閱讀理解專項(xiàng)練習(xí)

（一）

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。

A

Best Gifts Under $50

Amazon Smart Plug

The Amazon Smart Plug is an inexpensive product that can make almost any “dumb” appliance （電器） in your home smart. You can control when your lamp turns on or off， as well as set a schedule for it. This also works for other appliances like a coffee maker or microwave.

Roku Premiere

With the Roku Premiere， youll be able to watch your favorite Disney Plus movies and TV shows， as well as those from Netflix， Hulu， YouTube， Amazon Prime Video and much more. Roku has over half a million movies and TV shows available across all of the apps on its platforms.

Google Nest Mini

Speaking of smart homes， this is the brand-new Nest Mini from Google. Its a tiny smart speaker with Google Assistant built in. This lets you ask Google anything （and we exactly mean anything）， as well as control your smart homes devices （設(shè)備） and， of course， play music， since its a speaker after all.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4

The Mi Band 4 is an inexpensive， but impressive， fitness tracker. For under $50， it does everything you can imagine， like tracking your daily activities， workouts and calories （卡路里）. And it has a pretty amazing battery life， with 20 days of usage before it needs a recharge.

1. What should you buy if you love watching movies？

A. Roku Premiere. B. Google Nest Mini.

C. Xiaomi Mi Band 4. D. Amazon Smart Plug.

2. What is special about Google Nest Mini？

A. It makes your home devices smart. B. It tracks your daily activities.

C. It has plenty of TV shows. D. It plays music.

3. Whats the main purpose of this text？

A. To persuade people to buy gifts under $50. B. To make some comparisons of different gifts.

C. To advertise four inexpensive gifts for a shop. D. To introduce four impressive gifts worth buying.

B

At times my mom has been uncomfortable seeing some quality in me. For example， when I was 12， I went to Puerto Rico all by myself to stay with my grandmother for the summer. My mom was extremely nervous about it. She kept telling me how things were different in Puerto Rico， to always put on sunscreen （防曬霜）， not to wander away from my grandmother， and other warnings. She helped me pack and did not leave the airport until she saw my plane take off.

But despite her worries， she let me go on my own. As I moved into my teens， she continued to give me space to grow and learn， even when it might have been difficult for her. When I reached my senior year， I decided to move away for college. Once again I found that I differed from my peers： While many of them wanted to stay close to home， I couldnt wait to be out in the world on my own. While my mom may not have been happy at the thought of my going away， she was supportive and excited for me.

One big thing I realized during my senior year， as my mom granted me more freedom， was that she actually believes in me and trusts me. That means a lot. Most of my life， and especially when I was little， the main person I tried to impress in my schoolwork or other things was my mother. I knew she expected nothing but the best from me. Sometimes it was hard to live up to her standards： getting a single B on my report card would make me feel bad because I knew she wanted me to have all As.

I know that her high standards have helped me stay focused on whats important， like education， and made me who I am. I am thankful for her support and involvement in my life. Most of all， I respect her. She is the strongest woman I know and thats why I have turned out so strong and independent.

4. The underlined words “some quality” in Paragraph 1 refer to the authors.

A. independence B. stubbornness C. misbehavior D. carelessness

5. What can we infer about the authors mother？

A. She always gets nervous easily. B. She would limit the author too much.

C. She used to be strict in the authors study. D. She often gets involved in the authors life.

6. What is the authors attitude to her mothers way of raising children？

A. Appreciative. B. Disapproved. C. Disappointed. D. Doubtful.

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

A. My Independence B. My Long Way to Growth

C. My Mothers Deep Love D. My Mothers Trust and Support

C

Mass communication has been growing and affecting the way communities and people behave. At every stage of the development of communication， from the telegraph to the Internet， societies have had to adapt to its effects. But have the effects been more positive or negative？

The saying “knowledge is power” has been an excellent motivator for people to improve their lives， but today the massive （巨大的） amount of information available through the Internet doesnt always seem to be helping people in the way wed hoped. Rather than improving peoples lives and bringing us closer together， the information age is making us more divided and irresponsible.

Nevertheless （盡管如此）， many people find comfort in their virtual （虛擬的） worlds and are happy to connect with real-life friends and online friends from the familiar surroundings of their living rooms. However， being able to reinvent themselves online and be whoever they want to be leads to the question of whether they are losing their identities by living in a virtual world. Its not all bad news， however. Mass communication has helped change some attitudes for the better. Take our views on the environment for example. Internet campaigns by governments and other organizations have helped popularize the ideas of recycling， protecting wildlife and reducing pollution.

Modern electronic communication now influences every aspect of our lives—it is a powerful tool that has raised some concerns for society. However， it has also brought countless benefits to society. At the end of the day， it can be used both for good or evil， which largely relies on the morals and sense of responsibility of the individual or community involved. In short， it needs to be used with care.

8. What can we learn about the information age today？

A. It helps people improve their lives. B. It fully shows “knowledge is power”.

C. It makes people feel more connected to others. D. It fails to achieve our expectations sometimes.

9. What can we infer from Paragraph 3？

A. People seldom connect with online friends.

B. Online friends can be comforting for a few people.

C. Virtual lives can make people clear of who they are.

D. The Internet helps to raise peoples environmental awareness.

10. What is the authors idea about electronic communication？

A. It should be used in a cautious way. B. It does more harm than good to society.

C. It should be strictly controlled by the government. D. It has side effects that cant be handled by individuals.

11. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. The comfort of the virtual worlds. B. The effects of mass communication.

C. The development of virtual techniques. D. The way to use modern mass communication.

D

Your alarm goes off on your phone， and instead of turning it off and going on sleeping， you pick it up and stupidly say， “Hello？”

You are， to use the technical term， suffering sleep drunkenness， those first few confused minutes people sometimes experience after waking， according to a just-published paper in Neurology （神經(jīng)學(xué)）. For the first time， the phenomenon has been studied in a general adult population.

In telephone interviews the researchers conducted with more than 19，000 healthy individuals， about 25 percent reported experiencing some sort of sleep-drunk episode （插曲） in the last year， and 12 percent said this happens to them at least once a week.

Most of their stories were actually pretty funny， said Stanford University School of Medicine psychiatrist （精神病學(xué)家） Maurice Ohayon. One man picked up his alarm clock and mistook it for his phone， holding a two-minute conversation on it. Another participant woke in the middle of the night and couldnt find the bathroom in her own home. Other common examples are that foggy feeling you get when you first wake up with a start on a Saturday before realizing its the weekend， or when you wake up in a hotel room and cant immediately figure out where you are.

Ohayon explains that an abrupt awakening， to our poor， half-asleep brains， signals an emergency—a time for action， not reason.

“For most people， and especially if this only happens to you every once in a while， its nothing to worry about. But for people who experience sleep drunkenness once a week or more， you might as well refer to professional help to have a sound sleep，” added Ohayon.

12. The text is most probably for those who.

A. dont sleep well B. suffer sleep drunkenness

C. dont have enough sleep D. who study sleep disorder

13. What can we infer from the text？

A. There are many studies on adults sleep patterns. B. Most people struggled for awareness after waking.

C. Its stupid to leave the alarm on when you sleep. D. Its common for adults to suffer sleep drunkenness.

14. What do we learn about sleep drunkenness from Paragraph 4？

A. It comes without any reason. B. It occurs in different occasions.

C. It hits when people are sleeping. D. It attacks those who are clouded.

15. What may probably be talked about after the last paragraph？

A. Ways to improve your sleep pattern. B. Methods of curing sleep drunkenness.

C. Approaches to expanding your sleep time. D. Tips on how to help you to sleep better.

（二）

A

Teens for Planet Earth

This is a social networking website for teenagers who want to get involved in protecting our planet. They can connect with other green-minded teens， choose a project or create their own. Teens for Planet Earth encourages young folks to get busy in their own communities. They offer guidance on local projects with categories such as habitats， animals， water and education. Awards are given to active members.

