Classified Training Ⅰ分类训练一

阅读理解 + 阅读七选五

（一）

阅读理解

A

With hundreds of beaches to choose from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands， it can be hard to decide on a summer destination. Here are the best places to visit in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Ross and Smith Beach

Offering a long stretch of greenish blue-tinted waters， soft white sand， and plenty of trees for shade， Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ most impressive beach is worth a visit. With shallow waters， Ross and Smith Beach offers many underwater activities， among which spotting fishes is very common.

Radhanagar Beach

Far-famed for its white sands and clear water， Radhanagar Beach was chosen to be the best beach in Asia by Time magazine in 2004， thus， attracting millions of tourists and travelers from all across the world， all year round. If you are someone who loves fun water activities， you must visit this beach.

Havelock Beach

If you love underwater activities like scuba diving， you ought to visit this place. There are spots for licensed divers to enjoy and there are numerous places where training for amateur divers is provided. This place has a rich coral forest and the most incredible underwater life. If you love underwater snap shooting， this place is a paradise for you.

Merk Bay Beach

The surf is appealing， the sand is soft， and the sunsets are striking. Merk Bay Beach is filled with fun， so it’s not for retiring types. If you are a thrill-seeker， this is the best beach to be on. Due to the clear waters， you can easily spot tropic and colorful fishes while swimming. Many vacationists camp overnight by the beach for fun.

1. Which beach was ever considered the best in Asia by a magazine？

A. Ross and Smith Beach. B. Radhanagar Beach.

C. Havelock Beach. D. Merk Bay Beach.

2. What can Havelock Beach offer to travelers？

A. Diving training. B. Diving licenses. C. Forest camping. D. Bird spotting.

3. What are travelers advised to do on Merk Bay Beach？

A. Catch fishes. B. Camp underwater. C. Watch sunsets. D. Create sand sculpture.

B

On my granddaughter Mary’s 21st birthday， I sat with her and her expired （過期的） driver’s license on a hard wooden bench at the DMV （the Department of Motor Vehicles）， waiting for our number to be called. The broadcast system announced numbers to call ticket holders to reach the desk to take an eye test or renew a registration. I felt as though we were staying at a bingo game， waiting for the winning number to be called so we could jump up and collect the prize.

And on that bench， I had a thought： The seemingly ordinary events I’ve shared with my granddaughter were both my adventures and my rewards for just showing up. I grew up in an immigrant family in the suburb of Boston. A vacation for us was a bus trip to Central Square， with shopping bags filled with delicious foods followed by the muddy sand sucking our toes.

I looked forward to these small outings. It sounded boring to seek out the simple pleasures， but it was not. I traveled to remote islands， to Europe， and to many of America’s cities. Those trips were refreshing， but they were breaks. I prefer the mainstream of the ordinary.

I like the day trips. But the most wonderful time was when Mary and I stayed in the reading room. We talked about her homework， and played the roles of two thinkers discussing the Enlightenment （啟蒙运动）. We had our private book club， reading A Prayer for Owen Meany and copying the voice of the main character.

All of these ordinary moments are more valuable than the time it will take to travel around the world. Many people love adventures， like skydiving or climbing Mount Qomolangma. But that is not who I am. I don’t need those adventure experiences. In the end， it turns out that just showing up is enough for me.

4. What was the author doing at the DMV according to Paragraph 1？

A. Staying with Mary to renew a license. B. Preparing to take a driving exam.

C. Playing a bingo game with Mary. D. Celebrating Mary’s 21st birthday.

5. Why does the author mention her childhood？

A. To show her identity as an immigrant. B. To show her simple pleasures as a kid.

C. To express her enthusiasm for traveling. D. To make a comparison with her life afterward.

6. What can we infer about the author from Paragraph 4？

A. She was fond of reading by herself. B. She served as the best teacher for Mary.

C. She had a good relationship with Mary. D. She was a great thinker.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Unforgettable Experience at DMV B. My Pleasant Childhood Memories

C. My Life with My Granddaughter D. Happiness from Ordinary Events

C

A project in Kenya is using biogas technology to attack two major pollution problems with one device： a machine that changes waste such as invasive water hyacinth （水葫芦） into cleaner cooking fuel.

The project from Biogas International， a Kenyan energy technology company， has so far provided 50 of the Flexi Biogas devices to homes in the city of Kisumu in western Kenya. The main device is called a digester （蒸煮器） because it breaks down plant waste to produce gas. The digesters will permit families to stop using wood or coal， both of which produce dangerous smoke. Tony Otieno used the gas from a digester to cook. He said， “The gas has no smoke， does not smell， and it is much faster than the jiko， a stove （炉子） that uses wood coal.”

Some of the families received a gas stove as part of the project. The machines process plant waste such as water hyacinth. That plan has covered large parts of Lake Victoria. The weed-like plant harms living things in the lake including fish. The plant also helps bacteria and mosquitoes increase， causing health risks to local communities.

Dominic Wanjihia Kahumbu， head of Biogas International， said that at a cost of $650， most families in the city don’t have enough money to buy the device. Although the technology can be on a small or large scale， he said， each system costs a lot to make. As a result， it is unlikely that the company will make a profit for at least another five years. He said the company needs new investment.

Two larger versions of the equipment are still in the testing stage. They would produce clean fuel on a larger scale for restaurants， chicken farms and fish drying facilities in the area.

8. What do the two major pollution problems refer to？

A. Bacteria and mosquitoes. B. Plant waste and fuel pollution.

C. Biogas and water hyacinth. D. Jiko and dangerous smoke.

9. Which of the following can best describe the device？

A. Large. B. Cheap. C. Durable. D. Environment-friendly.

10. What can we learn about the water hyacinth from the text？

A. It helps fish increase. B. It has covered Kenya.

C. It is a threat to the local people. D. It leads to the invention of the digester.

11. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us about the device？

A. Its kinds. B. Its disadvantages. C. Its future. D. Its function.

D

Kristina Gligoric at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and her colleagues tracked food purchases made at a university campus using smart cards. The team tracked the eating habits of 39，000 students and staff. On average， people’s purchases were tracked for 578 days and they visited shops， cafes， restaurants and vending machines 188 times.

Of the 39，000 users， 830 people were identified as “matched pairs” of strangers after their purchases were monitored for a year and found to be similar. Their food purchases then deviated as they respectively began to eat with different friends.

The matched pairs’ purchases were monitored to see how they changed before and after they began eating socially， and measured by calculating when and where purchases were made. The researchers discovered that if a new friend eats pizza， the tracked person is more likely to eat pizza.

In comparison to the other person in their matched pair， people whose eating companions ate more unhealthy foods were more likely to buy one extra soft drink and 0.5 additional pizzas in the six months after they buddied up. Similarly， people who made friends with healthy eaters bought on average an extra 5.71 healthy items and 1.13 fewer unhealthy options over six months.

The study is an important addition to nutritional research， says Zeinab Mulla at Imperial College London. While plenty of research exists about social influences on diet， it’s often self-reported data or based on small laboratory exercises. “Digital tracing is where we’re trying to take the field of dietary assessment，” she says.

However， the study didn’t account for one key element of the student diet： the lunch students bring to campus. “We don’t know what people cook at home and bring to campus，” says Gligoric， who hopes to incorporate （包含） that in future studies.

12. What aspect of the study is mainly described in Paragraph 1？

A. The purpose. B. The process. C. The background. D. The participants.

13. What does the underlined word “deviated” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Stopped. B. Declined. C. Varied. D. Spread.

14. What did the researchers find in their study？

A. People generally prefer healthy eating.

B. People tend to make friends with healthy eaters.

C. People usually learn from those preferring healthy food.

D. People pick items similar to the person they’re eating with.

15. What was ignored in the study？

A. The cooking skills. B. The packed lunch.

C. The food in school. D. Seasonal variation.

閱读七选五

Youth is a relatively brief but vital period in one’s life. During this time， habits and interests that will continue for the rest of your life are formed and developed.______16______

It’s a time to begin the process of self-reliance and self-motivation. Sure， you might have parents and friends to help you.______17______It builds your character and makes you independent. No one can force you to get good grades or get a perfect job—those responsibilities are yours alone. Only you can be the author of your own life.

______18______Train yourself to be strong. Tell yourself that you can summon （振作） the will to overcome whatever difficulties come your way. Anything worth doing isn’t easy—it’s best to learn that lesson early. In the end， conquering a difficult task is always worth it， and you can thank perseverance for guiding you there.

Work hard. There’s nothing better than relaxing at the end of a long day， knowing that you did all you could do for yourself， your family and friends， and your community. Be a person that others admire.______19______The process of working hard will teach you valuable lessons along the way; most importantly， it will teach you that failure is unavoidable but isn’t something you should ever allow to hold you back. Change your strategy and try again.

Following these principles will surely bring success in school， work and life in general.______20______Be self-reliant， persevere through hard times and always work hard to achieve your dreams.

A. Learn from failures.

B. But you must rely on yourself.

C. When times get tough， hold on.

D. So it’s important to get off to a good start.

E. Do the work that others won’t and never complain.

F. And you can turn to your parents and friends for help.

G. Listen to the spirit of youth inside you and follow your heart.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（二）

閱读理解

A

You can find hundreds of free comedy movies online， saving you money， as well as the trouble of going out to visit a movie theater.

Hulu’s Free Comedy Movies

Hulu has the best selection of free comedy movies that you can watch online right now. You can look through newly added comedies or the most popular ones from today， this week， this month， or all time. Hulu also has a huge collection of funny free TV shows and movies available but you’ll have to watch advertisements placed like commercials throughout the shows or movies you are viewing.

Free Comedies at Popcornflix

Popcornflix is a legal website where you can watch full-length streaming movies in both the US and Canada. You’ll see lots of actors and actresses you’ll recognize here in some movies you’ve heard of and some you haven’t. You don’t need to register， so you’ll be enjoying your chosen movie or TV show in seconds. However， this video streaming service is ad-supported， so you will have to sit through a few commercial breaks during your movie.

Free Comedy Movies at Tubi TV

Thousands of free movies and TV shows are available through Tubi TV， and they can all be viewed on a number of mobile devices in addition to a computer. There’s also a whole section at Tubi TV that’s just for comedy videos. Some movies require you to log in to view them， but registration is free and only takes a few moments.

Classic Cinema Online’s Comedies

Dozens of free classic comedies are available from Classic Cinema Online. What really makes Classic Cinema Online unique from the rest is its rather large selection of silent films. While there’re only a large handful of movies at Classic Cinema Online， if you love classic and silent movies， you really need to check it out.

1. What does Hulu’s Free Comedy Movies offer besides comedies？

A. Free books. B. Funny free TV shows.

C. Science fiction. D. Action movies.

2. What can we learn about Free Comedies at Popcornflix？

A. No registration is required. B. Its movies are quite popular.

C. It has a whole section of comedy videos. D. Its movies can be watched anywhere.

3. What makes Classic Cinema Online’s Comedies stand out from the rest？

A. Dozens of free classic comedies. B. A large selection of silent films.

C. Rather fine video quality. D. The best selection of classic movies.

B

After spending eight years living in Dublin， Ireland， I moved back to the US. I knew that moving back would mean some sort of reverse （逆向的） culture shock. While I expected the big changes—like less paid time off—it was the little things that really stuck out.

