1 . Engineers from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp ( CASC ) are known for their achievements such as landing a robot to explore Mars. However, the latest display of their wisdom and knowledge took place on the ground at the Bird’s Nest during the opening ceremony for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. They were tasked with building 11 major components for the 140-minute ceremony.
The “ ice cube (立方) ” , a structure covered by LED screens, was an example of engineers using their knowledge to handle technical challenges. The main body weighed 180 tons and had to be raised gradually during the ceremony, which meant that engineers needed to design a reliable method to lift it. Designers and technicians developed a foldable frame capable of lifting the huge cube in just 43 seconds.
Another visual breakthrough is a ground-based display screen covering 10,100 square meters. They used industrial internet technologies to connect more than 40,000 screens and monitor their working conditions. It is essential that engineers should place four signal transmission lines for the screen to prepare sufficient backup capacity to ensure that it functions properly.
The torches (火把) carried by Chinese athletes during the final legs of the relay in the stadium were developed by researchers who used their knowledge and skills gained from developing rocket engines. The torches can burn among wind up to 28 meters per second. They will not go out during strong rain or in low temperatures. New flag poles in the stadium flying the Chinese national flag and the Olympic flag were also designed and made by space researchers.
There is no doubt that technology from space industry has had an unexpected effect on the performance stage during the opening ceremony. Famous filmmaker Zhang Yimou, director of the opening ceremony, said, “As a crucial technical company, it was responsible for the design and construction work for the performance stage. The designs and equipment provided by this company worked very well and far exceeded our expectations. ”
1. What might be a challenge in lifting the ice cube?| A．Making it more beautiful. | B．Protecting the LED screens. |
| C．Lifting it safely within a short time. | D．Using the engineers’ wisdom and skills. |
| A．Industrial internet technologies. | B．Sufficient signal transmission capacity. |
| C．The area of the display screen. | D．A monitor for their working conditions. |
| A．He felt very satisfied with the opening ceremony. |
| B．He thought it was important to use space technology. |
| C．He thought little of the contribution of the company. |
| D．He felt confident in further using modern technology. |
| A．Using Space Technology in the Beijing Winter Olympics |
| B．The Breakthrough of Space Technology in China |
| C．Using Knowledge to Handle Technical Challenges |
| D．A Wonderful Ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics |
2 . There’s just a 1 in 3, 700, 000 chance that a person will be killed by a shark in their lifetime, but the fear is still enough to have swimmers worrying about being perceived as prey (猎物). Now, new research supports the long-standing theory that when great whites do go in for a bite, it’s a case of “mistaken identity”.
A team of biologists from the UK and Australia compared videos of seals swimming with videos of humans swimming. They then edited the videos to simulate (模拟) a great white’s vision — the sharks are likely colorblind, and they can’t make out fine detail-and found that from the point of view of the ocean creatures, humans do indeed bear a strong resemblance to seals.
“Great white sharks are often regarded as ‘mindless killers’ and ‘fond of human flesh’. However, that's not the case — we just look like their food,” Laura Ryan, lead author of the study, said.
Despite their dissatisfying vision and spatial perception, great white sharks are highly visual creatures, and rely on motion and shadows when on the lookout for prey. To really see through the species’s eyes, the research team had to get creative.
“We attached a camera to an underwater scooter (轻便小车), and set it to travel at a typical speed for predatory sharks,” Ryan said in a statement. The researchers then paired the recordings with computer models to simulate how similar people look from a shark's view below the surface.
“I knew there would be some similarities, but not to the extent we have found,” Ryan said. “Specifically, I thought swimmers might not be as similar as surfers to seals as they typically aren’t involved in as many shark bites. However, the swimmers are also difficult to tell apart from seals.”
Ryan put it in a statement, “Understanding why shark bites occur can help us find ways to prevent them, while keeping both humans and sharks safer.”
1. What do the underlined words “the ocean creatures” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Seals. | B．Sharks. | C．Humans. | D．Swimmers. |
| A．To measure the speed of predatory sharks. |
| B．To take clear pictures of underwater seals. |
| C．To keep track of sharks’ travel underwater. |
| D．To see human beings through sharks' view. |
| A．Swimmers are easy to tell apart from seals. |
| B．Swimmers are not as similar as surfers to seals. |
| C．The similarities between humans and seals are few. |
| D．Swimmers surprisingly resemble seals in sharks’ eyes. |
| A．Why Sharks Attack Humans | B．Are Shark Bites Common? |
| C．How Sharks Hunt for Food | D．Are Sharks Really Dangerous? |
3 . A recent story on TikTok showed how two neighbors found companionship during the lockdown because of the pandemic (疫情), thanks to a shared love of the piano.