Meez

At Meez， teens can create their own avatars （化身）， rooms and virtual pets. It is a social community of creative people that combines avatars， virtual worlds and games. Meez offers contests and chats as well as homework help， a fashion centre and a writers corner. A chat area for younger teens is available. Other areas are music， geek centre， art and sports.

Cyberteens

Cyberteens is another cool site that celebrates the teen years. Here teenagers can find communities， games， and news. There is a link called “creativity” where teens can share their poems， stories， photos and artwork. The “cool links” section offers a huge variety of options to the curious teens. This site also has surveys and helps with jobs and schoolwork.

Student.com

Student.com is a resource site for teens and high school students. Its social network has over 900，000 members. Members earn points to win prizes just by browsing （瀏覽） and they offer several multi?player games. Points are used to buy items at auction （拍賣會）. Student.com is filled with useful information and articles.

1. What is Teens for Planet Earth aimed at？

A. Setting up a project. B. Giving awards to teens.

C. Getting young folks busy. D. Giving advice on local projects.

2. Which website offers assistance in jobs？

A. Teens for Planet Earth. B. Student.com.

C. Cyberteens. D. Meez.

3. What makes Student.com special among those websites？

A. It has the most members. B. Teens can read articles on it.

C. It offers help with schoolwork. D. Teens can make purchases on it.

B

Ill always remember that day in 1994 when I received a call from my friend Jack. “Hey， Bill.” he said. “Im going to end the Christmas lighting business. Would your sons be interested in making a few dollars over Christmas vacation？”

I had two sons in college， and Jack explained that he had many customers who paid him to string lights at their homes. He said hed sell me the lights for only $300. I thought it was a great idea because my sons could earn some money to help with their expenses， but they werent especially interested. Unwillingly， they agreed to work over their vacations from school.

Jack drove his car to my home and unloaded boxes and boxes of Christmas lights and various other decorations. Since the lights werent new， they all had to be tested before installation （安裝）. I also started calling customers to set up installation dates. It seemed everybody wanted it done at the same time. This meant wed have to start early each day and work long hours to complete all the jobs in the few weekends before Christmas. That doesnt really fit in with the schedule of 20-year-olds who go out every night. So on most mornings， Id be up before the sun and head out to start decorating alone. My sons did help， but all I remember are the times I spent alone. When it was time to take down the decorations， the boys were back in school and that also became my job.

We made some money the first few years， but each year， the complaints increased. Each year， we lost customers. One day a homeowner in Eatons Neck told us that if we didnt take down his lights soon， hed take them down himself and keep them. That was the last year of our business.

4. What was the purpose of Jacks call？

A. To find a business partner. B. To have his business expanded.

C. To have his business turned over. D. To give away some Christmas decorations.

5. What was the attitude of the authors sons toward Jacks idea？

A. Uninterested. B. Welcoming. C. Supportive. D. Opposing.

6. Why did the author get up early on most mornings？

A. To finish testing the lights. B. To fit in with his sons schedule.

C. To avoid heavy rush hour traffic. D. To meet the customers requirement.

7. What can we learn about the authors lighting business？

A. It was not well done. B. It ended for no reason.

C. It didnt do him any good. D. It was done all by himself.

C

Are some people born clever， and others born stupid？ Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience？ Strangely enough， the answer to these questions is yes. To some degree our intelligence is given to us at birth， and no amount of education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand， a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus， the limits of a persons intelligence are fixed at birth， whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view， now held by most experts， can be supported in a number of ways.

It is easy to show that intelligence is to some degree something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people， the closer they are likely to be intelligent. Thus， if we take two unrelated people at random from population， it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be completely different. If， on the other hand， we take two identical twins， they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters， parents and children， usually have similar intelligence， and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth. Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one， for example， to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing， and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other， but who are not related at all， are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.

8. According to the author， mans intelligence limits are decided by.

A. his birth B. his experience

C. his knowledge D. his growing environment

9. If a child is born with high intelligence， he can.

A. surely become a genius

B. still become a genius with poor education

C. reach his intelligence limits without great effort

D. reach his intelligence limits depending on surroundings

10. What does the example of the twins growing up separately show？

A. The role of the environment on their intelligence. B. The secret of their intelligence development.

C. The importance of their positions. D. The importance of their birth.

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

A. On Environment B. On Intelligence

C. On Education D. On Genius

D

Attempting to open very old books and records without damaging them can be difficult， but scientists in Switzerland say they have improved a method to read age-old documents without even touching them.

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology are using radiation， in the form of X-rays， to create images of the documents. This method is called X-ray computed tomography （X線斷層攝影術(shù)） or X-ray tomography.

On a recent day， the researchers used X-ray tomography to read from a small 14th-century document. Giorgio Margaritondo is working on the project. Reading from the document， he noted， “In the year 1351， a young lady from Venice... wrote a testament （遺言）， and then the testament was sealed， and remained sealed for all these many centuries.”

Italian officials are planning to use X-ray tomography to build an open digital system in the State Archives of Venice. Margaritondo says， “What you find inside the Archives are not only small documents. But most of the items are huge volumes the size of a table， and so we must be able in the future to look inside them.”

Many of the documents show signs of weathering （退色）， and are easily broken. Fauzia Albertin is also working on the project. She says， “We need a technique to read inside them. Thanks to the use for thousands of years of iron-based inks we can read them using X-rays.”

Albertin is also with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The researchers have a lot of work to keep them busy. The State Archives of Venice has a huge number of records. They were produced over a period of about 1，000 years. The documents cover about 80 kilometers of shelf space.

12. How does the author develop Paragraph 3？

A. By comparing. B. By listing figures.

C. By giving examples. D. By giving description.

13. What plays an important role for the researchers to read the old documents？

A. The sizes of the documents. B. The years of the old books.

C. The suitable weathering. D. The ancient inks.

14. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. A new way to read the old books.

B. Scientists have made important improvements.

C. Most old documents can be opened by high-tech.

D. The value of the old documents hidden many years ago.

15. Where may the text be taken from？

A. A travel journal. B. A science report.

C. A physics textbook. D. A transport magazine.

（三）

A

International Airport Sheremetyevo

?If Youve Lost Personal Possessions

On Board

Contact the airlines representatives

At the Airport

Contact：

—Sheremetyevo Police Department ………………………………………… +7（495）578-22-55

—Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C ………………………… +7（495）578-23-26

—Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D ………………………… +7（499）500-65-52 （domestic flights）

+7（495）753-86-41 （international flights）

When collecting Lost and Found items， you shall have an identification document， a boarding pass or a ticket， and also to indicate a place where the items were lost and prove they are yours.

?If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged

Before leaving the arrival area， please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim （認(rèn)領(lǐng)） shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected.

If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed， you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded for a hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11，000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the tariffs （關(guān)稅）.

Keep your flight documents （a ticket， boarding pass， luggage tag， and delayed luggage report filed at the airport） until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage.

Current information on luggage-tracing results ……………………………… +7（495）578-76-65

Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Airlines ………………………………… +7（495）544-33-25 （from 9：00 to 20：00）

+7（495）753-86-41 （24 hours）

For further information please contact the airline.

