1 . For the last three years, a man in India has been living a real-life daily nightmare (噩梦). Every time he walks out of his house, he gets attacked by a group of crows. The strange thing is that the birds only aimed at him.

Shiva Kewat, a daily wage laborer from Sumela village, says his troubles with crows began three years ago. One day, as he was walking on the street, he noticed a crow chick trapped in iron netting. Despite his efforts to help the small bird escape, it died in his hands. Some of the crows must have seen the scene and believed that he killed it, because they’ve been attacking him ever since. Kewat has to carry a stick with him. He just waves the stick around to drive them off.

Kewat said that he didn’t really take the crows’ attacks seriously until he was aware that he was the only target (目标) of the birds and that no one else had ever had a problem with them. And as word of his troubles with the blackbirds spread in and around the village, people started gathering at his house every day just to see if he’d get attacked. Some found it amusing, while others described the attacks as “sudden and frightening”.

Professor Ashok Kumar Munjal, who studies bird behavior at Barkatullah University in Bhopal, said that crows have a very sharp memory and tend to recollect those who have wronged them. While their idea of revenge (报仇) may not be as complex as ours, they do tend to conduct either single or group attacks against humans who hurt them.

1. What has been causing inconvenience to Kewat in the past three years?

A．He’s been suffering from crow droppings.	B．He’s been having nightmares during sleep.
C．He’s been under attack from crows.	D．He’s been the only victim of all bird attacks.

2. What led to Kewat’s troubles?

A．His cruel killing of a crow chick.	B．The act of disrespect to crows.
C．His refusal to save a trapped crow chick.	D．The misunderstanding between him and crows.

3. Kewat began to think much of crow attacks after he realized _________.

A．the crows attacked nobody but him	B．he was attacked more and more frequently
C．more and more crows joined in the attacks	D．people started gathering at his house every day

4. What does the underlined word “recollect” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Ignore.

B．Remember.

C．Imitate.

D．Reject.

3 . Right now you probably spend most of your time in school. Do you wonder what you are going to do after high school? Will you continue to go to school? Will you learn a trade? Perhaps it is time to think about your choices and to prepare for them. Some day work will be a big part of your life.

What kind of job would be right for you? Think about your interests and your skills. You may like to listen to music, dance, play basketball, or work with computers. You may know how to drive a car or how to get along with people. Knowing both your interests and skills will help make a better plan for your career.

To get an idea of what work you would like to do, make a list of your interests and a list of your skills. Think about what you have done to be successful in your interests. After that, brainstorm a list of career choices that might match your interests and skills. You can later keep your lists with the projects and documents (文件) that can help you achieve the career you want.

They can help you know more clearly about your achievements in school and in the world of work. Roberta Zhan, an art designer, finds her work satisfying because it allows her to use her interests and skills. She enjoyed imagining something in her minds eye while she was in school. She took art, design, and computer lessons, and also learned about taking photos on her own.

Here is what she says about the meaning of work: “If you have a job you like, work means much more than just making money. It means using your talents, making a contribution (贡献), and getting a real sense of satisfaction from doing a job.”

1. The passage is most probably written to________.

A．students

B．teachers

C．parents

D．designers

2. At the beginning, the writer introduces the topic of the passage by________.

A．listing facts	B．giving examples
C．asking questions	D．explaining differences

3. Roberta Zhan might be most interested in when she was at school________.

A．singing songs	B．creating pictures
C．playing basketball	D．playing computer games

4. The passage is mainly about________.

A．the real meaning of work	B．the importance of interests and skills
C．the journey of Roberta’s life	D．the way of preparing for the future

4 . 17-year-old Brennan Agranoff, a colorblind boy, started his custom sock business in middle school, with a small loan (贷款) he got from his Parents. Up till now, he has sold over I million worth of socks onlinein the last four years.

Brennan thought of the idea for his custom sock company at just 13 years old. He was attending a high school basketball game in his hometown of Sherwood, Oregon, and noticed that many kids his age were wearing the same white Nike sport socks. The boy told himself that if these white plain socks were so popular with kids,then some cool custom designs would surely be an even greater hit.

But the boy didn’t tell his parents about the business idea immediately. He spent six months researching things like printing machines and technology and drawing up a business plan. Only when he had everything planned out did he ask his parents for a loan. “They thought the idea was a little out there,” Brennan recently told CNN Money, but he kept pushing, and finally received a S 3,000 loan to start his company. Then he began to work on his own designs. The fact that he was colorblind didnt stop him and he has created over 200 designs now.

