1 . You’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source (来源) of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part of Von Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate (说明) a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped (倾倒) from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
1. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?| A．Beautifying the city he lives in. | B．Introducing eco-friendly products. |
| C．Drawing public attention to plastic waste. | D．Reducing garbage on the beach. |
| A．To show the difficulty of their recycling. |
| B．To explain why they are useful. |
| C．To voice his views on modern art. |
| D．To find a substitute for them. |
| A．Calming. | B．Disturbing. |
| C．Refreshing. | D．Challenging. |
| A．Artists’ Opinions on Plastic Safety |
| B．Media Interest in Contemporary Art |
| C．Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies |
| D．Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures |
2 . When almost everyone has a mobile phone, why are more than half of Australian homes still paying for a landline (座机)?
These days you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Australia over the age of 15 who doesn’t own a mobile phone. In fact plenty of younger kids have one in their pocket. Practically everyone can make and receive calls anywhere, anytime.
Still, 55 percent of Australians have a landline phone at home and only just over a quarter (29%) rely only on their smartphones according to a survey (调查). Of those Australians who still have a landline, a third concede that it’s not really necessary and they’re keeping it as a security blanket — 19 percent say they never use it while a further 13 percent keep it in case of emergencies. I think my home falls into that category.
More than half of Australian homes are still choosing to stick with their home phone. Age is naturally a factor (因素)— only 58 percent of Generation Ys still use landlines now and then, compared to 84 percent of Baby Boomers who’ve perhaps had the same home number for 50 years. Age isn’t the only factor; I’d say it’s also to do with the makeup of your household.
Generation Xers with young families, like my wife and I, can still find it convenient to have a home phone rather than providing a mobile phone for every family member. That said, to be honest the only people who ever ring our home phone are our Baby Boomers parents, to the point where we play a game and guess who is calling before we pick up the phone (using Caller ID would take the fun out of it).
How attached are you to your landline? How long until they go the way of gas street lamps and morning milk deliveries?
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about mobile phones?| A．Their target users. | B．Their wide popularity. |
| C．Their major functions. | D．Their complex design. |
| A．Admit. | B．Argue. |
| C．Remember. | D．Remark. |
| A．They like smartphone games. | B．They enjoy guessing callers’ identity. |
| C．They keep using landline phones. | D．They are attached to their family. |
| A．It remains a family necessity. |
| B．It will fall out of use some day. |
| C．It may increase daily expenses. |
| D．It is as important as the gas light. |
3 . This week the bosses of seven large drug (药) firms (companies) were gathered together before the U.S. Congress to answer pointed questions about the cost of their medicines. The meetings come amid rising anger about unreasonable prices of their drugs. New laws are threatened. Concerns about the affordability of medicines are not only happening in America, they are also global.
Too rarely (not very often) raised in this discussion is one promising area where pill makers and governments alike could do more to fight diseases while also saving money. Drugs can be “repurposed”. That is, existing drugs can sometimes be used to treat diseases other than the ones for which they were first designed. This can be a cheaper way to develop new treatments. It could also help answer another criticism often thrown at drug firms: they do not invest enough in areas where the medical need is great but financial (economic) returns are unattractive. For 7,000 rare genetic conditions, only around 400 drugs have come out. Last year saw a record number of new drugs approved. The 59 new arrivals are welcome, but barely scratch the surface unmet needs.
Given the untapped potential in the 9,000 generic drugs, i.e. those which no longer have patent (专利) protection, found in America alone, this could be just the beginning. One charity says it has found evidence of anti-cancer activity in almost 260 drugs that treat other conditions. An expert supposes that one in five existing cancer drugs might be effective against other cancers. Big data makes it easier to identify promising leads.
For all its promise, however, repurposing is underfunded. Once a drug has lost its patent protection, it is difficult for a drug firm to attract the investment needed to test and relabel it for a new purpose. A doctor can prescribe a pill for “off label” uses without such trials. But patients may not trust a drug that is not approved for their condition; doctors may worry about being charged. Currently, only firms with permission to market a generic (无商标的) drug can get it relabelled. This means that repurposing charities are not able to work with regulators to speed up the arrival of new cures. They should be. They also deserve more of the public funding used to develop drugs.