1. What should you do if youve lost something on board？

A. Turn to the airlines staff. B. Contact the police office.

C. Submit a claim to the company. D. Go to the Lost and Found counter.

2. How much can you claim if your 20-kilogram hand luggage is lost？

A. 600 rubles per kilogram. B. 11，000 rubles at most.

C. 12，00 rubles in total. D. 600 rubles at most.

3. Which number should you dial for your missing luggage at midnight on your arrival？

A. +7（495）578-76-65. B. +7（495）578-23-26.

C. +7（495）753-86-41. D. +7（495）544-33-25.

B

April 4th was just another day on a Western Australian farm for Zac Mitchell， until it suddenly wasnt. In an unexpected accident， the cattle worker was feeding the animals in his charge when one bull cleaned him up and kicked his hand up against the rail， resulting in the thumb （拇指） on his right hand being cut off. “My thumb was still hanging on the rail... when I got up off the ground，” Zac Mitchell says.

His co-workers tried their best to preserve the thumb for reattachment， placing it on ice in a cooler， but two surgeries to put Mitchells thumb back in place failed. Thats when doctors came up with another suggestion： Remove one of his big toes （腳趾） to where his thumb used to be.

Mitchells lead surgeon， Sean Nicklin， understood the mans dilemma at first， calling it “a bit of a crazy idea”. After all， Zac Mitchell did not want to be injured in another part of his body. But as the thumb is extremely important function-wise， Mitchell eventually gave in. Nicklin explains that the big toe is surprisingly fit for a thumb switch： Nerves sync up （同步） nicely， and it looks more like a thumb， though a giant one， than any other alternative they may have come up with. He added that big toes arent as necessary for balance and walking as people believe. As far as the foot goes， occasional “fine balance” activities like surfing might be difficult， but most people without a big toe function fine in everyday tasks like walking and even competitive sports.

The eight-hour surgery went well， and Mitchell is expected to have a year or so of recovery in front of him before he heads back into the fields.

4. What happened to Zac Mitchell on April 4th？

A. He lost his thumbs. B. He damaged his farm.

C. He left the farm. D. He was badly hurt.

5. What suggestion did the doctor give to Mitchell after the unsuccessful surgeries？

A. Recreating a new thumb in place. B. Replacing the thumb with his toe.

C. Transplanting his co-workers thumb. D. Putting back the cut-off thumb again.

6. What is Mitchells first attitude to the doctors another suggestion？

A. Optimistic. B. Doubtful. C. Hesitant. D. Rejective.

7. According to Nicklin， after the surgery Mitchell is able to.

A. surf on the sea B. do daily activities C. only stay at home D. work on wheelchair

C

There are hundreds of grape varieties in Japan， but only one can sell for several hundred dollars per grape. The Ruby Roman was cultivated in Japans Ishikawa Prefecture and is considered one of the worlds most expensive fruits.

The story of Ruby Roman began in 1995， when Ishikawa grape farmers appealed to the government to create a large red grape variety. 400 experimental vines （葡萄藤） were planted into a test field. Two years later， they started bearing fruit. However， out of the 400 vines， only 4 turned out to be red grapes， and only one of them was considered large enough to meet the farmers expectations. Over the next 14 years， researchers constantly improved its size， taste， color and ease of planting， and today Ruby Roman is considered a “treasure of Ishikawa”.

In 2008， soon after making its commercial debut （首次亮相）， the Ruby Roman grape variety made international headlines after a 700-gram bunch sold for 10，000 yen （$910）， or $26 per grape. Eight years later， a 26-grape bunch sold for 1.1 million yen （$11，000）， or roughly $370 per grape.

While the Ruby Roman name is used to describe a type of grapes， every bunch must meet very strict standards. For example， every grape in the bunch must weigh at least 20 grams and have a sugar content of at least 18 percent. There is also a Premium class of Ruby Roman grapes—each grape must weigh over 30 grams， and the whole bunch must be at least 700 grams heavy.

Most bunches of Ruby Roman grapes are sold through auctions （拍賣）， but Premium Ruby Roman are extremely difficult to find. For example， in 2010， only six bunches of grapes were certified Premium， and in 2011 no bunches qualified for it.

And if youre wondering how the Ruby Roman name came to be， it was apparently voted by local residents （居民） out of 639 different names.

8. The underlined word “cultivated” in Paragraph 1 can be best replaced by “”.

A. discovered B. developed C. preserved D. promoted

9. What can we learn about Ruby Roman according to Paragraph 2？

A. It does not come easily. B. It is widely planted in Japan.

C. It used to be a treasure of Ishikawa. D. It is more productive than expected.

10. Why does the author present the figures in Paragraph 3？

A. To explain how large Ruby Roman grapes are. B. To tell how profitable planting Ruby Roman is.

C. To prove how globally popular Ruby Roman is. D. To show how expensive Ruby Roman grapes are.

11. What is TRUE about the Ruby Roman grape？

A. Its named after its birthplace. B. It isnt available in abundance.

C. Its price has nothing to do with its color. D. Its name is used to describe a type of vines at first.

D

Astronauts on the International Space Station （ISS） may soon be able to turn their used forks and knives into tools and satellite parts.

Tethers Unlimited Inc.， an aerospace technology company， has developed a system that combines a waste-recycling machine with a 3D printer.

Astronauts will put waste items made of plastic into the recycling machine， called the Poistrusion Recycler. When they press a button， the Recycler will melt down the plastic and turn it into 3D filament.

The filament will be reused in a 3D printer on the ISS—called the Refabricator—to make tools， spare parts and satellite components.

The waste will come from packaging materials， food containers， trays and eating utensils （器具） used on the ISS. Astronauts currently use disposable wet wipes to clean their food containers and utensils. The used wipes are stored as trash （垃圾）， and replacement wipes must be sent up to the ISS on cargo missions.

By recycling old food containers and utensils， astronauts will reduce the amount of trash they produce. To get rid of trash from the ISS， astronauts load it into empty cargo capsules and release it into space. The capsules burn up when they enter Earths atmosphere.

Turning trash into useful new items will also help NASA save money because astronauts will need fewer supplies. It costs about $6，000 for every kilogram launched into orbit. These benefits will be even more important for longer missions （太空飛行任務(wù)） in the future—such as the two-year journey to Mars. Astronauts will be able to recycle old waste materials into new tools and parts as they need them.

Tethers has successfully tested the systems in its laboratory. They will test it on the ISS in late 2020. The company is also developing a version of the system for use here on Earth.

12. The forks and knives for astronauts are made of.

A. gold B. iron C. plastic D. wood

13. What can the astronauts do with the trash with the new technology？

A. Reuse it. B. Send it to Mars.

C. Take it to the earth and burn it all. D. Load it into empty capsules and throw it away.

14. At present， the astronauts mainly get supplies by.

A. 3D printers B. reusing the old ones

C. collecting from the space D. the capsules launched from the earth

15. What is the biggest benefit of the new technology mentioned in the text？

A. Saving some space for the ISS. B. Giving more time for the astronauts.

C. Providing more conditions to explore space. D. Helping to reduce the journey from Earth to Mars.

（四）

A

While traveling to a foreign land， or perhaps across the state， arent you looking for something a little more adventurous， more luxurious （豪華）， and packed with facilities （設(shè)施） that you dont have at home？

Treehotel， Sweden

It was perhaps everybodys childhood dream to be able to have their own tree house. Now you can sleep in a specifically made hotel suite built atop a tree in the Harads Municipality in Sweden. The most unique rooms are the Birds Nest， a room exactly shaped like a bird nest; the Mirror Cube， a hide-out with reflective outside walls. The rate of each room starts from about $800 per night.

