy to stick to. Only in this way can the 3R principle become part of our lives, he added.
After working there for six months, Ni, who wasn’t mindful of the 3R principle before arriving at the lab, now uses her cup every time she buys a coffee. “The job has reshaped my life,” Ni said.
1. What does the-underlined phrase “on a whim” in the second paragraph probably mean?| A．In a rush. | B．On a regular basis. |
| C．Without any reason. | D．As a common practice. |
| A．To reduce food waste. | B．To promote healthy eating. |
| C．To sell new kinds of fruit. | D．To provide more affordable fruit, |
| A．The water pollution caused by plastics. | B．The degradation of PHA straws. |
| C．The interaction between two types of straws. | D．The disappearance of normal plastic straws. |
| A．She avoids going to traditional markets. | B．She has devoted less time to her hobbies. |
| C．She has got rid of a few bad habits. | D．She is leading a low carbon life now. |
10 . What are the mistakes that drive college admission officials crazy—and sometimes send an application to the waste paper basket? We have asked some of them what they’d prefer applicants not to do. Here are some of the highlights.
Don’t let parents take the lead. Admission officials say parents should be actively involved in the application process.
Don’t turn in a lengthy resume. This rule even rings true for professionals, who are advised to keep a resume to two pages or less. Regardless of the activities a student got involved in high school, experts advise applicants to keep their resume to one page.
Don’t take an idea from someone else to write the application essay. Experienced admission officials will have read thousands of essays and can tell immediately. They want students to be original.
Don’t forget to check program requirements. All students should check program requirements and take the necessary high school classes to help get into their preferred program. The requirements vary by college and they are usually listed on their websites.
| A．But that comes with limits |
| B．Don’t forget to read the directions |
| C．Don’t repeat information throughout the application |
| D．They want students to self-reflect and highlight their growth |
| E．Don’t list too many activities to impress admission officials |
| F．So it is important to get the information on each college’s website |
| G．Students should consider directing questions to admission officials |
