1 . Environmental Books For Kids
City Green, by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (1994)It is a great book on how anyone can take action and make a difference. In it, Marcy, a young girl, wants to plant a garden in the vacant lot(空地) of her city block. The book describes every step of building a community garden for everyone to share. It comes with a handy guide on how you can start your own community garden!
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind, by Liz Garton Scanlon (2018)This book is a wonderful story of problem-solving and perseverance (坚持不懈), as it tells the story of a young girl who decides to stop the wild wind from blowing by planting trees. It is a great read explaining the important role of trees in our lives and the planet as well as the importance of nature-based solutions.
We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom (2020)If you want to learn more about native people and the importance of protecting water, this is the book for you. It is a story of a young girl who stands up for environmental justice (正义) and becomes an activist who fights to protect the world from pollution.
Pangolina, by Jane Goodall (2021)A pangolin is to be unlawfully sold at the market. Luckily for her, a little girl, who knows that pangolins are friendly animals with feelings just like humans, asks her mother to buy Pangolina and set her free. If you love animals and you want to learn more about the problems of wildlife traffic as well as the importance of protecting endangered animals, this wonderful book is a good choice.
1. Which book would you recommend to someone interested in gardening?| A．City Green. | B．Pangolina. |
| C．We Are Water Protectors. | D．Kate, Who Tamed the Wind. |
| A．In 1994 | B．In 2018. | C．In 2020. | D．In 2021. |
| A．DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. | B．Liz Garton Scanlon. |
| C．Carole Lindstrom. | D．Jane Goodall. |
2 . Advances in AI and machine learning have sparked interest from governments that would like to use these tools for patrolling (巡查) purposefully before hand to prevent crime. However, early efforts at crime prediction have been controversial, because they do not allow for systematic biases (偏见) in police enforcement and its complex relationship with crime and society.
University of Chicago (UC) data and social scientists have developed a new algorithm (算法) that forecasts crime by learning patterns in time and geographic locations from public data on violent and property crimes. It has demonstrated success at predicting future crimes one week in advance with approximately 90% accuracy.
The new tool was tested and validated using historical data from the City of Chicago around two broad categories of reported events: violent crimes and property crimes.
The new model isolates crime by looking at the time and spatial coordinates (坐标) of separate events and detecting patterns to predict future events. It divides the city into spatial sections roughly 1,000 feet across and predicts crime within these areas instead of relying on traditional neighborhood or political boundaries, which are also subject to bias. The model performed just as well with data from seven other US cities.
Ishanu Chattopadhyay, senior author of the study, is careful to note that the tool’s accuracy does not mean that it should be used to direct law enforcement, with police departments using it to flock to neighborhoods ahead of time to stop crime. Instead, it should be added to a toolbox of urban policies and policing strategies to address crime.
“We created a digital twin of urban environments. If you feed it data from what happened in the past, it will tell you what’s going to happen in future. It’s not magical; there are limitations, but we tested it and it works well,” Chattopadhyay said. “Now you can use this as a model tool to see what happens if crime goes up in one area, or there is increased enforcement in another area. If you apply all these different data, you can see how the system evolves in response.”
1. What information would data and social scientists in UC collect?| A．Periods of traffic jams. | B．Items of lost and found. |
| C．Thefts and robberies on the street. | D．Casualty (伤亡) in traffic accidents. |
| A．Confirmed. | B．Modified. | C．Classified. | D．Abandoned. |
| A．The advantages and disadvantages of this new tool. |
| B．The principles and good performances of this new tool. |
| C．Positive feedback from some other experts in this field. |
| D．The hard process of Chattopadhyay’s developing this tool. |
| A．He does not think it’s accurate enough to put into use. |
| B．The limitations are to be removed for a better performance. |
| C．The police department can wholly rely on it to prevent criminals. |
| D．It can be of help when the authority make policies concerning crimes. |
3 . It is quite true that nowadays more and more people have come to realize the importance of health. On the other hand, being healthier can be a huge challenge, especially if you don’t have the time or the energy.
