1. What is the aim of the campaign?
A.To remind people of Earth Day. |
B.To encourage people to reduce garbage. |
C.To warn people of the bad effects of pollution. |
A.Planting trees. | B.Designing posters. | C.Collecting garbage. |
A.Paint paper. | B.Stop driving cars. | C.Decorate classrooms. |
A.Absurd. | B.Hollow. | C.Practical. |
2 . Our neighbors had a loud party last night. We weren’t
What
And it really worked in their favor. My husband and I were so friendly that even when the event went past the
It takes such little effort to make people feel that they
A.located | B.explored | C.challenged | D.invited |
A.trapped | B.impressed | C.annoyed | D.embarrassed |
A.later | B.closer | C.earlier | D.further |
A.shocking | B.frightening | C.puzzling | D.amazing |
A.call number | B.room number | C.account number | D.car number |
A.anxiously | B.politely | C.regularly | D.obviously |
A.imagination | B.consideration | C.recognition | D.organization |
A.promised | B.supplied | C.designed | D.compared |
A.stress | B.anxiety | C.worry | D.anger |
A.respond | B.adapt | C.contribute | D.stick |
A.figure | B.succeed | C.matter | D.access |
A.sleep | B.maintain | C.travel | D.relax |
A.noticed | B.delivered | C.explored | D.proved |
A.surrounding | B.respect | C.curiosity | D.distance |
A.strategy | B.apology | C.communication | D.inspiration |
3 . Hong Kong and Macau are home to several well-known universities that offer diverse courses and programs to students. Here are some of the universities and their key information.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
This university is one of the oldest and most prestigious in Asia, offering undergraduate, graduate, and research programs in various fields. Popular majors include business, engineering, law, and medicine. Admission requirements vary depending on the program, but all applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent and be fluent in English. HKU offers scholarships and financial assistance to both local and international students.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
This university is famous for its programs in science, engineering, and business. It also offers programs in social sciences and humanities. Admission requirements include high academic achievement and language proficiency (English). HKUST provides a range of scholarships and financial aid packages to deserving students.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
This university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in areas such as business, science, social sciences, and humanities. Admission requirements include academic performance, language proficiency (English and Chinese) and personal qualities. CUHK provides scholarships for students from different backgrounds and regions.
The University of Macau (UM)
This university is the only public comprehensive university in Macau, offering programs in business, science, social sciences, humanities, and education. Admission requirements vary depending on the program, but all applicants must be fluent in English or Portuguese. UM offers scholarships only for local students and does not provide accommodation for any students.
1. What majors are liked and chosen more at the University of Hong Kong?A.Science, engineering, and business. | B.Al technology and English. |
C.Business, engineering, law, and medicine. | D.Business, science, social sciences, and humanities. |
A.UM does not provide financial aid to international students. |
B.UM is one of the best public universities in Macau. |
C.UM has the best business program in Macau. |
D.UM does not admit international students. |
A.They all have high tuition fees. | B.They all offer great scholarships. |
C.They all have high-quality dormitories. | D.They all have language requirements. |
5 . Cultural heritage sites are a nonrenewable resource. Today architectural heritage sites are being destroyed at an alarming rate. They’re threatened by rising seas, pollution, overtourism, conflicts and so on. Recently, Notre Dame Cathedral has attracted international attention.
Since its main construction from 1163 to 1350, Notre Dame Cathedral repeatedly has been damaged and repaired. On April 15, 2019, the landmark’s roof caught fire, causing the collapse of its spire (尖顶) and upper walls severely damaged. Work on the site began quickly. Through the work of photographer Tomas van Houtryve, writer Robert Kunzig, and artist Fernando Baptista, people will see restoring scenes where ruins are cleared and statues saved. Even the COVID-19 pandemic caused only a two-month delay. Architects have said the expensive project is on track to be completed in 2024.
And thorny questions arise. What duty do we owe the creations of our ancestors? What lesson can we draw from their presence?
Humankind has answered that differently. In Dresden, Germany, the Frauenkirche, an 18th-century baroque church, was famous for its bell-shaped dome (穹顶). In February 1945, one of the most destructive bombing attacks of World War II reduced the city to ruins. After German reunion, the church was reconstructed using many of its original stones, as a symbol of peace and harmony. Berlin’s Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church also fell to bombing but had a different story. Its spire has been left a ruin on purpose to be a “warning monument” against war and destruction.