Sure， there’re great supermarkets in Europe， but without a car， I rarely made it to one and instead stuck to shopping at small grocery stores near my house. When I moved back to the US， I was surprised by the variety of foods in supermarkets. The whole shopping process took longer because I had so many choices.

The first house I rented in Ireland had three bedrooms and one tiny fridge. It took a while to get used to sharing a mini-fridge with four roommates. Soon I learned that this was fairly standard in most homes. It didn’t take long to actually prefer the smaller fridge. This encouraged less waste and more frequent shopping for fresh foods. When I first moved back to the US， I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had my very own giant “American” fridge all to myself.

It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to visit other countries in Europe， thanks to budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet. The freedom of movement for citizens of the European Union meant that I ended up having friends from all over the continent. While there’re flight deals in America， the budget options are limited. Most of my quick trips now are within the US. Though staying in the same country is a change， it has been interesting getting to explore new states.

And just to make it clear： This is only based on my own experience living in Dublin and then moving back to New York City. Europe is a big place， and it would be impossible to make sweeping statements about a whole continent.

. 4. Eight years ago the author

A. was stuck in a low-paid job B. moved away from New York City

C. experienced reverse culture shock D. realized the great influence of little things

5. Why did the author shop at grocery stores while living in Europe？

A. They are within walking distance. B. It took less time.

C. The foods are cheaper. D. They provided various foods.

6. What does the author think of the using of a small fridge？

A. It’s inconvenient. B. It’s a waste of money.

C. It’s an American way of life. D. It’s environmentally friendly.

7. What did the author use to do when she lived in Dublin？

A. Seek inexpensive trips to America. B. Visit other European countries by air.

C. Make the best of limited budget options. D. Explore different states in the same country.

C

For as much as 8，000 years before European contact， the San Juan Islands were inhabited by the Northern Straits Salish people and other native people seasonally， preserving food in summer for winters spent elsewhere. All were drawn to the islands by the rich abundance of food and materials found here.

In the mid-1800s， a company came to the San Juan following its many international trade routes. One employee， known as “Friday”， settled alone in the area of what is now the town of Friday Harbor. This caused many to refer to the place as “Friday’s Harbor”.

By 1900， Friday Harbor had a population of only three or four hundred residents. Road and telephone networks linked the town to the rest of the island. The community was growing and many public facilities were added. What these buildings had in common was simplicity of design. They were attractive and functional， but without complex decoration. Typically， both residential and commercial buildings were built with local wood. Money was so little that it couldn’t be used for the unnecessary， and so most buildings were painted white， more for functional protection against rot， than for decoration. The town wore a pinched look until the late 1960s， when tourism， retirement， real estate （房地產）， construction， the arts and a variety of cottage industries began to take hold. Today， the town is again busy and prosperous. Over 6，000 people live in the town.

Though the traditional industries have all but disappeared， there are still many visible reminders of the pioneer era—100-year-old orchards， kitchen gardens， turn-of-the-century wooden buildings and companionable roof lines—all acquaint islanders and visitors alike with Friday Harbor’s spirited early days.

8. Where is the name of Friday’s Harbor from？

A. The name of a company. B. An international trade route.

C. The first resident of the town. D. The day when it was discovered.

9. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us about Friday Harbor？

A. Its future. B. Its tourism. C. Its population. D. Its development.

. 10. The underlined word “pinched” in Paragraph 3 suggests the town used to be

A. clean and attractive B. messy and poor

C. crowded D. developed

11. What attracts visitors to Friday Harbor？

A. The unique historic site. B. The busy but wealthy life.

C. The rich abundance of food. D. The comfortable community.

D

You try to keep your eyes wide open while watching a basketball match or a wonderful firework show in case you might miss something exciting in just the blink （眨眼） of an eye. But in fact， humans blink about 15 times per minute on average. Have you ever missed anything because you blinked？ Probably not. Why is that？

According to a study published in the journal Current Biology， our brain has the ability to skip the temporary darkness when we blink. It can keep visual information for a short period of time and then put it together to form an image without interruption.

In order to understand how this works， a group of scientists at the German Primate Center and the University Medical Center Göttingen in Germany conducted an experiment. In the study， the participants were asked to look at patterns on a screen whose direction could be interpreted in different ways， such as horizontally or vertically. When one pattern was about to disappear and the next one was about to come， the participants had to indicate the direction that the next pattern would appear.

The researchers found that when the directions of two patterns didn’t match， the area in our brain which is responsible for visual memory was activated （激活）. This same area showed less activity when two patterns were in the same direction.

“The medial prefrontal cortex （前額叶皮层） adjusts current visual information with previously obtained information， and thus enables us to perceive the world with more stability， even when we briefly close our eyes to blink，” Caspar Schwiedrzik explained in Science Daily. He is the first author of the study and also a scientist at the German Primate Center.

. 12. We don’t miss anything when blinking because our brain can

A. deal with the missing image B. remember what we see

C. imagine what our eyes miss D. put our pieces of memory together

13. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. Our brain. B. Visual information.

C. A period of time. D. The temporary darkness.

14. What do we know about the experiment？

A. The two patterns appear at the same time.

B. Participants can interpret patterns differently.

C. The different directions activated visual memory.

D. Visual memory can be more activated by similarity.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Brain’s Activated Patterns B. The Brain’s Special Skill

C. The Brain’s Memory D. The Brain’s Functions

閱读七选五

We are all called upon to make a public speech at some point in life， but most of us don’t make it a pleasant job.______16______

So， you have to give a speech—and you are deeply terrified. You get nervous from the beginning of it， you stumble （结结巴巴） over words， and you bore your audience. Later you think， “Thank Goodness， it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I’ll never have to do that again.”

Cheer up！______17______Here are some easy-to-do steps to take the pain out of speech making. First， ask yourself the purpose of your speech. Then spend plenty of your time gathering and organizing your material. Use as many examples as possible， and use pictures， charts， and graphs if they can help you make your points more clearly.______18______Don’t talk over their heads， and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Just remember： Be well prepared. Understand your subject， your audience， and the occasion. Be brief.______19______And be yourself. Let your true personality come through in order that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.

If you follow these simple but useful steps， you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speeches. As a matter of fact， you may find the experience so enjoyable that you really want to have more of them！ You’re still not convinced yet？______20______You will get impressed by yourself.

A. Never forget your audience.

B. It doesn’t have to be that bad.

C. Give it a try and see what happens.

D. Say what you have to say and then stop.

E. Don’t say what you aren’t familiar with.

F. Take several deep breaths before you speak.

G. This article gives some advice on how to give a good speech.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（三）

閱读理解

A

Here are four fantastic experiences for you to enjoy wonderful countryside spots， breathtaking scenery and clean， fresh air. Pack your bags and get outside！

Horse-riding

Here’s a novel way of chasing the Northern Lights—on horseback， which is a back-to-nature experience hunting for the aurora borealis （北极光）. You’ll saddle up （给马备鞍） at dusk and head deeper into the wilds near the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.

GO： Three-night full-board guided trip， including two nights in a cottage and one night camping， from £965 per person. See aurorazone.com.

Mountain-biking

You can choose from guided downhill or cross-country mountain biking to road cycling and families can enjoy peaceful， slower paths and farm trails.

Extra activities include hiking， water park.

GO： Five-night B&B packages including transfers and guided biking， from £374 per person. Bike hire from around £15 a day. See wizzair.com.

Camping

Get back to basics on a campsite with none of that fancy camping. The pitches are large so you can light your own campfire at night. Walkers are in heaven here， hiking among the limestone hills filled with traditional stone walls.

Also a great destination for fishing， sailing and windsurfing on nearby Lake Semerwater.

GO： Non-electric grass tent pitches from £20 a night. Tipi already pitched from £70 a night. See pitchup.com.

Whale-watching

Scotland’s west coast， one of Europe’s best places to catch sight of whales， has launched a new whale trail. It features 30 top places offering opportunities to see the wildlife and showcases whale heritage sites.

GO： Accommodation along the trail is reasonable including B&B in a double room at Torran in Ullapool from £70 a night. See bandbullapool.co.uk.

1. How much should you pay for two days’ bike-hiring in Mountain-biking？

A. £15. B. £20. C. £30. D. £374.

2. What can you do in Camping？

A. Hunt for wild animals. B. Enjoy challenging camping.

C. Visit traditional stone walls. D. Climb an across-country mountain.

3. Where can you find coastal B&Bs？

A. At bandbullapool.co.uk. B. At aurorazone.com.

C. At wizzair.com. D. At pitchup.com.

B

Mary O’Connor and her husband Bobby Hughes had been on holiday in Letterkenny for a couple of days， when they decided they would spend the afternoon at Rathmullan Beach.

Bobby is diabetic and needs to take insulin regularly. On that morning， he had checked his blood sugar levels， which were fine. He ate breakfast without any difficulty. However， an unlucky incident happened. Mary said， “Ten minutes after we were there he just completely went down. It was just scary and it was so sudden. I think the really severe heat was a key factor， but it reflected how quickly things could change.”

A few moments later， two women noticed that and rapidly came over. One called Sara， who was also a similar patient， said， “I had a bottle of glucose gel （葡萄糖凝膠） that I kept for emergencies and I was rubbing it onto Bobby’s gums.”

Mary said， “Some young lifeguards were able to call an ambulance and another lady called Emma， who was a nurse， stopped by to help us as well. Eventually we got him into the ambulance and I started to shake from the shock of it all. A nice man， Liam McAteer， whose mom owns the pub in Rathmullan， offered to drive me to the hospital and even took me back again to get my car.” Mary said that the staff at the Letterkenny hospital were so brilliant in treating Bobby that he was able to be discharged later that day at 6：30 pm.

She was very touched by the kind strangers. Mary continued， “It is wonderful to know there are good people and we are both so grateful for all help that they gave us.”

4. Why did Mary and Bobby go to Letterkenny？

A. To see a doctor. B. To visit a friend. C. To take a holiday. D. To make a business trip.

5. What did Mary think caused Bobby’s unconsciousness？

A. The breakfast. B. The medicine. C. Tiredness. D. Heat.

6. What does the underlined phrase “be discharged” in Paragraph 4 mean？

A. Be allowed to leave hospital. B. Be operated.

C. Be checked up. D. Be looked after.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. A Medical Incident B. The Powerful Aid

C. The Unusual Couple D. An Awkward Experience

C

A team of researchers has found how to use math to study paintings to learn more about how the art developed in the Western world. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences， the group describes how they scanned thousands of paintings and then used mathematical algorithms （算法） to find commonalities among them over time.

The study of art history can serve as a channel—casting light on societal trends over time. The researchers further note that most studies of art history have been qualitatively （定性地） based， which has led to the results with prejudice. To overcome it， the researchers with this new effort looked to math to see if it might be useful in uncovering features of paintings that have been overlooked by human scholars.

The work involved digitally scanning 14，912 paintings. The data for each of the paintings was then sent through a mathematical algorithm that drew partitions on the digital images based on contrasting colors. The researchers ran the algorithm on each painting multiple times， each time creating more sections to study. For example， the first run of the algorithm might have simply created two sections on a painting—everything on land and everything in the sky. The second might have split the land into buildings in one section and farmland in another.

