初中时文阅读提分训练3+X第3辑中考_2026秋初中教辅合集_SSP时文阅读提分训练3+X（2027小升初+初中全套）第三辑_2027时文阅读提分训练3+X（第3辑）9年级＆中考

华理社
Shanghal Students
Post
初中英语G8NNSG
时文阅读
提分训练3+X
中考
第3辑
上海学生英文报 编
華柬理工大學出版社
GTDEno tct AoTEiOOnes
·上海·
图书在版编目(CIP)数据
初中英语时文阅读提分训练3+X.中考第3辑/上海
学生英文报编.--上海：华东理工大学出版社，2026.
5.--ISBN 978-7-5628-7949-7
I.G634.413
中国国家版本馆CIP数据核字第2025CH5469号
⋯⋯
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关于选文
近几年，全国各地中考英语阅读类题型的语篇大多选自外国期刊、非营利网站等，
同时广泛关注时下全球热门事件与话题。以2025年为例，北京卷C篇“软体机器人的应
用”、浙江卷D篇“利用AI技术救助濒危鸟类”、苏州卷C篇“脊髓损伤治疗的突破”
和上海卷B篇“如今人们对电子产品的依赖”分别关注了生物、人工智能、医疗和电子
的前沿发展动向；同时，中国传统文化或中国科技社会成就也几乎成为近年各地中考的
必考话题，如扬州卷C篇“火车成为非物质文化遗产的聚集地”和福建卷短文填空“当
今长城的保护工作”等。
基于此，本书精选英语国家主流期刊、报纸、网站中话题时新且具有一定深度的文
章，涵盖“新课标”要求的“人与自我”“人与社会”“人与自然”三大主题和内容要求，
由母语为英语的人士撰写，语言地道，视角独特，经名校名师改编，并按照各地中考命
题要求和模式设置题目，多数篇章还经过名校学生测试，中考训练的针对性强。
关于难度
本册选取了蓝思值在600L~1000L的文章，
并综合考虑题目难度和9年级学生的普遍水平，
将难度划分为1~5级，其中3级适中，1级最
简单，5级最难。
值得一提的是，大多数专家和老师均认可，
如果平时只练习中考真题同等难度的文章，那
么学生的水平上限就很难突破中考难度。只有
平时练习一些难度稍大的文章才能在考试中游
刃有余，驾轻就熟。因此，本书秉持“比中考
真题难一点”的原则，以期达到高效训练的目的。
关于“3+X”
本书书名中的3代表阅读理解、完形填
空和新题型(含回答问题、短文填空、七选五
等)这3种中考题型。
X代表本书特色篇目——“每周精读”。
本篇除训练对文章的理解外，还通过填空、翻
译、改写等形式，巩固语篇中的重难点词汇和
句型，同时为写作打下基础。此外，本篇还
配有名师课程，详细讲解文章语言点和解题
步骤。
MONDAY
Another
Infrastructure Miracle
语篇类型：新闻报道
调数：263
难度：4级--
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
4--
内容要求：科学枝术与工程-一
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关于时文高频词汇
外刊时文的独特之处很大程度反映在
用词上。别册附赠的词汇表按照频率，筛选
出本书中的初中新课标重点词汇和部分常出
现的超纲词汇，希望同学们在学完文章后，
再巩固这些需要重点掌握的词汇。
关于长难句分析
长难句一直是除词汇外，阅读理解最
大的“拦路虎”。同时，“新课标”也越来
越倾向于通过阅读考查语法。因此本书挑选
每周第1篇文章中具有代表性的长难句，从
语法层面进行句子结构和成分分析，帮助同
学们培养系统分析长难句的能力。
时文高频词汇
Vocabulary
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①整句为主谓结构的简单句。句子主干为The bridge
②making it both the worid's highest bridge and the
above a river, making it both the world's highest
stands about 625 metres above a river.主语是The
largest-span bridge bilt in a mountainous area是现
bridge and the largest-span bridge built ina
bridge,谓语是stands, about 625metres用于说明
mountainous area.
高度，above a river点明位置。
关于本书配套资源
本书所有篇章都配有习题答案与详解、译文、全文朗读音频，每周精读配有视频
讲解课程。同学们可先做题，根据需要查阅答案与详解，对照原文查看译文，逐词逐
句理解英文表达的意思。朗读音频为英音朗读，同学们可在学习完语篇后利用碎片化
时间听音频，纠正发音的同时提高听力水平。
●朗读音频和视频讲解课程获取方式
1.刮开本书封面涂层，用手机或其他设备扫描
二维码，即可获取全书所有文章的朗读音频
及每周精读的视频讲解课程。
2.本书音视频资源仅可通过封面二维码获取，
不可下载。
3.注意：为保护版权，一本书只能绑定一个手
机号码(不限设备数),请在扫码前确认本
书今后常使用的手机号。
目录Contents
Week 1
● 阅读单选China's Another Infrastructure Miracle 中国又一基建奇迹⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯1
● 阅读单选
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Why Swords Into Plowshares Is Winning Global Hearts《太平年》为何能打动全球观众⋯2
·完形填空Is Dr.AI Chatbot Really Reliable?AI医生聊天机器人真的可靠吗?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯4
■回答问题Xiaohongshu May Be Your New Guide 小红书或许是你的新导游⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯5
● 每周精读AI Comes to Dairy Farms人工智能走进奶牛场⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯6
阅读单选ByteDance's New AI Video Model Sparks Debate字节跳动全新AI视频模型引发争议⋯8
● 阅读单选The Boy Who Chased Wheels—and Dreams那个追逐车轮与梦想的男孩⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯10
完形填空 AI Has Arrived at Your Locations人工智能已能定位你的拍照地点⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯12
● 短文填空When Desserts Meet Ancient China当甜品邂逅古代中国⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯13
每周精读 Roads of the Future未来的道路⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯14
●阅读单选Remembering Nobel Laureate Chen Ning Yang 缅怀诺贝尔奖得主杨振宁先生⋯⋯⋯⋯16
● 阅读单选 Jumping High, Shining Bright 纵身一跃，光芒万文⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯18
● 完形填空 More Chinese Graduates Are Taking Jobs in Small Towns越来越多中国高校毕业生选择到
小城镇就业⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯20
● 表格填空 How AI Is Re-Inventing Computers人工智能如何重塑计算机⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯22
● 每周精读Proud to Be a “Loser”我骄傲，我是个“减重者”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯24
●阅读单选ADoorway to China's Past通往中国过去的大门⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯26
●阅读单选Finally on Top of the Racing World终于登顶赛车之巅⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯28
 完形填空Small Goods, Big Impact小周边，大影响⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯30
●短文填空 Memes Make Expression Harder for Young Chinese 网络热梗让中国年轻人更难表达自我⋯31
● 每周精读Why Do We Forget?人为什么会遗忘?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯32
● 阅读单选Goodall Lives On 古道尔的精神永存⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯34
● 阅读单选Living Live 24/7 24/7全天候直播生活⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯36
●「完形填空)Air Pollution Harms More Than Human Health 空气污染的危害不止于人类健康⋯⋯⋯38
● 回答问题A Young "Driver" at the Wheel手握方向盘的年轻“驾驶员”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯40
· 每周精读 Alone on the Great Wall独步长城⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯42
Week 6
表格填空
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
● 阅读单选
Week 10
Week 11
阅读单选Ma Boyong: Bringing History to Life 马伯庸：让历史活起来⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯4
阅读单选Chinese Sanbengzi Speeds Onto Western Streets 中国“三蹦子”驶向西方街头⋯⋯⋯⋯46
完形填空 A Warming Earth Is Also a Wetter Earth气候变暖，地球更湿⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯48
Look Up the Additives看清食品添加剂⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯50
· 每周精读 Time to Let Go?是时候放手了?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯52
阅读单选When Young Brains Meet Bots当年轻大脑遇上机器人⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯54
阅读单选Can AI Book My Winter Holiday?人工智能能帮我预订寒假行程吗?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯56
完形填空Antarctica Is Turning Green 南极正在变绿⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯58
● 回答问题Moving Away From Animal Testing告别动物实验⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯60
●每周精读 The Life of a Movie Critic影评人的生活⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯62
●阅读单选Teen Coder Builds a Smart Way to Count Calories少年程序员打造智能卡路里计算工具⋯⋯64
● 阅读单选 Crazy for Crabs痴爱螃蟹⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯66
●完形填空Factories Are the New Tourist Hotspots 工厂成新晋旅游打卡地⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯68
● 选词填空 Shenzhen Protects Mangroves for the Future深圳守护红树林，为未来护航⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯69
●每周精读AWise Man in Ancient China 中国古代的科学巨匠⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯70
阅读单选The Curlew in the Fields 田野间的杓鹬⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯72
Winning Together 同心共赢⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯74
●完形填空California Takes on Fashion Waste加利福尼亚州整治时尚垃圾问题⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯76
回答问题Are We in the “Human Age”?我们正处在“人类世”吗?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯7
● 每周精读 Rain or Shine 晴雨无阻⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯78
阅读单选Lin Yutang:A Bridge Between East and West 林语堂：架起东西方沟通的桥梁⋯⋯⋯⋯80
阅读单选I'll Have a Black Coffee,Please 请给我来一杯黑咖啡⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯82
完形填空AWin-Win for Both Young and Old老少双赢⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯84
七选五 Staying Warm保持温暖⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯85
● 每周精读Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Places?公共场所应该允许携带犬只吗?⋯⋯⋯86
●阅读单选Everything Changes, But Nothing Changes万物皆变，亦如未变⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯8
阅读单选Time to Start Typing Like an Adult是时候用成年人的方式打字了⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯90
● 完形填空 Cats Have Nearly 300 Facial Expressions 猫咪拥有近300种面部表情⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯92
● 选词填空 Woof,Pose,and Snap!汪!摆好姿势，拍照!⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯93
●每周精读 The History of Envelopes信封的历史⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯94
· 阅读单选 Finding and Losing—Troy 发现又毁掉——特洛伊⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯96
● 阅读单选Why Scientists Paid Volunteers to Lie Flat 科学家为何花钱请志愿者“躺平”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯98
●完形填空 How“Silent”Are Our Springs?我们的春天究竟有多“寂静”?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯100
●回答问题Come and Pet the Capybaras来摸摸水豚吧⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯102
● 每周精读Planets and Their Names行星及其命名的由来⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯104
● 阅读单选From Brussels to Shanghai 从布鲁塞尔到上海⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯106
●阅读单选 Curious Minds Don't Think Alike 好奇的大脑，想法各不相同⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯108
● 完形填空 What's on a Collector's Mind?收藏者的心思⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯110
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
七选五 Thirty-Six Metres Under the Ground地下三十六米⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯11
●每周精读 The First English Dictionary 第一本英语词典⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯12
· 阅读单选Rubik's Cube Record Smashed by College Students大学生团队打破魔方世界纪录⋯14
● 阅读单选Meet Shanghai's French City Explorer 遇见上海的法国城市探索家⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯16
●完形填空 Keeping the Wonder of Fireflies Alive守护萤火虫的奇幻光⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯18
● 回答问题 The Young and the Restless年轻且充满变数⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯119
● 每周精读 The Man Behind Godzilla 哥斯拉背后的男人⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯120
● 阅读单选Pictures That Speak会说话的照片⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯122
● 阅读单选Interesting Cycles All Around Us我们身边奇妙的自然周期⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯124
· 完形填空 Take Me Home, My Bug Buddy 带我回家吧，我的小虫友⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯126
●短文填空 Rats Say Cheese—And So Do We 老鼠爱“拍照”——我们亦是如此⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯127
· 每周精读Passenger Pickup at TPA坦帕国际机场接机指南〇⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯128
● 阅读单选 Rediscovering Shanghai重识上海⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯130
● 阅读单选A"Tail" in Power掌权的“尾巴”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯132
●完形填空“Road Rage"” in a Paradise天堂里的“路怒症”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯134
·回答问题You Can't Remember Being a Baby人都记不住婴儿时期的事⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯136
●每周精读 Home Energy Check-Up家庭能源检测服务⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯138
Week 17
●阅读单选Thatched Roofs: Not Just a Storybook Feature茅草屋顶：不只是童话里的风景⋯⋯⋯140
Week 18
阅读单选 Christopher Nolan's Lesson on Focus克里斯托弗·诺兰的专注之道⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯142
完形填空 Is There a Best Sleeping Position?有最佳睡姿吗?⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯144
七选五 Shanghai Now Also a City of Trees上海，如今也是一座森林之城⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯146
●每周精读Closing the Language Gap 弥合语言鸿沟⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯148
● 阅读单选A Teen's Mosquito Plan to Save Hawaii's Birds一位少年的蚊子计划，拯救夏威夷鸟类⋯150
阅读单选Seeing Without Looking无需目视，亦能“看见”⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯152
● 完形填空 Concern Over Data Centres数据中心引发担忧⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯153
● 回答问题Trading Ojisan伯伯交换卡⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯154
●每周精读 Learning Chinese学中文⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯155
MONDAY
WEEK
China'sAnother
Infrastructure Miracle 1
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：263
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
Would you be brave enough to cross a bridge that touches the
clouds?The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province is
now open to the public. The bridge stands about 625 metres above a
river,making it both the world's highest bridge and the largest-span
bridge built in a mountainous area.
Guizhou is a mountainous region,and travelling between towns used to take a long time. Before
the bridge was built, driving across the canyon took about two hours on winding roads. Now, the
trip takes only two minutes. The bridge willhelp people travel more easily, connect cities,and lower
business costs.
The bridge also offers fun activities for visitors. A high-speed glass elevator cantake people up
800 metres to a coffee shop in the clouds. The shop owner says that looking down at the mountains
while sipping coffee“feels like drinking with nature”. Brave visitors can also try bungee jumping(蹦
极)or walk along a glass walkway.
Construction of the bridge began in January 2022 and took more than three and a half years. The steel
bridge weighs about 22,000 tons. To ensure safety, engineers conducted a five-day test in August 2025.A
team drove 18,then 48,and finally 96 heavy trucks onto different parts ofthe bridge.
Guizhou has about 40 million people. In recent years, the province has built many bridges to help
people travel and reduce poverty. Now it has over 32,000 bridges, compared with only 2,900 in the 1980s.
Itis also home to the world's second-highest bridge,the Duge Bridge, which opened in 2016.
Choose the best answer.
1.Before the bridge was built, what was the main problem for travellers?
A.The journey often took too long.
B. There were traffic jams every day.
C. There were dangerous wild animals.D. There were no roads to the towns at all.
2.We can learn that the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge was completed in___.
A.the winter of 2022
B. the summer of 2023
C.the autumn of 2024
D. the summer of 2025
3.The engineers tested the bridge's safety by___.
A.jumping on it
B.asking visitors to walk on it
C.driving many heavy trucks onto it
D.inviting people to try bungee jumping
1
TUESDAY
WEEK
1 Why
Swords Into Plowshares
Is Winning Global Hearts
H
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：298
难度：5级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：中外影视中的文化价
值和作品赏析
Ten million overseas views,73 countries, and 11 different
languages. These are the incredible numbers behind the latest
Chinese TV hit, Swords Into Plowshares(《太平年》.In China,fans
are cheering, "Finally, a real history show! Every drama should
follow this standard!”At the same time, the show has gone viral
abroad. From Cannes to Tokyo, it is breaking records and proving
that ancient Chinese stories can become global blockbusters(风靡全球的佳作).
What makes Swords Into Plowshares so special? The secret lies in the production team's
genuine dedication(真诚投入). To recreate the world of the 10th century, the team paid attention
to every detail. They built 38,000 square metres of sets and made more than 8,000 sets of costumes.
They even made metal armor(盔甲)by hand that weighed over 20 kilograms! Every detail, down
to the hair on a wig(假发)and the patterns on a robe, is true to history. The show is like a time
machine that lets the audience step into the stormy era of ancient China.
However, what moves the audience most is its call for peace. While many war dramas focus on
winning battles, Swords Into Plowshares emphasises the importance of ending chaos(混乱). The
heroes don't fight for power or glory. Instead, they struggle to stop wars so that ordinary people
can finally live in peace. For example, Zhao Kuangyin(赵匡胤)chooses dialogue over conflict,
proving that “those who win the people's hearts win the country.”The show tells us that real peace
means making sure every home stays quiet and safe.
In a world still facing conflicts today, this longing for “Taiping”—peace—touches everyone. As
one foreign viewer commented,"To understand history is to see the future."Beyond the swords and
shields, Swords Into Plowshares reminds us that, deep down,we all share the same dream: a world
without war.
2
TUESDAY | Why Swords Into Plowshares Is Winning Global Hearts
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,which two of the following tags fit Swords Into Plowshares?
①War.
②Crime.
③Family.
④Historical.
⑤Adventure.
A.①③
B.①④
C.②④
D.②⑤
2.By calling Swords Into Plowshares "like a time machine," the author mainly wanted to
—_.
A.explain that the drama jumps between different centuries
B.tell people that not everything in it is historically accurate
C.suggest that the messages it delivers still matter a lot today
D.praise the production team's effort to make the past feel real
3. According to the article, Swords Into Plowshares differs from many other dramas of the
same genre as___.
A.it was set in the 10th century
B.it tells stories about Zhao Kuangyin
C.it focuses on ending wars and bringing peace
D.its production team made 8,000 sets of costumes
4. The underlined word “Ionging”in the last paragraph most likely means“____”.
A.a strong wishB.a careful plan
C.a sudden idea
D.a simple habit
5.By writing this article, the author mainly wanted to____.
A.introduce how Swords Into Plowshares was made in detail
B.explain why a Chinese drama has touched audiences worldwide
C.argue that war dramas should not focus only on winning battles
D.compare Swords Into Plowshares with other popular TV shows
WEEK
1
3
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
1 Is
Dr.AI Chatbot
Really Reliable?
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：292
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
Have you ever asked an AI chatbot for health advice when you felt
unwell? Today, with AI chatbots, instead of spending much time searching
for the right information, a Dr.AI chatbot can solve our problems right
away. But this 1 tool makes us wonder: Can we fully trust these AI
"doctors"?And is AI smart enough for real medical care?
Recently, researchers tested top AI models with volunteers. They asked people to chat with
AI about different medical scenarios(情况). The result was 2 :People who just searched on
Google got more correct answers than those who used chatbots.
There is no doubt that AI has rich medical knowledge, but why does it 3 to give people
the best help?“The problem was 4 with people,” a researcher explained. When describing
their conditions, people tend to share information little by little. But AIs can easily get distracted by
the partial(不完全的)details. Even small 5 in wording can lead to wrong judgments by AI.
Scientists still cannot fully explain this problem,as it is part of AI's “black-box problem”. 6 ,in
real life, to avoid serious risks from wrong or misleading information, AI still has a long way to go
before it can be used in direct patient care.
Despite the setback(挫折), researchers believe AI models and users will improve their skills
to bridge the 7 gap. AI developers are training, testing and applying AI models in more real
medical settings. For AI, the first step is to 8 how it performs for real people. For us, next time
when you feel under the weather and turn to Dr. AI for advice,try to describe your symptoms as
clearly and 9 as possible. And you should think twice before fully 10 its “prescriptions”.
1.A.convenient
B.expensive
C.famous
D.interesting
2.A.expected
B.positive
C.surprising
D. satisfying
3.A.attempt
B.choose
C.fail
D. promise
4.A.conflict
B.competition
C.interaction
D.trust
5.A.details
B. differences
C.patterns
D. meanings
6.A.Besides
B. However
C. Still
D. Therefore
7.A.communication B. information
C.expectation
D.technology
8.A.decide
B.expect
C.predict
D.measure
9.A.quickly
B. briefly
C.completely
D. politely
10.A.downloading
B.describing
C.trusting
D.understanding
4
THURSDAY
WEEK
Xiaohongshu
May Be Your
New Guide
1
Hr
语篇类型：说明文
词数：274
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会热点
It was a rainy day, but the excitement of over 20 tourists at
Singapore's Fort Canning Tree Tunnel was sky-high. Most of them
were from China. Among them was 25-year-old Liu Meifeng. She
was eagerly waiting for her turn to pose(摆姿势)for photos. It
was her first visit to Singapore. She discovered the place through
recommendations on Xiaohongshu.
As one of the top social media platforms in China these days,Xiaohongshu has turned some
lesser-known places into must-see attractions. The Fort Canning Tree Tunnel is just one example.
While it's well-known among professional nature photographers, locals don't usually think of it as
a tourist destination. Liu loved the place and called Xiaohongshu her tour guide. After taking her
pictures, she posted them on the app to share with this growing community.
Vissy Chow was also in the long line. The tree tunnel was the first stop on her very first visit to
Singapore. The 20-year-old was also following a recommended route on Xiaohongshu. "It's not that
nice, but since I'm here, I might as well join the line for some shots,"she said.
Just one subway stop away, a few other Chinese tourists were posing in front of the Old Hill
Street Police Station. The facility is also featured in many Xiaohongshu posts. People call it the
“Rainbow Police Station”because of its colourful windows.
Eleven-year-old Amy Lee was in the crowd with her mother. Earlier that day, they had visited
the National Gallery. "If you go there, you will see lots of Chinese tourists," said the mother. "With
Xiaohongshu,we don't need guides anymore.We know exactly where to 'daka'(check in)!”
Answer the questions.
1.The Fort Canning Tree Tunnel didn't use to be a popular attraction, did it?
2. Why is the Old Hill Street Police Station called the “Rainbow Police Station”?
3. Why did Liu and Amy Lee's mother consider Xiaohongshu a tour guide?
4. Would you like to use Xiaohongshu as a guide on your next trip? Why or why not?
5
FRIDAY
WEEK
1 AI Comes to
Dairy Farms
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH-
语篇类型：说明文
词数：273
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
In 2018,
Richard Watson
tied 200 special
transmitters(信
号发射机)to his
cows'necks. These devices are part of an artificial-
intelligence(AI) system named Ida. The system
sends messages to Watson's phone regularly. The
messages tell him when his cows are eating and
when they are feeling sick. “”There may be ten
sick animals out there,"said the dairy farmer, "but
can you pick them out?"
AI technologies are reinventing how
people work. AI systems read and respond to
mountains of information. They are designed
to save people time and stress. The Ida system
has aroused the interest of many dairy farmers.
Watson is one of them. Standing one March
morning among his cows, he pulled out his
smartphone to show off his Ida app. It showed
that Cow #97800 and#97782 were eating
less. This might mean that they are feeling ill.
Information like this, Watson added, could
mean the difference between a cow's healthy
milking and early death. This could save
him,and many farmers like him, hundreds of
thousands of dollars each year.
Ida was developed by the tech company
Connecterra.Yasir Khokhar, the company's
founder, said he came up with the idea while
living on a Dutch dairy farm. The system
was trained to understand cow behaviour
by studying thousands of hours of video. It
now tracks seven cow behaviours: walking,
standing, lying down, eating,chewing,
drinking,and idling.
However,some farmers say they aren't that
impressed. "I can spot a cow that isn't feeling
great just by looking in her eyes," said Mark
Rodgers, a neighbour of Watson's. “I can't
draw, paint, or anything else, but I can watch
cows.”
6
FRIDAY|AI Comes to Dairy Farms
I.Answer the questions.
1.What is Richard Watson's job?
2.According to the article, what can Ida do?
3. Why does Watson think the information Ida sends him is important?
4.According to Yasir Khokhar,how did Ida“Iearn”what it is supposed to do?
5.How does Mark Rodgers usually tell if one of his cows is ill?
6.If you owned 200 cows on a dairy farm, would you consider equipping them with Ida?
Give your reason(s).
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.To be fair,she_____better than we expected.(behaviour)
2.You can't do much in the art line without______.(train)
3.Get rid of_____leaves to encourage new growth.(death)
4.Some people have to lead____lifestyles out of necessity.(stress)
5. The fashion________put on a show that featured daily dress. (design)
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.AI technologies are reinventing how people work.(保持句意基本不变)
2. The Ida system has aroused the interest of many dairy farmers.(保持句意基本不变)
3. "I can spot a cow that isn't feeling great just by looking in her eyes," said Mark
4.I, that is broken, can, spot,just by,a machine, its noise, listening to(连词成句)
AI technologies are reinventing
Many dairy farmers have
Rodgers, a neighbour of Watson's.(改为间接引语)
people work.
the Ida system.
Mark Rodgers, a neighbour of Watson's, said
spot a cow that
___feeling great just by looking in her eyes.
WEEK
1
7
WEEK
MONDAY
2 ByteDances
New AIVideo
Model Sparks Debate
H
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：382
难度：5级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会热点
A new AI model developed by the Chinese tech giant
ByteDance has recently shaken up Hollywood—not just because of
what it can do, but also because of what it might mean for creative
industries.
The model is called Seedance 2.0.It can generate(生成)movie-
quality videos from just a few written prompts(提示词).These videos even come with sound effects
and dialogue. Some clips, featuring popular characters like Spider-Man and Deadpool,quickly went viral.
However, Seedance has already run into problems over copyright issues. This is a growing
challenge in the age of AI. Experts warn that AI companies may be putting technology first and
people second as they develop more powerful tools and use data without paying for it.
Shortly after Seedance was released, major studios(电影制片厂)such as Paramount Pictures
sent cease-and-desist letters(勒令停止函)to ByteDance. They accused the company of using their
content without permission. The Hollywood actors'union(工会),SAG-AFTRA,also criticised the
company for its unauthorised(未经许可的)use of U.S.-copyrighted works.
Rhett Reese, the co-writer of Deadpool & Wolverine, reacted strongly after watching a widely
shared AI-generated clip of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting. "It's likely game over for us," he
said. He added that, soon, one person could sit at a computer and create a movie that looks just like
a Hollywood production. "Of course,"he noted,“if that person is no good, the result won't be great.
But if that person has the talent and taste of Christopher Nolan, it could be amazing.”
ByteDance told the BBC that it "respects intellectual property(知识财产)rights and has listened
to concerns about Seedance 2.0.”A spokesperson said the company is working to improve
safeguards to prevent users from misusing copyrighted content and people's likenesses(肖像).
Meanwhile, for smaller firms, Seedance is too useful to ignore. David Kwok from Singapore's
Tiny Island Productions says that AI of this quality could help companies like his create films that
would otherwise be far too expensive.
He gave the example of Asia's booming(飞速发展的)short-form videos and micro-dramas.
Such productions usually have small budgets of about $140,000 for up to 80 two-minute episodes.
To save money,companies often focus on family stories because they need fewer special effects.But
with AI,Kwok says, creators can aim higher. They could explore genres(电影类型)like science
fiction, historical drama,and even action.
8
MONDAY | ByteDance's New AI Video Model Sparks Debate
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, Seedance 2.0 can___.
A.prevent users from using copyrighted materials
B. write movie scripts based on popular characters
C.create short videos with both sounds and dialogues
D.help actors like Tom Cruise perform better in fight scenes
2. The underlined word “permission” is closest in meaning to“_____”.
A.order
B.choice
C.support
D.agreement
3.According to the article,what does Rhett Reese worry about?
A.Actors will no longer work hard.
B.AI will make movies less interesting.
C.AI might replace traditional movie-making jobs.
D.His content will be used without him getting paid.
4.We can learn from Reese's words in the article that he thinks that___.
A.AI-created movies can hardly match Hollywood standards
B.AI-created movies are always better than human-made ones
C.the quality of AI-created movies depends on the user's ability
D.AI filmmaking tools like Seedance 2.0 work best with beginners
5.According to the article, what change might AI bring to small-budget productions?
A. They will only produce family stories.
B. They will no longer make short videos.
C.They will no longer rely on special effects.
D. They may try more exciting types of films.
WEEK
2
9
TUESDAY
WEEK
2 The Boy Who Chased
Wheels—and Dreams
HH
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：377
难度：5级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：职业启蒙，职业精神
What would you do if you loved something very much
but found it too hard—perhaps even impossible—to develop
professionally and shine on a big stage?
That was the question Zhang Xue faced in 2006.At the time,
the 19-year-old was earning a living as a motorcycle mechanic in
Hunan. He had spent over three years learning to repair motorcycles and perform stunts. Despite
his passion, he was too poor to take his skills to the next level. Hoping to join a racing team, Zhang
asked a provincial news programme for a chance to appear on TV. But when the camera was pointed
at him, his performance was hardly satisfying. The journalist naturally refused his request for
another chance.
Zhang, however, wasn't ready to give up. He rode more than 100 kilometres in the rain on his
old, rusty motorcycle to chase down the production team. When asked why he was so determined,
he replied, "If you never take action when you're young, you'll regret it when you're old. But if you
try,even failure brings no regret."
Now 39,Zhang has no reason to regret his choice. Instead, he can look back on that day in 2006
with pride.
On March 28, the second round of the 2026 Supersport World Championship(世界超级摩托
车锦标赛)was held in Portugal. When French motorcyclist Valentin Debise crossed the finish line
first, Zhang jumped to his feet. Winners of the series usually ride bikes from international brands
like Yamaha. Debise, however, was riding a ZXMoto,a brand founded by Zhang. His victory
marked the first Supersport World Championship win for a Chinese manufacturer. "I′m at a loss for
words,"Zhang wrote on Douyin.
After the 2006 feature(专题节目)aired, Zhang joined a racing team as a rider and mechanic
before becoming a motorcycle engineer. Step by step, he turned his passion into a career by
modifying and selling bikes. In 2017, Zhang and his partners founded their first motorcycle brand,
Kove Moto. Then,in 2024,he left Kove to start ZXMoto.
"I never thought about doing anything else,"Zhang said after the recent win. "I simply love
motorcycles."
What would your answer be to the question at the beginning of this article? Would you follow
Zhang's example and go all out for what you love?
10
TUESDAY | The Boy Who Chased Wheels-and Dreams
Choose the best answer.
1.What problem did Zhang Xue face in 2006?
A.No motorcycle racing team wanted to accept him.
B. He could hardly earn a living by repairing motorcycles.
C.He loved motorcycles but had no money to develop his skills further.
D.His family did not support his dream of becoming a motorcycle mechanic.
2.Zhang wanted to appear on TVin 2006 in hopes of____.
A.becoming a famous TV star
B.showing his motorcycle repair skills
C.getting a chance to join a racing team
D.asking for money to buy a new motorcycle
3. What happened on March 28,2026,in Portugal?
A.Zhang won a world championship as a motorcyclist.
B.Zhang finished his first professional motorcycle race.
C.Yamaha became the first Chinese brand to win a world championship.
D.A French rider won a world championship using a Chinese motorcycle.
4. According to the article, what is the correct order of the following events in Zhang's
career?
①founder ofZXMoto
②motorcycle engineer
③motorcycle mechanic
④founder of Kove Moto
A.②③①④
B.②③④①
C.③②①④
D.③②④①
5.At the end of the article, the author suggests that readers___.
A.buy a ZXMoto bike
B.go all out for their passions
C.become a mechanic like Zhang
D.answer the question in Paragraph 1
6.If this article were to appear in a teen magazine,it would be most suitable for the“____”
section.
