One of the great benefits of being able to record sound is to make books available for listening. With the appearance of audio recordings, many people were able to hear literary classics read aloud. Audio books are, of course, books read aloud and recorded to be listened to on some kind of player. As sound technology has changed, audio books have changed, as well. 1. Now, books are also available on audio tape or CD.
Talking books are books created for people who have sight problems. Some of these talking books often need special players to be used. Many visually damaged people are able to receive players for free. 2.
CD technology has caused great changes in the talking book industry, since more data can be written on a single disc. 3. So the visually damaged person has a multi-use machine.
4. Some are even read in the form of a play, in which different actors take the parts of the characters in the book. They may also have sound effects or music to help improve the listening experience.
Some book clubs have started offering audio books as part of their services. Libraries also have audio books available and they may also be purchased online or at any book store. 5. Those who feel they do not have time to enjoy the pleasure of a good book may find audio books to be the next best thing.
A.They are no longer available only on volumes.
B.Many talking book players will also play music CDs.
C.Audio books are popular with travelers and busy individuals.
D.Many audio books also feature famous actors reading the books.
E.People can listen to a personal music player whenever they want.
F.It is an affordable option if you typically listen to more than one book a month.
G.These players enable them to play their talking books independently, without the help of a sighted person.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Artemis is NASA’s new lunar exploration program. Through the Artemis program, NASA will use new technology to study the Moon in new and better ways, and prepare for human missions to Mars.
NASA’s new rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit. Then, astronauts will dock (对接) Orion at a small spaceship called the Gateway, from which the crew will take trips to the lunar surface in a new human landing system, and then return to the Gateway. The crew will return to the Earth aboard Orion.
NASA will test the rocket and spacecraft in flight, then send a crew for a test flight:
Artemis 1 will be a test flight of the SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft with no crew.
Artemis 2 will fly SLS and Orion with a crew past the Moon, then circle it and return to the Earth. This trip will be the farthest any human has gone into space.
Artemis 3 will send a crew with the first woman and the next man to land on the Moon by 2024. The Artemis 3 crew will visit the Moon’s South Pole. No one has ever been there.
At the Moon, astronauts will:
Search for the Moon’s water and use it.
Learn how to live and work on the surface of another celestial body (天体) where astronauts are just three days from home.
Test the technologies we need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars, which can take up-to three years round trip.
The Moon is a good place to learn new science. NASA will learn more about the Moon, the Earth and even the Sun. The Moon is a “test bed” for Mars. The Moon is a place to show that astronauts will one day be able to work away from the Earth on Mars for long periods of time.
1.What is the aim of the Artemis program?
A.To help astronauts return to the Earth. B.To be ready for the landing on Mars.
C.To study the Mars using new science. D.To test the Moon landing spacecraft, Orion.
2.Which will be the achievement of the Artemis series?
A.Going to the Moon’s South Pole. B.Making the farthest trip into space.
C.Sending the first man to the Moon. D.Flying to the Moon with three persons.
3.What will Artemis astronauts do on the Moon?
A.Send astronauts to Mars. B.Run a three-year-long test.
C.Find and make use of water. D.Learn to live not far from home.
4.What can we conclude from the text?
A.It is possible to live on another planet now.
B.The crew will reach the lunar surface from the Orion.
C.NASA has sent the first woman astronaut to the Moon.
D.The Artemis program is of great help to Mars exploring.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher? I do. Her name was Mrs. White. I don’t remember much about what we learned in her class, but my mother once told me we used to write a lot. And I would bring back what I wrote and she would see there were so many mistakes. But no red corrections. And always a star. Sometimes even a Good! That would make my heart soar with happiness. But it worried my mother, so when she went to meet Mrs. White for one of those Parent-Teacher meetings, she asked her why she never corrected my mistakes, why she never red-pencilled in the right spellings of words or pointed out grammatical errors.
Mrs. White explained the children were just beginning to get excited about using words, about forming sentences. She didn’t want to dampen that enthusiasm with red ink. Spelling and grammar could wait. The wonder of words wouldn’t ... And maybe she didn’t say it exactly like that, but I grew up learning to use words with loving confidence like that.
I look back now and think she must have been a rather extraordinary teacher—to allow the joy, wonder and excitement of expression to flower—however faultily like that.
