1 . For a period of time in the early 80s, I watched I Dream of Jeannie reruns every afternoon in the empty time between school and supper. But I always felt a little deflated when the closing theme came on, since it meant that I had to wait an entire day for the next episode.
Decades later, thanks to the modern technology, on-demand viewing and an endless supply of content now allow us to find exactly the entertainment we want, when we want it. My own kids happily binge-watch (刷剧) Fresh Off the Boat, just as I dreamed of doing with Jeannie.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about a disadvantage of our just-for-you world. My kids miss out on all the things that are not just for them. Looking back, some of my more memorable discoveries as a child came about only because I didn’t have access to entertainment that I would have preferred.
When we would visit our aunts, my sisters and brothers and I didn’t have tablets to keep ourselves occupied while the adults chatted. So we would read whatever we could find. I looked forward to Sunday afternoons at Aunt Rose’s so that I could catch up on aliens (外星人) and Hollywood stars in Weekly World News. These things — none of which were aimed at my tastes — were all that was on offer. However, they brought me so much enjoyment.
Electronic searching now takes us directly to what we seek. We are less likely to come across things that have nothing to do with what we are looking for. But finding something by accident is powerful in its purposelessness. It’s nature throwing things up against a wall to see what sticks. It’s the force that drives evolution.
Getting exactly what you want all the time sounds great. But as anyone who is familiar with fantasy stories knows, there’s always a catch.
(以下是A种题型)
1. What does the underlined word “deflated” in paragraph 1 mean?
| A．Depressed. | B．Thrilled. | C．Convinced. | D．Ashamed. |
| A．Latest tablets. | B．Brothers and sisters. |
| C．Various reading materials. | D．Pleasant conversations. |
| A．It contributes to the evolution. |
| B．It’s absolutely beneficial to adults. |
| C．It’s a blessing of this modern world. |
| D．It takes unexpected joy away from people. |
| A．What was on offer in the early 80s |
| B．What our kids miss out in a just-for-you world |
| C．How adults had fun with inaccessible entertainment |
| D．How anxious-to-please Internet changed the future of kids |
(以下是B种题型)
5. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
6. Where did the author get memorable discoveries as a child?
7. What is the advantage of finding something by accident according to paragraph 5?
8. What does the author think of fantasy stories?
Wildfires are a natural occurrence in forest ecosystem. To some extent, small wildfires can help the forest ecosystem work better by burning unwanted natural fuel, like fallen leaves and branches. Because if natural fuel piles up in forests, it will spark hot, intense and fast-moving fires, which brings more risks of the outbreak of disastrous natural fires.
As researchers study the perfect balance between allowing natural fires to burn and preventing them from threatening human life, some believe sheep offer a better way to retard the fast spread of a wildfire. Cuyama Lamb, an agriculture company, pulls its weight, currently running about 700 sheep that graze(放牧) on the grass. Working with the company, the fire department directs the sheep to the area in most need of natural fuel clearance. Their job is one thing: eat. The space the sheep clear can create a “burn break” that stops a wildfire in its track. The sheep are more efficient and cost-effective than using machines to do the same task, and they can get to places that technology can’t.
Schneider, the founder of the company, hopes the sheep allow Californians to “have a healthy relationship with fires” in the future. “We aren’t going to save the world by grazing a few sheep up on the hillsides, but we can work with others and do something for the world. Doing this, I believe we will have a sustainable future,” she said.
(以下是A种题型)
1. How can wildfires benefit the forest ecosystem?
| A．They provide more natural fuel. |
| B．They contribute to the diversity of plants. |
| C．They keep a balance between human and nature. |
| D．They avoid disastrous fires caused by natural fuel. |
| A．Stimulate. | B．Prevent. | C．Predict. | D．Distinguish. |
| A．To create a firebreak. | B．To replace the fire fighters. |
| C．To improve the local farming. | D．To bring down tree-planting cost. |
| A．How to Protect the Ecosystem | B．How to Fight Against Wildfires |
| C．A Biological Way in Firefighting | D．A Successful Company in Agriculture |
(以下是B种题型)
5. What can cause disastrous natural fires according to paragraph 1?
6. Where are sheep the most useful according to the text?
7. What advantages do sheep have in firefighting?
8. What does “this” refer to in the last paragraph?
3 . Free solo climbing is a risky form of rock climbing where the climber makes the climb alone without ropes or any other protective things. In June 2017, Alex Honnold completed an ultimate free solo climb up El Capitan, a 3,000-foot wall in Yosemite National Park.
On a freezing November morning in 2016, Alex determined to take up a challenge-a free solo climb of the world’s most famous vertical（垂直的）cliff. Every step, he had to be extra careful to keep the balance. All the time he had to shine his headlamp on the cold, smooth part of stones to decide where he could next place his foot. Unlike parts of the climb higher up that Alex could climb with his strong fingers, this lower part he must manage with a perfect balance of fine skills and confidence.
Every move tied people’s hearts. The cameraman said. “Every time I got no response, I thought Alex was bailing. But it turned out that I was wrong-He was still moving on.”
More physically challenging parts wait for him to climb up with his feel and hands pressing the rock. The Free blast is the most frightening part. In 2016, after several failures, Alex knew he would try again. His foot tap-tap-tapped against the wall as if he was feeling his way into the huge rock, but he wouldn’t turn back this time. And then, he stood on the top and he made it!
People view free soloing differently. Critics regard it as risky, considering the long list of those who’ve died attempting it. Others, myself included, recognize it as the sport's truest expression. Such was the attitude of Austrian climber Paul Preuss, the father of free soloing. He believed that the spirit of mountain-climbing was to master a mountain with wonderful physical and mental skill.
1. Why is the headlamp mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To prove how dark the environment is. |
| B．To indicate how risky the free soloing is. |
| C．To share the great pleasure of a solo climber. |
| D．To introduce the location of the mountain climber. |
| A．Alex was climbing. |
| B．Alex was giving up. |
| C．Alex was struggling. |
| D．Alex was being saved |
| A．A great dream is limitless. |
| B．Wisdom is better than force. |
| C．Gains can't make up for losses. |
| D．Strong will leads to a smooth path. |
5. What did Alex need to climb the lower part?
6. What does "turn back" mean in paragraph 4?
7. How does Paul Preuss feel about free soloing?