A.People
B. Sports
C. Business
D. Technology
WEEK
2
11
WEDNESDAY
2 AI Has Arrived
at Your Locations
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：317
难度：3级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
WEEK
A student project has revealed yet another power of AI: It can be good at locating where photos
are taken.
The project is called Predicting Image Geolocations(or PIGEON). It's the 1 of three
Stanford students: Michal Skreta, Silas Alberti,and Lukas Haas. They designed it to identify
locations on Google Street View(谷歌街景).
The team also showed the AI a few personal photos it had never seen before. To their surprise,
the program was able to identify 2 the photos were taken in most cases.
PIGEON works well because it can 3 all the little things in photos. It can notice small
differences in leaves, soil,and weather.
The group says the technology can be 4 in many ways. It could identify roads or power
lines that need fixing. It may also help researchers do surveys of invasive plant species in a region.
Skreta believes 5 people will find it useful as well. “You like this destination in Italy.
Where in the world could you go if you want to see something similar?”he says.
6 ,this new power is likely to be a double-
edged sword. It could be used to reveal people's private,
personal information,says Jay Stanley,an expert at the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Stanley worries that companies might soon use AI
to_7 where you've travelled. Governments might
check your photos to see if you've visited certain
countries. Stalking(跟踪)is also a possible threat,
he says. People have long been able to 8 GPS
location information from photos they post online. That
may not work anymore.
The Stanford students are well aware of the 9.
Because of these worries,they haven't given the public
access to their program.
Stanley thinks AI for location identification will
become even more powerful in the future. What will
that mean? Well, be very 10 about what's in the
background in the photos you post online!
1.A. dream
B.hobby
C.name
D.work
2.A.how
B. when
C.where
D.why
3.A. depend on
B. rely on
C.look up
D. pick up
4.A.copied
B.invented
C. seen
D.used
5.A.busy
B.ordinary
C.poor
D.rich
6.A.Besides
B. However
C.Instead
D.Otherwise
7.A.find out
B.look for
C. point out
D. think about
8.A.get
B. protect
C. remove
D.save
9.A.chances
B.doubts
C.plans
D. risks
10.A.careful
B.honest
C. nervous
D.serious
12
THURSDAY
WEEK
WhenDesserts
Meet Ancient China
2
H
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：282
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：文化自信
Fill in each blank with a proper word or the proper form of the
word in brackets.
Clicking on Zou Minglei's social media page feels like
walking into a national museum. The screen is suddenly filled
with all kinds of ancient Chinese treasures. However,(1)____
of them are real—they're all cakes. The young woman from Wuhan hopes to turn these ancient
treasures(2)____things people can feel and taste.
Zou always dreamt of opening her own dessert shop. After graduating(3)________
university,she began to study dessert-making seriously. In 2015,she started her own dessert studio.
The turning point came in 2018.That year, she made the Marquis Yi Chime Bells(曾侯乙
编钟)into a cake and took (4)_____to an international cake competition. She won a silver
medal and impressed (5)_____(bake) from allover the world.Zou realised that traditional
Chinese treasures could come to life in this sweet,modern way. As she said;"Our ancient treasures
are beautiful and should not (6)________(forget). This is a new way to preserve and carry on
our culture."
By 2025,she(7)____(complete)14 dessert replicas(复制品)and received wide praise
online. Her favourite piece is a replica of the Fuhao Owl-Shaped Bronze Zun(妇好鸮尊).
(8)_____(create) in the Shang Dynasty, the original is a bronze wine container in the shape
of an owl.Zou made its body from cake and the head and beak from puffed rice grains(膨化米
粒).For the patterns, Zou used fondant(翻糖)and icing(糖霜).
Fans from all over the country have asked Zou(9)_____(make) dessert replicas of ancient
treasures from their cities. Their support has inspired her to keep building her “dessert museum”.
She has even set a big goal for(10)______: to create 100 replicas of ancient treasure desserts.
We're looking forward to the sweet surprises she will bring next!
13
WEEK
FRIDAY
2 Roadsof the Future
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：320
难度：4级
建议用时：12分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
Over the
past few years,
cars have
become smarter
and smarter.
developing roadside batteries that can store
electricity.
●Built-in brain
Some of them can even drive themselves.
Now, our roads have followed suit. In the
United Kingdom alone, there are around 650
kilometres of “smart roads” in use. Across the
world, many more are being built. Some new
technologies are being put to use.
Roads of the future may be able to know
how many people are on them. They could
send them updates on weather and traffic jams,
and recharge electric cars as they drive.
●Roads that recharge(给⋯⋯充电)
Global warming has forced us to search for
new energy sources. Why not look to the roads?
With the right technologies, cars around the world
could be producing energy as they go.
This seems to be a dream, but one
American company has almost made it come
true.By sensing(检测出)the weight of a vehicle,
the company's smart roads can track the speed
of each wheel. “We are basically making very
large touchpads," says Tim Sylvester, CEO of
the company. "But instead of looking for fingers,
our roads look for tires."After having collected
traffic data, the roads will send it to the drivers.
Piezoelectric roads mix traditional asphalt
with new materials. They use vibrations(震
动)from passing cars to produce electricity.
Piezoelectricity, in fact, is nothing new. It
was invented in 1880.However,it has never
been widely used before now.The U.K.'s
Lancaster University is going to change that. It
has been improving the technology, including
●Roads that never freeze
It can be dangerous to drive in snowy
weather. A tech company in Israel(以色列)has
developed the Snowless roads. When they detect
snow or ice on their surfaces, the roads will heat
themselves, melting the snow or ice away. The
project has been successfully tested on a few
Canadian roads and in some of its car parks.
14
FRIDAY | Roads of the Future
I.Choose the best answer.
1.We can learn from the article that“smart roads”___.
A.haven't been developed yet
B.enable cars to drive themselves
C.have become a reality in some countries
D.had been widely built before smart cars came into being
2. When was piezoelectricity invented?
A.In the 18th century.
B.In the 19th century.
C.About 100 years ago.
D.A few years ago.
3. The Snowless roads have been put to use in____.
A.Israel
B. Canada
C. Europe
D.the United States
4.By comparing his company's smart roads to touchpads, Tim Sylvester mainly wanted
to show_____.
A.how the roads worked
B. what the roads could do
C.how large the roads were
D.how hard it was to develop the roads
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.You always______less in the morning.(weight)
2. The spinning wheel was a Chinese______.(invent)
3. She was standing_____close to the fire.(dangerous)
4._____of the new aircraft will start next year.(produce)
5.An art historian and_____,he was also a practicing architect. (collect)
6.It's only a small____,but at least it's a step in the right direction. (improve)
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.事实上，自动驾驶汽车并不是什么新鲜事物。
Self-driving vehicles, in fact,
__
2.不断上涨的成本迫使我们去寻找更便宜的材料。
The rising cost is forcing us to
_____.
3.仅在中国，就有大约20万辆电动公交车在使用。
In China alone,
4.在项目结束后，该团队将向我们展示他们的发现。
, the team will present their findings to us.
5.有了这种新鞋子，我们可以边走路边给我们的手机充电。
,we could be charging our phones as we walk around.
6.电动汽车将传统的汽车设计与最新的电池技术相结合。
Electric vehicles_ _____the latest battery technology.
WEEK
2
15
MONDAY
WEEK
3 Remembering
Nobel Laureate
Chen Ning Yang
HH
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：261
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：对世界、国家、人民
和社会进步有突出贡献的人物
Grief flooded China's social media in October 2025 as news
spread that famous physicist Chen Ning Yang had passed away.
Yang, a Nobel Prize winner and academician of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences(中国科学院院士), died in Beijing on
October 18,2025, at the age of 103.
Yang was born in 1922 in Hefei, Anhui, during a period of
poverty in China. He studied at Tsinghua University and later went to the United States to further
his education. Yang became famous for his work on parity laws(宇称定律)with Tsung-Dao Lee
(李政道). Their work challenged an old idea in physics and won them the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1957.He also worked with Robert Mills on the Yang-Mills theory,which helped establish the
Standard Model of Particle Physics(粒子物理学). This is regarded as one of the cornerstones of
modern physics.
Yang returned to China in 1999 and taught at Tsinghua University, helping students become
outstanding scientists. His students described him as energetic,humble,and calm,with a clear mind.
Even in his 80s,Yang continued teaching. He encouraged students to do top-level research and use
science to solve real problems in China.
Yang's contributions extended beyond research. At age 99, he donated more than 2,000 books,
letters,and papers to Tsinghua. He said, "“I hope Tsinghua keeps not only my scientific work, but
also the truth about who I am.”
People online shared their sadness. One wrote, "He is a giant in science who shows that Chinese
scientists can be great.” Another said, "Yang served as a bridge between Chinese and Western
cultures through science."
16
MONDAY | Remembering Nobel Laureate Chen Ning Yang
Choose the best answer.
1.The underlined word “Grief”in the first sentence of the article is closest in meaning to
“
”.
A.hope
B.pride
C.sadness
D.surprise
2.According to the article, Chen Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee became world-famous
because of their___.
A.discovery of new particles
B.study of parity laws in physics
C.research on the Yang-Mills theory
D.work on the Standard Model of Particle Physics
3.According to the article,Yang and Lee's Nobel Prize-winning work was special because it
—
A.proved an old idea was right
B.focused on experiments in China
C.questioned a long-held belief in physics
D.bridged physics and many other subjects
4.According to the article,Yang encouraged his students to___.
①do high-level research
②help solve real-life problems
③further their studies in the United States
④spend more time in the lab doing experiments
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
5.According to the article,at the age of 99,Yang___.
A.decided to stop teaching
B.won another international prize
C.gave many of his items to Tsinghua
D. wrote a large number of books about his life
WEEK
3
17
TUESDAY
WEEK
3Jumping
High, Shining
Bright
HH
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：283
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：体育精神
Shao Yuqi, a rising high jump star, is winning hearts not only
with her performances but also with her confidence. At the 2025
Chinese National Athletics Championships(全国田径锦标赛),
the 23-year-old athlete claimed the women's high jump title with a
jump of 1.90 metres. A video of her winning jump has earned more
than 3 million likes online.
Shao's journey in sports started in primary school. During a tryout(选拔赛), she easily cleared
a one-metre bar,and her teachers quickly recognised her talent. But not everyone believed in her.
Some worried that pursuing sports would limit her future. Luckily,her father and coach always
stood by her side. In 2020, Shao proved the doubters wrong when she was admitted to Tsinghua
University, one of China's top universities.
As Shao's popularity grows, she has also faced criticism. Some netizens(网民)compared her
result to the world record and questioned whether she should be proud of winning. Shao responded
calmly, explaining that the level of Chinese women's high jump is improving and that athletes need
encouragement,not negative comments. "If I ever compete at the Olympics,just being there would
be a victory," she said.
Shao also challenges outdated ideas about how female athletes should look. Like fellow track
star Wu Yanni,she wears makeup, braids her hair(编辫子),and does her nails during competitions.
Some critics say that female athletes now look like they are in a beauty pageant(选美比赛). Shao
disagreed. "This is ridiculous(可笑的)," she said. "It's our body, and we decide how to present
ourselves.”
"We are strong, and we are beautiful women," she added confidently. Her words have inspired
her fans. "Beauty does not need to be hidden,and strength does not require compromise(妥协),"
one supporter wrote.
18
TUESDAY I Jumping High, Shining Bright
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, when did Shao Yuqi first show her talent for high jumping?
A.Twenty years ago.
B.After she entered Tsinghua University.
C.When she was a primary school student.
D.At the 2025 Chinese National Athletics Championships.
2. The underlined word “doubters”in Paragraph 2 probably means “people who___”.
A. stand by someone's side
B.like to give advice to someone
C.do not believe in someone's ability
D.have strong confidence in someone
3.According to the article, how did Shao deal with the online criticism?
A.She turned a deaf ear to it.
B. She stopped using social media.
C.She got angry and argued online.
D. She responded calmly and encouraged positivity.
4.The author mentioned Wu Yanni in Paragraph 4 because both she and Shao___.
A.have broken the world record in high jump
B.refuse to wear makeup during competitions
C. care about their appearance and self-expression
D.have been criticised for not trying hard enough
5.According to the article, Shao's fans can learn from her words that____.
A.beauty and strength can exist together
B.a good appearance can bring confidence
C.success is more important than personality
D.female athletes should only focus on their performance
6. We can conclude from the article that Shao is a_______athlete.
A.lucky but lazy
B.successful but very proud
C.confident and strong-minded
D. talented but easily influenced
WEEK
3
19
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
3 More Chinese Graduates Are
TakingJobs in Small Towns
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：280
难度：5级
建议用时：9分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：家乡和社会的变迁
A recent report shows that more and more college graduates in
China are choosing to work in smaller towns and counties instead of
big cities. This is a(n)1 change from previous years. In 2018,
only 20of fresh graduates worked in smaller places six months
after 2 .In 2022,however,this number went up to 25%.
The report, released by Mycos, identified several 3 for the change. Some graduates want
to be closer to their 4 .Others 5 the stressful life in big cities. 6 ,smaller towns and
counties offer more job opportunities in the public sector(公共部门).
The report showed that graduates who had left big cities were generally 7 with their careers.
Nearly 60of them stayed in their hometowns for at least five years. Their average salary 8
from 4,640 yuan in 2018 to 5,377 yuan in 2022.
Most graduates in China used to start their careers in big cities, but various factors have led
them to think 9 .Those include ever-increasing competition for jobs and the rising 10 of
living in big cities. The government is also encouraging graduates to work in their 11 .Suichang
County(遂昌县)in Zhejiang province,for example,12 a large financial(财务上的)reward
to Master's degree(硕士学位)holders who return to work there.
1.A.big
B.expected
C.official
D.sudden
2.A.application
B. graduation
C.independence
D.retirement
3.A.examples
B. problems
C. reasons
D. results
4.A. dreams
B.families
C.offices
D.schools
5.A.dislike
B. prefer
C.remember
D. respect
6.A.As a result
B.In other words
C. Similarly
D. What's more
7.A.bored
B. confused
C.curious
D.satisfied
8.A.doubled
B. halved
C. went down
D. went up
9.A.again
B.ahead
C.alike
D.alone
10.A.chance
B.cost
C.quality
D.standard
11.A. capitals
B. homes
C. hometowns
D.colleges
12.A.accepts
B.deserves
C.offers
D.seeks
20
WEDNESDAY | More Chinese Graduates Are Taking Jobs in Small Towns
Yang Peng,27, is one of many young people who 13 home. He studied in Britain and got
a Master's degree. In September 2022, he took a job in Shanghai but found it too 14 .After just
two months,he moved back to his hometown, Xiushui County(修水县)in Jiangxi province.“ 15
here is better,”Yang said. “I can spend time with my parents and help with the family business.”
13.A.left
B.missed
C. returned
D.visited
14.A.convenient
B.exciting
C.peaceful
D. stressful
15.A.Food
B.Life
C. Traffic
D.Weather
付  
WEEK
3
21
THURSDAY
WEEK
3 HowAI Is Re-Inventing
Computers
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：317
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
Computers haven't changed much over the past 40 years. They
are smaller and faster, but they are still boxes with processors that
follow instructions from humans. Artificial intelligence(人工智能),
however, is changing that—in at least three ways.
Traditional computers perform one calculation after another.
The deep-learning models that power AI systems use a different method.These models perform a
very large number of less accurate calculations simultaneously(同时地). For this, they need a new
type of chip(芯片):one that can move data as quickly as possible so it's available whenever and
wherever it's needed. Graphics processing units(图形处理器), or GPUs, are good at this. They
were first designed to display pixels(像素)on a screen many times per second. Now, chipmakers
like Intel and Nvidia are developing better chips for AI systems.
The second change concerns the instructions we give computers. Christopher Bishop,a British
computer scientist, explains, "For the last 40 years, we have been programming computers. For the
next 40,we will be training them.”
In the beginning, programmers wrote rules for the computer to follow. With machine learning,
programmers no longer write rules. Instead, they create a system that learns those rules on its own.
One example of this is OpenAI's ChatGPT. It has trained itself to understand and respond to human
language.
22
THURSDAY | How AI Is Re-Inventing Computers WEEK
Up to now,you have needed to type a command or click a button for a computer to do anything.
In the future, computers won't need a keyboard or a screen. Anything can become a computer. In
fact,many household items,from toothbrushes to doorbells,already come in smart versions. As they
improve, we will spend less time telling them what to do. They will tell us things we need to know
when we need to know them. Future computers won't just do calculations. They'll also be good at
making decisions.
3
In the future, computers will leave their “boxes”, and everything will be more uncertain.
Complete the following table according to the article.
Traditional computers
Computers with AI systems
How they work
They do1.
They do a very large number of
2 calculations 3 .
How they learn
They just follow the rules that are
They learn all the rules 5 .
to work
created by 4.
When they work
They don't 6 until they are
They not only know what to do
7.
but also know 8.
1.
3.
5.
7.
2.
4._
6.
8.
23
WEEK
FRIDAY
3 Proudto Be
a “Loser”
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：263
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
Two years
ago, Vance
Hinds weighed
215klogrammes.
Then, in only
14 months,he had lost 91 kilogrammes. The
55-year-old man shared a video of his weight-
loss journey online. The video has been viewed
24 million times. People have been amazed at
his success.
The next morning, Hinds posted a
picture of himself standing on a scale(秤)at 215
kilogrammes. “Well, that's the starting
point,"he wrote. Every day, Hinds shared
his weigh-ins, workouts, and meals online.
Encouragement from his friends and family
helped to keep him going.
It all began when Hinds was listening to
his favourite radio programme,The Joe Rogan
Experience,one day.Bert Kreischer, a regular
host on the programme,said he had lost 18
kilogrammes in two months. He went on to
call on people to challenge him. "Of the four
regular hosts of the programme, Bert is my
favourite. He is one of my idols,"said Hinds.
"He used to be very fat. If he could successfully
lose weight, then I can,too.”
Today, Hinds is no longer the guy on the
metro that no one wants to sit next to. The
man has become more confident.“At a certain
point,you become invisible,"Hinds talked
about his size in the past.“You look at people,
and they look away. Friends make fun of you.
Stores don't carry your size.”
Many people who have lost weight later
regain it. Is Hinds worried about this problem?
"People are saying I’m a role model for them,"
the man said. “If I regain weight, I'll let down
allthose people!”
I.Answer the questions.
1.How much did Vance Hinds weigh 14 months after he had started to lose weight?
2. What made Hinds decide to lose weight?
3. What helped to keep Hinds going as he tried to lose weight?
24
FRIDAY | Proud to Be a “Loser”
4.According to Hinds, what problems did he run into when he weighed 215 kilogrammes?
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.I_ ________go for a jog to stay fit. (regular)
2.He runs a very______computer business.(success)
3. She does not like anyone_____her idea.(challenge)
4. There isn't an empty table. Would you mind______?(share)
5. These paintings were meant to be______from a distance. (view)
6.My parents have always_______me in my career choice.(encouragement)
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.The video has been viewed 24 million times.(对画线部分提问)
has the video been viewed?
2.He went on to call on people to challenge him.(改为一般疑问句)
he
_on to call on people to challenge him?
3.Bert Kreischer said he had lost 18 kilogrammes in two months.(间接引语改为直接引
语)
Bert Kreischer said,“
18 kilogrammes in two
months.”
4. If he could successfully lose weight, then I can,too.(保持句意基本不变)
If he could successfully lose weight,
— ——
5.I'll let down all those people.(改为否定句)
I
_all those people.
6.friends,he,fails, let, down, his, lose weight,to,if, he, will(连词成句)
5. Why doesn't Hinds allow himself to regain weight,as many people who have lost
weight end up doing?
6. What lessons can we learn from Hinds's success in losing weight?(Write at least two
sentences.)
WEEK
3
25
MONDAY
WEEK
4 A Doorway to
China's Past
H
语篇类型：议论文
词数：308
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：世界主要国家的文化
习俗与文化景观
About one hundred years ago,on October 10,1925, the
Forbidden City in Beijing threw open its golden gates to the public.
It was no longer the secret world of emperors but became the Palace
Museum. Anyone could walk through the halls where history was
made. And today,it is the world's most visited museum, attracting
almost 20 million visitors every year.
Have you ever stepped inside the Palace Museum? Once you do,you will find yourself at the
heart of one of the richest cultural collections on Earth. More than 1.8 million artefacts are displayed
or stored there. Ancient bronzes(青铜器),jade carvings(玉雕), calligraphy works,and paintings
hundreds of years old line the halls. Each item is like a quiet storyteller. They show visitors how
people in China once lived, what they created, and what they believed in.As you gaze at the porcelain
(瓷器),dragon robes(龙袍),golden treasures,and imperial armour(御甲),you won't just admire
them but begin to understand them: These are not just priceless artefacts; they are “threads(丝线)”
tying you back to a culture that has thrived for over 5,000 years.
Beyond its treasures, the Palace Museum itself is a wonder. The former Forbidden City is the
world's largest standing wooden palace complex(建筑群).Its red walls, golden roofs, grand gates,
and large courtyards show the beauty of balance and harmony—two concepts central to Chinese
philosophy(哲学).Only by walking through its grounds can you truly appreciate the thought and
power behind its design.
The Palace Museum keeps reminding us why history must be kept alive. Each part of it and
each of its artefacts carries a message across time. They invite us to listen, learn, and connect with
a culture that has shaped human history. The museum has amazed countless visitors,and it's still
calling us to step through its gates and discover more about China's past.
26
MONDAY | A Doorway to China's Past
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,on October 10,1925,_____.
①the Palace Museum celebrated its 100th year
②construction of the Forbidden City was completed
③the Forbidden City was renamed the Palace Museum
④the Forbidden City opened to the public for the first time
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
2.We can learn from the article that the Palace Museum__.
①is the world's largest museum
②is the world's most visited museum
③ is one of the world's earliest museums
④has one of the world's richest cultural collections
A.①②③
B.②③④
C.①③
D.②④
3.According to the article, the artefacts in the Palace Museum can___.
A.show the ordinary life of modern locals
B.tell stories about ancient Chinese life and beliefs
C.let visitors know how ancient bronzes were made
D.prove that China is home to a lot of golden treasures
4.According to the article, what is central to Chinese philosophy?
A. Speed and power.
B. Human and nature.
C.Mystery and secret.
D. Balance and harmony.
5.By writing this article, the author mainly wanted to___.
A.compare the Forbidden City and the Palace Museum
B.introduce the cultural importance of the Palace Museum
C.help people learn about the history of the Palace Museum
D.tell people what to prepare before visiting the Palace Museum
WEEK
4
27
TUESDAY
WEEK
4 Finally
on Top of
the Racing World
H
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：373
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：重大体育赛事
With three corners left in the December 7 Abu Dhabi Grand
Prix(2025), Lando Norris found himself shaking inside his
McLaren. His thoughts flashed back to the first time he saw Fl on
TV, then to his parents'unconditional support. He just couldn't
hold it in. Within half a mile, the 26-year-old was about to become
an Fl world champion.
"I felt calm until three corners to go,"Norris said once the dust had settled. “I didn't think I
would cry, but I did.” Tears rose again as he lifted the championship trophy(冠军奖杯).It had really
been a long journey for him.
Norris developed an interest in motorcycle racing as a young boy. He hoped to follow in the
footsteps of racing star Valentino Rossi and compete on two wheels. But everything changed
when his father took him and his brother to a karting(卡丁车)race when he was seven. Norris soon
showed his talent for the sport. He won pole position(赢得杆位)in his first major national event
at the age of eight. Over the next few years, he moved up from karting to F2,winning many
championship titles along the way.
In 2018,McLaren brought Norris in as a reserve driver. In his first F1 season in 2019, Norris
was immediately a match for Carlos Sainz, one of McLaren's top racers at the time. With his shy
yet jokey personality and willingness to show his true self on social media,he quickly became a fan
favourite.
Norris didn't achieve any victories during his first five seasons with McLaren. However, he
grew a lot during those years, changing from a shy boy into a world-class driver.He finally took his
first win after McLaren introduced a key car upgrade before the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. He went
on to win three more victories, finishing the season as runner-up.
One year later, Norris has continued to develop quickly. After clearing one challenge after
another, he has finally reached the top of the motorsport world. As McLaren's first driver's
champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008,he is sure to have a place in F1 history.
What's next for Norris? Only time will tell, but the road ahead looks bright.
28
TUESDAY | Finally on Top of the Racing World
Choose the best answer.
1.With only half a mile left in the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lando Norris was feeling
—__.
A. relaxed and calm
B. excited and happy
C.nervous and confused
D.upset and disappointed
2. What made Norris change from motorcycle racing to car racing?
A.His father took him to a karting race.
B.His father discovered his talent for car racing.
C.He wanted to follow in Lewis Hamilton's footsteps.
D. He was excited after watching F1 on TV for the first time.
3.According to the article, Norris became a fan favourite after his first F1 season because he
___
①won many major races
②was shy but humorous
③shared openly on social media
④helped upgrade McLaren's cars
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
4.When did Norris get his first F1 win?
A.In 2025.
B. During his first F1 season.
C.During the 2024F1 season.
D. Soon after,he joined McLaren in 2018.
5.We can learn from the last few paragraphs that Norris____.
A.is the youngest F1 champion in history
B.has won more races than Lewis Hamilton
C.won four victories in the 2025 season in all
D.is McLaren's first driver's champion in nearly 20 years
6.According to the article, the author felt___about Norris's future.
A.hopeful
B.worried
C.uncertain
D.uninterested
WEEK
29
4
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
4 Small Goods,
Big Impact
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：287
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会热点
More and more young people in China are turning to guzi.Their 1 on guzi is even
benefiting the country's economy.
Guzi sounds like the English word“goods”. It means “grain” in Chinese. The term refers to 2
related to ACGN—anime, comics, games, and novels. Items include badges, cards, soft toys, and
more. The act of buying these products is called “eating guzi”.
According to an earlier report, China's guzi economy is expected to continue growing 3.
Last year, it was worth 60 billion yuan.By 2026,the market size will be around 110.1 billion yuan.
Shops 4 these products are springing up around the country. They can be found in nearly
every shopping mall in major cities. Some malls even have entire floors dedicated to these products.
Guzi stores are usually filled with beautifully 5 products. Walking into such a store “feels
like entering a romantic,ideal world,"said a young girl from Beijing. Shoppers often have to_6
for a while before they find their favourite item. Finding what they want is always a big surprise.
Most young people are buying guzi for comfort. "These items help me get through my busier days.
They also 7 me not to focus on my worries about my studies,"said a college student in Chongqing.
The guzi industry is rising as the "friendship recession(衰退)" becomes a growing 8 in
China. It's reported that young people have an average of 2.5 close 9 .They want to find new
ways to form relationships. Guzi culture is taking advantage of this. Guzi stores offer real-life spaces
for young people to meet people with 10 .By attracting young shoppers to physical stores, the
guzi industry is also reviving(复苏)China's retail sector.
1.A.advice
B.interest
C.spending
D.work
2.A.books
B.ideas
C.products
D.stories
3.A.rapidly
B. slowly
C.steadily
D.suddenly
4.A.collecting
B.making
C.showing
D.selling
5.A.coloured
B.designed
C.packed
D. painted
6.A. search
B.stay
C.walk
D.wait
7.A.allow
B.expect
C.force
D.warn
8.A.disease
B.fashion
C.hobby
D. problem
9.A.friends
B. partners
C.relatives
D.teammates
10.A.common goals B.different ideas
C.same age
D. similar interests
30
THURSDAY
WEEK
Memes Make Expression Harder
for Young Chinese
4
HH
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：263
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：良好的人际关系与人
际交往
Fill in each blank with a proper word or the proper form of the
word in brackets.
A recent survey shows that more than half of young Chinese
people have a hard time clearly(1)________(express) themselves.
Experts say this is partly due to the rise of social media. When we
chat online,we often use memes(热梗)instead of words.
The survey was done by China Youth Daily. They asked 1,333 people, mostly(2)_____
their 20s and 30s. Over 60of them have a bachelor's degree(学士学位)or higher. Among
(3)____surveyed, 47.1reported poor verbal(语言的)skills, and 43.2said they don't
write with a pen very often.
The survey also asked about the cause. Fifty-three per cent of people said the problem
(4)_______(cause) by the overuse of memes in their daily lives. Also,54dmitted that they
don't read as much as they used to.
Some experts have noticed the problem, too. Guo Xiao'an, a professor at Chongqing University,
studied (5)_________young Chinese people talk online. “(6)_______vocabulary hasn't changed
much,"he said."But they rely too much on internet slang(网络流行语).”
On Chinese social media, shiyu(失语)(7)________(be) a hot topic in recent years. Since 2021,
more than 380,000 Douban users have joined a group to ask(8)________advice on how to clearly
express their thoughts and ideas.
According to the survey,58.4elieved (9)_________(read) more books is a good way to
fix this. And nearly half said that they should meet people in person more often. They believed
this could give them more chances(10)____(practise) their verbal skills. “They're right,”
said Zheng Huanzhao,a professor at Jinan University. "But we also need to make the language
environment better."
31
WEEK
FRIDAY
4WhyDo We Forget?
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：190
难度：4级
建议用时：12分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
Do you
remember what
you had for
breakfast last
year on this day?
Second, forgetting helps us to get through
hard times. After something sad has happened
in our lives, most of us find that time helps to
ease the pain. The bad memories will slowly
fade away. Forgetting saves us from the dark
times of our past.
Can you recall the names of all your classmates in
kindergarten? If not, why did you forget these
things?
First ofall, the biggest reason is that, during
our daily lives, we focus on understanding the
world, not remembering it. For example, we go
to a baseball game not to remember it, but to
enjoy it. We do remember some details of the
game, but they are only a by-product of this
experience.
Third,
. You
wouldn't like to fill your memory with useless
things, such as an old password you no longer
use.People forget unimportant information in
order to better remember important details.
Don't be sad if you forget a lot. Forgetting
is just part of having a healthy memory. It can
help you to experience the world more fully!
I.Answer the questions.
1.According to the author,few people can remember the names ofall their classmates in
kindergarten, can they?
2. What is the bigest reason why we forget so many things in our daily lives?
3. We go to a baseball game just to enjoy it, but why will we still remember some details
of the game?
4. What will probably happen after we have met something sad in our life?
32
FRIDAY | Why Do We Forget?
5. Fill in the blank in Paragraph 4.
Third,
.
6.Your friend Lily is unhappy because she didn’t do well in an important exam. Now one
week has passed but she is still very upset. Please use the information in this article to
try to comfort her.
Hey, Lily,
Ⅱ. Complete each sentence with one given word from the box.Each word can be used only once.
1.I felt a sharp_
_in my foot.
2.Can you_
_what her phone number is?
3.Anything could
________in the next half hour.
4.Let me write down that date before I_______
_it.
5. We all need to do our part to________the planet
6. This computer is___________as it's always going wrong.
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.We go to a baseball game not to remember it, but to enjoy it.(保持句意基本不变)
We go to a baseball game to enjoy it
_remembering it.
