1 . THE FATHER OF CHINA’S AEROSPACE
Perhaps no other scientist has had a greater impact on China’s aerospace science than Qian Xuesen. Described by the authors of the Story of Qian Xuesen as a man with “great scientific thought and scientific spirit” who was patriotic and served his homeland with effort, achievement, and devotion, Qian was an extremely well-respected man.
Born in Hangzhou in 1911, Qian attended schools in Beijing and then entered Shanghai Jiao Tong University to study Railway Mechanical Engineering. However, after the Songhu Battle broke out in 1932, Qian made the decision to switch his major to aviation because he realised that China needed its own powerful air force to protect and defend the country.
Qian went to the United States in 1935 to pursue his graduate studies. Over the course of the 1930s and 1940s, Qian became a pioneer in American jet and rocket technology. As a graduate assistant at the California institute of Technology during the 1930s, Qian helped conduct important research into rocket propulsion, and in the 1940s, he and several other people founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, now one of NASA’S leading space-exploration centres.
After overcoming some difficulties during his final few years in the US Qian returned to China in 1955. He received a hero’s welcome from his homeland and was put in charge of not only developing China’s rocket science but also its space and missile programme. At that time, China was poor and its rocket science was undeveloped. No institute or university in China offered rocket science as a major, and there were no talents or experts in this field in China. Nevertheless, Qian did not let that discourage him from taking on the challenge. When asked “Can we Chinese possibly make missiles?” his reply was a determined “Why not? We Chinese are able to make the same things that other people make.”
Under Qians leadership, China developed the Dongfeng missiles, followed by the first generation of Long March rockets. In 1970, China successful launched its first man-made satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, from a Long March rocket. Because much of the technology behind the Shenzhou rockets can also be traced back to Qian’s research, Qian earned the name of “the father of Chinas aerospace.”
Qian read a lot and was extremely knowledgeable, especially in the area of frontier science research. However, what might have made him such an outstanding and creative scientist was probably his strong interest in other things, such as music and drawing. His deep appreciation for art often gave him inspiration in his scientific research.
On 31 October 2009, the whole country was saddened by Qians death, and people honoured and remembered him in different ways.
A WORLD OF PURE THOUGHT
Stephen Hawking was one of the most famous and gifted scientists in physics. Most people are familiar with images of him in his wheelchair unable to move and using a computer to talk. Since he came down with a disease which caused him to lose the use of most of his muscles his world became one of abstract thought.
Hawking first achieved fame when he was still healthy enough to walk, as a graduate student in physics at Cambridge University in 1964. In general there were two main theories on the origin of the universe. The first was the steady state theory, which holds that the universe has no beginning or end. The other was the big bang theory, which holds that the universe began at a single point in time and space. The biggest champion of the steady state concept was Fred Hoyle, a professor at Cambridge. During the question and answer period after one of Hoyle’s lectures, Hawking stood up and pointed out that Hoyle had made a mistake in his maths. Once the maths was corrected, it showed that the big bang theory — and not the steady state theory — was true. Hawking’s own work on the big bang theory was soon proven by astronomers with telescopes. A star was born.
So, what made Stephen Hawking a genius? Besides being brilliant, he was brave, though sometimes careless in what he said or did. He was willing to say what others were afraid to say, and to dream of what others were afraid to dream about. Furthermore, he was quite determined. This had helped him as a scientist, and had helped him even more in his fight against his disease. Above all, Hawking was willing to admit his faults. This odd combination of characteristics had made him one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Ⅰ. 阅读文章，明确文章主旨。
1. The text is mainly about2. The Father of China’s Aerospace
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Ⅱ. 根据文章，回答以下问题。
4. Why was Qian called “the father of China’s aerospace”?2 . Have you ever felt a wave of anxiety (焦虑) when going out in public? Have you ever felt as if people were talking about you or laughing at you?
Understand the spotlight effect (焦点效应)
Many people assume that they’re being judged all the time but actually it may only be occasional. Keeping this in mind, we can look at others and think to ourselves, “Ah, they’re probably thinking about themselves right now”. Whenever you start feeling anxious outside, you can remind yourself of this.