Business was slow the first year, but then Brennan started pushing his Hoopswagg products heavily on the other Internet. Orders soon started coming in in large numbers, and Hoopswagg became a popular brand among custom sock lovers. Right now, his designs can be found on Hoopswagg website, Amazon and eBay.

Four years after starting his business, Brennan has achieved great success while balancing schoolhouse chores and his social life. And he says he loved every minute of it.

1. The second paragraph mainly tells us how Brennan________.

A．designed his custom socks	B．got his business idea
C．organized the basketball match	D．managed his company

2. To start his business, Brennan ________.

A．bought some Nike socks	B．made a business plan
C．asked teachers for advice	D．got money from friends

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Brennan________.

A．got no support from his parents

B．was too busy to do house chores .

C．stopped designing because ofhis eyes

D．enjoyed both his study and business

4. Which word can best describe Brennan according to the passage?

A．Honest.

B．Kind.

C．Creative.

D．Helpful.

5 . Moving into your own apartment is exciting, but it can sometimes take a little while to really feel settled in.     1     And many of them are inexpensive and easy to do!

Work on unpacking one room at a time if you’re just moving in. As you start to unpack boxes, work on one room at a time.     2     Arrange each room neatly, making it feel lived-in before you move on to the next one. For instance, you might set up your bedroom first, then the living room, then the kitchen and finally the bathroom.

    3     Many apartments are short on space, so you may find that you have to be very cautious when you’re planning your furniture layout. Think about how you want to use each space, then arrange the furniture to maximize the functionality of that area. For instance, if you love to have people over, you might arrange the seating in your living room so all the chairs face each other. If you spend a lot of time watching your favourite shows, your layout might be a sofa and an easy chair in front of the TV.

Light scented (香薰的) candles to make your apartment smell more like home.     4     Lighting a candle in your apartment can change the feel almost instantly, especially if you choose a candle that smells like baked goods, warm vanilla, sandalwood, or leather. Or, if there was a certain candle you loved at your last place, you could light that, instead.

Hang art and photos that reflect your style throughout your place. Art is the perfect way to express your personal style, so search thrift stores, secondhand shops, and online stores for deals on art pieces that make you feel good. You can also display pictures of your family and friends.     5    

A．That way you won’t make a mess.

B．Place your furniture so it decides different spaces.

C．Don’t underestimate the power of a comforting scent.

D．Make you feel at home and use it to paint one of your rooms.

E．That will give you an instant feeling of comfort when you look at them.

F．Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to warm up your space.

G．That way, you don’t have to worry about spending a lot money to stock up all at once.

6 . Enjoy these four stories of wonderful friendships between people and creatures.

Albi the Glowing Cow Boy

By Georgia Bwng. Illustrated by Angela Cogo

On a quiet farm in frosty moonlight, a calf (小牛) called Albi is born. A boy called Rufus lives nearby. Soon. Albi and Rufus set off on an incredible journey-but why are the two so deeply connected and how can they each find what they are searching for?

The Boy Who Saved a Bear

By Nizrana Farook

Nuwan works at a library delivering books, but when he unexpectedly crosses the path of a dangerous group of thieves, he must go on the run. Hiding deep in a cave he realizes he’s not alone-he’s sharing his shelter with a scared bear. Nuwan comforted the bear, so this unlikely pair become friends and are soon working together to stop the bad guys and solve a mystery.

Pax

By Sara Pennypacker, Illustrated by Jon Kassen

Peter has a special bond with Pax-a half-tamed fox cub (幼崽). When a war breaks out suddenly, Peter has to move to live with his grandfather, leaving Pax behind. Can the friends find their way back to each other? This story is accompanied by lots of beautiful illustrations.

Wilder

By Penny Chrimes

When a half-wild girl appears from the marshes (沼泽), the people of a nearby village treat her with doubt. She has a mysterious connection to animals, especially the falcon who circles above her. When the river starts to dry up and a dark sickness begins to spread, the girl sets out to save the villagers.

1. Why do Nuwan and the bear become friends?

A．They live in the same place.	B．They have to solve a mystery.
C．The bear was comforted by Nuwan.	D．The bear saved Nuwan from the thieves.

2. What makes Pax separate from Peter?

A．The force of thieves.	B．An unexpected war.
C．The decision of Peter’s grandfather.	D．The villagers’ doubt.