2. Forgetting helps us to get through hard times.(改为一般疑问句)
__________forgetting________you to get through hard times?
3. The bad memories will slowly fade away.(改为反意疑问句)
The bad memories will slowly fade away,
_?
4.People forget unimportant information in order to better remember important details.(对
画线部分提问)
people forget unimportant information?
5.her,of,grandmother,no longer,the,old,names, remember,could,friends(连词成句)
A.forget
B.happen
C.pain
D.remember
E.save
F.useless
WEEK
4
33
MONDAY
WEEK
5 Goodall Lives On
HH-
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：367
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：对世界和社会进步有
突出贡献的人物
What does it mean to be human?
For centuries, people believed that humans stood above nature
rather than being part of it. Only humans, they thought, were able
to make and use tools. And only humans could speak languages and
communicate meaningfully.
That was,until Jane Goodall came along.
It was 1957.Goodall, then 23,had educated herself deeply about animals. She wanted to find a
way to work with them. Three years later, with help from anthropologist(人类学家)Louis Leakey,
Goodall set off for the Gombe forest in Africa. There, she observed chimpanzees up close. She
labelled the animals with names instead of numbers. No researcher had done this before.
Soon, Goodall began noticing some surprising behaviours. One male,David Greybeard, broke off
a stalk(秆)of grass to fish for insects. Later,Goodall saw other chimpanzees use tools as well. She
also discovered a rich system of communication among the animals. They had different personalities,
too. Some were kind,some were tough,and many were both.
These discoveries made people rethink what it means to be human. They also drew in many
other scientists to study chimpanzees and other apes. "It was after reading her books that I put on my
boots and went out into the jungle,"said Catherine Crockford,a chimpanzee expert.
But Goodall didn't just inspire new observations. She also inspired new actions. Although she
loved her life in the jungle, she left Gombe in the 1980s. Forests were being cut down fast, and
hunters were killing or catching apes for trade and research. Goodall realised that studying animals
alone was not enough to protect them. She travelled the world almost untilthe last day of her life—
sharing her experiences and hoping to make a difference.
Goodall also inspired new generations. In 1991, she set up the Roots & Shoots movement.
Today, this youth-action programme runs in more than 60 countries. Under Goodall's influence,
millions of students have taken on the challenge of making the world a better place for humans,
other animals,and the environment we share.
Goodall is gone, but her voice lives on. On this ever-warming planet where many animals
remain at risk, it's a voice we need more than ever.
34
MONDAY | Goodall Lives On
Choose the best answer.
1.Jane Goodall worked in the Gombe forest from___to___.
A.1957; the 1980s
B.1957; the last day of her life
C.1960; the 1980s
D.1960; the last day of her life
2.Goodall's observations of David Greybeard shocked the world because they showed that
chimpanzees___.
A.had different personalities
B. were also able to make and use tools
C.mainly depended on insects for food
D.could also speak languages and communicate in meaningful ways
3.According to the article, Goodall's discoveries in the Gombe forest led____.
①scientists to start studying wild animals
②people to rethink their relationship with nature
③researchers to observe chimpanzees up close in the jungle
④hunters to stop killing or catching apes for trade and research
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
4.According to the article, Goodall made an effort to protect animals by____.
A.observing them up close in the wild
B.sharing her life stories around the world
C.stopping people from cutting down forests
D.encouraging people to rethink what it means to be human
5. Through the Roots & Shoots movement,students___.
A.observe wild animals up close
B.try to make the world a better place
C.travel around the world to share Goodall's experiences
D. read Goodall's books about her observations in the wild
6. Why did the author say that“Goodall lives on”(in the title) even though she is gone?
①Because her work has continued to inspire people.
②Because people can still listen to her speeches online.
③Because the chimpanzees in Gombe still remember her.
④Because the Roots & Shoots movement is still going strong.
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
WEEK
5
35
TUESDAY
WEEK
5 Living Live 24/7
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：364
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会热点
Six hundred and forty-two people were watching when Emily
took off her sleep mask. They continued watching as she opened
an energy drink for breakfast. They watched her walk into the
bathroom, the only corner of her apartment not on camera. A viewer
typed, “Where is Emily?” It was the only quiet moment she would
have all day.
This was the morning of Day 1,137 of Emily's life of streaming. For three years, the 28-year-
old has broadcast her life nonstop.She has broadcast every birthday and holiday, every sick day and
sleepless night,almost all of it alone.
This effort has earned Emily a large following on Twitch, one of the world's most popular
live-streaming platforms. It has also earned her a good amount of money:$5.99 per month from
thousands of subscribers,plus donations and tips
Creators like Emily are known as marathon streamers. They are a recent invention of the internet
age. No one tells streamers when to record or when to stop. Many streamers have discovered the key
to success on their own: The more you share,the more successful you can be.
“They're judged all the time. They don't get a break from their viewers. They're under pressure
to be rea.⋯. and not to be boring, even though real life is often boring," said Sarah Banet-Weiser,a
media professor. “Is it any wonder these people burn out?”
Sometimes, Emily doesn't feel like waking up and clocking into the reality show that is her life.
She knows staring at screens all night is unhealthy. When she's too depressed to stream, she lies in
bed for hours while her viewers watch.
But she worries that taking a break would be disastrous for her career. Some viewers already
complain that she showers for too long, sleeps in(睡懒觉)too late,and isn't fun enough.
It feels wrong to complain about her life, but Emily has begun to wonder what she owes her
viewers. What should she offer them in return for their money and attention? For those experiencing
her life through a screen, is their relationship real or just a dream?And is she even living a life at all,
or just performing one?
36
TUESDAY |Living Live 24/7
Choose the best answer.
1.How long has Emily been streaming her life?
A.For 642 days.
B. For about one year.
C. For a couple of months.
D. For a little over three years.
2. The only place in Emily's apartment that is not filmed is____.
A.the kitchen
B. the bedroom
C.the bathroom
D.the living room
3.According to the article, Emily earns money through____.
①donations and tips
②a salary from Twitch
③selling products online
④monthly fees from subscribers
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
4. The underlined phrase "burn out"in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to“____”.
A.get very rich
B.become very popular
C.feel excited about one's job
D. become too tired to continue
5.According to the article, what is the key to success for marathon streamers?
A. Stream only at night.
B.Be funny all the time.
C. Share more of their life.
D.Follow viewers'advice.
6.When Emily feels too sad to stream,she__.
A.takes a day off to relax
B.lies in bed with the camera on
C.talks to her friends and family
D. records videos but doesn't show them live
WEEK
5
37
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
5 AirPollution Harms More
Than Human Health
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：321
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
Air pollution makes life tougher for some insects and plants,a
new study shows.
Researchers at the University of Washington conducted tests
with the evening primrose(月见草). At night, the pleasant smell
of its flowers interacts with certain air pollutants. Key scent
molecules(气味分子)are destroyed 1 .This makes it hard for pollinators(传粉者)to find
the flowers. The team shared its findings in Science.
Today, traffic,industry,and other human 2 release pollutants into the air. These include
ozone(臭氧)and nitrogen oxides(氧化氮). By day, sunlight breaks down much of the ozone.
But in the dark,ozone 3 and reacts with nitrogen dioxide(二氧化氮)in the air. This produces
short-lived, highly reactive nitrate radicals(硝酸盐自由基).
In their experiment, the researchers put bags over evening primrose flowers to 4 their scent.
They took the scent back to the lab,along with some moths(飞蛾)that are naturally drawn to primrose
flowers.
In the lab,a wind tunnel was used to mimic conditions in an outdoor field. The researchers
released the primrose scent and moths into the wind tunnel. At once, they watched the moths fly
upwind,5 the scent.
But it was a different story when pollutants were 6 .The moths couldn't fly in a straight
line. They seemed to be looking for the scent—often without 7.
1.A.at first
B.as a result
C.at once
D.at the moment
2.A.activities
B.beings
C.efforts
D.needs
3.A. builds up
B.cleans up
C.dies down
D.moves away
4.A.change
B. produce
C. spread
D.trap
5.A.avoiding
B.following
C.noticing
D.remembering
6.A.added
B. found
C.mixed
D. removed
7.A. difficulty
B.help
C. reason
D.success
38
WEDNESDAY | Air Pollution Harms More Than Human Health
The team then studied the molecules of the primrose scent. They discovered two chemical
signals that the moths use to find primrose flowers. When exposed to nitrate radicals, both chemicals
broke down. They then became much less 8 to the moths. It's like “blindfolding you and
asking, Can you go and get me a coffee?'"says Jose Fuentes, an atmospheric scientist(大气科学家)
at Pennsylvania State University.
Other plants that depend on pollinators for reproduction(繁殖)are affected by this 9 as
well. Among them are many food crops. This means pollution could pose a new type of threat to
10,says Joel Thornton,an atmospheric scientist on the research team.
8.A.attractive
B.dangerous
C.familiar
D.useful
9.A.disease
B. method
C.problem
D. rule
10.A.farming
B. health
C.industry
D.science
WEEK
5
39
THURSDAY
WEEK
5 A Young
“Driver”at the Wheel
HH
语篇类型：随笔
词数：368
难度：5级
建议用时：9分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
One recent afternoon, my Tesla Model 3 was in self-driving
mode. Ahead of me were two other cars. At one crossroads, all
three of us were turning left. But those two cars broke a basic traffic
rule by turning into the outside lane. My Tesla, strictly following
the traffic rules, hugged the inside lane.
At that moment, I thought of my teenage son, Milo, who is learning to drive. When he gets his
licence(驾照),I hope he'll drive better than those two human drivers,if not as well as my Tesla.
Driving is perhaps the most dangerous everyday activity. Here in the United States,about 43,000
people died in traffic accidents in 2021. Teen drivers, with little driving experience,are four times
more likely to crash than drivers over 20.
After years of reporting on driver safety, I know why the risk is so high. The roadway is often
too complex for the human brain to handle. Cars, pedestrians(行人),and cyclists rush by, diving
in and out of our view.Our brains can get tired and miss things. We are human, with biologically
limited attention.
Machines are different.With its many cameras and sensors(传感器),my Tesla“sees” and responds
to everything, in every direction, all at once. Milo, however,can only look one way at a time. The
software also drives better than my son at night and in the rain.
But, of course,self-driving cars aren't perfect,at least for now. Sometimes the software suddenly
stops working,forcing me to take control. And according to a U.S. report, Tesla's Autopilot was
involved in 956 crashes between January 2018 and August 2023. Even so, David Strayer, a scientist
at the University of Utah, believes self-driving cars can save many more lives than they risk taking.
“After all, they don't get drunk,tired,or distracted.And they only speed when the driver tells them
to,"he says.
Perhaps,like my teenage son, self-driving technology is stillmaturing. One day, these machines
will be good enough to rule the road. At that point, I can tell Milo just to relax and enjoy the ride,
without worrying about driving.
40
THURSDAY | AYoung "Driver" at the Wheel
Answer the questions.
1.According to the article, which lane do U.S.traffic laws require drivers to use when
turning left at a crossroads, the inside one or the outside one?
2. How does the author show that “driving is perhaps the most dangerous everyday activity”?
3.According to the author, why is driving“perhaps the most dangerous everyday activity”?
By mentioning the
4. What is David Strayer's attitude toward self-driving technology?
5. What does the “young’driver at the wheel” in the title refer to? Why does the author
consider this “driver” to be“young”?
6.Do you look forward to the day when drivers will be able to watch TikTok(or enjoy other
forms of entertainment) behind the wheel? Why or why not?
WEEK
5
41
WEEK
FRIDAY
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：351
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：世界主要国家的文化
习俗与文化景观
5 Aloneon the
Great Wall
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
Half a century ago,a boy in Britain had
never thought that a dream of his would drive
him to spend decades in a foreign country.
for the Wall, but without success. At last, he
had to leave.
That boy was William Lindsay. When in
primary school, he loved studying maps. The
saw-tooth(锯齿般的)line in China caught
his eye. He decided to visit the line,that is, the
Great Wall of China.
Nothing could stop his willful heart. A few
days later,Lindsay continued his journey from
Inner Mongolia. After many, many difficult days
of hiking along the Great Wall,he finally arrived
at Shanhaiguan,a major pass at the eastern end
of the Wall and the end of his great journey.
Driven by this dream, Lindsay set off on
his Great Wall journey in 1984.However, he
obviously underestimated its difficulty. Only
a few days later, he became ill and had to give
up his plan. After returning to Britain, he began
to exercise more often. He even learnt some
basic Chinese.
Through this trip, Lindsay developed a
deeper understanding of the Great Wall. Since
then, he has made great efforts to protect it. In
1988,he organised more than 120 volunteers to
pick up litter on the Great Wall. Lindsay soon
realised the difficulty of collecting all the trash
on the Wall. He began giving lectures around the
country and began looking for more volunteers.
With full preparation, Lindsay set off
again in 1987.Altogether,the hike took him
about 160 days. This tall man encountered
trouble when he was found walking alone
along the Yulin Great Wall in Shaanxi.“Where
is he from?What is he doing here?" the local
villagers wondered. Finally, the police came to
investigate. Lindsay tried to explain his love
During Lindsay's Great Wall hike, he
met with his Miss Right, a Chinese girl from
Xi'an. They got married in 1988.Lindsay's
wife and two sons have now also joined him in
protecting the Great Wall. The British man said
he would spend his remaining years in China—
for his family and for the Wall.
I.Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, William Lindsay had dreamt about visiting the Great Wall of
China ever since____.
A.he was born
B. the early 1980s
C.he was in primary school
D.he visited China for the first time
42
FRIDAY | Alone on the Great Wall
2. What preparations did Lindsay make before his 1987 Great Wall journey?
①He learnt some basic Chinese.
②He started exercising more often.
③He studied his maps more carefully.
④He read more books about the Great Wall.
A.①②
B.③④
C.①③
D.②④
3. What trouble did Lindsay have while visiting the Yulin Great Wall in Shaanxi?
A.He lost his way.
B.He became seriously ill.
C.He was forced to leave by the police. D.He was chased by a group of local villagers.
4.According to the article, Lindsay started to give lectures around China probably in the
hope of___.
A.meeting with his Miss Right
B.sharing his stories with the Chinese people
C.calling on more people to help protect the Great Wall
D.encouraging more Chinese people to visit the Great Wall
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.She had five days off work due to_______.(ill)
2.The students wanted more time to_
__for their exams. (preparation)
3.For a full_______of how the machine works,turn to page five.(explain)
4.We must come to a______about what to do next by tomorrow.(decide)
5. She started her own business and finally became a________ _businesswoman. (success)
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.Altogether,the hike took him about 160 days.(保持句意基本不变)
Altogether,he______about 160 days_____ _the hike.
2.“What is he doing here?” the local villagers wondered.(改为间接引语)
The local villagers wondered what
doing here.
3.In 1988,he organised more than 120 volunteers to pick up litter on the Great Wall.(对
画线部分提问)
_____volunteers did he organise to pick up litter on the Great Wall
in 1988?
4.look,immediately, he,fired, a new job, after, was, began,to,for, he(连词成句)
WEEK
43
5
MONDAY
WEEK
6 Ma Boyong: Bringing
History to Life
HH
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：312
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：中外文学史上有代表
性的作家和作品
In the summer of 2025, the film based on Ma Boyong's novel
The Litchi Road(《长安的荔枝》)became a big hit in China. In
just four days, it earned more than 258 million yuan at the box
office. The writer behind it, Ma Boyong, is famous for blending
history with storytelling.
Ma, now 46, has sold millions of books. He often finds
inspiration in smalldetails of history. Once,at a museum, he saw bamboo slips(竹简)listing daily
jobs, like how many rats people had to catch. Most visitors might see them as simple records, but
Ma saw a starting point for stories. He enjoys bringing these little pieces of history to life for modern
readers.
In The Litchi Road, he focused on a Tang poem about lychees. The poem reads,“A steed(坐骑)
raising red dust won the fair mistress's smile;no one knew how many steeds carrying lychees died
along the way."Most people remember the image of a smiling concubine(妃子). But Ma asked a
different question: How could fresh lychees travel such a long distance to Chang'an without going
bad?To write the novel, he broke this big question into smaller ones,just like a project manager.
He studied the roads, the horses, and the methods of transport. Step by step, he solved each part and
produced a 70,000-word bestselling novel that combines historical facts with imagination.
Readers love this blend. One fan said Ma's books mix solid research with humour, making
history lively. For Ma, history is not just the past—it connects with the present.He hopes his stories
will encourage readers to visit Xi'an, walk along the Grand Canal(大运河),or even taste fresh
lychees.
"A novel is like a window,"Ma said.“You catch a glimpse of the sky, then step out and walk
into it." For many young readers,his works have become that window into history and imagination.
44
MONDAY | Ma Boyong: Bringing History to Life
Choose the best answer.
1.This article mainly introduces____.
A. the novel The Litchi Road
B. the film based on The Litchi Road
C. the writer behind The Litchi Road
D. the main characters in The Litchi Road
2.According to the article, Ma Boyong often gets new ideas for his works from___.
A.ancient poems
B.personal visits to museums
C.small, unnoticed parts of history
D. bamboo slips with historical records
3.According to the article,how did Ma write The Litchi Road?
A.He wrote everything from his imagination.
B.He paid close attention to readers'expectations.
C.He blended ancient poems with modern storytelling.
D.He treated writing like a project, solving one problem at a time.
4.Many readers enjoy Ma's books because they____.
A.are both serious and fun
B.are short and easy to read
C.are often full of famous poems
D.help to solve real-life problems
5.According to the article, what does Ma hope his readers will do after reading his works?
A.Watch the movies that are based on them.
B. Create their own novels about ancient China.
C.Visit historical places and learn more about Chinese culture.
D.Research the number of horses that died while carrying lychees.
6.By comparing novels to windows,Ma wants to show that novels___.
A.keep people from the problems in the outside world
B.should be based on the daily lives of ordinary people
C.help readers relax after a tiring day at work or school
D.can introduce readers to the new world beyond their own
WEEK
6
45
TUESDAY
WEEK
6 ChineseSanbengzi Speeds
Onto Western Streets
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：342
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
Imagine such a vehicle:With the back of a pickup truck(小
卡车),it can carry both passengers and cargo(货物).It's easy to
drive. And it's affordable and requires no fuel. Doesn't that sound
too good to be true? Well, it's not really unimaginable. I'm talking
about a Chinese-made electric tricycle,or Sanbengzi.
In October 2023,a Chinese vlogger bought a Sanbengzi for her American father-in-law. As
soon as the vehicle arrived in the U.S., it drew attention from locals. People were amazed. Some
even offered to buy the tricycle. But it's not just in the U.S. You can also hear the warning sound—
“Please watch out! I'm backing up(倒车)!”—on the streets of France, the U.K.,and Canada.
Some Western netizens have even called Sanbengzi their “dream vehicle”.
As the buzz grew, I wondered: This tricycle has long been popular across China. Why has it
only recently made waves in the West?
Guowei(国威)is a major manufacturer of Sanbengzi in Wuxi, Jiangsu. When I stepped into the
factory, I was greeted by a busy scene. Skilled workers were carefully putting the vehicles together.
Rows of brand-new(崭新的)blue tricycles stood ready for shipment abroad.
I spoke with Ni Xiaofeng, Guowei's general manager. He told me that since the beginning of
2024,orders from abroad had been increasing rapidly. Ni believes the tricycle's newfound popularity
isn't accidental. The vehicle is inexpensive and very practical, and it works well on many different
types of roads.
Many Westerners are now looking for greener ways to get around. This has given Guowei a
golden opportunity to expand into foreign markets. To suit Sanbengzi to local needs across different
markets, the company has done a lot of research. As a result, the company has developed over 100
tricycle models.
More and more consumers around the world are choosing made-in-China products. Sanbengzi's
success is just one of the latest examples. People love Chinese products for their affordability,
quality, and creativity. As we look to the future,one thing is almost certain: Even more goods from
China will shine on the world stage.
46
TUESDAY | Chinese Sanbengzi Speeds Onto Western Streets
Choose the best answer.
1.The article is mainly about___.
A.some greener ways to get around
B. the popularity of a Chinese product in the West
C.a visit to a Chinese manufacturer of electric tricycles
D.the differences between Chinese and Western electric tricycles
2.We can learn from this article that before writing it, the author had____.
A.had a few rides on a Sanbengzi
B.ordered a Sanbengzi from Guowei
C.visited a major Sanbengzi manufacturer
D. talked to the vlogger who bought her father-in-law a Sanbengzi
3.According to the article, Sanbengzi has become popular in___.
① Africa
② Europe
③ North America
④ South America
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
4. The underlined word “buzz”in Paragraph 3 most likely refers to___.
A.a type of electric vehicle
B.the noise in a Sanbengzi factory
C.widespread excitement and interest
D. the warning sound of a moving vehicle
5.In order to meet the needs of different markets, Guowei has___.
A.developed over 100 types of tricycles
B. researched greener ways to get around
C.lowered the price of some of its products
D.opened new factories in various countries
6. What does Ni Xiaofeng think of Sanbengzi's popularity abroad?
A.It happened by chance.
B.It won't last a long time.
C.It is not really a big surprise.
D.It is only because of good luck.
WEEK
47
6
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
6 A Warming Earth
Is Also a Wetter Earth
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：372
难度：5级
建议用时：9分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：自然灾害与防范措施
The effects of climate change are felt in many ways. One of
them has to 1 rainfall: it will rain more on Earth, and each
storm may become more extreme.
It doesn't seem to_2 ,but the physics is clear. Think of
rain like Earth’s sweat. When your body sweats and the moisture
evaporates(水分蒸发)from your skin, it carries heat away. Likewise, water evaporating off land
and oceans carries heat away from those 3 .After moisture rises,it condenses(凝结)and falls
as rain.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are like a blanket. They're making it 4 for Earth to
release heat into space. The more greenhouse gases it contains, the“ 5 ”this blanket becomes. As
a result, Earth uses more evaporative cooling(蒸发冷却).It's 6 to how you sweat more under
a duvet(羽绒被)than a cotton sheet.
For scientists,it has been a challenge to understand the connection between rainfalland the 7
of climate change. Rainfall is by its nature highly complex and 8 ,says climate scientist Yoo-
Geun Ham from the republic of Korea. One year might naturally be wetter or drier than the next,
independent of climate change.
Ham and his colleagues used a deep learning model to analyse rainfall data over the past few
decades. “We are having many cases of_9 downpour events,"says Ham. “We can conclude that
that kind of increased frequency is due to global warming.”
1.A.agree with
B. deal with
C.do with
D.help with
2.A.make a difference B.make progress
C.make sense
D.make trouble
3.A.grounds
B. deserts
C.spaces
D.surfaces
4.A.easier
B. deeper
C.harder
D.slower
5.A.darker
B.longer
C.warmer
D.thicker
6.A.close
B.limited
C. similar
D.related
7.A.benefit
B.cause
C.influence
D.reason
8.A.changeable
B. manageable
C.scientific
D.stable
9.A.earlier
B. heavier
C.unexpected
D.urgent
48
WEDNESDAY| AWarming Earth Is Also a Wetter Earth
Extreme rain becomes especially 10 when large amounts of water fall quickly.If one storm
follows another, the soil might already be too wet to 11 any more water. Floods happen as a
result.
Current infrastructure(基础设施)simply isn't 12 for these ever-bigger floods. That will
put lives at risk. Generally speaking,urban planners have designed city drainage systems(排水系
统)to remove rainwater as quickly as possible to 13 flooding. But as rainfall intensifies(增强),
canals(运河)and sewers(下水道)can't remove the water fast enough.
Now one thing is 14 :We need to turn cities into “sponges(海绵)”. That is to say, we need
more green spaces so that water can seep into the ground. “We need to 15 what will happen
10 years, 20 years, and 30 years from now," says Mohammed Ombadi,a climate scientist at the
University of Michigan.
10.A.dangerous
B. rare
C. strange
D.wild
11.A.accept
B.cover
C.release
D.use
12.A.repaired
B.decorated
C. built
D.saved
13.A.prevent
B.control
C.face
D.fight
14.A.welcome
B.easy
C.uncertain
D. clear
15.A.ask about
B.prepare for
C. worry about
D.wait for
WEEK
6
49
THURSDAY
WEEK
6 Look Up the Additives
语篇类型：说明文
词数：319
难度：4级
建议用时：9分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
Take a look at the ingredient label of just about any food on
supermarket shelves. I'm sure you'll see a few additives. Here
are some of the most common food additives. Which of them are
harmful to your health, and which of them are mostly safe?
Artificial food dyes
Artificial food dyes are used to improve the appearance of various foods.
In recent years, more and more studies have found that dyes such as Blue 1, Red 40,and Yellow
5 can cause allergies(过敏反应)in some people. Some researchers have also reported that food
dyes can cause hyperactivity(多动症)in children.
In addition,in animal studies, Red 3 can cause cancer. It has been largely replaced by Red 40.
Artificial sweeteners
Common man-made sweeteners include aspartame(阿斯巴甜),sucralose(三氯蔗糖), and
saccharin(糖精). They are widely used in food and drink products.
Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can help people manage their weight and blood
sugar levels. However, some artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, can cause headaches in some
people. And in July 2023, the World Health Organization labeled aspartame as a possible cause of
cancer in humans.
Guar gum(瓜尔胶)
Guar gum is commonly used to thicken foods. You can find it in ice cream, salads, sauces, and
soups.
Since it's high in fibre(纤维素),guar gum is generally considered healthy. It can make people
feel fuller, leading them to snack less throughout the day.Some scientists have also found that guar
gum can help lower people's blood sugar levels. Just make sure you don't take in too much of it.
MSG(味精)
MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. It's used to improve the taste of salty dishes. You can
find it in a wide variety of processed foods. Many restaurants and fast-food places also use it.
A 1969 study on mice found that taking in large amounts of MSG could damage the nervous
system(神经系统). However,scientists believe the additive has little effect on human brain health.
50
THURSDAY | Look Up the Additives
Complete the table below about common food additives according to the article. Use
NOMORE THAN TWO words for each blank.
9.
Possible
Possible 2
Types
1
Uses
advantages to
for the human
the human body
body
They can cause
hyperactivity in
Artificial food
Blue 1,Red 3,
Improving the
5 . Some
/
dyes
Red 40,3
4 of foods
can also cause
allergies in
some people.
Some of them
They can help
Making foods
can cause
Aspartame,
Artificial 6
and drinks
people manage
8 in
sucralose,
their 7 and
some people.
sweet or
saccharin
sweeter
blood sugar
Aspartame
levels.
might lead to
9_.
It can make
people feel
Guar gum
/
11 . It can
10 foods
also help lower
people's blood
sugar levels.
MSG
/
Improving the
taste of 12
/
/
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
10.
11.
12.
WEEK
6
51
FRIDAY
WEEK
6 Time to
Let Go?
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：344
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：丰富、充实、积极向
上的生活
"There's nothing to discuss," barked
my husband when I told him that Rosie,our
17-year-old daughter, had asked whether she
could go to Kavos, Greece,for a holiday with
her friends. "Of course she can't. She's too
young to travel without the presence of an
adult. It's completely out of the question."
So how come I found myself standing,two
weeks later,at Gatwick Airport? Tearfully, I
watched our eldest child disappear through the
security checkpoint. In four hours, she would
be in Kavos. It's 2,500 kilometres away from
England!
There comes a time when you have to let
your baby go—for many parents, it's around
the age of 17. We know that there is likely
to be something wilder than hanging around
by the pool and building sandcastles, but the
time has come to trust that they'll look after
themselves.
But I still felt worried. Rosie tried to put
my mind at rest. She said she and her friends
would always look after one another and that it
really, really was all going to be okay.
After we had waved our last goodbye at the
airport, I looked back. She was, to my surprise,
looking back at me, too. Teenagers want to cut
free, but it's a frightening business for them,too.
We made Rosie promise to text as soon
as she had arrived in Kavos and at least once
a day after that. Around 9 a.m. on the first
morning, her first message came through. It
had been twelve hours since I had left her at
Gatwick.And allI got was: "I'm here."
I wish there were safer places than these
so-called teen destinations. But like all the
dangers that life can hold for them, at some stage,
all you can do is warn them, warn them again,
warn them once more,and then hope that some
of your messages have gotten through.
My daughter got home safely. So did
her friends. But Rosie is now talking about a
similar journey next year. And my alarm bells
have already started ringing.
I.Choose the best answer.
1.According to the author, how much time should it take her daughter to fly to Kavos?
A.About two hours.
B. About four hours.
C.About eight hours.
D.About twelve hours.
52
FRIDAY | Time to Let Go?
2. How did Rosie feel about her trip to Kavos?
A.She was nervous but excited.
B. She was afraid of travelling alone.
C. She was forced to go by her friends.
D. She was very confident and not worried at all.
3. The author didn't receive a message from her daughter until___.
A.her daughter was about to return home
B.two days after her daughter had left her
C. her daughter had safely landed in Kavos
D.twelve hours after she had left her daughter
4.We can learn from the last paragraph that the author____.
A.now encourages teenagers to travel freely without their parents
B.believes it's useful to warn teenagers about the dangers they might face
C.won't allow her daughter to travel again without having an adult present
D.still worries about her daughter's safety even after she's returned from a successful trip
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.He has shown that he can't be__________. (trust)
2. It_________me that she hasn't phoned yet.(worried)
3. She gets_______when he shouts at her.(frightening)
4.We'll continue this_________some other time. (discuss)
5.I gave him my number,and he_____to call me.(promise)
6.I have to say that it's__________to find you agreeing with me for once.(surprise)
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.总有一天你得放手让你的孩子离开。
you have to let your baby go.
2.我父母认为我还太小，不能独自旅行。
My parents think that
3.她说她会好好照顾自己，试图让我放心。
She said she would take good care of herself,
__ __
4.我们让她保证一下飞机就给我们打电话。
We made her promise to call
5.在工作日去博物馆对我来说是完全不可能的。
Going to the museum on a weekday
6.你所能做的就是一次又一次地提醒他们生活中可能遇到的危险。
__about the dangers that life can hold for them.
WEEK
6
53
MONDAY
WEEK
7 When Young
Brains Meet Bots
语篇类型：采访手记
词数：346
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：多彩、有意义的学校
生活
Marisa Shuman is a computer science teacher at a public middle
school in New York City. Last year,she invited me to spend a few
days in her classroom. She thought I might be interested in a lesson
she had just created using ChatGPT.As a reporter who had spent
years covering how technology is reshaping education, I jumped at
the chance.
Shuman used ChatGPT to create a lesson on wearable tech. She then tested the material with
her 11th- and 12th-grade students. She told them that she didn't mind if they learnt nothing about
wearable tech. But she wanted them to carefully examine how accurate and effective the lesson
was. In other words, Shuman was using ChatGPT to build her students’critical thinking skills.
Her students were freely critical. They found mistakes in the lesson, noted that it used numbers
from advertisements,and pointed out that some questions didn't make much sense.
