1 . “To explore further and to learn about the solar system we live in, we need to take advantage of what’s on the Moon, so we don’t have to take everything with us,” said Jacob Bleacher, the Chief Exploration Scientist supporting NASA’s Artemis program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists at the University of Florida have made a breakthrough discovery — decades in the making — that could both enable further space exploration and benefit humanity. “Here we are, 50 years later, completing experiments that were started back in the Apollo labs,” said Robert Ferl, a professor of this university.
Arabidopsis, native to Africa, is a relative of vegetables like broccoli (西兰花). Due to its small size and ease of growth, it is one of the most studied plants in the world. Space scientists are doing research on how it grows in space.
To grow the Arabidopsis, the scientific team used samples collected on the Apollo 11, 12, and 17 missions, with only a gram of regolith (表土) from the Moon given to each plant. The team added water and then seeds to the samples. They then put them into boxes in a clean room. A nutrient solution was added daily. Every plant looked the same up until about day six. After day six, however, it was clear that the plants were not as energetic as the control group plants growing in volcanic ash, and the plants were growing differently depending on which type of sample they were in. The plants grew more slowly and had poor roots and leaves. After 20 days, just before the plants started to flower, the team harvested the plants and studied them.
The team found the plants reacted differently depending on which sample — each collected from different areas on the Moon — was used. Plants grown in the Apollo 11 samples were not as strong as the other two sets. Nevertheless, the plants did grow.
This research opens the door to someday growing more plants rich in nutrition in habitats on the Moon. Plants are what enable us to be explorers.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．It took 50 years to complete building the Apollo labs. |
| B．More labs will be built on the Moon in half a century. |
| C．Some supplies may be produced on the Moon in the future. |
| D．The conservation of the Moon helps explore the solar system. |
| A．It is productive. | B．It is easy to plant. |
| C．It is rich in nutrition. | D．It is harvested conveniently. |
| A．By giving examples. |
| B．By following space order. |
| C．By presenting procedures. |
| D．By analyzing research findings. |
| A．Wildlife. | B．Education. | C．Travel. | D．Research. |
2 . In order to kill time, many people have been trying to cope with the boredom by reading books, others have perfected their cooking skills and many others have tried their hands at craft projects, including tie dyeing (扎染).
Whether you think tie-dye is totally stylish or not your style, the unique print from the 1960s is back in a major way. It’s become a hot fashion trend.
“The last several years have seen the resurgence in craftsmanship and handmade goods, popularizing the hobbies in the 1960s (weaving, tie-dyeing), but in a modern way. People would connect with these handmade objects to feel connected to nature,” Stitch Fix color expert Ryen Anderson said to Today. Online searches for “how to crumple (压皱) tie-dye”, a popular technique, are u by 376 percent on Pinterest.
This homestyle creation can easily be made at home. The only things we need to prepare include fabric. light-colored clothes, dye, rubber, and water. In tie-dye, the fabric is colored by tying several parts of the fabric before dying to give certain color effects. While this seems relatively simple, it takes multiple steps and washes.
Some people make tie-dye adjust old-fabrics in an innovative way. Some others use tie-dye technique to create a new pattern as the color of their clothes fades. The typical current trend is that people use natural coloring for tie-dye and combine it with doodles (涂鸦) and natural printing ( eco-printing) by abstracting colors from the leaves.
The dyeing technique has deep roots from Africa. Many immigrants from various African countries brought their skills to the United States during the 1700s to 1800s. The popularity of tie-dye then was quite influential in the 1960s or commonly referred to as “flower power” generation. Tie-dye became a symbol in that times.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic of the text. | B．To create a cultural atmosphere. |
| C．To show how leisure the life is. | D．To imply what people do to kill time. |
| A．New research. | B．Return and growth. |
| C．Modern exhibition. | D．Birth and disappearance. |
| A．The process of tie-dyeing. | B．The effects of fabric coloring. |
| C．The materials used for tie-dyeing. | D．The technique applied to tie-dyeing. |
| A．Adjusting old clothes. | B．Designing diverse patterns. |
| C．Recovering the faded colors. | D．Obtaining colors from plants. |
3 . Italy is a country that cannot be missed on your travel bucket list.
Things to Do in Italy
Owning 50 UNESCO approved World Cultural Heritage Sites, Italy is honored around the world for its ancient civilization and art. Being the epitome (典范) of the western art and culture, this remarkable land gave birth to the Renaissance, which affected the whole Europe, and obviously every corner of Italy bears a long history. Men are crazy about Italian football, while ladies can’t move their eyes away from Italian fashion. Moreover, the world famous Italian cuisine will also delight you. Our Italy vacation packages could cover all these absorbing aspects.
