假定你是校广播站英语节目 “Talk and Talk” 的负责人李华，请给外教 Caroline 写邮件邀请她做一次访谈。内容包括：
1. 节目介绍；
2. 访谈的时间和话题。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为 80 左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Caroline,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
Writing an essay is a difficult process for most people. However, the process can be made easier if you learn to practice three simple techniques.
31 When you are first trying to think of ideas for an essay, put your pen to your paper and write nonstop for ten or fifteen minutes without letting your pen leave the paper. Stay loose and free. 32 Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. Even though this technique won’t work for everyone, it helps many people get a good store of ideas to draw on.
The next technique is to write your draft rapidly without worrying about being perfect. 33 Yet, by learning to live with imperfection, you will save yourself headaches and a wastepaper basket full of crumpled ( 弄皱 ) paper. Think of your first draft as a path cut out of the jungle—as part of an exploration, not as a complete highway.
The third technique is to try printing out a triple—spaced ( 三倍行距 ) copy to allow space for revision. 34 As a result, these writers never get in the habit of crossing out chunks ( 大块 ) of their draft and writing revisions in the blank space. After you have revised your draft until it is too messy to work from anymore, you can enter your changes into your word processor. 35 The resulting blank space invites you to revise.
A ． Make sure your handwriting is neat.
B ． Let your pen follow the waves of thought.
C ． The second draft of the essay should be better.
D ． First of all, learn the technique of nonstop writing.
E ． Too many writers try to get their drafts right the first time.
F ． Many beginning writers don’t leave enough space to revise.
G ． Then you can print out a fresh draft, again setting your text on triple-space.
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。
Henry Tyler made the catch of the year on the weekend. When he saw a young child hanging from a sixth-floor apartment balcony ( 阳台 ), Henry ran one hundred metres, jumped over a 1.2-metre fence, and held out his arms to catch the 36 (fall) child.
Eric Brown, only three years old, knocked Henry down when he fell. The boy is in the hospital and doctors say he'll be OK.
37 Brown family live in an apartment building outside Toronto. On the day of the accident, Mrs. Brown was at work and Eric was at home with his father. They both fell 38 (sleep) while watching TV.
Eric woke up a little later when he heard children playing outside. He pushed a chair onto the balcony, and climbed up 39 (see) them. When he looked down, he 40 (accidental ) slipped and fell over the edge. He hung on for a few minutes 41 screamed for his father, but his father didn't hear him.
Henry 42 (fix) his car when he heard the screams. He looked up and saw Eric hanging from the balcony. He quickly 43 (throw) his tools aside, and started running, arms out.
He saved my 44 (son) life," said Mrs. Brown. "I don't know 45 to thank him.”
"I just didn't want the boy to be hurt," said Henry.
Children’s Discovery Museum
General Information about Group Play
Pricing
Group Play $7/person
Scholarships
We offer scholarships to low-income schools and youth organizations, subject to availability. Participation in a post-visit survey is required.
Scholarships are for Group Play admission fees and/or transportation. Transportation invoices ( 发票 ) must be received within 60 days of your visit to guarantee the scholarship.
Group Size
We require one chaperone ( 监护人 ) per ten children. Failure to provide enough chaperones will result in an extra charge of $50 per absent adult.
Group Play is for groups of 10 or more with a limit of 35 people. For groups of 35 or more, please call to discuss options.
Hours
The Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Group Play may be scheduled during any day or time the Museum is open.
Registration Policy
Registration must be made at least two weeks in advance.
Register online or fill out a Group Play Registration Form with multiple date and start time options.
Once the registration form is received and processed, we will send a confirmation email within two business days.
Guidelines
●Teachers and chaperones should model good behavior for the group and remain with students at all times.
●Children are not allowed unaccompanied in all areas of the Museum.
●Children should play nicely with each other and exhibits.
●Use your indoor voice when at the Museum.
16 ． What does a group need to do if they are offered a scholarship?
A ． Prepay the admission fees. B ． Use the Museum’s transportation.
C ． Take a survey after the visit. D ． Schedule their visit on weekdays.
17 ． How many chaperones are needed for a group of 30 children to visit the Museum?
