Now QQ coins are popular among Chinese teenagers. People use real money to buy Web money. Then they buy clothes for their online characters (人物形象) or services for their online pets with it. And these fancy things will cost QQ fans more in the future.
The government will put a tax (税) of 3% on online sales. For example, if QQ users pay 100 yuan for 110 QQ coins, they will have to spend 103 yuan in the future. The extra (额外的) three yuan is tax.
Beijing was the first city to carry out the policy. Online games have to pay the tax, too. A number of players make money by spending a lot of time on the games to gain powers (获得能量), and then selling them.
Experts said that online trade grow fast. There is more than 10 billion yuan of real money in online trade a year in China.
However, the government’s new move has become a hot topic (话题) among Internet users around the country. In a survey by sina.com more than 70% of about 3,000 surveyed were against it. They said that the tax is too much.
But supporters (支持者) said the government’s better management (管理) of the Internet would help it become healthier. They believe the new move would help stop online identity theft (账号偷窃).We can learn from the story that QQ coins are ________.
A. a kind of game software
B. a special Web moneyThe Chinese government will put a tax of ________ on online sales.
| A．3% | B．10% | C．11% | D．15% |
Which city was the first city to carry out the policy?
| A．Shenyang. | B．Shanghai. |
| C．Guangzhou. | D．Beijing. |
The new move can help Internet become healthier and ________.
| A．stop online shopping | B．stop online trade |
| C．stop online identity theft | D．stop online spending money |
Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can’t talk, but can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Dishonesty often helps them survive（生存）.
Many kinds of birds are very successful at fooling other animals. A bird called the plover sometimes pretends （假装） to be hurt in order to protect its young. When an enemy gets close to its nest, the plover pretends to have a broken wing. The enemy follows the “hurt” adult, leaving the baby birds safe.
Another kind of bird, the scrub jay, buries （埋） its food so it always has something to eat. Scrub jays also steal food. They watch where others bury their food and steal it. But clever scrub jays seem to know when others are watching them. So they get back later, unbury the food, and bury it again somewhere else.
Chimpanzees can also be sneaky. After a fight, the losing chimpanzee will give its hand to the other. When the winning chimpanzee puts out its hand, too, the chimpanzees are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimpanzee take the winner’s hand and start fighting again. When chimpanzees find food, it’s natural for them to cry out. Then other chimpanzees come running. But some clever chimpanzees learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimpanzees don’t hear them, and they don’t need to share the food.
(1). Why does the plover pretend to be hurt?
| A． |
To show its friendliness. |
B． |
To save its young. |
C． |
To catch the enemy. |
(2). What do clever scrub jays do with their food?
| A． |
They bury the food deep. |
B． |
They watch the food. |
C． |
They bury the food twice. |
(3). What will the chimpanzee probably do after crying softly?
| A． |
It will eat all the food it finds. |
| B． |
It will share the food with others. |
| C． |
It will fight again with the winner. |
(4). According to Paragraph 4, in which picture can we find a sneaky animal?
| A． |
|
B． |
|
C． |
|
(5). What is the best title of the passage?
| A． |
Do animals lie? |
B． |
Honesty or dishonesty? |
C． |
How do animals protect lives? |
|
a Teens help students in remote areas
Luo, Chinese university student, only turned 18 in January, but he’s already made a big difference to the lives of many poor young people living in China’s remote（偏远的）areas. His online English lessons have offered them a chance to know a world they could only imagine before. Many have achieved university dreams. |
b Luban Lock: magic Chinese puzzle
2,000 years ago, a famous Chinese carpenter named Luban created a magic Chinese puzzle called “Luban Lock”, which he used to test how smart his son was. Watch as Rachel learns to make this Chinese puzzle and tries to solve it! Do you want to have a try? |
|
c First picture of the black hole
The first picture of the huge black hole at the heart of the Way was shown on Thursday, thanks to the Thursday, thanks to the efforts of astronomers（天文学家）from around the world, including17 from China. Shen Zhiqiang says that the future purpose of the Event Horizon Telescope（EHT）is to get video pictures of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. |
d China’s healthcare
China has made progress in public health over the past years. In 1949, average life expectancy（平均寿命）was 35. It reached nearly 77 in 2019, much higher than the world average of 72. In 1949, there were just 3, 670 medical and health organizations in the whole country. The number increased to nearly 1 million at the end of 2018. Health insurance（保险）has also benefited over 95 percent of the population. |
(1). What did Luo do for the young people in the remote areas?