The researchers then ran other algorithms designed to look for patterns among the paintings. Doing so allowed them to see trends like painting styles that predominated during certain eras and long-term trends， such as the placement of the horizon （地平線）. The researchers found that over the past several hundred years， painters have been placing it increasingly higher. In the 17th century， the separation between Earth and sky dominated landscapes—those done in more modern times， in sharp contrast， have the horizon very near the top of the paintings.

8. What is the finding of the researchers？

A. A way to research paintings. B. The similarities between art and math.

C. The development of Western art. D. A scientific paper on painting and math.

9. What did the researchers expect to do with math？

A. Deepen the impression of paintings. B. Make a more objective study of paintings.

C. Uncover the features of human scholars. D. Interpret the results of painting qualitatively.

10. How were the algorithms carried out？

A. By observing buildings and farmland. B. By linking land paintings with sky paintings.

C. By sorting out the colors of the paintings. D. By analyzing the various parts of the paintings.

11. What can we learn about the location of the horizon in the painting？

A. It has varied over time. B. It stayed unchanged.

C. It is usually very near the top. D. It was placed at the bottom in the 17th century.

D

Biscayne is not very far from the lights， noise and excitement of downtown Miami. But it has a very different atmosphere from the big city. Biscayne National Park was established as a national monument in 1968. It became a national park in 1980. That year， its size also increased. The park now covers more than 70，000 hectares.

If you enjoy water， Biscayne is the park for you. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. Many kinds of animals live in these waters. Some of them are threatened or endangered. You will find the huge， gentle West Indian manatee （海牛）， the less gentle American crocodile， several kinds of sea turtles， and more than 500 species of fish.

Scientists say human history at Biscayne begins more than 10，000 years ago. However， evidence of the area’s earliest people is mostly underwater now， as water levels have risen over time. Within the last 3，000 years， people began to settle in the area. Scientists continue to learn about these people by examining the big hills of shells they left behind. The shells contain other waste， too， including early tools and housewares.

European explorers began arriving in the area in the early 1500s. They brought with them diseases like smallpox and measles. Over time， these diseases killed huge numbers of natives. Early explorers arrived in the area on ships. The reefs and rough waters made it difficult for ship captains. Biscayne’s waters contain more than 50 shipwrecks. Scuba divers （水肺潛水员） today can explore six of them.

Four ecosystems come together here， which is what makes the park so diverse. The blending ecosystems create “edge communities”. These edge communities support a huge amount of wildlife.

The underwater diversity is what attracts most people to Biscayne National Park. Many visitors come here to scuba dive in Biscayne’s clear and warm waters.

12. What do we know about Biscayne National Park in 1980？

A. It was set up as a national park at first. B. It covered more than 70，000 hectares.

C. It was well-known for a national monument. D. It became much larger.

13. What can scientists learn about by examining the shells people left behind？

A. The sea animals. B. The age of the place.

C. The time the earliest people arrived. D. The life of the earliest people.

. 14. The underlined words “edge communities” refer to the place where

A. the natives live B. four ecosystems meet

C. Europeans first arrived D. people like to scuba dive

15. What attracts tourists most to Biscayne National Park？

A. Its long history. B. Its ecosystems.

C. Its endangered animals. D. Its underwater activities.

阅读七选五

Handwriting is quickly becoming a dying art. Few businesses can run nowadays without computers.______16______Researchers from Princeton University conducted a study to demonstrate the differences between students who wrote out their notes and those who typed notes on a lecture. ______17______Participants were tested on the material 30 minutes after the lecture and again a week later. And handwriting emerged as the champion.

18______The typers had a significant edge when it came to note-taking efficiency. The typers could copy down significantly many more words than the writers， sometimes even transcribing the content of the lecture word for word.

But while more of the lecture’s content was retained （保留） on paper when typing， it wasn’t necessarily retained in participants’ heads.______19______On the test 30 minutes after the lecture， typers and writers did more or less equally well on questions about the basic facts of the lecture， but typers fell behind when it came to more conceptual questions.

As for the later quiz， the results were similar. Students with handwritten notes were able to remember and still understand the concepts of the lecture after a week had passed. These participants were also more open to understanding new ideas.______20______

A. The tests that the participants took proved this.

B. That is not to say that typing doesn’t have its benefits.

C. In this study， the computers were only used to take notes.

D. Generally speaking， typing also has its own disadvantages.

E. Why is there a need for improvement in your handwriting？

F. But what are we losing as handwriting loses its significance in society？

G. Clearly， writing by hand is one of the things that can make you smarter.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（四）

閱读理解

A

Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care. We consider each applicant to Harvard College as a whole person， and put enormous care into evaluating every application. We hope you will explore the information in this section to understand what we look for in our admissions process.

How to Apply

Submit your application through the Common Application， the Coalition Application， or the Universal College Application. Each is treated equally by the Admissions Committee. Complete and submit your materials as soon as possible to ensure full and timely consideration of your application. View our Application Tips for step-by-step information.

When to Apply

What We Look For

We seek promising students who will contribute to the Harvard community during their college years， and to society throughout their lives. While academic accomplishment is the basic requirement， the Admissions Committee considers many other factors—strong personal qualities， special talents or excellences of all kinds， perspectives （判斷力） formed by unusual personal circumstances， and the ability to take advantage of available resources and opportunities.

We outline everything you need to apply to Harvard.

Click https：//college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply to get detailed requirements.

1. Where can you find step-by-step information of How to Apply？

A. Common Application. B. Coalition Application.

C. Universal College Application. D. Application Tips.

2. Which is the final day for Financial Aid Application？

A. November 1. B. January 1. C. March 1. D. May 1.

3. What is the basic requirement to apply for Harvard University？

A. Academic accomplishment. B. Strong personal qualities.

C. Special talents. D. Unique perspectives.

B

When I was a kid， if someone told me that I would grow up to become a published author and founder of a youth literacy （读写能力） foundation， I would have laughed and kept walking. Even now when I see the title of my latest picture book， My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World， I shake my head， not quite believing that book has my name on it. But the truth is， this story comes from my own personal experience.

It took me a very long time to find my personal reading voice. In Valdosta， Georgia， where I grew up， my community promoted two pathways to a better life for little boys like me： being an athlete and being an entertainer. I was no different than the other kids， so I did what felt natural： Play football and overlook school. School presented challenges every day and so did football practice， but overcoming physical adversity （逆境） was on trend with my neighborhood’s culture.

Fortunately， I went to college. That’s where my reading struggles really reared their ugly head. Trips to the grocery store were stressful because there was so much reading involved in the simple act of buying food. I would misread labels and grab the wrong items. It was my inability to understand the differences in the wording on the labels that caused the mistake. I realized if I wanted to be a better version of me， I had to become a stronger reader.

I joined a book club and read every free moment I had. My journey with reading also created a desire in me to inspire others who struggle with reading. So I started a nonprofit， Share the Magic Foundation， trying to transform the lives of children living in underserved communities through literacy.

4. What does the author think of his new book？

A. It’s beyond his expectation. B. It’s helpful for youth literacy.

C. It’s full of humor and wisdom. D. It’s an exact record of his early life.

5. What was the root reason for the author’s failure to find his reading voice？

A. The influence of his community. B. His dream to be an entertainer.

C. The challenges he met in study. D. His preference for football.

6. What does the underlined phrase “reared their ugly head” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Changed. B. Concluded. C. Surfaced. D. Disappeared.

7. What words can best describe the author？

A. Reflective and warm-hearted. B. Persuasive and strong-minded.

C. Talented and creative. D. Ambitious and patient.

C

Rembrandt van Rijn’s most famous work， The Nightwatch was commanded in 1639 by Franz Banninck Cocq， the captain of Amsterdam’s civil army， and portrayed him and his 17 members. It was completed in 1642 and spent more than 70 years in the hall of the civil army it was based on.

In 1715， Dutch officials decided to move the painting to the city hall in Amsterdam’s Royal Palace. The almost 12-foot by 14-foot art work was too large to go through the doors， so the movers decided to cut the edges. The strips were never recovered. However， art historians have been aware of the missing items thanks to a smaller copy of the original scene painted by Dutch artist Gerrit Lundens.

In 2019， officials of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum decided to recreate the missing sections. The team， led by scientist， Robert Erdmann， turned to a new AI algorithm （算法）. The scientists scanned images of the original and Lundens’ painting to the computer. The AI was able to study the painting’s perspective （全景）. It also recognized the exact colors used by the Dutch master and could even copy his brushstrokes （筆画）.

The “missing” strips were printed and added to the painting. The left side included two men watching the event and a young boy running away from the army. A drummer and a barking dog were added to the painting’s right side.

“It is impressive because what Rembrandt painted was Captain Franz ordering his soldiers to march out， and that is now exactly what you see，” said Taco Dibbits. “With the addition， especially on the left and the bottom， an empty space is created in the painting where they march toward. When the painting was cut， the soldiers were in the center， but Rembrandt intended them to be off-center marching toward that empty space， and that is the genius that Rembrandt understands： you create movement， a dynamic of the troops marching toward the left of the painting.”

8. Why were some sides of The Nightwatch cut off？

A. To get it through the doorway. B. To make it easy to be displayed.

C. To place it in the hall of the civil army. D. To please the captain.

9. How can AI help reconstruct the painting？

A. By grasping the painter’s brushstrokes.

B. By changing the painting’s perspective.

C. By scanning a copy of the original painting.

D. By identifying the perspective and the exact colors.

10. What can we learn from Taco’s words？

A. The empty left of the painting is useless. B. The painting reflects an intention to move.

C. The original painting centers on the soldiers. D. Franz Banninck Cocq is a talent of painting.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. AI Brings a Painting Back to Life B. AI Helps Repair a Painting

C. AI Copies a Masterwork D. AI Creates a Painting

D

There’s a great thought experiment by the late philosopher Brian McGee. He said， “Imagine someone who’s turning 100 today， and imagine that there was someone else who turned 100 the day that person was born， and so on， back through history.” So， you can imagine all these 100-year lifespans in a chain， end-to-end. When you look at things like that， human civilization has not been around very long at all. And an individual life is extremely tiny.

Many of us go through life struggling about the various decisions we have to make. In fact， on a cosmic （宇宙的） level， the costs aren’t that high. If you’re scared about launching a creative project， you might as well do it， because it doesn’t matter much， even if it goes wrong.

Additionally， another philosopher， Iddo Landau， has pointed out that when we think of ourselves as important in planning things， it leads to problems in creating a meaningful life because we set the goal too high. It’s as if you can only count your life meaningful if you changed the course of world events or became internationally famous.

If we cut everything down to size and drop back into the reality of our situation， you’ll see that far more things than you’d thought count as meaningful ways to spend your time on Earth even ordinary things. Cooking a meal for your family—that’s meaningful. Creating things that help even a small number of people is meaningful. Making some tiny contribution to the betterment of your neighborhood—that matters.

All sorts of things you’re doing right now might be more meaningful than you realize. So， be happy as you really are using your limited time in a way that matters.

12. What message does Brian McGee’s experiment convey？

A. History repeats itself. B. A light heart lives long.

C. The world is not perfect. D. You are not such a big deal.

13. Why does the author mention Iddo Landau in Paragraph 3？

A. To present a story. B. To record the history.

C. To make a comparison. D. To support the argument.

14. What does the author advise common readers to do？

A. Live happily. B. Set high goals.

C. Do ordinary but worthy things. D. Make careful decisions.

15. What is the purpose of the author in writing the text？

A. To present an opinion. B. To report an experiment.

C. To explain a phenomenon. D. To introduce two philosophers.

閱读七选五

Since the beginning of my scientific training， I was encouraged to seek multiple mentors （导师） to help me find my way. With many efforts， I became comfortable， confident， and strategic in building my network of mentors.______16 .