A ． One. B ． Two. C ． Three. D ． Four.
18 ． What are children prohibited from doing at the Museum?
A ． Using the computer. B ． Talking with each other.
C ． Touching the exhibits. D ． Exploring the place alone.
Over the last seven years, most states have banned texting by drivers, and public service campaigns have tried a wide range of methods to persuade people to put down their phones when they are behind the wheel.
Yet the problem, by just about any measure, appears to be getting worse. Americans are still texting while driving, as well as using social networks and taking photos. Road accidents, which had fallen for years, are now rising sharply.
That is partly because people are driving more, but Mark Rosekind, the chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said distracted （分心） driving was "only increasing, unfortunately."
"Big change requires big ideas." he said in a speech last month, referring broadly to the need to improve road safety. So to try to change a distinctly modern behavior, lawmakers and public health experts are reaching back to an old approach: They want to treat distracted driving like drunk driving.
An idea from lawmakers in New York is to give police officers a new device called the Textalyzer. It would work like this: An officer arriving at the scene of a crash could ask for the phones of the drivers and use the Textalyzer to check in the operating system for recent activity. The technology could determine whether a driver had just texted, emailed or done anything else that is not allowed under New York's hands-free driving laws.
"We need something on the books that can change people's behavior,” said Félix W. Ortiz, who pushed for the state's 2001 ban on hand-held devices by drivers. If the Textalyzer bill becomes law, he said, "people are going to be more afraid to put their hands on the cell phone."
23 ． Which of the following best describes the ban on drivers' texting in the US?
A ． Ineffective. B ． Unnecessary.
C ． Inconsistent. D ． Unfair.
24 ． What can the Textalyzer help a police officer find out?
A ． Where a driver came from. B ． Whether a driver used their phone.
C ． How fast a driver was going. D ． When a driver arrived at the scene.
25 ． What does the underlined word "something" in the last paragraph refer to?
A ． Advice. B ． Data. C ． Tests. D ． Laws.
26 ． What is a suitable title for the text?
A ． To Drive or Not to Drive? Think Before You Start
B ． Texting and Driving? Watch Out for the Textalyzer
C ． New York Banning Hand-Held Devices by Drivers.
D ． The Next Generation Cell Phone: The Textalyzer-
As we age, even if we’re healthy, the heart just isn’t as efficient in processing oxygen as it used to be. In most people the first signs show up in their 50s or early 60s. And among people who don’t exercise, the changes can start even sooner.
“Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven’t been an enthusiastic exerciser, getting in shape now may help improve your aging heart.
Levine and his research team selected volunteers aged between 45 and 64 who did not exercise much but were otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic ( 无氧 ) exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health.
“We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. “And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was that their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump ( 泵送 ) a lot more blood during exercise.” But the hearts of those who participated in less intense exercise didn’t change, he says.
“The sweet spot in life to start exercising, if you haven’t already, is in late middle age when the heart still has flexibility,” Levine says. “We put healthy 70-year-olds through a yearlong exercise training program, and nothing happened to them at all.”
Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, says Levine’s findings are a great start. But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference.
27 ． What does Levine want to explain by mentioning the rubber band?
A ． The right way of exercising. B ． The causes of a heart attack.
C ． The difficulty of keeping fit. D ． The aging process of the heart.
28 ． In which aspect were the two groups different in terms of research design?
A ． Diet plan. B ． Professional background.
C ． Exercise type. D ． Previous physical condition.
29 ． What does Levine’s research find?
A ． Middle-aged hearts get younger with aerobic exercise.
B ． High-intensity exercise is more suitable for the young.
C ． It is never too late for people to start taking exercise.
D ． The more exercise we do, the stronger our hearts get.
30 ． What does Dr. Nieca Goldberg suggest?
A ． Making use of the findings. B ． Interviewing the study participants.
C ． Conducting further research. D ． Clarifying the purpose of the study.
Like many young people, Jessica wants to travel the globe. Unlike most of them, this 25-year-old is doing it 1 . She and her husband have spent the last two years traveling the world, stopping everywhere from Paris to Singapore. It might sound like one long, expensive 2 , but the couple has an unusual way to make their travel 3 .