The Manta Resort， Tanzania

The Manta Resort in Tanzania is one of the worlds only hotels with rooms placed below the surface of the ocean. By opening the curtains of your windows， youll be able to see hundreds of fish swimming peacefully around your room. Want to go for a swim？ Climb out of your room and jump in the clear waters！ For only $250 a night， you， too， can sleep with the fishes.

Book and Bed， Japan

Reading before sleeping is something that many people do. Book and Bed， a 30-room hotel in the heart of Tokyo takes advantage of this by conveniently placing a lot of books in shelves just an arms reach away from your bed. The rooms at this hotel are small enough for a single adult. Reading yourself to sleep in one of their comfortable rooms will cost only about $40 a night.

Tianzi Hotel， China

The largest image hotel in the world is the Tianzi Hotel in Hebei Province， China. The hotel is a description of the three ancient Chinese gods of Fu， Lu， and Shou. To enter it， simply open the door located （位于） in Shous foot. The peach resting Shous left hand is a one-bedroom suite with a perfect view of the busy city. Rates at the Tianzi Hotel start as cheap as $11 a night.

1. What can we learn about Treehotel？

A. It is made of wood. B. It is made on a tree.

C. It is called the Mirror Cube. D. It is named after a bird nest.

2. What can we do in the Manta Resort？

A. Live in the Birds Nest. B. Enjoy the busy city.

C. Swim in the ocean. D. Read before sleep.

3. Which hotel probably has the smallest room？

A. Treehotel. B. Tianzi Hotel.

C. Book and Bed. D. The Manta Resort.

B

I live in a city， and I like quiet life. I hate nosy （愛管閑事的） neighbors but its very unlucky that I had one for myself. They moved in a couple of months ago and although I never felt that they were a strange family， Ive always hated the way they get “too close” to me， my house， my garden， and even my garbage cans.

One day， my neighbors were mowing their lawn （草坪）. My garbage cans were near their lawn. For some strange reason， I found the wife looking through my garbage cans. I felt angry but since they were from a different culture， I thought that maybe it was “normal” from their ideas.

That afternoon， the couple knocked on my front door. When I opened the door， they gave me a plastic bag. Inside were my old daily bills， credit cards and bank statements， and an old birthday card that my old uncle sent. They said that they were returning them to me because these documents contained very private information that may be used by others.

Ive heard of it before. I asked them how those documents can be used by others and they started telling me their very own experience， which forced them to leave their home and move next door to us. The wife told me that she never destroyed the bills. They also had a “nosy neighbor” who looked through their garbage cans which they actually thought was pretty strange. Little did they know that this “nosy neighbor” was collecting their personal information from their rubbish. Then all their money was taken out from the bank by their neighbor.

It was a very painful experience for all of them and they wanted to leave it all behind so they left. I was very thankful. They were not nosy neighbors. They simply didnt want us to experience the same thing that they did.

4. Why was the author angry with his neighbors？

A. They liked to get close to his home. B. One of them knocked at his door at night.

C. One of them was looking through his rubbish. D. They were mowing their lawn one morning.

5. Why did the couple come to the authors home？

A. To borrow some money from him. B. To return the documents to him.

C. To introduce themselves to him. D. To know him better.

6. Why did the neighbors choose to live next door to the author？

A. The home was cheaper. B. Their former home was noisy.

C. They wanted to protect their personal documents. D. They considered the author as a better neighbor.

7. What can we infer from the last paragraph？

A. The author was kind and helpful to the neighbors. B. The author changed his idea about his neighbors.

C. The neighbors had to move from place to place. D. The neighbors didnt have enough money.

C

Future history books might record that we were robbed of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another， we fail to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a birds eye view of the world—or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train， you are moving so quickly that you do not see the countryside clearly. Car drivers are forever thinking about going on and on. They never want to stop. Is it the great motorways that attract them， or what？ And as for sea travel， it hardly deserves mentioning. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song， “I joined the navy to see the world， and what did I see？ I saw the sea.” You mention the place names in the world like EI Dorado， Kabul and someone is sure to say “I have been there”， meaning I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else.

When you travel at high speeds， the present means nothing： you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival， when it is achieved， is meaningless. You want to move on again. By traveling like this， you suspend （中止） all experience; the present stops being a reality： you might just as well be dead.

The traveler on foot， on the other hand， lives constantly in the present. For him traveling and arriving are one and the same thing： he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes， his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical tiredness. Satisfying sleep will be his： the just reward of all true travelers.

8. The underlined words “get in your way” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “”.

A. block your sights B. make your travel continue

C. expand your range of the ability to see D. prevent you from going out of the plane halfway

9. What does the author think of the travelers mentioned in Paragraph 1？

A. They make full use of their eyes. B. They get a good view of the landscape.

C. They fail to see the scenery with their heart. D. They are eager to see everything on the way.

10. What does the author mean by saying “the present means nothing” in Paragraph 2？

A. The present is changed. B. The present is completely ignored.

C. You are looking forward to travelling. D. You cannot enjoy the present experience.

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

A. Different Travelers B. Ways of Traveling

C. The Use of Eyes D. True Traveling

D

Ten minutes of gentle exercise can immediately change how certain parts of the brain communicate and coordinate （協(xié)調(diào)） with one another and improve memory function， according to an encouraging new study.

The scientists invited 36 people of different ages to the lab and had them sit quietly on a fixed bicycle for 10 minutes or， on a separate visit， pedal （騎自行車） the bicycle at a pace so gentle that it barely raised their heart rates. It was also short， lasting for only 10 minutes. Immediately after each session of the sitting or slow pedaling， the people completed a computerized memory test during which they would see a brief picture of， for example， a tree， followed by a variety of other images and then a new image of either the same tree or a similar one. The people would press buttons to show whether they thought each image was new or the same as an earlier shot. The test is difficult， since many of the images closely resemble one another. It requires rapid， skillful scanning recent memories to decide whether a picture is new or known. Next， the scientists had each people repeat this process—riding or sitting on the bike for 10 minutes and then completing memory testing—but the testing now took place inside an MRI machine （核磁共振成像儀） that scanned the peoples brains while they responded to the images.

Then the researchers compared results. The effects of the exercise were clear. The people were better at remembering images after they had ridden the bike， especially when the images most closely resembled one another. In other words， the harder their memories had to do their best， the better they performed after the exercise. The MRI scans showed that memory parts of each peoples brain lit up at the same time with parts of the brain associated with learning， indicating that these physically separate parts of the brain were better connected now than when the people had not first exercised.

12. Who might benefit most from the study result？

A. Marketers promoting fixed bicycles. B. Young people crazy about body building.

C. White-collars doing long-term mental work. D. Blue-collars doing heavy physical labor work.

13. What agrees with the study result？

A. Light exercise is mainly good for young people.

B. Exercise can coordinate different parts of the body.

C. The more the exercise you have， the better the brain works.

D. Exercise has more positive effect when the brain works harder.

14. How did the researchers conduct the study？

A. By filling up questionnaires. B. By interviewing many people.

C. By comparing experiment data. D. By referring to historical reports.

15. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. Even ten minutes exercise may be good for the brain.

B. There is no need for humans doing exercise every day.

C. Only ten minutes light exercise benefits the young most.

D. Exercise can change peoples brains and minds in a long time.

（五）

A

GUEST POST GUIDELINES

If youre a regular travel or outdoor blogger， please consider sharing a National Park story on Walking The Parks. Here are our guest post guidelines：

About Our Readers

Our readers are planning to visit one of the 59 US National Parks and are looking for specific information that can help them plan their trip. As you know well， there are more things to do in the parks than is possible to squeeze into one vacation. Your article should help readers confidently make decisions about what to do to create a memorable vacation.

