Reading Comprehension阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

（一）

A

The following are the best restaurants to dine out with your parents in San Francisco.

Maybecks Marina

3213 Scott St. Telephone： （415） 400-8500

What do you get when you mix amazing foods with a pleasant atmosphere？ The perfect place for family dinner.Maybecks homemade pastas will transport you to the Italian countryside but the fried chicken brings you right back down to earth. Its a great meal in a peaceful setting that everyone will be sure to remember.

Liholiho Yacht Club Nob Hill

871 Sutter St. Telephone： （415） 440-5446

Sometimes， dinner with the parents can be a little bit self-serving. Like making a reservation （预约） at the place youve been dying to go to for months. Theyll enjoy Liholihos fine design and the creative dishes like togarashi popcorn and roasted octopus. Youll have a delicious dinner and catch up with your parents—two birds， one stone.

Mason Pacific Nob Hill

1358 Mason St. Telephone： （415） 374-7185

If your parents enjoy a classic dining experience， this tiny American restaurant is a bit fancy， but the food is just as good as the atmosphere. And theyve got great wine.

Heirloom Café Mission

2500 Folsom St. Telephone： （415） 821-2500

One good tip for deciding on the place to take your parents to dinner： listen to their opinions. If they love a restaurant and keep telling you to go to it， chances are you should book a table for all of you. For yours truly， that is Heirloom Café. The food is always fresh， the atmosphere is relaxed and the service is always friendly.

1. What can you enjoy at Maybecks？

A. Some creative dishes. B. Delicious fried chicken.

C. Different homemade foods. D. Foods from the Italian countryside.

2. What do the underlined words “two birds” refer to？

A. The food and the atmosphere. B. Liholihos fine design and parents.

C. Togarashi popcorn and roasted octopus. D. Delicious foods and the time spent with parents.

3. Where should you go if you want to have some good wine？

A. Maybecks. B. Mason Pacific. C. Heirloom Café. D. Liholiho Yacht Club.

B

One evening last summer， when I asked my 14-year-old son， Ray， for help with dinner， his response shocked me. “Whats a colander （漏勺）？” he asked.

I could only blame （責备） myself. In the family， nobody else helped me in the kitchen. But that night， as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it， I wondered what else I hadnt prepared Ray for.

As parents， while we focus on our sons confidence and character， we perhaps dont always consider that we are also raising someones future roommates， boyfriends， husbands， or fathers. I wanted to know that Id raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life， “Whats for dinner？” So I came up with a plan： I would offer Ray a private home course. I was delighted to find that he didnt say no. For two hours， three days a week， Ray was all mine.

I knew that he would rather have been playing in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother—he tried to beg not to have sewing （縫纫） lessons， even though I insisted that one day， someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive， but it couldnt be denied that he was learning， and more than just housekeeping. “I appreciate what you do as a mom，” he told me one day. Ray now understands the finer points of cooking， and more importantly， he realizes theres nothing good about being helpless.

Now， not only can he make his own dinner， but also he can make a big meal for his family. Thats what I call a man. Im glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter-in-law.

4. Why was the author shocked at her sons response？

A. He was not well behaved. B. He refused to help with dinner.

C. He didnt know the common kitchen tools. D. He was very curious about kitchen tools.

5. In the authors opinion， some parents pay little attention to ___ .

A. making children live a hard life B. building up childrens confidence

C. preparing children for their future life D. telling kids what is right or wrong

6. By learning to do housework， Ray ___ .

A. fell in love with sewing B. did most work in the house

C. began to be more hard-working D. understood his mothers efforts

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

A. Useful Education for Boys B. The Importance of Housework

C. Cooking and Sewing Make Boys Manly D. Boys Should Be Involved in Housework

C

Maru is a popular international star. He lives in Japan. Every day， millions of people watch his videos on the Internet. But there is something about Maru that may surprise you. He is a cat.

There are many famous Internet cats. Some cats are famous for their videos like Maru. The woman who owns Maru puts new videos on YouTube often. People love to see what Maru is doing. Another famous cat is called “Grumpy Cat”. Grumpy Cat looks as if she is angry all the time and she usually appears in pictures.

Pictures are a popular way cats exist on the Internet. Some are memes （表情包） （an idea， behavior， or style that spreads from person to person within a culture）， like Grumpy Cat. These cat picture memes often include funny words. They use wrong words as if the cat is speaking in a strange form of English.

One of the most famous cat memes is called “I can has cheezburger”. The picture was the first on a website about cat memes. This website is even called “I Can Has Cheezburger”. Ben Huh bought the small website in 2007. And today， it is part of a group of sites. He earns millions of dollars every year managing them.

But why do people on the Internet like cats so much？ How can websites like these be successful？ Some experts believe that cats amaze us. Often， it is very difficult to train a cat. So， when people see a cat do something amazing， they know it did the trick without training.

Or maybe people just love seeing cats on the Internet because cats are cute. We may never know the answer. But we do know one thing. Cats will be on the Internet for a long time. Matt Smith， who produces videos and pictures for the Internet， explains， “There will always be more cats on the Internet because so many people have cats. That means there is a lot of basic material for meme creation.”

8. What do Maru and Grumpy Cat have in common？

A. They are Internet stars. B. They seem to be always angry.

C. They belong to the same owner. D. They usually appear in pictures.

9. The website “I Can Has Cheezburger” ___ .

A. became a great success B. was set up by Ben Huh

C. began as a place to share cat videos D. was the first website designed for cats

10. Why do people on the Internet like cats according to some experts？

A. Cats are cute and funny. B. Cats are easy to make friends with.

C. Cats are trained hard to please people. D. Cats can surprise people in a natural way.

11. How does Matt Smith feel about the future of cat memes？

A. Doubtful. B. Worried. C. Hopeful. D. Disappointed.

D

Have you ever looked at a fashionable item of clothing and felt confused？ If so， your confusion may have made sense. Several months ago， high fashion brand Balenciaga released a “T-shirt shirt”， which is a shirt sewn on the front of a T-shirt. The unusual design has certainly confused a lot of people.

But the “double shirt” isnt fighting alone on the frontier of strange fashion. Ever since US shoe manufacturer Crocs released its famous hole-filled foam shoes， so-called “ugly fashion” hasnt showed any signs of slowing down， the Business of Fashion website noted.

The rise of ugly fashion is a sign that people are bored of looking perfect all the time. Indeed， fashion is all about changes. Something thats considered uncool one minute can then turn out to be the latest must-have fashion item the next. In the eyes of US fashion writer Megan Collins， ugly doesnt necessarily mean the design of the item is ugly. After all， ugly is something subjective （主观的）. “Ugly fashion means ‘not the mainstream—its not what everyones wearing; its not what the general population considers as ‘in right now，” she told style news site Fashionista. But throughout the history of fashion， when any new trend appears， most people tend to hate it， before it eventually becomes loved.

Meanwhile， popular social media fashion bloggers also help people to pick up new ugly fashion trends. These bloggers express themselves through their clothes， showing their unique personalities and making statements with their wardrobe （衣物） choices.

“I personally love having a unique expression， because without ugly fashion and diversity （多样性）， wed all look the same，” Australian fashion influencer and model Zanita Whittington told Fashionista. “I appreciate anything thats out of the norm.”

12. How does the author begin the text？

A. By telling a funny story. B. By asking and answering a question.

C. By asking a question and giving an example. D. By giving remarks from different people.

13. The underlined word “in” in Paragraph 3 could be replaced by “___”.

A. ugly B. fashionable C. affordable D. expensive

14. To show their personalities some social media fashion bloggers will ___ .

A. dress themselves to look perfect B. try some new and exciting clothes

C. express themselves by wearing ugly clothes D. make statements about others clothes choices

15. What can we infer from Zanita Whittingtons words？

A. She is in favor of ugly fashion trends. B. She doesnt care about fashion at all.

C. She hopes to be the same as others. D. She doesnt want to look ugly as a model.

（二）

A

Want a wonderful travel in London？ Dont miss the following！

Cartoon Museum

This highly entertaining London tourist attraction covers the history and development of British cartoons from the 18th century to the present day. You can find a detailed collection of all types of cartoons in this museum including caricatures （人物漫畫） and rare examples of cartoon art： Its an ideal place to entertain kids of all ages as well as a serious collection for animation enthusiasts.

“I think children want to read about normal， everyday kids，” Cleary said. “Thats what I wanted to read about when I was growing up.”

Her first book， Henry Huggins， came out in 1950. Henry had a friend named Beezus， and Beezus had a mischievous （調皮的） but lovable little sister named Ramona. Over the next five decades， Cleary took Ramona all the way from nursery school to the fourth grade. Cleary says when she was writing Ramona， she took inspiration from a little girl who lived in the house behind hers as a child.

Her books have hooked generations （代） of children， including a young Jeff Kinney， who grew up to become the author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series.

“I must have been about 8 or 9 years old when I first read Beverly Cleary，” Kinney recalled. “The book that really interested me was Ramona Quimby， Age 8.”

“Many kids experience bullying （欺凌），” Kinney said. “And Beverly Cleary understood that. Her work is still as closely connected with the subject today as when it first came out.”

Now， generations of children have been fortunate enough to enjoy her stories of Klickitat Street.