Like the Frauenkirche, Notre Dame is being rebuilt as close as possible to how it was before, including using the original, toxic metal — lead (铅) — for the roof, causing the debate about how to restore and maintain historic buildings. Actually, no one claims to have the “right” answers on preservation; there may not even be right answers. What people could do is to continuously monitor the global care of cultural heritage sites, as a matter of significance to humanity’s past, present, and future.
1. What do we know about Notre Dame Cathedral?A.It was once threatened by conflicts. |
B.It collapsed totally during a fire decade ago. |
C.It has undergone repeated repairs since 1163. |
D.It was not influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
A.Simple. | B.Tough. | C.Accurate. | D.Attractive. |
A.To remind people the value of peace and harmony. |
B.To warn people the influence of war and destruction. |
C.To demonstrate different solutions to heritage site preservation. |
D.To introduce reconstruction methods such as using original materials. |
A.Cultural heritage sites are nonrenewable so that they are worth protecting. |
B.Notre Dame Cathedral has been the most attractive heritage site globally. |
C.The reconstruction of cultural heritage sites seldom causes disagreements. |
D.The reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral after fire has been completed. |
6 . Andy Kong has worked very hard to get to where he is today. He credits becoming a millionaire by 20 to his strict Asian parents who tutored him at a young age by working for the family.
Kong, of Danville, Virginia, started working when he was only nine. English wasn’t a strong suit for Andy’s parents, and that’s where he was able to assist his family the most. After school and on weekends he would help out at their family-owned restaurant and nail salons. Not only did he do the labor work, but he was also involved in creating online ads. This was his introduction to the world of online business.
Andy started his Amazon business in the eighth grade. When he learned about Amazon Dropshipping (代发货模式) from a kid he saw on Instagram, he got inspired and decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the store eventually got shut down because he was impatient with the growth. Instead of considering it a failure, he viewed this experience as a life lesson and learned from his mistakes. Meanwhile, his parents never stopped trying to talk him into focusing on school and their retail business.
“The biggest challenge when starting a business is getting someone to believe in you,” Andy says. He pushed through and did things for himself even when his loved ones discouraged it.
In 2019, Andy met his now business partners, and together, they created an Amazon management company called Project WiFi. This Project has proven to be extremely successful. They currently help over 55 clients run their online businesses, and plan to help many more in the future.
When asked about the secret to his success, Andy says, “Learning to sacrifice whether that’s family, friends, or soccer game for a single goal is the only way to succeed, rather than attempting multiple things. If it’s worth doing then it’s worth doing well with no shortcuts.”
1. Why did Andy work in his parents’ shops at a young age?A.Because he could earn some pocket money. |
B.Because his parents weren’t fluent in English. |
C.Because his parents could help with his study. |
D.Because he could get access to the Internet. |
A.A new online business model. | B.Results of working impatiently. |
C.Difficulties in Andy’s career. | D.Andy’s tense family relationship. |
A.His early working experiences. | B.Lessons learned from his failures. |
C.Gaining other people’s trust. | D.Focusing on the thing you choose. |
A.Committed and generous. | B.Open-minded and motivated. |
C.Creative and faithful. | D.Hard-working and sociable. |
8 . An American company has developed a new technique (技术) to make bread stay fresh for 60 days.
Scientists found that a kind of mould (霉菌) caused bread to go bad. The new technique kills the mould and keeps the food for longer time. This means there will be less waste of food in the world in future.
Food waste is a big problem in most developed countries. In the US, an average (普通的) family throws away 40% of the food they buy, which adds up to $165bn every year, about 330 million tons in weight. Bread takes a larger part. In the UK, 32% of the bread they buy is thrown away as waste when they can still be eaten.
The bread usually goes mouldy (发的) in around 10 days, but the American company says the new technique will keep the bread free from mould for two months.
”We treated a piece of bread in a special machine. At 60 days it had the same amount of mould as it was first made,“ says Mr. Stull, the leader of the company.
Although there are a lot of bread makers interested in the new technique, few customers like the idea. They say they don’t think a piece of bread which lasts for 60 days tastes good.
”We’ll have to make our customers accept the idea. But it will take some time,“ says Mr. Stull.
1. What is the key point of the new technique?A.It can prevent the world from wasting food. |
B.It kills the mould and keeps bread fresh for longer time. |
C.It keeps the same amount of mould. |
D.It makes bread taste good. |
A.Nearly half. | B.A quarter. | C.More than half. | D.About one-third. |
A.Food waste can be reduced immediately (立刻) with the new technique. |
B.We will buy bread that can last longer. |
C.Few customers are sure about the technique. |
D.Poor countries are in great need of food. |
A.A new technique has been invented to keep bread fresh longer. |
B.There is great waste of food in developed countries. |
C.There is a kind of mould that causes food to go bad. |
D.Customers don’t like food that lasts for two months. |
9 . Work starts early on White Gate Farm in East Lyme, Connecticut. By 7 a. m., farm manager Dan Wood was at the East Lyme Post Office dropping off a box of fresh produce that later in the day would be delivered by mail to Chelsea Gubbins, who lives across town.