The class reminded me why reporters can't just sit at their desks.If I really wanted to understand
how AI was changing education, I needed to visit more classrooms.
I started by spending a morning at Khan Lab School in California. In one sixth-grade maths
class, students were trying out “Khanmigo”, an AI-powered tutor. Some students asked it to explain
maths problems in the form of a rap song. One student caught the bot making a mistake and proudly
pointed it out.
I also visited First Avenue Elementary School in New Jersey. I watched an AI bot walk third
graders through some maths problems, step by step. School leaders told me they liked the AI tool
but wanted students to think through the problem-solving steps themselves.
Then, on a recent trip to Washington, I met teachers who were using ChatGPT to design creative
storytelling homework.
What have I learnt from these visits?Well, it's not so much about technology skills. Teachers
everywhere told me the same thing: Students need to learn how to ask critical questions about AI. In
some cases, this may be more important than knowing how to use the technology.
54
MONDAY | When Young Brains Meet Bots
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, the author is a___.
A.teacher
B.reporter
C.programmer
D.school leader
2.Over the past few months, the author has__.
A.created a few lessons using ChatGPT
B.visited a couple of schools across the U.S.A.
C.attended a few classes across New York City
D.interviewed a couple of teachers in New York City
3. What was Marisa Shuman's goal in using ChatGPT in class?
A.To clearly explain wearable tech.
B.To help her students get higher grades.
C.To sharpen her students'critical thinking skills.
D.To impress the author with her technology skills.
4. Shuman's students found her materials for the lesson on wearable tech___.
A.accurate and effective
B.accurate but not effective
C.effective but not accurate
D.neither accurate nor effective
5.According to the article,at both Khan Lab School and First Avenue Elementary School,
AI bots were used to help students learn___.
A.science
B.English
C.maths
D.computer science
6.According to the teachers the author met, the ability to___is the most important thing
for today's students.
A.solve maths problems
B.ask critical questions
C.work with each other
D.use technology properly
WEEK
7
55
TUESDAY
WEEK
7 Can AI Book My
Winter Holiday?
HH
语篇类型：议论文
词数：305
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
No matter how you do it, booking holidays can be a headache.
It used to require a visit to a travel agent. Later,online travel agents
appeared, allowing people to plan trips from the comfort of their
own homes. Now, they are promising to handle the brainwork,
too, with the help of AI. Expedia,for example, has introduced
Romie,its “AI-powered travel buddy”. Trip.com has brought out TripGenie.
Many people expect AI to spare them from boring tasks. This may explain why AI trip planners
are drawing attention. They're perfect for those who go mad when booking holidays.
But are these AI booking agents reliable? Some have tried them out. When a couple asked
TripGenie to find a romantic hotel in Paris, its top suggestion was by the airport. Well, perhaps the
AI agent is still in its early days, they concluded.
Tools like TripGenie are facing competition from AI companies as well. OpenAI,for example,
is testing its Operator. The AI bot is supposed to “mimic(模仿)a human's use of the Web”. When
asked about that Paris trip, it suggests places with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Some researchers
think OpenAI might soon disrupt the online travel agents'market.
One problem with AI booking agents is that they make mistakes. Air Canada got in trouble after
its chatbot wrongly promised a user a discount. Could AI agents be fooled into booking a more
expensive flight? Would anyone feel safe giving their credit card information to an AI agent then?
AI agents may also have difficulty understanding the endless variety of people's tastes. Not
everyone finds a pricey view of a metal tower romantic. One couple—the groom(新郎)Icelandic
and the bride(新娘)French—recently got married on a flight between their countries. A hotel
room by Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport might have suited them better.
56
TUESDAY | Can AI Book My Winter Holiday?
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, AI trip planners are becoming popular because they___.
A.make few mistakes
B.are very cheap to use
C.work faster than human agents
D.can take over boring tasks for people
2.According to the article, what was the problem with TripGenie's suggestion for a romantic
hotel in Paris?
A.It was too expensive.
B. It was not in Paris at all.
C.The traffic was not convenient.
D.Its location was not considered romantic.
3.OpenAI's Operator is designed to be able to____.
A.help people plan trips
B.explore the Web like a human
C.find and book affordable flights
D.spare people from all boring tasks
4. The underlined word"disrupt" in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to“____".
A.stop
B.support
C.understand
D.change suddenly
5.The author mentioned Air Canada's chatbot to show that AI agents___.
A.are not always reliable
B.have been improving quickly
C.can perfectly understand everyone's tastes
D.will replace all human workers in the future
6.We can infer from the last paragraph that__.
A.flying is the best way to travel for a wedding
B.people's preferences vary greatly from one to another
C.sometimes, AI agents respond slowly with wrong information
D.some AI agents are better than others at understanding “romantic”
WEEK
57
7
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
7 Antarctica
Is
Turning Green
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：349
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：不同地区的生态特征
与自然景观
About 40 years ago,satellites began looking down on the Antarctic
Peninsula. They only saw a few small 1 of vegetation. These
plants covered about 740 square metres—less than a football feld.
Since then,2_,the region has been turning green quickly. A
new study shows that mosses have taken up more than 12 million square
metres.That's nearly four times the 3 of New York's Central Park!
The study was based on satellite images from 1986 to 2021.It shows that greening has 4_by
30 per cent since 2016. That's fast enough to cover nearly 75 football fields per year.
"Our findings show that the impact of climate change has no limit in its 5,"said Thomas
Roland, lead author of the study. “Even in the most remote and isolated(与世隔绝的)region, the
landscape is 6 .”Roland is an environmental scientist at the University of Exeter.
The Antarctic is the coldest place on Earth. But it has recently been 7by extreme heat
events. This summer, a record-breaking heat wave 8 parts of the continent. Temperatures were
about 10℃ higher than normal in mid-July.
As the planet 9,Antarctica will continue to warm, scientists say. That is to say, this
greening is only likely to happen faster.
As the peninsula becomes greener,more soil will 10 . Invasive plants will be more likely to
take root(扎根)in the region.Antarctica's native wildlife and ecosystem can be 11 as a result.
1.A. areas
B.forests
C.gardens
D.parks
2.A.besides
B.however
C.instead
D.therefore
3.A.height
B.length
C.area
D. width
4.A.cut down
B. grown up
C.sped up
D.slowed down
5.A.power
B. reach
C.speed
D.time
6.A.changing
B. developing
C.improving
D.moving
7.A.covered
B.filled
C.troubled
D. visited
8.A.heated
B.hit
C.met
D. passed
9.A.cools down
B.heats up
C. moves on
D. turns around
10.A.change
B.disappear
C.form
D. harden
11.A.in peace
B.in need
C.in danger
D.in place
58
WEDNESDAY | Antarctica Is Turning Green
"Seeds and small pieces of plants can readily find their way there on the boots of tourists and
researchers. They may also 12 through more traditional routes(途径)—birds and the wind,”
Roland said.
The plant cover could reduce the Antarctic's 13 to reflect the sun's heat energy into space.
That's because darker surfaces take in more heat.
These impacts would likely remain 14 .At present, the Antarctic landscape is stillmostly
snow,ice,and rock. In the long run, however, they could further promote plant 15 as the
climate continues to warm. "The landscape on the continent could be changed forever," said Olly
Bartlett,another study author.
12.A.arrive
B.fly
C.jump
D.walk
13.A. habit
B.chance
C. risk
D.way
14.A. local
B. natural
C.normal
D.secret
15.A.number
B.growth
C. popularity
D.type
WEEK
7
59
WEEK
THURSDAY
7Moving
Away From
Animal Testing
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：369
难度：5级
建议用时：9分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
In June 2024,the Chinese actress Huo Siyan posted a video on
Xiaohongshu. She shared how she and her husband discovered an
injured beagle(比格犬)by the roadside. It turned out that the poor
dog had come from a lab.The couple took her home and named her Pearl.
Their story has drawn public attention to animals used in lab testing.
Animals have long played an important role in scientific studies. In the 1880s, Louis Pasteur
conducted experiments on sheep and demonstrated that germs cause some diseases. In the 1970s,
treatments for a serious skin disease were used on animals before being given to humans. In 1974,
Rudolf Jaenisch introduced viral DNA into mice. Genetic study grew quickly after that.
Today,animal testing is required for many products. From cosmetics(化妆品)to medicines,
new chemicals are often tested on animals first. It is said that more than 115million animals are used
in experiments every year.
Lab testing on animals is not like taking your pet to the vet.Lab animals are harmed in many
ways. Some tests even require the animal to die. That's the sad but true situation for millions of
mice,rabbits, dogs,and other animals.
Back in the 17th century, people had different opinions about animal testing. Many people
disliked it. They believed that animals should not be harmed for humanity's sake.
In recent years, more and more people are saying“no” to animal research. Some countries have
banned the testing of certain products on animals. Scientists have been working to offer non-animal
methods. For example, they have created 3D chips(芯片)from human cells. These chips work
like tiny human organs. They are used
to find out how human systems respond
to drugs. Some scientists remove cells
from a cancer patient's tumor. These
cells are then used to test different
treatments. Researchers also make use
of computer models. They can predict
how a medicine might affect us. These
methods help improve the understanding
and treatment of the human body. They
60
THURSDAY | Moving Away From Animal Testing
are also faster and cheaper than animal testing.
Old habits die hard.But non-animal methods will one day replace animal experiments. This will
be a good thing not just for animals, but for human health in general.
Answer the questions.
1. Which two animals are used in the article as examples to show animals'important role in
scientific studies?
2.According to the article,how many animals are used in experiments every year?
3. What is the sad situation for the animals in labs?
4. What methods are mentioned in the article to replace animal experiments?
5. What advantages do non-animal methods have besides not using animals?
6. What's your opinion about animal testing?Why do you think so?
WEEK
61
7
WEEK
FRIDAY
7 TheLife of
a Movie Critic
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
语篇类型：对话访谈
词数：323
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：职业启蒙
Alonso
Duralde is a
well-known
movie critic
in the United
about movies. These books interested me a lot.
I wrote my first movie review for my middle
school paper. Then I wrote movie reviews for
my high school and college papers. I never
stopped writing movie reviews after this.
States. He regularly explores and writes about
movies for several well-known publications.
In a recent interview, he talked about his career.
What was the first movie that hit you?
Have you ever had trouble with writing?
The first movie that I remember seeing in the
theatre was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
I was four years old, but the movie has stayed with
me.To this day, Istill clearly remember its images.
How did you get into movie criticism?
Everyone in my family loves watching
movies. But my dad never expected any of
us to become a movie critic. He was a doctor,
and he wanted his children to follow in his
footsteps. Three of my brothers are doctors. I
also have a sister who is a doctor.
Oh, yeah. Sometimes, the words just flow
out of you. Other times, it'..."ca-chunk ca-
chunk.”A lot of it has to do with what you're
writing about. For certain movies, you see
them,and you immediately know what you
want to say. The“perfect”movies can be
difficult to write about. But it can be just as
difficult to write about “terrible” movies. They
leave no impression, but you still have to write
a certain number of words about them!
Do you pick which movies you want to see?
One of my brothers went to Harvard in the
early 1970s.He came home with many books __Many movie critics only
write about blockbusters. But I also like to
write about some of the smaller, yet more
interesting movies. Usually, I watch and review
no more than five or six titles a week.
1.Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, the job of a movie critic is__.
A.to help moviemakers create perfect movies
B.to share their opinions about movies with movie fans
C.to write movie reviews for newspapers and magazines
D.to watch movies and offer suggestions for improvements
62
FRIDAY | The Life of a Movie Critic
2. Duralde started writing about movies___.
A.after he entered college
B. when he was in high school
C.when he was four years old
D.when he was in middle school
3.According to the interview,for “terrible”movies, Duralde___.
A.often refuses to write about them
B.has to explore and write about them anyway
C.has to watch them twice before writing something
D.often immediately knows what he wants to say about them
4.Which of the following is most likely to be the missing sentence in Duralde's answer to
the last question?
A.No, I don't.
B.Yes,always.
C. Um. sometimes.
D.What do you think?
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.My little brother is only half my____.(high)
2. Teenagers often have___expressing themselves. (difficult)
3. I was____sorry to hear about the death of your grandmother. (terrible)
4.The_____for new energy sources is important for the future of our planet.(explore)
5. Considering the injuries he's had, there can be little____of him winning the race.
(expect)
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.Everyone in my family loves watching movies.(改为否定句)
in my family loves watching movies.
2.But my dad never expected any of us to become a movie critic.(改为反意疑问句)
But my dad never expected any ofus to become a movie critic,
?
3. But I also like to write about some of the smaller, yet more interesting movies.(保持
句意基本不变)
But I like to write about some of the smaller,yet more interesting movies
___·
4. Usually, I watch and review no more than five or six titles a week.(对画线部分提问)
do you usually watch and review a week?
5. she, her mother's footsteps,own,followed in, starting,business,her(连词成句)
WEEK
63
7
MONDAY
WEEK
8 Teen Coder Builds a Smart
Way to Count Calories
语篇类型：说明文
词数：312
难度：3级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
Have you ever wondered how many calories(卡路里)are in
your lunch?A new app called Cal AI can help.All you have to do is
take a photo of your food, and the app will tell you its calorie count.
It can also show you the nutrients in your dish, such as protein,
fat,and sugar.
Cal AI was created by Zach Yadegari, an 18-year-old student. In 2023,Zach tried another
calorie-counting app, MyFitnessPal, to track his meals. But typing in everything he ate took too
much time. "It was very boring and hard to use,"Zach said.After just three days,he quit(放弃).
Zach wanted something faster and smarter. So, he teamed up with his high school friends to
develop a better app. Together,they trained Cal AI using images from three different AI models. The
app can now recognise both simple and complex foods, like sandwiches, mixed bowls,and packaged
snacks. It has also learnt to estimate how much food is on the plate by comparing photos to standard
servings.
Today, Cal AI is 90ccurate,and it continues to improve thanks to user feedback. Since its
launch in May 2024, it has been downloaded over five million times. In February 2025 alone, the
app earned over $2 million!
One major factor for its success is social media. Zach reaches out to fitness influencers and asks
them to talk about Cal AI. Their followers see the posts, try the app, and share it with others. As a
result, it has gained particular popularity among users aged 15-25.
Zach graduated from high school this summer with top grades. Even though he has been
accepted by several universities, he plans to take a gap year.He wants to make Cal AI even more
accurate and help people of all ages eat more healthily. This young coder isn't slowing down—he's
just getting started.
64
MONDAY | Teen Coder Builds a Smart Way to Count Calories
Choose the best answer.
1.What does the CalAI app do when you take a photo of your food?
A. It gives you cooking tips.
B. It asks you to type in what you ate.
C. It tells you the calories in your food.
D.It shows you what other people are eating.
2.Zach stopped using MyFitnessPal because___.
A.it didn't show enough nutrients
B.it couldn't recognise mixed foods
C.it gave the wrong calorie numbers
D.it took too much time to enter all the food
3.How did Zach and his friends improve Cal AI's ability to recognise food?
A.By watching cooking videos.
B.By asking users to type in food names.
C.By training it with images from AI models.
D.By testing with photos of food provided by their high school.
4.Why does the author mention“90ccurate" and“$2 million” in Paragraph 4?
A.To show Cal AI is still new.
B. To explain how Cal AI works.
C.To compare CalAI with other apps.
D.To show that Cal AI is popular and successful.
5. The author wrote this article to_____.
A.teach people how to count calories by using apps
B.compare different food apps used by young people
C.explain how to become a fitness influencer on social media
D.show how a young man turned a problem into a useful invention
WEEK
8
65
TUESDAY
WEEK
8 Crazy for Crabs
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：342
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：世界主要国家的文化
习俗与文化景观
In ancient China, when autumn came,people didn't merely
enjoy the cool breeze and falling leaves, but also got especially
excited about one thing: eating crabs! For many ancient Chinese
foodies, the perfect way to celebrate fall was with a plate of fresh
crab and a cup of warm wine.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, crab is a “cold”
food that can upset the stomach when eaten alone. That's why people paired it with warm wine.
Together,they made a tasty and balanced combination. The feeling was so good that one poet wrote,
“There's no better joy in this world” than enjoying crabs and wine on a mountain top.
Many poets and scholars were huge crab lovers. The famous poet Su Dongpo once traded a
poem to a friend in exchange for two crabs. Ouyang Xiu chose to retire near a lake simply because
the crabs there were cheaper. The writer Li Yu was nicknamed the “Crab Fairy” because he could
eat up to 20 crabs a day and even had a servant dedicated to cooking crabs for him!But the funniest
story is about Qian Kun, a government official. When the emperor asked where he wanted to work,
he replied, “Anywhere with crabs.”
In autumn, crab-themed parties were also popular among the upper class. In the classic novel
Dream of the Red Chamber(《红楼梦》),people hosted crab feasts in their gardens. They ate crabs
with ginger and vinegar, drank hot wine,and wrote poems.
During the Song dynasty, chefs invented new ways to prepare crabs. They made crab wontons,
crab roe soup buns(蟹粉小笼包),and even a creative dish called“crab-stuffed orange”. Later, in the
Ming dynasty, people designed a special tool set called the “Eight Crab Tools”. It included scissors,
hooks,and even a small hammer,allowing diners to open crab shells neatly and easily.
To the ancient Chinese, crabs weren't just a tasty seasonal delicacy. They were a symbol of
autumn joy. Even today, crabs still hold a special place on Chinese dinner tables, continuing to bring
happiness to food lovers.
66
TUESDAY | Crazy for Crabs
Choose the best answer.
1.People drink warm wine while eating crabs to____.
A.keep the crabs warm
B.make the crabs easier to eat
C.improve the taste of the crabs
D. balance the “cold” nature of crabs
2. The examples of Su Dongpo,Ouyang Xiu,and other scholars show___.
A.crabs used to be expensive
B. the different ways to cook crabs
C.how much the ancient Chinese loved crabs
D. the reasons why eating crabs is good for health
3. The author mentions “crab-themed parties” in Paragraph 4 to___.
A. show that only the rich could enjoy crabs
B. describe the history of crab dishes in China
C.explain how crabs became a symbol of autumn
D.show how the rich celebrated autumn with crabs
4.How did ancient chefs make eating crabs more fun?
A.By writing poems about crabs.
B.By holding bigger crab parties.
C.By inventing new crab dishes and special tools.
D. By teaching people how to eat crabs neatly and easily.
5.Why does the author write this article?
A.To share interesting stories about crabs in ancient China.
B.To show that crabs are the main food eaten in autumn in China.
C.To explain why crabs were important in Chinese autumn culture.
D.To describe how eating crabs was a tradition among poets and scholars.
WEEK
8
67
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
8 FactoriesAre the New
Tourist Hotspots
HH
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：281
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会热点
When holidays arrive, people often go to the countryside for
fresh air or stay indoors to enjoy shopping. But now there's a new
trend in China: industrial tourism.1 just relaxing or spending
money,more people are taking factory tours while on vacation.
Hu Sisi,a 29-year-old from Suzhou, tried it for the first time
during this year's May Day holiday. She and her friends visited a Chinese rice wine factory. They
watched how 2 huangjiu was made. They also tasted huangjiu-flavoured drinks,including milk
tea, coffee,and yogurt. "It was a new 3 for me to learn something while travelling," said Hu.
Industrial tourism 4 in Europe around the middle of the 20th century. It came to China
in the late 1990s. Now,it's becoming increasingly popular in China. There are more than 1,000
industrial tourist sites in the country. Some places attract large numbers of visitors. For example, the
Tsingtao Beer Museum(青岛啤酒博物馆)5 over 1.8 million visitors last year.
Why do so many people like industrial tourism?It's fun!Many sites have added_6 activities
to their tours. Visitors can make cakes or watch robots build cars. Some factories even use 3D shows
or VR experiences to make trips more interesting.
But industrial tourism is more than just fun. It also helps build 7 between companies and
customers.“When people don't know 8 things are made,they may worry about quality. But if they
see the whole process, they are more likely to trust the 9 and the brand,"said a company manager.
Industrial tourism is a way to have fun, learn new things,and bring 10 and brands closer.
No wonder it's winning over fans in China.
1.A.Because of
B. Instead of
C.Except for
D.Thanks to
2.A.delicious
B.expensive
C.special
D.traditional
3.A. course
B.experience
C.hobby
D. story
4.A.began
B.changed
C.disappeared
D.spread
5.A.accepted
B.greeted
C.hosted
D.welcomed
6.A.creative
B.exciting
C.group
D.sports
7.A.friendship
B.pride
C. relationship
D.trust
8.A.how
B.when
C.where
D.why
9.A.company
B.factory
C. process
D. product
10.A.cities
B.factories
C.people
D.workers
68
THURSDAY
WEEK
Shenzhen Protects Mangroves
for the Future
8
H
语篇类型：新闻报道
H
词数：266
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：环保意识和行为
Choose the proper words to complete the following passage.
A.build
B.cover C.disappearing D.growing
E.hold
F.paid off G.platform
H.produce
I.protect
J.rest K.set up
L.wasted
Over the last 20 years, China has put a lot of effort into protecting wetlands. All that hard work
has 1 .The world's first international mangrove(红树林)centre was 2 in Shenzhen. Why
do mangroves matter? And why did Shenzhen stand out?
Mangroves play an important role worldwide. They take carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)from the
air and then store it for thousands of years. Studies show that they can 3 five times as much
carbon as rainforests. People often call mangroves “coast guards.”As global warming raises sea
levels, these trees could help 4 coastal cities from flooding. What's more,mangroves offer
shelter to animals. Many birds, for example, stop there during their migrations.
Mangroves 5 an area of about 14.8 million hectares(公顷)worldwide. However,they're
6 from many places. China is one of the few countries where mangrove areas are 7 .Their
total area has risen from 22,000 hectares in 2001 to 29,200 hectares today. Shenzhen is home to
296.18 hectares of mangroves and has put in a lot of work to protect them in recent years. This
has helped bring back 43.33 hectares of mangroves. Take Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, for
example, where nearly 100,000 birds 8 in the winter. Among them, there are more than 20 rare
or endangered species.
“Building the Shenzhen centre is important," said a Chinese official. "It serves as a 9 for
China to work with other countries in protecting mangroves." Shenzhen isn't going to stop there,
however. It plans to 10 itself into an international wetland city by 2035.By then, half of its
wetlands willbe protected.
69
FRIDAY
WEEK
8 A Wise Man
in Ancient China
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
H
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：293
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：对世界、国家、人民
和社会进步有突出贡献的人物
Zu Chongzhi was one of the greatest
mathematicians in ancient China. He was born
during the Northern and Southern dynasties(南
北朝). His family was very talented. They had
been studying mathematics and astronomy for
generations. From a young age, Zu was taught
natural science,astronomy,maths,philosophy,
and so on. The little boy was interested in all of
these subjects, especially in maths.
Zu was best known for his calculation of
pi.According to historical records, he did all
the work using only wooden sticks. It took him
lots of time to work out the value—between
3.1415926 and 3.1415927.No one at the time
could calculate it more accurately than Zu. The
achievement has been recognised worldwide.
To remember Zu, some mathematicians have
suggested calling pi“Zu Lv(祖率)”.
Zu was also known for working out how to
calculate the volume of a sphere. He did this
with the help of his son Zu Gengzhi(祖暄之).
The two recorded their achievement in Zhui
Shu(《缀术》). The book was used as a maths
textbook during the Tang dynasty.
But Zu was successful not only in maths; he
also did well in astronomy. He worked out that
a year should be 365.24281481 days long and
created the Daming Calendar(大明历).However,
government officials at that time did not agree
with Zu. The great mathematician never saw
his calendar put into use. After his death, Zu
Gengzhi continued to prove that the Daming
Calendar was more accurate. Almost ten years
later, the new calendar was finally accepted.
Zu was also an inventor. He once made a
vehicle(工具)that carried a pointer(指针).
However, the vehicle turned, and the pointer
always pointed to the South. Zu also invented
the 1,000-li Boat. The boat could travel 100 li
(about 60 kilometres) in a day.
I.Choose the best answer.
1.In this article, the author mentioned Zu Chongzhi's achievements in___.
①natural science
②astronomy
③mathematics
④philosophy
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
2.We can conclude from Paragraph 2 that Zu Chongzhi___.
A.worked out the value of pi in just a few days
B.didn't know how to do calculations without wooden sticks
C.was the first person in the world to work out the value of pi
D.calculated pimore accurately than anyone else had at that time
70
FRIDAY| AWise Man in Ancient China
3.The Daming Calendar was not immediately put into use because____
A.government officials refused to use the calendar
B.Zu Gengzhi proved that the calendar was inaccurate
C. the calendar was hard for the general public to accept
D.Zu Chongzhi later discovered mistakes in the calendar
4.Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
A.In many countries,pi is now better known as “ZuLv”.
B.Zu Gengzhi had a good knowledge of maths and astronomy.
C.Zu Chongzhi was best known for inventing the 1,000-li Boat.
D. Throughout his life,Zu Chongzhi wrote only one book,Zhui Shu.
Ⅱ.Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.It's not a ___________way to test their opinions. (science)
2.You'llhave to get your parents'____________if you want to go on the trip.(agree)
3.You need to do more research before you make your______decision. (finally)
4. I don't know what to wear tomorrow—do you have any______?(suggest)
5. He received the award in_ ___of his success over the past year. (recognise)
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.According to historical records, he did all the work using only wooden sticks.(保持句
意基本不变)
According to historical records, he did all the work using
wooden sticks.
2.No one at the time could calculate it more accurately than Zu.(改为反意疑问句)
No one at the time could calculate it more accurately than Zu._____________?
3. To remember Zu,some mathematicians have suggested calling pi “Zu Lv”.(对画线部
分提问)
some mathematicians suggested calling pi“Zu Lv”?
4.However,the vehicle turned, and the pointer always pointed to the South.(保持句意
基本不变)
the vehicle turned, the pointer always
pointed to the South.
5.his friends, chatting, the light, he, was,off, kept on, on the phone,with,until(连词成句)
WEEK
8
71
MONDAY
WEEK
9 The Curlew
in the Fields
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：301
难度：4级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：不同地区的生态特征
One April morning, some people in northern England woke
up to a "shocking"sight. An unusual bird was walking through the
countryside. The bird was nearly three metres long from beak to
tail. It had a long,narrow bill and big brown eyes.
But this super-sized, eye-catching bird wasn't a newly discovered
animal. It was Matt Trevelyan. The man was trying to raise awareness of the Eurasian curlew, one
of the U.K.'s most endangered birds. Trevelyan walked a total of 53 miles. For the entire walk, he
dressed himself from head to toe to look like a curlew.
Trevelyan works for Nidderdale National Landscape, a protected natural area. Earlier in his
career,however, he worked as a puppet(木偶)maker. He found making the curlew costume easy.
The idea for the walk came from Mary Colwell,a nature writer. Back in 2016,Colwell walked
about 500 miles across and around Britain. She wanted to learn more about the curlew's decline and
raise awareness of it. After the walk, Colwell wrote a book called Curlew Moon(《杓鹬之月》).
She also started Curlew Action,a charity that works to protect the birds.
The Eurasian curlew has long been in danger. One big cause is human activity. Every spring,
thousands of these long-legged birds return to England to breed. But their eggs and chicks are often
killed by tractors(拖拉机)or eaten by foxes and sheep. Over the last 25 years, the U.K.'s curlew
population(种群数量)has dropped by 48 per cent. Ireland now has just 150 nesting pairs, down
from 150,000 in the 1960s.
Groups like Nidderdale National Landscape are working to turn things around. With his walk,
Trevelyan hoped to encourage locals to help protect the birds. Thankfully, many farmers are already
taking steps to help. Some now check their fields for chicks before starting their tractors.
Choose the best answer.
1.Matt Trevelyan dressed up as a Eurasian curlew in order to___.
A. break a world record
B.test a costume he had made
C.help the locals protect their fields
D.call attention to an endangered animal
72
MONDAY | The Curlew in the Fields
2.____helped Trevelyan make his curlew costume.
A. Help from the local farmers
B.His earlier job as a puppet maker
C.His knowledge of the Eurasian curlew
D. Support from Nidderdale National Landscape
3. Trevelyan got the idea for his recent walk from_____.
A.a 2016 trip made by nature writer Mary Colwell
B.a call from Mary Colwell's charity, Curlew Action
C.a book about the Eurasian curlew called Curlew Moon
D.a recent survey about the decline of curlews in the U.K.
4.Some local farmers are now helping to protect the Eurasian curlew by___.
A.walking across and around Britain
B.checking their fields for chicks before using tractors
C.walking through the countryside in curlew costumes
D.driving unfriendly animals like foxes away from their fields
WEEK
9
73
TUESDAY
WEEK
9 Winning Together
H
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：345
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：重大体育赛事
In Paralympic(残奥会的)sports,most visually impaired athletes
compete alongside a guide. The most successful pairs are usually
very quiet. "During the race,we try not to speak much," said Jerusa
Geber dos Santos of Brazil of her partnership with her guide,
Gabriel Garcia.
Geber dos Santos lost her sight in her teens. Now 42,she holds the women's world record in the
100-metre dash for blind or nearly blind athletes. When she races with Garcia, he runs to her left.
He holds a short tether(拴绳)in his right hand, while she holds the other end in her left. If they've
started well, he matches her pace step by step, but with the opposite foot."There's a real harmony
between us,"Geber dos Santos said.
Since 2012, most Paralympic guides have received medals alongside their athletes. But the
teamwork often goes beyond the finish line. While training daily with Geber dos Santos, Garcia is
also preparing to run on Brazil's men's 4×100m Olympic relay team(接力跑队). “I prefer being
a guide,"he said."I feel more pressure at the Paralympics. I have to give 200 per cent of myself to
avoid mistakes and help my teammate do her best."
The partnership between American para-cyclist(残疾人自行车运动员)Hannah Chadwick
and her guide, Skyler Espinoza,tells a similar story. Every time Chadwick climbs on a bike behind
Espinoza, she feels Espinoza reach back to hold her hand. "It's a reminder that we're in this
together," said Espinoza.
Chadwick and Espinoza follow the same training plan. Sometimes, when the training gets too
hard,Chadwick thinks about Espinoza."We have the same goal,"she said. “I’m not training just for
myself.I'm training for someone else,too!”
Espinoza, meanwhile, often hears people praise her for “sacrificing” for a disabled athlete. But
she's always quick to correct that idea. To her,it's not a “sacrifice” at all. Espinoza believes that if
she hadn't begun piloting, she would never have shone so much in sports. "I'm lucky that Hannah
chose me to do this,just as I chose to do it with her," she said.
74
TUESDAY | Winning Together
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, visually impaired athletes_____
A.have trouble hearing sounds clearly
B.move more slowly than other people
C.cannot see or have very poor eyesight
D.need help communicating during a race
2.Garcia gives 200 per cent in the Paralympics because___.
A.the Paralympics pay more money
B.he has to run faster than his partner
C.the Paralympic rules for guides are very strict
D.he doesn't want his partner to lose because of him
3.According to the article,before Skyler Espinoza and her partner start cycling,she____.