I used to misspell “beautiful” a lot. Never could I quite remember that the “e” went before the “a”. Eventually the e’s and a’s settled into their right places of their own accord. I’m glad I didn’t wait on them though. Pretty is easier to spell but it doesn’t hold as much as you mean sometimes.
And thanks to Mrs. White, I had no qualms about writing what I meant even if I couldn’t quite spell it out. Because Life isn’t Pretty. It’s Beautiful.
1.How did the mother react to Mrs. White’s teaching method?
A.She paid no attention. B.She tried to correct it.
C.She quarreled with her. D.She went to consult her.
2.Why did the teacher never correct the mistakes?
A.She wanted parents to help the students.
B.She thought it was difficult to correct them.
C.She hoped to develop students’ confidence.
D.She wanted to strengthen teacher-student relationship.
3.What does the underlined word “qualm” in the last paragraph refer to?
A.Relaxation B.Concern
C.Patience D.Ambition.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Life Is Beautiful B.No Pains, No Gains
C.Practice Makes Perfect D.Spelling Is Important
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that the UK will host the first ever Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit(峰会) in London this October.This global summit aims to put mental-health care on an equal footing with the physical kind.
But there is a long way to go. One in four people will experience a mental-health problem at some point in life. In rich countries mental illnesses account for more suffering and premature death than heart disease, strokes(中风) or cancer. Meanwhile the central-African countries have just one mental-health professional per 100,000 people, a fiftieth as many as Europe has. (Less than 1% of foreign aid for health care goes towards mental health.)
As developing countries handle infectious diseases, mental health will consume a greater share of budgets and attention there. By 2020 mental-health conditions may account for 15% of the global burden of disease, but even in rich countries many people with common problems still go without treatment.
It is clear that mental illness is fast becoming one of the global health challenges of the 21st century. Until recently, this hasn’t had the profile it deserves on a global stage. The ministers gathering in London must produce new money and focus—and not just another declaration. The summit is also expected to help countries learn from each other to find the best ways to deal with increased rates of depression and anxiety among young people.
1.Which of the following best explains “on an equal footing” underlined in paragraph 1?
A.Standing up for. B.Being as important as.
C.Standing in one’s shoes. D.Having an advantage over.
2.What is the purpose of holding the meeting?
A.To find more foreign aid for health care.
B.To make a declaration on mental illnesses.
C.To solve the physical problems of the youth.
D.To stress the importance of mental health.
3.Which disease causes more premature death in rich countries?
A.Heart disease. B.Cancer.
C.Mental illness. D.Stroke.
4.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A.Effective measures should be taken on mental health.
B.The problem of mental illness has drawn enough attention.
C.People in developed countries suffer less mental illnesses.
D.Mental-health diseases have taken up about 15% of the global illness cases.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Scientists say they have found high levels of small plastic particles(颗粒) in Arctic snow. A German-Swiss research team collected snow samples(样本）from the Arctic and other areas. They included northern Germany, the Bavarian and Swiss Alps, and the North Sea island of Heligoland.When the researchers examined the samples in a laboratory, they were surprised to find very high levels of microplastics.
Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic. These plastic particles are generally smaller than 5 millimeters in length. They come from the breakdown of man-made plastic products and industrial waste.
The study found the highest levels of microplastics came from the Bavarian Alps. One snow sample from the area had 154,000 microplastic particles per liter. Samples collected from the Arctic had much lower levels. However, even samples from the Arctic contained up to 14,000 particles per liter.
The study also attempted to explore how some of the material could have been carried in the atmosphere. A limited number of earlier studies did find microplastics in the air of some cities, including Paris, Tehran and Dongguan, China.
Bergmann Melanie co-wrote the report on the new study. She believes the new study clearly shows that “the majority of the microplastic in the snow comes from the air.” The new study suggests that much of the microplastic found in Europe and the Arctic comes from the atmosphere and snow.
While there is growing concern about the effect of microplastics on the environment, scientists are still studying their possible harmful effects on humans and animals. “I hope the new study will lead to more research on this issue. I think microscopic plastic particles should be included in worldwide observations of air pollution levels.We really need to know what effects microplastics have on humans, especially if inhaled with the air that we breathe.” Bergmann said.