To do this， we like articles that are focused on a single topic and take a deep dive. If you consider well have dozens of stories about each National Park， then it benefits our readers if each story is about a unique area or activity in the park.

What to Write

Your article should be a story that blends （混合） your personal experience with facts that help your readers decide if they want a similar adventure experience.

Guest Post Guidelines：

—Generally 500—1，000 word range. However， this isnt set in stone. Were more interested in a quality story than word count （定稿）.

—3 to 5 landscape photos that you or someone in your party took.

—Please link to relevant research to help our readers learn even more.

Submit Your Idea for a Guest Post！

If youre interested in sharing your story， please send us an email. Please include a link to your personal blog. We do respond to everyone as quickly as possible. However， if were traveling， it might take a week or so. We look forward to reading about your adventure.

1. What do readers expect the posts to help them do？

A. Make travel planning. B. Build self-confidence.

C. Memorize their vacations. D. Squeeze more things into one vacation.

2. What is a requirement on the guest post？

A. It must be limited within 1，000 words.

B. It should focus on more than one specific topic.

C. It should include the writers personal experience.

D. It must be accompanied with photos taken by the writer.

3. What may affect Walking The Parks speed of response to the guest post？

A. The quality of the post itself.

B. Whether its employees are taking a trip.

C. The degree of the adventure described in the post.

D. Whether a link to the writers personal blog is included.

B

Eighteen years ago， Terry Grahl was pregnant with her fourth child. “Money was very tight，” Terry recalls. So when her mom called to ask if shed like to go shopping at the local fabric （織物） store for the coming Christmas， she couldnt say no because she knew she badly needed some fabrics to make new clothes for her children. “I remember walking around， gazing （注視） at all the beautiful fabrics， wondering whether there is anything cheap that I could afford. And I could still get some money left to buy Christmas gifts for my family.”

Well， Terrys mom must have known what Terry was thinking. Smiling kindly， she whispered to Terry， “You pick any fabrics you like. Its your Christmas gift from me.” Terrys eyes were filled with tears as the cart began to overflow with many fabrics， but not because Terry was planning on making herself a pretty dress or a pair of curtains for the kitchen. Rather， Terrys moms kindness had inspired some holiday gift ideas in Terry， and it didnt take long for Terry to figure out what she was going to do with all the fabrics.

“I was going to make my first quilt，” she explains. “Every night I would work on this queen-size quilt. With every stitch （編織的一針）， I thought about all that my mom had done for me over the course of my childhood， during which we were always battling homelessness， but Mom somehow managed to fill our lives with love and make everything okay.”

On Christmas day， five days after her baby girl was born， Terry handed her mom a gift box. Inside was the quilt she had sewn， from the fabrics her mother had given her as a gift.

4. What do we know about Terry eighteen years ago？

A. She lived a hard life at that time. B. She made a living by making clothes.

C. She often went to the local fabric store. D. She had a bad relationship with her mom.

5. What made Terry change her idea about Christmas gifts？

A. The value of the fabrics. B. The responsibility for her family.

C. The memory of her childhood. D. The endless love from her mother.

6. Which word best describes Terrys mom？

A. Strict. B. Serious. C. Faithful. D. Considerate.

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

A. Colorful Fabrics B. The First Quilt C. A Christmas Day D. The Happy Childhood

C

Humans and gorillas （大猩猩） shared evolution for 23 million years. Their paths separated only six million years ago. Research on how gorillas communicate can help us understand human language development.

Understanding how the brain works helps us see a connection between language development and non-verbal signs. These signs or movements include things like the way we move our hands or bodies or the different expressions our faces have in different social situations. A new study on gorillas showed that the right side of the body is controlled by the left part of the brain and it is also the location for language development.

Two cameras were used to film all of one apes （類人猿的） movements. One of the first results was that gorillas use their right hands more when they are doing actions with their heads or mouths at the same time. This shows that there is a connection between how our brain works and the reason we use one side of our body more than the other. In addition， we can use the results of the study and our knowledge about brains to help us understand more about how language first developed in humans.

Dr Forrester， who did the study， says the results can be useful in other ways， such as understanding language development in children. For example， some children have serious illness called “autism” which can stop them communicating normally with people. It might be possible to use the same study method to find out which children have this illness when they are very young. Doctors will then be able to start treatment early.

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

A. The way we move our hands and bodies. B. The right side of the body.

C. The left part of the brain. D. The new study.

9. What can we infer about gorillas from the text？

A. They have a complex form of non-verbal communication.

B. They prefer to use the right hand instead of the left hand.

C. They help us better know the language of other animals.

D. They share most body languages with humans.

10. What may have a connection with right-handedness？

A. Communication. B. Social success. C. Social position. D. Intelligence.

11. Who might benefit most from the results of the study？

A. Zoo keepers. B. Children with some illness.

C. Photographers of gorillas. D. Researchers on movements.

D

Getting stitched （縫合） up by Dr Robot may one day be reality. Scientists have created a robotic system which did just that in living animals without a real doctor pulling the strings. Much like engineers are designing self-driving cars， the medical research is part of a move toward autonomous surgical robots， removing the surgeons hands from certain tasks that a machine might perform all by itself.

Doctors wouldnt leave the bedside—theyre supposed to watch， plus theyd handle the rest of the surgery. In small tests using pigs， the robotic arm performed at least as well， and in some cases a bit better， as some competing surgeons in stitching together intestinal （腸的） tissue. “The purpose wasnt to replace surgeons，” said Dr Kim who led the project. “If you have an intelligent tool that works with a surgeon， can it improve the outcome？ Thats what we have done.”

If youve heard about machines like the popular Da Vinci system， you might think robots already are operating. Not really. Today many hospitals offer robot-assisted surgery where surgeons use the machinery as tools that they control by hand， typically， to operate through tiny openings in the body. But robot-assisted surgery has been controversial， as some studies have shown it can bring higher costs without better outcomes.

Kims team at Childrens Sheikh Zayed Institute invented the new STAR system—it stands for Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot—that works sort of like a programmable sewing machine. They added sensors （傳感器） to help guide each stitch and tell how tightly to pull. But the approach wasnt perfect. In the living animals， the robot took much longer and made a few stitching mistakes while the surgeon sewing by hand made none. Kim said the robot can be sped up. He hopes to begin human studies in two or three years.

12. What will surgeons do when Dr Robot is used in surgery？

A. They perform other surgeries. B. They can help pull the strings.

C. They join in when necessary. D. They rest at the bedside.

13. Why are some people against using robots in surgery？

A. They will make the surgery outcomes worse. B. They are likely to cause great pain.

C. They may be expensive to use. D. They can be out of control.

14. What can we infer about Dr Robot from the text？

A. It can take the place of surgeons. B. It will be developed at a fast pace.

C. It has been tested with human trials. D. It can free doctors hands in the operation.

15. What is the text mainly about？

A. Newly-designed machines controlled by robots. B. Robot surgeons one step closer to reality.

C. A new-style way of stitching. D. A new robotic system.

（六）

A

If you are the kind of tourist who likes to visit places with outstanding landscapes and multicultural cities， then Asia is the place to go. Take a cruise （乘船游覽） to Asia and you will not be disappointed.

The Finest Asian Cruise Explorations

Tourists who want to visit several Asian countries understand that cruising there is the best alternative. You can decide to take a two-week cruise， starting from Sri Lanka to Thailand. Theres also a three-week cruise that starts off in China all the way to Japan. A most popular voyage is one that starts from Hong Kong to Singapore.

