Scientists in Britain and the United States have made a new kind of enzyme（酵素）that eats plastics（塑料）． With its help， plastics can be turned into smaller parts and go away quickly． Scientists believe that， in the future， it could solve the problem of plastic pollution．
The enzyme is able to break downPET， a form of plastic． PET was first made in the 1940s and is now widely used to make plastic bottles． It can remain in the environment for many years and pollute large areas of land and water． So it has always been a headache to deal with the waste from PET and other plastics．
The researchers made the discovery（发现）while examining the structure of a natural enzyme in Japan． They found that the natural enzyme was helping to break down PET plastics． So， they decided to make small changes to the enzyme by adding some amino acids（氨基酸）． It made the natural enzyme's plastic﹣eating abilities work faster and better．
John McGeehan， one of the lead researchers， said， "We've made an improved enzyme． It's better
than he natural one． And we are trying to make more improvements to it． "He went on， "The enzyme is not harmful to humans or animals， and it is friendly to the environment． So we are considering putting it into wider use．"
The team is now trying to make the enzyme break down PET in large quantities（大量地）．"We'll see that the plastic pollution may be stopped with this technology． However， there is still a long way to go，"John McGeehan added．
（1）According to the scientists， the enzyme may solve the problem of pollution．
| A． |
air |
| B． |
water |
| C． |
light |
| D． |
plastic |
（2）The underlined phrase "break down" in the passage probably means " " in Chinese．
| A． |
实验 |
| B． |
生产 |
| C． |
发明 |
| D． |
分解 |
（3）Researchers discovered that a natural enzyme helped eat plastics ．
| A． |
in Britain |
| B． |
in the US |
| C． |
in Japan |
| D． |
in China |
（4）Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ？
| A． |
The scientists are still trying to improve the enzyme． |
| B． |
The enzyme will pollute large areas of land and water． |
| C． |
The natural enzyme works better than the improved one． |
| D． |
The natural enzyme is harmful to humans and animals． |
Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to a store and seeing it turned into an object. This is now possible with the help of 3D printers. Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies, but now, stores with 3D printing services are appearing around the United States.
Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago. The Jaycoxs offer 3D printing classes and services for anyone who is interested.
“I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It’s going to have a huge influence on society as a whole.” says KiChong Tran, one of the students in a recent class. He plans to open a 3D printing business in Cambodia (柬埔寨).
3D printing services are coming into American people’s life. The UPS Store is a nationwide retailer (零售商) that provides copying and other services. The UPS Store recently put 3D printers in three of its independently-owned stores. Burke Jones owns one of the stores in San Diego.
“The demand has been amazing. There has been a lot of interest from people. It’s been much more than I would have imagined.”
The UPS Store plans to add 3D printers in three more stores.
For $11, someone used a 3D printer to produce two small plastic parts as part of a knuckle (指节) for a hand. He works for the company which is testing finger prosthetics (假肢). He says the same–day or next-day printing services will speed up testing of parts and get them to patients faster.
Staples, an American store, is selling 3D printers on its website for as low as about $1,300. As with any technology - experts expect the printing speed to increase and the price to go down.
Bryan Jaycox requires $15 an hour to print an object. He also sets the price depending on the size of the object and up to $50 an hour for design and labor services.
Mr Jaycox thinks that within five years, 3D printing technology could become more user friendly. But KiChong Tran says even today’s technology can make a difference in a developing country like Cambodia.
“With 3D printing you can give them tools, so they are responsible more for their own development and they learn skills beyond just like learning English and becoming a tour guide or something like that. You can actually create things that give value to the world.”
He says it’s not just Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer, it can turn a good idea into reality.What can 3D printers do according to the passage?
| A．Come up with an idea. |
| B．Draw on a piece of paper. |
| C．Help users to spend less money. |
| D．Turn an idea into a physical object. |
What does the underlined part mean in this passage?
| A．Make users’ life better. |
| B．Make friends with users. |
| C．Make 3D printers easier to use. |
| D．Use 3D printers to make money. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．3D printing is becoming popular in the world. |
| B．There is no 3D printing business in Cambodia. |
| C．The UPS Store is the biggest 3D printing company. |
| D．3D printing plays the most important role in daily life. |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The future of 3D printing in the world. |
| B．The 3D printing business in Cambodia. |
| C．The development and growth of 3D printing business. |
| D．The 3D printing classes and services in different places. |
| Paperboy By Vince Vawter  |
What’s the basic story line? Little Man works as a paperboy for the summer, but has no idea that it will change his attitudes towards life forever. His unexpected adventure leads him to new friends, problems, and worries. The job even puts his life in danger. What would you say about this book? It tells an interesting story, providing a deep understanding of the life of someone in a special situation. — By Zach Lewis |
| House of Secrets By Ned Vizzini  |
What’s the basic story line? A man writes a novel calledThe Book of Doom and Desire.The book is magical and has powers that could be harmful if misused. The writer puts a spell (符咒) on the book so nobody can use it. Some people want to find the book. Their search is very dangerous. What happens during their adventure? Read the book and find out. What would you say about this book? It includes funny stories, bravery and love. It is a great book from start to finish. — By Abhinav Piplani |
| Better to Wish By Ann Martin  |
What’s the basic story line? Abby Nichols is 8 years old and living with her parents in a small town in Maine during the Great Depression. She can’t imagine whatherfutureholds for her.ButAbby’s world is changing fast. There will be good-byes to say and hard choices to make. The story follows the ups and downs of Abby’s life. What would you say about this book? It is a book about how a girl deals with her problems. The writershowsreadersthewayafamilygrows. The story is about hope and life. — By Alaa Osman |
| My Brother Is A Big, Fat Liar By James Patterson  |
What’s the basic story line? Georgia Khatchadorian is entering Hills Village Middle School and thinks everything is going well. But things are different at HVMS. Her brother, Rafe, was kicked out because he broke all the rules. The teachers think that Georgia is just like her brother, so they give her bad grades. To make matters worse, some boys often pick on her. Will Georgia be able to change her reputation? What would you say about this book? It is very humorous, and readers will never want to put it down! — By Rylan J. Daniels |
What do Paperboy and House of Secrets have in common?