Cast a wide net

If I was inspired by someone’s work， I emailed. If I loved the way they ran their lab， I emailed. If I was interested in learning more about their company， I emailed.______17 . At last， I got dozens of informational interviews that helped me in my ideal job.

______18______

I met someone who I hoped would be a future mentor—and followed up with a five-paragraph email. Their reply was simple， “I cannot respond to this. Too long.” Over the years， I learned to clearly include the what and the when—for example， a 30-minute meeting to talk about X， offering three or four specific times. A clear， concise email encourages a quick， positive response.

Consider the context

In graduate school， I asked a senior faculty member to serve as my departmental adviser.______19 . A few months later， he left the institution. I realized he was just predicting his own changing circumstances. When evaluating responses or advice， remember that everyone has their own affairs and concerns.

Come prepared

______20______. I came to every conversation with at least 10 questions， arranged in categories including shared experiences， career goals， and advice. Coming prepared helped me respect other people’s time and use these meetings wisely.

A. Get to the point

B. Here’s what I have learned

C. Prepare for negative responses

D. My one strength was preparation

E. My mentors offered many suggestions to me

F. Though a few people failed to respond， many did

G. The response was a direct “no” without any explanation， and I was left confused

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（五）

閱读理解

A

Devon is famous for its beautiful beaches and countryside， as well as being home to a whole host of dog-friendly walks， accommodation and pubs to have a refreshing drink！

Beer to Branscombe Coastal Walk

Enjoy the popular 4.5-mile circular （环形的） walk from Beer to Branscombe where you will find some of the most amazing coastal walks in the UK. Beer is located on the UNESCO World Heritage  Jurassic Coast， so you and your dog could even go hunting for bones along the way！

Before you head back， stop off in Branscombe at a beautiful 14th Century pub， The Masons Arms. This ideal rest stop is just a short walk away from Branscombe beach， which allows dogs all year round.

Seaton to Beer Cliff Walk

Beginning in the coastal town of Seaton， this 3-mile circular walk takes you along the Jurassic Coast to Beer， a beautiful fishing village.

You can enjoy a refreshing halftime beer at the dog-friendly pub， The Dolphin. After enjoying the village of Beer， it’s time to head back to Seaton where you will find The Malt House to welcome you and your dog for a well-deserved drink.

Salcombe to Snapes Point

If you’re looking for impressive views and a dramatic coastline， the 4.5-mile circular walk from Salcombe to Snapes Point is perfect.

You and your dog can finish your day at The Victoria Inn. This pub is known for its real wood fires， which create a welcoming atmosphere for the cooler months. It also has a wonderful beer garden to catch the summer sun， making it perfect all year round.

1. Where can you explore a world heritage site？

A. Beer. B. Branscombe. C. Seaton. D. Salcombe.

2. What is The Victoria Inn famous for？

A. Its cool environment. B. Its wood fires.

C. Its wonderful service. D. Its beer garden.

3. Who will be more interested in these walks？

A. Dog owners. B. Sports lovers. C. Hunters. D. Environmentalists.

B

Vida Woodhull Stabler is the director of the Omaha culture center at Omaha Nation Public Schools in Macy， Nebraska. She has been working for years to pass on the cultural knowledge of tribal （部落的） elders for future generations. But she faces a predicament： Only about a dozen Omaha tribe members speak the language fluently today.

For Kyleigh Merrick， 15， learning the Omaha language as a teen today is important but also a challenge. She goes to language classes every day， but outside of classes， there are few opportunities to speak it. Her great-grandmother uses it at home， but among her peers， only a handful will sometimes greet each other in the Omaha language. At school， only a few students are taking Omaha language classes and seem deeply interested in tribal language and culture.

Another big force that has worked against passing the native tribal language on over generations is boarding schools. The local government began sending native students to boarding schools from the 1800s to the 1960s. Students there were not allowed to express tribal culture and were taught only English.

“Our language does not have access to the same types of materials that Spanish and German do―you can walk into any libraries and find Spanish books to read，” Stabler said. “Our community has had to develop tangible （有形的） materials on our own. The first challenge is ensuring people want to learn. The second is making sure they have materials to learn from.”

At Omaha Nation Public Schools， Stabler put tribal culture into students’ everyday school experiences， like hanging up a calendar with months in English and Omaha. In biology class， for instance， kids might make traditional tribal foods.

For Stabler， the work of making sure tribal culture lives on into the next generations never stops.

4. What does the underlined part “a predicament” in Paragraph 1 probably mean？

A. A golden chance. B. A tough decision. C. A difficult situation. D. A different direction.

5. What do we know about Kyleigh Merrick？

A. She knows many Omaha speakers. B. She seldom takes language classes.

C. She can speak some tribal language. D. She can learn the Omaha language fast.

6. What do Stabler’s words in Paragraph 4 suggest？

A. Few students want to learn the language. B. Tangible materials should be provided.

C. Other language books are more interesting. D. The government has made wrong decisions.

7. What does Stabler try to do to keep the Omaha language alive？

A. Set up tribal libraries. B. Introduce tribal culture to school.

C. Persuade students to learn it. D. Encourage tribal elders to teach it.

C

Almost every morning Juliet the macaw （金剛鹦鹉） has been visiting the local zoo in Rio de Janeiro to interact with others of her kind.

Macaws are social birds， so being lonely is a tough burden to bear for Juliet， a beautiful blue-and-yellow macaw who calls Rio home. No one really knows much about her. Zoo staff named the bird Juliet， but they don’t even know if she is actually female. It’s really hard to tell， and to determine her true gender they would need to capture the bird， and either examine her gonads （生殖腺） or take blood or feather samples. And there’s really no need to put Juliet through all that stress just to satisfy human curiosity. All that everyone knows is that Juliet loves coming to the zoo every morning to be with others of her species.

Macaws have an average life expectancy of about 35 years， and Juliet has been around for at least two decades. Yet， she has never had a mate， built a nest or had chicks.

Luckily， there is hope for Rio’s loneliest bird. Through Refauna， an initiative which reintroduces species into protected areas， scientists want to raise some 20 chicks that will receive training on wild food sources， as well as enemies and power line avoidance， before being released into the wild.

The birds will be released into Rio de Janeiro’s giant Tijuca Forest National Park， where Juliet is believed to spend her nights. Scientists hope the birds will help keep balance in the local ecosystem， by breaking seeds that other birds can’t， thus spreading those seeds. But they will also become welcome company for Juliet， allowing her to fly with others of her kind for the first time in 20 years. And maybe she’ll even find love.

8. What is the most unbearable for Juliet？

A. Hunger. B. Pain. C. Interaction. D. Loneliness.

9. Why does the zoo staff give up finding out Juliet’s real gender？

A. They have difficulty catching her. B. They plan to raise visitors’ curiosity.

C. They are unable to find her gonads. D. They refuse to put her under pressure.

10. What can we learn about Juliet？

A. She has built a big nest. B. She’s no longer young.

C. She hates feeding chicks. D. She’s in love with a bird.

11. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. Benefits for other birds from Juliet. B. Problems with the current ecosystem.

C. Juliet’s need for survival in the wild. D. Expectations for Juliet’s future life.

D

Declining in the past several decades， the multigenerational household seems to find its way back in recent years. Different generations of the same family live together in one household for a whole range of reasons. The most popular belief is that multigenerational households today come about because young adults won’t fly the nest. While there is some truth in this， “adult children yet to leave home” was only the third-most-common driver （驅动因素）.

Grandparents are now moving across town to be closer or to live with their grandchildren so they can provide childcare during the day. Likewise， some people are inviting their elderly parents to live with them so they could take care of them. “Care arrangement support” was the second-most-common driver for multigenerational living.

Finance pressure in getting higher education， workforce employment and the cost of housing encourage the younger generation to delay leaving the parental home. Changes in government policies on child， aged and disability care can also have impacts on people’s decisions. This is actually the last straw which breaks them.

There are admittedly problems with multigenerational living. One of the bigger complaints about it is that not everyone helps. While adult children do help out with chores， they simply do housework for themselves， instead of being responsible for the whole family. Complaints about chores， however， pale in comparison to those about lack of privacy in the family home. This is the result of a combination of family members not respecting personal boundaries but also of many housing designs that are not suitable for multigenerational needs.

Despite the attention given by the public to this household form， little is known about it， particularly the experiences of those who choose to live in them. Whatever it is， there are pros and cons to multigenerational living， just like living alone.

12. Who don’t want to leave home in a multigenerational household？

A. Elderly parents. B. Grandparents. C. Adult children. D. Grandchildren.

13. What is the final driver for multigenerational living？

A. The education background. B. The advantages of a big family.

C. The rising concern about parenting. D. The related government policies.

14. What is the biggest problem of the multigenerational household？

A. It ruins people’s independence. B. It is a threat to the modern society.

C. It affects the privacy of family members. D. It makes people take on more financial burden.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Finding a Multigenerational Family B. Having to Live Under One Roof

C. Exploring the Generational Differences D. Keeping Traditions from Dying Out

閱读七选五

It’s regularly claimed that you’ll be more productive if you get up early. Very early. According to a 2016 Wall Street Journal article， the most successful and therefore productive people typically rise at 4 am.______16______For instance， if you’re awake while everyone else is still asleep， they won’t distract you， so you’ll be more productive.

However， the science tells a very different story.______17______An important one stems from our own biology. Sleep is crucial for our ability to function， and depriving yourself of it does more harm than good.

18______Less than that quickly has negative health effects， compromising mood， memory， stress tolerance， and more. Forcing yourself to wake at 4 am means you’re losing sleep， and will be less productive as a result.

Some people seem able to get away with it， being natural “early risers”.______19______A study by the National Sleep Foundation stated that “Individuals who habitually sleep outside the normal range may be exhibiting symptoms of serious health problems or even may be compromising their health and well-being”. Another study claims sleeping far fewer hours than average is more likely to be self-enforced than anything natural.______20______

There may be some productive advantages to waking up in the early hours. However， these can easily be canceled out by the consequences of lost sleep.

A. There’s some logic to it.

B. However， they did make it.

C. However， the admiration for them may he misplaced.

D. And it put people in a significant sleep debt， harming health.

E. A typically healthy amount of sleep for adults is around 7 to 9 hours.

F. Therefore， there is a great possibility that people will be natural early risers.

G. There are many reasons why waking up at 4 am could be actively unproductive.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（六）

閱读理解

A

ESSAY CONTEST

THEME

“A Letter from Myself in 2030”

GUIDELINES

1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old.

2. Essays must be 700 words or less. Essays should be typed or printed.

3. Entries （参赛作品） may be submitted online or by postal mail.

* IMPORTANT： To send your essay online， you must go to the organizer’s website and follow the required steps.

4. Entries submitted by postal mail must include a cover page indicating： your name， age， gender， address， e-mail， phone number， school name （if applicable）， essay title and word count.

* A cover page template （模板） is available to download on the organizer’s website. You may also create your own cover page with all items above.