Best Time to Go
Italy has a diverse climate, with continental climate in the north and Mediterranean climate in the south.
In summer, most areas in Italy are extremely hot, with the highest temperature over 35℃. Usually, the high temperature starts from the end of June and lasts till August. August is the national holiday month. Many Italian families will spend their holidays in coastal cities.
During the winter time, the northern Italy is relatively cold and accompanied by heavy snows. Many people will stay indoors. But it is highly recommended to go skiing and enjoy the snow-covered landscape of the mountains. The southern and island areas are relatively warm, with an average temperature of about 15℃.
Generally speaking, the best time to take Italy tours is spring from April to June and autumn from September to October.
Visa for Italy Tours
Italy is a Schengen country (申根国家), and international travelers can enter Italy with an available Schengen visa issued by any Schengen country. Travelers holding American, Canadian, Australian passports, and citizens of European Union (EU) countries are allowed to stay up to 90 days without a visa.
Currency & Payment in Italy
Italy uses the European Union’s common currency Euro (€). Visa, MasterCard, JCB, etc. are widely accepted. But for tobacco purchases, only cash is accepted. Some supermarkets do not support credit card payment.
1. What greatly appeals to female visitors in Italy?| A．History. | B．Football. | C．Fashion. | D．Cuisine. |
| A．Go skiing in the north. |
| B．Join in some indoor activities. |
| C．Enjoy family holidays in coastal cities. |
| D．Climb snow covered mountains on islands. |
| A．A traveler with a Chinese passport. |
| B．Any international traveler with a visa. |
| C．Any person living in Canada for many years. |
| D．A citizen from an EU country without a visa. |
Two little birds were happily sitting on the rock, just having finished their lunch. Their parents had allowed them, for the first time, to go and hunt for their lunch by themselves. And they had enjoyed every bit of the freedom.
Suddenly, a net came and fell on both. They struggled to pass through it but in vain. Two boys jumped down from the branch above them. They quickly gathered the net. One of the boys, Eric, shouted to his little brother Max. “We have finally succeeded after ten days of waiting.”
“Yes, what luck! They look much more beautiful than ordinary birds. Let’s go home and put them in our cage,” Eric said joyfully. They ran home with the birds.
The two little birds were terribly frightened. They thought of their mother who must be anxiously waiting for them.
When the two boys got to the house gate, the sweet smell came out of the kitchen. Their mother Amla was baking cakes, which were what the boys couldn’t live without.
Hearing the boys’ footsteps, Amla anxiously asked, “Where have you been? I was getting worried. I’m cooking your favorite cakes.”
“Look, Mom, we have caught two beautiful birds! We are going to cage them. They will play with us.” Max proudly showed them to Amla.
Seeing the young birds shivering (发抖) in the boys’ hands, Amla said, “They are indeed beautiful. But they are so young and look so scared! They need their mother. Set them free.”
The boys said, “We will look after them.” Amla insisted that they shouldn’t keep them. They turned to their father John for help. Similarly,” John said, “It is not good to cage these birds. We should not take away their freedom.”
The boys were in tears and begged, “We love them so much. Please let us keep then.” “Well, just put them in the cage for the time being. Let’s enjoy your favorite cakes.” The boys jumped with joy. In the evening, John said to Amla, “The birds look very rare. We’d better do some research. Maybe we should call the police first.”
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
The boys woke up only to find a note, “Mom and Dad go to the police station.”
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Just then Dad and Mom returned. On seeing them, the boys asked, “Why did you see the police?”
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5 . Owen was born just as Hurricane Katrina
All disasters are personal. Some in the Gull Coast sought their families who had survived. Some sought to
We depended upon the doctors, clerks and ambulance drivers who knew their
This commitment is a(n)
I thought of the web of strangers that had helped my family. I can only hope this web will be
| A．destroyed | B．left | C．approached | D．rounded |
| A．immediately | B．seriously | C．firmly | D．eventually |
| A．kindness | B．courage | C．wisdom | D．humor |
| A．treat | B．reward | C．please | D．help |
| A．answered for | B．accounted for | C．turned to | D．stood for |
| A．tough | B．flexible | C．fruitful | D．relaxing |
| A．evaluated | B．promised | C．encountered | D．missed |
| A．preference | B．talent | C．shelter | D．duty |
| A．fed | B．attended | C．taught | D．blamed |
| A．stay | B．work | C．decorate | D．visit |
| A．path | B．schedule | C．dream | D．commitment |
| A．trick | B．web | C．switch | D．alternative |
| A．evident | B．predictable | C．hidden | D．tiny |
| A．replaced | B．managed | C．ruined | D．fixed |
| A．shallow | B．strong | C．gentle | D．complex |
6 . When I was young, I was a terribly shy girl in regular classes. I always sat in the back of the classroom.
