Today，there are thousands of national parks all over the world.1. In that year，the United States government gave a large piece of land to the state of California.They ask the state to create a special park to protect the mountains and forest in the area.The trees in this area are called sequoias.2. They are the tallest living things in the world and are not found anywhere else on Earth.
Conservationists in other countries saw what happened in California and soon began to do the same.Today Europe has over 350 national parks.The first one in France，Vanoise National Park，was created in 1963 because the government wanted to stop a plan to build a large tourist project there.The idea of creating a national park was first discussed in the 1940s，but people couldn’t agree on what size to make the park.3. Ecologists worked with the government to finally agree on a plan that protected the animals，while still allowing some tourism.
4.Like the first California park，the Bavarian Forest National Park was created to protect mountains and trees.It is the largest area of protected forest in Europe.The park has shelters where visitors can spend a night close to nature.In some places high up in the mountains，there are steps cut into the rock.5. Thousands of tourists go to the park each year.They walk through the attractive woods and enjoy the wonderful mountain views.
A.This makes it easier for tourists to get to the top.
B.The world’s first national park was started in 1864.
C.The biggest ones are over one hundred meters high.
D.The first national park in Germany opened in 1970.
E.The Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park is alive with mystery and wonder.
F.They also had different ideas on whether to put human or animal needs first.
G.The human feel very fortunate to be able to get so close to these beautiful national parks.
The word“diary”comes from the Latin word“diarium”，which means“daily allowance”.It refers to a book for disconnected writings by date and is used for business notes，planning activities，keeping track of scheduled appointments，or documenting what has already happened.
In America，from the 1940s through the 1980s，a diary was thought of mostly as a way to privately express one’s deepest thoughts while keeping marks about the day.In those times，and even continuing on today，writing in a diary was like writing to a special friend.Many times，movies would show a teenage girl beginning to write in her diary while she said aloud，“Dear diary,…”What followed was a brief statement of the day，usually filled with emotion.
Those private reflections may have historical significance long after the author’s death.A diary kept by a young German Jewish girl by the name of Anne Frank provides us with invaluable lessons about history，for she documented her experiences while she hid from the Nazis during their occupation of the Netherlands in the World War II.Her diary became one of the world’s most widely read books and is the basis for many films.
Semuel Pepys，who lived during the 17th Century，is the earliest diary-keeper that is famous today.His diary is also an important documentation of history，for it gives personal insight into London’s Great Plague and the Great Fire.Pepys took diary writing from the realm of business to the individual.His diary is being published on the Internet，and it's interesting to note that there has been a new entry every day since January of 2003.It will continue over the course of several years to come.Reading his diary is fascinating，and it makes his life all the more real to us.
Today’s electronic version of the diary，the web log，or“blog”has once again stretched the diary to be much more than a personal account of the day’s events.There are blogs to document recipes，traveling，movies，independent news，product announcements，photos，and anything else that needs to be recorded over time.Search engines like Technorati.com have been created to keep track of the more than 112 million blogs that are currently public.In its newest replacement，the diary has become more popular than ever.
1.Generally what is a diary used for?
A. Taking business notes. B. Planning activities.
C. Keeping daily happenings. D. Confirming the appointments.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word“realm”in the fourth paragraph?
A. Kingdom. B. Field. C. Department. D. Land.
3.Why does the author mention Anne Frank’s diary in the third paragraph?
A. To let us know the popularity of her diary.
B. To show us the invaluable lessons about the history.
C. To present her dramatic and interesting experience during the War.
D. To emphasis the importance of keeping diaries for historical purposes.
4.What can we know about the blog?
A. It has been more widely accepted by the public.
B. Technorati is the only search engine created for it.
C. The diary remains the same form but still popular.
D. Nothing but the individual daily events can be recorded.
In the United States，a company is working on a project that could change the way we think about public transportation.Its planned system would move people around in steel tubes.Those passengers would be traveling at speeds of up to 1,200 kilometers per hour.
The futuristic steel tube transportation system is called Hyper1oop.Workers plan to test the system next year in a specially built community called Quay Valley.The town will be powered entirely by energy from the sun.
The Hyperloop transport system is the idea of businessman Elon Musk.Dirk Ahlborn is head of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.He says his company has taken Mr.Musk’s idea and is developing a system that will be safe，environmentally friendly and fast.
“It’s 100 percent solar powered…we’re not going to get up to 760 miles per hour，but we believe we can actually break the records that are existing right now.”
This means that a four-hour drive from Los Angeles，California to Las Vegas，Nevada，could someday take only 30 minutes by Hyperloop.The system involves a series of capsules that float inside a long tube.These containers would not need to travel along a pathway or track.The system has been designed to operate above or below ground.
“Inside the tube you create a low pressure environment very similar to an airplane that’s at high altitudes.So now the capsule travelling inside the tube doesn’t come up against as much resistance，and therefore can travel really fast with very little energy.”
Dick Ahlborn and his company will use an eight—kilometer track in Quay Valley to find the best way to set up passenger traffic and repair capsules.A larger system will cost an estimated six to $10 billion to build.If Mr.Ahlborn and his company succeed，we may one day see these very fast Hyperloop capsules speeding through tubes around the world.