A.gives her partner some advice
B.shares a story with her partner
C.reminds her partner to be careful
D.holds her partner's hand for a moment
4.By saying the underlined sentence “I’m not training just for myself”, Hannah Chadwick
means that she_
A.also trains for her guide
B.also trains for her family
C.also trains for her country
D. stands for all disabled people
5.According to Espinoza, what has Hannah brought her?
A.A lot of money and medals.
B.Avery tiring training schedule.
C.A chance to become world famous.
D.An opportunity to achieve more in sports.
WEEK
9
75
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
9 CaliforniaTakes on
Fashion Waste
HH
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：261
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：环保意识和行为
California recently passed a new law. It requires state clothing
companies to help clothing be reused,repaired, and recycled. The
law is the first of its kind in the United States. It aims to 1 the
growing problem of fashion waste.
Every year,millions of tons of unwanted clothes end up in landills
across the state. Some of them get burnt. Some are given to thrift stores. When thrift stores can't_2
these clothes, they're often shipped in bulk(大批地)to developing countries. In Ghana and Chile,
3,unwanted clothes are piled up in deserts and along rivers.
The problem of clothing waste has been getting 4 with the trend of “fast fashion”. Under
this trend, low-cost clothing moves quickly from design to retail stores. Such items are only 5
or used a few times on average.
"We are hopeful this nation-leading law will reduce clothing waste,"said Fiona Hines. She
has worked hard to_6 the passing of the law. “We also hope that, in the future, companies will
produce quality clothes. We could repair and reuse them,and recycle when they reach their 7.”
Under the new law,companies that make clothing and other textiles sold in California are
required to create a(n)8by 2026.This non-profit group would set up hundreds of collection
sites at thrift stores.People can 9 unwanted clothes at these locations.They could also choose to
mail them back. The group will take additional 10 in all 58 counties across California to reclaim
and recycle its products by 2030.
1.A.deal with
B.find out
C.learn from
D.talk about
2.A.resell
B.reuse
C. return
D.wash
3.A.after all
B.for example
C.in fact
D.in short
4.A.clearer
B. simpler
C.worse
D.stranger
5.A.made
B. sold
C.shown
D. worn
6.A.discuss
B.report
C.study
D.support
7.A.end of life
B.end of season
C.first use
D.top prices
8.A.company
B.factory
C.organisation
D.school
9.A.drop off
B.pick up
C.put on
D.try on
10.A.exams
B.notes
C. steps
D.ways
76
THURSDAY
WEEK
AreWe in the
“Human Age”?
语篇类型：说明文
词数：310
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：人类活动对自然环境
的影响
9
Have humans left an indelible mark on Planet Earth? This question seems simple. However, it has
led to a battle among scientists. They are arguing about what to call the epoch(纪元)we now live in.
Oficially, we are in the Holocene(全新世).This geologic(地质的)epoch began 11,700 years
ago,after the last major ice age. But some scientists argue that this label is outdated. They believe
we are in the Anthropocene(人类世)—the “Human Age”—because humans have had many lasting
influences on Earth.For example, we have caused many plants and animals to go extinct. We've
also changed the atmosphere.
The word“Anthropocene”was created in 2000.It's made up of the Greek words anthropo,
meaning“man”, and cene,meaning“new”.
Many stratigraphers(地层学家)disagree.They say there's simply no clear proof of a new epoch.To
introduce a new geologic time term, you need to make it clear where it appears in the rock layers," says
American stratigrapher Whitney Autin. For Autin, the Anthropocene is more about pop culture than hard
science. The key question is when exactly humans began to shape the Earth.The use of atomic bombs(原
子弹)in the 1940s left radioactive particles(放射性颗粒)in soils worldwide. But deeper in the rock
layers,signs of agricultural activity can be found much further back.
Supporters of the Anthropocene admit that it's hard to work this out. But the matter can be made
easy—just pick a date and move on. Will Steffen,an Australian chemist, recommended starting the
epoch with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution or the Atomic Age. Either way, he said, the
new name would remind people of the reality:We are having an undeniable effect on our planet.
Andrew Revkin was a New York Times reporter. He once suggested a term similar to Anthropocene,
“Anthrocene." It never caught on, but he thinks it's great that the problem is being discussed.
Answer the questions.
1.Why do some scientists think we've entered a new geologic epoch?
2.Does Autin support the introduction of the Anthropocene?
3.According to WillSteffen,what is the purpose of introducing the Anthropocene?
4.Do you support the introduction of the Anthropocene?Give your reason(s).
77
WEEK
FRIDAY
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：255
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
9 Rainor Shine
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
Have you ever seen a solar panel(太阳能
电池板)in your neighbourhood? Solar panels
convert sunlight into electricity. Over the past
ten years, the price of solar panels has gone
down greatly. In many parts of the world, solar
energy is now the cheapest form of electricity.
More and more people have started using solar
energy to power their homes.
which can be converted into electricity.
Sun Baoquan is one of the inventors. "Our
device can produce electricity in any weather
during the day," he says. "It can even provide
electricity at night if there is rain."
However, solar panels also have their
problems. They stop working at night and on
rainy days. Is it possible to make them produce
electricity allof the time?
The solar panel, however, does not make
much electricity from falling rain. So Sun is
still working hard to improve it. The scientist
also wants to make solar panels more___.
He is trying to build solar panels that are as
soft as clothing.
Now, scientists at Soochow University(苏
州大学)in China have invented a new solar panel.
It can produce electricity not only from solar
energy but also from falling rain. When a
raindrop falls on the solar panel and rolls
down, it creates friction on the panel's surface,
The field of solar energy is developing
fast. Scientists around the world have been
improving solar panels. Some have been
working on ways to combine solar panels with
wind power. Some have been trying to use
sunlight to produce liquid and gas fuels.
I.Choose the best answer.
1. What can we know about solar panels from Paragraph 1?
A.They can turn the energy from the sun into electricity.
B.They are designed to provide power for people's homes.
C.They are not as popular as they used to be ten years ago.
D.Their prices have stayed almost the same for ten years.
2. What is the main problem with traditional solar panels?
A.They break down easily.
B.They take up too much space.
C.They cannot work without sunlight.
D.They produce electricity too slowly.
78
FRIDAY | Rain or Shine
3. Choose the best word to fill in the blank in Paragraph 5: The scientist also wants to
make solar panels more____.
A.visible
B.flexible
C.possible
D.responsible
4. This article mainly talks about____.
A.the production of solar panels
B.the developments in the field of solar energy
C.the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels
D.the current situation of solar energy around the world
I. Complete each sentence with the proper form of the given items from the box. Each
item can be used only once.
1.The school has recently_ _________a new gym.
2. The train is fully________by natural energy.
3. This dictionary is also available in electronic______.
4.The government plans to_______more jobs for young people.
5.About three-fourths of the earth's________is covered by water.
6.The editor made some_______to the article before it was printed.
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.Over the past ten years, the price of solar panels has gone down greatly.(改为反意疑问句)
Over the past ten years, the price of solar panels has gone down greatly,_
_?
2. More and more people have started using solar energy to power their homes.(改为被
动句)
Solar energy
by more and more people to power their homes.
3. It can produce electricity not only from solar energy but also from falling rain.(改为
否定句)
It can't produce electricity________from solar energy___________from
falling rain.
4.The field of solar energy is developing fast.(对画线部分提问)
the field of solar energy_______?
5.he,my,not only, late, but also,to,forgot,turned up,bring,book(连词成句)
_________.
build
creative
form
improve
power
surface
WEEK
9
79
MONDAY
WEEK
10 Lin Yutang: A Bridge
Between East and West
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：332
难度：3级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：对世界、国家、人民
和社会进步有突出贡献的人物
Imagine someone who could explain one culture to another,
write stories that travelled across oceans,and even invent a
machine to bridge language gaps. That person was Lin Yutang. He
was a writer, a translator,and an inventor all in one. His life was
filled with curiosity and creativity, bringing East and West closer
together.
As a child, Lin loved reading and often asked questions about life and faith. He wanted to
understand how the world worked,and that curiosity stayed with him throughout his life. He first
studied in Shanghai, then went to Harvard University(哈佛大学)to further his studies. Later,
he earned his PhD(博士学位)in Germany. Living in both China and the West, Lin learnt about
different languages and ways of thinking. This helped him become a cultural bridge between East
and West.
Lin worked hard to share Chinese culture with the world. He became a well-known writer
who loved telling stories about Chinese life. His writing was clear and easy to read. In books like
My Country and My People,he introduced Chinese ideas and daily life to Western readers. He
also wrote novels such as Moment in Peking and A Leaf in the Storm. These stories showed how
Chinese people struggled and stayed strong during wartime. Besides writing,he also helped create a
Chinese-English dictionary, which made it easier for people around the world to understand Chinese
words.
Lin also introduced Western culture to China. In 1924,for example, he helped bring the idea of
"humour"to the country. The Chinese word“幽默”was coined from the English word.Lin believed
that having a sense of humor showed a kind,open,and wise attitude toward life.
His creativity didn't stop with writing and translation. Lin was also an inventor. Chinese
characters made typing a real challenge. Lin spent years designing a Chinese typewriter. In 1947,
his MingKwai typewriter finally came out. Teachers,publishers,and researchers all found it very
useful. It also played an important role in language research.
80
MONDAY | Lin Yutang:A Bridge Between East and West
Choose the best answer.
1.How is Lin Yutang described at the beginning of the article?
A.A hardworking inventor focused on technical tools.
B.A translator of Western literature for Chinese readers.
C.A student studying in both China and Western countries.
D.A creative and curious person who bridged East and West.
2. The second paragraph mainly talks about____.
A.Lin Yutang's early interest in writing stories
B.Lin Yutang's childhood curiosity and education
C.Lin Yutang's inventions and creativity as a child
D.Lin Yutang's love of reading and asking questions about life
3. How did Lin help Western readers learn about Chinese life?
A.By teaching Chinese language courses in Western schools.
B.By translating English novels into Chinese during the wars.
C.By writing stories and creating a Chinese-English dictionary.
D.By inventing devices that automatically translate Chinese text.
4.Why does the author mention Lin introducing "humor"to China?
A.To show his effort in making Chinese people laugh during wartime.
B. To highlight his role in bringing Western ideas into Chinese culture.
C. To compare him with other Chinese writers and translators of his time.
D. To explain how he invented a special typewriter for Chinese characters.
5. The author wrote this article to_ _______.
A.explain the technical development of the Chinese typewriter
B.describe Lin's childhood and educational background in detail
C.highlight Lin Yutang's creativity and his role in bridging cultures
D.compare Chinese literature and Western literature in the 20th century
WEEK
10
81
TUESDAY
WEEK
10 I'll Have a
Black Coffee, Please
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：320
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会服务与人际沟通
Alex Wicker is used to getting puzzled looks from baristas(咖
啡店店员)when he visits his local café. His order is “unusual”—
black coffee.
"I just ask for ‘coffee'without any extras,"says Wicker.“But
this has become impossible without going through a round of 20
questions with the barista."
These days, products like iced lattes(拿铁咖啡)and pistachio(开心果)cream cold brews(冷
萃咖啡)have become all too popular.Black-coffee drinkers like Wicker are becoming rare. They
often find themselves waiting patiently for their simple drink. After all,the complex drinks ordered
by those ahead of them take time to prepare.
At Starbucks, the world's largest coffee chain,80 per cent of customers add milk, sugar, or other
extras to their coffee. Every year, the company sells about $1 billion in coffee drinks with add-ons.
The number has doubled since 2019.
Howard Schultz, Starbucks'longtime leader,initially opposed offering sweetened drinks. He
still prefers his coffee black. Some black-coffee drinkers take pride in enjoying its strong, bitter taste
without masking it with milk or sugar.
Some Starbucks baristas have to run back and forth across the preparation areas to make
complex drinks. They wish more customers could appreciate the chain's coffee in its purest form.
But many people don't seem to know what black coffee is anymore. Some customers order black
coffee, baristas say, and later
complain that it doesn't come
with sugar or cream.
Abbey Clifford is also a
black coffee drinker. She says
she keeps getting her black coffee
with cream. "Maybe they think I
mean plain coffee,and that plain
means just a little cream,"she
said. "But that's not what black
coffee means at all.”
82
TUESDAY | I'll Have a Black Coffee,Please
Some Starbucks workers say they sometimes wonder whether black coffee should include sugar
or room for milk. When people order black coffee, they ask whether they want it sweetened,just to
make sure.
“It's the biggest debate,"said Brooke Cross, a Starbucks barista."What is black coffee?”
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, black coffee___.
①should contain cream
②should not contain extras
③should have room for milk
④has a strong and bitter taste
⑤ is not available at Starbucks
⑥is not very popular these days
A.①③⑤
B.②④⑥
C.③④⑤
D.①③⑥
2. When Alex Wicker visits his local cafe and orders a black coffee,he will___.
A.get his coffee properly prepared very quickly
B.often receive his order with a little cream in it
C.have to answer many questions from the barista
D.be laughed at by the baristas and other customers
3.According to the article,___of Starbucks customers add extras to their coffee.
A.few
B.almost all
C.nearly half
D.over three-quarters
4.According to the article, Howard Schultz, Starbucks'longtime leader,prefers___.
A.iced coffee
B. black coffee
C.coffee with sugar and milk
D.coffee with sugar and cream
5.Some Starbucks baristas suggest customers should___.
A.try black coffee
B.buy the more expensive coffee
C.make coffee at home by themselves
D.order iced lattes and pistachio cream cold brews
WEEK
10
83
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
10A Win-Win for
Both Young and Old
H
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：269
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：公共服务
At noon, the Tongxin Cafeteria in Shanghai's Jing'an District is
crowded, and Chen Luo is waiting in line. She lives alone and works
at a nearby office building.“Preparing my own meals takes too much
time,"she said. "I used to spend two hours 1 but only ten minutes
eating.”For a long time,she depended heavily on food deliveries. Her
parents always 2 the safety of those meals.
The Tongxin Cafeteria is a perfect solution for Chen. It's one of the city's more than 1,600
community canteens. They were built to provide quick, healthy meals at fair prices for 3.
Therefore, they were known as “senior canteens” at first. Now, however, these canteens are
becoming 4 with young people as well. Many of them share their dining 5 on social media.
As a result, more people have started showing up at community canteens.
Some young people stillhesitate. That's not because they have doubts about the quality of food,
though. Instead, they're worried about 6 the seniors'places. "They don't need to7 . We
serve elderly diners from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.," said Li Jiajun, the manager
of a local community canteen. “Apart from those 8 ,people of all ages are welcome.”Another
staff worker,surnamed Yu,9 .“With more young diners, we have better profits," he said. "This
gives us more confidence to keep the canteen open for a long time."
Young people are also warmly 10 by the seniors. “We're happy to have them dining here,”
said a 90-year-old."They give an ‘elderly canteen’a feeling of youth."
1.A.buying
B.cleaning
C.cooking
D.resting
2.A.checked on
B. heard of
C.talked about
D.worried about
3.A.the elderly
B. the homeless
C. students
D.workers
4.A.familiar
B.patient
C.popular
D.satisfied
5.A.bills
B.experiences
C.memories
D.menus
6.A.giving up
B. looking for
C.taking up
D.waiting for
7.A.hurry
B. leave
C.pay
D.worry
8.A.hours
B. dates
C. rules
D.seasons
9.A.agreed
B.answered
C.disagreed
D. refused
10.A.greeted
B.invited
C. thanked
D.welcomed
84
THURSDAY
Staying Warm
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：325
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
WEEK
10
Speak of deadly cold,and I think of polar explorers. I was skeptical(怀疑的)when Damian
Bailey, from the University of South Wales,invited me to take part in a cold experiment at 10
degrees Celsius. "It sounds mild,but it's a real challenge,"he told me.
I was led into the environmental room. The plan was to start at 21 degrees Celsius, lower the
temperature to 10 degrees, and record how my body would respond.1 I was still unaware of
the big changes inside my body,but there were already signs on the outside. When the room dropped
to 18 degrees, the hairs on my arms stood up to help insulate(把⋯⋯隔绝起来)my body. “Science
tells us that 18 degrees is the tipping point. The body is now working to keep your core at around 37
degrees,” Bailey explained.
2 The blood vessels(血管)in my hands were constricting to keep my warm blood flowing
to my major organs. This would happen even faster if I were the opposite sex, Bailey said. 3 I
felt uncomfortable as we repeated all the measurements. It soon became clear I was wrong to doubt
that 10 degrees would affect me.
What shocked me was the change in blood flow to the brain and how much longer it took me
to complete a shape-sorting game. But my body was achieving its main goal of keeping my core at
around 37 degrees—it just had to work harder. 4 My blood pressure was shooting up while my
blood was thickening. That's why heart attacks are more common in the winter.
Bailey suggests we all heat our rooms to around 18 degrees in winter. If that is not possible,
wear warm clothing. 5 Do not just sit in a chair and watch TV.
Fill in each blank in the article with a proper sentence given below.Each sentence can
be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you will need.
A.My heart was beating faster.
B.Next, my fingers turned white.
C.At 10 degrees, the fans stopped.
D.Try to produce extra body heat by moving around.
E.After the first measurements were taken, the fans started working.
F.I wouldn't want to be trying to do school homework in such a cold room.
G. Ten degrees is the average temperature that people will be living in if they can't afford
to heat their homes.
85
FRIDAY
WEEK
10 Should
H
语篇类型：议论文
词数：269
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：公共秩序与法律法规
Over the past
couple of years,
I've noticed an
increase in the
number of pet
dogs in public places. I am sure you've noticed
that,too.
This is not really a bad thing.Dogs have
been living with humans for thousands of
years. Most of the time, humans benefit from
dogs. The lovely animals bring us happiness.
Some dogs can even work for us. At the same
time, dogs need us. Like humans, dogs are
social animals. They need to be around people
or other dogs.
Therefore, it seems natural that dog owners
can bring their pets along with them all the
time, wherever they go,right?
Not really. The fact is,not everyone likes
dogs. Many people fear dogs. For them, meeting
Dogs Be Allowed
in Public Places?
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
a dog is a distressing experience. In addition,
some people are allergic to dogs. Meeting a dog
can cause them to develop serious illnesses. Last
but not least, there are places where it is simply
illegal to bring any animal. Examples include
restaurants and grocery stores.
Even people who hate dogs would agree
that the disabled need their dogs to help them
all day long. Some people, however,take their
pets everywhere just because they like them.
These dogs have never received any service
animal training. They often cause public
conflicts. What's worse, they can lead the
disabled to lose their rights. To avoid trouble,
some public places have begun keeping all
animals,including service dogs, out.
So we must stop thinking selfishly. Don't
bring your untrained dogs to public places
without considering other people. Let's give a
little room to people who need service dogs.
1.Choose the best answer.
1. What has the author noticed over the past couple of years?
A.Humans have benefited greatly from dogs.
B. More families now keep a pet dog than ever.
C. There are now more pet dogs in public places.
D.Dogs need humans just as much as humans need them.
86
FRIDAY | Should Dogs Be Allowed in Public Places?
2. Which of the following statements is not a reason why dog owners shouldn't bring their
pets along with them anywhere,anytime?
A. Many people are afraid of dogs.
B.Animals are not allowed in some public places by law.
C.Some people fear that dogs may spread diseases among people.
D. Some people may develop serious illnesses when meeting a dog.
3.According to the author, public conflicts about dogs begin when___.
A. stores keep service dogs out
B.people who hate dogs see a dog in public places
C.the disabled bring their service dogs to public places
D.pet owners bring their untrained dogs to public places
4. We can learn from the article that the author thinks___.
A.all dogs should receive certain training
B.alldogs should always be allowed in public places
C.only service dogs should receive certain training
D.only service dogs should always be allowed in public places
Ⅱ. Complete each sentence with one given item from the box. Each item can be used
only once.
1.Money did not bring her_____as she had expected.
2.I'd like some time to___ _before I make a decision.
3.Before starting working, these new teachers need special___.
4. The first thing I_____ _about the room was the beautiful furniture.
5.If we set off early tomorrow morning, we will____most of the traffic.
6. She says she doesn't___the disease, but she worries for her children.
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.近期，很多人注意到宠物的数量在增加。
Recently,many people have noticed_
2.有些人喜欢养宠物，因为宠物能给他们带来快乐。
Some people like keeping pets, because
_____
3.很奇怪，他对自己的家乡一无所知。
he knows nothing about his hometown.
4.切勿不考虑他人感受就评价他人。
Don'tjudge other people_
________·
A.avoid
B.consider
C.fear
D.happiness
E.noticed
F.training
WEEK
10
87
WEEK
MONDAY
11 Everything
Changes, But
Nothing Changes
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：364
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：自我认识
When we look back, we realise just how much we've changed.
It's funny to think that the me from my childhood, who played with
plastic soldiers,and the me today,with my taller and stronger body,
are the same being. The people around me are different. My habits
have changed. Even most of the cells in my body have been
replaced.But here I am, still calling myself“me”. It's strange, isn't it?
Long before modern psychologists(心理学家)puzzled over this, the Greek historian Plutarch
raised two similar questions.They became known as the “Ship of Theseus"”.
Athens had to send a tribute(贡品)to King Minos of Crete. It consisted of seven young women
and seven young men, who were to be eaten by the monster Minotaur. Theseus joined the third group
to face the monster. He left on his ship, and after killing the Minotaur and going through various
adventures, sailed back home. His ship was honoured in Athens for centuries. Over the years, it had
to be repaired many times. The Athenians replaced the broken planks(木板)with new,
stronger ones.
Plutarch asked: If every single part of the ship was replaced, was it still the same ship? If not,at
what point did it stop being the same ship?Centuries later,philosopher(哲学家)Thomas Hobbes
put forward another question: If all the old planks were collected after being replaced and used to
build a second ship, which ship would be the real Ship of Theseus?
Some researchers argue that such puzzles arise because we expect the world to exactly match
what's in our heads.But science keeps reminding us that our brains can play tricks on us. Therefore,
"The Ship of Theseus" is more about the limits of human thinking than the ship itself.
Seen this way, the ship is not a thing, not even a collection of existing parts. Rather, it's more
like an idea we carry in our minds. When Theseus thinks about his ship, he has expectations about
what he can find in each place and how it carries him across the sea.As long as these connections
remain,no matter which planks are used,it's still his Ship of Theseus.
88
MONDAY | Everything Changes, But Nothing Changes
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,Plutarch is/was a(n)____.
A.ancient historian
B.modern historian
C.ancient psychologist
D.modern psychologist
2. What does the underlined phrase “two similar questions” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
①Isn't it funny that the me from my childhood and the me today are the same being?
②If every single part of Theseus's ship was replaced,was it still the same ship?
③At what point during the repair of Theseus's ship did it become a different ship?
④If all the old planks of Theseus's ship were collected after being replaced and used to
build a second ship,which ship would be the real Ship of Theseus?
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
3.According to the article,the Ship of Theseus was honoured in Athens because___.
A.it was built using planks from centuries ago
B.Theseus killed the Minotaur while sailing on it
C.Plutarch put forward two famous questions about it
D.it used to be part of a tribute to King Minos of Crete
4. We can learn from the article that Plutarch___.
A.took part in the repair of the Ship of Theseus
B.didn't answer his questions about the Ship of Theseus
C. saw Theseus kill the monster Minotaur on his famous ship
D.thought the Ship of Theseus remained unchanged after repairs
5.According to the article, the "Ship of Theseus" puzzle is essentially(本质上)about___.
A.ancient adventures
B. historical protection
C.human understanding
D. shipbuilding techniques
6. Why did the author write this article?
A.To retell an old Greek story.
B. To help people solve the “Ship of Theseus”puzzle.
C.To get people thinking about what makes something the same or different.
D.To show how modem philosophers have further developed the “Ship of Theseus”puzzle.
WEEK
89
1
TUESDAY
WEEK
11 Time to Start
Typing Like an Adult
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：358
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：语言与文化
Morgan Rae Playle was 27 when she“stepped into” adulthood.
She started using uppercase letters in her texts.
Turning on auto-capitalisation(自动大写)for online messages
has become a symbol of adulthood in the West. We all know that
sentences should start with a capital letter. Names and other proper
nouns(专有名词)get the same treatment. The question for many young people now is: When will
society expect me to start following these grammar rules?
Playle typed in lowercase throughout her twenties. She used to work online and made it a habit
to send messages without caps. But last November,Playle started a new job. She didn't want her
clients to see all her messages in lowercase and think she was an intern(实习生). That was why
she turned on auto-capitalisation. “One chapter of my life has closed,"says Playle. "I've grown out
of the all-lowercase age.”
Emilie Mosner is an 18-year-old high school student. She turned off auto-capitalisation on her
phone when she was in ninth grade. Now that she is applying for part-time jobs, she decided it was
time to turn it back on. Some of her friends wondered why she was suddenly sounding so serious.
When Mosner explained herself, they,too,realised they'd soon be ending their lowercase lives.
Some people see typing in all lowercase as a sign of laziness, but language researchers disagree.
Lowercase typing actually takes effort since auto-capitalisation is usually on by default. Like
emojis, lowercase typing is meant to show familiarity. It's one way people try to get their humanness
to shine in the cold world of technology.
These days, many young adults well into their thirties are sticking to lowercase. Some popular
young artists now have lowercase song titles. Sam Altman, C.E.O.of OpenAI, is known for sending
most of his messages in lowercase. His avoidance of the uppercase hasn't stopped him from running
one of the most powerful companies in the world.
Drew Coffman, 35, stopped using proper capitalisation around 2021.“It just hit me that I don't
have to try to be overly polite all the time,"he says."There are a lot of advantages to being a human
being online.”
90
TUESDAY | Time to Start Typing Like an Adult
Choose the best answer.
1.Morgan Rae Playle started using auto-capitalisation in her texts because___.
A.her new job required it
B.she no longer considered herself a kid
C.she wanted to appear more experienced
D.most of her friends turned on auto-capitalisation
2. The underlined word "chapter”in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to“_____"
A.job
B.stage
C. story
D.problem
3.When Emilie Mosner started using capitalisation,her friends___.
A.made jokes about her
B.thought she was being lazy
C.advised her to turn it off again
D.realised they would also have to change
4.According to language researchers,typing in all lowercase shows that the person___.
A.is in a hurry
B.is using an old phone
C.wants to appear friendly
D.knows little about English grammar rules
5.Drew Coffman stopped using proper capitalisation when he___.
A.turned thirty years old
B.started his first full-time job
C.saw many song titles in lowercase
D.realised there is no need to be serious all the time
6.This article is most likely taken from the“_____”section of a magazine.
A. Society
B. Business
C.Entertainment
D. Science & Technology
WEEK
11
91
WEDNESDAY
11 Cats Have Nearly 300
Facial Expressions
语篇类型：说明文
词数：323
难度：3级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
WEEK
A grey cat stares quietly at a nearby orange cat. She squints(眯)her eyes, flattens her ears,and
licks her lips. The orange cat stares back, wrinkles(皱)his nose,and pulls back his whiskers(胡须).
Cat people know what's about to go down:a 1 .Claws(爪子)may soon pop out and fur fly.
Cats make more faces than they do at each other,2 .Researchers have discovered that cats
have nearly 300 facial expressions. Their study was published in the journal Behavioural Processes.
"Many people still consider cats to be nonsocial,"says Daniel Mills, an animal expert at the
University of Lincoln. This new study suggests that that's not 3.
Cats do often enjoy being 4 .However,they can form friendships with other cats in people's
homes or on the street. Feral(野生的)cats can even live in groups of thousands.
Lauren Scott is a cat person. She has long wondered how cats communicate with one another.
In 2021,she was studying at the University of California,Los Angeles(UCLA). The campus was
just minutes away from a 5 café. There, Scott recorded 194 minutes of cats' facial expressions
on video. She and evolutionary psychologist(进化心理学家)Brittany Florkiewicz then studied all
their facial muscle 6.
The pair identified 276 distinct cat facial expressions directed toward other cats. Each expression
combined about four of the 26 7 movements. These included parted lips, blinks,and different
ear positions. In the study, they found that most of the cats’expressions were either obviously
friendly(45?r aggressive(37?The rest could fall into 8 groups.
One day, the study might be used to design an app to help cat 9 better understand their pets.
The findings may also help people choose cats that are more likely to get along with their existing
10 .If those fur babies are dogs, however, this may not work. Scientists don't yet know whether
dogs also understand the meanings of catty facial expressions.
1.A.fight
B.game
C.meeting
D.show
2.A.after all
B.for example
C.in short
D.of course
3.A. fair
B.possible
C. reasonable
D.true
4.A.active
B.alone
C.friendly
D.safe
5.A.busy
B.cat
C. staff
D. student
6.A.colours
B.movements
C.shapes
D. sizes
7.A.body
B. hand
C.facial
D.leg
8.A.all
B.both
C.same
D. either
9.A.owners
B. doctors
C.rescuers
D.teachers
10.A.dogs
B.friends
C.members
D.pets
92
THURSDAY
Woof,
Pose,
and Snap!
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：300
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：丰富、充实、积极
向上的生活
WEEK
11
Choose the proper words to complete the following passage.
A.amusing
B.anything
C.came across
D.came up with
E.common
F.everything
G. friendship
H. hidden
I.joy
J.level
K. picked up
L.understood
Dog owners love to take pictures with their furry friends. After all, it's a great way to keep
precious moments with their pets. But in Argentina(阿根廷),one dog named Preguntale seems
to have taken things to a new 1 .He has seemingly taken his owner, Diego Cuadro,out of the
picture to take his own selfies(自拍照).
Preguntale entered Cuadro's life in 2016.While riding his horse on his farm, the man 2 a
small dog. Feral dogs(野狗)weren't uncommon in the area, but this puppy was different. He was
following Cuadro and seemed to be crying.
Without hesitation, Cuadro 3 the puppy. He wasn't planning on getting a dog, so he didn't
even think of a name for the animal. Preguntale is not a(n)4 name for a pet. But one day,a
friend asked Cuadro what he called the dog,and he said, “No lo sé, pregúntale(I don't know,ask
him)."In Spanish, Preguntale actually means“ask him”.
As time passed, a loving 5 developed between Cuadro and Preguntale. One day, the man
discovered his dog's 6 talent while trying to balance a kernel(麦粒)on his nose. Cuadro told
him to stand still, and Preguntale 7 effortlessly.
Preguntale's talent for posing(摆姿势)allowed him to take selfies "on his own”. The dog
also appeared to be able to ride horses and bicycles. When Cuadro shared these 8 moments
on social media, Preguntale became an internet star almost overnight. "One man even cried upon
seeing Preguntale at an agricultural event,"Cuadro said. "He was grateful for the 9 Preguntale's
pictures had brought him.”
But beyond the laughter,these funny pictures offer a window into the love between a man and
his dog. “For me, Preguntale is 10,”Cuadro said. “Wherever I am, he's right there by my side.”