However, the day of our diving test came finally. My blood ran cold when the teacher announced we would be graded for our final on the most difficult dive—the jackknife (屈体跳水).
I received a perfect grade on my dive that day and an A for the course. It was awesome to think that I had just learned my first dive.
| A．Then it was my turn. |
| B．So I’d not be called upon to read. |
| C．Everything went just as I imagined. |
| D．But I still dreamed to learn to dive like others. |
| E．Never underestimate your power of achieving something. |
| F．I felt nervous as the line to the awful diving board shortened. |
| G．At last, they straightened out like an arrow for entry into the water. |
7 . After limiting the screen time, the minors in China are prohibited against getting tattooed (文身) now.
According to the guideline, which came out on June 6th, 2022, any enterprise, organization and individuals should be stopped from providing inking services. The guideline also prohibits “encouraging or forcing” children into getting tattoos, while encouraging parents to advise their children against getting tattooed.
“All agencies that provide tattooing services should clearly display signs refusing minors, and ask customers to show their IDs if it’s hard to judge their age based on their appearance,” the guideline said.
Tattoo culture has gained popularity especially among the country’s youth in recent years. They regard it as a form of fashion and self expression. However, tattoos haven’t been widely accepted in the society and they might have a bad influence on people in some situations.
Amanla, a tattoo artist in the southwestern Yunnan Province, said he agreed with the ban. He said, “Protection is necessary. But more deeply, it’s also disrespectful for people to do something merely to be cool without knowing what they really want or understanding the pattern being drawn on their body.”
In recent years, several regions have issued local regulations banning tattoo services for children. In June of last year, a court in the eastern Jiangsu Province ordered a tattoo shop to stop tattooing minors after being accused of using ink containing harmful pigments (色素).
Yuan Ningning, a legal advisor specializing in family education law, said that the working guideline has cleared up the responsibilities between different regulators and called for more education and specific punishments.
“The central government has already formed a consensus (共识),” Yuan said. “But it takes a learning process among the local authorities for the guideline to be effective. That’s the first and a very crucial step.”
1. What should the tattoo shops do according to the regulation?| A．Refuse to serve the minors. | B．Offer quality service for teenagers. |
| C．Ask the minors’ parents for advice. | D．Keep the minors safe while tattooing. |
| A．Tattooing has a long history in China. |
| B．The society has been influenced by tattooing. |
| C．Young people are more interested in tattooing. |
| D．Tattooing helps people do their work better. |
| A．Tattoos are not for everyone. |
| B．Tattooing for minors must be punished. |
| C．We should learn about tattoos before getting one. |
| D．It is not easy for the regulation to be put into practice. |
| A．Those who break the rules will be punished. |
| B．It has got wide recognition among the public. |
| C．Educators play a key role in carrying out the rules. |
| D．It is a long way for the guideline to make a difference. |
8 . For breeding (繁殖) birds, timing is everything. Most species have just a narrow window to get the food they need to feed chicks. Now, after analyzing data that span from 1975 to 2017, a science team suggests that as the climate warms, birds are not only breeding earlier, but their breeding windows are also narrowed—some by as many as 4 to 5 days.
On average, the beginnings and ends of the breeding periods are occurring earlier in the year. However, the ends are shifting back faster than the beginnings, resulting in an average breeding window that is 1.7 days shorter in 2017 than it was in 1975. During that same period, Finland’s average temperature rose by 0.8℃, suggesting many bird species are actively responding to changing temperatures, Hällfors, who led the team, says.
“It’s good for the species if it’s able to follow the optimum conditions as the climate changes,” she says. However, the shorter breeding windows mean more birds are breeding earlier in the season—a risky time for chicks’ survival, especially if the weather turns suddenly cold. In addition, because many late-season species are shifting their breeding windows up, that could mean more competition for food and nesting sites early on, leaving some chicks to go hungry.