4. What can we learn about Beverly Clearys works？

A. They are about adults ordinary lives. B. They receive criticism from other writers.

C. They interest and delight young readers. D. They are based on Clearys childhood experiences.

5. What gave Cleary inspiration for Ramonas stories？

A. Her childhood neighbor. B. Her work as a librarian.

C. Her fourth-grade daughter. D. Her work experience in a bookstore.

6. What does the underlined word “hooked” in Paragraph 5 mean？

A. Described. B. Praised. C. Surprised. D. Attracted.

7. Which words can best describe Beverly Cleary？

A. Brave and patient. B. Generous and honest.

C. Productive and influential. D. Imaginative and optimistic.

C

Every year thousands of tourists visit Pompeii， Italy. They see the sights that Pompeii is famous for—its stadium and theaters， its shops and restaurants. The tourists do not， however， see Pompeiis people. They do not see them because Pompeii has no people. No one has lived in Pompeii for almost 2，000 years.

Once， Pompeii was a busy city of 22，000 people. It lay at the foot of Mount Vesuvius， a grass-covered volcano. Mount Vesuvius had not erupted for centuries， so the people of Pompeii felt safe. But they were not.

In August of AD 79， Mount Vesuvius erupted. The entire top of the mountain exploded， and a huge black cloud rose into the air. Soon stones and hot ash began to fall on Pompeii. When the eruption ended two days later， Pompeii was buried under 20 feet of stones and ashes. Almost all of its people were dead.

For centuries， Pompeii lay buried under stones and ashes. Then， in the year 1861， an Italian scientist named Ginseppe began to uncover Pompeii. Slowly， carefully， Ginseppe and his men dug. The city looked almost the same as it had looked in AD 79. There were streets and fountains， houses and shops. There was a stadium with 20，000 seats. Perhaps the most important of all， there were everyday objects， which tell us a great deal about the people who lived in Pompeii. Many glasses and jars had some dark blue color in the bottom， so we know that the people of Pompeii liked wine. They liked bread， too; metal bread pans were in every bakery. In one bakery there were 81 round， flat loaves of bread—a type of bread that is still sold in Italy today. Tiny boxes filled with a dark， shiny powder tell us that women liked to wear eye-makeup.

Geinseppe has died， but his work continues. One-fourth has not been uncovered yet. Scientists are still digging， still making discoveries that draw tourists to Pompeii.

8. Why do many people come to Pompeii each year？

A. To visit the volcano. B. To shop and eat there.

C. To watch sports and plays. D. To see the remains of Pompeii.

9. Why did so many Pompeiians remain when Mount Vesuvius erupted？

A. The mountain was beautiful with grass. B. The area produced the finest wine in Italy.

C. The city nearby offered all kinds of fun. D. Few people expected the volcano to erupt again.

10. Why did the uncovered city look almost the same as it had looked in AD 79？

A. It was buried alive and remained untouched. B. Scientists successfully rebuilt it with everyday objects.

C. Ginseppe and his men dug it carefully. D. Nobody had lived in it ever since the volcano erupted.

11. What do we know about the people in Pompeii 2，000 years ago？

A. They enjoyed a lazy life drinking and eating.

B. They liked women wearing all kinds of makeup.

C. They lived more or less the way Italians now do.

D. They went back to Pompeii after the eruption in AD 79.

D

It is common to see many different kinds of insects while spending time outside in the summer. Some of them do not trouble people and can even add beauty to the natural environment. Other insects can harm the environment or humans. The population of these insects seems to stay large and healthy.

But scientists say this does not appear to be true for some flying insects that serve an important purpose. There is growing evidence that these insects are decreasing across the world.

One researcher looking into the present insect population is Doug Tallamy， a professor at the University of Delaware. He remembers walking through Washington DC in the past when it was “alive with insects， especially butterflies”. Now， he said， “The flying insects are actually gone.” Wilson， a biologist at Harvard University， said this point seemed to be proved （证明） during a drive he made from Boston to Vermont. He was surprised that， during his trip， he counted only one insect that had hit the cars front window. Several other scientists have carried out similar tests by checking how many insects hit their cars while traveling.

While researchers admit this method is not scientific， they say it can still help them understand the changing flying insect populations. There have not been many studies done on the flying insect populations covering large areas. However， some international research suggests a downward turn. In 2006， a group of studies showed that there had been a 14-percent drop in ladybugs （瓢蟲） in the United States and Canada from 1987 to 2006. In Germany， a 2017 study found an 82-percent drop in the number of flying insects compared to levels recorded in 1990.

After the German study， other countries also started looking into the problem. David Wagner of the University of Connecticut says other evidence leads him to believe the findings of the 2017 study are “clearly not a German thing”.

12. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. The insects cause trouble to people. B. The insects harm the environment.

C. The insects exist in large numbers. D. The insects love staying indoors.

13. How does Wilson try to prove that the flying insects are gone？

A. By using his personal experience. B. By making some comparisons.

C. By listing research results. D. By studying the causes.

14. What does David Wagner think of the 2017 German study？

A. It isnt done in German ways.

B. It is less believable than other evidence.

C. It follows many studies on the flying insect populations.

D. It contributes to his belief that other countries also have the problem.

15. In which section of a magazine may the text appear？

A. Health. B. Nature. C. Education. D. Entertainment.

（三）

A

CROSS IT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST！

Any time is the right time to visit Grand Central Terminal！ Located at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street， the terminal is easily accessible on foot， by subway， by bus and by Metro-North train.

Please note that the terminal does not offer luggage （行李） storage. Please plan ahead.

Plan your visit & things to do

● Take a tour！ You can see the most famous terminal.

● Head upstairs if youre looking for dinner under the stars at Cipriani Dolci or Michael Jordans The Steak House NYC or a cocktail at The Campbell.

● Head downstairs if youre looking for a quick bite in the Dining Concourse. Shake Shack burger or a memorable meal at the historic Oyster Bar & Restaurant， anyone？

● Head to Grand Central Market if youre looking for a unique shopping experience. Enjoy a great meal at local vendors like Murrays Cheese， Eli Zabars Farm to Table and Pescatore Seafood Company.

Accessibility： The terminal is accessible to visitors with disabilities， but does not provide wheelchair rentals.

Audio tours

Orpheos state-of-the-art audio device and headset come with a map of the terminal for just $9 per adult and $7 discounted （seniors， military， students， kids）.

The audio tour is also available seven days a week （closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day） at the tours office in the Graybar Passage. Hours are 9 am to 6 pm. The self-guided tour can last as short as 30 minutes to just over an hour.

Docent-led tours

The tour lasts 75 minutes. The cost is $30 for adults or $20 for seniors （65+）， students and kids. Hours are 9 am to 6 pm. Space is limited.

1. Where can tourists go shopping？

A. The Campbell. B. Cipriani Dolci.

C. Grand Central Market. D. The Graybar Passage.

2. What is offered by the terminal？

A. Luggage storage. B. Free audio devices.

C. Wheelchair rentals. D. Special travel price for students.

3. What do audio tours and docent-led tours have in common？

A. They are self-guided. B. They last less than an hour.

C. They can be booked ahead of time. D. They are available for 9 hours each day.

B

Emily and Zach are confused！ Their parents told them they could choose between Massachusetts and Arizona for their vacation this summer.

Emily has always wanted to visit Boston， the capital of Massachusetts. Zach and she both agree that walking along the Freedom Trail would enable them to see Bostons most famous places of historic interest， like the site of the school Ben jamin Franklin attended and the Old State House. If Emily and Zach went to Massachusetts， they could spend a few days at the beaches on Cape Cod. Emily loves bodyboarding， and Zach is great at bodysurfing. They both enjoy building sandcastles with their mom and dad.

Zach finds learning about Native Americans wonderful and has always wanted to travel along the Apache Trail in Arizona. This mountain highway passes Native American ruins in Tonto National Forest. Emily is not as interested in traveling along this trail as Zach， but they both would like to visit Phoenix， the capital， and then travel to Grand Canyon National Park and Meteor Crater. Zach learned in science class that Meteor Crater is a hole over 4，000 feet wide and 520 feet deep that was created when a huge object from space fell to Earth. The object went so deep that it has never been found. Zach would really like to try to discover it. But Emily thinks if experienced scientists and researchers cannot find it， Zach might as well not even bother to try.

The only drawback for Zach and Emily if they choose Arizona would be the heat. It is very hot and dry in this southwestern state. Massachusetts， on the other hand， is in the northeastern United States. Here Zach and Emily and their parents could enjoy mild temperatures. Their parents love hot weather， but Zach and Emily do not really like to sweat.

How will they ever decide to which state they should travel？ If only they could take two trips！

4. Emily and Zach will spend their summer vacation ___ .

A. visiting their parents B. learning how to surf

C. doing some sightseeing D. living with Native Americans

5. Compared with Emily， Zach is more interested in ___ .

A. design B. sports C. beaches D. history

6. What does the underlined word “drawback” in Paragraph 4 mean？

A. Value. B. Reason. C. Interest. D. Disadvantage.

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

A. A Difficult Choice B. An Interesting Plan

C. An Unforgettable Trip D. A Personal Experience

C

Reading makes you a smarter， better leader. But if youve been following the latest science， youll also know that studies have shown regularly picking up a book might increase your empathy （共鳴） and protect you from feeling lonely， hopeless or suffering from dementia （痴呆） in later life. But obviously， thats not the end of the list. New research has discovered yet another benefit of being a reader who focuses ones mind on reading.