| A． |
He improved their living conditions. |
| B． |
He gave them online English lessons. |
| C． |
He helped them choose dream universities. |
(2). What does Rachel want to know?
| A． |
How Luban Lock works. |
| B． |
Why Luban created Luban Lock. |
| C． |
Whether Luban’s son was clever. |
(3). Who took the first picture of the black hole?
| A． |
A foreign astronomer team. |
| B． |
A Chinese astronomer team. |
| C． |
An international astronomer team. |
(4). Why are the numbers given in Passage d?
| A． |
To introduce the govermment’s plans. |
| B． |
To show China’s progress in healthcare. |
| C． |
To describe the present situation of China’s healthcare. |
(5). What’s the theme of the four passages?
| A． |
East meets West. |
B． |
For a better future. |
C． |
Great Chinese, great China. |
More than 1,000 schools across the UK have signed up（报名）to a project with the aim of helping schools become carbon neutral（碳平衡的）by 2030. Carbon neutral means cutting down carbon emissions（碳排放）to zero or balancing them out in other ways. Carbon emissions are gases such as carbon dioxide（CO2）that come out into the atmosphere, where they make climate change worse. This has also caused the temperature rise.
Emissions are caused by all sorts of human activities, such as burning fossil fuels（coal, oil and gas）to make energy, cutting down forests and some types of farming. Becoming carbon neutral includes cutting the amount of carbon emissions a school produces and balancing those that are left by taking some carbon out of the atmosphere.
The project also shows how small changes can make a big difference. These might include thinking carefully about energy use, cutting waste, growing food closer to where it's eaten and walking or cycling to school if it is possible. Ways of balancing out the carbon emissions that a school still makes include planting trees and plants that take in CO2 as they grow.
Ysgol Bro Dinefwr Secondary School in Wales has promised to run entirely on renewable（可再生的）energy（such as wind and solar power）within the next three years. At Down High School in Northern Ireland, the students are looking after their own bees. So when flowers and crops produce food, that helps. Other schools have projects to cut food waste by weighing it after each meal to know how much is not being eaten. Some put the waste into a system that can turn this waste into useful things. They will be put on the garden to help plants grow.
Climate change is seen as a major global challenge. We can see it all around us. So join together, find out ways your school can put efforts to, and talk to a teacher about signing up.
(1). Which statement would the author most probably agree with?
| A． |
Human activities influence the environment. |
| B． |
The fight against climate change will not succeed. |
| C． |
More UK schools should be introduced to the world. |
| D． |
We could deal with the climate change without changing our behavior. |
(2). How could the schools reduce carbon emissions?
| A． |
By moving to the countryside. |
B． |
By cutting waste and planting trees. |
| C． |
By providing more spaces for students. |
D． |
By burning coal instead of gas to make energy. |
(3). Why does the author give examples of the schools in paragraph 4?
| A． |
To praise these schools. |
B． |
To show the difficulties in the project. |
| C． |
To call for more schools to take action. |
D． |
To explain the efforts made by the government. |
(4). What is the best title for the text?
| A． |
How to Help Plants Grow |
B． |
Schools Sign Up to Help the Planet |
| C． |
Carbon Emissions in the UK Schools |
D． |
Our Planet, a Wonderful Living Place |
When we think of the most respected awards in the world, the Nobel Prize（诺贝尔奖）must be on the list.
Created by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel in 1895, the prize recognizes achievements in sciences and the people behind them. Every year in October, the announcement of winners catches the world’s attention.
But what is the importance behind this award? According to founder Nobel himself, the prize is for people who have provided “the greatest benefit to humankind”.
A number of Nobel Prizes have rewarded discoveries that have led to cures for diseases and health problems. A lot of parts in telephones, computers and telecommunication systems are also the fruits of Nobel Prize—awarded work. Other prizes have recognized those who have helped to create a more peaceful world.
