Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein’s jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台). The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers’ argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don’t dispute(质疑) these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
1.What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A.Help increase grocery sales.
B.Recycle the waste material.
C.Stop things falling off trucks.
D.Argue for the use of plastic bags.
2.What does the word “headwinds” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Bans on plastic bags.
B.Effects of city development.
C.Headaches caused by garbage.
D.Plastic bags hung in trees.
3.What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A.They are quite expensive.
B.Replacing them can be difficult.
C.They are less strong than plastic bags.
D.Producing them requires more energy.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Plastic, Paper or Neither
B.Industry, Pollution and Environment
C.Recycle or Throw Away
D.Garbage Collection and Waste Control
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Name： Off the Beaten Path
Cover price： $30.00
Our price： $19.80
The best-selling Reader's Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites， over 200 new full-color photographs， and all-new， up-to-date maps. It focuses on more than 1,000 of the United State’s most overlooked must-see destinations.
Name： Container Gardens by Number
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A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display， with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information， The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden.
Name： Best Weekend Projects
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Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical， as well as attractive， and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear， easy-to follow style that addresses readers in an accessible， user-friendly tone.
Name：1801 Home remedies(治疗方案)
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Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound. Dozens of conditions are covered， from headaches， sunburn bad breath and blisters(起泡；起疮) to allergies， and hiccups(打嗝).
1.You can most probably read the passage in a
A.travel guide B.medicine booklet
C.textbook D.newspaper
2.How much money could you save if you want to buy a travel book
A.$10.20. B.$6.46.
C.$13.96. D.$19.80.
3.Which of the following could help you to deal with common diseases without a doctor?
A.Off the Beaten path.
B.Container gardens by Number.
C.1801 Home remedies.
D.Best Weekend Projects.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
When milk arrived on the doorstep
When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.
Of course, he delivered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note-“Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery”-and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically appear.
All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn’t freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.
There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk, thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete. Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practical to have a delivery service.
Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories. I took it home and planted it on the back porch （门廊）. Every so often my son’s friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.
1.Mr Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer____.
A.to show his magical power. B.to pay for the delivery
C.to satisfy his curiosity. D.to please his mother.
2.What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy’s house?
A.He wanted to have tea there.
B.He was a respectable person.
C.He was treated as a family member.
D.He was fully trusted by the family.
3.Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?
A.Nobody wants to be a milkman now.
B.It has been driven out of the market.
C.Its service is getting poor.
D.It is forbidden by law.
4.Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?
A.He missed the good old days.
B.He wanted to tell interesting stories.
C.He missed it for his milk bottles.
D.He planted flowers in it.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously（同时的）about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what' s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can' t do both -- and they don' t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls' mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author of Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents respond to the brain bias of their children. Since a girl’s brain is better organized to send and receive speech，we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.
1.While watching TV with others, women Usually talk a lot because they
A.are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends
B.can both talk and watch the screen at the Same time
C.think they can have a good time and develop relationships
D.have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands
2.After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
A.experience the happy time again B.keep a close tie with her
C.recommend her a new scenic spot D.remind her of something forgotten
3.What does the author want to tell us most?
A.Women' s brains are better organized for language and communication
B.Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men.
C.Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts.
D.Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Women Are Socially Trained to Talk B.Talking Maintains Relationships
C.Women Love to Talk D.Men Talk Differently from Women
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When you' re on vacation， the temptations to overdo the eating and drinking are everywhere.1.But a sensible diet doesn't have to and shouldn't fall by the wayside when on vacation. Below are tips on eating healthfully， yet pleasurably，on the next getaway.
Travel with food. 2.Options include whole fruit such as apples， nuts already portioned in quarter-cup serving sizes. If you're traveling by car， you're suggested to take a small cooler along filled with foods like hard-boiled eggs， nut-butter， or turkey sandwiches.
Fast food can be healthy. Fast-food restaurants abound at airports and at highway rest stops. 3.If you enjoy hamburgers， order a single patty， and top it with extra lettuce and tomatoes. Can't resist French fries? Order the smallest size, and eat half.
4.Trying the local cuisine is a pleasurable part of any vacation. You can and should let yourself enjoy one cheat food each day， but be selective and pick something that is unique to that destination.
Watch those sips. Drinks don't fill you up， and many are packed with sugar and calories. Therefore， it's best to skip sweetened iced teas and lemonades throughout the day. When it comes to alcohol， many cocktails， including margaritas， can easily top 500 calories.5.
A. When in Rome，spend your money on the food strategically.
B. They're not off-limits so long as you order the right foods.
C. You can drink a light beer or try a lower-sugar mixed wine instead.
D. Overeating will leave you feeling tired and likely with a few extra pounds.
E. Stick to a reasonable portion of whatever you choose， and enjoy every bite.
F. When you have food handy that you like eating， you're far less likely to grab something unhealthy.
G. After all， the specialties of your destination and the buffet breakfast at your hotel and treats are always available.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Cinnamon(桂皮)Lady
I got a call from my sister that my dad had taken a turn for the worse,and I needed to get home right away. I wasn't _______for that. When I got to the hospital, he had already slipped _______a coma (昏迷). I had _______ all the dramatic goodbyes that were said because everyone knew he was not going to _______it. So that was upsetting.