Eat your meals with your non-dominant hand.
Which is your non-dominant hand? For example, if you’re a right-hander, then your left hand is. Usually fork in your left hand, right? OK!
Add in healthy food.
You can buy those Milano cookies, but also make an effort to buy frozen fruits for smoothies (奶昔) and snap pea crisps to snack on, too.
Drink a glass of water before every meal.
Water will fill you up a little bit, so you won’t be hungry as a wolf at meal. Make it a habit to keep a water bottle nearby at all times, whether you’re in your house or on the go. That we should drink at least 8 cups of water every day makes sense.
Drink coffee.
Right!
People who eat on smaller plates end up eating less food. Buy a few inexpensive smaller plates and bowls if yours are large. You’ll think you’ve eaten more than you have.
Besides, just stretching your legs after meals every day will help a lot more.
| A．Eat on smaller plates. |
| B．Never a coach potato! |
| C．A lucky dog you are now. |
| D．Caffeine truly refreshes you. |
| E．Stop eating when you feel full, never overeat. |
| F．Try using your right hand as your fork hand, rather than your left one. |
| G．Over time, fewer cookies and more healthy snacks you will have on hand. |
4 . Solar power is one of the fastest growing sources of renewable power globally these years. Solar photothermal (光热) and solar photovoltaic (PV光伏)are both technical forms.
The thermal power station adopts the generation mode of “light--heat--electricity”. Thousands of heliostats (定日镜) reflect the sunlight to the surface of the heat absorber on the top of the solar tower. The concentrated sunlight is then used either directly as a source of heat, as in solar water heating, or to drive a heat cycle such as a Sterling Engine. PVs use semi-conductor technology to directly convert sunlight into electricity. The PV line is connected to the direct current (DC) distribution cabinet in parallel through the DC combiner box. After confluence (汇合), it is connected to the DC input end of the inverter to convert DC into alternating current (AC). The AC output end of the inverter is connected to the AC distribution cabinet and directly connected to the user side through the AC distribution cabinet.
Additionally, since solar thermal directly produces heat, it can store thermal energy into various media. Therefore, solar thermal can potentially generate power 24 hours a day. On the other hand, PVs only operate when the sun is shining, and must be coupled either with other power generation mechanisms to ensure a constant supply of electricity.
The scale of PV power generation can be large or small, ranging from thousands of watts to hundreds of megawatts, but photothermal power generation is typical economies of scale. With the increase of scale, the lower the power generation cost.
PV power generation is less limited by region, for the sun shines on the earth. Compared with other sources of renewable power, the PV system is safe and reliable as well as eco-friendly. Since it can be convenient for local power generation and power supply, you do not worry about consuming fuel or erecting transmission lines. A small PV power can be constructed in a short period with no noise or low pollution.
1. How does the author develop the text?| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By making assumptions. | D．By analyzing statistics. |
| A．The DC distribution cabinet. | B．The DC input end of the inverter. |
| C．The AC distribution cabinet. | D．The AC output end of the inverter. |
| A．Its popularity. | B．Its efficiency. | C．Its cost. | D．Its advantages. |
| A．Solar Thermal vs. Solar Photovoltaic |
| B．Some facts about Solar Photovoltaic |
| C．The development of solar power generation |
| D．The wide use and promising future of solar power |
5 . Self drive Ireland tours are ideal for people who enjoy the freedom to go at their own pace and make their own plans. Go Irish Tours specializes in short Ireland self drive tours ranging from 5 to 8 days long-perfect for a mid-year getaway or a romantic honeymoon.
Short Break Away (5 nights). It takes you from Dublin through Cork, Kerry and the Midlands, providing a perfect taste of Irish culture and history. Drive around Ireland in style, guiding yourself through sprawling cityscapes and rolling green hills alike. Just start with Phoenix Park.