93
FRIDAY
WEEK
11 The History
of Envelopes
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
语篇类型：说明文
词数：251
难度：3级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：历史的发展
The envelope
is designed to
protect letters.
It is so common
today that we
often take it for granted. But did you know
when and where the envelope first appeared?
The history of envelopes is probably much
longer than you think.
It is believed the envelope first appeared
in ancient China. It was used to protect royal
messages. However, the early envelope was
nothing like what we use today. It was made
from clay(黏土)and looked like a ball. After
the message was placed inside, the envelope
would be sealed with more clay. To read the
message,one had to break the “envelope”.
The first paper envelope appeared around
200 BCE. It was also invented by the Chinese.
However,at first,people used it only to send
money as gifts to each other. It was not until
around the seventh century that it was used
for sending messages. The design of the early
paper envelope was very simple. It was just a
sheet of paper folded and sealed with wax(蜡).
Since the envelope was made completely by
hand, it was very expensive.
In the 19th century, printing and manufacturing
methods improved greatly. In 1853,American
inventor Russel Hawes invented an envelope
maker. The machine could produce about
12,500 envelopes every day. With these
improvements, the cost of envelopes went
down.The design also became more complex.
Today, emails have become more popular
than handwritten letters. However, billions of
envelopes are used worldwide every year. They
are still part of modern life.
I.Answer the questions
1.The world's first envelope appeared in China, didn't it?
94
FRIDAY | The History of Envelopes
2. What was the world's first envelope made from?
3.When did people start to use paper envelopes for sending messages?
4. Why were early paper envelopes expensive?
5. Who invented an envelope maker in 1853?
6.How many envelopes are now used around the world every year?
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.They've changed the______of the whole building.(appear)
2. The world changed rapidly after the_____of the telephone. (invent)
3. He wore a thick overcoat as_____against the bitter cold.(protect)
4.We can redecorate the room at little_____if we use this old paint.(expensive)
5.Fame is often_
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.However,the early envelope was nothing like what we use today.(改为反意疑问句)
2. To read the message,one had to break the “envelope”.(对画线部分提问)
3. It was not until around the seventh century that it was used for sending messages.(保
4.The machine could produce about 12,500 envelopes every day.(改为被动语态)
5.I, it, you,this,for, book,that,take,have,read, granted(连词成句)
_______a matter of being in the right place at the right time. (simple)
However,the early envelope was nothing like what we use today,______________?
one have to do to read the message?
持句意基本不变)
About 12,500 envelopes could be
It__
the machine every day.
__used for sending messages_______around the seventh century.
WEEK
11
95
MONDAY
WEEK
12 Finding
and
Losing—Troy
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：296
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：对世界和社会进步有
突出贡献的人物
Did the city of Troy really exist? For a long time, many people
thought it was just a myth. But Heinrich Schliemann, a German
businessman, believed otherwise. His belief led him to make some
very important discoveries.
As a child, Schliemann loved to read. His favourite book was
The Iliad(《伊利亚特》). The stories of brave heroes fighting in
front of Troy's giant walls interested him deeply. As he grew older,he made a promise to himself: If
he ever had a chance,he would find the lost city of Troy.
However, after finishing school, Schliemann didn't become a historian. Instead, he jumped into
the world of business.His jobs took him to many different places around the world and earned him
a lot of money. Along the way, Schliemann also picked up several languages,including English,
French, Spanish, Italian, and Russian.
By his late forties, Schliemann had enough money to finally follow his childhood dream. He
travelled through Greece and Turkey, searching for Troy. Hissarlik, an ancient Turkish site, caught
his eye.
In 1871, Schliemann began digging at Hissarlik. He didn't work alone; he hired a team of local
workers. However,the work progressed slowly. Schliemann grew impatient and bought boxes of
dynamite(炸药). These explosives sped up the excavation(挖掘)but also caused serious damage
to the site.
Piece by piece, Schliemann
and his team uncovered
weapons, pottery(陶器),and
many other ancient objects.
These findings showed that
Hissarlik had a history of over
5,000 years. It had been built,
destroyed, and rebuilt at least
seven times. One of these cities,
Schliemann believed, was Troy.
Schliemann's findings
96
MONDAY | Finding and Losing—Troy
brought him international fame. But not all historians think highly of him.His decision to use
explosives at Hissarlik is considered unforgivable,as many priceless artifacts were lost due to his
impatience.
Choose the best answer.
1.When did Heinrich Schliemann first read about Troy?
A.During his childhood.
B. After he finished school.
C. While he was in college.
D.Before he left for Hissarlik.
2.Before starting to look for Troy,Schliemann worked as a(n)____.
A.historian
B. researcher
C.businessman
D.language teacher
3.According to the article, Schliemann thought he found Troy in___.
A. Spain
B.Greece
C. Turkey
D.Germany
4.Schliemann used dynamite while digging for Troy in order to___.
A.speed up the digging process
B.free his workers from hard work
C. reach the artifacts in deeper places
D.test the strength of the ancient walls
5. What did Schliemann and his team find at the excavation site?
①Artifacts.
②Weapons.
③A copy of The Iliad.
④Written records of the Trojan War
A.①②
B.③④
C.①②③
D.②③④
6.Some historians don't think highly of Schliemann because he___.
A.lied about finding Troy
B.destroyed many artifacts
C.never trained as a historian
D.didn't dig for Troy on his own
WEEK
12
97
TUESDAY
WEEK
12Why
Scientists Paid
Volunteers to Lie Flat
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：332
难度：3级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：地球与宇宙揭秘
Spending time in space sounds exciting. But it can be hard on
the human body. Without gravity, everything changes: Muscles
get weaker,bones lose strength, blood rushes to the head,and even
simple movements become difficult. That's why scientists need to
find ways to protect astronauts before they travel to the Moon or
Mars.
To study this,ten healthy men volunteered for a special experiment in France. They agreed to
spend ten days lying flat in a lab. For their time, each earned $5,500. The men had to be between
20 and 40 years old,and between 1.65 and 1.77 metres tall. They also had to have no allergies or
special diets.
The volunteers lay in bathtub-like containers filled with water. A waterproof cover(防水盖)kept
them dry. They floated in the water up to their chests,with only their heads and arms out of the
water. It looked like floating on invisible clouds. The waterbeds copied the weightlessness of space.
Even the simplest tasks became challenging. The men ate meals while lying flat, with trays floating
on boards. Going to the bathroom was also difficult. The volunteers had to remain flat while being
rolled away on a trolley!
These experiences are part of a method called dry immersion(干浸法).It's a cheaper and simpler
way to study how the body reacts to weightlessness. It causes blood to rush to the head, body fluids
(体液)to shift, and muscles and bones to weaken—just like in space.
After ten days, the men stayed five more days for medical tests. They returned ten days later for
a final check-up. Scientists carefully observed how their bodies adjusted to normal life again. The
results will help astronauts survive long space missions and may also help people on Earth. This
research could improve care for bedridden patients(卧床患者),the elderly, and those with mobility
problems(活动困难).
"Bridging space research and Earth medicine is very important," said Marc-Antoine Custaud,
who led the study. “Our findings may help both astronauts and people on Earth.”
98
TUESDAY | Why Scientists Paid Volunteers to Lie Flat
Choose the best answer.
1.What is the main challenge astronauts face in space,according to the first paragraph?
A.Feeling tired after long space missions.
B.Losing muscle strength and bone health.
C.Learning to survive without Earth's resources.
D.Adjusting to changes in the body without gravity.
2.In Paragraph 3, the author uses “invisible clouds”to show that___.
A. the volunteers struggled to float in the water
B.the volunteers felt like they were floating in the sky
C.the water made the volunteers feel light and weightless
D.the volunteers felt very comfortable during the experiment
3. What can we learn about the volunteers'experience?
A.The volunteers easily completed their daily tasks.
B.The volunteers enjoyed fun activities during the experiment.
C.The volunteers enjoyed floating in the water during the experiment.
D.The volunteers found simple tasks difficult because of their position.
4.Which of the following best describes the dry immersion experiment?
A.A method to improve astronauts'fitness by exercising.
B.A technique to train astronauts for long space missions.
C.Amethod to study how the body reacts without oxygen.
D.A way to copy weightlessness on Earth by lying in water.
5.Why does the author mention bedridden patients and the elderly in Paragraph 5?
A.To suggest the experiment could help astronauts only.
B.To compare astronauts'experiences with elderly care.
C.To show how the experiment may improve care for people on Earth.
D.To explain the importance of space travel to Earth's medical system.
6.What is the main idea of the article?
A. Space travel is exciting but challenging for astronauts.
B. Scientists are studying how space affects the human body.
C.The human body adapts easily to space travel without health risks.
D.Astronauts have to deal with physical problems during long space missions.
WEEK
12
99
WEDNESDAY
H4
孔How “Silent”Are
Our Springs?
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：298
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
Silent Spring is one of the most influential science books of
the 20th century. In it, American author Rachel Carson focused on
the harmful effects of pesticides(杀虫剂)that don't break down
easily. Carson painted a picture of a spring without birdsong. She
asked readers to imagine what it would be like to wake up on a
morning without these cheerful 1 .Through her simple and poetic(富有诗意的)writing, she
made people 2 the loss deeply.
Silent Spring 3 a worldwide movement to protect the Earth. In many places, harmful
pesticides like DDT have been banned(明令禁止). Some even say Carson 4 the course of
history. But how much 5 have we really made? More than sixty years after the book's
publication, are our springs full of birdsong, or are they silent?
A 2019 U.S. study suggests that we still have a long way to go.With 6 exceptions, the
results aren't encouraging. About 29 percent of North American birds—around three billion
individuals—have disappeared since 1970.Almost every species(物种)saw a big 7 .Grasslands
were hit hardest, losing more than half of their 8.
Yet birds are not 9 . Human activities have caused trouble for countless other animals.
Overall, scientists believe that more than a million species are 10.
1.A.messages
B. sights
C.smells
D.sounds
2.A.cover
B.cut
C.feel
D. suffer
3.A.set down
B. set off
C. set out
D.set up
4.A.changed
B.completed
C.destroyed
D.shortened
5.A.money
B.progress
C. sense
D.trouble
6.A.a few
B. three
C.two
D.many
7.A.change
B.drop
C.rise
D. sign
8.A.animals
B.birds
C. people
D.trees
9.A.alone
B.free
C. necessary
D. sure
10.A.at risk
B.in season
C.in power
D.out of control
100
WEDNESDAY | How “Silent”Are Our Springs?
Still, the 2019 study offers some 11 .U.S. wetlands, 12 ,are carefully protected by law.
There, the number of birds has grown by 13 percent. Raptors, like bald eagles, are another success
story. Bald eagles were 13 when Carson wrote Silent Spring. Today, thanks largely to the DDT
ban, their numbers have risen by about 15 million. These exceptions show that our efforts to save the
Earth are not completely 14.
It won't be easy,but we must continue 15 —for a spring that is alive and full of birdsong.
11.A.doubt
B.hope
C.promise
D.warning
12.A.for example
B.in conclusion
C.in fact
D.in other words
13.A.familiar
B. rare
C. safe
D.wild
14.A.creative
B. serious
C.unsuccessful
D.useful
15.A.celebrating
B.fighting
C.searching
D.writing
WEEK
12
101
THURSDAY
WEEK
12 Come and Pet
the Capybaras
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：274
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
Do you love capybaras? Many do. These web-footed mammals
(哺乳动物)are the “it” animal of the moment. They have millions
of fans worldwide. Now, capybara lovers in St. Augustine, Florida,
have a great place to visit. At the Capybara Café, they can feed and
pet these animals, and might even have one climb into their lap.
Since its opening in October 2024, the café has welcomed hundreds of animal lovers.Leah Macri
is a regular visitor. "Their fur kind of feels like straw(稻草),"she said."When they get comfortable
enough, they'll fall over.”
There is a daily limit to the number of visitors. Entries must be booked several months ahead.
After entering the café, visitors are taken into a smaller room in groups of six. They are given
blankets to place over their lap. Then, three capybaras are brought into the room for the humans to
interact with. The 30-minute experience costs $49 per person.Although it's called a cafe, the place
doesn't sell coffee. It only sells capybara-themed T-shirts, cups,and stuffed animals. The income
supports a local animal shelter(动物收容所).
Following owls,foxes,and sloths,capybaras are the latest animals to receive star treatment. Over the
past few years, capybara-themed slippers, purses, and notebooks have filled gift shops. Some zoos and
wildlife parks now let visitors pet these semi-aquatic(半水栖的)animals. But Macri said that none of
them allows for the same close connection with the animals as the Capybara Café does.
102
THURSDAY | Come and Pet the Capybaras
Stephanie Angel, the cafe's owner,plans to open another capybara café. The new place will also
be in Florida. But considering the animals'popularity,perhaps many other cities will see similar
"cafés" soon.
Answer the questions.
1.According to the article, what does the phrase“it' animal” in the first paragraph mean?
2. What can visitors buy at the cafe?
3. Why does Leah Macri speak highly of the Capybara Café?
4. Have you ever wished a capybara café would pop up in your neighbourhood? Give your
reason(s).
WEEK
12
103
WEEK
FRIDAY
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：282
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：地球与宇宙探秘
12 Planetsand Their
Names
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
The five planets closest to Earth can
sometimes be seen with the naked eye.In fact,
humans have been staring up at Mercury(水星),
Venus(金星),Mars,Jupiter(木星),and Saturn
(土星)for thousands of years.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar
system. Therefore, the Romans gave it the
name of the king of their gods. They then
named its neighbouring ringed planet Saturn
after Jupiter's father.
The ancient Romans paid close attention
to Earth's neighbours. They noticed that each
planet had a different characteristic. They
even mapped the planets'movements. That's
how the Romans gave the planets their names.
The Romans named the planets after the
gods from their mythology. Mercury, the
closest planet to the Sun, has the shortest
period of revolution. Since it appeared to
move faster than the others, the Romans named
it after the god of messengers.
The practice of naming celestial objects
after mythological stories caught on. When
William Herschel discovered Uranus(天王星)
in 1781,he wanted to name it after the English
king, George II. However, others decided to
call it Uranus. The name came from Ouranos,
the Greek god of the sky.
Decades later, Johann Galle discovered the
eighth planet.When they saw the planet's blue
tint, the astronomers named it Neptune(海王
星)after the Roman god of the sea.
Venus shines the brightest in the night
sky. That's why the Romans gave it the name
of their goddess of love and beauty. Mars was
named after the Roman god of war for its red
colour.
How about our Earth? You won't find any
Greek or Roman gods with that name. “Earth”
actually came from Old English and Germanic
(日耳曼语的)words, meaning“ground”. The
name is pretty fitting, right?
I.Choose the best answer.
1. The Romans named the planets after__.
A.the kings in Roman history
B.the gods from their mythology
C. the people who discovered them
D. the different colours of the planets
2.Jupiter was named after_____.
A.the king of Roman gods
B.the Greek god of the sky
C.the god who carries messages
D.the father of the king of Roman gods
104
FRIDAY | Planets and Their Names
3. Which of the following statements is true about the Earth’s name?
A.Earth got its name for its blue tint.
B. The name of Earth meant “ground”in Old English.
C.The author thought the name “Earth"wasn't suitable for the planet.
D. Earth was named after a god who appeared in both Greek and Roman mythology.
4. The article introduces the names of___planets in total.
A.five
B. six
C.seven
D. eight
. Complete each sentence with one given item from the box. Each item can be used
only once.
1. They decide to_
their son John.
2.I tried the dress on,but it didn't____.
3. The red light_____that you must stop.
4. We have______not to go to the cinema.
5.Our new house is___to the school; it's only ten minutes'walk.
6.We_____this beach by accident while we were walking around the island.
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.The five planets closest to Earth can sometimes be seen with the naked eye.(对画线部
分提问)
________the five planets closest to Earth sometimes be seen?
2. Humans have been staring up at Mercury,Venus, Mars, Jupiter,and Saturn for thousands
of years.(对画线部分提问)
________have humans been staring up at Mercury,Venus, Mars, Jupiter,
and Saturn?
3. Since it appeared to move faster than the others, the Romans named it after the god of
messengers.(对画线部分提问)
the Romans name it after the god of messengers?
4.Mars was named after the Roman god of war for its red colour.(对画线部分提问)
Mars named after the Roman god of war?
5. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.(保持句意基本不变)
Jupiter is
in the solar
system.
6.how, their,get,the,is, that,planets,names(连词成句)
A.close
B.decided
C.discovered
D.fit
E.name
F.means
WEEK
12
105
MONDAY
13 From Brussels
to Shanghai
HH
语篇类型：新闻报道
词数：278
难度：3级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：跨文化沟通与交流
WEEK
On August 30,2025,a special event took place under the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai.
Claude Brouir,a 63-year-old man from Belgium(比利时),arrived after riding more than 12,000
kilometres from Brussels(布鲁塞尔)on a solar tricycle(太阳能三轮车). People in Shanghai
welcomed him warmly with cheers and flowers.
Brouir began his trip on April 19.For over 120 days, he rode across mountains, rivers,and wide
fields in Europe and Asia. His journey was not only for fun; it was also a dream he had cherished
for a long time: to build a closer connection with China.
The idea started in November 2024. Brouir planned to come to Shanghai to visit his eldest son,
who had moved there. Brouir joined a cycling event and was touched by the kindness of local riders.
"That trip gave me the idea: Why not ride all the way from Brussels to Shanghai?" he said.
To follow his belief in green travel, Brouir used a special solar tricycle. It had two motors and
four solar panels(太阳能板). The bike also pulled a trailer(拖车)carrying his tent and daily
things. With the help of the panels, he could climb hills without fuel. Along the way, he saw many
beautiful places and often received help from strangers.
The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of China-E.U. relations, which makes his arrival
even more meaningful. Brouir said the busy streets and friendly people of Shanghai made him feel at
home. "Coming here is not the end,"he smiled. "It is a new beginning."At the ceremony,officials
praised his spirit. They said Shanghai would always welcome friends from Europe and serve as a
bridge of friendship connecting people.
106
MONDAY | From Brussels to Shanghai
Choose the best answer.
1. Shanghai held a special event on August 30,2025,under the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in
order to___.
A.welcome a special visitor from Brussels
B. raise public awareness about green travel
C.mark the start of China-E.U. friendship year
D.celebrate the 50th anniversary of China-E.U. relations
2.Brouir used a solar tricycle for his journey because____.
A.his sons suggested he do so
B.it could carry more luggage
C.he had always preferred green travel
D.he wanted to climb hills without using fuel
3. What did Brouir mean by saying “It is a new beginning?
A.He was going to find a job in China.
B.He wanted to be even closer to China.
C.He decided to return on his solar tricycle.
D. He planned to write a book about his journey.
WEEK
13
107
TUESDAY
WEEK
13 Curious
Minds Don't
Think Alike
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：318
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：自我认识，自我管理，
自我提升
Are you a curious person?
If you're often eager to learn more about something, then you
probably are. But as American researcher Perry Zurn points out,
not all curious minds are cut from the same cloth. There are at least
three styles of curiosity: “busybodies”, "hunters”, and “dancers."
"Busybodies" like to collect bits of information on all kinds
of topics. They're not chasing any certain goal. Rather,they're just interested in the world around
them. “Hunters”, by contrast,go after specific answers. They follow a clear path to reach their goals.
"Dancers"jump at new ideas or combine old ones in new ways. They prefer to take the road less
travelled.
Zurn and his team went on to see how these curiosity styles play out in real life. They focused
on readers of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Their research included 482,000 people from 50
countries. For each person, the team looked at how many different topics he or she read about and
how closely those topics were connected.For example, did someone look up Pierre Perifel and then
read about his new film, The Bad Guys 2?Or did he or she jump
from the film director to Pu'er tea(普洱茶)?
—More busybodylike | More hunterike —→
The results showed that all three types of curious minds exist
among today's internet users. “Busybodies” read widely, but
they especially liked sports, food, and the arts. "Hunters" cared
more about science and technology. Interestingly,they were more
likely to feel stressed after their curious hunt than the other two
types. That's probably because they had a stronger drive to fill in
the blanks in their knowledge.
Zurn says we are each born with a natural curiosity style.
However,our style isn't set in stone. We can develop the other
two styles by spending time with teachers or friends who think
dfferently. That's good news. After all, curiosity works best
when all three styles exist in one mind.
0.0
0.5
10
Percentage of users from each curiosity group
0%
25%
50%
75% 100%
Visual arts(视觉艺术)
Literature(文学)
Sports
Medicine and health
Physics
Chemistry
Part of the research results
108
TUESDAY | Curious Minds Don't Think Alike
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,_____like to be creative.
A. “busybodies”B. “hunters”
C. “dancers”
D.all three types
2.In their research, Perry Zurn and his team studied____.
A.internet users
B.curious people
C.Wikipedia users
D.Wikipedia editors
3.Zurn and his team studied these people by looking at___.
①how many articles they read every week
②how many different topics they read about
③how closely linked the topics they read about were
④how much time they spent doing curious searches every day
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
4. Those who looked up Pierre Perifel and then read about his film,The Bad Guys 2,are
more likely to be____.
A. “busybodies”
B. “hunters”
C. “dancers”
D.either “hunters”or “dancers”
5.Among the six topics in the chart beside the article, which one is most popular with
"hunters"?
A. Sports.
B.Literature.
C. Chemistry.
D.Medicine and health.
6.Why did the author write this article?
A.To teach readers how to become more curious.
B.To report on a piece of research about curiosity.
C.To help readers find out about their curiosity style.
D. To show the differences between “busybodies” and “hunters”.
WEEK
13
109
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
13What's on a
Collector's Mind?
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：274
难度：3级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：丰富、充实的生活
Coins, stones,seashells, toys,and stamps are among the many
collectible items. You name it; someone collects it.
What 1 people to collect things? One important reason is
that it's fun. No matter what else is going on in your life, if you're a
collector,you can set yourself clear goals.You can enjoy the“ 2 ”
for the next item on your wish list. After that, just enjoy adding new
items to your collection.You can also find 3 in showing it to others.
In fact, the social side of collecting is also an important part of its charm. Collectors often
form communities, share knowledge, or 4 with each other. This gives them a strong sense of
belonging. The internet has made it easier for these kinds of communities to develop.
Other collectors collect things because of nostalgia.For example, some people collect items
from 5 because they want to preserve aspects of bygone eras. Think of the person collecting
Ming Dynasty vases.
Some items might hold 6 memories. For example, some people were crazy about certain
things when they were little. They might revisit their childhood passions in later life. For these
people, their 7 acts as a safety net from the adult world. It allows them to momentarily escape
the burdens of their present lives and reconnect with their_8 selves.
Some psychologists(心理学家)argue that there are even deeper reasons behind collecting.
They say that the 9 of collecting can stem from a lack of loving human relationships. The
collection can 10 missing connections. For some people,collecting things can also be a way to
deal with existential anxieties(存在焦虑).
1.A.drives
B.forces
C.teaches
D. warns
2.A.hunt
B.race
C.task
D.walk
3.A.courage
B.joy
C. pride
D.success
4.A.compete
B. create
C.display
D.work
5.A.abroad
B.history
C.the future
D.the past
6.A.clear
B.personal
C.pleasant
D. similar
7.A.behaviour
B.collection
C.dream
D.job
8.A.older
B.richer
C. smarter
D.younger
9.A.cost
B.habit
C.skill
D.value
10.A.come up with B.look forward to
C. make up for
D.make use of
110
THURSDAY
WEEK
Thirty-
Six Metres
Under the Ground
13
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：318
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
It was Chinese New Year's Day in 2019.Hundreds of millions
of people were celebrating the holiday at home. But that morning,
a team of engineers was racing to the centre of Shanghai. The wall
that separates a new tunnel of the Yuyuan Garden metro station
from the Renmin Road Tunnel had burst.
One of these engineers was Chen Biao, project manager for the Line 14 station. He joined the
Shanghai Metro's engineering team in 1991.1
Chen remembers the new Yuyuan Garden station as one of his most challenging projects.
Construction of the station had begun three years earlier,in 2016.2 He helped the government
with land acquisition(土地征收).He reviewed all the engineering plans. But most importantly, he
was responsible for the project's safety. 3
In fact, they had faced challenges in the project from the very beginning. These challenges were
unknown to the public. One challenge was the station's depth. The new tunnel had to cross several
underground structures. Chen and his team had to build the station at a record depth of 36 metres.
4 And halfway through the process, the workers noticed gas escaping from the open space. It
was a mixture of several toxic(有毒的)and flammable(易燃的)gases, and it took a week to
pump it all out. "It was easy to get depressed when you were that deep,"said Chen. "There would
have been no way to escape if there had been a fire.”
Fortunately,all the hard work paid off. 5_Today, the Yuyuan Garden station serves more than
110,000 passengers every day.That's even more than New York City's busiest metro station, Times Square!
Fill in each blank in the article with a proper sentence given below.Each sentence can
be used only once.Note that there are two more sentences than you will need.
A.Digging that deep was not easy.
B. Since then, he has helped build several metro lines.
C.Construction of the station was successfully completed in 2020.
D.As manager, Chen was in charge of the project from start to finish.
E.Engineers in Shanghai are among the most experienced in the country.
F.He and his team's quick response on that New Year's Day prevented a disaster.
G.I links the old heart of the city to its business centre, across the famous Huangpu River.
111
WEEK
FRIDAY
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：317
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：历史的发展
13TheFirst English
Dictionary
①本篇配视频讲解课程
What will you do if you come across
an English word or phrase you don't know?
You'd probably look it up in the dictionary,
wouldn't you? This, however, was not the case
500 years ago.Although English has a history
of over 2,500 years, the first English dictionary
didn't appear until the 17th century.
dictionary would help more people learn to
read and write “properly”.
But Cawdrey's dictionary was not very
reliable. The first edition had only 120 pages.
There were only 2,543 words in it.As Cawdrey's
focus was on words “hard for the general public”,
many common words were not included.
During the 16th century, Europe saw rich
developments in science,medicine,and the
arts. People had to “invent”words to express
new ideas. Many new English words were
borrowed from foreign languages. There was
also a renewed interest in ancient languages.
Some new English words had roots in languages
like Latin(拉丁语)and Hebrew(古希伯来语).
The generalpublic,however, had difficulty
understanding these new words. At that time,
few girls attended school. Only wealthy
parents could afford professional teachers.
Robert Cawdrey,an English schoolteacher,
wanted to help.In 1604,he published A Table
Alphabeticall in London. Cawdrey hoped his
And for many words, the explanations
were inaccurate. Take “oats” as an example.
The definition read,"Something that is
generally given to horses in England, but in
Scotland supports the people."For some words,
Cawdrey used only one word to explain each
of them. This made A Table Alphabeticall more
like a book of synonyms than a real dictionary.
While readers could check the spelling of some
words using the book, they had no way of
finding out what these words actually meant.
Although Cawdrey's dictionary had many
problems,it was quite popular. As the saying goes,
_."In 1604,people finally
had something to help them read more easily!
I.Choose the best answer.
1.Robert Cawdrey published A Table Alphabeticall in order to___.
A.help more girls to be able to attend school
B.help his own students to read and write properly
C.help people to become interested in learning new things
D.help people to understand newly invented English words
112
FRIDAY | The First English Dictionary
2. The author mentioned the definition of the word “oats”in order to show that___.
A.Cawdrey's explanations for many words were inaccurate
B.the meanings of some words may differ in different places
C.it is difficult for one to complete a dictionary on his or her own
D.the meanings of many words have changed a lot over the past centuries
3.The author compared A Table Alphabeticallto a book of synonyms because____.
A.there were not many words in A Table Alphabeticall
B.most of the words in A Table Alphabeticall were short
C.Cawdrey left some words in A Table Alphabeticall unexplained
D. the explanations for some words in A Table Alphabeticall were made up of only one word
4.Which of the following sayings is the most suitable to fill in the blank in the last
paragraph?
A.Rome wasn't built in a day.
B. Half a loaf is better than no bread.
C. Where there's a will, there's a way. D.Don't put allyour eggs in one basket.
Ⅱ. Complete each sentence with the proper form of the given items from the box.Each
item can be used only once.
1. Words cannot_
how happy I am.
2. That song was very______among teenagers.
3. From birth to the age of five,a child's brain_________rapidly.
4. We hope to become more______in predicting earthquakes.
5.After I had finished the exam, I
______my answers for mistakes.
6.The television isn't working_
___,and it needs to be repaired as soon as possible.
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.孩子们直到半夜才睡觉。
The children
2.虽然这个产品有很多问题，但它还是很受欢迎。
, it was quite popular.
4.他希望这些课程帮助更多的人学会表达自己的想法。
He hoped these classes
check
development
express
inaccurate
popular
properly
3.如果我遇到一个不认识的英语单词，我会查词典。
, I will look it up in the dictionary.
WEEK
B
113
MONDAY
WEEK
14 Rubik's Cube Record Smashed
by College Students
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：313
难度：3级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程，人
类发明与创新
Students at Purdue University(普渡大学)have built a robot
that can solve a Rubik's Cube faster than anyone ever imagined.
They call it“Purdubik's Cube”. The robot solves a cube in just 0.103
seconds. That's faster than the time it takes to blink your eyes!
The Rubik's Cube was invented in 1974 by Erno Rubik and
quickly became popular worldwide. At first, people just wanted to
solve the puzzle. But soon, a new group of enthusiasts emerged—“speedcubers”, who aim to solve
the cube as quickly as possible. The fastest human can solve a cube in about 3.05 seconds. Amazing,
right? But robots can do it even quicker. In 2020,MIT students built a robot that solved a cube in
0.380 seconds.This left a deep impression on Matthew Patrohay, who was in high school at the time.
"I thought, 'That's a really cool project. I'd love to try and beat it someday," said Mr. Patrohay.
Now, Mr. Patrohay and three other Purdue students have built a robot that beat that record.
Their robot uses cameras and computer vision to detect the colours of each square. Special computer
programs tell the robot how to move,and its arms turn the cube at incredible speed. The students
even made a stronger cube so it wouldn't fall apart.Bluetooth technology lets users scramble the
cube remotely. Once scrambled, the robot solves it almost instantly. Its movements are so fast that
"before you even realise it's moving, we've solved it," says Mr. Patrohay.
Last year, the students won
a school design contest with
Purdubik's Cube. After that,
they kept improving it, and their
efforts paid off. Now, it proudly
holds the Guinness World Record
for the fastest robot to solve a
Rubik's Cube. One of the students'
professors says he's not surprised.
"Take brilliant students, give them
the tools and opportunities, and
they'll blow your mind,"he said.
114
MONDAY | Rubik's Cube Record Smashed by College Students
Choose the best answer.
1.What is Purdubik's Cube?
A.A cube that can be solved faster than a blink.
B.A robot built by Purdue students to solve cubes.
C.A Rubik's Cube made for Purdue students to solve.
D.A program created by MIT students to solve puzzles.
