1 . You’re chatting with a friend and want to recommend a good book.
·Repeat important information out loud.
·
·Take notes and write things down. Taking notes will help you memorize the information, even if you never look at your notes again!
·Take a short walk. There’s a lot of scientific evidence that taking a walk will jog your memory. If you are trying to remember something, spend a few minutes walking around your neighborhood to see if it helps.
A.Focus on one thing at a time. |
B.All of a sudden, you can’t remember the title! |
C.At worst, you’ll get some exercise and relax a little. |
D.Change your way of memorizing important information. |
E.Say that address phone number, or date over and over again. |
F.Remember something once makes it easier for you to remember it in the future. |
G.Research shows that it’s hard to achieve the same effect by typing something on your phone. |
2 . After inventing a life-saving device, a student is set to stand on the stage of the Global Innovation (创新) Challenge this fall.
Anna McCord, 13, won a top title at the National Innovator Challenge and has become the top story in the news. The National Innovator Challenge is a yearly competition that encourages and celebrates youth innovation where the top 10 inventions are chosen for “Top Innovator” honors. On July 3, the eighth-grader won “Top Innovator” for her invention, “Sea Me Here,” a device that makes anyone lost at sea more visible to the rescue team.
The “Sea Me Here” device is made from plastic and a metal ring. It can be stored in a small pocket or bag. When removed, it spreads into a much larger size behind the user, increasing visibility.
Anna said she came up with the idea for the device from her mother’s past diving experience. “My mom used to div e for a living and she would keep a white plastic bag in her pocket, so if she would ever get lost, she could stick it up on the surface,” Anna said. “I improved on that when she told me about it.”
Jeremy Brannon, Anna’s earth and life science teacher, said when Anna told him about her project, he was impressed. Brannon added that Ann a was independent with her project, asking for guidance only when needed.
The project took six months, Ann a said. “Everyone liked it... I got some good questions, and it helped me improve on the device,” Anna said.
Anna believes her invention has a bright future ahead. “The end goal would probably be to have it built into life jackets, so you could have it at anytime,” she said. “If you had a life jacket on you and you were lost at sea, you could just pop it out.”
1. Why was Anna in the news?A.She won an honor in a national event. |
B.She entered an international competition. |
C.She became the youngest inventor in her school. |
D.She saved a person’s life with an innovative device. |
A.Making reusable plastic bags. |
B.Collecting plastic waste from the sea. |
C.Protecting the safety of rescue workers. |
D.Helping rescue workers find people lost at sea. |
A.From her teacher’s science class. |
B.From her mother’s diving practice. |
C.From her mother’s traveling stories. |
D.From one of her diving experiences. |
A.Hardworking and polite. | B.Warm-hearted and gifted. |
C.Confident and smart. | D.Humorous and honest. |
3 . A heart-to-heart talk refers to an honest conversation between two people. When sharing a heart-to-heart talk, people will generally share innermost (内心最深处的) thoughts and feelings. This talk usually takes place without other people being present.
Share personal stories.
Listen to understand. Being an active listener is important during a heartto-heart talk. When you actively listen to what another person is saying, he is more likely to open up.
A.Raise questions actively. |
B.Avoid close-ended questions. |
C.Many times, you may listen to prepare an answer. |
D.So it’s considered that the talk will be kept secret. |
E.You should share what you feel comfortable sharing. |
F.Self-disclosure opens the door to a deep conversation. |
G.People find comfort in expressing unhappiness with others. |
4 . I played on the high school basketball team. I played the ball before the game started, and then sat on the bench (长凳) cheering for guys who were actually going to play in the game. When we won, I hugged (拥抱) my teammates.
I enjoyed that. But I didn’t know how my dad felt about my role. I imagined it was hard for him. Dad was a gifted athlete. And my older brothers were sports stars at college. I was not sure how he felt about going to games to watch his son SIT. Still, Dad was always there in his suit and tie. After the game, he’d come up to me, smile, shake my hand and say “Good game!”, even though I did nothing to make the game good. It changed until the last game of the season.