They’re part of a new form of the 4 economy: an online group of house sitters. Throughout their no-cost stays in 5 homes, they feed pets and water plants in the homeowner’s 6 .
It’s not all sightseeing. The two travelers carefully 7 their trips, scheduling their days around the pets that are sometimes difficult to 8 . But house sitting also offers a level of 9 they can’t find in a hotel. “It’s like 10 at a friend’s house,” Jessica says.
The couple has a high 11 rate in getting accepted as house sitters and they always go beyond the homeowner’s 12 . For Jessica, that means 13 plenty of pictures of happy pets, keeping the house 14 and leaving a nice small gift before heading to the next house. “You want to make the homeowner feel that they made the right 15 ,” she says.
1 ． A ． indoors B ． online C ． single-handed D ． full-time
2 ． A ． game B ． service C ． vacation D ． procedure
3 ． A ． safe B ． busy C ． helpful D ． affordable
4 ． A ． local B ． private C ． sharing D ． agricultural
5 ． A ． strangers’ B ． parents’ C ． co-workers’ D ． neighbors’
6 ． A ． favor B ． defense C ． honor D ． absence
7 ． A ． plan B ． explain C ． compare D ． complete
8 ． A ． buy B ． transport C ． choose D ． please
9 ． A ． support B ． comfort C ． control D ． attention
10 ． A ． cooking B ． staying C ． waiting D ． studying
11 ． A ． success B ． survival C ． growth D ． unemployment
12 ． A ． budget B ． abilities C ． expectations D ． understanding
13 ． A ． admiring B ． donating C ． sending D ． borrowing
14 ． A ． clean B ． open C ． simple D ． empty
15 ． A ． guess B ． decision C ． response D ． impression
We journalists live in a new age of storytelling, with many new multimedia tools. Many young people don’t even realize it’s new. For them, it’s just normal.
This hit home for me as I was sitting with my 2-year-old grandson on a sofa over the Spring Festival holiday. I had brought a children’s book to read. It had simple words and colorful pictures — a perfect match for his age.
Picture this: my grandson sitting on my lap as I hold the book in front so he can see the pictures. As I read, he reaches out and pokes ( 戳 ) the page with his finger.
What’s up with that? He just likes the pictures, I thought. Then I turned the page and continued. He poked the page even harder. I nearly dropped the book. I was confused: Is there something wrong with this kid?
Then I realized what was happening. He was actually a stranger to books. His father frequently amused the boy with a tablet computer which was loaded with colorful pictures that come alive when you poke them. He thought my storybook was like that.
Sorry, kid. This book is not part of your high-tech world. It’s an outdated, lifeless thing. An antique, like your grandfather. Well, I may be old, but I’m not hopelessly challenged, digitally speaking. I edit video and produce audio. I use mobile payment. I’ve even built websites.
There’s one notable gap in my new-media experience, however: I’ve spent little time in front of a camera, since I have a face made for radio. But that didn’t stop China Daily from asking me last week to share a personal story for a video project about the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.
Anyway, grandpa is now an internet star — two minutes of fame! I promise not to let it go to my head. But I will make sure my 2-year-old grandson sees it on his tablet.
19 ． What do the underlined words “hit home for me” mean in paragraph 2?
A ． Provided shelter for me. B ． Became very clear to me.
C ． Took the pressure off me. D ． Worked quite well on me.
20 ． Why did the kid poke the storybook?
A ． He took it for a tablet computer. B ． He disliked the colorful pictures.
C ． He was angry with his grandpa. D ． He wanted to read it by himself.
21 ． What does the author think of himself?
A ． Socially ambitious. B ． Physically attractive.
C ． Financially independent. D ． Digitally competent.
22 ． What can we learn about the author as a journalist?
A ． He lacks experience in his job. B ． He seldom appears on television.
C ． He manages a video department. D ． He often interviews internet stars.
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
It was the day of the big cross-country run. Students from seven different primary schools in and around the small town were warming up and walking the route( 路线 )through thick evergreen forest.
I looked around and finally spotted David, who was standing by himself off to the side by a fence. He was small for ten years old. His usual big toothy smile was absent today. I walked over and asked him why he wasn’t with the other children. He hesitated and then said he had decided not to run.