2. Why does the author mention MIT's robot from 2020?
A. To explain how to use Bluetooth in cube-solving.
B.To show that previous robots inspired new designs.
C.To describe a robot that is slower than speedcubers.
D.To highlight Matthew Patrohay's personal achievements.
3. How does Purdue's robot solve a cube?
A.It follows step-by-step instructions given by MIT students.
B. It guesses the correct sequence without any program guidance.
C.It uses cameras and programs to detect colours and move the cube.
D. It studies how famous speedcubers move the cube to find solutions.
4.Why does the writer include the professor's words at the end?
A.To show why robots are quicker than humans.
B.To highlight the importance of supporting students.
C.To compare students with professional speedcubers.
D.To explain technical details of the robot to the readers.
5.The author wrote this article to___.
A.celebrate students'creativity and record-breaking effort
B.explain how Guinness World Records are kept and beaten
C.introduce the history of the Rubik’s Cube and speedcubing
D.compare different robots built in top universities in the USA
WEEK
14
115
TUESDAY
WEEK
14 Meet Shanghai's
French City Explorer
HH
语篇类型：专题报道
词数：294
难度：5级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：跨文化沟通与交流，
语言与文化
When 29-year-old Clarisse Le Guernic first arrived in Shanghai,
she didn't just fall in love with its skyline. She fell for the stories
hidden behind it. Today, this young French woman has become one
of Shanghai's most creative “city walk”designers, helping people
explore the city in new ways.
Le Guernic, who uses the Chinese name Le Gaixi, studied
Chinese in France and later earned a master's degree in tourism in Ningbo. She began designing
walking tours for locals in Shanghai in 2022. She conducted extensive research and tested every
route herself to ensure the tours were engaging(有趣的).
One of her most popular tours is based on the comic The Adventures of Tintin:The Blue Lotus
(《丁丁历险记：蓝莲花》). The story is set in 1930s Shanghai.Le Guernic discovered many real
locations from the book,such as an Indian-staffed police station. “About 80 per cent of the comic is
based on real events,"she said.“You can still find traces of them in today's Shanghai."
At first, some locals were hesitant to join a tour
led by a foreigner. But after hearing her speak fluent
Chinese and tell interesting stories, they quickly
changed their minds.“She knows my childhood city
walk routes even better than I do,"said one local
with a smile.
Le Guernic has loved the Chinese language and
culture since she was 12. She first came to China
in 2012 and studied at Fudan University as an
exchange student(交换生)from 2015 to 2016.
After graduating in 2019, she decided to make
Shanghai her home.
Le Guernic smiles and says, "I was born in
France but made in China."With each tour, she
proves that love for a city has no borders. All it
takes is a pair of open eyes and an open heart.
116
TUESDAY | Meet Shanghai's French City Explorer
Choose the best answer.
1.This article mainly introduces Clarisse Le Guernic as a(n)___.
A.comic book lover
B.city walk designer
C.international traveler
D.exchange student from France
2.According to the article, before publishing a new walking trip, Le Guernic would___.
①try it herself
②do careful research
③invite locals to test it
④read comic books for new ideas
A.①②
B.③④
C.①③
D.②④
3.The underlined word "hesitant" in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to“___".
A.proud
B.angry
C.unsure
D.confident
4.Le Guernic finally won the trust of the locals with her____.
①lovely smiles
②lively stories
③language skills
④long history of living in Shanghai
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
5.According to the article, Le Guernic stayed in China from 2015 to 2016 mainly to___.
A.study as an exchange student
B.take part in a tourism project
C.try designing her first city walk
D.travel and experience Chinese culture
6. What does Le Guernic mean by saying “I was born in France but made in China”?
A.China has largely shaped her character.
B. She is both French and Chinese by birth.
C.She has changed her citizenship to Chinese.
D.Now she hardly remembers her motherland.
WEEK
117
14
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
14Keeping
the Wonder of
Fireflies Alive
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：323
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
As a younger man, Joe Cicero saw thousands and thousands of
fireflies every summer in southern Arizona.
The sight was so magical that Cicero was inspired to become
an insect expert and, ever since,the 1 of the lightning bugs has
become his life's work.
Four decades later, Cicero still goes back to those woodlands.
Today,though, they're mostly dark.The fireflies have been 2 ,Cicero said."Down to just a few
compared to the big population they had back then."
Nearly one in three firefly species in the United States and Canada may die out in the future,scientists
say. Studies also show a 3 in their numbers from forests in Malaysia to grasslands in England.
The biggest problem facing fireflies today is habitat 4 .To understand the threat, start
underground. Fireflies spend most of their lives in their larval(幼虫的)state. But much of the wet
soil that young fireflies need to 5_is being destroyed. Instead, the land is used to build houses,
golf courses(球场),and other types of_6.
In Maryland, for instance, the Bethany Beach firefly's sandy habitat is being squeezed to build
beach homes. Rising sea levels have made matters worse.Now they have 7 else to go.
When the time is right in the spring, a young firefly transforms into an adult. Adult fireflies
8 for only a few weeks. During this period, they have only one thing on their mind: finding
mates(配偶). Fireflies often flicker at each other as night falls. Others wait until midnight to turn
on the lights. However,the 9 we pour into the night makes it harder for them to see each other.
We may 10 the lights to help fireflies. They provide us with much more than just a beautiful
light show. Scientists have used the glowing chemicals in their lanterns to detect food contamination(检
测食品污染).They're even used to develop new medical drugs and test new ways for treating cancer.
1.A.hunt
B.protection
C.search
D.study
2.A.disappearing
B.dying
C.escaping
D.hiding
3.A.change
B.fall
C.rise
D.wave
4.A.beauty
B.loss
C.pollution
D. size
5.A.grow
B.hide
C.play
D.sleep
6.A.building
B.development
C.farming
D. tourism
7.A.anywhere
B.everywhere
C.nowhere
D. somewhere
8.A.live
B. rest
C.stay
D. work
9.A.air
B.food
C.light
D.water
10.A.turn down
B. turn off
C.turn on
D.turn up
118
THURSDAY
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：276
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：家乡和社会的变迁
WEEK
TheYoung and
the Restless
14
What comes after Gen Z? Many names have been suggested for the world's youngest
generation, such as “iPad kids”and “Generation AI”. But one name has stood out and caught
on: Generation Alpha. "It stands for a new chapter,"says Mark McCrindle, the Australian researcher
behind the name. Nearly twenty years ago,he asked people for ideas.Many put forward “Gen A”.
But instead of going back to the start of the English alphabet,he looked at the Greek one.
In recent years, many surveys have been published about Gen Alpha. They say these kids are
interested in video games and sports and care little about recycling and the news.
Such findings catch the eye.But social scientists agree that it's too soon to say what makes this
generation unique. After all, the youngest of its members are just learning to walk. Predicting how
Gen Alpha will turn out as adults has "no more value than astrology(占星术),"says Bobby Duffy,
a British professor. Some surveys about Alpha kids are filled out by their parents. Many conclusions
and judgments made now willturn out to be wrong later.
There is also disagreement about who belongs to Gen Alpha and who doesn't. McCrindle thinks
the group should include those born between 2010 and 2024.But others say Gen Z only stopped
being born in 2012.Because there's no official definition for generations,one person's Z is another's
Alpha. But no one can deny that Alphas are in their developmental years. People's attitudes and
values will change as they grow up. Duffy believes we won't start seeing real differences between
Alphas and the others for at least five years.
Answer the questions.
1.According to the article, why is it too early to say what makes Gen Alpha unique?
2.According to Bobby Duffy, when can we see what makes Gen Alpha unique?
3.Who are “the restless”in the title? Why does the author use the word “restless”?
4.Are you a member of Gen Alpha? How would you describe your generation?
119
WEEK
FRIDAY
14TheMan Behind Godzilla
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
H
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：278
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：优秀的艺术家
Godzilla,
the destructive
monster, has
been stomping
(重步走)across
effects opened up a new world of possibilities
for Tsuburaya. He carefully studied the movie
again and again.
the big screen for years. Though many recent
Godzilla movies were made in the U.S.,we
have a Japanese director to thank for this
amazing creature. He was Eiji Tsuburaya.
Later, inspired by real-life events,Tsuburaya
and movie producer Tomoyuki Tanaka
wanted to make a movie about a radiation-
affected(辐射影响的)monster. After much
discussion, that monster became Godzilla.
Tsuburaya was born in Tokyo in 1901.
He grew up in a family of grocery distributors
(经销商). From a young age, the boy had been
known for his talent for making model
airplanes. Local newspapers called him a“child
craftsman”.
Tsuburaya wanted to create something truly
different—and truly amazing. He built a mini
"Tokyo" and put actors in Godzilla costumes to
destroy it. Shooting the movie was tiring. One
actor, Haruo Nakajima, lost 10kg in the process.
But Godzilla was a hit. Almost everybody in
Japan was talking excitedly about it.
At that time, the movie industry had just
begun. Tsuburaya was quite interested in it. In
1919, He broke into the industry and served as
a cameraman. His fame grew slowly as he kept
inventing moviemaking tools using his quick brain.
In 1933,the American monster movie King
Kong hit Japanese theatres. The movie's special
Tsuburaya didn't stop there. He went on to
improve his special effects and created many
more works. Though Tsuburaya died in 1970,
his creations have remained popular to this
day. Godzilla is still the first name that pops
up in our minds when we talk about on-screen
monsters today.
I.Choose the best answer.
1.When Eiji Tsuburaya was a boy,he was___.
A.bright
B.naughty
C.unhappy
D.hardworking
120
FRIDAY | The Man Behind Godzilla
2.As a cameraman, Tsuburaya became increasingly famous for____.
A.directing monster movies
B.creating moviemaking tools
C.improving his model airplanes
D.making movies about airplanes
3.By mentioning the fact that actor Haruo Nakajima “lost 10kg in the process,” the
author mainly wanted to show that____.
A.only thin actors could play the role of Godzilla
B.shooting the Godzilla movie cost a lot of money
C.the process of shooting the Godzilla movie was tiring
D.Godzilla became a hit as soon as the film was released in theatres
4.According to the article, after Godzilla became a hit, Tsuburaya___.
A.stopped working
B.continued to improve his skills
C.started to work with American moviemakers
D.shared the stories of his success with other Japanese moviemakers
. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.His views
_greatly from those of his parents. (different)
2. The world changed rapidly after the_____of the phone. (invent)
3.Plant_______is most noticeable in spring and early summer.(grow)
4.Billy's work at school has shown signs of_____this year. (improve)
5. The later chapters______the environmental effects. (discussion)
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.你对那些感兴趣的事情干劲十足。
You have drive and energy for those things
_______·
2.该公司在打入新市场时遇到了困难。
The company is having difficulty
____·
3.你做完这道练习以后，接着再做其他练习。
after you have finished this one.
4.孩提时我们亲密无间，但随着年龄的增长我们日渐疏远了。
We were very close in childhood, but______,we gradually became dis-
tant.
5.她是那种四处露脸的影星，在电视上、杂志上、百老汇，到处可见她的身影。
She's one of those movie stars
_________, on TV, in magazines, on
Broadway.
WEEK
121
14
MONDAY
WEEK
15 Pictures
That
Speak
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：270
难度：4级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：良好的人际关系与人
际交往
"Nobody is going to read a 33-part story on social media,"
Brandon Stanton thought at first. But Stephanie Johnson's story,a
76-year-old New Yorker,was very compelling. Some even thought
her life should be made into a TV series.
Johnson's story is just one of thousands that Stanton, a street
photographer, has shared on his blog and social media accounts.
Stanton spent his first two years after college working in finance.In his free time, he took photos
to relax. When he lost his job, Stanton thought of turning his hobby into a career. He packed his bags
and moved to New York City. He planned to photograph 10,000 random people on the street and
place those photos on a map of the city. But over time, the project became less about the map and
more about the people. Visitors to his blog were more interested in the conversations Stanton was
having with his subjects.
"I realised that my talent wasn't just in photography," Stanton said. "I had stopped 5,000
strangers. I could make them feel comfortable enough to open up before taking their picture."
Stanton went from spending two minutes with a subject to having hour-long conversations.
Sometimes,his subjects told him things they had never told anyone else. They can choose to remain
anonymous(匿名的),but many choose to share their faces and their stories—with the world.
Over the past ten years,
Stanton has gained more
than 20 million followers.
He has also published four
books. Some of them have
been bestsellers. But the
photographer isn't slowing
down. He wants to meet
more people and discover
more untold stories.
122
MONDAY | Pictures That Speak
Choose the best answer.
1.What did Brandon Stanton first think about posting Stephanie Johnson's story online?
A.It might make him rich overnight.
B.Few people would take an interest in it.
C.It would quickly attract a lot of readers.
D.It was not long enough to be made into a TV series.
2.Before becoming a street photographer, Stanton was a____.
A.storyteller
B.finance worker
C.TV series writer
D. social media blogger
3.Stanton found that people visiting his blog were more interested in___.
A.the beautiful views in his pictures
B.the number of photos he had taken
C.the cameras he had used to take the photos
D.the talks he had had with the people in the photos
4. What special abilities does Stanton think he has?
①Taking beautiful pictures.
②Writing interesting life stories.
③ Creating maps of different cities.
④Making strangers open their hearts.
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
5. What change has Stanton made as he continues to work on his project?
A.Now he only stops old people.
B.Now he only takes pictures of people he knows.
C.Now he spends more time talking to his subjects.
D.He has stopped putting the photos on the city map.
6.According to the article, Stanton now plans to___.
A.talk to strangers in other countries
B.move on with his photography project
C.write four more books about his subjects
D.invite other photographers to join his project
WEEK
123
15
WEEK
TUESDAY
15Interesting
Cycles All
Around Us
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：283
难度：5级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：地球探秘
How do you know when summer is near? Is it the sweet smell
of gardenias(栀子花)? Or maybe the buzzing of cicadas(蝉)?
Did you know there's a science to understanding the timing of
these seasonal events and their changes? It's called phenology.
Phenology is a key part of life on Earth. Many birds time their
nesting. They make sure that their eggs hatch(孵化)when insects are plentiful so that they can feed
their babies. Many farmers and gardeners use phenology, often without even realising it. For
example,they plant carrots and cabbage when the first lilac(丁香花)leaves appear.
Phenology affects many aspects of nature,including the water and carbon cycles. These cycles
play a key role in regulating the Earth's climate. But due to climate change,many phenological
events are now changing. Spring events are occurring earlier than in the past,and fall events are
happening later. This is true all over the world.
Scientists aren't sure what these changes mean
for biological(生物学的)systems. Many problems
could arise. One of them is called phenological
mismatch. This happens when animals and plants
respond differently to climate change. Species
that depend on each other can suffer terribly. For
example, if a plant flowers before the pollinators(授
粉生物)arrive, both the plant and the pollinators
might struggle to survive.
If you're interested in these cycles of cause
and effect, you can take a closer look at some
phenological events. Record the weather daily, and
note the dates when different plants bud(发芽)and
flower. After several years, you'll notice that these
events don't occur on the same date every year. At
the very least, you'll get a better understanding of
how climate change is affecting the world around us.
124
TUESDAY | Interesting Cycles All Around Us
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,many birds make sure that their eggs hatch when___.
A.cicadas begin to buzz
B.gardenias begin to flower
C. they can find lots of insects
D.farmers begin to plant carrots
2. How does climate change affect phenological events?
A.Both spring and fall events now happen later.
B.Both spring and fall events now happen earlier.
C.Spring events now happen later, while fall events happen earlier.
D. Spring events now happen earlier, while fall events happen later.
3.According to the article, what does "phenological mismatch"refer to?
A.Pollinators losing interest in flowers.
B. Farmers planting their crops at the wrong time.
C.Animals and plants failing to adapt to climate change.
D.Animals and plants responding to climate change differently.
4.According to the article, by taking note of the “interesting cycles all around us”, we can
—_
A.slow down climate change
B.control water and carbon cycles
C.understand the effects of climate change
D.predict how the climate will change in the future
5.By writing this article, the author mainly wanted to__.
A.help people learn more about phenology
B.encourage young people to study phenology
C.show how human activities are destroying natural cycles
D.explain how phenological changes affect biological systems
WEEK
15
125
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
15 Take Me Home, My Bug
Buddy
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：305
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：科学技术与工程
Maybe you've seen this in a sci-fi film: several, or even
hundreds, of bug-sized drones working together. For years,
scientists have tried to turn this scene into a reality.
However, there's a problem. These machines are too1 to
have enough processing power. The same 2 also prevents other
larger robots from navigating independently. Researchers from
the Delft University of Technology(TU Delft) in the Netherlands believe they may have found a
solution. It's inspired by the ant.
Ants, and insects in general, are capable of embarking on long journeys to look for food. It
seems that they always 3 how to get back home. Desert ants in the Sahara, for example, can
travel more than two kilometres away from their nests without 4 .
How do they achieve this? Researchers think ants may find their way home by using a “snapshot
model”(快照模式). That is to say, they "take
photos” of the 5 around them with their
brain. Later, when they are travelling, the insects
try to match things around them with the 6
in their mind. It's a very effective way of finding
directions.
TU Delft researchers wanted to see whether they
could 7 those insect-world observations for
a 56-gram flying drone. The drone was equipped
with a tiny camera and a cheap processor. The
researchers then created an indoor obstacle
course. They also offered several snapshots for
the drone to reference.
The drone moved from point to point along
the course 8 the snapshots. After that, it
returned to its home base. In the end, the drone
9 travelled 100 metres around the course.
And it used just 0.65 kilobytes(千字节)of
memory.
The snapshot experiments could one day
help small drones find their way home on their
own. They may 10 need heavy, complex
sensors or GPS.
1.A.light
B. slow
C. small
D.weak
2.A. machine
B.problem
C. scientist
D. robot
3.A.forget
B.know
C. learn
D.wonder
4.A.getting lost
B.getting tired
C.giving up
D.stopping by
5.A.environment
B. food
C.nests
D.friends
6.A. memories
B. pictures
C.sounds
D.words
7.A. make use of
B.get rid of
C.make fun of
D.take charge of
8.A.in front of
B.in need of
C.on top of
D.with the help of
9.A.carefully
B.easily
C.successfully
D.quickly
10.A.at last
B.in fact
C.at least
D.no longer
126
THURSDAY
WEEK
Rats Say Cheese—And
So Do We
15
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：281
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
Fillin each blank with a proper word or the proper form of the
word in brackets.
Augustin Lignier is a professional photographer in Paris. While
he was in graduate school(研究生院),one question kept bugging
him:Why do so many people like to photograph their lives and
share(1)_______online?Lignier wasn't the first(2)_______(ask) this question, but it led him to
an unexpected place. Before long, he found himself(3)______(build) a photo booth(自助快照亭)
for two rats.
Lignier got the idea from the famous psychologist B.F.Skinner and his Skinner box.
The device gave the lab rats inside food whenever they pressed a button. Over time, the rats
(4)______ _(become) button-pressing pros. They pressed the button over and over again for their
next treat.
Lignier created his own“Skinner box”. It was a tall, transparent(透明的)tower(5)_____
a simple button. Inside, he placed two pet-store rats. Each time a rat pressed the button, it got a bit of
sugar,and a camera outside the tower took its photo. The pictures were immediately displayed to the
rats,(6)____Lignier thinks they couldn't understand them.
The rats quickly became excited about pressing the button. But(7)________a period of
training, Lignier changed the rules. Although the rats were still photographed whenever they pressed
the button, the sweet treats came only occasionally. (8)__ ___(surprise), the rats didn't seem to
mind. They continued to enjoy pressing the button. Sometimes they even turned a blind eye to the
sugar when it arrived.
This finding brought Lignier back to his question. In many ways, social media is just (9)_____
a Skinner box for the modern human. The rewards—likes or new followers—are unpredictable, yet
they keep us taking and posting new pictures. It seems we have(10)________(much) in common
with rats than we'd like to admit!
127
FRIDAY
WEEK
15 Passenger
Pickup
at TPA
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：应用文
词数：257
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：公共出行
BEFORE
YOU GO
Before
leaving for
the airport to
pick up your passengers,make sure you know
the following information: the airline, flight
number,terminal, arrival time, and the agreed
meeting place.
GETTING TO TPA
Tampa International Airport(TPA)
is easy to find. It is just five miles west of
downtown Tampa.
TIPS: MyTBI.com has all the highway
updates and local roadwork information.
WHICH TERMINAL?
TPA has 110 aircraft gates at two terminal
buildings—Terminal 1(T1) and Terminal 3
(T3). Each terminal has its own parking lot,
ticketing/check-in area, and bagage claim(行
李提取处).The two terminals are not physically
connected. Therefore, you must know which
airline operates at which terminal building
before coming to the airport.
Airlines at T1:Allegiant, Delta, Spirit
Airlines at T3:Air Canada, Volaris,
WestJet, JetBlue,Alaska, Frontier
PARKING
You should not drive into the Arrivals area
until your passengers are waiting outside. No
vehicles may be left unattended. Unattended
vehicles willbe towed immediately. To avoid
circling the airport, consider parking and
waiting in the Cell Phone Waiting Park until
your passengers arrive and claim their baggage.
Have them call you when they are waiting
outside. The Cell Phone Waiting Park offers
free Wi-Fi, restrooms,and flight information.
You might also want to consider using
the Short-Term Parking Lot. There, you can
explore our shops and restaurants before
meeting your passengers.
Short-term parking fee:
Free for the first 60 minutes. $4 for 61-80
minutes;$2 for each additional 20 minutes.
TAMPA INTERNATIONALAIRPORT
P.O. Box 22873, Tampa, Florida 33622
U.S.A.
813-873-8700
128
FRIDAY | Passenger Pickup at TPA
I.Choose the best answer.
1.You should know allof the following information before picking up your passengers at
the airport EXCEPT_
A.what the weather is like in Tampa
B.where you will meet your passengers
C.when your passengers'flight will land
D.which airline operates at which terminal
2. Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
A.Each of the terminals has 55 aircraft gates.
B. Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 share a parking lot.
C.You cannot walk directly from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.
D.If you take Air Canada,you should go to Terminal 1.
3.According to the article, you should drive into the Arrivals area___.
A.after your passengers are waiting outside
B.before the flight of your passengers has landed
C.as long as your passengers have claimed their baggage
D.after your passengers have entered the CellPhone Waiting Park
4.Mr. Martin parked his car at TPA's short-term parking lot for two hours. He should pay
in all.
A.$4
B.$6
C.$8
D.$10
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1. It was dark by the time we_____at the station. (arrival)
2. She solved the maths problem by using the______method.(additional)
3. The high-speed internet_____allowed me to video chat with my friend. (connect)
4.The doctor performed the life-saving_____on the patient's heart.(operate)
Ⅲ. Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.在接机之前知道到达时间是很重要的。
before picking up your passengers.
2.为了避免误机，考虑提前一小时到达机场。
_,consider arriving at the airport an hour early.
3.在前往机场接机之前，请务必了解以下信息。
Before leaving for the airport to pick up your passengers,_________.
4.在你到达并领取行李之前，不应该打电话给司机。
You should not call the driver_______________
WEEK
15
129
MONDAY
WEEK
16 RediscoveringShanghai
H
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：296
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：社会的变迁
On a recent visit to Shanghai, I looked up through some old
trees in the heart of the city. I noticed that the sky was not grey but
clear and blue. At a busy intersection(十字路口)near the Wukang
Building, the scene was quiet. Electric cars sped by almost silently.
And along the lively Huaihai Road,tourists and locals walked along
sidewalks empty of trash.
After a lifetime of loving Shanghai, even though it was a bit polluted,noisy, and messy(肮脏
的),I found myself surprised. It was like I took off my rose-coloured glasses only to discover that
the city had actually turned pink.
But the changes aren't just in the sky and the streets. As the city continues to grow outward,it's
increasingly growing inward as well. In its centre, I found a few new pockets of character.
One of them is the area along Suzhou Creek. For many years, it was home to Shanghai's
industry. In the 1980s,most of those factories moved away, leaving behind broken warehouses(仓
库)and a polluted waterway. But after years of hard work, the area has completely changed. There
is now a beautiful 26-mile riverside path. It serves as a green link between old and new art and
cultural sites.
I spent a day biking west along the creek. Along the way, I stopped at Rockbund, a group of
historical buildings now filled with art museums, shops, and restaurants. I visited Fotografiska,a
home for exciting visual art(视觉艺术).I also passed the Shanghai Postal Museum and the historic
Sihang Warehouse. It was a long ride, but one I'll never forget.
My recent exploration of Shanghai gave me a whole new view of the city. I'm even more in love
with it now.In fact, I'm already planning my next visit!
130
MONDAY | Rediscovering Shanghai
Choose the best answer.
1.The article is mainly about___.
A.the area along Suzhou Creek
B.the author's love for Shanghai
C.some positive changes in Shanghai
D.the author's old ideas about Shanghai
2.By writing, "I took off my rose-coloured glasses only to discover that the city had actually
turned pink”in Paragraph 2, the author means that____.
A.he was not as interested in Shanghai as he used to be
B.he finally understood why Shanghai was so attractive
C.there were more pink roses in Shanghai than ever before
D.Shanghai was truly more beautiful than he had ever imagined
3. According to the article, what does the author mean by"it's increasingly growing
inward”?
A.Shanghai was becoming less and less open.
B.Many locals were moving to live in the city centre.
C.The central areas of Shanghai have seen lots of improvements.
D. Many locals were more interested in the city's history than before.
4.According to the author,in the 1980s,the area along Suzhou Creek was____.
A. polluted
B.quite noisy
C.quiet and beautiful
D.crowded with tourists
5.During his day along Suzhou Creek, the author___.
A.went shopping
B.took a boat trip
C.joined a guided tour
D.biked and visited art places
6.According to the article,after his recent visit to Shanghai, the author___.
A.prefers the city's old look
B.feels surprised at all the changes
C.plans to move to the city soon
D.expects to see more changes in the city
WEEK
16
131
TUESDAY
WEEK
16A “Tail”in Power
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：295
难度：4级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
Prime ministers come and go in the U.K., but Larry, the “Chief
Mouser” of 10 Downing Street, isn't going anywhere. The grey-
and-white tabby(虎斑猫)has lived there for over 15 years. He
walks around the heart of government as if he were the one in
charge.
Cats have been helping out in the English government since the 1500s. However,official records
of these cats only go back to 1929.Back then, the Treasury(财政部)agreed to pay a small amount
of money each day to care for a “skilled mouser.”Over time, this cat budget slowly grew.
Before Larry, Sybil served in the government office. She started her job in 2007 but left two
years later. After that, there wasn't an official mouser for a while. Rats were seen running around
Downing Street. News reports even showed them during TV broadcasts. People began to wonder if
a new cat was needed to solve the problem. Soon after, Larry was brought in. The prime minister at
the time,David Cameron,and his family chose him from an animal rescue centre.
Larry is not just responsible for catching rats. According to his official government page, his
duties also include “greeting guests, checking the security system, and testing old furniture for
sleeping quality”. As a top cat, he has grown very used to media attention. "The minute something
happens on the street, especially an official visit, he'll be out the front,"said a government worker.
“He loves the red carpet.”
Larry's popularity with the public is clear. He has various social media accounts run by his fans.
Larry also receives letters and toys from around the world.And last November, he appeared in the
documentary,David Baddiel: Cat Man. For his fans, this moment has been a long time coming.
132
TUESDAY | A“Tail”in Power
Choose the best answer.
1.This article mainly introduces___.
A.the nationwide love for tabbies in the U.K.
B.the history of government mousers in the U.K.
C.a long-serving mouser in the U.K.government
D.the regular replacement of U.K. prime ministers
2.According to the article, who chose Larry to work at Downing Street?
A.A long-serving government worker.
B.The staff at a local animal rescue centre.
C. Fans of official mousers from social media.
D.The prime minister at the time and his family.
3. The underlined phrase “the problem” refers to____.
A. rats being seen around Downing Street
B. Sybil leaving her job after only two years
C.prime ministers coming and going in the U.K.
D.TV broadcasts focusing on the rats on Downing Street
4.We can conclude from the article that_____.
A.there is an official government page for Larry
B.Larry is only popular with cat lovers in the U.K.
C.Larry is responsible for security at Downing Street
D.the documentary David Baddiel: Cat Man is all about Larry
WEEK
16
133
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
16 “Road Rage”
in a Paradise
语篇类型：说明文
词数：355
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
If traffic noise makes you feel angry, you aren't alone.
Researchers say the sound of traffic can leave birds in a rage,too.
The new study was published in the journal Animal Behaviour.
It found that male Galápagos yellow warblers(黄莺)living near
1 roads get very "bad-tempered"(易怒的)when they hear cars.
The Galápagos Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, known as a wildlife paradise.
Many of the islands'plant and animal species are not 2 anywhere else on Earth. The islands'
increasing fame has brought more 3 .In the 1960s, they had a population of just 2,000. Today,
about 32,000 people live there,and more than 200,000 tourists visit the islands every year.This 4
more cars on the roads.
How does all that 5 from traffic affect the islands'animals?A research team from Anglia
Ruskin University and the University of Vienna wanted to find out. They studied 38 male yellow
warblers. About half of them lived near roads. The other half is nested away from 6 .
Like many other birds, Galápagos yellow warblers are territorial. They will try to 7 their
areas by singing loudly to warn other males to stay away. Sometimes they will get into physical
fights.
The researchers used speakers to play two audio recordings(录音)on different days. One played
only the song of another male yellow warbler. The other played the same song 8 traffic sounds.
Then, the researchers recorded how the birds 9 the noises.
1.A.busy
B. narrow
C.quiet
D. wide
2.A.found
B.made
C.kept
D.seen
3.A.animals
B. humans
C.vehicles
D.visitors
4.A.welcomes
B. means
C.produces
D.shows
5.A.information
B.movement
C.noise
D.pollution
6.A. harm
B.traffic
C.trouble
D.water
7.A. build
B. clean
C.defend
D.visit
8.A.changed by
B.followed by
C. made from
D.mixed with
9.A.listened to
B. returned to
C.reacted to
D.replied to
134
WEDNESDAY |"Road Rage" in a Paradise
The birds living closer to roads behaved more aggressively. They got nearer to the speaker and
repeatedly flew by it. That move could mean the birds were 10 a fight,the researchers said.
The birds may have realised their own songs were 11 by traffic sounds. They were flying
closer to the source of the noise to make themselves 12 .Doing that puts them at greater 13
of being hit by passing cars.
The team calls for more 14 to the impact of noise on wildlife. Simple measures like using
noise-absorbing materials on roads or creating “quiet zones”during breeding seasons could 15 .
10.A.looking for
B.preparing for
C.paying for
D.waiting for
11.A.broken
B.copied
C.covered
D.hidden
12.A.heard
B.known
C.seen
D.understood
13.A.chance
B.condition
C. hand
D.risk
14.A.advice
B.attention
C.contribution
D.introduction
15.A.cost a lot of money
B.give a good example
C.make a big difference
D. take a long time
WEEK
16
135
THURSDAY
WEEK
16 You Can't Remember
Being a Baby
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：290
难度：5级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：自我认识
I was dancing around in a garden with neat flowerbeds on a hot
summer day, enjoying my grandmother's attention. I was around
two years old at the time. Even though it's fuzzy, I treasure it as
one of my earliest memories.