It was a great day for our team — we were up by about 20 with two minutes left. The coach suddenly looked towards me and said, “Walker! You’re in!” The next two minutes seemed not real to me. I remember running up and down the field a few times. When someone started counting down the last seconds, my teammate passed the ball to me. I heard guys on the bench shouting “Shoot (投篮)!” as I faced the basket and shot. We won. But then I didn’t know what to do. I was unprepared for a time when I had hit a last second shot. Naturally, I looked for Dad. He was there, smiling at me as he always did.
Whether good times or bad, Dad was always there to smile, to support and to love. Now I’m in my 50s with a teenage basketball player in my family. I keep trying to be there, no matter what, because I know what it can mean.
1. What was the author’s role?A.He was a green hand. | B.He gave players suggestions. |
C.He was a fan of the basketball team. | D.He replaced those who couldn’t play. |
A.Lost. | B.Tired. | C.Calm. | D.Encouraged. |
A.A Sports-Loving Family | B.A Successful Basketball Match |
C.Dad Always Being There | D.Dad Helping Me Succeed |
5 . Germany’s top court (法院) has ruled that parts of the country’s 2019 climate action law must be changed because they don’t do a good job of protecting young people. Nine young people aged 15 to 24 took the government to court over the law. They said that the government’s failure to plan carefully was putting their future lives in danger.
The judges (法官) of Germany’s highest court said climate change will influence young people far more than adults. That’s because climate change will become more serious over time. As young people become adults, they’ll be left to deal with any problems that today’s adults don’t deal with.
In 2019, Germany passed a new law, promising that the country would be producing no more CO2 than the forest can take in by 2050. The law made a plan of action until 2030. But the law didn’t have any plans for climate actions that would be taken between 2031 and 2050.
The court has asked the German government to fix the law by the end of 2022. The climate law will now need to have a plan for the actions that will be taken after 2030.
The German government has said that it will quickly begin working to make the needed changes. One important part of high court decisions like this is that they act as guides or examples for future decisions. This means that in the future, Germany’s lawmakers will be more likely to think about the climate future of young people as they create their laws.
1. Why did the judges make such a decision?A.They decided the new law made no sense. |
B.They wanted to give the young more rights. |
C.They focused more on the future of the young. |
D.They thought it’s hard to solve climate change. |
A.It failed to take action before 2030. |
B.It was producing more and more CO2. |
C.It refused to consider the young’s rights. |
D.It didn’t plan the climate actions after 2030. |
A.It will make more decisions on climate change. |
B.It will ask the young to help make climate laws. |
C.It will consider the young when making climate laws. |
D.It will encourage the young to protect the environment. |
A.They were brave and forward-looking enough. |
B.They couldn’t bear the present climate change. |
C.They wanted to take part in law-making. |
D.They planned to work in the government. |
6 . In July 2021, kids from around the world watched the first appearance of skateboarding at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The four medal events for men and women in park and street boarding showed the gifts of 80 athletes from all over the world.
Bryce Wettstein is one of the top competitors from the United States in park skateboarding, which requires athletes to show skills that combine (使结合) art and athleticism in a bowl that looks like an empty swimming pool. At 17, Bryce shows her skills in a way that celebrates the skateboarding community.
Skateboarding began in the late 1940s and early 1950s in small Southern California beach towns. Born into this community, Bryce has won a place at the center of the sport. “Skateboarding just seems like it can be everything and anything all washed together in some washing machine of color,” she said.
Bryce shares her California hometown with international skateboard pioneer Tony Hawk. He was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as an ambassador (大使) in its “Stronger Together” competitive sport, which celebrates this year’s athletes. In an IOC video, Hawk summarized the unlikely rise of skateboarding. “We used to see ourselves as a family of misfits (不合群),” he said. “But now the world calls us Olympians.”
