The Arctic will soon be free from ice, experts say. The change is bound to take place, but the global warming and climate change are changing the earth’s landscape (地形) rapidly，causing panic worldwide.
Experts say that the Arctic sea ice is melting (融化) quite faster than expected and it can affect not just the region, but Earth in general. A scientist even says that next year, or maybe the year after that, the Arctic will be free of ice.
Peter Wadhams, a scientist, said that the melting trend led to his statement. “Most people expect this year will see a record low in the Arctic’s summer sea-ice cover. Next year or the year after that, I think it will be free of ice in summer and by that I mean the central Arctic will be ice-free,” Peter Wadhams, director of the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge, said in an interview with the Guardian. “You will be able to cross over the North Pole by ship,” Peter Wadhams added. He strongly believes that although some pieces of ice will remain, the Arctic basin may be free of sea ice in the next two years starting in the summer of 2017.
Wadhams’ study says that melting sea ice will have a great influence on the planet since the sea ice is more capable of reflecting (反射) sunlight compared to water that can only reflect 10% of the sunlight. Once the sea ice melts, the water can only reflect a small amount of sunlight. This means that the Earth will receive and absorb more sunlight, making the planet even hotter.
The year 2016 has already broken records of the hottest temperature ever recorded and the trend doesn’t seem to show any decrease in global warming. “It doesn’t look like the ice is healing and growing back,” Tom Wagner, NASA’s manager for cryosphere (冰冻圈) research said in a statement.
Like Wadhams, scientists and researchers all over the world are lecturing around to educate people to help lighten global warming that has already changed the planet’s landscape.
1.What does the author think of global warming and climate change?
A. Indifferent.B. Anxious.C. Unbelievable.D. Misunderstood.
2.What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A. What experts say has caused worldwide fear and great anxiety.
B. The speed of the Arctic sea ice being melted is beyond expectation.
C. The melting of the Arctic sea ice only has a great effect on this region.
D. It’s impossible that the Arctic will be free from ice in one or two years.
3.Why would the Earth become even hotter if the sea ice melted? Because ________.
A. more water will cover the earth
B. there are more hours of daylight
C. the water will reflect more sunlight
D. more heat would be taken in by the earth
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. According to some experts, the Arctic may be free from ice soon because of global warming and climate change.
B. The Arctic melting sea ice will affect the planet greatly.
C. The Arctic will be free from ice in two years.
D. Global warming are changing the earth’s landscape quickly.
Alexander von Humboldt was born in 1769 in Berlin, Germany. As a young boy, he wanted to learn about the world. Humboldt followed his dream. In 1799, he traveled with a friend to Central and South America.
On their trip, Humboldt and his friend saw and did many things. They sailed down the Amazon River. They watched dolphins play in the ocean. They explored the rain forest and climbed mountains and volcanoes. They were able to make the first maps of the northern part of South America.
Humboldt set a world record for mountain climbing. He also made a discovery. During his climb, Humboldt became very sick. He found out that the higher he climbed, the less oxygen there was in the air. This made it more difficult to breathe. Later, this became known as mountain sickness.
Science was another part of Humboldt’s interests. He wanted to write about all of the new things he saw. He described the new plants, animals, and rocks which had never been seen by scientists before.
Humboldt also studied the way of life of the local people. He learned how the native people along the Amazon River used plants in their daily lives. For example, they used a strong poison from a vine(蔓生植物) to make poisoned arrows. The natives used these arrows for hunting their food.
The Amazon Indians also used a native plant to treat malaria (疟疾), a serious illness. The plant grew wild, but after it was dug up, it was never replanted. Humboldt warned the natives that the plant was in danger of dying out. He looked for ways to preserve the plant and to make it grow strong.
Although Humboldt took many risks during his trip, he lived to be 90 years old. In his lifetime, he made many discoveries and shared them with the world. As a tribute (颂扬) to Humboldt, there are rivers and mountains named after him.
1.We can infer that Humboldt was probably a (n) ________.
A. explorerB. inventorC. doctorD. writer
2.Humboldt and his friend made maps of ________.
A. the central part of South America
B. the northern part of South America
C. the north part of Central America
D. the southern part of Central America
3.What do we know about mountain sickness?
A. It can be treated with a plant.
B. It is a serious illness like malaria.
C. It mainly influences one’s breathing.
D. It was discovered by Humboldt’s friend.
4.We can tell from the text that Humboldt was ________.
