1 . How crowded your neighborhood is can affect the health of our planet, a new study finds. Scientists measured the effect that people have on the environment using a carbon footprint. That footprint reflects the amount of carbon dioxide (二氧化碳)—a greenhouse gas—that is sent into the atmosphere because of people’s daily activities.
Carbon footprints tend to be low for citizens. Living in a suburb (郊区) outside a city, however, can be opposite.
People living in the city centers have low carbon footprints, the researchers found. “It is much easier to have a low carbon effect if your home is close to where you work, shop and play,” explains Jones. Living within walking or biking distance cuts back on the amount of carbon dioxide compared with moving people by cars. And cities with bus and subway networks allow people to travel great distances while keeping the amount of greenhouse gases low.
Not everyone can afford to live in the city, however. Suburbs offer more space, allowing people to build larger homes. Suburbs may offer better schools to kids. But those homes are usually far away from where owners work, play or learn. So people who live in suburbs often drive long distances.
The average household in a large city sends out about 40 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The average suburban household, however, sends out close to 50 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The new findings are an important contribution to climate research. They would give scientists a better understanding of how culture might mix with locations to influence our carbon footprints.
You may not have any control over the location of your home. Still, everyone can take steps to reduce their carbon footprints. That’s because how much we pollute is influenced not just by where we live, but also by how we live.
To reduce your footprints, start small. Turn off lights when they’re not in use. Recycle or reuse things instead of throwing them away. And as people get used to making small changes, the leap to bigger ones will get easier.
1. Why do people living in suburbs have higher carbon footprints?| A．Because they often drive to work, play or do other things. |
| B．Because their homes take up too much space. |
| C．Because they often use buses and subways to travel great distances. |
| D．Because they have to send their kids to schools by car. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By explaining processes. |
| A．People living in big cities produce more carbon dioxide. |
| B．Culture plays the most important role in influencing the environment. |
| C．Any process of making new products may pollute the environment. |
| D．One’s small step can make a big difference to the environment. |
| A．Health. | B．Sports. | C．Culture. | D．Environment. |
2 . On a hot summer day, a friend and I decided to go to the forest for a walk. So we went to the forest by car. We walked around for a while (—会儿). Then we realized that we should probably pay attention to where we’re going, so we wouldn’t get lost. We noticed a marked path and it looked like the path which we took from the parking lot (停车场). We started following it. After two hours, we realized we were just looping around. The part of the path that was supposed to take us back to the car seemed nowhere to be found! So we left the marked path, in the hope of finding our way back. We found a cycling path and followed it to a parking lot. Sadly it wasn’t our parking lot! A map at that parking lot showed us where all the other parking lots were and we noticed we were a long way from all of them! Except that, we couldn’t know which one was “our” parking lot.
We decided not to walk towards any of them. Instead we walked up to a house nearby. A lady was unloading (卸载) her food from her car, and we asked if she could help us. We described to her where we had come from and what the roads looked like. She immediately knew the place we described and said that we were a long way off. And then, to my surprise, she said: “Why don’t you jump into the car? I’ll take you there.” I couldn’t believe it and shouted: “Really?!” I was so excited. She drove us right back to our car, and we were so grateful.
1. Why did the author and his friend walk along the marked path?| A．Because there were no other paths there. |
| B．Because they thought it could lead to their parking lot. |
| C．Because it was the shortest path in the forest. |
| D．Because they could go to the deepest part of the forest. |
| A．moving in a way that makes a circle |
| B．looking for the path around |
| C．walking around by following a path |
| D．staying in the same place |
| A．were far away from all parking lots |
| B．returned to their parking lot |
| C．found a way back to their parking lot |
| D．got a map showing directions |
| A．have a good rest | B．find a guide |
| C．look for food | D．ask for directions |
3 . Traffic lights are red, yellow and green. They are very important signals (信号). Traffic lights are usually placed at busy street corners to help control traffic. Sometimes, they are on streets near schools and shops, too. Most young children are taught what each of the colored lights means, so everybody can stay safe.
The first traffic signals were used for trains. The signals were put alongside railway tracks (轨道). The color red was used to mean “stop” because it warned people of danger. A red light was also the easiest color to see from a distance. Train drivers could see the red “stop” light ahead and had enough time to slow down and stop their trains. A green light was used to mean “take care” and a white light meant “go”.
However, there were many dangerous accidents on the train tracks. Some train drivers thought a star shining in the night sky was a white light that meant “go”. So the signals were swapped. The “go” light was changed to green and the “take care” light was changed to white.