Skateboarders celebrate each other’s natural abilities and achievements, while working to help the sport develop. This is shown in the friendship between Bryce and top Australian competitor Poppy Starr Olsen. Both athletes have dreamed of acting for their own countries at the Olympic Games since they skateboarded together as kids.
“I think skateboarding is going to be really different from all the other sports,” Poppy said. “We’re all kind of like a family.” Bryce agreed. “That’s what makes skateboarding such a great sport,” she said.
1. Which of the following best describes Bryce Wettstein?A.A skateboarder who likes everything colourful. |
B.An excellent skateboarder easy to get on with. |
C.An excellent skateboarder from the birthplace of skateboarding. |
D.A skateboarder having a special understanding of skateboarding. |
A.He does much to celebrate the athletes. | B.He made skateboarding rise in the world. |
C.He is a skateboard pioneer all over the world. | D.He made an important speech in an IOC video. |
A.It gets family members together. | B.It is the dream of many children. |
C.It is a means to celebrate success. | D.It can bring people close together. |
A.Top athletes at the Olympics. | B.A new Olympic sports event. |
C.Some skateboarders’ success. | D.Opinions on an Olympic sports event. |
7 . Ask most people which day of the week they fear the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the working week can make us experience a sense of tiredness or fatigue.
Some consider the term, pseudo-science, saying that there is no such thing as a 24-hour depression.
Fortunately, we don’t have to suffer that on Monday, not if we remember: we all have our good days and our bad days, and those aren’t for the calendar (日历) to decide.
A.The most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January. |
B.Actually it’s common to feel a bit depressed for several times in a year. |
C.But most people know that the Monday blues can be very real. |
D.That’s why the feeling is described as the Monday blues. |
E.The term is not even scientifically true, with basically no evidence. |
F.These can have a negative impact on our performance, productivity and the people around. |
G.In fact, it’s actually a good opportunity to check in on our mental health. |
8 . The Australian National University (ANU) and an Australian start-up, Lunaria One, are teaming up to grow plants on the moon together, as early as 2025. Lunari a One’s ALEPH project is an early step toward growing plants for food, medicine and oxygen production. However, the problem is that the moon is like a desert (沙漠). There’s no life there, only dust, rocks and water.
“Space provides a unique opportunity to study how to grow plants in extreme environments,” said ANU Associate Professor Caitlin Byrt. “The extreme conditions that the Earth is facing because of climate change present challenges for how we manage food security in the future. Having controlled environments can create the ability to rapidly grow plants after natural disasters or events caused by climate change. So this project is important. If you can create a system for growing plants on the moon, then you can create a system for growing food in some of the most challenging environments on Earth.”
As to what plants to be grown on the moon researchers are still deciding, but one of the front runners under consideration is Tripogon loliiformis, a kind of Australian native (本土的) grass that can live in extreme conditions and survive for months without water. According to a plant biologist, even after losing more than 95 per cent of its relative water content, the dead-looking grass remains alive and continues to grow when provided with water. Whatever plants are selected, they will be transported to the moon in a dry and sleeping state and will come to life upon watering.
The ship will take off in 2025. Upon arrival, pictures and videos will be sent back to Earth over a 72-hour period and will be publicly accessible (可得到的). “The ALEPH project aims to make the science and engineering behind growing life on the moon open to people. And we hope to get everyone involved (参与的) and listen to their opinions. If you’re interested in the project, you can get all the necessary information from our website,” said Lauren Fell, the director of Lunaria One.
1. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?A.The methods of growing plants in space. | B.The challenges of growing plants after disasters. |
C.The value of growing plants on the moon. | D.The need to grow food for a growing population. |
A.It can produce young plants fast. | B.It can live with little water. |
C.It is the most common grass in Australia. | D.It can naturally wake up from a sleeping state. |
A.Supportive. | B.Shocked. | C.Negative. | D.Worried. |
A.Plants are on the moon for the first time |
B.How to care for plants in extreme environments? |
C.Why can this Australian native grass grow in space? |
D.A space project aims to grow plants on the moon |
9 . Summer volunteer chances for students
Finding a summer volunteer chance is easier than you think. There are national programs all over the US that you can take part in. Check out these volunteer chances for students.