After following those surveys based on more than 3，500 adults over age 50 for 12 years， the team from Yale University behind the research found that those who read books for 3.5 hours a week were 23 percent less likely to die. Reading for less than 3.5 hours a week lowered participants risk of death by 17 percent. Put another way， picking up an interesting book could earn you about an extra two years.

Its worth noticing that the researchers were looking exactly at time spent in reading books， rather than newspapers， magazines， or online media， and that this difference is important for the observed advantages of reading. “We found that reading books provided a greater advantage than reading newspapers or magazines，” said Avni Bavishi of the Yale School of Public Health. “This effect is likely because books attract the readers mind more—providing more cognitive （认知的） advantages， and therefore increasing the lifespan. In short， deep slow reading rather than reading quickly and carelessly is best.”

So how long should you be reading for， and what sort of titles should you pick up？ While more reading seems to be better， the researchers suggest that anything more than 30 minutes a day will be likely to do good to you. As for what exactly to read， the researchers cant yet offer much advice beyond making time for actual books， though they pointed out this was a promising way to future research.

8. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph？

A. To list some painful sufferings. B. To show the benefits of reading.

C. To tell the importance of modern science. D. To explain the reasons for forming good habits.

9. What did the research of Yale University find about reading？

A. It can stop one from being lonely. B. It might make one feel safe.

C. It can build ones confidence. D. It could help one live longer.

10. Why is it better to read books instead of newspapers or magazines？

A. It improves abilities to know about things. B. It helps get more interested in stories.

C. It brings back memories of past experiences. D. It offers different practical skills of reading.

11. What will the future research focus on？

A. Reading skills. B. Reading materials. C. Reading abilities. D. Reading purposes.

D

Coca-Cola， which reportedly produced more than 3 million tons of plastic packaging in 2019， announced it wants to “help fix the worlds plastic waste problem one community at a time.”

The soda giant is doing so by providing $5.4 million for recycling programs in cities like Atlanta， Boston， Denver and Houston. In these cities， partners， like The Green Blue Institute and The Recycling Partnership， which receive the money， will work together to improve recycling rates.

“We focus on areas where we have the ability to make the biggest influence on communities through the funding and expert skills of Coca-Cola employees，” Carlos Pagoagoa， Coca-Colas group director of community partnerships， said in a statement. “In each city， local partners will work together to identify barriers （障礙） to recycling on a local level and test a range of solutions，” he added. “We hope the learnings from these ‘model markets can offer solutions to other cities facing similar challenges.”

As part of the effort， The Recycling Partnership and the city of Atlanta， where the cola companys headquarters are based， will send street teams out to open recycling carts and leave citizens cards informing them what they can and cant recycle， and let them know how their efforts work.

“Two of the most urgent problems with recycling in the US today are lack of access， followed by pollution in recycling，” Keefe Harrison， CEO of The Recycling Partnership， said in a statement. “We know from the success of Atlanta in 2019 that the citizens want to recycle， and that communicating with them in the street works.”

Coca-Cola announced its task to collect and reuse a bottle or can for each one it sells， and increase the amount of its products out of recycled materials to 50% by 2030. The brand also aims to make all its packaging fully recyclable by 2025.

12. What does Coca-Cola company intend to do in the program？

A. Produce less packaging. B. Help deal with plastic waste.

C. Pick up waste in communities. D. Build a plant to recycle plastic waste.

13. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about？

A. How Coca-Cola conducts the program. B. What the local people do in the program.

C. How Coca-Cola chooses cities for the program. D. What cities participate in the program.

14. What do the street teams do to help the program？

A. Pick out various waste in the city. B. Look into the cause of pollution.

C. Instruct local people what to recycle. D. Hand cards to the locals in person.

15. What does Keefe Harrison think of the program？

A. Costly. B. Difficult. C. Pioneering. D. Promising.

（四）

A

Pacific Science Center Guide

? Visit Pacific Science Centers Store

Dont forget to stop by Pacific Science Centers Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.

? Hungry

Our exhibits will feed your mind but what about your body？ Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options， in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour before Pacific Science Center closes.

? Rental Information

Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.

? Support Pacific Science Center

Since 1962， Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion （热情） for discovery and lifelong learning in science， math and technology. Today， Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. Its an amazing accomplishment （成就） and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals， corporations， and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.

1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center？

A. In Building 1. B. In Building 3.

C. At the Laser Dome. D. At the Denny Way entrance.

2. What does Pacific Science Center do for schools？

A. Train science teachers. B. Design science books.

C. Inspire scientific research. D. Bring kind of science education to classrooms.

3. What is the purpose of the last part of the text？

A. To encourage donations. B. To advertise coming events.

C. To introduce special exhibits. D. To tell about the Centers history.

B

Our class had planted a large garden in what was once only a vacant lot. We got blisters （水泡） from digging， and we all got insect bites， too.

I learned a lot about gardening and teamwork and then I learned about the media. Our teacher telephoned the TV station and informed them of what we had accomplished. She spoke with the producer. The producer checked with the directors， but they said there were plenty of stories similar to ours. They wanted to know what was special about our particular garden， since many schools plant them.

The teacher explained that， after going on the Internet to learn about the prairie （大草原）， we had made a prairie garden. We had gone to a prairie and gotten seeds from the plants， and then we planted them. We did not water the garden， but we did weed （除草） it. We decided to let nature water it with rain， since that was how prairies grew in the past. We sent a picture of the garden to the news station. In the picture， the grass was so high that it stood taller than the fourth-grade students.

As a result， the producer sent a reporter to our school. He interviewed the headmaster and asked him many questions about the garden. After that， they interviewed us， and we explained to them what we had learned through this project.

That night， we watched the news， and there we were. The news reporter told our story. It was only two minutes long， but it was us. We were famous. All that work， all those blisters， it was worth it. We knew that when we saw the garden every day， but now we knew that the whole city thought so， too.

4. How do the TV directors feel about the garden at first？

A. Excited. B. Surprised. C. Worried. D. Uninterested.

5. What is special about the garden？

A. Weeds were allowed to spread naturally. B. The grass grew faster than common grass.

C. The seeds were from the plants of a prairie. D. Underground water was used for the plants.

6. What does the underlined word “that” refer to in the last paragraph？

A. The garden would be famous. B. Our hard work was worthwhile.

C. We got blisters on our hands. D. The project would be finished.

7. How did the author feel about the project？

A. Proud. B. Curious. C. Annoyed. D. Regretful.

C

Scientists and environmental groups are worried that fires sweeping across the Amazon will worsen climate change and threaten biodiversity （生物多样性）.

As the largest rainforest in the world， the Amazon is often called “the lungs of the world”. It is also home to about 3 million species of plants and animals， and 1 million local people. The vast lands of rainforest play an important role in the worlds ecosystem because they take in heat instead of it being reflected back into the atmosphere. They also store carbon dioxide and produce oxygen， making sure that less carbon is given off， mitigating the effects of climate change.

“Any forest destroyed is a threat to biodiversity and the people who use that biodiversity，” Thomas Lovejoy， an ecologist at George Mason University told National Geographic. “The shocking threat is that a lot of carbon goes into the atmosphere，” he stressed. “Facing the global climate change， we cannot afford more damage to a major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected，” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

A total of 71，497 forest fires were recorded in Brazil in the first eight months of 2019， up from 39，194 in the same period in 2018. “Its reported that the forest areas in the Brazilian Amazon have decreased （減少） something between 20 and 30 percent compared to the last 12 months，” Carlos Nobre， a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo， told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Brazil owns about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest， whose drop could have severe results for global climate and rainfall. The size of the area ruined by fires has yet to be determined， but the emergency has transcended （越过） Brazils borders， reaching Peruvian， Paraguayan and Bolivian areas.

8. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about？

A. The effects of climate change. B. The role of the Amazon rainforest.

C. The causes of the decreasing biodiversity. D. The results of the Amazon rainforest fires.

9. What does the underlined word “mitigating” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Reducing. B. Causing. C. Worsening. D. Benefiting.

10. What can we learn from Thomas and Antonios words in Paragraph 3？

A. The dry weather leads to the rainforest fires.

B. The biodiversity makes the rainforests special.

C. The global climate change brings more rainforest damage.

D. The damage of the rainforest results in serious consequences.

11. Why does the author list the numbers in Paragraph 4？

A. To stress the importance of rainforest. B. To show the frequency of forest fires.

C. To explain the process of the research. D. To present the reduction of rainforest areas.

D

There is a popular saying in the English language， “Sticks and stones may break my bones， but words will never hurt me.” Well， that is not true. Unkind words， name-calling or even the so-called “the silent treatment” can hurt children as much as being physically abused （虐待）， sometimes even more so.