The story started when Giorgio Lo Porto heard his neighbor playing the piano through their dividing wall. Lo Porto, an Italian living in London, decided to reach out to his neighbor and left a note asking him or her to play My Heart Will Go On. The mystery neighbor agreed, leading Lo Porto to send another note suggesting they play a duet (二重奏) together from the comfort of their own homes. The mystery neighbor started playing the piano at 2:00 pm, and when he stopped after finishing a part of a song, Lo Porto continued. Over time the duets between the two complete strangers became a regular weekend appointment.
Weeks later, the pair finally met and it was better than expected. The mystery pianist happened to be a 78-year-old Polish man named Emil, who was living in temporary accommodation until his house was sold. He lost his wife in December due to COVID-19 and all he had left was the piano. And the reason why he played at 2: 00 pm every weekend was that he and his wife used to do that.
The pair finished a final duet together — Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata — before Emil moved out at the end of February.
While this is heartwarming in itself, the story has a heartbreaking ending: On March 14, Lo Porto shared that his old neighbor had passed away in his sleep. He said, “Now he is reunited with his wife.”
While saying goodbye to Emil, Lo Porto wrote, “Dear Emil, I knew very little about you, but you changed my life. You gave me back my passion, and we shared that with the world. You’ll be in my heart. I’ll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you’ve been mine, too. Bye, Emil.”
1. What happened after Lo Porto left the second note for Emil?| A．They composed a new song based on a classic. |
| B．They reached out to neighbors to cheer them up. |
| C．They shared their playing skills with TikTokers. |
| D．They performed music together through the wall. |
| A．To upload his updates. | B．To remember his wife. |
| C．To advertise his house. | D．To comfort strangers. |
| A．Emil's passing away. | B．Lo Porto’s departure. |
| C．The pair’s final performance. | D．The unfamiliarity between the pair. |
| A．He admired Emil’s ambition. | B．It is easy to say goodbye. |
| C．Emil positively influenced him. | D．Music is a universal language. |
4 . Different countries celebrate Christmas in different ways. We asked some of our friends to explain what happens in their countries. This is what they told us:
France
In France, Christmas is always called Noël. Everyone has a Christmas tree, sometimes decorated in the old way with red ribbons and real white wax candles. Fir trees in the garden are often decorated too with lights on all night.
Father Christmas is called Père Noël. The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine. Few people send Christmas cards. More people send New Year cards to wish everyone good luck and joy for the New Year. These days Christmas lunch is a starter of foie gras (a strong tasting pate made from goose liver) followed by lunch of seafood — usually including lobsters and oysters.
New Zealand
Christmas starts for us with gifts under the tree, to be opened on Christmas morning. Then it’s onto a Christmas lunch either at home or at one’s parents place. Turkey or chicken with all the trimmings (佐料) is eaten. Then comes tea time. It is a BBQ for friends and family to get together, and have a few beers or wines with the meal!
Russia
In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much. New Year was the important time — when “Father Frost” brought presents to children. With the fall of Communism, Christmas can be openly celebrated either on December 25th; or more often on January 7th. This unusual date is because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old “Julian” calendar for religious celebration days. Special Christmas food includes cakes, pies and “meat dumplings”.
Sweden
The most important day is Christmas Eve. A special Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve — ham (pork), herring fish, and brown beans — and this is the time when families give presents to each other. Many people attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day.
1. Why do people in France send New Year cards?| A．To tell their friends the New Year is coming. |
| B．To ask for some special presents. |
| C．To invite their friends to family gathering. |
| D．To send their friends best wishes and happiness for the New Year. |
| A．A special meal is prepared. |
| B．Everyone has a Christmas tree. |
| C．Parents give gifts to their children. |
| D．People attend a church gathering. |
| A．France. | B．New Zealand. | C．Sweden. | D．Russia. |
5 . International Women's Day is March 8. The first celebration was held in 1911, and the event was recognized by the United Nations starting in 1975.
It's a great time to think about the origin of the word "woman". Some people think the word “woman" is a compound(混合)of the words“womb”and“man". Not so. Rather,it's a compound of "wife" and "man", a combination that can be traced back to Old English. You see, when Old English was first being spoken in the 5th century AD, there were two distinct words for men and women: "wer" meant "adult male",and "wif” meant “adult female". There was a third word,“man", which simply meant "person"or "human being”. These words could be combined:“wer" plus“man"(in the form of "waepman")meant "adult male person" and“wif” plus"man”("wilman") meant “adult female person”.
Those middle forms,“wimnan"and "wommon"with the two M's in the middle, remind me of Noah Webster's efforts to simplify English spelling by suggesting changing the spelling "woman” to“wimmen" to have the spelling better match the pronunciation. He put that in his 1806 Compendious Dictionary o f the English Language, but it didn't become popular.