Romantic Love Tour (6 nights). This idyllic driving tour is short but sweet, perfect for newlyweds with a passion for adventure. You’ll fall in love with Ireland over the course of six nights, cosying up in castles and driving through the most romantic scenery on Earth. This tour is the perfect way to treat yourselves after the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding.
Haunted Ireland Tour (7 nights). This ghosty self drive tour is bursting with Irish culture, mythology and legend. Explore haunted castles and twisted woods, learning of our fantastic folklore (民俗学) and its origins. This tour is a truly unique way to explore Ireland on your own. Leep Castle is one you can’t miss.
Southern Loop Tour (8 nights). This is a fantastic introductory trip to Éire. This week-long escape draws a ring from Dublin through the south half of the island and back again, stopping in Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway and the Midlands. Enjoy getting to grips with Ireland’s roads as you explore hills, valleys, mountains and villages behind the wheel of your personal rented car. This self-driving tour of Ireland will leave you dying to visit again!
1. What does Go Irish Tours possibly do?| A．A local expert travel agent. | B．A local government branch. |
| C．An international trade company. | D．A popular travel magazine. |
| A．Short Break Away. | B．Romantic Love Tour. |
| C．Southern Loop Tour. | D．Haunted Ireland Tour. |
| A．Go on a bike tour of the Phoenix Park. |
| B．Buy your bride one classic ladies gold ring. |
| C．Brave enough to visit the notorious Leep Castle alone. |
| D．Experience different road conditions when driving around. |
6 . In 1948, Ladies Home Journal selected our family for its “How America Lives” feature. The reporter and photographer arrived at the end of May and followed all of us (Mom, Dad, my brother, sister and me) for a week, recording our every move. Everyone was pretty excited about it, especially in our town of 6,000, where things like this just didn’t happen.
Since the article would be published in early December, we had to pretend it was already autumn. The reporter asked mom to cook and serve a complete Thanksgiving meal. She told Mom to “go all out” and use her best holiday dishes for the feast.
Mom’s face fell. She didn’t want to admit that our best dishes weren’t exactly the best, let alone suitable for a national magazine. While the reporter continued with her interview, the photographer quietly excused himself and slipped away for over an hour. When he came back, he had a large box, which he placed on the floor, telling Mom to open it.
Her mouth wide open, her face lit up as if it was Christmas. Inside was a beautiful set of 12 dishes, each painted with patterns of flowers and golden brims (金边), made by the Homer Laughlin China Co. There was even a soup bowl, something we kids had never seen before. Mom was near tears as she lovingly handled each piece.
When it came time to serve dinner, Mom walked slowly from the kitchen with the lovely new plate, which contained a small “turkey” (in reality, a large chicken).
From that day on, Mom made sure they never saw the light of day unless it was a major event, though they were a must at every Thanksgiving.
I carry on the tradition, using the dishes for our Thanksgiving feast. But I serve a real turkey, and I serve it on the real Thanksgiving Day.
1. Where did the photographer possibly go while mom was interviewed?| A．A bookstore. | B．A china store. | C．A flower shop. | D．A candy shop. |
| A．She was calm as usual. | B．She was moved into tears. |
| C．She had a mix of feelings. | D．She thought little of them. |
| A．Cozy. | B．Leisured. | C．Troubled. | D．Badly-off. |
| A．To persuade readers to buy the same dishes her family cherishes. |
| B．To tell us about the moving story behind the family-cherished dishes. |
| C．To contribute an article concerning her family to a popular magazine. |
| D．To write something down in memory of her mother and good days. |
7 . California’s snowpack is more than two-and-a-half times larger than average (平均水平) right now, according to the state’s Department of Water Resources. As the weather gets warmer, it’s going to melt (融化). Scientists say there’s no question we need the snow.
“The melting of snow has always been important every single year in California,” said scientist Dr. Pat Abbott.
