1 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court (最高法院). O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1. What is Jane Addams famous for in history?| A．Her social work. | B．Her teaching skills. |
| C．Her efforts to win a prize. | D．Her community background. |
| A．Not having training in law. | B．Her little work experience in court. |
| C．Her identity as a woman. | D．Her poor financial conditions. |
| A．Jane Addams. | B．Rachel Carson. |
| C．Sandra Day O’Connor. | D．Rosa Parks. |
| A．They are highly educated. | B．They are truly creative. |
| C．They are pioneers. | D．They are peace-lovers. |
2 . Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn't mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or another, you'll have to stand up and say—problems, I don't want you in my life.
But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.
Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help.
Write your problems.
Don't lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don't lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family…you should still have faith.
Your problems aren't the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there are another one million people whose problems are huger than yours.
Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.
| A．Of course, we've been fighting troubles ever since we were born. |
| B．When we have a problem, a pressing, critical, urgent, life-threatening problem, how do we try and solve it？ |
| C．Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don't want a real person to talk with. |
| D．But the truth is that when you talk about it, you're setting free the negative energies that have been gathering within you. |
| E．We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack. |
| F．Tell yourself：when they can deal with them, why can't I？ |
| G．With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lose. |
3 . Since apps like Uber and Lyft came on the scene, ridesharing services have dramatically changed the way people get around. A new study out of Columbia University reveals a downside of these services. It turns out that ridesharing trips cause an increase in the number of accidents involving motorists and pedestrians at pick-up and drop-off locations.
Previous studies on the relationship between ridesharing services and vehicle crashes compare cities where ridesharing services are available with cities where they are not, and this makes results somewhat ambiguous. In this study researchers analyze individual trips to make the picture a little clearer.
Researchers analyzed data from 372 million ridesharing trips in New York City between 2017 and 2018. Whenever a crash occurred in the city, they calculated the number of ridesharing trips that began or ended in the area at the time of the accident. They compared this with the number of trips that took place in the same location one week before and one week after the crash. Researchers did the same calculations for regular taxi rides as part of their analyses. Also, separate analyses were performed based on the type of people injured in the crash: pedestrians, motorists or cyclists.
The results of the analyses show that the rise in ridesharing trips is associated with an increase in the number of accidents involving pedestrians and motorists, but not cyclists. Furthermore, they did not find this same association between taxi trips and accidents.
“Ridesharing is changing the way we move around cities.” says first author Christopher Morrison. “It is becoming clear that the technology reduces alcohol-related crashes, but these benefits do not seem to extend to the overall number of crashes. These findings help explain why that might be---- because the reductions in alcohol-related crashes are offset (抵消) by increases in other types of crashes.”
Researchers hope that cities and ridesharing services will use the results of this study to take measures that might reduce the number of crashes. “In crowded areas with large numbers of rideshare pick-ups and drop-offs, cities could consider building taxi-rank style infrastructure (基础设施) to protect pedestrians and prevent crashes, ”concludes Morrison.
1. What do we know about previous studies on ridesharing services?| A．Their analysis is hardly reliable. |
| B．Their findings are rather ridiculous. |
| C．Their research method is out-of-date. |
| D．Their research sample is not wide enough. |
| A．The increase in ridesharing trips can lead to an increase in accidents between cyclists and pedestrians. |
| B．When there is a high number of ridesharing trips, there is usually an increase in the number of accidents. |
| C．Ridesharing is changing the way we move around cities. |
| D．Cyclists are always safe. |
| A．Ridesharing reduces alcohol-related crashes. |
| B．Ridesharing doesn’t increase accidents involving cyclists. |
| C．Various types of crashes increase with ridesharing services. |
| D．Overall crashes don’t decrease along with alcohol-related crashes. |
| A．Improving infrastructure to expand taxi services. |
| B．Banning ridesharing services in crowded places. |
| C．Constructing some stops for ridesharing vehicles. |
| D．Reducing the number of pick-ups and drop-offs. |
1. 微信的益处（如：增进感情；方便生活；…）
2. 微信的弊端（如：浪费时间；微信诈骗；…）
3. 你的看法
相关词汇：微信WeChat
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
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5 . After the season for giving, it is the one for throwing away. Each year in late December and early January a massive amount of plastic packaging is discarded (丢弃) worldwide. In Britain alone households generate 30% more waste, an extra 3m tonnes, in the month over Christmas. Most is destined for landfill. Lithuania will do less damage than many, though. The country now recycles at a record level. Almost three- quarters (74%) of plastic packaging waste was recycled there in 2017, the highest proportion in Europe.
Much of Lithuania' s success is due to a deposit refund scheme (方案). Customers pay €0.10 extra when buying drinks containers. After use, these can be fed into reverse vending machines (反向自动售货机) installed in shops, which spit the deposit back out. The machines’ contents are sent directly to recycling centers. By the end of 2017, 92% of all bottles and cans sold in Lithuania were being returned. The overall plastic packaging recycling rate increased by almost 20%.