A recent study of middle school children showed that verbal （言語的） abuse by other children can harm development in the brain. The study was a project of researchers at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. Researcher Martin Teicher and his team studied young adults， aged 18 to 25. These young men and women had not ever been treated in a cruel or violent way by their parents. The researchers asked the young people to rate their childhood exposure to verbal abuse from both parents and other children. Then the researchers performed imaging tests on the brains of the subjects.

The images showed that the people who reported suffering verbal abuse from peers in middle school had underdeveloped connections between the left and right side of the brain. The two sides of the brain are connected by a large bundle of connecting fibers called the corpus callosum. This was the area that was underdeveloped.

The middle school years are a time when these brain connections are developing. So， unkind， hurtful comments （評论） from children or adults during this period have the greatest effect. The researchers tested the mental and emotional condition of all the young people in the study. The tests showed that this same group of people had higher levels of fear， depression， anger and drug abuse than others in the study.

The researchers published their findings online on the American Journal of Psychiatrys website.

Parents cannot control what other people say to their children， but they can prepare their children.

12. Why does the author present the popular saying at the beginning？

A. To show the power of words. B. To introduce an opposite view.

C. To show respect for ancient people. D. To make the writers argument clear.

13. What did the subjects have in common？

A. They were hurt by unkind words. B. They performed poorly in imaging tests.

C. They had their brain slightly damaged. D. They experienced no physical abuse at home.

14. What does the text mainly tell us？

A. Words are worse than sticks and stones. B. Verbal violence should be stopped.

C. Unkind words hurt the brain. D. It matters how we speak.

15. What will be most probably discussed in the following paragraph？

A. Suggestions to parents. B. Comments on the findings.

C. Approaches to further studies. D. Different opinions on the matter.

（五）

A

US Bank Scholarship

Are you a United States citizen and a high school senior or college undergraduate student？ Then you can win $1，000. No other qualification. Just be what you already are. Each year， US Bank gives away 40 $1，000 scholarships for simply being an American citizen who will be or is attending college. All you have to do is fill out some basic information about yourself. It takes hardly any time at all.

“No Essay” Scholarship

Most scholarships come but once a year and some once in a lifetime. So the beauty of the $2，000 “No Essay” Scholarship is that it comes once a month and you can apply every single month. And the application is very easy. In fact， you could have filled it out probably 20 times since starting to read this article. You can only apply once a month， but if youre a high school senior or college student， then you can win $2，000. All applicants have an equal chance of winning.

$1，000 Weekly Scholarship

Even better than once-a-month is once-a-week. The weekly scholarship is just as simple as filling out basic information about yourself. All US high schoolers and college students are fit for this $1，000 scholarship. All it requires is filling out a short form about yourself and answering an unusual question in 280 characters or less. The question changes weekly. You can apply every week， once a week. Have fun with it.

1. What can we learn about the “No Essay” Scholarship？

A. It can be won several times a year. B. It takes a long time to apply for it.

C. It chooses its winners in a strict way. D. It is mainly for high school students.

2. The question for the $1，000 Weekly Scholarship ___ .

A. should be answered in at least 280 words B. deals with personal experiences

C. is common but interesting D. can be different every week

3. What do the three scholarships have in common？

A. They are for American citizens. B. They are easy to apply for.

C. They must be applied for online. D. They can be applied for again and again.

B

The morning had been a disaster. My tooth was aching， and Id been in an argument with a friend. Her words still hurt： “The trouble with you is that you wont put yourself in my place. Cant you see things from my point of view？” I shook my head stubbornly—and felt the ache in my tooth. Id thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday， but the pain was really unbearable. I started calling the dentists in the phone book， but no one could see me immediately. Finally， at about lunchtime， I got lucky.

“If you come by right now，” the receptionist said， “the dentist will fit you in.”

I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car. But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist. What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice？ Why wasnt he as busy as the others？

In the dentists office， I sat down and looked around. I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried. The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice-cold one.

When I told her my fears， she laughed and said， “Dont worry. The dentist is very good.”

“How long do I have to wait for him？” I asked impatiently.

“Come on， he is coming. Just lie down and relax. And enjoy the artwork，” the assistant said.

“The artwork？” I was puzzled.

The chair went back. Suddenly I smiled. There was a beautiful picture， right where I could enjoy it： on the ceiling. How considerate the dentist was！ At that moment， I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.

What a relief！

4. How did the author feel that morning？

A. Upset. B. Tired. C. Nervous. D. Disappointed.

5. What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist？

A. The laughing assistant of the dentist. B. The surroundings of the dentists office.

C. The dentists being as busy as the other dentists. D. The dentists agreeing to treat her at very short notice.

6. Why did the author suddenly smile？

A. The assistant kept comforting her. B. She saw a picture on the ceiling.

C. She could relax in the chair. D. The dentist came at last.

7. What lesson did the author learn from her experience？

A. Have a good word for ones friend. B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C. Put oneself in others shoes. D. Strike while the iron is hot.

C

The African elephant， the largest land animal remaining on earth， is of great importance to African ecosystem. Unlike other animals， the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater， it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna surroundings in which it lives， therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat.

It is the elephants great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day， it kills small trees and bushes， and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas （稀樹草原）. In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.

Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state， the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants， elephants make open spaces， allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations， the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.

What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears， scientists say， many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna， greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.

8. What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean？

A. Deciding the conditions. B. Improving the quality.

C. Worsening the state. D. Fixing the time.

9. What can we learn about the open spaces talked about in the text？

A. They are home to many endangered animals. B. They result from the destruction of rain forests.

C. They provide food mainly for African elephants. D. They are attractive to different plant-eating animals.

10. What is TRUE about the African elephant according to the text？

A. It is now the largest animal on earth.

B. It encourages the growth of some plants.

C. It has greater effects on African ecosystem than the other animals.

D. It is the most important builder of the environment except humans.

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. Disappearance of African elephants. B. The eating habit of African elephants.

C. The effect of African elephants search for food. D. Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants.

D

A European Union program is letting blind people experience famous paintings for the first time. It uses three dimensional （3-D） printing to recreate famous paintings so they can be touched.

One painting printed with the new technology is Gustav Klimts “The Kiss”. It is a popular attraction at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna， Austria. The painting shows a man and a woman standing in a field filled with flowers. They are wearing gold robes and have their arms around each other. The man leans down to kiss the woman.

Klimt finished the painting in 1908. Until now， people who had trouble seeing could not appreciate the artwork. But thanks to the reproduction they can touch the piece and feel the ridges and depressions. Andreas Reichinger started making 3-D versions of artwork in 2010. He said this reproduction was his most difficult project because the couples robes are so detailed.

Dominika Raditsch is a blind museum visitor. She touched the reproduction. As she moved her hands around it， she said， “Exactly， can you see these？ There are so many details.” Raditsch said she can imagine what the original painting looks like when she touches the reproduction. “Its somehow round. You can feel it. It comes with it. And in many places its so smooth. And then I think to myself： it probably shines too！” Raditsch said.

The Belvedere is not the only museum to have 3-D versions of its artwork. Some of the pieces at the Prado， in Madrid， Spain， have reproductions that can be touched. But the piece in Vienna has one special part： it is made with widely available 3-D printing technology. That means one day， blind art fans anywhere in the world could download the source files and print the reproductions themselves.

12. What is “The kiss”？

A. A 3-D technology. B. A popular painting. C. A famous museum. D. A European Union project.

13. Why did Reichinger say the reproduction was difficult to finish？

A. The painting was reproduced detailedly. B. The original artwork was made in 1908.

C. The 3-D technology was hardly available. D. The art fans couldnt download the source file.

14. How did Raditsch most probably feel when she first touched the reproduction？

A. Confused. B. Nervous. C. Excited. D. Curious.

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

A. How to Reproduce the World-famous Paintings

B. A European Union Program for Museum Visitors

C. A Special Museum for Art Fans in Vienna， Austria

D. 3-D Printing Lets the Blind Experience Famous Paintings

（六）

A

Qibao Ancient Village

Qibao， located in the center of Minhang District， Shanghai， is a village with a history of one thousand years. In the village， wine and tea are served on old-fashioned square tables together with long benches， long-mouth copper pots and flat-end chopstick used. The most famous snacks in old Shanghai are square pastry， rice wine and steamed salted pork in wine.

Telephone： 021-21087225

Entrance Ticket： 45 yuan per all-in-one ticket （preferable price of 30 yuan is available now）， covering almost all tourist attractions inside the village.

Jinshan Village of Farmer Painting

Villagers skillfully make good use of folk arts such as printing and dyeing， embroidery （刺繡） and wood carving. They take the various folk customs and the busy scenes of labor of villagers in the lower Changjiang Valley as the theme of paintings and create farmer paintings in a simple style.

Telephone： 021-57355555

Entrance Ticket： 30 yuan/person

Merry Countryside Tour in Zhonghua Village

The village provides tourists with accommodations， tours， chess， cards， fitness and entertainment through renting out separate farmhouses and sells tourist products and agricultural by-products related to the merry countryside tour.

Telephone： 021-57395433

Entrance Ticket： Free

Pudong Lingkong Agric Gardening

It is one of Shanghai countryside tour scenic spots， which features art of teapots， crop plantation and export. The Geological Science Popularization Hall stores up tens of thousands of rare stones collected all over the world.