5. Essays must be original and unpublished.

6. Essays must be written by one person.

DEADLINE

Entries must be received by June 15 this year.

AWARDS

1st Prize： Certificate + Prize of $1，000

2nd Prize： Certificate + Prize of $500

3rd Prize： Certificate + Gift

* 1st prize winners will be invited to the award ceremony on November 20 this year and will receive the Minister of Education Award. （Travel expenses will be covered by the organizer.）

* All prize winners will be announced on October 31 this year on the organizer’s website. Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners on December 10 this year.

1. Which of the following entries will be accepted？

A. Co-authored ones. B. Handwritten ones.

C. Those of less than 700 words. D. Those mailed without a cover page.

2. What will a 2nd prize winner get？

A. A special gift. B. A certificate and $500.

C. A ticket to the award ceremony. D. The Minister of Education Award.

3. When will the results of the contest be announced？

A. On June 15. B. On October 31. C. On November 20. D. On December 10.

B

I’m an architect. One of my services is helping clients move into new office space. Last year， a client was moving into a storefront. The space had formerly been occupied by a photography studio， which looked as if it had been abruptly abandoned.

Piled against one wall was a huge pile of photos. I gazed at one photo. A family all dressed up， smiling. They’d put on their best clothes， come here to the studio， and sat for the photos. I stood there， picturing all those smiling faces packed into a dumpster （大垃圾桶）. Two days later， after getting permission， my family drove two minivans to the abandoned studio. We loaded armful after armful of photos into the vans.

“We’ll have to put them in the basement，” my wife Dawn said when we got home. We pulled the photos into the basement. I looked up the company， a national chain. There were news stories about customers around the country losing their portraits （肖像）， calling phone numbers that no longer worked. I imagined what it would feel like to lose a treasured family portrait. I knew all about the power of small gestures to give someone a welcome shot of hope.

The kids helped me sort the photos. We made a spreadsheet of names and whatever contact information we could find， sending a group text message inviting people to set up a time to collect them. People began arriving at the house. But it was only a few people.

“Try social media，” said the kids.

I posted a message to a community board on the Internet. The phone rang and rang. E-mails poured in. Then the COVID-19 temporarily blocked our project. When lockdown eased， we restarted reuniting people with photos， returning more than 60 of the 105 photos.

4. Where did the author find the deserted photos？

A. At a friend’s home. B. At a client’s studio. C. At his former office. D. At his working place.

5. What drove the author to take the photos home？

A. His curiosity to study them. B. His eagerness to help the owners.

C. The intention to collect them for fun. D. The idea of selling them for money.

6. What might have delayed some photos’ journeys back to their owners？

A. The breakout of a disease. B. The poor mailing channel.

C. The owners’ lack of attention. D. The author’s hesitation.

7. What would the author think about the outcome of the event according to the last paragraph？

A. It’s disappointing. B. It’s imaginable. C. It’s interesting. D. It’s encouraging.

C

If you’ve ever watched Planet Earth， you know the ocean is a wild place to live. The water is full of different ecosystems and organisms varying in complexity from an erudite octopus to a sea star. Unexpectedly， it is the sea star， a simple organism characterized by a decentralized （分散的） nervous system， that offers insights into advanced adaptation to hydrodynamic forces—the forces created by water pressure and flow.

Researchers found that sea stars effectively stay attached to surfaces under extreme hydrodynamic loads by altering （改變） their shape. Sea stars create a “downforce” due to their shape. This means that instead of being lifted by the flow forces， sea stars are pushed downward toward the rock or floor surface they are on.

“Sea stars are incredibly adaptive，” said Luhar， an assistant professor. “When there is high wave activity and high water forces， sea stars will grow skinnier and take on a lower profile （姿态）. When sea stars are transported to a sheltered environment with lower hydrodynamic forces， they pop up a bit and their cross sections get bigger.”

Understanding such shape shifting could help design underwater robots that can similarly adapt to extreme hydrodynamic environments， Luhar said.

The researchers tested this understanding of sea star shape and its impact on force in the water with both computational and 3D printed models. “Right away what we noticed，” Luhar said， “is that instead of the sea stars being pulled away from the surfaces they were on， they were being pushed down—simply because of their shape.”

Luhar said the researchers saw this downforce effect as key to how the sea star—and in the future， an underwater robot—could stay attached to a sea bed or a rock as opposed to being lifted up away from it， even in the most extreme conditions.

8. What is special for a sea star according to Paragraph 1？

A. Its simple body system. B. Its great adaptation.

C. Its nervous system. D. Its physical appearance.

9. How does a sea star manage to stay where it is under extreme water flow？

A. By expanding its size. B. By changing its shape.

C. By lifting itself upward. D. By creating a sheltered environment.

10. What can scientists do by using the findings about the sea star？

A. Change the underwater conditions. B. Calculate the flow force.

C. Make advances in robot technology. D. Develop 3D printed models.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Can We Make a Robot Adaptive Underwater？ B. Are Sea Stars Extremely Advanced Creatures？

C. Can We Take Advantage of the Sea Life？ D. Are Scientists Able to Design Underwater Robots？

D

In the age of online shopping and e-readers， devoted staff and customers keep the doors of Auntie’s Bookstore open for 40 years. “When you’re in Seattle， you go to Elliott Bay. When you’re in Spokane， you go to Auntie’s，” said John Waite， the owner of the bookstore. “A lot of people can’t imagine Spokane without Auntie’s，” Waite said.

Turning visitors into regular customers is important to the store’s success. Auntie’s markets itself as a destination. A half-dozen book clubs meet there. Most weeks， the store hosts two to four author readings or literary events. “We want people to hang out and experience the feel of having a book in their hands，” Waite said.

Eager readers not only want to read books， but want to discuss them， said Kerry Halls， the store manager. Auntie’s offers them that chance， she said.

To compete with the convenience of shopping online， Auntie’s tries to predict what books will become a trend. They store these books in advance. But Waite doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of selling books in the era of Amazon and other online retailers （零售店）. “Even the big guys can’t make it，” he said， noting physical （實体的） retailers are striving nationally. As the United States’ oldest national bookstore chain， Barnes & Noble has to constantly reorganize to stop the declining sales.

At Auntie’s， regular customers are very important to its survival and development. Sales of children’s and young adults’ books are increasing in recent years， Waite said. “For a long time， older customers have kept bookstores alive，” he said. “Now， it’s starting to attract younger people.” Another reason of Auntie’s longevity （长寿） is Northwest culture， which Waite said encourages new ways of thinking and the diversity of ideas. “I think it’s a great book town，” Waite said. “People are enthusiastic about reading.”

12. What does Waite mainly want to tell us about Auntie’s in Paragraph 1？

A. It is very popular in the local area. B. It has a long history.

C. It is now an online bookstore. D. It has e-readers.

13. What is Auntie’s goal？

A. To set up a literary environment. B. To have more regular customers.

C. To increase people’s interest in reading. D. To encourage readers to know more authors.

14. What does the underlined word “striving” in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Celebrating. B. Progressing. C. Struggling. D. Compromising.

15. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. The future of Auntie’s. B. The influence of Auntie’s.

C. The major customers of Auntie’s. D. The reasons for Auntie’s longevity.

閱读七选五

Books are a banquet （盛宴） for the mind and when it comes to tasty descriptions and delicious dialogue， nothing beats sharing that wealth with a friend or lots of friends. That’s where a book exchange can make your reading life richer. The idea is pretty simple： Guests bring books to share， and the books are then redistributed to new owners.______16______These tips will get you going.

17______This may not be a wedding， but sending out a formal announcement is polite and practical. Include the date， time and duration. Include an address， a phone number and a map to the location.

Provide plenty of space. To make it easier for guests to find their way around the offerings， having one， two or even three tables set up is a good idea. Some people use one large dining table and start piling books up when they run out of space.______18______

Organize books by category. Discovering something about the people you know is part of the fun. Once you discover that Marcie likes to read romances， make sure other romance lovers in the crowd can find Marcie’s books quickly.______19______

Make it a party. If your parties usually end in a disappointing way because there isn’t much lively conversation to cheer guests up， a book exchange makes a good foundation for a get-together.______20______When you’re planning a book-exchange party， think about offering food， refreshments and a little background music.

A. Send out invitations.

B. Keep the refreshments simple.

C. The details can get complex， though.

D. You can also sort books by size and color.

E. There’s plenty to talk about when it comes to books.

F. A couple of folding tables can take care of the problem.

G. The easiest way is to label sections on the table for specific types of books.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（七）

阅读理解

A

Lost Cities That Have Been Found

The White City

In 2015， a team of explorers to Honduras in search of “the Lost City of the Monke God” led to the discovery of the White City. It is believed that the local people hid here when the Spanish conquerors （征服者） occupied their homeland in the 16th century.

Canopus and Heracleion

The Egyptian cities Canopus and Heracleion， where Queen Cleopatra often visited， weren’t found until 1992. Artifacts （手工艺品） showed that the cities once highly developed as a trade network， which helped researchers piece together more about the last queen of Egypt.

Machu Picchu

A Yale professor discovered “the Lost City in the Clouds” in 1911. A combination of palaces， plazas， temples and homes， Machu Picchu displays the Inca Empire at the height of its rule. Abandoned in the 16th century for unknown reasons， the city was hidden by the local people from the Spanish conquerors for centuries， keeping it so well-preserved.

Troy

The ancient city of Troy in Homer’s The Iliad was considered a fictional setting for his characters to run wild. But in 1871， explorations in northwestern Turkey exposed nine ancient cities layered （层叠） on top of each other， the earliest dating back to about 5，000 years before. It was later determined that the sixth or seventh layer contained the lost city of Troy and that it was actually destroyed by an earthquake， not a wooden horse.

1. Why did the local people hide in the White City in the 16th century？

A. To survive the war. B. To save the land.

C. To protect their country. D. To search for a lost city.

2. What was related to a royal family member？

A. The White City. B. Canopus and Heracleion.

C. Troy. D. Machu Picchu.

3. What can we learn about Troy？

A. It was built by Homer. B. It consisted of nine cities.

C. It had a history of 5，000 years. D. It was ruined by a natural disaster.

B

Looking at Rosa Ferrigno’s new suit， you could swear it was knitted （織） with regular yarn （毛线）. It’s only when you touch it and hear the characteristic rustling （沙沙声） of plastic that you realize there’s something special about it. In fact， the suit is made out of over 300 plastic grocery bags.

Rosa， who once worked as a tailor before starting a family， got the idea for her unique hand-made suit last August. She was at a family picnic and saw one of the other guests carrying a purse made from re-purposed plastic bags. It attracted her， so she and her daughter searched for instructions on how to make one on websites. The 75-year-old ended up making a purse from colorful plastic bags. But that was only the beginning. After finishing her second plastic bag purse， Rosa realized she needed something to match it with， so last November she told her daughter she was going to make a skirt and jacket suit out of plastic bags， as a winter project.

Rosa started by cutting up the plastic bags into strips， and then tying them together to make longer， yarn-like strips that could be knitted. But to knit the plastic yarn， she needed large needles that didn’t exist on the market so she made them on her own.

The suit took Rosa two months to complete. The jacket was made out of 170 plastic bags， and the skirt required another 140. Although she didn’t even use a pattern when knitting the impressive suit， it ended up fitting her perfectly， and when she finally showed it off at the supermarket earlier this month， everyone went crazy.

