1. What should a public speaker avoid doing according to the woman?
| A．Talking too loudly. | B．Speaking too fast. | C．Saying too much. |
| A．It’s usually the most remembered part. |
| B．It’s the last chance to make your point. |
| C．It’s as important as the opening words. |
| A．Show a good sense of humor. |
| B．Motivate the audience to act. |
| C．Meet challenges with courage. |
1. Why does Joshua make the call?
| A．To check the time. | B．To ask for advice. | C．To make an apology. |
| A．In Cider Street. | B．On Elmer Road. | C．In Poplar Street. |
| A．Maria’s house. | B．Weston Hospital. | C．The National Bank. |
3 . In a recent email to an old friend, I mentioned that our family planned on taking our fourweek road trip in our motor home. My friend emailed back and said he thought I was very “brave” to set out on such an adventure with two young children (aged two and five). I laughed when I read his email and wondered if he knew how much he was missing out on by giving up the idea of such a fun RV trip (房车旅) with one’s family.
My husband and I have been “RVing” for over ten years. When we first started traveling, we certainly had some troubles that were not so funny at the time but seem to be funny now. We forgot our pillows and failed to cook dinner on an outdoor grill (烤架) for lack of a flashlight. Then we decided to make our dinner in the motor home but could not get the oven lit! So we went to bed a little hungrier than we had planned!
However, that's nothing compared with the amazing geological and natural wonders we experienced during our RV trips. In addition, we have discovered a new world of family fun and family bonding. We saw the Grand Canyon when our son was only six months old. We play games inside and out, walk together, talk together, read, solve puzzles, and enjoy music and movies. We have got used to doing things with one another. Our kids love to pick out good, oldfashioned postcards to send off via “snail mail” to different family members on every trip.
As our world gets more and more overloaded with cell phones, texting, emails and video games, our family sticks more and more tightly to the wonderfully simple idea of unplugging for a while and jumping into the seat to take a trip in our motor home. Then we come home with fun pictures of our wanderings, and we're able to build special memories for our kids. Now we want to spread the word and tell families of all kinds what enjoyment can be had from packing the family up for a trip in the RV.
1. What did the author’s friend think of her travel plan?| A．A family trip should not last four weeks. |
| B．It was wise of her to take children on RV trips. |
| C．A family RV trip might bring unexpected troubles. |
| D．It was an opportunity to teach children to be brave. |
| A．They found many things lost. |
| B．It was ruined by bad weather. |
| C．They didn’t prepare well for it. |
| D．It was quite a scary experience. |
| A．To appeal families to take RV trips together. |
| B．To show how to make RV trips interesting. |
| C．To encourage kids to take part in RV trips. |
| D．To share an unforgettable traveling experience. |
1. What does the speaker do?
| A．A medical doctor. | B．A fitness instructor. | C．A swimming coach. |
| A．Focusing on only muscle training. |
| B．Doing too many types of workouts. |
| C．Keeping the same routine all the time. |
| A．Once a week. | B．Twice a week. | C．Three times a week. |
1. Whose speech did the woman listen to this morning?
| A．John Miller’s. | B．David Thompson’s. | C．Alan Brown’s. |
| A．Economy knowledge. | B．Risk assessment. | C．Employee motivation. |
| A．Challenging. | B．Interesting. | C．Rewarding. |
| A．Find a new position. |
| B．Raise employees’ salaries. |
| C．Improve management skills. |
1. Why did the woman choose to be a teacher as a profession?
| A．Because of the pressure from her family. |
| B．Because of the passion for the work. |
| C．Because of a teacher’s encouragement. |
| A．Being with children. |
| B．Winning others’ respect. |
| C．Learning different things. |
| A．Lifelong learners. | B．Creative thinkers. | C．Good communicators. |
| A．A movie show. | B．A birthday party. | C．A sales promotion. |
8 . Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
Here are some local Christmas tree farms in America that offer you an opportunity to get your own Christmas tree safely, without sacrificing (牺牲) any holiday spirit.
Peltzer Pines (松树) Farm
Peltzer Pines Farm grows acres of Monterey pine and Leyland cypress trees in two Orange County locations, Brea and Silverado. Because of COVID-19, visitors are not allowed to cut the trees on their own. Still, you can choose the perfect tree and the staff will cut it for you. Cash or check only, no credit cards. No photos as group photos make it hard to keep social distancing. Trees start at $49.
When: Through Dec. 23. Closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Where: 7581 Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado or 3400 Rose Drive, Brea
Sand Haven Pines Farm
Choose and cut your own pines with assistance provided if necessary. Especially, a variety of potted trees are also available. Masks are required. Some activities, including visits with Santa Claus, are canceled.
When: Now open. Closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Where: 19255 Wood Road, Perris
Chamberlain Choose and Cut Christmas Tree Farm
The staff at this small family-run tree farm in Claremont will help you cut and clean your tree. Because of COVID-19, the farm is capping occupancy to 50 people at a time and requiring masks and social distancing.
When: Open on Nov. 28. Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 3436 Padua Ave., Claremont
Richfield Pines Christmas Tree Farm
After selecting the pine of your choice on this 10-acre farm, staff will cut it down for you. You can also reserve it and pick it up another day. Trees range from 15 to 20 feet and are priced at $10 per foot.