The Lithuanian government says the scheme has fueled a potential love for recycling in its citizens. Nearly 90% of Lithuanians have used the machines at least once. However, Lithuanians do not generally describe themselves as eco-fighters. A 2017 survey by the European Commission found they were less likely than most other Europeans to regard environmental issues as “very important”.
The eagerness of Lithuanian recyclers may stem not from a love of the Earth but from a low net worth(资本净值). A tenth of the population live on less than €245 a month. In big cities it is common to see people scooping recyclable items out of bins to take to the machines.
Less litter and money for people who need it seems like a win-win. But it might not in fact be best for the environment in the long run. In Germany ----where a similar, widely used refund deposit scheme has been in place since 2003 --- the earnings from keeping the deposits from unreturned bottles seem to have discouraged producers from switching to more sustainable packaging.
1. What might most Lithuanian customers do under the deposit refund scheme?| A．They send their drinks containers directly to recycling centers. |
| B．They spend more on drinks than other European customers. |
| C．They return their used drinks containers. |
| D．They use vending machines to buy drinks. |
| A．Lithuania beat many countries in plastic recycling. |
| B．Lithuanians were less aware of environmental conservation. |
| C．Lithuanians made much money from recycling. |
| D．Lithuania had an unequal income distribution. |
| A．Positive. | B．Unfavorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．How and why Lithuanians recycle their trash. |
| B．How waste turns into treasure in Lithuania |
| C．Who are recycling plastic bottles in Lithuania |
| D．Where Lithuanians throw away their plastic packaging |
6 . We all need to eat, and when we go to buy food at the supermarket, we’re offered many choice. But we often buy food that’s been produced in huge amounts and that’s traveled many miles before it ends up on our plate. So for some, growing their own food is a better choice – and it tastes good too!
From growing vegetables in little pots on your balcony to taking care of a small plot of land, there are many ways to produce home-grown food. It can be backbreaking work digging, weeding and watering the soil, but the result is fresh, home-grown fruits and vegetables, helping us keep a ‘five-a-day’ diet.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic lock-down means demand for homegrown food has seen a comeback in the UK. Miriam Dobson from the University of Sheffield, told the BBC that some people have been spending a lot of their time on their plots, growing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables – which, at times, have been challenging to buy in supermarkets. She says “Coronavirus has reminded people of the weakness within our global food system. In such a difficult time, interest in self-support rises.”
But for those with limited space, a solution to grow your own vegetables lies closer to home – using pots. Sheila Brand lives in a third-floor flat in Rotterdam. She has managed to grow tomatoes and eggplants and is already harvesting raspberries. She told the BBC watching the plants grow “is very exciting: 'Oh it's got a new leaf!' ”
As well as the benefits of saving money and enjoying tasty food, growing your own from a balcony or window ledge not only improves your well-being and immediate environment, you can actually grow a lot of vegetables. So, maybe it’s time for us all to get planting and develop our green fingers!
1. A “five-a-day” diet (Para. 2) probably refers to a diet that include__________ every day.| A．Five meals | B．Enough fruits and vegetables |
| C．Five kinds of rice | D．Plenty of water |
| A．It’s more interesting, cheap and delicious. |
| B．our global food system is doing harm to us. |
| C．It saves the time and money on transportation. |
| D．it can be hard to buy fresh food during the pandemic. |
| A．In a pot. | B．On a plate. | C．In a garden. | D．On the roof. |
| A．Growing your own food can do good to your health. |
| B．Growing your own food can make your fingers green. |
| C．Growing your own food can improve your gardening skills. |
| D．Growing your own food can bring your family more happiness. |
In the past a gentleman would offer his seat to a lady on a
8 . After finishing my teaching for a school year, I thought that I should go back to Montreal, Quebec, my hometown for a visit. My main goal was to relax in preparation for the challenges of my retirement in the coming year.
Through my stay in Montreal, I met lots of Chinese who were struggling to succeed and then led a better life in Canada.
Some travelled thousands of miles to get knowledge. When I spoke with some of them about the major barrier they had to face after they arrived in Canada, they all talked about the two official languages of Canada. But I was impressed by their ability to express their ideas while they switched between English and French.
Almost all of those people said they often felt homesick. They missed their families and friends. Though Montreal had lots of Chinese restaurants, they longed for a home-cooked meal.
I met some tourists who were trying to realize their childhood dreams of experiencing the life in a developed country. When I asked them if Montreal had lived up to their expectations, they hesitated. They said that reality never agrees with fantasies. However, they were glad to have the opportunity to visit Montreal and didn’t regret taking the trip.
Not all the Chinese people I met were happy. I once met a young lady who met a gentleman through the Internet. However, to her disappointment, he disappeared after he promised to marry her in Montreal.
I was served by another Chinese person who could not handle the challenges of studying in an English environment and ended up working in a restaurant with minimum pay.
Exploring different parts of the world, without any doubt, is an amazing experience. However, one should be realistic when it comes to leaving his hometown to set up a new life in a foreign country. One should take the time to examine the advantages and the shortcomings of the venture before they decide to chase an uncertain dream of achieving success or leading a better life.