What was wrong? He had worked so hard for this event!
I quickly searched the crowd for the school’s coach and asked him what had happened. “I was afraid that kids from other schools would laugh at him,” he explained uncomfortably. “I gave him the choice to run or not, and let him decide.”
I bit back my frustration( 懊恼 ). I knew the coach meant well—he thought he was doing the right thing. After making sure that David could run if he wanted, I turned to find him coming towards me, his small body rocking from side to side as he swung his feet forward.
David had a brain disease which prevented him from walking or running like other children, but at school his classmates thought of him as a regular kid. He always participated to the best of his ability in whatever they were doing. That was why none of the children thought it unusual that David had decided to join the cross-country team. It just took him longer—that’s all. David had not missed a single practice, and although he always finished his run long after the other children, he did always finish. As a special education teacher at the school, I was familiar with the challenges David faced and was proud of his strong determination.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为 150 左右 ;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答 .
We sat down next to each other, but David wouldn’t look at me.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I watched as David moved up to the starting line with the other runners.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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 .
A visually-challenged man from Beijing recently hiked ( 徒步 ) 40 days to Xi’an, as a first step 41 (journey) the Belt and Road route ( 路线 ) by foot.
On the 1,100 kilometer journey, the man Cao Shengkang, 42 lost his eyesight at the age of eight in a car accident, crossed 40 cities and counties in three province. Inspired by the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation 43 (hold) in Beijing, Cao decided to cover the route by hiking as a tribute ( 致敬 ) to the ancient Silk Road. 44 friend of his, Wu Fan, volunteered to be his companion during the trip.
Cao and Wu also collected garbage along the road, in order to promote environmental 45 (protect). Cao believes this will make the hiking trip even more 46 (meaning). The two of them collected more than 1,000 plastic bottles along the 40-day journey.
In the last five years. Cao 47 (walk) through 34 countries in six continents, and in 2016, he reached the top of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s 48 (high) mountain.
Now, Cao has started the second part of his dream to walk along the Belt and Road route. He flew 4, 700 kilometers 49 Xi’an to Kashgar on Sept. 20, 50 (plan) to hike back to Xi’an in five months.
You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats his dogs.
For many years, I enjoyed living with my dogs, Tilly and Chance. Their 1 was nearly enough to keep my loneliness at bay. Nearly. Last year, I started dating, but with 2 . When I first dated Steve, I 3 he had a dog, Molly, and a cat, Flora. While I was 4 that he was an animal lover, I 5 that three dogs were perhaps too many, and my dogs might attack 6 , the cat.
The next week we 7 our dogs together. It was a hot day. When we paused to catch our 8 , Steve got down on one knee. Was he proposing ( 求婚 )? I liked him too, but so 9 ? He poured water from a bottle into his hand and offered it to my dogs. 10 , I began to fall for him.
We 11 to date, though neither of us brought up the future. And then in late November, Tilly had an operation on her 12 . I took the dogs out four times a day, and I worried that Tilly 13 climbing the stairs could reopen the wound. Then Steve 14 his house. All worked 15 . The three dogs formed a pack that, with coaching, 16 Flora’s space; Steve and I formed a good team 17 for Tilly. We made good housemates.
A year later, much to my 18 , this man produced a little box with a ring and proposed to me. He did not kneel ( 跪 ) down, nor did I 19 him to. That’s only for giving 20 to the dogs that brought us together.