“We love it when our customers reuse or recycle grocery bags， but never have we seen a work of art like Rosa’s！ It’s really fantastic！” Jo Natale， the supermarket chain’s vice president of media relations， said.

4. What makes Rosa Ferrigno’s new suit special？

A. Its way of knitting. B. Its knitting material.

C. Its being knitted by an old lady. D. Its being able to sing when touched.

5. How did Rosa learn to make purses out of plastic bags？

A. By modelling a guest. B. By consulting her daughter.

C. By surfing the Internet. D. By asking a tailor for instructions.

6. What do Jo Natale’s words in the last paragraph suggest？

A. She thinks highly of Rosa’s behavior. B. Rosa’s work of art will become popular.

C. Customers can follow Rosa’s footsteps. D. The potential of grocery bags needs developing.

7. What can be inferred about Rosa from the text？

A. She is quite able and patient. B. She is good at matching clothes.

C. She does nothing without careful planning. D. She likes showing off her knitting.

C

Solothurn is a picturesque town in the northwest of Switzerland known primarily for its closest relation with the number eleven. It seems that everything in this place was designed around this magical number， from the fact that there are precisely eleven churches， as well as eleven historical fountains， eleven museums and eleven towers， to the unusual clock in the town square that features an eleven-hour dial and the number twelve missing.

Although nearly everyone in Solothurn knows about the town’s obsession with the number eleven， the origin of that is covered in mystery. The first mention of eleven in Solothurn’s history dates back to 1252， when eleven members were first elected for the town’s council. Another great example of Solothurn’s obsession with the number eleven is the magnificent Cathedral of St Ursus. Designed by Italian architect Gaetano Matteo Pisoni， it was built in eleven years. It features three sets of steps， each numbering eleven rows， eleven doors， eleven bells and eleven altars （祭坛）， one of which is made out of eleven different types of marble. Interestingly， the altars can be viewed at the same time from only one place in the cathedral， the eleventh black stone in the long central part.

The people of Solothurn also show an intense interest in the number eleven in their daily life. There are special celebrations held on eleventh birthdays， and there are local products and businesses that include the special number. There is “Öufi-Bier”（Beer eleven）， “eleven-i

Schokolade” （eleven-Chocolate）， and even “öufiyoga” （eleven o’clock yoga）. The mysterious relationship between Solothurn and the number has become one of the town’s primary tourist attractions， and there is even a themed tour about the number eleven.

8. What is mainly talked about Solothurn in Paragraph 1？

A. Its unique designs. B. Its cultural origin.

C. Its natural attractions. D. Its connection with nature.

9. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. The number eleven. B. The city of Solothurn.

C. Solothurn’s love for eleven. D. The history of Switzerland.

10. What is TRUE about the Cathedral of St Ursus？

A. Its steps contain 33 rows in all. B. Its doors are made out of marble.

C. It has eleven bells on each step. D. It has eleven altars in the center.

11. What do we know about the people of Solothurn in the last paragraph？

A. They attach great importance to tourism. B. They bring number eleven to daily life.

C. They lead a busy but comfortable life. D. They are expert at designing products.

D

A robot with a sense of touch may one day feel “pain”， both its own physical pain and sympathy for the pain of its human companions. Such touchy-feely robots are still far off， but advances in robotic touch-sensing are bringing that possibility closer to reality.

Sensors （傳感器） set in soft， artificial skin that can detect both a gentle touch and a painful strike have been hooked up to a robot that can then signal emotions. This artificial “pain nervous system” may be a small building block for a machine that could ultimately experience pain.

Asada， an engineer at Osaka University， and his colleagues have designed touch sensors that reliably pick up a range of touches. In a robot system named Affetto， a realistic-looking child’s head， these touch and pain signals can be converted to emotional facial expressions.

A touch-sensitive， soft material， as opposed to a rigid metal surface， allows richer interactions between a machine and the world， says neuroscientist Kingson Man of the University of Southern California. Artificial skin “allows the possibility of engagement in truly intelligent ways”.

Such a system， Asada says， might ultimately lead to robots that can recognize the pain of others， a valuable skill for robots designed to help care for people in need， the elderly， for instance.

But there is an important distinction between a robot that responds in a predictable way to a painful strike and a robot that’s able to compute （计算） an internal feeling accurately， says Damasio， a neuroscientist also at the University of Southern California. A robot with sensors that can detect touch and pain is “like having a robot， for example， that smiles when you talk to it，” Damasio says. “It’s a device for communication of the machine to a human.” While that’s an interesting development， “it’s not the same thing as a robot designed to compute some sort of internal experience，” he says.

12. What do we know about the “pain nervous system”？

A. It is named Affetto by scientists. B. It is able to signal different emotions.

C. It is a set of complicated sensors. D. It combines sensors and artificial skin.

13. What does the underlined word “converted” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Delivered. B. Translated. C. Attached. D. Adapted.

14. What does Damasio consider as an interesting development of robots？

A. They can put up with pain. B. They can compute internal feelings.

C. They can talk to human beings. D. They can detect pains and respond accordingly.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Robots Inch Closer to Feeling Pain B. Machines Become Emotional

C. Human Feelings Can Be Copied D. Artificial Skins Gain Intelligence

閱读七选五

Breaking into Travel Writing

Travel writers who immerse （沉浸） themselves in foreign settings， recording their experiences with details， transport readers to a different place. For most of us blue-collar writers， however， the travel writing is much less appealing due to the expensive trips.______16______

You don’t need to travel to write travel stories. ______17______It means you can thoroughly report on stories from around the globe in the comfort of your home office. If the core of the idea is strong， no editor is going to care whether you’ve set foot there yourself.

Everything is travel.

Almost any type of story can be viewed in terms of travel. Are you a foodie？______18______The same can be done with history， film， technology， etc. In fact， taking your special interest and applying it to travel will not only afford you a unique insider perspective （观点） on the topic， but also lend you more credibility______19______Green travel writers tend to rely on the destination as the sole source of stories. But every step—from initial trip consideration to unpacking your luggage back home—can prove fertile ground for stories. As a writer， you can mine the full timeline of the trip for material.

Focus on one or two.

One strategy to get more work is to actually narrow your focus.______20______Thus， if you can develop a specialization， you can become a favored writer in that sub-topic.

A. Plan to go to different destinations.

B. Consider every step of the journey.

C. Write about a little-known cuisine from a country.

D. You can enjoy all the delicious food when traveling.

E. Even so， breaking in is easy， as long as you pocket the following advice.

F. The travel type is a broad umbrella with hundreds of sub-topics beneath.

G. The expense budgets have been tightened， thankfully， with the rise of the Internet.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（八）

閱读理解

A

Summer Camp Job Opportunities

Pacific Science Center is hiring camp staff at multiple locations around the Great Seattle area and we want you on our team.

Spend your summer engaging children in the wonders of science！ Pacific Science Center’s camps for Curious Minds are looking for staff to help youth explore， experiment and discover. Our summer camps feature challenging classroom science projects， hands-on science exploration and traditional camp games and songs. If you have a passion for science and education， and experience working with children in grades PreK-8， this is the perfect way to spend your summer.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Summer Camp 2024 positions is March 31， 2024. Interviews will begin on January 22， 2024.

Available Positions

We are accepting applications for the following camp positions at all locations：

● Camp Site Lead ● Camp Supply Lead ● Camp Supply Assistant

● Camp Educator ● Assistant Educator ● Classroom Aide

Position Start： June through August 2024

Job Status： Full Time （40 hours per week）， Temporary

Compensation： Camp Site Lead： $17/hour， Camp Supply Lead： $17/hour， Camp Supply Assistant： $16/hour， Camp Educator： $16.50/hour， Assistant Educator： $16.25/hour， Classroom Aide： $15.75/hour

Summer Camp Locations

Camps for Curious Minds are offered at the following locations for grades PreK-8：

● Pacific Science Center in Seattle

● Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue

● St. Thomas School in Medina

● Kirkland Seventh-day Adventist School in Kirkland

● The Overlake School in Redmond

● Brighton School in Mountlake Terrace

● UW Bothell in Bothell

● Explorer West Middle School in West Seattle

We are looking for flexible and positive team players with a high level of initiative， enthusiasm and passion. We want to talk to you—apply today！

. 1. The Pacific Science Center is looking for those who

A. like camping in summer B. enjoy science and education

C. have a family with children D. have experience in adventure tourism

2. When will you go to work if admitted？

A. On January 23. B. On March 31. C. On June 1. D. On August 31.

3. What is the pay for a Camp Educator？

A. $15.75/hour. B. $16/hour. C. $16.50/hour. D. $17/hour.

B

I grew up in Algeria and as a female， I’ve had to pay an extra price throughout my scientific journey as a result. I knew studying abroad would be key to my success， so I was extremely excited when I won a scholarship to attend a British university for graduate school. But there was one condition： I needed to take an English test. I was fluent in Arabic and French， the languages spoken in Algeria， but I didn’t have a solid grasp of English. I learned it hard but didn’t score high enough to secure entrance. I had to stay in Algeria to complete a master’s degree instead. But I kept learning English on my own. Two years later， I earned a PhD scholarship to study in Switzerland.

Midway through my PhD， a professor remarked， “You are quite productive， but why don’t you publish in the regular journals in our field？” He gave a few examples of all journals dominated by researchers from the Global North. I had been publishing my papers in specialized， low-impact journals. That was counted as a great achievement in my home country. The professor’s comment heartened me to adjust my research to address issues of broader interest. By the time I graduated， I had started publishing in so-called “regular” journals， which helped me land a postdoctoral degree in Canada.

I told all this to the members of my lab， adding that they were privileged to grow up speaking English and have access to tremendous expertise and funding. Facing global inequities， I’ve started to try using a preprint server to integrate an English language proofing （校对） system into its platform， which would connect authors who need language help. We can take steps to make the global scientific community more inclusive （广泛的）. And I want to be part of that push for change.

4. Why was the author unable to go to a British university？

A. She didn’t learn English. B. She failed the English test.

C. She lacked a master’s degree. D. She missed the entrance exam.

5. What does the author think of the comment of the professor in Switzerland？

A. Confusing. B. Disappointing. C. Amusing. D. Inspiring.

6. What is the aim of the preprint server？

A. To aid those who need help with language.

B. To make the global community more inclusive.

C. To set up a platform where English authors write.

D. To establish an English language proofing system.

7. What words can best describe the author？

A. Honest and athletic. B. Humble and considerate.

C. Strong-willed and positive. D. Energetic and sympathetic.

C

While jewelry made from gold can be beautiful， most people admit that wearing the heavy metal over long periods of time can get a little annoying. Now， researchers from Swiss university ETH Zurich have created a new form of lightweight gold that weighs five to ten times less than traditional 18-carat （開） gold—which typically consists of 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper—but has the same purity.

The researchers began by mixing gold with water， salt， protein fibers and other materials. They then replaced the water with alcohol and placed the mixture inside a high-pressure carbon dioxide （CO2） box. The reaction between the gas and alcohol transformed the golden plastic into a light material that can be heated to melt （融化） and made into whatever form was needed. “This gold has some characteristics of plastic，” says team leader Raffaele Mezzenga， professor of Food and Soft Materials at ETH Zurich.