1. The writer went to his hometown to .| A．meet his old friends | B．prepare for his retirement life |
| C．go on with his teaching | D．study a new language |
| A．food | B．homesickness |
| C．income | D．language |
| A．worried | B．cautious |
| C．neutral | D．positive |
| A．Struggling for a Better Life in Canada. |
| B．Exploring Different Parts of Canada. |
| C．Improving Life Skills in Canada. |
| D．Going to Canada—Your Ideal Destination. |
9 . Exploration is about how we experience the geography. A geography education without actively learning how to explore places is as frustrating as teaching music lessons without sound. Besides that, exploration has the potential to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things we humans will ever do. It can be good for developing problem-solving, teamwork, social and other vital skills. Therefore, we should be given the opportunities to learn properly how to do it.
The sad reality is that millions of children are socially and geographically deprived(剥夺) of the opportunities. Their learning environments lack the diversity of places and experience-based opportunities that they need to develop well and as a result, they will not reach their full potential.
There is plenty of research showing that many children have little time and space to explore, play and learn outdoors. Perhaps most shockingly, Dirt is Good conducted a survey which found that three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prisoners, that the amount of time children spend playing in natural places has decreased and that a fifth of children do not play outside on an average day.
There are a large number of good and complex reasons why parents do not let their children play (and so learn) outdoors and not overcoming these barriers comes with its own risks. Changing the parenting cultures that are overly limiting many children’s freedom will potentially need efforts of generation after generation.
Partially as a response to this situation, an increasing number of doctors are providing social prescriptions(处方). Instead of being offered medicine for mental or physical illness, young patients are being prescribed time with nature, volunteering, doing sports or some other activities instead.
Teachers are, in many ways, in a better position to provide time and space for children to benefit from experiences that help them not only to learn, but also to be well. Teachers can spare both formal and informal time and space for exploration that helps not only children who are ill, but also those who are well.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．The way to reach full potential. |
| B．The methods of doing exploration. |
| C．The different attitudes to exploration. |
| D．The importance of doing exploration. |
| A．Prisoners in the UK are treated very well. |
| B．Children are badly in need of outdoor time. |
| C．Children are becoming less outgoing nowadays. |
| D．There aren’t enough natural places in many countries. |
| A．It’s interesting but tiring. |
| B．It’s complex and risky. |
| C．It’s challenging but worthwhile. |
| D．It’s troublesome and demanding. |
| A．Playing outside can promote people’s health. |
| B．Traditional medicines may have side effects. |
| C．Experienced doctors are in short supply. |
| D．Mental illness needs special treatment. |
10 . When you say the word donkey, what things come to your mind? A few people might say they’re cute, but the majority think they’re stubborn, dumb and all-round less capable than their horse relatives.
However, this wasn’t the case for a recently unearthed ancient Chinese noblewoman who was unexpectedly found buried with her donkeys. Published in the journal Antiquity in March, Chinese archaeologists (考古学家) first discovered the tomb in Xi’an, Shaanxi, in 2012. The team examined the remains and identified the body as Cui Shi, a Tang Dynasty high-born lady who died in 878 AD.
Speaking to Science Magazine in 2012, the study’s co-author, Fiona Marshall, said the finding caused confusion as “donkeys … are not associated with high-status people”.
However, following years of further research, the team discovered artworks and artifacts that showed a sport known as “Lvju”. This was similar to modern-day polo (马球) and was popular among noble (高贵的) women at the time. They preferred to use donkeys instead of full-sized horses for safety reasons, due to their smaller size and slower speed.
Speaking to CNN, Marshall later said, “Historical documents also showed that ladies of the late Tang court loved to play donkey polo.”
At that time in Chinese history, animals were often placed in tombs so that they could be used for a specific purpose in the afterlife. The study determined that Cui Shi likely requested that her beloved donkeys be buried with her, so that she could continue her favorite sport after death. In total, three donkeys were found inside her tomb with riding gear (装备), including stirrups (马镫). “This context provides evidence that the donkeys in her tomb were for polo, not transport,” lead author Hu Songmei of the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology told Science Magazine.
Before the study, it was believed that donkeys were only used to carry loads, but now it may be time to see them as a sign of achieving high social status(地位), well, in ancient times.
1. What do most people think of donkeys, according to the text?| A．They are as adorable(可爱的) as horses. | B．They are stubborn and not so capable. |
| C．They were necessary in ancient sports. | D．They were a sign of high social status. |
| A．She didn’t connect donkeys with nobles. |
| B．She hadn’t seen donkeys in ancient tombs before. |
| C．She didn’t expect to find donkeys in a woman’s tomb. |
| D．She didn’t understand why animals were in human tombs. |
| A．Horses were preferred in Lvju. |
| B．Lvju was similar to modern-day soccer. |
| C．Lvju was popular among common people. |
| D．Donkeys were preferred in the sport for safety. |
| A．she intended to use them for transport after death |
| B．her family didn’t want her to be lonely after death |
| C．she wanted to continue to play Lvju after death |
| D．noble women needed donkeys to maintain their dignity |