| A．They both tell honest people’s stories. |
| B．They both include some adventure stories. |
| C．They both present a deep understanding of life. |
| D．They both give advice on how to solve problems. |
According to My Brother Is A Big, Fat Liar, why is Georgia given bad grades?
| A．She puts her brother’s life in danger. |
| B．She breaks all the rules like her brother. |
| C．Her teachers believe that she will behave badly. |
| D．She doesn’t study well and picks on her classmates. |
Where can we probably read this text?
| A．A personal diary. | B．A website book review. |
| C．A science report. | D．A chemistry textbook. |
Lost Cat Returned To Owner 12 Years Later
April 3, 2014– Linda Edwards of Las Vegas, Nevada is full of happiness because her long lost catSpazhas been returned to her – 12 years after he first went missing!
Spaz first went missing in 2002 and Edwards looked for him every day for three months. She searched all around her town and even wrote letters to some newspapers for help and was never able to find him. At the end of the three months, on New Year’s Eve of 2002 her searching stopped.
But someone recently discovered a dirty, thin stray cat (流浪猫) and took him into a West Flamingo Animal Hospital. Thepeople working in the hospital checked the cat and were sure enough that his name was Spaz and he belonged to Edwards!
“An old lady found a kitty on Sunday and brought him here. We scanned (扫描) him for a microchip (微芯片) and we were able to find out his owner. The kitty, whose name is Spaz, has been missing for 12 years!” the animal hospital wrote on their Facebook page early last week.
Microchipping pets is a way to recognize if a stray animal belongs to anyone who could be missing them. Microchippingpets allows animal services to learn if they have a family waiting for them. Microchips are only about the size of a grain of rice and can only be removed by operation.
Edwards is very thankful she had Spaz microchipped and was so excited to get him back!
“I feel like I have a second chance,” she said. “This would have never happened if it weren’t for microchips.”The cat got lost ______.
| A．three months ago | B．12 years ago |
| C．on April 3, 2014 | D．on New Year’s Eve, 2002 |
After the hospital checked the cat, they knew ______.
| A．its feeling | B．its hobby | C．its stray life | D．its owner’s name |
______ make(s) it possible for owners to find their lost pets.
| A．The microchip | B．Animal hospitals |
| C．The newspaper | D．Family members |
Long Lake Camp For Teens
Have fun every minute of every day at Long Lake Summer Camp! Every day is perfect because you can not only enjoy activities but also make new friends.
Long Lake Rock Camp
OurRock Campis different from anywhere else. We can offer you all the band lessons. We add a special Rock Guitar this summer. You can practice with your friends every day.
Long Lake Dance Camp
All our wonderful dance camp teachers are returning this summer. We will again offer you all the very best dance camps for modern dance, hip hop, musical theater and more.
Long Lake Music Camp
There is something for every interest, whether you sing or play an instrument. You also can develop your music skills.
Long Lake Film Camp
Long Lake Film Camp offers great film making chances. With our help, you can make your own film. Try it! Most importantly, our video experts share their experience of the art of film making.
Cost:$1000 — $1999
Ages:From 10 to 16
Camp Address:199 Washington Avenue,Dobbs Ferry , New York 10522
Tel: 800 767 7111
E-mail: marc@longlakecamp.comHow many kinds of camps are mentioned in this passage?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
If you want to practise dancing, you can choose ______.
| A．Long Lake Rock Camp | B．Long Lake Dance Camp |
| C．Long Lake Music Camp | D．Long Lake Film Camp |
What can you do at Long Lake Film Camp?
| A．Watch some famous films. | B．Learn how to make a film. |
| C．Ask for advice on dancing. | D．Create a special rock band. |
阅读短文, 根据短文内容回答问题。
Have you ever wondered what an American high school is really like? This article will describe a typical (典型的) high school and its students.
A typical American high school has several large buildings and enough space for about 1,500 students. Every student is given a locker. When students first arrive at school, they go straight to their lockers to put away or get their textbooks and to hang up their outdoor clothes. As American textbooks are expensive, students would rather borrow than buy them. Students must pay back if they lose any of them.
American students have different types of school transport. They usually take a yellow school bus or walk to school if they live close enough. Sometimes their parents drive them to school. When they turn 16 years of age, most take a free driving class at school for one term. If students get passing grades in the class and also pass their state driver’s exam, they can begin driving themselves to school.
Each day, students take six or seven classes. They must take science, maths, English and social studies. They can choose art, homemaking, clothes making and other classes. In some schools students are asked to take one or more of the following special classes: health education, physical education or foreign language studies. Students move to different classrooms for each subject. This is because each teacher has their own classroom. There is a five-minute break between classes, to give the students the time to hurry to their next class.
The school day usually ends early in the afternoon. After school more than half of the students take part in after-school activities. These activities include sports --- especially football, basketball, baseball and soccer or clubs, such as yearbook, speech, school newspaper, and photography and student government.