1. What happened to the seven large drug firms?| A．They were facing the risk of closedown. | B．They were angered by the U.S. Congress. |
| C．They were under fire due to high drug prices. | D．They were forced to produce more new drugs. |
| A．Many drugs can be repurposed. | B．New drugs are in high demand. |
| C．Many new treatments are in doubt. | D．Types of rare diseases are increasing. |
| A．Financial issues. | B．Technical problems. | C．Safety controls. | D．Marketing strategies. |
| A．The significance of drugs firms | B．Changes in drug patent laws |
| C．The future of generic drugs | D．Old drugs in new bottles |
4 . Over the centuries the French have lost a number of famous battles with the British. However, they’ve always felt superior in the kitchen. France has had a reputation for cooking excellence for centuries, and Britain for some of the worst cooking in the world. But according to a recent survey, that reputation may no longer reflect reality.
In the survey, 71% of the Britons said they cook at home every day, while only 59% of the French said they cook daily. British home cooks spend more time cooking each week and also produce a greater variety of dishes than French home cooks.
The reaction in London was predictably enthusiastic. British food has greatly improved since the 1990s.Once upon a time, the menu for many family meals would have been roast beef, potatoes and over- cooked vegetables, but not now. Home cooks are experimenting with the huge range of ingredients now available in British supermarkets and are preparing all kinds of new dishes, using the cookbooks that sell millions of copies every year. As a result, there’s much more diversity in British food now, compared to French food, which tends to be very traditional.
Some French people say that the survey did not show the whole picture. They agree that during the week French women don’t cook as much as they used to because most of them work and don’t have much time. They tend to buy ready-made or frozen dishes, but many of them make up for it on the weekend. There’s also a difference between Paris and the countryside. It’s true that people in Paris don’t cook much, but elsewhere, cooking is still at the heart of daily life.
For many French people, opinions about British food have not changed. When Bernard Berthe food editor at a magazine, was asked about British food, he replied: “I don’t go out of my way to try it. It is not very refined. You can say that I’m not a fan at all.”
1. According to the passage, nowadays British people ________.| A．cook less at home than the French every day |
| B．no longer eat roast beef and over-cooked vegetables |
| C．are more willing to try cooking all kinds of new foods |
| D．buy more cookbooks than French people do |
| A．French women cook less often now. | B．The French prefer ready-made dishes. |
| C．French women seldom cook on the weekend. | D．Cooking is at the heart of people’s life in Paris. |
| A．He would love to try it. | B．He shows no interest in it. |
| C．He considers it worse than before. | D．He considers it better than before. |
5 . LONDON——Global auction(拍卖）sales of Chinese art and antiques fell in 2019 to $ 5.7 billion, a 10 percent drop year-on-year, and the lowest level for the collecting category since 2010. The Global Chinese Art Auction market report, compiled by Artnet and the Chinese Association of Auctioneers, found this was clue to trade tensions between the United States and China, as well as a slowdown of GDP in China.
The report, now in its eighth edition, noted that the value of total auction sales within the Chinese mainland declined by 10 percent in 2019 to $ 3.7 billion, the lowest total since 2010. Outside China, there was also a 9 percent drop in sales of Chinese art and antiques.
“The combination of such slowdowns resulted in a weakening of collectors' confidence and a more cautious attitude among buyers making decisions on investing in art in 2019," said the report.
However, despite the downturn in total sales value for Chinese art and antiques in 2019, the European market showed some positive trends emerging. Significant peaks in lots offered and lots sold in Europe, combined with a strong sell through rate（卖出率）of 61 percent in 2019.
Europe accounted for 29 percent of all Chinese art and antique lots sold overseas in 2019 , according to the report, closing in on（接近）the North American market's share.
The annual report also found strong performances with 20th century and contemporary Chinese art in both the Chinese mainland and overseas, boosted by a younger generation of Chinese collectors.
The average price for the category increased in the Chinese mainland, up by 23 percent year- on-year, and overseas sales saw a nine-year high in 2019. But fine Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the largest collecting category on the Chinese mainland, did not perform as well.