Telephone： 021-33935557

Entrance Ticket： 50 yuan/person

1. What can you do when you are in Qibao？

A. See busy scenes of labor of villagers. B. Taste steamed salted pork in wine.

C. Appreciate various folk customs. D. Enter the village free of charge.

2. Where can you go if you are interested in stone collecting？

A. Qibao Ancient Village. B. Pudong Lingkong Agric Gardening.

C. Jinshan Village of Farmer Painting. D. Merry Countryside Tour in Zhonghua Village.

3. What is the theme of the four tours？

A. Agricultural achievements. B. Traditional customs.

C. City developments. D. Countryside life.

B

I felt excited， curious and nervous at the same time. I was excited because I would be skipping （跳級） two grades. I was curious because I didnt know how high school students were taught. However， I was most nervous at the idea that I would be doing high school homework. I had just walked into the class when the bell rang. This wasnt a good start. But the kid in front of me looked very friendly. Luckily， since it was the first day of school， my teacher talked for about half of the period and we just had the rest of the period to start the class. I didnt know what he was saying at first， but when I saw the problems on the paper， I knew what to do.

The next day， the kid said “hi” and I said “hi” back. We got into a conversation. It seemed that whenever I was talking to my friend， everyone stopped staring at me. Then the class started. It was easy. But I was still uncomfortable because I couldnt look around without meeting others eyes， so I just kept my eyes on the whiteboard and on my textbook. However， my friend didnt show up the next day， and the eighth graders just kept on staring at me. I didnt know why.

The next day everything changed. My friend was back to school. I was praised for my homework. Everyone stared at me less. Some started to be a little friendlier towards me. I felt at home at last here. My teachers also seemed pretty nice.

4. What is the author curious about？

A. How he will do his high school homework. B. What high school students are learning.

C. What the high school homework is. D. How high school students study.

5. Why did the author always keep his eyes on the whiteboard and the textbook？

A. To see more clearly. B. To avoid meeting others eyes.

C. To follow his teachers teaching. D. To attract his teachers attention.

6. Without the skipping， the author should have studied in ___ .

A. the fourth grade B. the sixth grade C. the seventh grade D. the eighth grade

7. What can we learn about the author according to the text？

A. He got along well with his new class very soon. B. He felt sorry about having skipped two grades.

C. He got used to others stares in the classroom. D. He had one friend in his class all the time.

C

Homelessness is a big problem across the world. Many people and organizations are working to solve it. Mel Young from Scotland and Harald Schmied from Austria are two such people. In 2001， the two men attended an international conference （研讨会） about the problem of homelessness. Later， they began to wonder if football could help solve the problem. In 2003， they decided to start the Homeless World Cup organization. It chooses and trains local homeless people for the yearly football competition. Today， about 500 people from almost 50 countries play in the Homeless World Cup. And the program is changing lives.

Damien is from Ireland. For many years， he struggled with drug addiction. But in 2006， he played for Irelands Homeless World Cup team， and since then， he has been drug free！

Many of the Homeless Word Cup players， like Damien， have struggled with drug addiction. However， some players are homeless because of poverty. Alex is one of them. He says， “I was born in Mathare， the biggest， worst slum （貧民窟） in Kenya. I could not find anything to eat. Also schooling was a problem. My life started when I started playing football.” Football gave Alex joy. It taught him to work hard and helped him believe that he could achieve something.

Football can even help people who have experienced extreme tragedy. Najib， a young man from Afghanistan， has lived through much war. Many of his family members have died. But football has helped him survive. “It is only during the games that I do not think about my situation. Im not interested in anything other than football and its the only thing I desire，” Najib explains.

Drugs， poverty and war are common causes of homelessness. Playing in a football competition may not directly treat drug addiction， solve poverty or end war， but it can give people emotional strength and help them learn important life skills.

8. What can we learn about the Homeless World Cup？

A. It is held every year. B. It is the idea of two troubled football lovers.

C. It first took place in 2001. D. It was introduced at an international conference.

9. After playing in the Homeless World Cup， Alex ___ .

A. gave up taking drugs B. began to live a colorful life

C. got a good school education D. became confident about the future

10. What does the underlined word “desire” in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Want. B. Know. C. Watch. D. Remember.

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

A. Football for Everyone B. Last Hope for the Homeless

C. End Homelessness from Now On D. Beat Homelessness Through Football

D

“Clothes Swapping” has become an increasingly popular activity for women in the United States. The women can give away unwanted clothing at a clothes swap event and get something different in return.

Recently about 300 women went to a clothes swap at a high school in Springfield， Virginia. It was the largest crowd ever for the areas popular clothing-swapping group.

Daphne Steinberg was having a good day. “For anyone who knows Ann Taylor LOFT， Ann Taylor is a really nice womens designer and I will totally wear this to work.”

Sandy Van Dusen likes the idea that clothes are finding new homes instead of being thrown away. “Because it helps to keep the Earth green. Theres no point in my opinion in continuing to buy new clothes when we can reuse whats already here.”

Kim Pratt organized the clothing-swapping event in Springfield. She also organized a money-raising activity for the high schools debate team. It is one of several ways that her group gives to charitable causes. Another is by giving away all of the “un-swapped” clothing to shelters for victims of domestic violence.

“I started doing this four years ago， and weve been doing it for four years， getting bigger and bigger each time we have a swap，” said Mrs Pratt.

She used the social media website meetup.com to help publicize the events. The website has helped her group grow from 30 members to 1，300. Mrs Pratt says most of the members respect the clothing swap rules. But she says competition for desirable fashion can be strong.

“We have to tell people sometimes not to hover over the new people coming in with their clothing. As they put it out， some people tend to grab （抓住） the stuff right out of their hands and it becomes like a free-for-all. We try to avoid that as much as possible.”

12. What can women do at a clothes swap in the US？

A. Buy whatever clothing they like. B. Take part in a social activity and make friends.

C. Exchange unwanted clothing for something different. D. Make some money by giving away unwanted clothing.

13. What can we learn from Steinbergs words？

A. She got some nice clothes at the clothes swap. B. The clothes swap was the largest ever in the area.

C. It was the first time she had been to a clothes swap. D. She saved much more money than she had expected.

14. What is Paragraph 5 mainly about Kim Pratt？

A. What she did to help people in need. B. What she did with the un-swapped clothes.

C. How she started the clothing-swapping event. D. How she raised money to help charitable causes.

15. What can be inferred from the last paragraph？

A. Clothes swaps often go out of control in the end.

B. Clothes-swapping has become popular with women.

C. More clothing swapping events need to be organized.

D. Improper behavior at clothes swaps needs to be controlled.

（七）

A

With the coming of online book buying， many have predicted that the bookstores will disappear eventually. To the book lovers， nothing beats walking through a bookshop， looking at all the covers， picking up large heavy books and turning them over. The smell of ink on paper， and conversations with strangers about authors are amazing for them. And were grateful that therere beautiful bookstores still out there.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid

Designed for the music director Max Glucksmann， this building was opened as a show-stopping theater called Teatro Gran Splendid in Buenos Aires in 1919. After nearly a century of hosting tango （探戈舞） masters， the great space was rented by a firm， GrupoIlhsa， in 2000. The former theater now serves as the groups flagship bookstore; more than 1 million people visit it annually.

The Book Barge

The Book Barge is a 60-foot canal boat bookshop. Inspired by the Slow Food movement， Henshaw says， “We hope to promote a less hurried and busy lifestyle filled with leisure and pleasure here， through cups of tea， conversations， culture and， of course， an extremely good Book Barge purchase.”

La Caverne aux Livres

At La Caverne aux Livres in north of Paris， an old postal train station and several mail-sorting train cars have become home to a ranging collection of used books for sale. Visitors often spend hours looking through the broad selection there， surrounded by an atmosphere of old letters and dreams of faraway places.

Selexyz Dominicanen

For those who regard bookstores with great respect， welcome to Selexyz Dominicanen： a 13th-century Dominican church in Maastricht， Holland. Later， the big space of the church was used to store bicycles. Several years ago， the church was changed to a bookstore. This glorious gothic （哥特式的） building was redecorated by a design firm; the result is nothing short of a miracle.

1. What do the book lovers care about most according to Paragraph 1？

A. Finding the latest books online. B. Reading the newly published books.

C. Communicating with different readers. D. Getting certain experiences in bookstores.

2. What do El Ateneo Grand Splendid and Selexyz Dominicanen have in common？

A. They were both used as theaters. B. They both have a long history.

C. They both have a gothic style. D. They both lie in Holland.

3. Where will people go if theyre interested in collecting old books？

A. The Book Barge. B. Selexyz Dominicanen.

C. La Caverne aux Livres. D. El Ateneo Grand Splendid.

B

Everyone knew that Stuti was the best speller in the whole class. She could spell difficult words like “encyclopedia” and “amendment” very easily. She used to get perfect scores during each weekly spelling test.

Ms Daisy， her English teacher， made a rule for the spelling tests that any child who doesnt get at least 60% correct spellings would have to copy each word fifty times for next weeks spelling test. Seema， who sat next to Stuti always struggled with spellings. Last Thursday， she received 56 percent， which meant copying each word fifty times.