Use cognitive restructuring (认知重建)
If you always run away from a fear, your body and mind will remember it as something dangerous enough to run away from. But if you face your fears, over time your body will start to accept them as something manageable. And your anxiety should decrease little by little. You can take baby steps here. Start off by saying thank you to people you often meet, such as cashiers or bus drivers. Then when you feel comfortable enough, move on to making small talks with them.
| A．Face your fears |
| B．Talk to people frequently |
| C．You can turn a blind eye to people around you |
| D．Well, you might be suffering from social anxiety |
| E．You can also try to focus more on others than yourselves |
| F．Finally, you can increase the amount and depth of these talks |
| G．This is when you question the beliefs that cause your anxiety |
BEAUTIFUL IRELAND AND ITS TRADITIONS
Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had a great influence on its people and traditions. The country has a long history of producing great writers and poets. Its beautiful countryside excites and inspires all, offering something for each of the senses. The peaceful landscape of the “Emerald Isle” and its many green counties is a true feast for the eyes, with its rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. And down by the sea, the roar of the ocean waves and cries of the seabirds make up the music of the coast. On a quiet morning in the mountains, feel the sun on your skin, and breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song. With all this beauty, it is not surprising that Ireland has developed strong traditions that include music, dancing, and dining. To have a chance of experiencing this, stop by a village pub and relax with a glass of wine or a local beer. Better yet, enjoy a delicious traditional Irish Beef Stew. If you’re lucky, you might be able to enjoy some traditional music and dancing, too. And if you introduce yourself to a friendly face, you are more than likely to experience local culture and customs first-hand.
2. What are the best ways to experience some Irish traditions and culture?
3. What is the meaning of “breathe in the sweet scent of fresh flowers while birds greet the new day with their morning song”?
4. What are the best ways to experience Chinese traditions and customs?
4 . “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots (靴子) on.” said Mark Twain. In today’s Internet world of “fake (假的) news,” lies spread even faster and the truth is having trouble finding its boots.
To make matters worse, most young people get news from social media sites where facts are mixed with rumors (谣言), half-truths and complete lies. This has led to young people becoming confused. In the latest PISA, which tested 15-year-olds worldwide on academic subjects, fewer than one in ten of the examinees were reported to be able to recognize fact from opinion. A Stanford University study showed that students at all levels of education could not tell teal news from fake news. In one instance, 80 percent thought that a paid advertisement was a real news story.
Fake news is spread by people who have a prejudice (偏见). They want to influence public opinion either for or against something or someone. It is important, then, for young people to recognize when they are being used and to be doubtful about online information.
Traditional media, such as newspapers and television, are still the more credible sources of information. Reporters are professional trained to look for facts, and editors have the job of making sure those facts are correct. However, if you are getting most of your information online, you have to be your own editor. In that case, the first thing to do is to look at the writer of a post. Is this person known to be objective? Does the site where you read the post have a prejudice? Next, look for other sources from mainstream media to make sure the information. In other words, by putting on your truth boots you won’t be fooled into chasing lies.
1. What does the writer say about young people with news around?| A．They make fake news and spread it. | B．They are easily fooled by fake news. |
| C．They get worried about their education. | D．They can recognize facts from opinions. |
| A．Primary. | B．Realistic. |
| C．Believable. | D．Important. |
| A．Only look for news through media. |
| B．Become a professional and trained reporter. |
| C．Compare the news from different sources. |
| D．focus on the new instead of the writer. |
| A．What Should a Reporter Do? |
| B．Who Makes and Spreads Fake New? |
| C．How Can We Become a Newspaper Editor? |
| D．How Can We Stay Objective in Reading News? |
5 . Why Walking in Nature Makes You a Better Worker?
We’re busy at work, distracted (注意力分散的) by technology and often live in urban environments far from wild spaces.
There are also a lot of mental benefits when you are in nature-you are happy and your brain can make sense of life. “When people are all out in nature, even in urban nature, people tend to have more positive emotion and energy than when they are indoors.
The idea that nature is good for us has been gaining grounds since the 1980s.