The Best Time to Travel

When touring Asia， its best to understand that different cruise lines have different traveling timelines. You can be caught in the rain during your tour （October to December in Malaysia and December to February in Indonesia）. Most cruises take place from December to the end of March.

Booking Cruise-ship Tours

Given that youll probably be taking long flights to get to South Asia and the Far East， the budget will be large， especially if you are visiting as a family. In addition， many people tour this region， so it would be best if you book early when the prices are more appealing.

Activities

There are so many ports in Asia and this might bring a challenge if you want to get somewhere in time. Make sure you plan your day-trips in advance and follow the cruise line tours to avoid missing the boats. Apart from visiting the cities， you could also go to Borneo， Indonesia to see the orangutans （紅毛猩猩）. You can also hop （不斷更換） across several islands from Bali， appreciate the colorful floats as well as the cherry blossoms in Japan and visit the floating fish farms in Vietnam.

1. Which cruise is the most appealing one according to the author？

A. One from Hong Kong to Singapore. B. One from Sri Lanka to Thailand.

C. One from South Asia to the Far East. D. One from China to Japan.

2. When is the best time available on tours in Indonesia？

A. January. B. February. C. March. D. December.

3. Where can you appreciate the colorful floats？

A. In Bali. B. In Japan. C. In Vietnam. D. In Indonesia.

B

Once President Roosevelts house was broken into and lots of things were stolen. Hearing this， one of Roosevelts friends wrote to him and advised him not to take it to his heart so much.

President Roosevelt wrote back immediately， saying， “Dear friend， thank you for your letter to comfort me. Im all right now. I think I should thank God. This is because of the following three reasons： firstly， the thief only stole things from me but did not hurt me at all; secondly， the thief has stolen some of my things instead of all my things; thirdly， most luckily for me， it was the man rather than me who became a thief...”

It was quite unlucky for anyone to be stolen from. However， President Roosevelt had such three reasons to be so grateful. This story tells us how we can learn to be grateful in our life.

Being grateful is an important philosophy of life and a great wisdom. It is impossible for anyone to be lucky and successful all the time so long as he lives in the world. If you are grateful to life， it will bring you shining sunlight.

We should learn how to face failure or misfortune bravely and generously and to try to deal with it. William Thackeray， a famous British writer， said， “Life is a mirror. When you smile in front of it， it will also smile and so will it when you cry to it.” If you always complain about everything， you may own nothing in the end. When we are successful， we can surely have many reasons for being grateful， but we have only one excuse to show ungratefulness if we fail.

4. Why did Roosevelts friend write to him？

A. He was the president. B. His house was broken.

C. He was visited by a thief. D. He didnt take his friends to his heart.

5. What was the worst according to Roosevelt？

A. Becoming a thief himself. B. Having all his things stolen.

C. Losing part of his belongings. D. Getting badly hurt by the thief.

6. What did William Thackeray want to tell us to do by his mirror theory？

A. Be grateful if someone steals things from you. B. Be good to thieves because they are not easy.

C. Make the best use of what you still have. D. Treat life the way you want to be treated.

7. What can be a suitable title for the text？

A. Smile to Others B. Be Grateful to Life

C. Face Failure Bravely D. Watch Out for Thieves

C

Stained glass （彩色玻璃） artists create different designs by making cuts on the glass to “score” it and then breaking off the pattern that they want to use in the finished product. The most difficult cut in stained glass is called an inside cut. Basically， its a curved （彎曲的） line where you throw away the part inside of the curve. The problem with inside cuts is that the edges of the curve tend to break off when the pieces of scored glass are broken apart.

As the artist talked about inside cuts， he said， “The glass will break into pieces if you try to cut too much off at once. The best way to do an inside cut is to slice off smaller curves piece by piece. In fact， its not just the best way to do it， but its the only way to do it.”

How many times do you try to make a big change and cut the entire piece at once？ We convince ourselves that we can do this all the time. Well commit to transforming our diet overnight or we get inspired to launch （開始從事） a business in a weekend or we finally get motivated to work out and push ourselves to the edge of burning out.

Why not approach your goals and dreams like a stained glass artist？ Starting by slicing a shallow curve and breaking a small piece off， you cut a slightly deeper curve and break that off until you have your full inside cut. By slowly cutting deeper and deeper curves， you prevent the glass from breaking as it changes shape.

Of course， change isnt easy—no matter how you do it. Slow gains are boring， but if we keep making small improvements， then pretty soon we will end up with a beautiful masterpiece on our hands instead of a bunch of broken pieces.

8. Why is an inside cut believed to be most difficult？

A. It calls for creativity. B. It needs a one-and-only design.

C. The edges of the curve break easily. D. The glass inside the curve is easily broken.

9. What mistake is easily made when you do an inside cut according to Paragraph 3？

A. Being too eager to make improvements. B. Trying to make a complete change all at once.

C. Being too worried about the final outcome. D. Developing to focus on progress instead of achievements.

10. What does the author suggest by saying “slicing a shallow curve” in Paragraph 4？

A. Learning to handle the important part of things first.

B. Developing a new habit with great determination.

C. Being slow and improving little by little.

D. Moving forward with a clear aim.

11. What is the authors purpose of writing the text？

A. To show his love for stained glass. B. To introduce the skill of an inside cut.

C. To appreciate designs of stained glass artists. D. To share his opinions on how to make a change.

D

Companies that have invested heavily in big data want to know how to make smart investments that will distinguish them from the competition and enable the best possible return before making the decision to go all in. In the past， not all enterprises big data plans went as planned. These failures are not usually published， but the big data failure rate is unusually high.

According to Gartner， only 15% of businesses make it past the experimental stage of these projects. Our fear， as leaders of technology companies， is that with so much attention surrounding AI （Artificial Intelligence）， the pressure is on for us to apply the technology without first setting clear business goals and understanding the differences between AI and ML （Machine Learning） and how they should be applied， thus risking falling behind the many decision-makers who are adopting the technology. Its easy to get caught up in the great expectations of artificial intelligence as its promoted， including breakthroughs like deep learning， but those looking to make an outsized influence should instead focus on good old-fashioned machine learning—or “cheap learning”.

The distinction is simple： Cheap learning is about using basic machine learning techniques on straightforward data sets in different parts of a company to produce a large number of small， gradual improvements. Deep learning， on the other hand， is a specific part of machine learning. Deep learning is a collection of advanced machine learning approaches that make business decisions based on highly complex data sets possible.

For tasks of analyzing raw data， such as images and voice recordings， deep learning is best. But when it comes to working on simplified， structured （有結(jié)構(gòu)的） types of data， weve found cheap machine learning will do the trick. When you consider that the majority of data flowing through enterprises falls into this second category， its clear which tool makes the most sense.

12. What can we learn about investment in big data from Paragraph 1？

A. Its secret. B. Its complex. C. Its risky. D. Its fruitful.

13. What adds to the pressure on the leading technology companies？

A. Understanding AI and ML. B. Wasting too much time on AI.

C. Falling behind other companies. D. Acting with unclear business goals.

14. What should companies with ambitions concentrate on？

A. A strong influence. B. Big breakthroughs. C. Cheap learning. D. Deep learning.

15. What does the underlined phrase “do the trick” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Improve. B. Cheat. C. Function. D. Simplify.

（七）

A

Fantastic Fall Festivals You Wont Want to Miss

Seymour Apple Festival

Admission to the Seymour Apple Festival is free and so is the entertainment！ More than 15，000 people from all over the region come out to take part in the activities， ranging from drawings， vendor （小販） booths， food， apple contests， bike-decorating contests， and more.

