Young people in the United States do not have a strong understanding of the world and their place in it.

Two US-based groups, the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Geographic Society, conducted an online survey last year. They wanted to know what young people in American colleges knew about geography, U.S. foreign policy, recent international events, and economics.

The survey was given to over 1,200 Americans between the ages of 18 and 26 years. All of them presently attending, or having previously graduated from, a 2- or 4-year college or university.

The average test score, out of 75 total possible answers, was 55 percent. The study identifies a few important problems. For example, only 30 percent knew that the only part of the U.S. government that can declare war is Congress. Only 60% of those taking the survey could identify Brazil on a world map.

Part of the problem, argue the organizers of the survey, is the Internet. They say it is becoming harder to find high-quality information about world events amongst all the fake news and trivia which swamp the web. Forty-three percent of those questioned said they read about the news on Facebook.

Another problem is that most college courses do not require students to learn about international issues. If such information is not required, Richard Haass from the Council on Foreign Relations said, then the United States could have leaders like Gary Johnson. He was a recent presidential candidate who did not know about the Syrian city of Aleppo when a reporter asked him about it.

The survey results were not all bad. The young people also demonstrated a good understanding of climate change and renewable energy. And the majority of them said that international issues were becoming more important to them.

Haass says these findings suggest the need to find ways to get good information to students, both in school and online. To help, the Council on Foreign Relations is creating a new program called CFR Campus, designed to help build knowledge about global issues.

1.What do we know about the survey?

A. The participants were all recent university graduates.

B. It was an online survey conducted by two US universities.

C. It was given to over 1,200 American people aged from 18 to 26.

D. It aimed to find out what the young people know about America.

2.What’s one reason survey organizers give for young people’s lack of knowledge?

A. The poor quality of the US university system.

B. Young people’s unwillingness to travel abroad.

C. The sources from which they get their information.

D. Their lack of interest in knowing more about the world.

3.What topic did the young Americans understand best according to the survey?

A. Government organizations. B. Geographic information.

C. Foreign relations. D. Environmental matters.

4.In which column of a newspaper could we find this article?

A. Economics. B. Education.

C. National Politics. D. Entertainment.

You can’t make a call or send a text on your mobile phone in the US town of Green Bank, West Virginia. Wireless Internet is outlawed, as is Bluetooth. As you approach the tiny town on a two-lane road that snakes through the mountains, your mobile phone signal drops out, and your radio stops working. The rusted pay phone on the north side of town is the only way for a visitor to reach the rest of the world. It’s a pre-modern place by design, lacking of the latest technologies that define life today.

The reason for the town’s empty airwaves is apparent the moment you arrive. It’s the Robert C. Byrd telescope, also known as the GBT, a shiny white, 147-metre-tall satellite dish. It’s the largest of its kind in the world and one of nine in Green Bank, all of them government owned and operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).

You don’t look through these kinds of telescopes. They’re radio telescopes, so instead of looking for distant stars, they listen for them. There’s a long line of astronomers all over the world who want to use the telescope which is so sensitive that it could hear a single snowflake hitting the ground 1,000 miles away.

Such a sensitive listening tool needs total technological silence to operate, so in 1958 the US government created a National Radio Quiet Zone, a 33,000 km2 area covering Green Bank where, to this day, electronic and radio signals are forbidden every hour of every day.

People who live within a 15km of the Green Bank telescope are allowed to use landline telephones, wired Internet and cable televisions, but microwave ovens, wireless Internet and radios are forbidden. You can have a mobile phone, but you won’t get a signal.

Because of how much its way of life varies from the rest of America, Green Bank seems to be a somewhat isolated (隔绝), even alien place. For locals, the technology ban is annoying. For others who come to Green Bank for a little rest and relaxation, the town has become a refuge.

1.What do we know about the town of Green Bank from Paragraph 1?

A. It’s located at the base of a large mountain.

B. It is geographically and technologically isolated.

C. Its telecommunications are affected by its geography.

D. Many people live in the town and its surrounding areas.

2.How does the GBT work?

A. It traps light waves in its huge dish.

B. It stops all electronic and radio signals.

C. It receives pictures from space satellites.

D. It listens for and receives noises from space.

3.What equipment are locals of the Green Bank allowed to use?

A. Cable TV, wired Internet and radio.

B. Landline phones, wired Internet and cable TV.

C. Public phones, wireless Internet and mobile phones.

D. Landline phones, microwave ovens and cable internet.

4.What does the underlined word “refuge” in the last paragraph most probably mean?

A. A place of escape. B. A source of confusion.

C. An area of interest. D. A sign of danger.

You wait in a long queue in the supermarket, but when it’s finally your turn to pay, you can’t find enough money in your purse. 1. While you are bending down to look for them, the people behind you are getting angry. The cashier is pounding her fingers impatiently on the counter.

2. But the good news is: scientists have thought of a way to make queues shorter and paying for things easier. They have invented an eye scanner. In the future, when you pay for food at the supermarket, an eye scanner will take a picture of your eyes and a computer will identify you. 3.

