Oumuamua,an object through space that was discovered on October 19th, has already made history.The speed at which it is moving relative to the sun means that it cannot be native to the solar system. Its official name is thus II/2017 UI, with the “I” standing for “interstellar(星际)”—the first time this name has ever been used.
That is exciting.Some scientists, though, entertain an even more exciting possibility: what if Oumuamua is not an asteroid(小行星),as most think, but an alien(外星的)spacecraft? Asteroids come in ll sorts of shapes and sizes, but Oumuamua seems particularly different.As best as astronomers can tell, it is cigarlike,being roughly 180 meters long but only about 30 meters wide.That makes it longer than anything known of in the solar system.Such a shape would be a sensible choice for a spaceship,since it would minimize the scouring(冲刷)effect of interstellar dust.
With that in mind the Breakthrough Listen project, an organization aimed at hunting for alien life, plans to turn the world’s biggest radio telescope,the Green Bank instrument in Virginia,towards Oumuamua to see if it can hear anything interesting.Oumuamua is currently about twice as far from Earth as Earth is from the sun. At that range,the telescope should be sensitive enough to pick up a transmitter about as powerful as a mobile phone after just a few seconds—worthy of observations.
Will it find anything? Almost certainly not.Oumuamua has the same reddish color as many as asteroids,so probably has a similar composition.And, if it really is a spaceship, it is strange that signs of its artificial origin have not been seen already.It could, in theory, be a derelict(遗弃星球). But in that case the telescope is unlikely to hear anything. By far the most likely option is that it is exactly what it seems to be: a huge space rock, one that has come to the solar system from the vast space between the stars.
1.What makes some scientists think Oumuamua is possibly an alien spacecraft?
A. Its size. B. Its color.
C. Its shape. D. Its speed.
2.What does the underlined word“that”in the third paragraph probably mean?
A. The research into the solar system.
B. The purpose of hunting for alien life.
C. The effect of interstellar dust on Oumuamua.
D. The possibility of Oumuamua being a spaceship.
3.What is Oumuamua most likely to be according to the author?
A. An asteroid. B. A space rock.
C. Interstellar dust. D. An alien spacecraft.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that__________.
A. Oumuamua will return to where it’s from soon
B. Oumuamua’s real identity remains to be found out
C. astronomers have not seen signs of Oumuamua’s artificial origin
D. the Green Bank telescope has already heard something from Oumuamua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
| WHERE TO GO IN AUGUST? | |
| In Europe August is the height of the peak season! Millions of holidaymakers from around the world invade the beaches and countryside of Southern Europe. The climate is great for travel for just about the whole of the continent with just a few areas affected by extreme heat. The north of Europe is lovely during this month and summer is the ideal time to visit those countries that are generally considered a little cold and damp such as Ireland, Scotland or Holland. | In Asia This season is considered the least favourable.The monsoon(季风)season is at its height over the majority of this area with the exception of only a few countries (Kerala or Tamil Nadu in India,Bali and the southern islands of Indonesia,etc.) Everywhere else is hot, and very damp climate prevails(盛行). |
| In Africa The Maghreb countries are crowded with tourists.The climate is hot and dry.The Atlantic coast of Morocco is pleasant thanks to the ocean influence.Further to the south it is the rainy season and it is only along the latitude(纬度)of Kenya and Tanzania that the climate becomes favourable to visitors. | In America The north is generally hot and dry(sometimes extremely hot in the deserts towards the west of the USA).Central America experiences a short rainy season at this time but towards the south the conditions are more favourable. |
| To be avoided: Although July and August are favourable to travel“climatically”speaking,it is often not so pleasant when it comes to quietness and prices.The vast majorities of European countries have their main holidays during this period so the hotels are generally crowded and the prices high for the majority of destinations. |
1.Which part may be the last choice for travelling in August?
A. Asia. B. Africa.
C. Southern Europe. D. Southern America.
2.Besides climate,__________ can contribute to your disappointment when travelling.
A. hotel prices B. peaceful environment
C. transportation expenses D. troublesome holidaymakers
3.What does the underlined word“invade”in the part “in Europe” mean?
A. Immigration to. B. Visit separately.
C. Enter in large numbers. D. Attack and occupy.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Let me tell you about my relationship with the school desk.From my first day at Penny Camp Elementary School in 1982,it was terrible.This is how it went down: five seconds into class, the foot start bouncing;10 seconds in, both feet; 15 seconds,I burst out the drums ! After a few minutes,it’s all over. I’m trying to put my leg behind my neck.No,that desk and I didn’t get along.