And the Old English word for "adult male" evolved into a simplified form. The compound word "weapman" melted into the simple word we use today: "man".
Maybe the lesson to take from all this is that the role of women in society has always been complex. Whatever the case, the word "woman" today was originally a compound of the Old English words for"woman” and “human being”.
1. Where can you find the first source of the word "woman"?| A．In paragraph 1. | B．In paragraph 2. | C．In paragraph 3. | D．In paragraph 4. |
| A．To link the spelling to the pronunciation. |
| B．To keep up with the times more closely. |
| C．To satisfy the readers’ requests |
| D．To make it easy to pronounce. |
| A．By the 1600s. | B．In the 5th century AD, |
| C．In 1809. | D．By the Middle English period |
| A．To tell us the origin of Women's Day. |
| B．To tell us the history of the word "woman". |
| C．To stress the roles women are playing |
| D．To teach us the development of a language |
6 . Skeleton is one of the three sliding sports at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, alongside the luge(单雪橇)and bobsleigh(大雪橇). With only six medals up for grabs, skeleton has the fewest events at the Winter Games—which means competition will be fierce.
The sport of skeleton has its roots in the most popular winter pastime: sleighing. In the mid-19th century, British and American holidaymakers built the first toboggan(平底雪橇)run in Davos in 1882, and thus the sport of sleighing began.
Two years later, in 1884, the famed Cresta Run—a natural ice skeleton racing toboggan track—was built in St. Moritz, Switzerland(the course has hosted the annual Grand National championships since 1885).
In 1892, a new sledge made entirely of steel was introduced, and some claim that its bony appearance gave the sledge and the sport the name ‘skeleton’.
Men’s skeleton was first introduced on the Olympic program in the 1928 Games in St. Moritz. But due to the sport only being available at the Cresta Run at the time, it fell into obscurity(默默无闻)while the luge and bobsleigh grew in popularity. However, in 2002, the skeleton was reintroduced as a men’s and women’s event at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and has remained a part of the Olympic program ever since.
While Great Britain has the most medals(nine)in skeleton competition at the Olympics, the top spot belongs to the United States(eight medals)by virtue of having four silvers to Great Britain’s one(both nations have three golds, while Britain has five bronze medals, and the United States one).
Great Britain is the only nation to have won a medal every time skeleton has featured at the Olympic Games, and has won at least one medal in each of the five contests of women’s skeleton since its introduction.
1. How many events does skeleton have in the Olympics?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．In 1882. | B．In1885. | C．In1892. | D．In 1928. |
| A．Because its material steel was rare. |
| B．Because there was only one run for it. |
| C．Because only men could take part in it. |
| D．Because it was not on the Olympic program. |
| A．The number of medals. | B．The composition of medals. |
| C．The virtue of the athletes. | D．The times of hosting the Olympics. |
7 . Arden University
Arden University has physical study centres in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Berlin, Germany, and also offers high quality online bachelor and master degree programmes to British and international students all over the world. They have supported over 50,000 students while remaining true to their core values, ensuring higher education is available for all. Covering a range of professional subjects in 12 academic fields, Arden University makes UK education accessible and affordable through their creative study platform. Click here to view this school.
University of London International Programmes
We have over 60,000 students in every corner of the globe studying on more than 100 different programmes. Our global footprint and flexible study method has enabled students to study wherever they live. As a family of 19 world-class colleges and admired institutes, the University of London has an international reputation for academic distinction in teaching and research. Our students achieve exactly the same standard of internationally recognized qualification as those who attend the University itself. Click here to view this school.
University of York
The University of York is one of the top ten universities in the UK for teaching and research, and is ranked in the top 100 universities in the world. This well-established university consists of over 30 academic departments and research centres and a student body of 13,000, and was named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2010. Most of the distance learning courses are designed to meet professional development needs, and reflect the benefits of online learning in this context. Click here to view this school.
Lloyd’s Maritime Academy
Course options include popular and well-established diplomas in Marine (海洋) Surveying, Ship Management, and Maritime Law. Various accreditation levels are available from short, online based certificate courses to fully-accredited diploma and postgraduate diploma study options. We also offer our best course — the MBA in Shipping&. Logistics. The continued strength of these distance learning programmes have over 6,000 students enrolled on our courses. Click here to view this school.