After two weeks, I brought up the idea that maybe we should take my dad off life _______. We all knew it was time. I thought that once the medical aid was _______there would be a lot of crying for ten to fifteen minutes, and then the person would pass away. _______, we waited for five hours.
Right in the middle of this, the attending doctor _______for another patient into our room. When nurses _______a woman in,one who had just had heart surgery, I thought.“That's not a good idea. My dad is dying. Why are you bringing in a woman who's had heart surgery? It's a bad __________.”
The woman was on a lot of medication, saying crazy things and __________ her covers off. I'm on this side of the room, with a__________that is not very soundproof, sitting by my dad, saying, “I love you, Dad.”
From the other side, we heard."Cinnamon
“You were such a great dad to me.”
“Dad, you were wonderful.”
“ Cinnamon.”
__________, we couldn't help laughing, because our life was exploding in front of our eyes, and at that moment we were crying and laughing. We all stopped crying for a moment and laughed really __________.
Four hours later, a nurse said，“It's time. His heart rate is __________.” We held my dad's hands and the nurse said again.“Maybe if you tell him it's OK to go, he'll go.”So we all said，“ Daddy，it's OK” and “ We love you.” And my mom said,“John, you were such a great dad and I love you.”
Suddenly across the room from the old lady in the bed, we heard, Don 't go John.”
Yeah. That was __________was inside me. I thought I gave that woman my words :“Don 't go John. Don 't go John.”But he did. I had my hand on his chest and his heart __________.
Later, we found out Cinnamon Lady--that's what I __________ her, Cinn Lady--didn't have anyone in her life named John. I thought: Wow! That's __________.”But we also __________ she was a baker. So we understood the cinnamon part.
1.A.eager B.ready C.responsible D.greedy
2.A.into B.through C.beyond D.within
3.A.completed B.waved C.performed D.missed
4.A.catch B.make C.take D.get
5.A.experience B.value C.support D.end
6.A.put off B.cut off C.cut down D.put down
7.A.Anyhow B.Therefore C.Besides D.However
8.A.waited B.cared C.searched D.arranged
9.A.wheeled B.directed C.accompanied D.followed
10.A.settlement B.appointment C.management D.requirement
11.A.kicking B.cutting C.casting D.dropping
12.A.fence B.curtain C.screen D.cupboard
13.A.Obviously B.Suddenly C.Occasionally D.Eventually
14.A.hard B.sincerely C.slightly D.deliberately
15.A.speeding B.recovering C.lowering D.wandering
16.A.who B.as C.what D.which
17.A.stopped B.beat C.sank D.broke
18.A.promise B.call C.award D.offer
19.A.absurd B.scary C.impressive D.crazy
20.A.admitted B.revealed C.learned D.doubted
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Several countries in Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year in their own way. But dragon and lion dances in Chinatowns all over the world have helped to make China's New Year the most famous. These days growing 1.(number) of people who are not of Chinese origin are joining in. For example， in Tokyo many cleaners dress up 2. the animals of the Chinese Shengxiao while working. America， Canada and New Zealand have published memorial stamps. 2016， New York City made the Lunar New Year 3.school holiday for the first time.
The spread of the Spring Festival is 4.(part)due to recent immigration from China. 11 million Chinese people 5.(move) abroad since 1978， many of 6. are far richer than earlier waves of immigrants.
Aware of China's7.(grow)economic and political influence， foreign leaders have noticed the occasion. Britain's former prime minister， Theresa May， has given a video address， a tradition 8.(start) in 2014 by her predecessor(前任). The 2017 World Economic forum in Dados was held a week earlier than usual 9. (avoid) conflicting with Chinas New Year.
It 10.(hope) that the festival will promote Chinas cultural“soft power” abroad. So it may give the Chinese people satisfaction to see foreigners enjoy such festivities。
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处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，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。
Last Monday, it hit me that my beloved grandmother birthday was around the corner. I decided to make her an unique present. Without the slightest hesitation, I threw me into creating this priceless album. I turned on the computer,carefully selected some photos, added up some decorations, and designed each pages carefully. Eventually, an album of love produced. Looking at my work with satisfy, I couldn't help imagining how delightedly my grandma would be.
Soon， the big day arrived. At the birthday party, I presented the album to Grandma. The moment she saw the special gift, she hugs me affectionately, tears rolling in her eyes, what made my parents smile genuinely as well.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是中学生李华，你的美国笔友 Chris得知你校正在积极开展“绿色校园行”活动他非常感兴趣，便写信给你，希望你介绍相关情况。请根据以下提示给他写一封回信。
1.简单介绍开展“绿色校园行”活动的目的；
2.介绍你校开展“绿色校园行”活动的主要做法(如减少资源浪费、鼓励废旧物回收利用、垃圾分类等)；
3.表达希望了解美国学校如何开展类似活动，并征求建议
注意：(1)词数100左右；
(2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
(3)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：绿色校园行 Green Campus Campaign；垃圾分类 waste classification
Dear Chris，
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Li Hua
难度: 困难查看答案及解析