1.Which of the following is true of Hyperloop?
A. It will travel along a pathway or track.
B. It will use more energy than current trains.
C. There is a high pressure inside the tube of it.
D. A series of experiments on it will be carried on.
2.We may learn from the text that
A. Dirk is worried about the speed of Hyperloop
B. Hyperloop has been built in the United States
C. Hyperloop will be powered by energy from the sun
D. Hyperloop has reached to 760 miles per hour
3.What does the underlined word“containers”in Paragraph 5 refer to?
A. Systems. B. Capsules. C. Tubes. D. Airplanes.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Hyperloop Is Closer To Reality B. Hyperloop Will Test At Quay Valley
C. Elon Musk’s Idea Is Under Discussion D. Hyperloop Travels Around The World
The 2013 Iron—Man Match took place on a cold and windy day in Lake Placid.While my dad had spent months training，nothing could have prepared him for what he met on that day.
My entire family was there；however，I was supporting him from my summer camp，where I tracked him online.By 9：00 a.m.，my eyes were fixed on a dot on a screen that represented my father and his progress.He was making steady progress on the bike trail until all of，a sudden I saw his dot stop moving.I assumed this was a technical fault.After all，Camp Monroe Was not known for its Wi-Fi.Actually a gust of wind had caused a huge tent to blow into him，knocking him to the roadside.
At the hospital，he discovered he had four broken bones.While still recovering from his accident，he was dealt a second blow.He was diagnosed(诊断)with cancer and，although still weak from his injuries，had to suffer from accelerated radiation and surgery.His athletic future was looking more and more bare.
However，as he got better，he started to train again.Soon he was running weekly，bounding out of the house with a look of determination that both impressed and worried us.Much to our surprise，he just kept getting stronger.His desire to return to something he loved was greater than his expectation.Last summer，exactly three years after his accident，my father completed the Iron—Man once again.This time，he dashed across the finish line，his fist punching the air in celebration.
Now，I believe in the power of determination to beat the odds，regardless of the circumstance.Today，because of my dad，I believe in setting my own rules，and not letting others command what I can or cannot do.And I believe that life is just like that little dot；it can be gone in a second，so we must make every moment count.
1.What prevented Dad from moving on during the match?
A. An accident. B. The flat tire.
C. The technical fault. D. Terrible road conditions.
2.How did the author feel about Dad’s future match while in hospital?
A. Expected. B. Doubtful. C. Cautious. D. Hopeful.
3.Why did Dad enter the Iron—Man once again?
A. He liked to show off. B. He was anxious to win the prize.
C. He did what he was fond of. D. He wanted to challenge to his family.
4.What can be learned from Dad?
A. Let masters decide our lives. B. Failure is the mother of success.
C. Bad beginning makes a bad ending. D. Remain true to the original dream.
Applications for the 2018／19 academic year are now open.
What’s it all about?
The British Council in China is offering up to five ‘Generation UK—China’ scholarships for outstanding UK students who wish to study at mainland Chinese universities in“September 2018 or February 2019 for one semester or one year.
Academic scholarships can be used at any mainland Chinese institution approved by the Ministry of Education to accept foreign students.You can decide where you want to be based and which subjects(at a non-degree level) you wish to study.The majority of students choose to study in Beijing.
Do I need to speak Mandarin(普通话)?
There are no language requirements for this programme.
However，please check the course requirements of the Chinese institution you wish to study in.All language courses are suitable for complete beginners in Mandarin.However，there is the opportunity to be placed in classes for intermediate and advanced learners.In this case，you can expect an informal language test upon arrival to make sure you get put in the right class.
If this is your first experience with the Mandarin language，we strongly recommend that you learn a few of the basics before you go.
Why should I go?
With 1.4 billion speakers worldwide，Chinese truly is a global language.Graduates who speak more than one language are highly sought—after，and with China’s increasing role in the world market，Mandarin is becoming a favourite among employers.
Chinese universities attract many international students for their high-quality teaching and offer various scholarships.This is an opportunity to experience life in a completely different culture，gain new skills and improve your career prospects.
1.What is the programme about?
A. The UK students must study in China for one year.
B. It offers scholarships for all outstanding UK students.
C. Students can use scholarships at any Chinese institution.
D. It gives scholarships for UK students to study in China.
2.What is Chinese language requirement for the programme?
A. Students must learn Mandarin from the basic level.
B. It is necessary for students to have advanced level.
C. Students had better gain some primary knowledge of Chinese.
D. All the institutions have the same language requirements.
3.What is the purpose of the programme?
A. To attract students to study in China.
B. To advertise the British Council in China.
C. To introduce different universities in China.
D. To stress the importance of the Chinese language.
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Tom听说在中国通过扫描二维码（scan QR code）就可以轻松实现移动支付（mobile payment），感到不可思议。请你写封邮件告知移动支付在中国的相关情况。内容包括：
1．在中国最流行，提供了便利。
2．快捷且强大的功能：如买早餐，买地铁票。
3．改变我们的生活，引领世界。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tom,,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