1.Why did scientists collect samples from so many places in paragragh 1?
A.To make the research convincing.
B.To attract people to explore there.
C.To measure the length of microplastics .
D.To examine the samples easily in the lab.
2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A.The risks of microplastics.
B.The transport of microplastics.
C.The breakdown of plastic products.
D.The description of microplastics.
3.What did the research team find about microplastics?
A.Many people threw them away at the Alps.
B.They were delivered to remote areas through air.
C.They could be caught sight of in the air.
D.They had no great effect on the environment.
4.What can be inferred from what Bergmann said in the last paragraph?
A.Scientists are worried about the the influence of microplastics.
B.We have found a practical solution to the environment problem.
C.The effect of microplastics on human must be urgently researched.
D.There is no need to change observations of air pollution levels.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When my grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, went to live in the nurses station 5 years ago, I tried many things to keep her occupied. But it was only her word search book that kept her ______. Gradually, she began to think of it as her job and it kept her from ______.
Last night, when I came to her and said hello, she just looked at me ______. I introduced myself and told her I was her granddaughter. She seemed ______ about who I was. Obviously, she tried to find this word in her ______. So I helped her find it with fingers and ______ it for her with a pencil.
Later, I suggested we go outside, and she agreed. Then she was just staring at me as if trying to figure me out. I told her ______ I was her granddaughter. “Oh, okay” she said ______ but still didn’t really know. She just wanted to be kind.
And after we went ______ and I got her ready for and into bed, she told me to come ______ and we kissed and hugged real tight ______ we did for the first time. It wasn’t the first time though and sooner or later there would be a ______ time.
For now, I feel the blessing of the ______ although I have a sinking feeling that our days are numbered. It doesn’t ______ if the word “granddaughter” holds no ______ anymore — we are bound by love not labels.
1.A.time B.interest C.talent D.knowledge
2.A.trembling B.moving C.whispering D.wandering
3.A.curiously B.angrily C.naturally D.proudly
4.A.shocked B.amazed C.puzzled D.worried
5.A.dictionary B.mind C.room D.book
6.A.decorated B.marked C.associated D.tracked
7.A.patiently B.bravely C.regularly D.casually
8.A.joking B.laughing C.smiling D.crying
9.A.along B.ahead C.outside D.inside
10.A.slower B.closer C.straighter D.later
11.A.as if B.so that C.even if D.in case
12.A.perfect B.free C.final D.normal
13.A.event B.break C.gift D.moment
14.A.help B.matter C.work D.exist
15.A.meaning B.change C.design D.advantage
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Festival Celebration between New Zealand and China 1. (hold) with high quality performances at the New Zealand National Museum on Sunday night. 2.(art) from southwestern China’s Chongqing presented the Wellington audience 3. Sichuan Opera Performance. The performances perfectly showed the charm of Chinese culture and art to the audience.
Guo Zongguang, 4. is the director of the China Cultural Center in New Zealand, stressed that this show was one of 5. most important events in this year’s culture exchanges between China and New Zealand.
Brett Hudson, a member of Parliament, acknowledged that China, now New Zealand’s largest trading partner, provided New Zealanders with thousands and thousands of jobs. Our relationship with China is 6. (extreme) important. Our two-way trade now tops 28 billion New Zealand dollars in 2018, 7.(help) New Zealanders improve life styles for families, and it is strengthening even 8. (far) through cultural exchange and better understanding of one another.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in China and usually 9. (fall) in September or October, on the 15th day of the 10. (eight) month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，得知外教Chris想利用假期外出游玩，你愿意为他做导游。请给他写封邮件，内容包括：
1. 推荐线路；
2. 推荐理由（历史、文化等角度）；
3. 你的祝愿。
注意:1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Chris,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I took a fare at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. I walked to the door and knocked. “Just a minute.” answered a weak, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. “Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She held my arm and we walked slowly toward my car.
She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing”, I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”
“Oh, you’re such a good man,” she said. When we got in the car, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
I looked in the rear-view mirror(后视镜). Her eyes were shinning. “I don't have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.” I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first ray of the sun appeared, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a small hospice(临终关怀医院), with a driveway that passed under an entrance hall. Two nurses came out to the car as soon as we pulled up.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析