Stuti was so confident about her spelling ability that she decided not to study for her next spelling test. The test began. Ms Daisy pronounced each word and then repeated it. Everything was OK until she read “Handkerchief”. Stuti scribbled h-a-n-d-k-e-r-c-h... now what？ i or e？ Her mind was blank.

Ms Daisy started to move on to the next word. Suddenly， Stuti realized that Seema knew how to spell it！ Seema had written this word fifty times.

There was wide open space between Stuti and Seema. Stutis eyes rolled to the right. There it was; it was spelled out in Seemas handwriting. Her eyes went quickly back to her own paper and finished the word with the letters “i-e-f”.

Stuti remained nervous as Ms Daisy read the last word. She had cheated just for the first time in her life. She thought， “Is this the way I want to keep my perfect record—by being a cheater？”

Frantically （手忙腳乱地）， she erased what she had written earlier and replaced it with what she knew was the wrong answer. She wrote “e-i-f ”. As she passed the test paper to the teacher with her sweaty hands， she sighed with relief. She thought， “So， what if my perfect scores are no longer perfect？ At least my honesty is.”

4. Why did Seema copy the word “handkerchief ” fifty times？

A. She found it difficult to memorize it.

B. She spelled it incorrectly in the last test.

C. She wanted to score full marks in the coming test.

D. She got more than 40% wrong spellings in the last test.

5. What does the underlined word “scribbled” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Wrote something quickly. B. Drew something carefully.

C. Removed something suddenly. D. Pronounced something correctly.

6. What made Stuti nervous during the test？

A. She forgot the spelling of some words. B. She knew she couldnt get the highest scores.

C. She copied a word from Seemas paper. D. She couldnt hear her English teacher clearly.

7. What does the author want to tell us？

A. Better late than never. B. Pride goes before a fall.

C. Honesty is the best policy. D. Lazy people take the most pains.

C

Beer is the best alcoholic （酒精的） drink to change into fuel and could be key to developing an environmental replacement for petrol （汽油）， scientists have found. Chemists at the University of Bristol have spent years developing technology to change widely-available ethanol （乙醇）， namely alcohol， into butanol （丁醇）. Butanol is a better fuel replacement for the widely-used ethanol， which can last longer.

The scientists have been able to change pure， dry ethanol into butanol in laboratory conditions. They are now working to increase the production of the technology by using real ethanol fermentation broths， which contain up to 90% water along with other impurities （杂质）. Professor Duncan Wass， of the universitys School of Chemistry， said， “The alcohol in alcoholic drinks is actually ethanol—exactly the same unit that we want to change into butanol as a petrol replacement.” So alcoholic drinks are an ideal model for environmental fuel.

“If our technology works with alcoholic drinks—especially beer， which is the best model—then it shows it has the potential to be enlarged to make butanol as a petrol replacement on an industrial level.” The chemists used a catalyst， a substance used to speed up and control a chemical reaction， to help change ethanol into butanol. They found their catalysts will change beer—specifically the ethanol in beer to butanol.

Professor Wass said beer isnt used on a large scale for now but it will be an “excellent readily available model” to test the technology. The team will now build a large-scale version of their technology， which could take up to five years if it runs smoothly.

They are also trying to understand what makes their catalysts so successful in changing ethanol into butanol. “Beer is actually an excellent mixture of chemicals we would need to use in a real industrial process， so we believe this technology is one step closer to reality，” Professor Wass added.

8. What is the advantage of butanol compared with ethanol？

A. It is safer to use. B. It contains fewer impurities.

C. It provides more energy. D. It can be changed more easily.

9. What does the research focus on at present？

A. How to make butanol in larger quantities. B. How to perform the experiment in the lab.

C. How to apply the technology to production. D. How to make factories to adopt the technology.

10. What can be learnt about the alcohol in drinks？

A. It is a perfect petrol replacement. B. It can be used in many more fields.

C. It is similar to ethanol in chemical structure. D. It can be changed into butanol by using catalysts.

11. What is Professor Wass attitude to this technology？

A. Doubtful. B. Optimistic. C. Unconcerned. D. Negative.

D

A survey has shown that what you do on a plane can be determined by which nationality is listed on your passport.

According to the results of an international passenger survey， Australians are the biggest drinkers on board with 36 percent choosing to down the hatch， compared to 35 percent of Americans and 33 percent of Brits.

The Airline Passenger Experience Association （APEX） spoke to around 1，500 people， aged 18 and older， who have traveled by plane at least once during the last three months and were living in the United States， United Kingdom， Germany， Japan， China， Singapore， Australia or Brazil.

The results found Chinese travelers are most likely to nod off （打盹） once the seat-belt sign switches off. They are also the first to reach for their credit card for some in-flight shopping and the biggest fans of gaming. Americans on the other hand like to use their time in the air more productively—when not drinking—choosing to work while flying at 350，000 feet.

Meanwhile， Brits and Germans are the best at making chat with random strangers—spending 50 percent more time than any other nationality. Comparatively， Brazilians conduct their conversations online via e-mail， messaging apps or social media.

Despite plane food having a bad reputation， seven out of ten interviewees said they were happy to eat up on the selection in-flight snacks and meals. In-flight magazines were also popular with four out of five passengers claiming to read them.

The international flyers did， however， express their desire for better in-flight entertainment. “The industry has greatly improved the comfort， entertainment and on-board service， and passengers are accepting those improvements，” said Russell Lemieux， APEX executive director. “At the same time， passengers are demanding more from their air travel experiences which will drive more improvements touching all aspects of the journey，” he added.

12. What can probably be seen during a flight according to the study？

A. Brazilians drink. B. Germans chat to kill their time.

C. Americans do in-flight shopping. D. The Chinese switch off the seat-belt sign.

13. What is TRUE about passengers on board a plane？

A. Most of them like to read in-flight magazines.

B. More than half of them dont enjoy plane food.

C. They have little in common though from the same country.

D. Most of them tend to use in-flight time to have a good sleep.

14. What can we learn about the flyers from the last paragraph？

A. They care little about entertainment. B. They are expecting better flight experience.

C. They are satisfied with the improvement. D. They have more and more demands from airlines.

15. Whats the main purpose of the text？

A. To entertain readers with interesting stories. B. To inform readers of the results of a survey.

C. To criticize impolite behaviours on the plane. D. To encourage people to behave well in public.

（八）

A

Two European Summer Must “Seas”

When you think of summer， the beach， clear water， sunny skies， and relaxing days are a few things that come to mind， and two of the best places to experience these summer feels are two gorgeous European bodies of water： the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea！ These two incredible Seas hold some of my favorite travel memories， and I would revisit each one in a heartbeat！

The Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea can be accessed from various European countries as well as a few North African countries. And while many think of visiting Ibiza， Malta， or the Greek islands to experience the Mediterranean， my Mediterranean beach days came while visiting the seaside city of Marseille in the south of France！ Marseille was a lovely city with easy access to the Sea， also with pretty sandy beaches. The gorgeous crystal clear blue water made it unlike any beach day in America！ Not only were the beaches amazing， but the city of Marseille was adorable and filled with numerous cute shops and seaside restaurants. And the Mediterranean-style food was delicious！

The Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is equally as stunning and surely worth a visit！ The Croatian coast has numerous beach clubs， some private and some public， which tourists are able to visit and you can experience the beauty of the Adriatic Sea there！ Zrce Novalja， a Croatian seaside town I visited， was impressively featured by the rather rocky beach in place of sand. The rocks were small and smooth， making swimming in the sea and wading in the water just as easy as sandy beaches！ Plus the locals in Croatia are also extremely friendly， making the experience even more memorable.

1. The authors trip to the seas was full of ___ .

A. funny events B. various adventures C. pleasant surprises D. wonderful experiences

2. From where did the author get to the Mediterranean Sea？

A. Ibiza. B. Malta. C. Marseille. D. The Greek islands.

3. What makes Zrce Novalja so special？

A. Its beach clubs. B. Its rocky beach. C. Its beautiful sea. D. Its friendly locals.

B

In 2012， Kim Stemple， a special-education teacher， found herself tied to an IV pole （输液架） in a Boston hospital being treated for one of several diseases she had. Before she got too sick to exercise， Stemple had been a marathon runner. She was naturally getting very depressed. And then a racing partner who had just finished a half marathon in Las Vegas gave her a medal （勛章） and hoped the keepsake would act as a kind of pick-me-up. It worked like a charm.

After Stemple hung the medal from her hospital IV pole， other patients said they wanted medals too. That got Stemple thinking. “A medal is a simple way to give a positive message，” she told pilotonline.com. And so was born her charity， We Finish Together， which collects medals from strangers—runners， dancers， swimmers， singers， and even spelling bee winners—and donates them to all sorts of people in need.

People who receive the medals have included hospital patients， residents of homeless shelters， and veterans. Part of the process involves the donor writing a personalized note on the ribbon （勋带）. “This gives them a connection to someone，” says Stemple. “If they receive a medal， they know someone cares.”

Can a simple medal really make a difference？ Yes， says Joan Musarra， who suffers from a terrible disease. “I opened my package containing my new medal and the note of positive， warm thoughts. I was deeply touched，” she wrote to Stemple. “At that moment， I was sitting on my couch breathing through an oxygen cannula because my lungs had worsened so badly. It means so much to me to feel that I am not alone.”