UN Volunteer ProgramIf you are an 18-year-old high school student, you might choose to volunteer in a UN organisation. The UN Volunteer Program (paid) is looking for excellent adults aged 18 to 55. Volunteer projects explore peace-building, climate change and disaster management (气候变化和灾害管理). Those looking for a summer program will also receive training before and after a short-term task.
National Park ServiceTeens aged 15-18 can take part in National Park Service and get paid. The volunteers work outdoors on several different projects including cleaning up campgrounds, improving wildlife habitat (栖息地), environmental education planning and teaching, and more! You’ll also take part in educational field trips where you’ll be able to see wildlife before your eyes.
Habitat for HumanityYou can find a lot of summer volunteer fun through Habitat for Humanity. Not only can you help build houses, but you can join in improving your community and helping out at the donation (捐赠) center. Youths aged 16 or older may take part in this program, and must have turned 16 by the first day of the project.
American Red CrossThe American Red Cross is always looking for youth volunteers. Its Red Cross youth programs offer students and young adults meaningful chances of leadership training and community service. The chances are given to all junior and senior high school students.
1. What is special about the National Park Service?A.It allows its volunteers to camp. | B.It offers chances to see wild animals. |
C.It offers job-related training to volunteers. | D.It allows volunteers to explore new interests. |
A.Clean up houses. | B.Enjoy some fun games. |
C.Make money to help people in need. | D.Make their community better. |
A.UN Volunteer Program. | B.National Park Service. |
C.Habitat for Humanity. | D.American Red Cross. |
10 . When you throw cats and dogs in a scene where they are falling from the sky, it might be hard for an English learner to know exactly what it means. So English learners should know the meaning of English idioms (习语).
It’s important to not only teach the meaning of idioms, but also teach how to use them correctly and effectively (有效地). When a non-native speaker uses an idiom correctly, he or she will sound very fluent. But on the other hand, if they use the phrase wrongly, they will sound the exact opposite.
Learning idioms is appropriate for intermediate to advanced (中到高级的) students. If you teach an idiom lesson to beginners or low-intermediate learners, they are very likely to use it wrongly. So how should teachers teach English idioms correctly?
Provide idioms in context, so students can fully understand the meaning. Be sure to provide a conversation around it as an example.
Watching videos of native speakers talking is a great way to show your students how idioms are used in the real world. FluentU is a great resource that can help you highlight the usage and context of various idioms used. FluentU takes real-world videos — like music videos, news and inspiring (鼓舞人心的) talks — and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
Teach idioms in spoken form, not written, and explain to students how they are conversational, rather than formal. Have students practice the idioms in dialogue to help them understand how they’re used in spoken English.
Don’t just hand out a long list of idioms. Be sure to provide a small selection of 5-10 idioms and explain each one. If you provide too many examples, it’ll simply turn into an introduction of what an idiom is, rather than how to actually remember the meaning and use one effectively in dialogue.
1. Why does the author give the example in Paragraph 1?A.To explain why English is difficult to learn. |
B.To show English idioms are quite interesting. |
C.To show idioms can be difficult to understand. |
D.To tell us the meaning of an English idiom. |
A.Using English idioms correctly in conversation. |
B.Finding the meaning of idioms themselves. |
C.Sounding fluent by avoiding English idioms. |
D.Learning English idioms as low-intermediate learners. |
A.It has the latest music videos and movies. |
B.It is appropriate for low-intermediate learners. |
C.It provides various resource books for teachers. |
D.It provides real-world videos on the usage of idioms. |
A.How to teach English in a fun way. |
B.How to learn English idioms by yourself. |
C.How to teach English idioms correctly. |
D.How to use English idioms in dialogue. |