When: Now open. Closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Where: 5392 Richfield Road, Yorba Linda
1. What can people do at Peltzer Pines Farm?| A．Cut a perfect tree by themselves. | B．Take some photos with Santa Claus. |
| C．Pay a visit in groups on Thanksgiving Day. | D．Buy Christmas trees by cash or check. |
| A．7581 Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado. | B．19255 Wood Road, Perris. |
| C．3436 Padua Ave., Claremont. | D．5392 Richfield Road, Yorba Linda. |
| A．$10. | B．$49. | C．$150. | D．$200 |
9 . Many ocean birds fly long distances to avoid severe storms. But not the streaked shearwaters (条纹鹱) ! A new study led by Professor Ken Yoda of Japan’s Nagoya University states that the brave seabirds often fly right into the eye of the storm to survive. This strange behavior — not reported in any other bird species—might help streaked shearwaters survive strong storms.
The scientists analyzed 11 years of data collected from GPS trackers attached to the wings of 401 shearwaters nesting on Japan’s Awashima Island. By combining this information with data on wind speeds during typhoons, scientists discovered that shearwaters that were caught out in the open ocean when a storm blew in would ride tailwinds (顺风) around the edges of the storm. However, others that found themselves sandwiched between land and the eye of a strong hurricane would sometimes change their usual flight patterns and head toward the center of the storm. Scientists found that 75 birds chose to fly during ten typhoons or tropical storms. Some even chased the storm’s eye for up to 8 hours!
The researchers say shearwaters can survive fierce storms. The strong winds over water enable the birds to glide (滑翔) for long distances without flapping their wings too much, saving energy. While skilled in flight, shearwaters are clumsy on land. The birds have a hard time taking off, leaving them at risk of predators like crows and cats. These may explain why some shearwaters prefer flying into the storm to survive. But to do that, the birds need to know where the land is so they can avoid it. The adult shearwaters seem to have developed a mental map to guide them in the right direction.
While this is the first time this behavior has been spotted in any bird species, flying with the winds could be a common strategy for preserving energy during hurricanes, says Andrew Farnsworth, an ornithologist at Cornell University who was not involved in the study. “It might be contrary to common sense,” he says. “But from the perspective of bird behavior, it makes a lot of sense.”
1. What is the new study about?| A．The methods of saving rare bird species. |
| B．The flying distance of streaked shearwaters. |
| C．The impact of extreme weather on seabirds. |
| D．The behavior of streaked shearwaters surviving storms. |
| A．fly to the center of the storm | B．find rock cracks and holes as shelters |
| C．try their best to fly far away from the storm | D．ride tailwinds around the edges of the storm |
| A．propose a theory | B．explain a fact | C．make a prediction | D．present an example |
| A．Unclear. | B．Doubtful. | C．Favorable. | D．Disapproving. |
10 . As an engineer, building things was Liang Kaiyu’s hobby in his spare time. When he saw that a foreign engineer had developed an autonomous e-bike, he decided to build one himself. But when testing his self-built automatic electric motor in January 2020, an explosion occurred, and he lost his left leg below the knee. About two months after the accident, he got his prosthetic limb (假肢).
On short-video platforms, Liang saw many people with physical challenges who live no differently from other people. They ride bicycles, dance and even ski, using their prosthetic limbs. Inspired by them, Liang started to post videos about his daily life to inspire more people. Since then, he has used his engineering skills to make his prosthetic limb more comfortable and powerful than a real leg.
He tried to upgrade his high-tech prosthesis, including fitting a shock absorber and putting in a charger port. One of the latest upgrades is the addition of colored LED lights to his running blade. The LED lights can be connected via Bluetooth to a smartphone and change color as they react to music. Through design, modeling and manufacturing, he made a device that can connect the socket (承窝) of the leg with the prosthetic knee. With the small device, he can take the leg off in one second. Moreover, to better learn about the structure and system of the prosthetics, he took apart some secondhand prosthetic limbs that were made in China and abroad, which cost him a lot of money.
“These high-tech prosthetics are comfortable and safer to wear. They can boost confidence with every step. But the only thing is that the cost is unaffordable for most families,” Liang says. He adds that due to the small group of consumers, there are few companies in China investing in the research and development of such prosthetics. To advance functional performance and help amputees (截肢人士) maintain or regain their freedom of movement, Liang has provided his experience and suggestions for several prosthetics companies.
“If there is a good opportunity, I want to make high-tech prosthetics accessible and affordable to more amputees in China,” Liang says.
1. What happened to Liang in January 2020?| A．He fell off an autonomous e-bike. | B．He got injured in an accidental explosion. |
| C．He suffered from serious knee pain. | D．He lost his left leg in a motor race. |
| A．A kind of LED light that has been designed to do a particular job. |
| B．A Bluetooth that has been designed to do a particular job. |
| C．A piece of equipment that has been designed to do a particular job |
| D．A smartphone that has been designed to do a particular job. |
| A．They give users limited freedom of movement. | B．They take much time to produce. |
| C．They are quite heavy for amputees to wear. | D．They are too expensive. |
| A．Creative and helpful. | B．Humorous and patient. |
| C．Generous and cautious. | D．Honest and courageous. |