There's just one problem:I'm not sure if it's real. According to
my parents, I may have made up the details from an old family photo.
According to researchers, around four out of every ten of us have made up our first memory
Our brains are unable to store long-term memories before we reach the age of two. The new cells
that form in a young brain may prevent it from storing information for long periods.
But a surprising number of us have some memories from before that age. Scientists think it's
because we desire a complete narrative of our own existence. Sometimes, people invent stories to
give themselves a full picture.
Research has shown that it's possible to create false memories in people. Julia Shaw, a scientist
in London, has even led people to believe they have committed a crime. She asked the volunteers a
few suggestive questions. Seventy per cent of them ended up believing that they had committed a
crime. Some could even describe the police officers who caught them.
Carrying around false memories from our childhood can have a great influence on us. These
“memories” can help to shape
who we are as adults. In one
study,180 volunteers were
told that they had become ill
from eating egg sandwiches as
children. Many of them came
to believe that they really had
been sick. As a result, they
immediately began to avoid egg
sandwiches. Some continued to
do so even four months after the
experiment.
136
THURSDAY | You Can't Remember Being a Baby
Answer the questions.
1.What is the author's “problem”underlined in Paragraph 2?
2.According to researchers, how many people invent their first memory?
3.According to researchers, why are we unlikely to remember what we were like before the
age of two?
4.What does Julia Shaw's experiment show?
5. What example did the author use to show that “carrying around false memories from our
childhood can have a great influence on us”?
6.Do you desire a complete narrative of your own existence? Why or why not?
WEEK
16
137
WEEK
FRIDAY
16 HomeEnergy
Check-Up
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
语篇类型：应用文
词数：294
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：志愿服务与公共服务
Pepco home energy check-ups can help you
make easy changes to save energy and money.
You can now receive either a virtual check-up
or a traditional, in-person check-up. Both types
of check-ups are provided at no additional cost
to your existing Pepco electrical services.
· Check energy efficiency problems with
your heating and cooling systems,windows,
doors,and more;
● Provide a report that lists suggested
energy efficiency upgrades;
Virtual home energy check-up
· Install energy-saving products like
ENERGY STARLED bulbs at no cost.
Book an appointment to meet with a Pepco
Energy Expert via phone. During your virtual
check-up,you will:
The ENERGY STAR difference
· Answer questions about your home;
· Look at specific items that use energy,
like home appliances and lighting;
· Discover smallchanges you can make
in your home to be more energy-efficient.
During your home energy check-up, an
Energy Expert may install products including
ENERGY STAR LED bulbs. Compared with
an incandescent bulb(白炽灯泡),an ENERGY
STAR LED bulb lasts 15 times longer and uses
about 80less energy. Over its lifetime, it
saves about $55 in electricity costs.
After your appointment,you can apply for
a no-cost Pepco Box. It includes two ENERGY
STAR LED bulbs and some other energy-saving
products. The Box will be mailed to you so you
can start saving energy without leaving home.
In-person quick home energy check-up
Almost half of the average American
household's annual energy bill goes to heating
and cooling. That's more than $900 a year! So you
may also consider installing an ENERGY STAR
air conditioner. Automatically adjusting your
home's temperature can save you lots of money!
Book an appointment to meet with a Pepco
Energy Expert at your home. In about an hour,
the Energy Expert will:
Pepco Electric
24/7 Customer Service:202-833-7500
I.Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, a home energy check-up mainly helps people___.
A.learn how to use electricity safely B. learn more about ENERGY STAR
C.receive discounts on their energy bills D.find out how to use less energy at home
138
FRIDAY | Home Energy Check-Up
2.According to the article, virtual home energy check-ups are conducted through___.
A.emails
B.a phone call
C.face-to-face talks
D.an online real-time chat
3. Which of the following statements is true after you book an in-person home energy
check-up?
A.You need to pay for installing energy-saving products.
B.Pepco will send you an ENERGY STAR air conditioner.
C.APepco Energy Expert will come to your home in an hour.
D.You will receive a report that lists some energy efficiency suggestions.
4. What is the advantage of using ENERGY STAR LED bulbs?
A. It is easier to install ENERGY STAR LED bulbs than incandescent bulbs.
B.An ENERGY STAR LED bulb lasts 15 hours longer than an incandescent bulb.
C. Using ENERGY STAR LED bulbs helps you save about $900 a year on your
electricity bill.
D.An ENERGY STAR LED bulb uses only about 20of the energy used by an
incandescent bulb.
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1. _________cars are becoming more and more popular. (Electricity)
2.The old fax machine in the corner of the office is_____now.(use)
3.I enjoy going on outdoor adventures,________hiking and camping. (include)
4.A solution has been found,and the problem no longer_____
_.(existing)
5.I don't know what to wear tonight—do you have any____
_?(suggest)
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.You can now receive either a virtual check-up or a traditional, in-person check-up.(改
为否定句)
You can now receive____ a virtual check-up__
a traditional,
in-person check-up.
2.It includes two ENERGY STAR LED bulbs and some other energy-saving products.(对
画线部分提问)
it______?
3.You can start saving energy without leaving home.(保持句意基本不变)
You can start saving energy while_
____.
4.this month, have,I, money,saved,more,compared with last month(连词成句)
WEEK
16
139
MONDAY
WEEK
17 Thatched Roofs: NotJust a
Storybook Feature
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：299
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：中外建筑等艺术形式
中的文化价值和作品赏析
What comes to mind when you hear “storybook village”?
Do you picture cute little houses with straw roofs? Well, you're
probably thinking of thatched roofs.
These lovely rooftops, however, aren't just found in the worlds
of soon-to-be princesses. If you travel around the world, you'll
see them in many different places. After all, thatched roofs have
been around for thousands of years. They used to be popular
everywhere. That's because the roofing materials were cheap
and readily available.
The materials used for thatching vary depending on what
grows locally. Reed, a favourite in riverside villages, is one
of the strongest materials. It can last between 25 and 40 years.
Straw roofs, by comparison, usually last between 15 and 20
years. In Scotland, heather was once a popular material, giving
rooftops a reddish colour. It's less common today, and it takes
an experienced thatcher to work with them.
A well-built thatched roof doesn't just look good; it's
also durable. It can, for sure,keep rain from getting into
the building. It can also keep pockets of air throughout the
roof,allowing the house to stay cool in summer and warm in
winter.
Sonderho is named Denmark's most beautiful village. It used to be a busy shipping town.
Today, visitors can walk along its peaceful, narrow streets, appreciating the rows of old houses
with thatched roofs.
Lying in Japan's Shogawa River Valley,Ogimachi is known for its unique farmhouses. Their
thatched roofs are so steep that in winter, the heavy snow can slide right off.
The Portuguese(葡萄牙的)village of Santana is known for its casinhas de Santana—triangular
houses with thatched roofs. The outside is usually painted white, red,and blue, making them look
like they belong in a picture book.
140
MONDAY | Thatched Roofs: Not Just a Storybook Feature
If you travel through the Zambezi Region of Namibia(纳米比亚), you'll come across round
mud huts with thatched roofs. Thatched roofs can be found across Africa, but the style and roofing
materials vary from place to place.
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, thatched roofs can now be found in allthe continents EXCEPT
—__
A.Europe
B.Asia
C. South America
D.Africa
2. Thatched roofs were once popular because_________·
①they were easy to build
②they were cheap to build
③they had a very long history
④the materials were widely available
A.①②
B.③④
C.①③
D.②④
3.We can learn from the article that usually___.
A.reed roofs last as long as straw roofs
B. reed roofs last longer than straw roofs
C. straw roofs last longer than reed roofs
D.heather roofs last longer than straw roofs
4.The underlined word“steep"means“_____"in Chinese.
A.陡斜的
B.坚固的
C.精致的
D.多彩的
5. The text in the box was written in order to show___.
A.thatched roofs can be found in many different places
B.thatched roofs have been around for thousands of years
C.with proper care,thatched roofs can last for many years
D.the materials used for thatching are cheap and easy to find
WEEK
17
141
小学
初中
WEEK
TUESDAY
17Christopher
Nolan's
Lesson on Focus
语篇类型：议论文
词数：348
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：积极的学习体验，恰
当的学习方法
One recent Sunday morning, I planned to read a bit of a novel
after breakfast. Just as I opened the book, however,my phone rang.
A deliveryman asked if he could put a package in the parcel locker
downstairs. I agreed and hung up. Shortly after,my friend Brad
messaged me on WeChat. Our quick chat turned into a 40-minute
conversation.When we finished, it was already eleven. AsI was about
to get back to my book,a promotional(推销的)email popped up. Then,the Eleme app chimed in:
It's lunchtime! Click here to get a coupon(优惠券)!
This experience reminded me of an article I had recently come across about Christopher
Nolan. The Oscar-winning director is known for high-tech movies like Inception(《盗梦空间》)
and Interstellar(《星际穿越》).But in his personal life, the 53-year-old avoids technological distractions.
He doesn't own a smartphone and has never used email. He does write the scripts for his movies
on a computer, but the device has no internet connection. “I've never used email. I don't think it's
helpful for anything I do,"he said.“And staying off a smartphone gives me time to think.”
Of course,Nolan can live without a phone or email account because his assistants can take calls
and respond to online messages for him.Most of us can't expect to live a life like that of an influential
director. However, that doesn't mean Nolan's “no email,no phone” policy doesn't make any sense.
Rather, it shows us the importance of focus in today's digital world.
The sharp rise in internet usage over the past ten years has come at a cost. That is,we are slowly
losing the ability to focus. Our smartphones and other devices can distract us at any second of the
day. It has become increasingly difficult to focus on a single task for long periods.
Nolan's ability to produce so many excellent movies probably has something to do with his
ability to focus. Without digital distractions, he can be all in when he works. He can fully focus on
the job until it's done.
Most ofus can't afford to cut the cord(网线)entirely. But when we want to focus on our work,
our studies, or just a good book, we might do wellto put away our electronic devices for a while.
142
TUESDAY | Christopher Nolan's Lesson on Focus
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article,one recent Sunday morning, the author___.
A.finished reading a novel
B.chatted with a friend for forty minutes
C.received a package from a deliveryman
D.watched Christopher Nolan's Interstellar
2. The underlined word “distractions” in Paragraph 2 most probably means "things that
”
A.help you work
B.make you happy
C.give you new ideas
D.take your attention away
3. What does Christopher Nolan think about using email?
A.It is not useful for his work.
B. It makes writing movie scripts easier.
C. It helps him save time and focus better.
D. It helps him keep in touch with his team.
4.According to the author, most of us can't expect to live without email or phones because
—_
A.we don't have assistants to handle messages for us
B.we have no interest in improving our ability to focus
C.our work and daily lives depend on these technologies
D.we don't want to lose touch with our friends and family
5.According to the article,as a result of their heavy internet usage,people__.
A.lose their focus easily
B. spend too little time reading books
C.have no interest in learning new things
D. spend more money on high-tech devices
6. What advice did the author give at the end of the article?
A.Stop using the internet completely.
B.Turn off our digital devices when we need to focus.
C. Watch a movie by Nolan to find out how to focus better.
D. Finish our work or studies before using high-tech devices.
WEEK
143
17
WEEK
WEDNESDAY
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：358
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：身心健康
17 Is There a Best
Sleeping Position?
How did you sleep last night? If you're like most people, you choose your favourite position at
bedtime. But once sleep set in, you likely changed to different positions.
If you wonder whether there's a best way to sleep, you're not alone. There's plenty of advice
online about how to sleep. Many devices have been developed to help you sleep in a 1 position.
But it turns out we have far less 2 over our sleep positions than we might think. According
to some sleep scientists,we might be better off not even trying.
"Sometimes there's more harm than good in 3 to control your sleep position," says Raman
Malhotra. He is a past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Joseph De Koninck, a psychologist in Canada, has wondered how people really sleep at
night. He created a way to 4 sleep positions without waking a patient. As it turned out,
"the position you take at the beginning of sleep is not necessarily the one you use through the night."
After dozens of studies,De Koninck
found one thing: Once you go to sleep,
your body is 5_its position.
Malhotra agrees.“There are definitely
positions that are more 6 for certain
patients,"he says. For example,an
injury in your left leg might cause you
to sleep mostly on your right side. But
it can be hard to 7 people to avoid
certain sleep positions.
1.A.common
B.healthier
C.normal
D.unique
2.A.advantage
B.control
C.right
D.trust
3.A.learning
B.planning
C.trying
D.refusing
4.A.change
B.notice
C.photograph
D.draw
5.A.in charge of
B.in need of
C.in place of
D. in response to
6.A.comfortable
B. dangerous
C.difficult
D.important
7.A.allow
B. remind
C.train
D.warn
144
WEDNESDAY | Is There a Best Sleeping Position?
Most patients who need to change their sleep position are back sleepers experiencing sleep
apnea(呼吸暂停). In this case, a person may stop breathing several times per night.
Some people 8 sleep training devices to keep them off their backs. Others may simply tape
a tennis ball to their back. However,patients often give up tennis balls or other devices 9 the
discomfort they cause.
Instead of worrying about something hard to control, Malhotra says it's worth asking yourself how
you feel when you 10.Overall, he says, if you're well-rested,you don't need to worry about sleep
positions.So next time you go to sleep,close your eyes, relax,and let nature take its course.
8.A.ask for
B.look for
C.turn to
D. work on
9.A.according to
B.due to
C.except for
D.instead of
10.A.fall asleep
B.go out
C.wake up
D.work out
WEEK
17
145
WEEK
THURSDAY
17Shanghai
Now Also a
City of Trees
H
语篇类型：说明文
词数：368
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：与自然和谐共生
Sheep eating grass on a farm, birds singing in trees, and people
taking leisurely walks along wooded walkways.
These were some unexpected sights I caught one morning
near the Wusong River(吴淞江). For the past two weeks, I have
been exploring the upper reaches(上游流域)of Suzhou Creek.
The sheep farm lies behind Jidong Village(纪东村).It's part of an 11-kilometre-long ecological
corridor(生态廊道)in Minhang District.
I came across this corridor while researching China's afforestation efforts.1 It's much
higher than the city's average of 19 percent. The corridor is like a green necklace. The forests and
farmlands are its pearls. But words are not enough to express the joy I felt jogging through it. Unlike
in the city's central areas, here you find yourself walking among old and new trees. 2
At the west end of the corridor, I visited Zhaojia Village(赵家村). There I met Mr. Zhao,an
old farmer. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he smiled at me.He told me that in the past, he could only
walk a short distance in his crowded village. 3“Many city travelers come here for exercise,”
he added."Before they go home,they often buy vegetables from our village. They are cheaper and
fresher than those in many downtown supermarkets.”
4 By 2021,32 kinds of birds had been discovered in the bird sanctuary(自然保护区)at
Jidong Village. The number had risen to 55 by 2022.
146
THURSDAY | Shanghai Now Also a City of Trees
The corridor is becoming even more attractive as more trees are being planted.A team has been
working on afforestation here for the past year. 5“At peak times, we received more than ten
truckloads of various trees every day," the head of the team, Mr. Xu,told me.
A similar corridor is now taking shape on the northern bank of the Wusong River. Shanghai is no
longer just a city of tall buildings.Increasingly, it has also become a city of trees.
Fill in each blank in the article with a proper sentence given below.Each sentence can
be used only once.Note that there are two more sentences than you will need.
A.I was surprised by its 80-percent forest cover.
B.They plant cherry blossoms and wisteria trees,among others.
C.You are IN the woodlands,not BY trees planted in sidewalks.
D.Now,he walks one or two hours every day along the corridor and feels great.
E.For Zhao, the corridor means both a healthy environment and more income for local
farmers.
F.By connecting as many forests as possible, the corridor has also created a paradise for
animals.
G. During the period of China's 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-2020), the Chinese forest
tourism industry grew greatly.
WEEK
17
147
WEEK
FRIDAY
4Closing
the
Language Gap
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：288
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：跨文化沟通与交流
The intemet
is not unfamiliar
to most of us in
Shanghai. But
around half of
the world's population still can't connect to
the internet. Big companies like SpaceX want
to change this. They plan to launch special
satellites into orbit(轨道).These satelites will
be able to "broadcast"the net across the Earth.
But there is another problem to be solved
before more people can enjoy using the internet.
English-speaking users. As the internet has
continued to develop around the world, these
companies have been forced to play catch-up.
Facebook has been criticised for its slow pace.
Take Myanmar(缅甸),one of its new markets,
as an example. The company had only a few
native editors for years.Without good editors,
misinformation started to spread across its
platform.
There are thousands of different languages
spoken around the world. Most things on the
web,however, are only available in a few of
them. For example,about five per cent of the
world speaks English at home, but around
50 per cent of the web is in English. When
some people go online, they may find that the
internet offers little in their own language.
Some companies have been trying to bring
smaller languages online. Mozilla, for example,
is working on Common Voice. The project
collects recordings from people speaking
English and German,as wellas those speaking
Sinhala and Yoruba. It can be used to train AI
programs to help edit things online.
Many major online platforms were founded
in the United States. They started with
Meanwhile, companies like Google are
developing better translation programs. These
programs can make it easier to use the internet
in different languages. However, it is very
difficult, if not impossible, to translate things
like jokes.
I.Answer the questions.
1.According to the article,how do big companies help more people connect to the internet?
2. What is the “problem to be solved before more people can enjoy using the internet”
underlined in Paragraph 1?
148
FRIDAY | Closing the Language Gap
3.According to the article, why did misinformation spread across Facebook's platform in
Myanmar?
Ⅱ. Complete the sentences with the given words in their proper forms.
1.There's no easy_______to this problem.(solve)
2.Mr. Berkowitz is in charge of product_ ______.(develop)
3. The twins look alike,but they____ _in character. (different)
4.________to the gas supply was delayed for three days. (connect)
5. People learning a new language often meet with some_________at first. (difficult)
Ⅲ.Complete the sentences according to the Chinese.
1.她种了很多我不熟悉的奇妙植物。
She grew many wonderful plants that__________.
2.由于某种个人原因，我将不能出席。
For certain personal reasons, I shall____
_______.
3.由于缺乏资金，这家医院正被迫关闭部分诊疗科室。
some departments due to funding shortages.
4.他们快速进入新的市场，其他企业只能在后面追赶。
They raced ahead into new markets,leaving
5.他刚建立起自己的公司，但要站稳脚跟还得花上一段时间。
,but it will take him a while to get established.
4.According to the article, what are “Sinhala and Yoruba”?
5. The translation programs developed by big companies make it easier to translate things
like jokes, don't they?
6.In your opinion,how can we close the language gap on the internet?
WEEK
17
149
MONDAY
WEEK
18 A Teen's Mosquito
Plan to Save Hawaii's Birds
语篇类型：说明文
词数：328
难度：4级
建议用时：7分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：环保意识和行为
Logan Lee is an 18-year-old student from Hawaii. He is
working hard to protect the island's native birds. When he was in
fourth grade,he visited a forest on the island and saw an i'iwi(夏
威夷红雀),a beautiful bird that is at risk. The bird is threatened
by avian malaria(禽疟疾). It is spread by mosquitoes and can be
deadly to many bird species in Hawaii.
Logan wanted to help, so he began studying how to stop the spread of this disease. Scientists
are fighting malaria with lab-grown mosquitoes. These mosquitoes carry a bacterium that makes
them infertile(不育的).When they mate with wild mosquitoes, their eggs do not grow.This helps
reduce the mosquito population over time.
However,there is a problem. Many lab mosquitoes do not survive well in the wild. Logan
thought this might be because they don't have the same microbes that wild mosquitoes do. To solve
this, he exposed the lab mosquitoes to microbes. These microbes were taken from the water where
wild mosquitoes grow. The results were remarkable. The lab mosquitoes grew 18aster and
became 67stronger. This could help scientists raise mosquitoes more quickly and improve their
chances of surviving in the wild.
Logan's research earned him fourth place in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search. “It's
amazing to see a problem in my community and know I can do something about it,"he says. "Often,
problems feel too big to solve. But this project showed me that youth have the power to make a
difference in their community."
Logan's next goal is to study how Hawaii's birds evolved.He wants to learn how one bird
species can change into many different types. Each type has its own special beak(鸟喙)for eating
dfferent foods. For example, the palila(黄胸管舌雀)has a big beak for cracking seeds, while the
i'iwi uses its long beak to feed on flower nectar(花蜜).Logan is also interested in the genetic
changes that helped these birds adapt to different environments.
150
MONDAY | A Teen's Mosquito Plan to Save Hawaii's Birds
Choose the best answer.
1. What puts the i'iwi bird in Hawaii at risk?
A. Its food is running out.
B. It lives in dangerous forests.
C.Adisease carried by mosquitoes.
D.Local people are hunting it to make money.
2.How do lab-grown mosquitoes help fight malaria?
A. They help spread a new bacterium to protect birds.
B. They make wild mosquitoes infertile by biting them.
C. They eat the baby mosquitoes to reduce their numbers.
D. They carry a bacterium that stops wild mosquitoes'eggs from growing.
3. What problem do scientists face when using lab mosquitoes?
A.Lab mosquitoes hurt wild mosquitoes.
B.Lab mosquitoes cannot spread bacteria.
C.Lab mosquitoes often escape before the test.
D.Lab mosquitoes do not survive wellin the wild.
4.How did Logan help lab mosquitoes survive better?
A.He changed their wings.
B. He gave them more food.
C.He moved them to a warmer place.
D.He exposed them to special microbes.
5. The author wrote this article to____.
A. share a science project about mosquitoes
B.teach how to protect rare Hawaiian birds
C.show how a student's idea helped his community
D.explain why wild mosquitoes should stay away from birds
WEEK
8
151
TUESDAY
18 Seeing
Without
Looking
语篇类型：随笔
词数：282
难度：3级
建议用时：6分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：人类发明与创新
WEEK
I was born with a rare eye disease called Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. Because of it,my
eyesight is very poor. I can sense light and detect objects in front of me,but that's about it. The
disease also makes my eyes extremely sensitive to sunlight. Whenever I go outside, I have to wear
very dark sunglasses.
Ever since I was little,my biggest challenge has been fitting in with people who can see the
world clearly. In school, I had a hard time playing games or doing group activities with the other
students. Because of my poor eyesight, I was often left behind while my classmates moved on.
Things finally began to improve in Grade 3. That year, I was introduced to my first piece of
assistive technology. It's a screen reader called JAWS (Job Access With Speech).When a website is
designed to work with it, the screen reader can detect everything on the page and read it aloud. That
was a game-changer for people like me.
These days, I depend on VoiceOver. This screen reader is built into every Apple device. Thanks
to VoiceOver,I've been able to explore many parts of the digital world. I can text and email friends
and family, listen to my favourite songs online, shop on Amazon, and edit documents. Without a
screen reader,all of that would have been out of reach.
I have benefited greatly from assistive technology. However, I still see room for improvement. Many
apps and websites are not designed to work well with screen readers. I hope more developers will become
aware of the needs ofusers like me. The digital world should be a place where everyone can belong.
Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, with the help of assistive technology, the author is now able to___.
①shop online
②watch movies
③ develop new apps
④contact friends by email
A.①②
B.②③
C.③④
D.①④
2.In the last paragraph, the author complains that___.
A. some screen readers are too expensive
B.some screen readers are not very user-friendly
C. some assistive technology is only available on Apple devices
D. some apps and websites are not well-designed for screen reader users
3.By writing this article, the author mainly wanted to___.
A.compare JAWS and VoiceOver
B.explain how screen readers work
C.complain about how difficult his life is
D.show how screen readers have changed his life
152
WEDNESDAY
WEEK
Concern Over Data
Centres
18
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：273
难度：3级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与自然
内容要求：环境保护
There are plans to build about 100 new data centres in the UK. These
centres will 1 many new jobs. But not everyone is happy. Some people
are 2 that these centres could also damage the environment.
Data centres are large buildings that hold powerful computers.
These computers process and 3 our digital information. They
make the internet work. They save our emails and photos. We need more data centres because the
4_for computing power is rising fast. For example,artificial intelligence(AI) requires powerful
computers to learn and generate content.
Last year, the UK Government said data centres are the key to the country's infrastructure.
They are as 5 as power stations or hospitals. Data centres are the engines of modern life. They
keep our personal information safe. If a storm or power cut occurs, the Government will make sure
these centres keep 6.
However,there are problems.These centres use a huge amount of electricity. They also get very
hot, so they need a lot of water to stay 7 .Most of the new centres will be built near London. But
this area is already“water-stressed”. This means it often runs low on water. Scientists warn that new
data centres could make this problem 8.
Data centres use a lot of power. By 2026,the world's data centres might use as much electricity
as the whole country of Japan uses now. If there is not enough clean electricity, power companies
might have to 9 fossil fuels. This creates 10. However, some big companies are trying to
help.They want to use clean energy, like wind power,to run their computers.
1.A.bring
B. deliver
C.destroy
D.feed
2.A.bored
B.excited
C.interested
D. worried
3.A.question
B. sell
C. store
D.test
4.A.demand
B.purpose
C. thought
D.value
5.A.crowded
B. enjoyable
C.famous
D.important
6.A.growing
B.improving
C.moving
D.running
7.A.calm
B.clear
C.cool
D. still
8.A. better
B.luckier
C.weaker
D. worse
9.A.burn
B.introduce
C.produce
D.solve
10.A.instruction
B. pollution
C.population
D.solution
153
WEEK
THURSDAY
18TradingOjisan
HH
语篇类型：说明文
词数：289
难度：4级
建议用时：8分钟
主题语境：人与社会
内容要求：和谐家庭与社区生活
It was the day before the new school year started in Japan. Four boys gathered at a community centre
in the small town of Kawara.They were each armed with a plastic case filled with flashy cards.
Like millions of children around the world, they were crazy about trading cards. But they
weren't holding cartoon characters or superheroes. The faces on their cards belong to real people.
There's Hiroyuki Fukushima, a local train driver. There's also Fumiaki Kawai, a retired robotics
expert. You can even find Kawara's mayor(町长),Shigekazu Tsuruga. Thanks to the “Ojisan Trading
Card Game”, these middle-aged men, or ojisan(大叔),have become unlikely local heroes.
The rarity of a card isn't decided randomly. Rather, it's based on the ojisan's real-world
achievements. The more a man participates in volunteer work or community service, the higher his
card's“magic points”are. At the end of the game,the player with the most“magic points” wins. “It
feels great when you win, but it's even more fun when you use a card featuring someone you know,”
says 12-year-old Sasuke.He plays the game about three times a week.
Eri Miyahara is one of the game's creators."There are so many amazing people in the
community. It was a shame that so few people knew about them,"she said. “We wanted to
strengthen the connection between the children and the elderly,so we came up with trading cards.”
The plan worked. Since the game became popular, many kids in Kawara have started looking up to
the ojisan as heroes. Some of them are now eager to volunteer for community activities. Some have been
attending local events more regularly. They all share the same goal: to meet the ojisan on their cards.
Answer the questions.
1.Many children around the world love trading cards. According to the article, how are
those in Kawara different from the rest?
2. Why does the author think it feels unlikely that middle-aged men like Hiroyuki
Fukushima and Fumiaki Kawai have become local heroes?
3.According to the article, what affects the“magic points”on an ojisan trading card?
4.In your opinion, how could the creators of the “Ojisan Trading Card Game”make it better
and more popular?
154
FRIDAY
WEEK
LearningChinese
18
◎本篇配视频讲解课程
HH
语篇类型：记叙文
词数：264
难度：4级
建议用时：10分钟
主题语境：人与自我
内容要求：积极的学习体验
Three years
ago, I started
working at the
University of
Leeds. Having
moved to a new city, I was looking for
activities that would help me make some new
friends. I noticed that a community school
was offering Chinese evening classes. Without
much thought, I signed up for a beginner class.
what seemed like hundreds of new words.
After each lesson, I felt as if my brain had been
placed in a deep-fat fryer. Fortunately, after
a few months, I got used to this. I began to
realise that the more my brain ached after class,
the more information I had taken in. Between
weekly classes,my mind would reorder and
make sense of the chaos.
I had no plans to move to China. I just
wanted to learn a new language. It was not
something I had previously done. I was raised
to speak fluent English and Spanish.But I think
there should be a huge difference between
learning a language as a child and as an adult.
The University of Leeds had more than
6,000 international students. Finding Chinese
students who would like to practise English
in exchange for Chinese was not difficult.
My new Chinese friends helped me go over
everything I had learnt in class.
There was one lesson a week, each lasting
90 minutes. Mr.Kong, the teacher, was
energetic. For each class, he would teach us
I think Chinese grammar is easier than
English or Spanish grammar.But there are so
many words and idioms(习语)! Nevertheless,
I am ready to overcome any difficulty and
become fluent in Chinese.
I.Choose the best answer.
1.According to the article, why did the author learn Chinese?
A.Because he was planning to travel to China.
B. Because he wanted to make some new friends.
C.Because his new job required Chinese-speaking abilities.
D.Because it was very popular to learn Chinese in his new school.
2.How much time did the author spend taking Chinese lessons each week?
A. Half an hour.
B.An hour.
C. One and a half hours.
D. Three hours.
155
Current Insights|英语时文阅读
WEEK
18
156
3. We can learn from the underlined part in Paragraph 3 that after each Chinese class, the
author felt_
A.excited
B.disappointed
C.painful
D.thankful
4.According to the article, which of the following statements is true?
A.The author failed to find Chinese students to practice Chinese with.
B.The author thinks Chinese is easier than English and Spanish in terms of pronunciation.
C.The author's Chinese teacher helped the author go over everything he had learnt in class.
D. The author had difficulties with words and idioms during the process of learning Chinese.
Ⅱ. Complete each sentence with one given word from the box. Each word can be used
only once.
1.She had great____getting up early.
2.I can never tell the___ between the twins.
3. I feel bad that I didn't
__any food to them.
4.Alice waved at the man,but he didn't seem to____.
5.I'm looking for a job that will____me to develop my skills.
6.His written French is very good, but he needs to______speaking it.
Ⅲ. Complete the following sentences as required.
1.I think there should be a huge difference between learning a language as a child and as
an adult.(改为否定句)
I
a huge
difference between learning a language as a child and as an adult.
2. I had no plans to move to China.(改为一般疑问句)
__plans to move to China?
3. Finding Chinese students who would like to practise English in exchange for Chinese
was not difficult.(保持句意基本不变)
It was
Chinese students who would like
to practice English in exchange for Chinese.
4.My new Chinese friends helped me go over everything I had learnt in class.(对画线部
分提问)
your new Chinese friends_
do?
5.I think Chinese grammar is easier than English grammar.(保持句意基本不变)
I think English grammar is_
_than Chinese grammar.
A.difference
B.difficulty
C.enable
D.notice
E.offer
F.practice