According to the report this category “continued to spiral(螺旋式的）downwards, reaching its lowest point in sales since 2013”. The number of lots dropped by 10 percent year-on-year, almost half of that of 2013 and it also struggled elsewhere, with the overseas total falling to a seven-year low.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．The result of a weakening of collectors' confidence in buying art. |
| B．The advantage of buyers' making decisions on investing in art. |
| C．The advantage of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
| D．The result of the decline of the value of total auction sales. |
| A．Their standards were not so high. |
| B．Their prices were not so satisfying. |
| C．They are the largest collecting category. |
| D．The average price for the category rose sharply. |
| A．Took up. | B．Took off. |
| C．Took away. | D．Took on. |
| A．A Slowdown of GDP in China in 2019 |
| B．A Report on the Global Chinese Art Auction Market |
| C．Trade Tensions Between the United States and China |
| D．Global Auction Sales of Chinese Antiques and Art Fall to a 10-year Low |
1. When do the club members meet?
| A．On Monday, Tuesday and Saturday afternoons. |
| B．On Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. |
| C．On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. |
| A．Perform their own music. |
| B．Enjoy the CDs they bring. |
| C．Listen to the teacher's lecture. |
| A．Any club member. | B．The music teacher. | C．The committee. |
| A．The conditions to join the music club. |
| B．A brief introduction of the music club. |
| C．The selection of the committee members. |
7 . Twenty-five years ago, most young Britons wanted a career in law, to be a doctor, or, if they were creative enough, to take up singing. But today, things stand differently.
According to a survey by Tesco Mobile, a UK company, the “dream job” of young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK is a video blogger, or “vlogger” (视频博主). The survey, carried out among 1,002 people, found that as much as 40 percent of them put vlogger as their number one choice on a list of ideal careers.
This change is undoubtedly as a result of the Internet and social media. They have made it so much easier to reach audience of the world, without having to enter a career in show business in the traditional way.
In the past, the biggest stars were trained by the Hollywood studios; now, anyone with a computer camera can become a star. Vloggers are the big stars of today because they are normal people interacting with their fans about everyday life.
However, what people see is only the bright side of being a vlogger and they fail to notice the fact that only those who are successful earn fame and fortune. For every success there are hundreds of others who never get off the starting line. There are the dreams that come true and the dreams that remain dreams forever.
Although being vloggers is popular, some young people choose to follow careers that don’t necessarily earn them fame, but allow them to make good use of the Internet to share their hobbies. Young Israeli David Leshaw, for example, runs a business called the Finishers Club. It’s an online platform for runners to keep a record of their races. His job allows him to express his enthusiasm, and is always a learning experience. And that's enough for him.
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Most young Britons choose to be vloggers as their job. |
| B．The Internet is influencing young Britons’career choice. |
| C．The Internet is taking the place of traditional studios. |
| D．Young Britons can not find jobs without the Internet. |
| A．Vloggers can earn greater fame and more money on the Internet. |
| B．There is too much competition in the traditional show business. |
| C．The Internet makes it convenient to enter show business. |
| D．Anyone with a computer will surely become a star. |
| A．Only a few vloggers can be famous and wealthy. |
| B．A vlogger can not earn fame and fortune. |
| C．People often see the bright side of being a vlogger. |
| D．Dreams will always remain dreams. |
| A．Learn from others. | B．Become an online hit. |
| C．Hold running races. | D．Combine jobs with hobbies. |
8 . The bed should be reserved as a place for sleep，but people tend to read an iPad a lot in bed before they go to sleep．
Charles Czeisler，a professor at Harvard Medical School，and his colleagues got a small group of people for an experiment．For five days in a row，the people read either a paper book or an iPad for four hours before sleep．Their sleep patterns were monitored all night．Before and after each trial period，the people took hourly blood tests to paint a day-long picture of just how much melatonin（褪黑激素）was in their blood at any given time．
When subjects read on the iPad as compared to the paper books，they reported feeling less sleepy at night and less active the following morning．People also took longer to fall asleep on the iPad nights，and the blood tests showed that their melatonin secretion（分泌）was delayed by an hour and a half．
The researchers conclude in today's journal article that gives the rise of e-readers and the increasingly widespread use of e-things among children and adolescents，more research into the"long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed．"Czeisler and colleagues go on，in the research paper，to note"Reading an iPad in bed may increase cancer risk．"
However，software has been developed that can reduce some of the blue light from the screens of phones and computers according to time of day，and there are also glasses that are made to filter（过滤）short wavelengths．While they seem like a logical solution for the nighttime tech users，it needs more research．
1. In Charles Czeisler's experiment，all the subjects were asked to ______ ．| A．sit in a row and receive the strict tests |
| B．have their sleep patterns observed all night |
| C．read a paper book and an iPad at the same time |
| D．have their blood tested per hour during the trial |
| A．feel less sleepy and tired in the day |
| B．fall asleep more easily after reading |
| C．have a lot more melatonin secretion |
| D．become less energetic the next morning |
| A．remove the blue light from your devices completely |
| B．help prevent eyes being harmed by short wavelength |
| C．weaken the harm done by doing nighttime e-reading |
| D．be used in all the e-things widely and safely |
| A．No e-reading in bed before sleep |
| B．New software for night e-readers |
| C．Wrong behaviors before bedtime |
| D．No games on iPad in bed． |
9 . Education is as important as the air everyone breathes. It is the most valuable possession a person must have.