4. What do the underlined words “the keepsake” in Paragraph 1 refer to？

A. The medal. B. The disease. C. The partner. D. The marathon.

5. Stemple was inspired to start We Finish Together ___ .

A. after she started collecting medals B. when her friend gave her a medal

C. when other patients also wanted medals D. after she was interviewed by pilotonline.com

6. How does the author present his point in the last paragraph？

A. By suggesting a treatment. B. By providing statistics.

C. By describing a disease. D. By giving an example.

7. What does Kim Stemples story mainly tell us？

A. Donating brings sunshine to both. B. Sportsmanship can inspire people with hope.

C. People should help each other when in trouble. D. The simple act of kindness makes a persons day.

C

For many parents， raising a teenager is like fighting a long war， but years go by without any clear winner. Like a border conflict （冲突） between neighboring countries， the parent-teen war is about boundaries （边界）： Where is the line between what I control and what you do？

Both sides want peace， but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict. In part， this is because neither is willing to admit any responsibility for starting it. From the parents point of view， the only cause of their fight is their adolescents complete unreasonableness. And of course， the teens see it in exactly the same way， except oppositely. Both feel trapped （陷入困境）.

In this article， Ill describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrel on unimportant things. Examples include the color of the teens hair， the cleanness of the bedroom， the preferred style of clothing， the childs failure to eat a good breakfast before school， or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends. Second， blaming （責备）. The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong. Third， needing to be right. It doesnt matter what the topic is—politics， the laws of physics， or the proper way to break an egg—the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong， for both wish to be considered an authority—someone who actually knows something—and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately， as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other， theyll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress.

8. Why does the author compare the parent-teen war to a border conflict？

A. Neither has any clear winner. B. Neither can be put to an end.

C. Both can continue for generations. D. Both are about where to draw the line.

9. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means the teens ___ .

A. think their parents often misleading them B. tend to have a full understanding of their parents

C. blame their parents for starting the conflict D. agree with their parents on the cause of the conflict

10. The trouble between parents and teens shows that they want to ___ .

A. gain respect from the other B. get the other to behave properly

C. give orders to the other D. know more than the other

11. What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows？

A. Solutions to the parent-teen problems. B. Future of the parent-teen relationship.

C. Causes of the parent-teen conflicts. D. Harm of the parent-teen war.

D

Known for its historic stone paths and traffic-jammed streets， France stops using traditional bricks and pavement for shiny solar panels （嵌板） with its new roadway project. French officials announced plans to construct a 1，000-kilometer-long solar roadway， with each kilometer capable of providing enough cheap， renewable energy to power 5，000 homes.

“The maximum effect of the program， if successful， could be to furnish 5 million people with electricity，” Segolence Royal， Frances minister of ecology and energy， said at a conference.

The street—or “Wattway”—was made possible through the cooperation between the National Institute of Solar Energy and French civil engineering firm Colas. Tests for the road will begin in the spring. The entire project will take an estimated five years to complete， but builders wont have to destroy existing roads in the meantime. Only about a quarter of an inch thick， the solar panels can simply be glued on top of existing streets and are durable （耐用的） enough to bear heavy traffic and weather conditions.

Despite the bad traffic Parisians associate with their journey to work every day， the average French roadway is packed for only 10 percent of the day， according to Colas figures. That will leave the solar street with the majority of the day to gather energy from the sun， which makes the project quite promising. The panels collect solar power through a thin layer of polycrystalline silicon （多晶硅） and change it into electricity. Electrical connections can be put into existing traffic structures.

France wont be the first country to roll out a solar road. A 70-meter solar bike path was set up in the Netherlands in 2014. Within six months， the path had created enough to power a house for an entire year.

12. Why did France build Wattway？

A. To find a cheaper way of road construction. B. To provide electricity for home use.

C. To produce power for passing cars. D. To improve traffic conditions.

13. What is special about the solar panels of Wattway？

A. They can be recycled easily. B. They are made of cheap materials.

C. They can be laid on top of present roads. D. They are thick enough for heavy vehicles.

14. Which paragraph gives the reason the solar road can collect energy most of the time？

A. Paragraph 1. B. Paragraph 2. C. Paragraph 3. D. Paragraph 4.

15. Why does the author mention the bike path in the Netherlands？

A. To stress the importance of saving energy. B. To point out a new technology in road-building.

C. To praise the government of the Netherlands. D. To give another successful example of a solar road.

（九）

A

Choose Your One-day Tours！

Tour A—Bath & Stonehenge including entrance fees （費用） to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge—?37 until 26 March and ?39 thereafter.

Visit the city with over 2，000 years of history and Bath Abbey， the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum. Stonehenge is one of the worlds most famous prehistoric monuments dating back over 5，000 years.

Tour B—Oxford & Stratford including entrance fees to the University St Marys Church Tower and Anne Hathaways house— ?32 until 12 March and ?36 thereafter.

Oxford： This includes a guided tour of Englands oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires （尖顶）” from St Marys Church Tower.

Stratford： This includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.

Tour C—Windsor Castle & Hampton Court including entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace—?34 until 11 March and ?37 thereafter. This includes a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court， Henry Ⅷs favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle （entrance fees not included）. With 500 years of history， Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens， which include the famous maze （迷宫） where it is easy to get lost！

Tour D—Cambridge including entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great— ?33 until 18 March and ?37 thereafter. This includes a guided tour of Cambridge， the famous university town， and the gardens of the 18th century.

1. Which tour will you choose if you want to see Englands oldest university city？

A. Tour A. B. Tour B. C. Tour C. D. Tour D.

2. What tour charges the lowest fee on 17 March？

A. Windsor Castle & Hampton Court. B. Oxford & Stratford.

C. Bath & Stonehenge. D. Cambridge.

3. Why is Hampton Court regarded as a major tourist attraction？

A. It used to be the home of royal families. B. It used to be a well-known maze.

C. It is the oldest palace in Britain. D. It is a world-famous court.

B

We had two young kids and lived in town. Both my husband and I worked long days. As a result， we didnt have much time for our kids. They often stayed alone in the house when we were out. They werent happy， as you can guess. One day， my husband and I decided to buy a dog for them to make them happy.

Our kids loved that idea. We started searching newspaper， and it wasnt long before we found puppies for sale. So we decided to hike from one small town to another and found an old farmhouse. Our kids were way ahead of us running as fast as they could to see what their puppy is like. “Shes under the sofa，” the owner said with a smile.

And thats when we got our first look at the little dog. My daughter picked up the brown-and-white pup with soft ears and paws. She looked up with the biggest and brownest eyes Id ever seen， and I said， “Well take her.” And after we took Sadie home， our kids often ran outdoors with her after school. They became so much happier.

Two years ago， my husband and I decided to move to the countryside. On the day we moved， we loaded Sadie in the truck. By the time we reached our new house， Sadie was beyond herself with joy. As we pulled into the drive-way， she gave a bark of excitement. She ran here and there happily. Seeing how happy she was， I thought of the days our kids were left alone at home. I realized what a big role the dog had played in their lives！

I should thank Sadie. Because of her， our kids had a much happier childhood.

4. Why did the author and her husband want to buy a dog？

A. They loved dogs very much. B. They wanted to cheer their kids up.

C. They were asked to do so by their kids. D. They needed one to watch over their house.

5. We can infer from Paragraph 2 that the kids ___ .

A. liked running very much B. missed the dog very much

C. couldnt wait to see the dog D. saw the dog before the house

6. What can we learn about Sadie from Paragraph 4？

A. She often visited the country. B. She wasnt happy in the town.

C. She loved her new home very much. D. She looked for another dog here and there.

7. What does the author think of the role of Sadie？

A. It made her kids happy. B. It helped her work much better.

C. It helped her kids develop responsibility. D. It made her family life in the countryside interesting.

C

Have you ever been faced with trying to stay positive when others around you are negative？ A negative person can bring you down and throw your positive plans out of the window. Whether you deal with a family member， friend or co-worker who is negative， there are things you can do to remain positive in the face of negativity.

Whatever you do， dont argue with a negative person. Arguing only adds fuel to the fire. I have noticed when my children are crabby， it is best to avoid trying to convince them to analyze and adjust their attitude. As soon as I take the approach of being in opposition to them， the situation gets worse before it gets better. Sometimes the best thing to do is remain silent and let negativity pass.

You know how difficult it can be to give love and positive attention to negative people. Unfortunately， that is often exactly what they need. A negative person is usually afraid he is unlovable. How do you show love when someone is negative？ You must listen to what he is trying to tell you. Acknowledge （承認） the feelings he has by saying something like， “You sound very angry right now.” How might you help a negative person？ Offer a hug even if you get rejected. A negative person often has difficulty accepting love from others.

If you have negative people in your life who are affecting your mental and physical health， you need to decide whether or not you want these people in your life. Some people are so negative that you have no other choice but to remove them from your life. However， some people， such as your children， are difficult to remove from your life. In this case， professional counseling （咨询） may be the answer.

8. What does the underlined word “crabby” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Very lonely. B. Quite excited. C. Easily annoyed. D. Highly optimistic.