1 ． A ． ownership B ． membership C ． companionship D ． leadership
2 ． A ． reservations B ． expectations C ． confidence D ． prejudice
3 ． A ． feared B ． doubted C ． hoped D ． learned
4 ． A ． unsatisfied B ． amused C ． terrified D ． thrilled
5 ． A ． predicted B ． worried C ． regretted D ． insisted
6 ． A ． Flora B ． Chance C ． Molly D ． Tilly
7 ． A ． tied B ． walked C ． bathed D ． fed
8 ． A ． breath B ． balance C ． attention D ． imagination
9 ． A ． calm B ． sure C ． soon D ． real
10 ． A ． By the way B ． In that case C ． By all means D ． In that moment
11 ． A ． continued B ． decided C ． intended D ． pretended
12 ． A ． eye B ． tail C ． ear D ． leg
13 ． A ． secretly B ． constantly C ． eventually D ． unwillingly
14 ． A ． left B ． sold C ． suggested D ． searched
15 ． A ． late B ． hard C ． fine D ． free
16 ． A ． emptied B ． respected C ． occupied D ． discovered
17 ． A ． looking B ． caring C ． waiting D ． calling
18 ． A ． delight B ． credit C ． interest D ． disadvantage
19 ． A ． beg B ． trust C ． need D ． aid
20 ． A ． toys B ． awards C ． food D ． water
Theatres and Entertainment
St David’s Hall
St David’s Hall is the award winning National Concert Hall of Wales standing at the very heart of Cardiff’s entertainment centre. With an impressive 2,000-seat concert hall, St David’s Hall is home to the annual Welsh Proms Cardiff. It presents live entertainment, including pop, rock, folk, jazz, musicals, dance, world music, films and classical music.
The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1AH
www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
The Glee Club
Every weekend this is “Wales” premier comedy club where having a great time is the order for both audiences and comedy stars alike. It is hard to name a comedy star who hasn’t been on the stage here. If you are looking for the best comedies on tour and brilliant live music, you should start here.
Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF10 5BZ
www.glee.co.uk/cardiff
Sherman Cymru
Sherman Cymru’s theatre in the Cathays area of Cardiff reopened in February 2012. This special building is a place in which theatre is made and where children, artists, writers and anyone else have the opportunity ( 机会 ) to do creative things. Sherman Cymru is excited to present a packed programme of the very best theatre, dance, family shows and music from Wales and the rest of the world.
Senghennydd Road, Cardiff CF24 4YE
www.shermancymru.co.uk
New Theatre
The New Theatre has been the home of quality drama, musicals, dance and children’s shows for more than 100 years. Presenting the best of the West End along with the pick of the UK’s touring shows, the New Theatre is Cardiff’s oldest surviving traditional theatre. Be sure to pay a visit as part of your stay in the city.
Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3LN
www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
21 ． Where is the Welsh Proms Cardiff hosted?
A ． At the New Theatre. B ． At the Glee Club.
C ． At Sherman Cymru. D ． At St David’s Hall.
22 ． What can people do at the Glee Club?
A ． Watch musicals. B ． Enjoy comedies.
C ． See family shows. D ． Do creative things.
23 ． Which website can you visit to learn about Cardiff’s oldest surviving theatre?
A ． www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk B ． www.shermancymru.co.uk
C ． www.glee.co.uk/cardiff D ． www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
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。
My father often took me to his hospital when I was off my school. He showed me how his medical instruments was used. I felt so closely to him. However, after I went to high school, somehow I become distant from him. I was unwilling talk with him and often disobeyed his rule of not stay out with my friends too late. The disagreement was too sharp that neither he nor I knew what to settle it. One day, he talked with me or hoped to mend our relations. With the efforts made by all sides, we began to understand each other better.
Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened in Sydney, Australia. The city discovered its harbor. Then, one after another, Sydney discovered lots of things that were just sort of there — broad parks, superb beaches, and a culturally diverse population. But it is the harbor that makes the city.
Andrew Reynolds, a cheerful fellow in his early 30s, pilots Sydney ferryboats for a living. I spent the whole morning shuttling back and forth across the harbor. After our third run Andrew shut down the engine, and we went our separate ways — he for a lunch break, I to explore the city.
“I’ll miss these old boats,” he said as we parted.
“How do you mean?” I asked.
“Oh, they’re replacing them with catamarans. Catamarans are faster, but they’re not so elegant, and they’re not fun to pilot. But that’s progress, I guess.”
Everywhere in Sydney these days, change and progress are the watchwords ( 口号 ), and traditions are increasingly rare. Shirley Fitzgerald, the city’s official historian, told me that in its rush to modernity in the 1970s, Sydney swept aside much of its past, including many of its finest buildings. “Sydney is confused about itself,” she said. “We can’t seem to make up our minds whether we want a modern city or a traditional one. It’s a conflict that we aren’t getting any better at resolving ( 解决 ).”