Sitting still was hard enough,but I also struggled with reading.Reading out loud in class was a special kind of hell(地狱).By the third grade I had progressed from being one of “those kids” to being the “special kid”. I was found to have multiple language-based learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder (A.D.D) (注意力缺陷障碍症). I was turned into a “patient” who needed treatment rather than a human being with differences.I struggled with severe anxiety and depression at age 10.
I survived this time in my life because of my mom. She knew in her heart that her child wasn’t broken and didn’t need to be fixed.My mom was right. When I think back on my school experience, I realize it wasn’t the A.D.D. that disabled me. What disabled me were limitations not in myself but in the environment. I’ve come to believe that I did not have a disability, as it is common to say, but experienced disability in environments that could not accommodate and accept my differences.
In the fall of 1977,after two years at Loyola Marymount University,where my learning differences were fully accommodated, I transferred to(转学)Brown University, where I graduated with an honors degree in English literature. I still can’t spell or sit still,but I now use support and technology to relieve my weakness and build a life on my strengths. I don’t feel stupid anymore and I know that I—and others like me—can live good lives despite these challenges.
1.What does the author want to tell us in the first paragraph?
A. He didn’t like to study. B. He used to be active at school.
C. He suffered from a broken desk. D. He had trouble sitting still in class.
2.How did the author probably feel in class in his early school years?
A. Exited. B. Uneasy.
C. Interested. D. Bored.
3.Which of the following is correct according to the last paragraph?
A. He is living a good life with his weakness.
B. His disability has been cured by technology.
C. He got his honors degree in English literature in the fall of 1997.
D. He was transferred to Brown University because of his disability.
4.From the passage we learn that__________.
A. a disability is nothing but a difference
B. family’s support is the most important
C. disabled people can’t live well however hard they work
D. sometimes limitations of the environment disable a person
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It’s the oldest trick in the book: threaten the kids with a piece of coal, and they’ll behave in the name of Santa Claus.Some people say that parents are purposely taking in their kids by lying to them about Santa. Is it purposely cheating or playing along with the fantasy? There are always those stories about the kindergarten teacher or parent who would tell the kids there’s no Santa Claus, and they’d all start crying on the lost dreams.But if another teacher goes into a third-grade class and says there is a Santa Claus, they’ll all laugh at her.What I say is that if they’re at the age when they’re still believing,why bother to end it?
Then how long should parents pretend? Studies indicate that after eight,75 percent of kids don’t believe.That’s the first “S” word that parents have to deal with—it’s not sex. It’s Santa.So the parent has to sit down and say it in a gentle way. “Listen,Santa did exist. He was a person who gave to others and now that you’re older, you can give to others and be Santa,too.”Do you think if a kid who believes in Santa walks into a third-or-fourth-grade class, his friends are going to tell him in a gentle way?No.They’re going to make fun of him, and the kid is going to run home crying ,saying you lied to him. We all remember how the news is broken to us, so if we all remember, then there’s some significance or we would have forgotten it. And it’s better to have a memory if someone doing it nicely than some kids laughing at you.
Santa is also used as an instrument of guilt, because Santa knows everything. So even if the kids did bad things and got away with them, Santa knew. Still, Santa alone is not a good behavioral tool. You can’t, say, in January, play the Santa card to your child—because Christmas is too far away.
1.According to the first paragraph, parents should__________.
A. telling the kids that Santa does not exist
B. lie to their children on the problem of Santa Claus
C. not tell the truth if their children believe Santa Claus exists
D. tell children in advance in case of being laughed at by classmates
2.Why could your kid possibly be made fun of in the fourth grade?
A. He tells a lie that he believes in Santa.
B. He says Santa does exist in this world.
C. He expects gentle talks from his friends.
D. He gives to others and acts as Santa does.
3.The underlined part in the last paragraph most probably means to__________.
A. play cards with children happily
B. talk the kids out of doing something bad
C. clarify the truth of Santa to the kids in a gentle way
D. let the children figure the problem out by themselves
4.The author’s intention in writing this text is to__________.
A. introduce the detailed story of Santa Claus in all aspects
B. prevent children from being laughed at by fellow classmates
C. help children to understand whether Santa Claus is real or not
D. instruct parents how to explain the existence of Santa Claus to kids
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你叫李华，你的澳洲朋友Devin参加汉语水平考试（HSK）未能通过，请你写一封信，安慰一下你的朋友。内容包括：
1．对考试失利的安慰；
2．对汉语学习提出建议。
注意：1．词数100左右。
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Devin,
I am sorry to hear that you failed to pass HSK.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Many students want to learn English well,but don’t know where to start.Here is some advice.
Before you begin(or go back to) studying English, ask yourself:Why do you want to study English?1. Like every decision in life, studying English must be something you want to do.