1. Which holds the largest number of students?| A．Arden University. | B．University of York. |
| C．Lloyd's Maritime Academy. | D．University of London International Programmes. |
| A．How to be a training teacher. | B．How to be a good programmer. |
| C．How to be a professional in shipping industry. | D．How to be an excellent shipbuilder. |
| A．They all offer online courses. | B．They are only accessible to the British. |
| C．They are all top ten schools in the world. | D．They were all built in the early 20th century. |
8 . 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. |
9 . A 29-year-old woman Chelsea Haley of Marietta, Georgia, who adopted (收养) a former student and his brother, is now celebrating being completely debt-free. She has paid off a total of $ 48,683.41 — the amount she owed in credit cards and student loans with interest. “It doesn’t feel real yet,” Haley, mom of Jerome, 17, and Jace, 6, told the press.
Haley was teaching in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2015, on a two-year commitment to Teach for America, which is an organization that finds recent college graduates to work in low-income schools. Her son, Jerome, was in her 4th-grade class at the time.
When Haley saw Jerome having difficulty in progressing academically, she started spending time with him — going to his football games, buying him school supplies and more. Soon, Haley adopted Jerome together with his brother. “Being their mom is the greatest blessing of my life,” Haley said.
Haley went to all the expense of adopting the two boys. She also borrowed money to afford taking care of them, which increased the difficulty for her to pay their student loans. Determined to rid herself of debt, Haley took on part-time jobs. On top of being a teacher, she was teaching an individual student or a small group in her spare time a couple of days a week. On Fridays, she was paid extra to stay late at the school and work as the building manager. Haley also delivered (送) groceries. She sold her home and moved back to live with her parents on Nov. 6. Her goal is to save money for a new house and prepare Jerome for college. Both boys are doing well in school.
“It allows me to focus on the boys’ future,’’ Haley said. “Earning and saving money for them, and not spending money saved in the past.”
Her advice for making a determined effort to free us of debt is never to ignore your spending and stick to a plan.
1. How did Chelsea Haley feel when she had just paid off the debt?| A．Unforgettable. | B．Unbelievable. |
| C．Unpredictable. | D．Unacceptable. |
| A．As soon as Jerome first became her student at school. |
| B．Immediately she came to the school Jerome studied in. |
| C．When she found Jerome had difficulty studying further. |
| D．After she had decided to adopt Jerome and his brother. |
| A．Why Haley returned to live with her parents. |
| B．Why Haley kept herself busy making a living. |
| C．What part-time jobs Haley did to earn money. |
| D．How Haley managed to pay off her debt finally. |
| A．Making a practical plan. | B．Relying on your savings. |
| C．Getting help from parents. | D．Borrowing friends’ money. |
10 . On a September night almost anywhere in southern Europe, you might see beech trees rustle (发出沙沙声) with activity. If you shine a light into the branches，you may see animals with large eyes and bushy tails.
They are called fat dormice. Despite their name, all types of dormice are more closely related to squirrels than mice. That explains their bushy tails and why they hang out in trees and bushes. But most squirrels are active during the day. Like other dormice, fat dormice come out at night.
Once the sun sets, fat dormice go to work filling themselves with beech seeds until they grow fat. These animals add at least half their body weight in just a few weeks. They’re preparing for a winter sleep. Lots of animals hibernate (冬眠),but fat dormice do so for seven or eight months. After putting on plenty of eight, a fat dormouse makes a nest. There it will spend the winter. Its body uses the stored fat for energy while it hibernates. But seven months is a long time,so the dormouse needs to use its energy slowly.
Everything in a fat dormouse’s body slows down when it hibernates. That’s true of all hibernating animals. They breathe more slowly and their hearts beat less often. Those changes help the animals survive several months without eating. But in fat dormice, the bodies slow down even more than the bodies of other hibernating animals that live in similar environments. At temperatures well above freezing (15℃), hibernating fat dormice may breathe only once every 10 minutes. During a midwinter freeze, they breathe only once an hour. Hibernators such as little brown bats and squirrels breathe more often. Their hearts beat more often, too. But those animals hibernate for only five or six months. Fat dormice have to stretch their energy supply for two or three months longer.
Over seven or eight months, the fat dormouse slowly uses up the fat it stored in the fall. In May, it finally wakes up. It is much thinner, very hungry, and ready to make the most of its short summer before it is time to hibernate again.
1. What is a characteristic of fat dormice?| A．They feed on insects. | B．They look the same as mice. |
| C．They enjoy staying underground. | D．They are active during the night. |
| A．To fight against enemies. | B．To protect their families. |
| C．To survive during the winter. | D．To feed baby fat dormice. |
| A．Fat dormice are super energy savers. |
| B．Fat dormice are good food searchers. |
| C．Fat dormice store more energy than other hibernators. |
| D．Fat dormice breathe more quickly in midwinter than in summer. |
| A．To compare several kinds of animals. |
| B．To introduce a champion of hibernation. |
| C．To explain how fat dormice earned their name. |
| D．To show how hibernating animals spend the winter. |