Your educational degree is considered as a proof of your knowledge by many. If you are educated you have more chances of being heard and taken seriously. Generally, an uneducated man will find it harder to express his views and opinions owing to lack of confidence.
Moreover, education is of great help if you want to be a self-dependent person. And it benefits you in a lot of aspects in the life.
We all live in a society which has its own set spoken or unspoken rules and one of them is education. The society expects you to go to school followed by college, get a job etc.
| A．Education gives you confidence to express your voice |
| B．The more educated you are, the better choices you have |
| C．To enjoy happiness and other good things society offers |
| D．If you want to see society as a just and harmonious place |
| E．Education is a factor that contributes to the community’s peace |
| F．Educated people will get well-paid jobs based on more choices |
| G．In fact, education helps you become a useful member of society |
10 . “Are personal sad stories a must to win talent shows?” “Shouldn’t talent be judged on the basis of itself without needing a sad story of struggle to win?” These are questions Sanya Malhotra posed on a recent Facebook post.
This morning I came across this interesting post by Sanya Malhotra. She revealed that she loved dancing and dreamt of becoming an actress, but got defeated in “Dance India Dance” because her background story wasn’t sad and inspiring enough. That’s when she started doubting her artistic gift.
This really set me thinking. Why are people attracted to sob stories? Why do we always appreciate only those people who have achieved something after going through a lot of hardships? Why does the headline of a newspaper “Taxi-driver’s Son Stands First In UPSC Exam” find more readers? I think it is because most people, who are in a similar situation, find it comforting that someone has succeeded with so many hardships. I know it is really very difficult for people with financial, health, or family problems to overcome obstacles and succeed. I really feel proud of them and I am often touched and inspired by their stories.
Now come back to what Sanya has said. I think this is a talent show rather than a story-telling competition. When it comes to a competition of singing or dancing or any fine arts, all the competitors should be judged without any bias (偏见). No one should lose because they don’t have a sad story of struggle to tell. It’s very unfair. They can be given opportunities otherwise, but should not be judged because of their stories.
Maybe, the TV channels do it to attract more viewers, because the most important element of any reality show is these touching stories. But as Sanya has said, it’s unfair to those who haven't such a story and are equally talented.
1. What do we know about Sanya Malhotra?| A．She entered a talent show. | B．She won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．She had a sad story to tell. | D．She was rejected in a film. |
| A．experienced many hardships | B．is a famous actress in Indian |
| C．has a great gift for gymnastics | D．used to be confident in her artistic talent |
| A．A Millionaire Donated Money To Harvard University. |
| B．A Gifted Indian Teenager Won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．An Armless Girl Was Admitted To Harvard University. |
| D．A Freshman Paid Off Loans By Getting A Part-time Job. |
| A．Winners Should Be Determined By Public Judges |
| B．Sanya Malhotra Displayed A Great Artistic Gift |
| C．Competitors Should Not Be Judged By Sob Stories |
| D．Talent Shows Competitors Can Tell Their Stories |