3. What do the four stories above have in common?

A．They are created with the same theme.	B．Their plots are only full of adventures.
C．They are accompanied by beautiful pictures.	D．Their characters grew up with their animal friends.

7 . As reported in the journal Nature, one system can directly remove carbon dioxide from sources ranging from flue gas (烟道气) to the atmosphere by using electricity to induce a water-and-oxygen-based electrochemical reaction. This technological achievement could turn direct air capture (捕获) from edge industry into a promising front for climate change relief.

Most carbon-capture systems involve a two-step process: First, high-pH liquids are used to separate the carbon dioxide, which is acidic, from mixed-gas streams such as flue gas. Next, the carbon dioxide is regenerated from the solution through heating or by injecting a low-pH liquid.

“Once the carbon dioxide is trapped in these solvents (溶剂), you have to regenerate it,” says Haotian Wang, assistant professor at Rice University. “There are literally no chemicals produced or consumed with our process. We also don’t need to heat up or pressurize our device, we just need to put it into a power outlet and it will work.”

Another drawback of current carbon-capture technologies is their reliance on large-scale, centralized infrastructure. By contrast, the system developed in the Wang lab is an extensible, modular, point-of-use concept that can adapt to a variety of scenarios. “The technology can be scaled up to industrial settings-power plants, chemical plants-but the great thing about it is that it allows for small-scale use as well: I can even use it in my office.” Wang says.

Also the reactor can continuously remove carbon dioxide from a simulated (模拟的) flue gas with efficiency above 98% using a relatively low electricity input. Wang notes that the process has “no carbon footprint or a very limited footprint” if powered by electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind. “This is great news considering that renewablel electricity is becoming more and more cost-effective,” Wang says.

1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?

A．Add up some opposite reasons.	B．Offer basic evidences to the topic.
C．Summarize the following paragraphs.	D．Provide some background information.

2. What do we know about Wang’s system according to the text?

A．It involves a two-step process.	B．It creates some chemicals.
C．It is simple and easy to operate.	D．It needs to be used in big plants.

3. How does the author support the topic?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By listing many numbers.
C．By providing research results.	D．By analyzing causes and effects.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards Wang’s technology?

A．Unclear.

B．Favourable.

C．Objective.

D．Disapproving.

8 . Around 3,500 Americans ingest (摄入) batteries every year. It’s apparently such a repeating issue that even a specific hotline was built in the event of such an emergency.

And while it’s unlikely your wristwatch’s power source will ever be safe to eat, that doesn’t mean all batteries will remain uneatable-in fact, some are being designed with digestion specifically in mind.

A team of researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology recently revealed what isl being called as the world’s first fully rechargeable, eatable battery. As detailed in a paper published with Advanced Materials, the new device has made good use of some eatable materials.

“Eatable electronic devices will have major implications for gastrointestinal tract (胃肠道) monitoring, treatment, as well as rapid food quality monitoring,” reads the paper’s abstract, adding that although recent research proved the feasibility of eatable sensors and circuits, “fully eatable electronic devices and eatable power sources are still required, of which there have been very few examples.”

According to the team’s findings, their proof-of-concept battery was capable of producing 0.65 volts, which is safely low enough for the human body to handle. The ingestible could provide 48 μA of current for 12 minutes, or alternatively, a few microamps (微安) for over an hour. Such a power supply could provide enough energy for small electronics alike to eatable pill-shaped modules and other gastrointestinal procedure alternatives.

In a statement, researcher coordinator Mario Caironi explained that such a product could help power monitors for both human health conditions and food storage. Additionally, given their safety, products with stronger power could be used within children’s toys, where ingestion risk is higher.

In the team’s statement, co-author Ivan Ilic also explained that despite the battery’s relatively low power, its digestibility provides a promising example of a battery that doesn’t use any harmful materials.

1. What is the necessity of developing eatable batteries?

A．They help with the food shortage.	B．They can avoid the harm caused by eating batteries.
C．They are useful in some special fields.	D．They have no impact on the environment.

2. Which is the closest in meaning to “feasibility” in Paragraph 4?

A．Availability.

B．Flexibility.

C．Responsibility.

D．Possibility.

3. What can we infer from the statements in the last paragraph?

A．The application of the battery has a long way to go.

B．The eatable batteries will be widely used in our life.

C．The development of the eatable battery is promising.

D．The eatable batteries will soon be put into production.

4. In which section of a magazine can we read the text?

A．News Corner.

B．Story Garden.

C．Language World.

D．Technology Square.