Students at Venerable Bede School, England, have already got an eye scanner in their cafeteria. After the students choose the food they want, the scanner looks for their information and sends a list of the food to their parents. 4. Also, parents pay for the meals at the end of the week, so the students don’t have to take money to school and wait in long queues to pay for their lunch.

If all shops had eye scanners, shopping would be easier. 5. So, it seems that it will be a while before most of us get our eyes scanned at the cashier.

A. Sometimes shopping can be unpleasant.

B. You take out your credit cards, but they fall on the floor.

C. If students aren’t eating a healthy diet, their parents will know.

D. Stores are trying several new ways to get shoppers to spend more.

E. Parents are urging the government to introduce better security safeguards.

F. However, eye scanners are very expensive and many shops can’t afford them.

G. As soon as the machine finds your information, it will send it to your bank which pays for your food automatically.

My family spent one summer vacation enjoying the beaches of beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama. We bought a boat thinking this would make for a really _______ day at the beach for my two little girls.

I probably became too _______ with my younger daughter on the sand. When I looked up I became _______. The little boat with my older daughter in it had _______ far out from the shore. I called to her to come in _______ to shore and, although she seemed frightened, she was doing all she could to _______ just that. But there were no oars (桨) and her little _______ were too short to reach across the boat and into the _______.

Others on the beach seemed to be doing nothing to help except _______. I was standing as far out ________ the water as I could — ________ instructions to her, but with no ________. At last I thought to myself, “I know I’m a ________ swimmer but my daughter needs my help. I have no ________.” I jumped into the water.

At first my arms started moving very ________. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I swam until I was breathless. I just kept hoping and ________ her. Finally, I reached the edge of the ________, grabbed the rope and began making my way back to shore. My child was crying so I tried ________ her, even though everything inside me was ________.

My life was forever changed by that ________. I learned if I believe in myself and dive right in I will have all the strength I need.

1.A. lucky B. fun C. moving D. peaceful

2.A. busy B. patient C. angry D. pleased

3.A. excited B. angry C. concerned D. amused

4.A. sunk B. stayed C. lost D. moved

5.A. closer B. faster C. earlier D. safer

6.A. avoid B. accomplish C. claim D. behave

7.A. legs B. fingers C. arms D. clothes

8.A. water B. shore C. board D. sand

9.A. applauding B. noticing C. swimming D. watching

10.A. off B. among C. in D. on

11.A. reading B. taking C. following D. shouting

12.A. hope B. reason C. end D. success

13.A. skillful B. poor C. brave D. new

14.A. choice B. way C. reason D. support

15.A. gently B. slowly C. confidently D. casually

16.A. keeping an eye on B. getting in touch with C. looking back at D. waving over to

17.A. strength B. oar C. boat D. beach

18.A. scolding B. calming C. praising D. helping

19.A. overjoyed B. changed C. missing D. trembling

20.A. point B. story C. experience D. scene

When you are thirsty, you can drink some green tea. It tastes good and it’s very healthy. The Chinese1. (know)about the benefits of green tea since ancient times, and they use2.to treat everything from headaches to depression. They have 3.(actual)been using green tea as a medicine for over 4,000 years.

Nowdadys, there is scientific evidence of the health benefits of green tea. According to one study4.(publish)in a cancer research journal, drinking green tea 5.(reduce)the risk of some types of cancer in Chinese men and women 6.nearly sixty percent. USA researchers have also found that green tea may prevent the7.(grow)of cancer cells. There is also new evidence 8.green tea can help to destroy bacteria in our bodies. It is especially effective at getting rid of the bacteria on your 9.(tooth)and keep them healthy!

According to the Chinese proverb, “It is10. (good)to go without food for three days, than without tea for one.” So, in brief, you should definitely try a cup of green tea. It seems that it can only do you good.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Several days ago, Mother brought home little cat. I named her “Mimi”. She is black all over. Can you imagine how she looks like? Every morning she gets up early than anyone else. Then she climbs on my bed and wake me up. When we are having our meal, she is often runs under the table and even climbs onto our knees. She seems to be saying, “Let me join you. I want nothing to eat.” Mimi likes to lie on the sunshine. She feels comfortably that way. She looks lovely when doing that. I like Mimi very much so she brings our joy.

假定你是李华。从学校通告栏上看到某公司招聘海外游学团领队的广告，你很感兴趣。请写一封英文电子邮件咨询此职位的工作职责、资历要求及报酬等相关信息。

注意：1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

3. 参考词汇：通告栏 notice board；游学团 study tour

Dear Sir/Madam,

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

XXX: The Return of Xander Cage

Release date: January 20,2017

Starring: Vin Diesel, Ruby Rose, Nina Dobrev, Donnie Yen, Kris Wu

Rating: ★★★★

Plot: Xander Cage (Vin Diesel)is left for death after an incident, and then he secretly returns to action for a tough assignment designed for him.

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons(妖魔) II

Release date: January 28,2017

Starring: Kris Wu, Kenny Lin, Yao Chen, Jelly Lin

Rating: ★★★★

Plot: The film is a sequel (续集)to the 2013 film, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, which was directed by Stephen Chow. Tang Sanzang (Kris Wu), along with his three disciples, sets out on the Journey to the West. Although they appear to be harmonious, in reality, they are plotting against each other. After a series of adventures where they capture demons, they start to understand one another’s pains and heart, and finally solve their internal conflicts, working together to become the most united demon-killing team.