In addition to being lighter， the “plastic” gold has other advantages over traditional forms. It can be melted into shape at about 105 degrees Celsius， much lower than the 1，064 degrees Celsius required to melt pure 24-carat gold. The metal’s firmness can be easily adjusted by changing the components at the beginning of the process. It is also much easier to vary the color. “As a general rule， our approach lets us create almost any kind of gold we choose， in line with the desired properties，” says Mezzenga.

The researchers， who published their study in the journal Advanced Functional Materials， believe the new lightweight gold will be able to replace the metallic version in most traditional applications， including jewelry and watches. However， given that most buyers associate high-quality gold with weight， that may take some time. But the material will undoubtedly be beneficial for use inside electronic devices， chemical catalysts （催化剂）， and even radiation shielding.

8. Why do many people find the traditional gold jewelry annoying？

A. It costs too much. B. Its purity is too low.

C. It is too heavy to wear long. D. Its beauty lasts a short time.

9. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about “plastic” gold？

A. Its functions. B. Its components. C. Its characteristics. D. Its production process.

10. What advantage does the “plastic” gold have over the traditional gold？

A. It’s easier to process. B. It’s more convenient to carry.

C. It’s cheaper to repair. D. It’s more difficult to fade.

11. Where is this text most likely from？

A. A novel. B. A guidebook. C. A diary. D. A magazine.

D

A few years ago， French navy officer Jerome Chardon was listening to a radio program about the journey of the bar-tailed godwit， a bird that migrates 14，000 kilometers between New Zealand and Alaska. Chardon understood how treacherous the journey would be， as heavy storms frequently hit Pacific island communities. Yet， somehow， bar-tailed godwits routinely pass through the area uninjured. Chardon wondered whether learning how birds traveled could help coastal communities avoid natural disasters.

Researchers with a project led by Frederic Jiguet equipped 56 birds of five species with cutting-edge animal tracking technology. The team members were ferried to remote islands in French Polynesia， where they attached tags （标签） using tracking technology. These tags sent the birds’ locations to the International Space Station， which bounced the data back to scientists on Earth who could then follow the birds.

The project is focusing on birds’ ability to hear infrasound， the low-frequency sound humans cannot hear but that the researchers believe is the most likely signal birds would use to sense storms and tsunamis （海嘯）. In a study， scientists tracking a kind of golden-winged birds in the central and southeastern America found that the birds flew up to 1，500 kilometers to escape from an outbreak of tornadoes （龙卷风）. The birds fled at least 24 hours before any extreme weather hit， leaving the scientists to believe that they had heard the storm system from more than 400 kilometers away.

The team plans on tagging hundreds more birds across the Pacific to prepare for a potential tsunami. “I think if there’s one wave that spreads across islands， we can get data from different species at different locations，” says Jiguet. “That will say it’s worth continuing to tag and to develop local systems to better analyze this. There are chances that we will develop a bird-based tsunami early warning system.”

12. What does the underlined word “treacherous” in Paragraph 1 probably mean？

A. Strange. B. Boring. C. Frequent. D. Dangerous.

13. What is the function of the tags？

A. Tracking natural disasters. B. Distinguishing bird species.

C. Guiding researchers to islands. D. Reporting the birds’ locations.

14. Why is the study mentioned in Paragraph 3？

A. To prove an assumption. B. To clarify a concept.

C. To present a new topic. D. To make comparisons.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. How Can Birds Avoid Natural Disasters？ B. Can Birds Warn Us of Natural Disasters？

C. How Does a Warning System Function？ D. Can Birds Play a Role in Human Research？

閱读七选五

The Benefits of Keeping a Journal

If you want to grow， one important thing you should do is to keep a journal. It may seem simple， but it can make a big difference in your life. Writing all the lessons I learn and all the ideas I get has become a habit for me.______16______Here are some benefits you will get by keeping a journal.

◆ It prevents you from losing an idea. Have you ever gotten an idea only to lose it later because you didn’t write it down？______17______But then I developed the habit of writing down every idea that came into my mind as soon as possible.

◆ It helps you review all the lessons you’ve learned. By reviewing your journal， you can quickly see the lessons you’ve learned and the ideas you’ve gotten.______18______You can use the ideas to propel （鞭策） yourself forward.

◆______19______After keeping a journal for years， you can look back at it and see how far you’ve gone. Things that were big problems in the past might seem small today. The raw ideas you had in the past might have been realized today.

◆ It helps you expand your ideas. When you try to come up with a sentence to express an idea， you are thinking actively about it.______20______In the end， you will expand your ideas.

A. I often experienced that myself.

B. It trains you to express your thoughts.

C. It allows you to see your progress over time.

D. Just use whatever ways you are familiar with.

E. Active thinking helps you connect your idea to another one.

F. And to be honest， I can’t imagine what my life would be like without it.

G. Then you can do whatever necessary to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（九）

阅读理解

A

For a trip in early December， pick a destination with a glacier—just to be certain. Over the holiday period there should ideally be a white Christmas at village level， too. Go for a vacation spot that’s over 1，800 meters high and snow cover won’t be a worry.

Val Thorens， France

Resort （胜地） height： 2，300—3，230 m

Pistes （滑雪道）： 495 km

Usual season： Late November to early May

From late November to early May， snow cover is rarely a problem in Val Thorens—it’s the highest ski village in Europe with 99% of it above 2，000 m， and suitable for beginners and intermediates. The excellent choice of independent ski schools here includes New Generation. The tourist attraction has benefited from new， attractive buildings， and a great collection of restaurants.

Val d’Isère， France

Resort height： 1，850 —3，456 m

Pistes： 300 km

Usual season： Late November to early May

Val d’Isère is one of the Alps’ best-known vacation spots for advanced skiers and boarders， which means it’s not the cheapest. But this is the one place that has plenty of snow at Christmas， especially as it has the largest snow-making operation in Europe. It can pump out enough snow to cover Wembley Stadium in a meter of snow in less than an hour.

Obergurgl， Austria

Resort height： 1，950—3，080 m

Pistes： 110 km

Usual season： Mid-November to early May

Obergurgl has been popular with British families for more than half a century， with a mainly easy ski area linked by gondola （纜车车厢） to the higher village of Hochgurgl. The climate is snow-sure， so this is one of the first major tourist attractions to open for the winter， normally in mid-November.

1. Which place is suitable for a skiing learner？

A. Val Thorens. B. Val d’Isère. C. Obergurgl. D. Hochgurgl.

2. What is special about Val d’Isère？

A. It’s the best. B. It is designed for advanced skiers.

C. It’s expensive. D. It has a snow-making system.

3. What do we know about Obergurgl？

A. It’s located in Australia. B. It’s a young tourist spot.

C. It’s intended for independent skiers. D. It has the longest ski season of the three.

B

My grandfather was 96 years old and he was my last grandparent. It has been a while since I saw my grandpa in person. I think he only met my youngest Lilly once. It kind of pains me to think that I deprived （剝夺） my children of the chance to know their only great-grandparent. But I didn’t want them to know or remember a very old man， incapable of getting down on his knees to play with them， and laughing with them because he can’t hear what they’re saying. That’s not the grandfather I know.

My grandfather never stopped. He was an early-adopter to have a laptop-type-device long before Apple was a household word and he was programming video games for grandkids to play. He kept physically fit every day of his life. When I was a kid， he was an avid boater， water-skier and tennis player. In his later years， he kept busy playing tennis， ballroom dancing， swimming， and bicycling. In the end， he didn’t lose a battle to any disease. His body simply could not go on anymore.

I feel extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to know my grandfather. Intentional or not， he taught me many lessons. My grandfather taught me to water-ski when I was 5 years old and he taught me how to surf about a decade after that. Whenever I thought it’s too late for me to study a language or get better at piano， he made it clear that it’s only my fear holding me back， not age.

These lessons make life meaningful to me. Thanks to my grandfather， I have a pretty good blueprint to follow. So I guess the best thing I can offer my children to feel connected to that man is the lessons I learned from him.

4. Why did the author seldom take the kids to their great-grandfather？

A. To promote their independence. B. To keep the old man living a quiet life.

C. To prevent them from being frightened. D. To avoid them having a bad impression of him.

5. How could the author’s grandfather keep fit？

A. By eating apples every day. B. By playing with kids.

C. By keeping exercising. D. By living a simple life.

6. What can we infer about the author’s grandfather from Paragraph 3？

A. He was a surfing instructor. B. He was very encouraging.

C. He did things with an intention. D. He studied a new language in his old age.

7. What is the best title for the text？

A. Memories of My Grandfather B. Winning a Battle Against Diseases

C. Connecting the Generations D. Impression of My Childhood

C

Look into the future of what we eat， and you’ll start wondering what could happen to our meals. As the world’s population surpasses （超過） eight billion， our food needs will grow by 50 percent. How do we meet them without clearing more forests or expanding industrial agriculture， one of the most significant contributors to climate change？ How do we keep our soil healthy so that crops can grow well？

These questions are challenging. Trying to find new ways to produce protein is one solution as the environmental stress of animal production becomes increasingly great. Animal production represents about one-seventh of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions （排放）. Beef produced in concentrated feeding operations typically requires nearly eight times the water and 160 times the land per calorie as vegetables and grain. No wonder United Nations officials have been urging everyone to eat less beef—and new food companies are taking it seriously.

Among them is the producer of the Beyond Burger， a patty with beefy coloring and protein from plants that is already available throughout the United States in about 10，000 grocery stores and many restaurants.

Other solutions take inspiration from nature. By the early 2000s， staff at the Land Institute were selectively breeding a grain to create a variety with better production， seed size， and disease resistance.

Today the result， called Kernza， is growing on 500 acres in the United States. A variety of food producers are readying it for market—including Bien Cuit， a high-end bakery in New York， which has made bread with it， and Hopworks Urban Brewery in Oregon， which sells a Kernza beer.

“Whatever our meals may be like in 50 years， climate change will require us to make better use of what we already have，” says global food expert Raj Patel. “The 21st century is teaching us that things once thought to be weeds and pests could turn out to be food.”

8. What do the questions in Paragraph 1 focus on？

A. Climate change. B. Global feeding. C. Future diet. D. Increasing population.

9. Why does the author mention the Beyond Burger？

A. To stress the benefits of meat-free food. B. To introduce food companies’ dilemma.

C. To explain the success of plant-based burgers. D. To show an environment-friendly meat alternative.

10. How is the grain Kernza？

A. It is losing its market. B. It has obvious drawbacks.

C. It is popular in America. D. It has found its way into food products.

11. What do Raj Patel’s words suggest in the last paragraph？

A. We need to widen our food sources. B. We’ll run out of meat in 50 years.

C. We’ll have a tough time soon. D. We should try to save food.

D

Languages have been coming and going for thousands of years， but in recent times there has been less coming and a lot more going. When the world was still populated by hunter-gatherers， small， tightly knit （联系） groups developed their own patterns of speech independent of each other. Some language experts believe that 10，000 years ago， when the world had just five to ten million people， they spoke perhaps 12，000 languages between them.

Soon afterwards， many of those people started settling down to become farmers， and their languages too became more settled and fewer in number. In recent centuries， trade， industrialization， the development of the nation-state and the spread of universal compulsory education， especially globalization and better communications in the past few decades， all have caused many languages to disappear， and dominant languages such as English， Spanish and Chinese are increasingly taking over.