Marionville Apple Festival

The popular Marionville Apple Festival is home to countless activities and events. The carnival （嘉年華）， pony rides， and games will keep the kids busy， while adults will enjoy watching the pie-eating contest and looking at dozens of craft vendor booths.

Humansville Fall Festival

The Humansville Fall Festival may be hosted by a small town， but that doesnt mean its lacking big fun. Perfect for all ages， this fall festival is celebrating its 70th year and will provide three full days of fun. This years festival will feature live music from fantastic local musicians， which will make it different from the ones in other years for sure. Youll also find fun carnival rides， talented artisans selling their goods， and an amazing parade （游行） to wrap up the event on Saturday.

Southside Fall Festival

The Southside Fall Festival is perfect for family celebrations， with an alcohol-free environment and free admission. Enjoy a colorful parade and float contest， delicious food vendors， live music， karaoke， and more.

Fall Into Arts Festival

Make sure to bring the kids along for this festival that celebrates all things creative. The Fall Into Arts Festival features a host of kid-friendly activities like a lego build， sand art， bubble stations， chalking the sidewalk， a jump house， and more. Parents will have plenty to do as well， with an excellent variety of artists， festival food， a mini film festival， and much more.

1. What festivals are free of charge？

A. Southside Fall Festival and Fall Into Arts Festival.

B. Seymour Apple Festival and Southside Fall Festival.

C. Humansville Fall Festival and Fall Into Arts Festival.

D. Seymour Apple Festival and Marionville Apple Festival.

2. What makes Humansville Fall Festival special this year？

A. The lasting time of the festival. B. The area of the hosting town.

C. Musicians live performance. D. Fun activities on Saturday.

3. Fall Into Arts Festival is specially welcomed by.

A. movie lovers B. modern artists

C. visitors of all ages D. families with kids

B

My arms shook. The bow was almost as tall as I was， and it was equipped with an arrow， ready to be shot. Never had a more ill-suited person handled a weapon. But my editor had sent me on a mission （任務(wù)）： to find my inner Katniss Everdeen at one of Beijings indoor archery （箭術(shù)） clubs.

The brilliant archer Everdeen is the lead character in The Hunger Games movies， the final of which had already released in cinemas. Her arrows can hit almost anything： sword-swinging enemies， fierce animals， even aircraft somehow. Me？ I cant throw a paper ball into a rubbish can with any precision. And I was warned that archery would require a great deal of upper body strength， though I hadnt seen the inside of a gym in years.

News outlets like The New York Times and NPR have reported an increase of interest in archery， thanks to movies like The Hunger Games， Brave and The Avengers. Archery clubs have showed up in many major cities. In Jian Club， an archery-themed bar， we paid 120 yuan for an hours worth of target practice and prepared our bows and arrows.

We were told to stand sideways， with one shoulder facing the bulls eye （靶心）. Your weaker arm would hold the bow， while the other would pull the bowstring back until the arrow was right next to your face. Then it was meters away.

Well， sort of. Instead of sending the arrows flying quickly with a high sound through the air， my first few simply dropped onto the ground.

The failure was a good reminder that archery is a demanding， Olympic-level sport. It worked muscles in my back and arms that I just didnt have yet. An hour came and went， and I found myself leaving with a couple pierced bulls eyes and sore shoulders. Was I ready to shoot down aircraft with a swift arrow？ Not quite. But I was without doubt ready for a return trip.

4. Why did the author visit an archery club？

A. He worked as a photographer. B. He was a fan of The Hunger Games.

C. He was given a task by his editor. D. He wanted to try a new exercise form.

5. What can we learn about archery from the text？

A. It is an outdoor sport. B. It is a sport practiced single-handed.

C. It requires little upper body strength. D. It has gained more popularity recently.

6. How is the authors trip to the archery club？

A. Fascinating. B. Fruitless. C. Boring. D. Risky.

7. What is the authors purpose of writing the text？

A. To discuss several hot films. B. To introduce a gym in Beijing.

C. To instruct readers to practice archery. D. To record an unforgettable experience.

C

It is not only praise or punishment that determines a childs level of confidence. There are some other important ways we shape our kids—particularly by giving instructions and commands in a negative or positive choice of words. For example， we can say to a child “Dont run into traffic！” or “Stay on the footpath close to me.” In using the latter， you will be helping your kids to think and act positively， and to feel competent in a wide range of situation， because they know what to do， and arent scaring themselves about what not to do.

Actually， it is all in the way the human mind works. What we think， we automatically rehearse. For example， if someone offered you a million dollars not to think of a blue monkey for two minutes， you wouldnt be able to do it. When a child is told “Dont fall off the tree，” he will think of two things： “dont” and “fall off the tree”. That is， he will automatically create the picture of falling off the tree in his mind. A child who is vividly imagining falling off the tree is much more likely to fall off. So it is far better to use “Hold on to the tree carefully”.

Clearly， positive instructions help kids to understand the right way to do things. Kids do not always know how to be safe， or how to react to the warning of the danger in negative words. So parents should make their commands positive. “Sam， hold on firm to the side of the boat” is much more useful than “Dont you dare to fall out of the boat？” or worse still “How do you think Ill feel if you drown？” The changes are small but difference is obvious.

Children learn how to guide and organize themselves from the way we guide them with our words， so it pays to be positive.

8. Positive choice of words helps kids to.

A. learn in different situations B. improve their imagination

C. build up their confidence D. do things carefully

9. What can we infer from Paragraph 2？

A. A child will act on what is instructed. B. One cant help imagining what is heard.

C. A child will fall off the tree when told not to. D. One wont think of a blue monkey when given money.

10. Which of the following commands is the best to help kids to be safe？

A. Fasten your seat belt. B. Dont play by the lake.

C. How do you think Ill feel if you get hurt？ D. Dont you dare to walk through the red light？

11. What does the text mainly tell us？

A. Clear commands make kids different. B. Positive instructions guide kids well.

C. Right instructions keep kids safe. D. Praise makes kids confident.

D

If you thought pilots dimmed （調(diào)暗） the lights before takeoff to give you some shut-eye， think again. Believe it or not， the dim lighting could actually help save your life in case of a plane emergency.

The dimmed lights before taking off the runway and landing are a flight precaution used to help passengers eyes adjust more quickly during an emergency escape. “Going from a brightly lit environment to one thats completely dark would require some time for our eyes to focus and see the escape slide，” Alice Theriault， service director for Air Canada wrote in a press statement. “Since we need to have all the seconds on our side in the event of an emergency， dimming the lights is one of many steps we take to ensure the safety of our customers.”

The phenomenon that your eyes see those strange speckles （小斑點(diǎn)） as your sight adjusts to a dark place after being in a light place is called dark adaptation. It normally takes our eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to see best in a dark room. The brighter the lights are， the longer it takes for our eyes to adjust， which is why dimming the plane lights could shorten your “dark adaptation” time since you havent been sitting under fluorescent bulbs （熒光燈） all flight.

Not only does dimming lights add valuable time to the escape process， it reduces the tension on your eyes if you need to look outside， or see the emergency lighting along the passage. “It helps keep you in the right direction.” Patrick Smith， an airline pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential told The Telegraph. “It also makes it easier for flight attendants to assess any outside risks， such as fire or debris， that might affect an escape.” So next time a pilot dims the lights， just know its for your safety， even though it creates a gentle atmosphere for your takeoff into the sky.

12. The lights are turned down before takeoff to help passengers.

A. take a short break B. create a warm atmosphere

C. escape in time of emergency D. adapt their eyes to the bright environment

13. What is one of the purposes of shortening “dark adaptation” time？

A. To keep passengers calm. B. To adjust the plane lights.

C. To slow down the landing. D. To help the crew judge outside risks.

14. What does the underlined word “It” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Dimming lights. B. The passage.

