Passage 1
Yerkes Observatory, a place that once attracted the elite of astrophysicists and theoretical astronomers like Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble, Gerard Kuiper, and Carl Sagan, is undergoing a significant transformation.
Thanks to a $15 million facelift - inside and out - financed by a nonprofit group that took possession of the building in 2020, the observatory is being reborn. For the first time in more than a century, the observatory, including its 50-acre grounds, is open for public tours of its working space-science facility.
Over the past few years, Yerkes staff have been preparing for what they expect to be one of the busiest days the institution has ever seen: North America's total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Williams Bay will see 90.2 percent totality, and Wisconsinites who don't want to drive hundreds of miles to witness complete darkness could find no more compelling a setting for near totality than here beneath these storied domes.
Yerkes's $15 million renovation included repairs to its three signature domes. The largest, 90 feet in diameter, rotates on 36 wheels.
But the glories of Yerkes are not confined to the heavens. The building itself is a thing of beauty. Festooned with elaborate Victorian-era stone carvings, Romanesque arches, and terra-cotta figures, the landmark observatory was created by George Ellery Hale and Charles Tyson Yerkes - two men with very different agendas.
Hale, an astrophysicist, had the revolutionary notion to establish a facility that housed both an observatory and an academic institution at which physicists and chemists could apply their discoveries to new theories about astrophysics. Financier Yerkes, on the other hand, was one of Chicago's most hated businessmen. He poured money into the observatory to rehabilitate his image, but it didn't work - and he ended up moving to New York.
Yerkes's face, however, is depicted on the observatory's exterior columns - albeit with a sinister smile and devilish horns. "The artists had fun with that," notes someone.
Who among the following once visited Yerkes Observatory
A. Albert Einstein
B. Isaac Newton
C. Galileo Galilei
D. Nicolaus Copernicus
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the history of Yerkes Observatory.
B. To describe the renovation and features of Yerkes Observatory and its significance.
C. To compare different astronomers.
D. To explain how to observe a solar eclipse.
According to the passage, what can be inferred about the renovation of Yerkes Observatory
A. It was only for the appearance of the building.
B. It was funded by the government.
C. It included repairs to the domes and made the observatory open to the public.
D. It was completed a long time ago.
What does the word "facelift" in the second paragraph probably mean
A. A new telescope.
B. A major renovation or improvement.
C. A scientific experiment.
D. A public tour.
答案：
A
B
C
B
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “Yerkes Observatory, a place that once attracted the elite of astrophysicists and theoretical astronomers—Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble, Gerard Kuiper, and Carl Sagan, among them.” 可知爱因斯坦曾去过叶凯士天文台，A 选项正确，B、C、D 选项文中未提及。
主旨大意题。文章主要讲述了叶凯士天文台的历史，包括曾经吸引的著名天文学家，以及它正在进行的 1500 万美元的翻新，包括对圆顶的修复，还提到了天文台的建筑特色等，整体是在描述叶凯士天文台的翻新、特色及其重要性，B 选项正确，A 选项不全面，C 选项不是重点，D 选项只是其中一个细节。
推理判断题。从 “Thanks to a $15 million facelift - inside and out - financed by a nonprofit group that took possession of the building in 2020, the observatory is being reborn. For the first time in more than a century, the observatory, including its 50-acre grounds, is open for public tours of its working space-science facility.”以及“Yerkes's $15 million renovation included repairs to its three signature domes.” 可推断出翻新包括对圆顶的修复以及使天文台对公众开放，C 选项正确，A 选项不只是外观，B 选项是由非营利组织资助，D 选项刚完成不久。
猜测词义题。根据后文 “Thanks to a $15 million facelift - inside and out - financed by a nonprofit group that took possession of the building in 2020, the observatory is being reborn.” 可知是进行了大规模的翻新或改进，使天文台重生，“facelift” 意思是重大翻新或改进，B 选项正确，A 选项 “新望远镜”、C 选项 “科学实验”、D 选项 “公众参观” 均不符合语境。
Passage 2
Litter-picking as a sport Yes, you heard it right! It's called poGoNis and involves teams covering an area of roughly 15.5 square kilometers, collecting litter and sorting it into recycling categories within a time limit.
I first heard about this sport from him in May last year. The UK championships were in August, with the world cup in Tokyo in November. I had just a few weeks to prepare. We were drawn to taking part because of the prize of a trip to Japan.
Our team consisted of me, Alex Winship, and his brothers Jonny and another one. We only came up with our team name, The North Will Rise Again, on the way to the championships.
One of the rules is that all the members of a team have to stay within 100 meters of each other at all times. With tensions running high, so you have to have really good communication. Running isn't allowed, but speed-walking is permitted.