During these times, people travelled by train or in carts pulled by horses. Years later, when cars were built, people began to drive them because they could travel much faster than horses. However, the road rules for drivers were not very clear and many people were hurt crossing the roads. Yellow warning signs had to be placed beside the roads to remind drivers to take care and allow people to cross safely.
Today, towns and cities all over the world have traffic lights. Red and green lights match the signals used on the railways. Yellow lights are easy to see, so they are used to warn drivers that they should slow down and prepare to stop.
1. Why was the color red used to mean “stop”?| A．It gave people a warning of danger. |
| B．It was the first color people thought of. |
| C．It reminded people of traffic rules. |
| D．It helped trains run smoothly. |
| A．Designed. | B．Suggested. | C．Compared. | D．Exchanged. |
a. A white light. b. A green light. c. A yellow light.
| A．a—b—c | B．b—c—a |
| C．b—a—c | D．a—c—b |
| A．The importance of traffic lights. | B．The meanings of traffic lights. |
| C．The advantages of traffic lights. | D．The history of traffic lights. |
1.出生时无手无脚，曾被很多人当作怪物嘲笑；
2.永不言弃，乐观自信；
3.会游泳、冲浪、钓鱼；完成了大学教育并获得了双学位，是两个公司的CEO(总裁)；
4.人生信条：态度就是高度。
参考词汇：四肢：limbs 怪物：monster 学位：degree 双学位：two degrees
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1.菜品特点；
2.就餐环境；
3.交通方式。
注意：1.词数100左右；
参考词汇：中国菜Chinese cuisine
Dear Peter,
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Yours,
Li Нua
6 . A teenager wants to do a part-time job during his free time. But his parents think it could distract (使分心) him from study.
Yes, teenagers in many countries take on part-time jobs. I believe it can be a truly beneficial experience. When I was in high school, I worked in a couple of small shops and also took care of babies.
I learned to be responsible for my actions because my boss relied on me.
When speaking with his parents, he can also suggest that he gets a job working on the weekend only at first, then maybe one or two more days a week and so on. Then he can know how he will adapt to (适应) school and work responsibilities.
| A．So he turns to me for help. |
| B．They can get some practical experience. |
| C．But I also think his parents have a fair point. |
| D．Also, I learned the value of earning my own money. |
| E．He can take a part-time job for which he can earn some money. |
| F．This way, they will know that he is taking their opinions into consideration. |
| G．I will share some things with him that I learned from working at a young age. |
7 . My life was totally changed because a simple three-word phrase was delivered at the right time in just the right way.
When I was three years old, my parents discovered I was totally deaf, a situation which forced them to make an important decision about my education.
After talking with doctors, they made a decision that would forever change my future. Instead of sending me to a private school for the deaf, they decided to give me a normal education. All of my classmates and teachers would have normal hearing.
I experienced great anxiety throughout elementary school. In addition to the problems of "fitting in" with the other students, I also struggled with most of my schoolwork. Since fitting in was so important to me, every time people around me laughed or smiled, I did the same, even though I usually had no idea what was going on.
Mrs. Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, changed all of that with a simple three-word phrase. One morning, she asked the class a question. I read her lips and immediately raised my hand. I couldn't believe it—for the first time I knew the answer. But when she called on me to give the answer, I was afraid. Here was an opportunity to impress the teacher and show her I was worthy of her love. Maybe, it could even impress my classmates a little.
Despite my fears, I felt confident because I was sure I had the right answer. I took a deep breath and answered Mrs. Jordan's question.
I will never forget what happened next. With sparking eyes and a wide smile, she cried, “That's right, Stephen!”
My heart burst with pride as an ear-to-ear grin filled my face. My confidence went up like never before. I decided at that time that I would make a place for myself in this world. A simple three-word phrase delivered with unbelievable enthusiasm totally changed my young life.
1. What can we infer about Stephen from the text?| A．He was clever, but he didn't work hard. |
| B．He was cured of his deafness in the end. |
| C．He was sent to a private school for the deaf. |
| D．He was eager to be liked by his teachers and classmates. |
| A．He felt shy when seeing them laughing. | B．He really wanted to have normal hearing. |
| C．He wanted to fit in with the other people. | D．He had a good relationship with other students. |
| A．Confident. | B．Frightened. | C．Excited. | D．Sorry. |
| A．Stephen was very happy. | B．Stephen's ears were damaged. |
| C．Stephen could hear others praising him. | D．Stephen's hearing was likely to improve. |
| A．Had I not got | B．If I did not get | C．If I have not got | D．Had not I got |
—No sooner ______ it than someone ran into her.
| A．had she bought | B．did she bought | C．she bought | D．she had bought |
| A．being rained | B．being raining | C．raining | D．rains |