9. From Paragraph 3 we can learn negative people ___ .

A. need care B. are hard to get along with

C. can be hurt easily D. refuse to change themselves

10. What does the author suggest doing according to the last paragraph？

A. Focusing on positive things. B. Trying to change negative thoughts.

C. Controlling our own negative thoughts. D. Staying away from negative people if you can.

11. In what section of a magazine can we most probably read the text？

A. Entertainment. B. Relationships. C. Lifestyles. D. Health.

D

A warm drink of milk before bed has long been the best choice for those wanting a good nights sleep. But now a study has found it really does help people nod off—if it is milked from a cow at night.

Researchers have discovered that “night milk” contains more melatonin （褪黑激素）， which has been proven to help people feel sleepy and reduce anxiety.

The study， by researchers from Seoul， South Korea， involved mice being fed with dried milk powder made from cows milked both during the day and at night.

Those given night milk， which contained 10 times the amount of melatonin， were less active and less anxious than those fed with the milk collected during daytime， according to the study published in The Journal of Medicinal Food.

Night milk quickened the start of sleep and caused the mice to sleep longer.

While the effect of cows milk harvested at different time has not been tested on humans up to now， taking melatonin drugs has been suggested to those who are struggling to fall asleep at night.

Previous studies have also indicated that milk can be excellent for helping sleep because of the calcium content， which helps people to relax.

Milk is also sugar-free and additive-free with nutritionists recommending skimmed milk as the best choice before bed as it is the least fattening. The more fat you take in before bedtime， the greater burden you will put on your body at night.

12. According to the text， the mice fed with night milk ___ .

A. had less anxiety B. woke up earlier C. were more active D. started sleep more slowly

13. What can we learn about melatonin according to the text？

A. Its been tested on mice for ten times. B. It makes people sleep longer.

C. It exists in milk in great amount. D. Its used as sleeping drugs.

14. How does the author support the theme of the text？

A. By giving examples. B. By stating arguments.

C. By explaining statistical data. D. By providing research results.

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

A. An Experiment on Mice B. Milk Drinking and Health

C. Night Milk and Sleep D. Fat， Sugar and Health

（十）

A

Why Go to Madrid？

There may be a slight chill （寒冷） in the air， with temperatures staying around 15°C in March， but Spains handsome capital is slowly starting to warm up. Even more attractive are the cultural events.

A new exhibition on the living and working spaces of Spains greatest artist， Picasso， has just opened in the studio at the Fundación Mapfre at Paseo de Recoletos 23. It runs until 11 May with rarely seen pieces borrowed from his family.

Later in the summer， the 407th anniversary of the death of the Renaissance （文藝复兴） painter El Greco will be marked with an exciting exhibition at the Museo del Prado at Paseo del Prado from 24 June to 5 October.

How to go？

The widest range of flights is offered by EasyJet—from Bristol， Edinburgh， Gatwick， Liverpool and Luton. British Airways and its sister airline Iberia combine forces from Heathrow and London City. Ryanair flies from Manchester and Stansted; Air Europa flies from Gatwick.

Barajas airport is 13 km north-east of the city center and is served by frequent trains on Metro line 8， but the shortest underground journey is a bit complex with at least one change at Nuevos Ministerios station and takes about 30 minutes. The fare to any station in the city center is 4.5 euros. The airport express bus runs every 15 to 35 minutes around the clock; 5 euros one way. It takes 40 minutes to reach the city center. A taxi takes half the time. A flat rate of 30 euros covers most of central Madrid.

1. When will the exhibition about Picasso close？

A. On 23 March. B. On 11 May. C. On 24 June. D. On 5 October.

2. Which airline operates flights from Manchester to Madrid？

A. EasyJet. B. Ryanair. C. Air Europa. D. British Airways.

3. What is the fastest way to reach central Madrid from Barajas airport？

A. The taxi. B. The city bus. C. Metro line 8. D. The airport express bus.

B

Before January 2005， young girls couldnt play soccer in Katutura， a black township in Namibia， Africa. They had no soccer balls， no playing field， no shoes， and no leader. Each day， girls and boys gathered at the Nordkamp Center after school. Most of the boys would play soccer in a nearby dirt field while the girls remained at the center to jump rope or read books.

Center director Mary Beth Gallagher loved soccer and knew that the girls would love it， too. So she organized a girls team with players under the age of 12. She knew it would be the youngest girls soccer team in the whole country. Because they had no other girls teams to compete with， Mary Beth arranged matches against the boys teams. The boys were bigger and stronger， but the girls didnt back down.

Soon news spread about the Nordkamp girls team. An American soccer team from New York heard about them and immediately sent all their uniforms and shoes to their “soccer sisters”. When the bright orange uniforms arrived， the Nordkamp girls danced happily.

“You look like pumpkins，” Mary Beth said.

A girls voice called out， “If we are pumpkins， were beautiful pumpkins.”

With their new name the Pumpkins， the experienced team was ready for a big match.

On December 1， 2006， the Pumpkins gathered and walked in a big orange line to a field near the Nordkamp Center. Their first opposing （對抗的） team laughed at the young players， but they didnt laugh for long. They quickly found out just how good the Pumpkins were. The Pumpkins beat that first team and then the next. These girls became famous， and their story was also encouraging to others in Namibia.

4. Before January 2005， in Katutura ___ .

A. there was no girls soccer team B. boys had no place to play soccer

C. girls often played soccer with boys D. kids preferred jumping rope to soccer

5. As for the idea of girls playing soccer， Mary Beth might ___ .

A. think little of it B. be doubtful of it C. feel hopeful about it D. be uncertain about it

6. Why was the Nordkamp girls team called the Pumpkins？

A. Because of the color of its uniforms. B. Because of the heights of its players.

C. Pumpkins are its players favorite food. D. Pumpkins can bring people good luck.

7. What lesson can we learn from the text？

A. All time is no time when it is past. B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

C. Where there is a will， there is a way. D. Self-trust is the first secret of success.

C

When John was growing up， other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden， carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood， he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction， a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all， he was happier.

These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. “Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence （能力） and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society，” said George Vaillant， the psychologist who made the discovery. “And because they felt good about themselves， others felt good about them.”

The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people， five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out.

Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility， independence， confidence and competence—the underpinnings （基礎） of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this. Yet work isnt everything. As Tolstoy once said， “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love， to work for the person one loves and to love ones work.”

8. What do we know about John？

A. He had few childhood playmates. B. He enjoyed his career and marriage.

C. He received little love from his family. D. He was admired by others in his childhood.

9. What does Vaillant want to tell us in Paragraph 2？

A. Boys personal values. B. Parents expectations of their children.

C. How work was related to competence. D. Why some boys grew into happy men.

10. What does the underlined word “sharp” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Quick to react. B. Sudden and rapid. C. Clear and definite. D. Having a thin edge.

11. What can be inferred from the last paragraph？

A. Independence is the key to ones success. B. Competent adults know more about love than work.

C. Love brings more joy to people than work does. D. Emotional health is essential to a wonderful life.

D

As more Americans live alone， unconditional affection is in demand. More than a third of homes have at least one dog， according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

But the popularity of four-legged friends has an unpleasant cost： dogs squeeze out more than twice the waste of the average person. Around 60% of the stuff gets collected and trucked to landfills， where it releases methane， a greenhouse gas. The rest delivers surprises to passersby and can pollute waterways.

The problem is particularly bad in cities， where green spaces are few and lonely souls seeking puppy love plentiful. There are over 600，000 dogs in New York—one for every 14 people—generating over 100，000 tons of turd （糞便） a year.

This is a missed opportunity， says Ron Gonen， the citys former recycling tsar （掌权者）.  Now in the private sector， he is trying to launch “Sparky Power”， a program to transform dog waste into clean energy in the citys dog parks.

The idea is to fit parks with small anaerobic digesters （厌氧分解池）. Dog owners would place their dogs turd into the machine， which then turns turd into gas for powering lamps and other park equipment. A year-long pilot would introduce digesters in three parks at a cost of around $100，000，000. The parks department is thinking about the proposal.

Similar projects in other cities have proved short-lived. An underground Energy Transformation Using Reactive Digestion （E-TURD） device created by Arizona State University students for a dog park in Gilbert， Arizona， in 2012 finally failed.

“Its great to turn it into a biofuel， but first you have to pick it up，” says Tom Boyd， an entrepreneur in Tennessee. His company， Poo Prints， shames the owners of dogs who fail to clean up their messes by testing DNA in uncollected turd.

12. What does the underlined part “The problem” in Paragraph 3 refer to？

A. Lots of people feel lonely. B. Pet dogs produce a lot of waste.

C. There are very limited green spaces. D. The greenhouse effect is getting serious.

13. What can we learn about the program “Sparky Power”？

A. It is about recycling household waste. B. It is operated by the local government.

C. It aims to produce power from dog waste. D. It aims to clean parks with renewable energy.

14. So far the program “Sparky Power” ___ .

A. has just started B. has ended in failure C. is a great success D. is still under consideration

15. What is the purpose of the company Poo Prints？

A. To make good use of dog waste. B. To help people look for their dogs.

C. To reduce the number of pet dogs. D. To push people to pick up their dogs waste.