Live by Night

Release date: January 13,2017

Starring: Ben Affleck, Scott Eastwood, Zoe Saldana, Elle Faning

Rating: ★★★

Plot: In the Prohibition Era, Joe Coughlin, the prodigal son of a Boston police captain, becomes a bootlegger and later, a notorious gangster(恶棍).

The Village of No Return

Release date: January 28,2017

Starring: Hsu chi, Wang Qianyuan, Hsiao-chuan Chang, Eric Tsang

Rating: ★★

Plot: In a beautiful and quiet village, an uninvited guest and mysterious treasure appear, making a series of funny stories happen.

1.Which film can you see if you’re free on Jan. 13,2017?

A. Live by Night B. Journey to the West

C. The Return of Xander Cage D. The Village of No Return

2.Who stars two films among the four mentioned?

A. Scott Eastwood B. Kris Wu

C. Ruby Rose D. Hsu chi

3.Why can the demon-killing group finally become the most harmonious one?

A. They are facing risks to explore everything

B. They can avoid their internal arguments

C. They can fully know about each other

D. They are fighting against each other

4.How is The Village of No Return different from the other films?

A. It is rated more stars than the other three

B. It is a follow-up film to the 2013 one

C. It is not released in the same month

D. It can make audience laugh a lot

When I was in college, I spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. In my brief time there, I came to love Scotland for its local culture, food and scenery.

You might think, “Scotland isn’t so different from the US; they still speak English there!” But when I stepped off the plane, I was greeted by a gruff-voiced(声音粗哑的) lady at customs. “You’ll be coming from America, then?” She asked me, and I nodded. “But all of our guys are leaving Glasgow for the States!” Her thick Scottish English and sense of humor were obvious right away. I was not in the US any more, where customs agents never joke around.

As I settled in at the university, I could feel myself getting used to hearing—and even speaking—the Scottish English of my customs agent. In classroom discussions, people would say “em” when they couldn’t think of what to say instead of “um”, which was great fun. After the first few weeks, I stopped chuckling about this. Strathclyde students stayed up late into the night, running around campus and shouting, “Go! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go [curse word] Glasgow!” Pretty soon, I was no longer saying “thanks” at the supermarket—instead, I said “cheers”.

My Scottish friends drank whiskey and ate haggis(羊杂碎布丁). I drank plenty of whiskey but felt ashamed to admit that I wasn't brave enough to try haggis. Scottish bakeries usually sell bridies (肉馅饼). Add a cup of tea—though I usually Americanized it by choosing coffee instead—and a bridie makes for a delicious breakfast.

Every time I took a train anywhere in Scotland, I’d gaze out at the rolling hills and wonder if grass was greener than anywhere else in the world. Then I’d reflect that there’s a reason this country was the birthplace of golf.

1.What did the author think of the lady at customs?

A. Impolite. B. Friendly.

C. Serious. D. Calm.

2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “chuckling” in Paragraph 3?

A. Talking loudly. B. Comparing.

C. Laughing quietly. D. Hearing.

3.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A. To explain why Scotland was famous for golf.

B. To promote the development of Scottish catering trade.

C. To introduce different pronunciations of “em”and “um”.

D. To share his experiences in Scotland as an exchange student.

Japan is a mysterious land of technological wonders, but the latest is a relatively simple solution to an age-old problem faced by beginners and professional chefs alike.

Grocery stores across the country are about to start stocking onions that won’t make people cry. The new tear-free onion is called the Smile Ball, which is a pretty adorable name for a vegetable, and it’s an onion carefully engineered to not irritate (刺激) the eyes of people who cut into it.

Regular onions release a gas when their cells are damaged and that gas irritates people’s eyes and make them tear up. The Smile Ball onions release no such a gas, so they can be chopped easily. They are also sweet like fruit when eaten raw.

The scientific advancement of the tearless onion is not free, however. Smile Balls, developed by the Japanese producer House Foods, will cost about $4.30 for a pack of just two when they go on sale in supermarkets across Japan. That’s about double the cost of a normal onion, but it might be worth the extra money for those who are particularly sensitive to traditional onion gas. Earlier test sales of the tear-free onions were held in Tokyo, with the onions selling out quickly.

1.What do the people say about tear-free onions?

A. They’re too expensive to afford.

B. They’re sweeter than candies.

C. They're especially suitable for kids.

D. They’re worth buying, though expensive.

2.What can we learn about the Smile Ball?

A. It never gives off a strong gas.

B. It has a pretty look.

C. It belongs to a new kind of fruit.

D. It rarely goes bad.

3.What’s mainly discussed in the last paragraph?

A. How to produce tear-free onions.

B. Tearless onions are more popular.

C. The development of House Foods.

D. People are sensitive to tearless onions.

4.What can be the suitable title of the text?

A. Say Goodbye to Regular Onions

B. Tear-free Onions vs Regular Onions

C. Onions That Don’t Make You Cry

D. The Future of Tear-free Onions