C. The escape process. D. The emergency lighting.

15. What is the text mainly about？

A. A tip of air travel. B. A warning message on a plane.

C. An emergency event on a plane. D. An explanation of an airline safety measure.

（八）

（2020全國新課標(biāo)卷Ⅲ）

A

Journey Back in Time with Scholars

Classical Provence （13 days）

Journey through the beautiful countryside of Provence， France， with Prof. Ori Z. Soltes. We will visit some of the best- preserved Roman monuments in the world. Our tour also includes a chance to walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Gauguin. Fields of flowers， tile-roofed （瓦屋頂） villages and tasty meals enrich this wonderful experience.

Southern Spain （15 days）

Spain has lovely white towns and the scent （芳香） of oranges， but it is also a treasury of ancient remains including the cities left by the Greeks， Romans and Arabs. As we travel south from Madrid with Prof. Ronald Messier to historic Toledo， Roman Merida and into Andalucia， we explore historical monuments and architecture.

Chinas Sacred Landscapes （21 days）

Discover the China of “past ages，” its walled cities， temples and mountain scenery with Prof. Robert Thorp. Highlights （精彩之處） include Chinas most sacred peaks at Mount Tai and Hangzhous rolling hills， waterways and peaceful temples. We will wander in traditional small towns and end our tour with an exceptional museum in Shanghai.

Tunisia （17 days）

Join Prof. Pedar Foss on our in-depth Tunisian tour. Tour highlights include the Roman city of Dougga， the underground Numidian capital at Bulla Regia， Roman Sbeitla and the remote areas around Tataouine and Matmata， unique for underground cities. Our journey takes us to picturesque Berber villages and lovely beaches.

21. What can visitors see in both Classical Provence and Southern Spain？

A. Historical monuments. B. Fields of flowers.

C. Van Goghs paintings. D. Greek buildings

22. Which country is Prof. Thorp most knowledgeable about？

A. France. B. Spain. C. China. D. Tunisia.

23. Which of the following highlights the Tunisian tour？

A. White towns. B. Underground cities.

C. Tile-roofed villages. D. Rolling hills.

B

When “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was first shown to the public last month， a group of excited animal activists gathered on Hollywood Boulevard. But they werent there to throw red paint on fur-coat-wearing film stars. Instead， one activist， dressed in a full-body monkey suit， had arrived with a sign praising the filmmakers： “Thanks for not using real apes （猿）！”

The creative team behind “Apes” used motion-capture （動作捕捉） technology to create digitalized animals， spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that records an actors performance and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image （圖像）. In this case， one of a realistic-looking ape.

Yet “Apes” is more exception than the rule. In fact， Hollywood has been hot on live animals lately. One nonprofit organization， which monitors the treatment of animals in filmed entertainment， is keeping tabs on more than 2，000 productions this year. Already， a number of films， including “Water for Elephants” “The Hangover Part I” and “Zookeeper，” have drawn the anger of activists who say the creatures acting in them havent been treated properly.

In some cases， its not so much the treatment of the animals on set in the studio that has activists worried; its the off-set training and living conditions that are raising concerns. And there are questions about the films made outside the States， which sometimes are not monitored as closely as productions filmed in the States.

24. Why did the animal activists gather on Hollywood Boulevard？

A. To see famous film stars. B. To oppose wearing fur coats.

C. To raise money for animal protection. D. To express thanks to some filmmakers.

25. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about？

A. The cost of making “Apes.” B. The creation of digitalized apes.

C. The publicity about “Apes.” D. The performance of real apes.

26. What does the underlined phrase “keeping tabs on” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Listing completely.? ? ? ? ? B. Directing professionally.

C. Promoting successfully? ? ? ? ? D. Watching carefully.

27. What can we infer from the last paragraph about animal actors？

A. They may be badly treated.? ? ? ? B. They should take further training.

C. They could be traded illegally.? ? ? D. They would lose popularity.

C

With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation （孤獨(dú)）， more families are choosing to live together.

The doorway to peace and quiet， for Nick Bright at least， leads straight to his mother-in-law： she lives on the ground floor， while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.

Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol—one of a growing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof. They share a front door and a washing machine， but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen， bathroom， bedroom and living room on the ground floor.

“We floated the idea to my mum of sharing a house，” says Kathryn Whitehead. Rita cuts in： “We spoke more with Nick because I think its a big thing for Nick to live with his mother-in-law.”

And what does Nick think？? “From my standpoint， it all seems to work very well. Would I recommend it？ Yes， I think I would.”

Its hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him， but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time. Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325，000 in 2001 to 419，000 in 2013.

Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common. Some people live with their elderly parents; many more adult children are returning to the family home， if they ever left. It is said that about 20% of 25-34-year-olds live with their parents， compared with 16% in 1991. The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.

Stories like that are more common in parts of the world where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted. In India， particularly outside cities， young women are expected to move in with their husbands family when they get married.

28. Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol？

A. Nick. B. Rita. C. Kathryn. D. The daughters.

29. What is Nicks attitude towards sharing the house with his mother-in-law？

A. Positive.? ? ? ? ? B. Carefree. C. Tolerant. D. Unwilling.

30. What is the authors statement about multigenerational family based on？

A. Family traditions.? ? ? ? B. Financial reports.

C. Published statistics.? D. Public opinions.

31. What is the text mainly about？

A. Lifestyles in different countries.? ? B. Conflicts between generations.

C. A housing problem in Britain.? ? ? D. A rising trend of living in the UK.

D

We are the products of evolution， and not just evolution that occurred billions of years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes （基因）， they are finding examples of human evolution in just the past few thousand years. People in Ethiopian highlands have adapted to living at high altitudes. Cattle-raising people in East Africa and northern Europe have gained a mutation （突變） that helps them digest milk as adults.

On Thursday in an article published in Cell， a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaptation—not to air or to food， but to the ocean. A group of sea-dwelling people in Southeast Asia have evolved into better divers. The Bajau， as these people are known， number in the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia， Malaysia and the Philippines. They have traditionally lived on houseboats; in recent times， theyve also built houses on stilts （支柱） in coastal waters. “They are simply a stranger to the land，” said Redney C. Jubilado， a University of Hawaii researcher who studies the Bajau.

Dr. Jubilado first met the Bajau while growing up on Samal Island in the Philippines. They made a living as divers， spearfishing or harvesting shellfish. “We were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than us local islanders，” Dr. Jubilado said. “I could see them actually walking under the sea.”

In 2015， Melissa Ilardo， then a graduate student in genetics at the University of Copenhagen， heard about the Bajau. She wondered if centuries of diving could have led to the evolution of physical characteristics that made the task easier for them. “it seemed like the perfect chance for natural selection to act on a population，” said Dr. Ilardo. She also said there were likely a number of other genes that help the Bajau dive.

32. What does the author want to tell us by the examples in Paragraph 1？

A. Environmental adaptation of cattle raisers.

B. New knowledge of human evolution.

C. Recent findings of human origin.

D. Significance of food selection.

33. Where do the Bajau build their houses？

A. In valleys. B. Near rivers.

C. On the beach. D. Off the coast.

34. Why was the young Jubilado astonished at the Bajau？

A. They could walk on stilts all day. B. They had a superb way of fishing.

C. They could stay long underwater. D. They lived on both land and water.

35. What can be a suitable title for the text？

A. Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea B. Highlanders Survival Skills

C. Basic Methods of Genetic Research D. The Worlds Best Divers