Of course, many of us live in cities with no ready access toforests or the wilderess.
| A．We also don’t get out much |
| B．But it doesn’t have to be a forest |
| C．People can get to a forest for a hike |
| D．In other words, people are happier in nature |
| E．There are some obvious benefits when being outside |
| F．Green and blue spaces are better than busy city streets |
| G．First came the theory that humans have a basic desire to be connected with nature |
6 . There was a time when a trip to the supermarket in theUnited States often ended with a seemingly simple question from the cashier: “Paper or plastic?” Well, which type of bag would you choose?
While all types of bags have some influence on the environment, it has long been supposed that paper bags are kinder. They are made from a renewable source, break down easily, burn without giving off thick smoke and can be recycled. However, the producing process behind paper bags uses more energy than that of plastic ones. How can this be true?
Studies show that paper bag production requires four times as much energy as plastic bag production. And the amount of water used to make paper bags is twenty times higher. Besides, the influence on forests is very serious. It takes about fourteen million trees to produce ten billion paper bags, which happens to be the number of bags used in the United States yearly.In terms of recycling, the idea that paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic ones can be quickly discarded. Research shows it requires about 98% less energy to recycle plastic than it does to recycle paper.
Even though paper bags might be more harmful than plastic ones, plastic still seems to be considered by governments as the more harmful of the two. In Ireland, for example, a tax has been introduced to discourage the use of plastic bags. People have to pay 22 cents for every plastic bag, and as a result, their use has dropped quickly.
There’s no doubt that it makes more sense to reuse these bags. However, we don’t seem to be doing that at present. Cloth bags are a better choice, but still, their production also has a bad influence on the environment. So what to do? How should I we answer the question of “Paper or plastic?” It seems that we first need to ask ourselves one more general question: “What can I do to help the environment?”
1. Why does the author use the questions in Paragraph 1?| A．To express the author’s doubts. | B．To introduce the topic for discussion. |
| C．To tell readers how to save money. | D．To show the kindness of the cashier. |
| A．need more water to produce | B．require less energy to recycle |
| C．have less influence on forests | D．take more time to break down |
| A．Put forward. | B．Discussed. | C．Given up. | D．Shared. |
| A．Paper or cloth? | B．Paper or plastic? |
| C．A small bag or a big one? | D．A new bag or your own one? |
7 . Having worked at a 7-Eleven store for two years, I thought I had become successful at what our manager calls “customer relations”. I firmly believed that a friendly smile and an automatic “sir”, “ma’ma”, and “thank you” would see me through any situation that might arise, from comforting impatient or unpleasant people to apologizing for giving out the wrong change. But the other night an old woman shattered my belief that a simple and plain response could smooth over the rough spots of dealing with all kinds of customers.
The moment she entered, the woman presented a sharp contrast to our shiny store with its bright lighting and neatly arranged shelves. Walking as if each step were painful, she slowly pushed open the glass door and hobbled (蹒跚) down the nearest aisle. She coughed dryly, wheezing (气喘吁吁) with each breath. On a forty-degree night, she was wearing only a faded dress, a thin sweater too small to button, and black slippers with the backs cut out to expose calloused (满是老茧的) heels. There were no stockings or socks on her blue-veined legs.
After wandering around the store for several minutes, the old woman stopped in front of the rows of canned vegetables. She picked up a can of corn and stared with a strange intensity at the label. At that point, I decided to be a good, polite employee and asked her if she needed help. As I stood close to her, my smile became harder to maintain; her red-rimmed eyes were partially closed by yellowish crusts (痂); her hands were covered with layer upon layer of dirt, and the stale (陈腐的) smell of sweat rose from clothes.
“I need some food,” she muttered in reply to my bright “Can I help you?”
“Are you looking for corn, ma’am?”
“I need some food,” she repeated, “Any kind.”
“Well, the corn is ninety-five cents,” I said in my most helpful voice.
“I can’t pay,” she said.
For a second, I was tempted to say, “Take the corn.” But the employee rules flooded into my mind: Remain polite, but do not let customers get the best of you. Let them know that you are in control. For a moment, I even entertained the idea that this was some sort of test, and that this woman was someone from the head office, testing my loyalty. I responded dutifully, “I’m sorry, but I can’t give away anything for free.”