Lucyna Halupka, an ecologist at the University of Wroclaw, calls the study “a very important paper” because it’s one of the few ways to measure the breeding period duration. For 2 decades, she says, many scientists studying birds and climate change have looked only at the earliest, median (中间的), or mean laying dates for specific groups of birds. However, she reminds that because the study is limited to Finland, the findings may not apply universally; future studies should examine how breeding seasons move in other regions where the effect of climate change is different. They should also try to determine how shifting breeding windows affect population sizes, she says.
1. What did the scientists find?| A．The weather in Finland becomes warmer. |
| B．It is becoming more difficult for birds to breed. |
| C．The birds in Finland spend fewer days breeding. |
| D．There isn’t enough food for some chicks in Finland. |
| A．Exact. | B．Proper. | C．Changeable. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．It is carried out in a different way. |
| B．It is helpful for people to protect the birds. |
| C．It opens a window for people to learn about these birds. |
| D．It demonstrates the living situation of the birds on earth. |
| A．Scientists Revealed the Secrets of Birds’ Breeding |
| B．Scientists Take Steps to Protect the Birds in the Wild |
| C．Birds Play a Role in Fighting Against Global Warming |
| D．Birds’ Breeding Windows Are Affected by Global Warming |
9 . Never Let Me Go is a novel by British author Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. It combines science fiction, horror, and coming-of-age elements in a beautiful but cruel story, which deals with the power of friendship, the pains of growing up, and self-sacrifice in the face of a cruel situation.
The book centers on Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy, who tells the story. It describes their childhood at a strange boarding school called Hailsham House, where the children all have excellent medical care but a very low quality of life. The students and teachers also act very strangely. A frightening reality is revealed: The students are all “donors”—clones of other people—who were created to donate their organs once they grow up.
The novel Never Let Me Go is not the only one by Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. He has also written six other novels, a number of short stories, four screenplays, and a handful of song lyrics. His moving words are highly regarded by both readers and critics. He has been nominated (提名) for the well-known Man Booker Prize four times, and he won in 1989 with his novel, The Remains of the Day. In 2017, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Though Ishiguro has written screenplays, he was not the one who adapted Never Let Me Go into a film. The film version was released in 2010 and still stayed true to the novel. Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield played Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy. I was on the whole a success with critics and was well-liked at film festivals around the world. The movie version, however, could not live up to the book in the end. Although audiences generally praised the movie and the actors’ performances, the film version did not reach the same level of success as the novel.
1. What makes the boarding school strange?| A．It is at a non-profit. | B．It serves an immoral purpose. |
| C．The students have physical problems. | D．The students are all from poor families. |
| A．It differed from the novel. | B．It was a screenplay adapted by Ishiguro. |
| C．It got much praise from the audience. | D．It was more successful than the novel itself. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Ambitious. | C．Active. | D．Productive. |
| A．A news report. | B．A book review. | C．A children’s story. | D．A diary entry. |
10 . Learn How Design Thinking Can Improve Your Problem-solving Skills
Join Cat, Jess and Matt to learn how Canva (网页在线) can help you run a design thinking workshop! Design thinking is taking the business world by storm, and for good reason. Teams that regularly engage in design thinking are more cooperative, curious and motivated to create positive change.
Our design experts, Cat, Jess and Matt, will show you how easy it is to use Canva as your end to end tool for design thinking workshops.
In this lecture you’ll learn:
● How to use Canva’s features to run effective design thinking workshops for your remote team
● How Canva’s tools can be used for team ideation (构思能力)
● How to incorporate Canva into your current work process
This lecture is suitable for educators and creatives who want to run effective design thinking workshops. Anyone is welcome to attend. No prior experience with Canva is necessary and unique Canva Pro features will be demonstrated during this session.
Register here: https://bit.ly/36pjkD2
Time:
● 12 May, 11:00 a. m. BST (UK)
● 12 May, 6:00 p. m. SGT (Singapore)
● 12 May, 8:00 p. m. AEST (Australia)
● 12 May, 3:30 p. m. IST (India)
(Please check the time in your local time zone)
We are also running this event for those in APAC (亚太地区) time zones.
Register for that event here: https://bit.ly/3KOTXty
1. What is the right time for people in Singapore to attend the lecture?| A．12 May, 11:00 a m. | B．12 May, 6:00 p. m. |
| C．12 May, 3:30 p. m. | D．12 May, 8:00 p. m. |
| A．You must be an educator. | B．You must have some creative ideas. |
| C．You must register online. | D．You must have some prior experience. |
| A．In a story book. | B．On a celebrity newspaper. |
| C．In a sports magazine. | D．On a top website. |