On the other hand, being young and old at the same time has its attractions. I considered this when I met a thoughtful young businessman named Anthony. “Many people say that we lack culture in this country,” he told me. “What people forget is that the Italians, when they came to Australia, brought 2000 years of their culture, the Greeks some 3000 years, and the Chinese more still. We’ve got a foundation built on ancient cultures but with a drive and dynamism of a young country. It’s a pretty hard combination to beat.”
He is right, but I can’t help wishing they would keep those old ferries.
32 ． What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A ． Sydney’s striking architecture. B ． The cultural diversity of Sydney.
C ． The key to Sydney’s development. D ． Sydney’s tourist attractions in the 1960s.
33 ． What can we learn about Andrew Reynolds?
A ． He goes to work by boat. B ． He looks forward to a new life.
C ． He pilots catamarans well. D ． He is attached to the old ferries.
34 ． What does Shirley Fitzgerald think of Sydney?
A ． It is losing its traditions. B ． It should speed up its progress.
C ． It should expand its population. D ． It is becoming more international.
35 ． Which statement will the author probably agree with?
A ． A city can be young and old at the same time.
B ． A city built on ancient cultures is more dynamic.
C ． Modernity is usually achieved at the cost of elegance.
D ． Compromise should be made between the local and the foreign.
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。
We all know that cycling is a greatly exercise. A doctor tells me people who lives the longest are dancers and cyclists. Maybe it is because the combination of fresh air, smooth movement and exercise. Whether you ride a bicycle, you don’t use petrol. So they are not producing carbon dioxide and not cause air pollution. Just see how cars have been taken over our cities. They often run at high speeds, what may put our lives in danger. And there were traffic jams, too. Our cities will be better places if we replace cars with bicycle.
Goffin’s cockatoos, a kind of small parrot native to Australasia, have been shown to have similar shape-recognition abilities to a human two-year-old. Though not known to use tools in the wild, the birds have proved skilful at tool use while kept in the cage. In a recent experiment, cockatoos were presented with a box with a nut inside it. The clear front of the box had a “keyhole” in a geometric shape, and the birds were given five differently shaped “keys” to choose from. Inserting the correct “key” would let out the nut.
In humans, babies can put a round shape in a round hole from around one year of age, but it will be another year before they are able to do the same with less symmetrical ( 对称的 ) shapes. This ability to recognize that a shape will need to be turned in a specific direction before it will fit is called an “allocentric frame of reference”. In the experiment, Goffin’s cockatoos were able to select the right tool for the job, in most cases, by visual recognition alone. Where trial-and-error was used, the cockatoos did better than monkeys in similar tests. This indicates that Goffin’s cockatoos do indeed possess an allocentric frame of reference when moving objects in space, similar to two-year-old babies.
The next step, according to the researchers, is to try and work out whether the cockatoos rely entirely on visual clues ( 线索 ), or also use a sense of touch in making their shape selections.
24 ． How did the cockatoos get the nut from the box in the experiment?
A ． By following instructions. B ． By using a tool.
C ． By turning the box around. D ． By removing the lid.
25 ． Which task can human one-year-olds most likely complete according to the text?
A ． Using a key to unlock a door. B ． Telling parrots from other birds.
C ． Putting a ball into a round hole. D ． Grouping toys of different shapes.
26 ． What does the follow-up test aim to find out about the cockatoos?
A ． How far they are able to see.
B ． How they track moving objects.
C ． Whether they are smarter than monkeys.
D ． Whether they use a sense of touch in the test.
27 ． Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A ． Cockatoos: Quick Error Checkers B ． Cockatoos: Independent Learners
C ． Cockatoos: Clever Signal-Readers D ． Cockatoos: Skillful Shape-Sorters
学校英文报正在开展以 Learning English Beyond the Classroom 为题的讨论。请使用图表中的调查结果写一篇短文投稿，内容包括：
1. 学习活动状况描述；
2. 简单评论；
3. 你的建议。
注意：
1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 短文的题目和首句已为你写好。
Can a small group of drones ( 无人机 ) guarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year? That is the very likely future of applying today’s “eyes in the sky” technology to make sure that the millions of kilometres of rail tracks and infrastructure ( 基础设施 ) worldwide are safe for trains on a 24/7 basis.
Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines. They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points. The more regularly they can be inspected, the more railway safety, reliability and on-time performance will be improved. Costs would be cut and operations would be more efficient ( 高效 ) across the board.
That includes huge savings in maintenance costs and better protection of railway personnel safety. It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure. That can be dangerous work that could be avoided with drones assisting the crews’ efforts.
By using the latest technologies, drones could also start providing higher-value services for railways, detecting faults in the rail or switches, before they can cause any safety problems. To perform these tasks, drones for rail don’t need to be flying overhead. Engineers are now working on a new concept: the rail drones of the future. They will be moving on the track ahead of the train, and programmed to run autonomously. Very small drones with advanced sensors and AI and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot. With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.
28 ． What makes the application of drones to rail lines possible?
A ． The use of drones in checking on power lines. B ． Drones’ ability to work at high altitudes.
C ． The reduction of cost in designing drones. D ． Drones’ reliable performance in remote areas.
29 ． What does “maintenance” underlined in paragraph 3 refer to?
A ． Personnel safety. B ． Assistance from drones.
C ． Inspection and repair. D ． Construction of infrastructure.
30 ． What function is expected of the rail drones?
A ． To provide early warning. B ． To make trains run automatically.
C ． To earn profits for the crews. D ． To accelerate transportation.
31 ． Which is the most suitable title for the text?
A ． What Faults Can Be Detected with Drones
B ． How Production of Drones Can Be Expanded
C ． What Difficulty Drone Development Will Face
D ． How Drones Will Change the Future of Railways
你校将以六月八日世界海洋日为主题，举办英语征文比赛，请你写一篇短文投稿。
内容包括：
1. 海洋的重要性；
2. 保护海洋的倡议。
注意： 1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 短文的题目和首句已为你写好。
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The Government’s sugar tax on soft drinks has brought in half as much money as Ministers first predicted it would generate, the first official data on the policy has shown.
First announced in April, 2016, the tax which applies to soft drinks containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, was introduced to help reduce childhood obesity ( 肥胖 ). It is believed that today’s children and teenagers are consuming three times the recommended level of sugar, putting them at a higher risk of the disease.
Initially the sugar tax was expected to make £520m a year for the Treasury. However, data of the first six months showed it would make less than half this amount. At present it is expected to generate £240m for the year ending in April 2019, which will go to school sports.
It comes after more than half of soft drinks sold in shops have had their sugar levels cut by manufacturers ( 制造商 ) so they can avoid paying the tax. Drinks now contain 45 million fewer kilos of sugar as a result of manufacturers’ efforts to avoid the charge, according to Treasury figures. Since April drinks companies have been forced to pay between 18p and 24p for every litre of sugary drink they produce or import, depending on the sugar content.
However, some high sugar brands, like Classic Coca Cola, have accepted the sugar tax and are refusing to change for fear of upsetting consumers. Fruit juices, milk-based drinks and most alcoholic drinks are free of the tax, as are small companies manufacturing fewer than 1m litres per year.
Today’s figures, according to one government official, show the positive influence the sugar tax is having by raising millions of pounds for sports facilities ( 设施 ) and healthier eating in schools. Helping the next generation to have a healthy and active childhood is of great importance, and the industry is playing its part.
32 ． Why was the sugar tax introduced?
A ． To collect money for schools. B ． To improve the quality of drinks.
C ． To protect children’s health. D ． To encourage research in education.
33 ． How did some drinks companies respond to the sugar tax?
A ． They turned to overseas markets. B ． They raised the prices of their products.
C ． They cut down on their production. D ． They reduced their products’ sugar content.
34 ． From which of the following is the sugar tax collected?
A ． Most alcoholic drinks. B ． Milk-based drinks. C ． Fruit juices. D ． Classic Coke.
35 ． What can be inferred about the adoption of the sugar tax policy?
A ． It is a short-sighted decision. B ． It is a success story.
C ． It benefits manufacturers. D ． It upsets customers.
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