A. easy-goingB. imaginativeC. optimisticD. ambitious
It was a long week for Amanda at school. She stayed after school to work on a special project(课题) three days in a row. When she got home on Friday, she dropped into the chair with a sigh.
“What’s going on, Amanda?” her dad asked as he was reading the newspaper.
“I have to create a webpage for my technology class, and it is taking a lot more time than I thought it would,” Amanda answered.
Her dad looked over his newspaper and asked Amanda what the webpage was about.
“It’s about the difference between newspaper news and Internet news,” Amanda said and added, “I have to provide information, examples and illustrations(插图).”
“Sounds tough; do you have someone to help you?” her dad asked.
“I have a partner named Zach,” Amanda replied. “We did research on the Internet today and found some pictures to use.”
Then Amanda explained to her father the main differences: newspaper news is printed on paper, and Internet news is published online; newspaper news is only available once a day, and Internet news is published almost as soon as the news happens; many newspapers don’t even print a daily paper, and Internet news is published around the clock.
Amanda’s dad asked, “Which type of news do you like better?”
“I like Internet news better because I like to learn about the news when it happens,” she answered.
Her dad said, “I still like newspaper news better because I like to hold the paper in my hands and turn the pages.”
Amanda dropped into her chair again and said, “You are so old school, Dad.”
1.Why did Amanda sigh when she came home?
A. She failed to pass the exam.
B. She was tired of school life.
C. She was worried about her school project.
D. She made a mistake in her technology class.
2.What did Amanda’s father think of her work on creating a webpage for her technology class?
A. Exciting.B. Boring.C. Interesting.D. Difficult.
3.Which of the following may Amanda agree with?
A. People should pay for Internet news.
B. Newspaper news will soon disappear.
C. Internet news is given to readers in good time.
D. It is wrong to say no to newspaper news.
4.What kind of person is Amanda’s father?
A. He is a man who misses the past.
B. He is a man who cares little about news.
C. He is a man who knows the computer well.
D. He is a man who cannot live without the Internet.
A DAY OUT IN BRITAIN
Are you planning to visit Britain? Here are a few suggestions for a beautiful weekend away.
Bournemouth
This famous tourist town has 11 km of beautiful beaches. Last year, 10,000 tourists visited this beautiful town. It’s the perfect place to go swimming or sailing. There are lots of lovely parks and gardens to visit and it’s a great place to eat out. You can also go to a classical concert or go dancing in one of the nightclubs.
Stratford-upon-Avon
This was William Shakespeare’s hometown. He spent most of his life in this town and wrote his plays here. You can visit his house or see his plays at one of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatres. There are some interesting museums and lots of beautiful 500-year-old house. You can also go on boat trips and visit traditional English villages.
Alford
Deep in the Lincolnshire countryside is the pleasant market town of Alford. It is known for its five-sailed windmill(风车). Have a walk round this lovely old place and you’ll see many pleasant houses from as far back as the 17th century. Captain James Smith, who was one of the founders of James town in Virginia, USA, was educated in Alford.
Bath
Most people come here to see the 2,000-year-old Roman Baths. But this city is also famous for its beautiful 18th century buildings and was the home of the writer Jane Austen. You can learn about her life at the Jane Austen Centre near Queen’s Square. In the past, Bath was also popular with the royal family and Queen Elizabeth I spent one or two weeks every year here.
1.What can visitors do in Bournemouth?
A．Enjoy plays.B. Go to museums.
C. Do sea sports.D. Visit fishing villages.
2.What is Alford famous for?
A. Its stars.B. Its market.
C. Its windmill.D. Its nightclubs.
3.Which place did a queen of England use to visit regularly?
A. Bath.B. Alford.
C. Stratford-upon-Avon.D. Bournemouth.
假如你是李华，计划和同学去敬老院（nursing home）陪老人们过重阳节（the Double Ninth Festival）。请给外教露西写封邮件，邀她一同前往，内容包括：
1.出发及返回时间；
2.活动：包饺子、表演节目等。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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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。
There is no doubt whether setting a goal is very important. By set goals you are
taking control of your life. It is having a map to guide you to where you want to head.
With a clear direction, and with certain plans, you will straightly get what you want. On the contrary, without the goal, you do not know where to go or what you want. Then your life becomes dull or meaningless just like the dead water in a muddy lake.
We find that successful people were always those having and achieving their goal.
They set goals, short-term or long-run, to help realize our dreams. Therefore, from my point of view, we should make clear what we really want it and follow our plans as many winners do.