The old woman’s face collapsed a bit more, and her hands trembled as she put the can back on the shelf. She shuffled (拖着脚走) past me toward the door, her torn and dirty clothing barely covering her bent back.
Moments after she left, I rushed out of the door with the can of corn, but she was nowhere in sight. For the rest of my shift, the image of the woman haunted (萦绕) me. I had been young, healthy and proud. She had been old, sick and desperate. Wishing with all my heart that I had acted like a human being rather than a robot, I was saddened to realize how weak a hold we have on our better instincts.
1. How did the writer feel about his job at 7-Eleven before the old woman came?| A．He was quite satisfied with his service manner. |
| B．He found room for improvement in developing customer relations. |
| C．He considered himself successful in dealing with all interpersonal relations. |
| D．He thought himself experienced after working in the store for two years. |
| A．how she presented a sharp contrast to the other customers |
| B．how sick, poor and desperate for help she was |
| C．how she surprised the writer with her unusual appearance |
| D．how inappropriate it was for her to enter a place like this |
| A．To make the most of. | B．To bring out the best of. |
| C．To win an advantage over. | D．To bring into full play. |
| A．What If. | B．How Come. | C．If Only. | D．Never Ever. |
8 . Each week, the BBC Autos editors select their favourite transport-related news stories, features and videos from around the web. This week, we noticed a trend toward offering creative solutions to global transportation problems.
Carry on without your carry-on
In an effort to save money and increase customer spending, United Airlines will restrict some passengers’ access to overhead compartments. The Huffington Post reports that United will be the first US airline to limit “basic economy” flyers to a single free carry-on bag that can fit under a seat.
Grandad’s Coke pool rust-removal stunt goes wrong
Not only are fizzy drinks(起泡饮料) capable of rotting teeth, they can also remove rust(锈). One Latvian grandfather decided to put cola to the ultimate rust-removal test by submerging his car in a pool of Coca-Cola. In a video posted online, the unnamed daredevil grandad fills a lined pit with 6,000 two-litre bottles of Coke. He then settles into the driver’s seat and speeds into the hole, smashing the front of his red Audi. Whether or not the rust was removed is unknown, but the Daily Mail contends that “
| A．Improvement in the amount of rust on the car was far less than the damage to the vehicle. |
| B．The problems have stirred up heated discussion on the Internet. |
| C．Some of the suggestions are innovative and intelligent, but others are likely to make travelers feel funny. |
| D．Coca-Cola is already a food giant, which attracts children and adults alike around the world. |
| E．In other words, starting next year, those who purchase the cheapest fares will not only be allowed one personal item that fits under the seat in front of them. |
| F．United’s move to limit carry-on bags and charge more for flying perks (飞行特权) isn’t a new concept. |
9 . Your own backyard may be a fun place to play. You may have trees to climb, and insects to study.
Every part of the world has food chains, including the oceans and the deserts (沙漠).
Do not pollute the environment. Recycle (回收) any material you can.
Keep learning about and respecting (尊重) plants, animals, and the environment.
| A．Share your space |
| B．If you ever want to see it |
| C．But if one part is taken away |
| D．We depend on each other for food and survival |
| E．Ride your bike or walk to places that you need to go |
| F．You can then pass this information on to your parents and friends |
| G．Maybe you hear birds singing or see your pet cat sleeping in the sun |
10 . The Chapramari Forest lies in the eastern area of India.
After a collision this past April in Odisha state that killed four elephants, Indian Railways lowered speed limits to as low as 18 mph in several areas in the country's east.
More permanent solutions include constructing overpasses or underpasses as safe crossing points for the elephants, elevating the railway track, or getting the track away from sensitive areas.
| A．because they are attracted by the green grass |
| B．Still, three elephants were killed in train accidents in that state since February |
| C．Many of the plants here dry up in winter |
| D．And the measures they take are working wonders |
| E．In India trains have killed 281 elephants from 1987 to July 2018 |
| F．when it can feel the train's movement |
| G．But train conductors often break speed regulations |