This comes as the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows almost two-thirds of the state is not experiencing drought (干旱), a huge improvement over the past few months. Unluckily, the snowpack can’t make certain that we’ll stay that way.
“Drought is part of California,” said Dr. Abbott. “We’ve had a temporary respite. That doesn’t mean it has gone away completely. It will be back sooner than we would like.”
The snow can be a valuable protection against wildfires, but only if it melts slowly. “Plants stay healthy. They have taken in enough water and are less likely to catch on fire for a longer time,” said Dr. Abbott. “If it becomes too hot, say in early June, and all that snow is melted and gone, the plants don’t get more water and start drying out. By the time we get to the end of the summer, it’s easier for them to catch fire. The bigger the fires are, the greater the challenge is for our firefighters.”
A quick melt can also flood places near the Sierra Nevada (a mountain range in eastern California) that got more rain than they could deal with this winter. That includes places like Tulare Lake (in the Central Valley of California), which was dry for years until this winter. Now, it’s more than 100 square miles in size and flooding communities around it.
The area is expecting even more flooding when the snowpack melts. But Dr. Abbott says floods like this are a necessary risk for water the state has needed for years. “The snow we’ve gotten this winter is highly positive,” said Dr. Abbott. “On the other side, nothing is ever 100%.” Dr. Abbott says the snow is also helping to fill Northern California’s man-made lake, which helps provide water we need.
1. What do the underlined words “temporary respite” in paragraph 4 mean?| A．Close look. | B．Short break. | C．Clear goal. | D．Long history. |
| A．The snow’s melting speed matters. |
| B．It is costly to reduce the risk of wildfires. |
| C．Some plants died because it was too dry. |
| D．Plants will be hurt if the snow melts slowly. |
| A．It calls for more attention. |
| B．It does good to California. |
| C．It may cause unnecessary worries. |
| D．It will cause danger in the long run. |
| A．California’s snowpack: a wonderful view |
| B．Snowpack in California: a record snowfall |
| C．Snowpack in California: advantages and risks |
| D．California’s snowpack: the past and the present |
8 . In the 1997 movie Contact, a scientist, played by actress Jodie Foster, detects a radio signal — the first communication from an extraterrestrial (外星的) civilization. That story, composed by Carl Sagan, is a fiction. But the search for such a signal is not a crazy story. Real scientists look to the sky, using powerful radio telescopes, hoping to hear even a whisper of a radio signal from one of our neighbor planets.
Indeed, a recent report of a transmission originating from Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our own, was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian in December. The source of the story is not a scientific paper, but instead it seems to have been leaked by an unknown source. The claim of a signal, if it turns out to be truly a sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, would be one of the most important discoveries of all times.
In April and May of 2019, the 64-meter-wide Parkes radio telescope, located in Australia, was recording radio transmissions from the direction of nearby star Proxima Centauri. Over the course of hours, the telescope documented data from the star every half an hour, before staying away to look at a different direction. This procedure, called “nodding” was used to make sure that any observed signal is coming from a particular direction, rather than just random radio noise.
This signal was not immediately noticed; it was over a year after the data was recorded that Shane Smith, an assistant with Breakthrough Listen, found it buried in the telescope’s recordings. This was in late October 2020. So, what exactly was seen? It was a radio signal at a single frequency, specifically 980.002 MHz. It was observed to have originated in a small patch of the sky, about half the diameter (直径) of the full moon, centred on Proxima Centauri.
First and foremost, it is important to note that astronomers think it is highly unlikely that the signal is caused by space aliens trying to communicate with us. However, astronomers mentioning the significance of the signal cannot be ignored.