The individuals selected and the contributions they made show how science, literature and peace efforts improve and change the world and better our lives.
In the series of books about the Nobel Prize, the author says, “many everyday things would be impossible without the work of the winners of the Nobel science prizes”.
Think about the plastic bags. Plastic wouldn’t have been invented without Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald’s research. The German scientist won the Nobel Prize in 1909.
In recent years, Chinese people have paid more attention to the results of the Nobel Prize. Chinese scientists and writers are known to the world by their achievements, such as 2012 Nobel literature prize winner Mo Yan, and Tu Youyou, China’s first Nobel winner in physiology or medicine in 2015. It’s an uplifting thing. Not only for the individual achievements, but also for the national confidence.
The Paper noted that the prize can encourage the young generation to do scientific research. Do you have any ideas about this?
(1). What does the underlined word “uplifting” in paragraph 8 probably mean?
| A． |
Encouraging. |
B． |
Rising. |
C． |
Clear. |
D． |
Right. |
(2). What is the main idea of the text?
| A． |
Introduce the history of the Nobel Prize. |
| B． |
People pay more attention to the Nobel Prize winners. |
| C． |
The Nobel Prize changes the world and benefits humankind. |
| D． |
The Nobel Prize is for people who help to create a peaceful world. |
(3). Where is the text probably from?
| A． |
A guidebook. |
B． |
A notice. |
C． |
A novel. |
D． |
A newspaper. |
(4). Which one of the following is most probably to be discussed next?
| A． |
The introduction of Mo Yan and Tu Youyou. |
| B． |
How to put the scientific fruits to the market. |
| C． |
Inventors should be respected and rewarded. |
| D． |
Ways the young could do scientific research. |
I looked at my blank page. All I’d written was the title “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up”. The rest of the class were all busy writing.
“You have five minutes to finish.” Ms Clark announced.
“I want to be a teacher when I grow up because…” I just wrote a few lines when the bell went. My friend Lisa told me she wanted to be an astronaut. I laughed as I pictured Lisa floating in space. After school, I told my grandpa my real dream. “You promise not to laugh. I didn’t write it on the school paper.” I said, “I want to be an actor.” He didn’t laugh. Instead he asked, “Why?”
“I just do, that’s all, more than anything in the world. I’d be really good.”
“OK. Angela, I once dreamed to be a reporter. We’d better find out if you’ve got any talent then, hadn’t we?” He looked up a number in his phone. “You need drama lessons, and I know just the right person—Jane Rozzi, a friend of mine.” Fantastic! I couldn’t believe my luck. I gave him a big hug.
“I’d better check with your Mum and Dad first to make sure they don’t mind their daughter taking Jane Rozzi’s acting class.”
No problem there. Next evening, sitting in my grandpa’s car, my stomach felt tight and my mouth was dry. He was driving me to my first acting lesson. “She is kind and gentle. Don’t be nervous.”
He was right. I liked Jane immediately. She told me I was talented and my voice was good. Just needed to get louder. After that we did some breathing and voice exercises. I practised day after day…
“You have a natural talent and, with hard work and luck, you will make it.” I always bear Jane’s words in my mind. Now I am an actor on the stage.
Wow! How my life has changed since I first stared at that blank piece of paper!
(1). Which of the following is Angela’s dream job?
| A． |
Teacher. |
B． |
Astronaut. |
C． |
Reporter. |
D． |
Actor. |
(2). Why didn’t Angela write her real dream at school?
| A． |
Ms Clark didn’t like it. |
B． |
Her parents wouldn’t support it. |
| C． |
She was afraid of being laughed at. |
D． |
She couldn’t decide it when she was at school. |
(3). What does the underlined part in paragraph 7 probably mean?
| A． |
Angela felt sad. |
B． |
Angela felt nervous. |
C． |
Angela felt proud. |
D． |
Angela felt interested. |
(4). Which of the following could best describe Angela?
| A． |
Skillful and caring. |
B． |
Patient and helpful. |
| C． |
Talented and hard-working. |
D． |
Clever and beautiful. |