If you know why you want to study,setting goals is easy.For example,maybe you want to travel to an English-speaking country.Great! Your goal might be to learn“Survival English”.2.
Then, you may also ask yourself how long you need to study to achieve your goals.This answer is different fore every student.3.If you work 60 hours per week, don’t plan on spending another 40 hours a week studying English.Start off slow, but study regularly.Use material that is challenging,but not too difficult.
4.Do you study best at night,or on the bus on your way to work?Do you like to study alone in a quiet place,or with friends and background music?After you have studied for a few weeks,adjust your study plan accordingly.
It’s generally accepted that5..If you aren’t having fun learning English, you are not studying the right way!
You can be a serious student who has fun at the same time.Make up your own rewards programme to give yourself encouragement to stay on task.
A．It is wise to make a timetable.
B．The important thing is to be realistic.
C．It’s better to find out what works for you.
D．Learning English is interesting and rewarding.
E．Whatever your goals are, work hard on them.
F．The things we do best in life are the things we enjoy doing.
G．Is it because you want to, or because someone else wants you to?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It happened to Susan Black in a cold winter.Everything seemed in a______those days. Both her parents suffering from depression,sending for a______became a common practice.As a woman in her 40s,it was a______job to be a teacher of 30 first-graders,who were always______,and she’d tried all sorts of methods,but______to get them quiet in class...
Misfortunes were______one after another. After a long and tiring day at work, Susan dragged herself along,______towards the parking lot.She came to the car,only to find she had locked her keys and cell phone inside.______kicking the tyre of the car,she sensed tears______her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” a voice was heard.Susan looked up,and saw a young man with a______at his side. Susan stopped weeping and explained her situation,adding that______he called her husband,he wouldn’t bring her the spare car key,since he was working at the______end of the town and it was still not time to______the day’s work. “Call your______and tell him I’m coming to get the key,” the young man handed Susan his phone. “But that’s nine miles’ round trip...” said Susan. “There’s no time for______. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
Two hours later, the motor rider returned with a big smile and______face,key in hand.Susan______some money,but he refused. “Let’s just say I needed the______,”with those words, like a______in the movies, he rode off into the sunset.
For Susan, the“cowboy” not only picked the key, but______her day,or rather, warmed the long and cold winter days.
1.A. battle B. row C. mess D. hurry
2.A. worker B. psychologist C. policeman D. lawyer
3.A. tough B. rare C. boring D. rewarding
4.A. kind B. quick C. happy D. noisy
5.A. at heart B. in vain C. on purpose D. with ease
6.A. coming true B. piling up C. going well D. running out
7.A. looking B. marching C. yelling D. heading
8.A. Mildly B. Randomly C. Suddenly D. Wildly
9.A. streaming down B. flowing past C. showing up D. casting away
10.A. bicycle B. car C. motorbike D. taxi
11.A. even if B. unless C. just as D. whenever
12.A. wide B. deep C. far D. long
13.A. end B. forget C. give up D. put off
14.A. friend B. family C. daughter D. husband
15.A. waiting B. hesitation C. traveling D. delivery
16.A. charming B. sweating C. worrying D. encouraging
17.A. received B. shared C. offered D. loaded
18.A. exercise B. help C. reward D. lesson
19.A. young B. stranger C. motor rider D. cowboy
20.A. kept B. burnt C. fixed D. built
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
语法填空
The Great Wall of China is a series of walls made of stone,brick, and other materials,built along the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires.Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC;these, later joined together and1.(make) bigger and stronger, are collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built in 220-206 BC. Little of that wall2.(remain).The Great Wall has been rebuilt over various dynasties,the majority of3.is from the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644).
Apart from defense, other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls,the4.(encourage) of trade and5.control of immigration.The Great Wall stretches6.Dandong in the east to Lop Lake in the west,along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. An archaeological (考古) survey,7.(use) advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 8,850 km. Another survey has found that the entire wall with all of its8.(branch) measures 21,196 km. Today, the Great Wall is9.(general) recognized as one of the most10.(impress) architectural wonders in history.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
A few years before, my family went to a seafood festival in Florida.The food was delicious, the weather was lovely, but the boat ride was great. The last thing was to go on helicopter ride. My little sister was so young to go by herself, so I volunteered to accompany with her on the ride. When I got into the helicopter, I attempt to close the door. Airplanes have doors. So do a helicopter. Wrong! The pilot told me that there was no door as they went skywards 100,000 feet into the air. I had never been more frightening in my life. It’s a good thing which the ride lasted for only 15 minutes. No more air rides for me, I swear!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析