White Gate Farm is a member of Farmers Post, a pilot programme that enables smallholder farms across eastern Connecticut to ship fresh produce and other farm products to local households through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Farmers Post takes advantage of a USPS programme called Connect Local that allows small businesses to offer same-day and next-day delivery at a fixed low cost.
Food remains in the fields because either market prices are too low or the cost of the workforce is too high, or because the size and shape of the produce make it unattractive to stores. Each year, around 10 million tons of crops never get harvested, causing about 16% of total US food loss and waste.
“Food that is wasted has a much larger influence than just the loss of the food itself,” says Julia Kurnik, senior director of Innovation Start-ups at WWF. “Everything that went into growing it goes out the window as well—the water, the land, and the energy. And as the food breaks down, it produces greenhouse gases. The bad effects amplify greatly.”
Besides reducing food waste, selling farm products directly to local customers cuts down on the cross-country shipping of food grown in California or elsewhere. This reduces the so-called food miles that researchers believe cause about 6% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Fruits and vegetables, which are often transported out of season and require refrigeration, produce lots of greenhouse gases between farms and people’s plates.
Wood understands that Farmers Post can help to end that waste. “Farming is kind of like cooking for a big group.” he says. “This is helping us get right on the money, using almost 100% of what we grow and harvest.”
1. Why was Farmers Post started?A.To provide professional modern farming methods. |
B.To create more delivery jobs for local people |
C.To pick up and carry customers to different farms. |
D.To make the delivery of produce easier and cheaper. |
A.The limited need for farm products. | B.The shortage of workers and harvesting tool. |
C.Their low value and poor quality. | D.Bad weather and road conditions. |
A.Increase. | B.Slow. | C.Switch. | D.Weaken. |
A.The Food Safety Movement Has Met Some Challenges |
B.A Farm-to-Table Programme Helps Reduce Food Waste |
C.Farmers Post Explores Ways to Make High-Quality Products |
D.Small Farms Play a Leading Role in Serving Communities |
10 . The Sequoia National Park in California’s southern Sierra Nevada mountains is best known for the Giant Forest, a collection of 2,000 trees that includes half of the Earth’s largest and longest-living trees. This past weekend, the ancient wonders came dangerously close to being burned by the KNP Complex Fire. But thanks to resourceful firefighters, the precious treasure has been saved.
The firefighters had taken the standard measures of clearing brush and setting controlled fires long before the fire began heading toward the Giant Forest. But they knew more needed to be done. On September 17, 2021, they took the unusual step of covering the base of some of the oldest trees with protective aluminum “blankets”. High on the list was General Sherman, the world’s largest tree by volume. The park officials believed the specialized foil(锡纸)would help block some of the heat from the fires and enhance the natural insulation(隔热)provided by the ancient trees’ thick bark. They were right!
On Sunday, September 19, 2021, the officials reported that the extra prevention measures, which also included 24-hour timed sprinklers(洒水装置)on General Sherman and the nearby park buildings, had worked. Jack Owen, a spokesman for the KNP Complex Fire Information Office, said, “There are no trees that have been burned yet, as far as in the Giant Forest. Firefighters are pouring everything they can into it as long as it’s safe. That area is looking good.”
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the rest of the national park. The KNP Complex Fire has burned through 21,777 acres. Meanwhile, the Windy Fire, which started further south on the Sierra slopes on the same night, has burned over21, 598 acres. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and allow firefighters to gain control of the massive fires, which are now beginning to threaten nearby communities.
1. What did the firefighters first do to protect the Giant Forest from fire?A.Cover it with specialized foil. |
B.Put it on the list of protective steps. |
C.Set up a fire prevention belt around it. |
D.find out the features of the complex fire. |
A.To stop some heat from the fire from developing. |
B.To stop the fire from spreading. |
C.To keep tree roots from losing water. |
D.To test the survival ability of the trees. |
A.Firefighters are ready to leave the area. |
B.General Sherman is relatively safe. |
C.Nearby buildings have been abandoned. |
D.Some trees in the Giant Forest have been cut down. |
A.Worried. | B.Optimistic. | C.Discouraged. | D.Unconcerned. |