At present， the world has about 6，800 languages. The distribution of these languages is hugely uneven. The general rule is that mild zones have relatively few languages， often spoken by many people， while hot， wet zones have lots， often spoken by small numbers. Europe has only around 200 languages; the Americas about 1，000; Africa about 2，400; and Asia and the Pacific perhaps 3，200， of which Papua New Guinea alone accounts for well over 800. The median number （中位數） of speakers is a mere 6，000， which means that half the world’s languages are spoken by fewer people than that.

Already well over 400 of the total of 6，800 languages are close to extinction， with only a few elderly speakers left. Pick， at random， Chiapaneco in Mexico （about 150）， Lipan Apache in the United States （two or three） or Wadjigu in Australia （one， with a question-mark）： none of these seems to have much chance of survival.

12. What can we infer about languages in hunter-gatherer times？

A. They developed very fast. B. They were large in number.

C. They had similar patterns. D. They were closely connected.

13. What word can best explain the underlined word “dominant” in Paragraph 2？

A. Complex. B. Advanced. C. Powerful. D. Modern.

14. How many languages are spoken by less than 6，000 people at present？

A. About 6，800. B. About 3，400. C. About 2，400. D. About 1，200.

15. What does the text mainly tell us？

A. New languages will be created.

B. Geography determines language evolution.

C. People’s lifestyles are reflected in languages.

D. Human development results in fewer languages.

閱读七选五

Yes， you can definitely blame winter clothes for your overstuff （塞得过满） suitcase. After all， warm clothing takes up a lot more room than summer T-shirts and shorts. To make matters worse， you’ve got to pack for overheated restaurants and freezing outdoor conditions.______16______Here are some winter-packing mistakes we learned the hard way， and tips you need.

17

Your shoes face a big challenge in winter. They need to be： insulated， waterproof， and warm; provide great traction in case of ice; be able to withstand salt; and be comfortable to walk in. So， your sneakers aren’t going to cut it. Just remember to wear your heavier snow boots on the plane; otherwise， they’ll take up half your suitcase space.

Packing the wrong materials.

Cotton is a terrible choice for the winter. It absorbs moisture and sweat， which will make you cold and keep you freezing.______18______It is naturally odor-resistant and breathable.

Leaving behind sunglasses.

Since you’re not headed to the beach， you might forget to pack your sunglasses. The sun can shine brightly on freezing days too tough， so be able to pack yours.______19______

Not bringing medicine.

Cold and flu cases rise during the winter， and while you definitely don’t plan on getting sick while traveling， you should be prepared in case it does happen. Make sure you’ve packed medication for upset stomach， fever relief， body aches， and congestion.______20______Just get travel-sized versions of your go-to drugs.

A. But we’re here to help.

B. Choosing the right shoes.

C. Wearing the wrong shoes.

D. You can replace it with wool.

E. Better be a pair which is easy to pack and hard to break.

F. You don’t have to travel with the whole medicine box though.

G. Throw some sunscreen there as you can get sunburned in the season.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________

（十）

阅读理解

A

High School Math Competitions

American Mathematics Competition （AMC） 10/12

Eligibility （资格）： 10th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： No

AMC 10/12 is the first exam in a series of math exams that progress from the local， to the national， to the international level. Students who are top performers in the AMC 10/12 will be eligible for invitations to the next， more difficult exams in the AMC series.

Caribou Mathematics Competition （CMC）

Eligibility： 2nd graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： Yes

Caribou Mathematics Competition is the only worldwide math competition that is held totally online. This contest is held six times throughout the school year， and students that complete all six tests can compete for the “Caribou Cup”. Not only is the Caribou Mathematics Competition open to international participants， it also offers contests for elementary through high school aged students.

Trig-Star

Eligibility： 9th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： Yes

Trig-Star is an annual， national competition for high school students， the purpose of which is to recognize students who are good at trigonometry （三角學）， to introduce students to practical applications of mathematics in professional environments， and to grow awareness of surveying as a profession among mathematically-skilled high school students.

TEAMS

Eligibility： 7th graders—12th graders

Cash Prizes： No

TEAMS is an annual， state and national mathematics， science， and engineering competition for middle and high school students. TEAMS is designed to help students develop their STEM skills by working in teams of four to eight students to solve real-world engineering challenges.

1. What can we learn about AMC 10/12 from the text？

A. It is a local competition. B. It is the start of a series of competitions.

C. It is the hardest in the AMC series. D. It invites participants to enter for its exam.

2. What is special about CMC？

A. It is completely conducted online. B. It is held six times every term.

C. There is no cash prize for its winner. D. Senior high students can’t take part in it.

3. Which competition involves different subjects？

A. TEAMS. B. Trig-Star. C. AMC 10/12. D. CMC.

B

Kieran Moise started growing out his hair in the eighth grade， after losing a friend to brain cancer. He had seen people donate their hair to children who had lost theirs during medical treatment and wanted to do the same.

“Kieran has always been known for his hair. It was a big part of his personality and who he was，” said his mother， Kelly Moise. “But he has always been the most compassionate and caring person. Since he was 6 years old， he somehow had the mindset of raising money and giving it to people who need it， and that never changed.”

Kieran graduated from high school with an impressive 19-inch Afro （非洲發式）. But with him set to enter the US Air Force Academy， it was finally time for the big cut.

To maximize his influence， Kieran organized a live event and an online fundraising campaign called “Kieran’s Curls for Cancer”， where he aimed to raise $1，000 per inch cut.

Nearly 100 people attended the event， where they watched Kieran get his hair cut. His hair was donated to Children with Hair Loss， a non-profit organization that makes free wigs for kids and young adults facing medically related hair loss. By the end of the day， the event raised $20，000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has continued to raise money online.

“Charitable giving comes in many forms， from direct acts of kindness to impactful public statements that motivate others to come together to support a cause，” Richard C. Shadyac Jr.， President and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital， said. “Kieran’s simple act of kindness exemplifies （例证） the power of younger generations and is something to celebrate， a selfless decision that will make a direct influence on the lives of the kids at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and children everywhere for years to come.”

4. What contributed to Kieran’s starting growing out his hair？

A. His high-quality hair. B. The death of one of his friends.

C. His witness of children’s pain. D. The encouragement from his mother.

5. Why does Kieran’s mother mention his childhood？

A. To prove his unique personality. B. To introduce his experiences.

C. To praise his contributions. D. To show his kindness.

6. What word can best describe Kieran？

A. Creative. B. Tolerant. C. Ambitious. D. Confident.

7. What can we learn about Kieran’s behavior from the last paragraph？

A. It benefited himself. B. It showed a new form of charity.

C. It will be richly rewarded. D. It will have a positive effect on kids’ behavior.

C

Why should mankind explore space？ Why should money， time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits？ Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth？ These are questions that， understandably， are very often asked.

Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains， and into all possible areas and environments？ The wider the spread of a species， the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.

Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them， they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction， in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products of technological developments in the space.

While many resources are spent on what seems a small return， the exploration of space allows creative， brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. The danger exists， but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space， the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

While Earth is the only planet known to support life， surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different， but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

8. Why does the author raise the questions in Paragraph 1？

A. To express his doubts. B. To compare different ideas.

C. To introduce points for discussion. D. To describe the conditions on Earth.

9. Why do humans like to explore according to Paragraph 2？

A. We are born to do so. B. We have the tendency to fight.

C. We like to stay in different places. D. We need to find new sources of food.

. 10. The underlined word “spin-offs” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to

A. survival chances B. potential resources C. unexpected benefits D. physical possessions

11. What does the author mainly want to tell us about space exploration？

A. It has created many wonders. B. It provided the best value for money.

C. It can benefit science and technology. D. It may help us avoid potential problems on Earth.

D

You may have noticed sudden， brief twitching （抽动） at some point while your dog was sleeping. So is twitching just a normal part of dreaming， or are there times when you should worry？ Dogs sleep an average of 12—14 hours each day. While they sleep， a dog’s brain processes information and experiences from the day through dreams. Twitching is often related to active dream cycles in the brain.

According to research， an average-size dog will dream about every 20 minutes， and these dreams will last about a minute. Larger breeds have fewer dreams that last longer—about every 45 minutes for 4 minutes. The opposite is true for smaller breed dogs; they will dream about every 10 minutes for up to 30 seconds.

Dogs experience the same dream stages as humans， including non-rapid eye movement （NREM）， short-wave sleep （SWS）， and rapid eye movement （REM）. During the REM state， a dog’s eyes move around behind their closed eyelids （眼睑）， and the large body muscles are turned off so the dream is not physically acted out. The amount of twitching depends on how much these off switches restrict muscle movement.

If your dog sleeps next to you， they may unintentionally disturb your sleep with their sudden body movements. However， it is often advised not to awaken a dog that is twitching in their sleep unless they are clearly in distress.

A bad dream or night terror could be the cause of these involuntary （無意识的） movements， and they may wake up frightened. Try to avoid touching them so they don’t bite you as a result of being shocked and panicked. Instead， gently call your dog’s name until they respond. Speak calmly and tell them they are safe and secure after they wake up.

12. What influences how often dogs dream？

A. Their sleeping time. B. Their body size.

C. Their daily experiences. D. Their health conditions.

13. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us about dogs？

A. Their muscle movement. B. Their physical conditions.

C. Their twitching. D. Their different dreams.

14. Why is it advised not to wake up a dog twitching in sleep？

A. To avoid being bitten by it. B. To prevent it getting shocked.

C. To ensure it gets enough sleep. D. To escape disturbance from it.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. How Does Dogs’ Brain Work？ B. Why Do Dogs Twitch in Their Sleep？

C. Why Do Dogs Dream at Night？ D. How Does Dogs’ Twitch Affect Their Sleep？

阅读七选五

Want to live in a perfectly clean environment and make it shine brightly？______16______Then you will not need to purchase expensive cleaning products.

Clean the toilet with Coke. It’s amazing how powerful Coke might be as a toilet cleaner.

17______You’ll save your health by not consuming chemicals that Coke contains and save money by not purchasing professional cleaners. Pour some Coke over the stains and leave it all for a few hours. Then let water wash the toilet！

Remove water stains with orange peels. You’ve just eaten an orange.______18______Do not throw away those orange peels. You can use the skins to clean stainless steel. Your appliances （器具） will shine again after you rub them with the skins. The peels can easily make those stubborn stains disappear in a second.

Use banana peels to polish leather furniture. Experts claim that banana peels are great for polishing leather sofas and armchairs. Banana skins are rich in oils and have the right texture to do the task.______19______Afterwards， remove the leftover with a cloth. This trick is simple and cheap. Use it if you want your leather furniture to look brand new again.

20______Why would you want to buy one when you can make your own product that is cheap and non-toxic （無毒的）？ Just pour 2 liters of slightly warm water into a deep bowl. Then add 50 ml white vinegar and half a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Shake the bowl and then fill up a plastic spray with the mixture. Use it to clean windows and mirrors. Make your glass surfaces clean and shiny.

A. Wait a minute！

B. Make your own glass cleaner.

C. Follow the steps given below.

D. Of course your answer is “yes”.

E. They leave no marks or scratches.

F. Instead of drinking it， use it to clean the toilet bowl.

G. They are money-saving and safe to use on all furniture.

16._____________17._____________18. _____________ 19. _____________20._____________