1. Why is the movie Contact mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To show the close connection between fiction and signals. |
| B．To introduce the topic of a radio signal from a near planet. |
| C．To stress the importance of the extraterrestrial civilization. |
| D．To persuade people to pay more attention to radio signals. |
| A．By recording the data every 30 minutes. | B．By staying away at a different direction. |
| C．By analyzing the direction of the signals. | D．By focusing on some random radio noise. |
| A．It was sent by some space aliens. | B．It lay in the centre of Proxima Centauri. |
| C．It was noticed as soon as it was observed. | D．It changed rapidly with the passing of time. |
| A．How aliens think about the radio signal. | B．The potential results of the radio signal. |
| C．The importance of finding the radio signal. | D．How other countries react to the radio signal. |
9 . Do you feel bitter about others’ personal integrity around?
They Touch or Cover Their Mouth
If the person you’re talking to put their hand over their mouth, it’s a good signal indicating (表明) they are unwilling to answer a direct question or reveal something true.
They Repeat Words or Phrases
When a person is telling the truth, they can recall everything without thinking about it. On the other hand, when someone is telling a half-truth or a total lie, they often repeat themselves over and over to convince you of their words.
They Use Inconsistent Gestures
Inconsistent gestures bring a visual element to the concept you’re trying to convey, like shaking your head when you say no, or nodding to indicate yes. Inconsistent gestures, therefore, are those that don’t go with this concept.
Keep in mind that there is no fixed proof that someone is lying.
| A．They tend to avoid direct questions by looking around. |
| B．It is common for liars to use rude gestures like pointing. |
| C．Big liars may expose the truth through their body language. |
| D．Surely you do since they are dishonest with you involuntarily. |
| E．They’re unconsciously putting a barrier between themselves and you. |
| F．It’s also a strategy to help the liar buy time to compose the next part of their story. |
| G．Nevertheless, it is a good place to start if you want to learn to recognize small clues. |
10 . A wise driver keeps an eye on the fuel indicator (指示器), to make timely stops at filling stations. For drivers of electric cars, though, those stations are scarce. The facility needed for refilling batteries has yet to be developed, and the technology that facility will use is still not available at the moment. Most electric cars are equipped with plugs. But plugs and their connected cables and charging points bring problems. The cables are easy to trip passers-by. The charging points lead to more street jams. And the copper wire involved attracts thieves easily. Many engineers would, therefore, like to develop a second way of charging electric cars—one that is wireless and can thus be buried underground.
Electromagnetic induction (电磁感应), the fundamental principle behind wireless charging, was discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831, and is widely used in things such as electric motors and generators. Faraday observed that moving a conductor through a magnetic field generated a current in that conductor. Further investigations showed that this also works if the conductor is fixed and the magnetic field is moving. Since electric currents generate magnetic fields, and if the current changes so does the field, a changing current creates a field that is constantly moving. This means that running such a current through a conductor will generate a similar current in another, nearby, conductor. That generated current can then be used for whatever purpose an engineer chooses.
In the case of electric car charging, the first conductor is a length of copper wire. This is rolled up around a piece of ferrite (铁氧体) that strengthens the magnetic field generated. The whole device is packed in a flat case that can be easily buried underground. When a car equipped with a suitable “pickup” stops or parks above this device, and changing current is fed into it, a similar current is generated in the pickup. This is then turned into direct current, and is used to charge the car’s battery. The principle is thus pretty simple. But only in recent years has it become practical to use in electric cars.
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．The charging facility is in urgent need currently. | B．The wise drivers must observe the fuel indicator. |
| C．The disadvantages are various for vehicles to charge. | D．The importance of wireless charging cannot be ignored. |
| A．No current will be generated without magnetic field fixed. |
| B．Electric induction is of great importance to wireless charging. |
| C．A changing current hardly creates a constantly moving field. |
| D．Wireless charging was put into use in all cars in recent years. |
| A．The current generated in the pickup charges the car. |
| B．The underground ferrite gives direct electricity to the car. |
| C．The rolled conductor produces electricity to charge the car. |
| D．The whole device conveys direct electricity through the wire. |
| A．The Principle of Wireless Cars | B．The Present Use of Wireless Charging |
| C．The Wireless Charging Is Approaching | D．The Generation of Current in Electronic Cars |