There were about 20 teams in the UK competition, which took place in a park in London. The area we had to cover was huge, and another team came over to us and tried to pick rubbish out of our bag. It was intense! In the end, we were second and the Brazilian team were third. My muscles were aching from all the speed-walking, and it was a long way back to the heart of Tokyo on a busy train. I didn't have much energy, and I remember Alex and Jonny saying we were on the edge of something amazing. We had to just keep pushing.
We were then heading for the world cup in Tokyo. In Tokyo I saw my brother, who was the captain of the Brazilian team, staying in the same hotel. That night, my team used a tactic we'd learned from my brother: doing a recce of the area the night before. We went to a busy commercial Shibuya district, where we thought there would be fewer people who drop litter, probably typically younger people or people who were out drinking. So we made notes of areas with lots of bars. Another advantage was that we were on the younger end of the age spectrum, and UK teams tend to like the competitive element of the sport, whereas people from other countries are motivated more by environmental interests.
Because of jetlag and nerves, I hardly slept the night before the competition. The world cup involved two 45-minute rounds of litter-picking in Shibuya. The competition was fierce. In the end, we won!
When was the world cup of litter-picking held
A. In May.
B. In August.
C. In November.
D. In December.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce a new sport called poGoNis and the author's experience of participating in it.
B. To describe the author's trip to Tokyo.
C. To compare different litter-picking teams.
D. To explain the rules of litter-picking.
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about the UK competition
A. There were only 10 teams.
B. Running was allowed.
C. The author's team came second.
D. It took place in Tokyo.
What does the word "recce" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. A rest.
B. A practice.
C. A reconnaissance or inspection.
D. A competition.
答案：
C
A
C
C
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “I first heard about this sport from him in May last year. The UK championships were in August, with the world cup in Tokyo in November.” 可知捡垃圾世界杯在十一月举行，C 选项正确，A、B、D 选项时间错误。
主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了一种叫 poGoNis 的新运动，以及作者参与这项运动的经历，包括参加英国比赛和世界杯的情况等，A 选项正确，B 选项只是其中一部分，C 选项不是重点，D 选项不全面。
细节理解题。由 “In the end, we were second and the Brazilian team were third.” 可知作者的队伍在英国比赛中获得第二名，C 选项正确，A 选项文中说有大约 20 个队伍，B 选项文中说不允许跑，D 选项英国比赛在伦敦举行。
猜测词义题。根据后文 “We went to a busy commercial Shibuya district, where we thought there would be fewer people who drop litter, probably typically younger people or people who were out drinking. So we made notes of areas with lots of bars.” 可知是去查看场地，做侦察或视察，“recce” 意思是侦察或视察，C 选项正确，A 选项 “休息”、B 选项 “练习”、D 选项 “比赛” 均不符合语境。
Passage 3
Maggie Aderin-Pocock, born in London in 1968 to Nigerian parents, is a physicist and presenter of The Sky at Night. She trained as a physicist at Imperial College London with a PhD in 1994, and worked for the Ministry of Defence designing missile warning systems. She has since designed a host of space instruments and is the first black woman to win a gold medal in the Physics News Award and in 2013 took over from Patrick Moore as a co-host of the long-running astronomy show. Aderin-Pocock is one of the panellists for the National Trust's initiative to give 11- to 25-year-olds the resources to explore ideas.
This was my Nigerian passport photo. I was quite excited to have my picture taken and my sister was, too. We were wearing matching outfits from Woolworths. Mine was green with a collar and hers was red. I remember I was quite envious of her.
I was quite innocent, but when I look closer it's not quite as sweet. There's a determination in my eyes that surprises me. I didn't think I had much of that at this age, but I must have done. I didn't feel I had much of an identity because, generally speaking, I didn't feel as if I belonged anywhere. I didn't feel British because I'd never been there, but at the same time I didn't fit in the UK. I was Black and living in Camden at school, students would say things like, 'Go home'.
Thankfully, my passion for space provided an escape. I remember the moon landings. Throughout my childhood, space was infused with this idea of unity. When you look at Earth from space, you don't see barriers or division - you just see the planet. That was really appealing to me as a child. I loved science, of course, and Star Trek. Star Trek was about people from all over the world, working together and going on adventures. The United Federation of Planets was this amazing idea of harmony and working together.
What did Maggie Aderin-Pocock do after getting her PhD
A. She became a presenter of The Sky at Night.
B. She worked for the Ministry of Defence.
C. She started designing space instruments.
D. She won the Physics News Award.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce Maggie Aderin-Pocock's achievements and her early experiences.
B. To describe the moon landings.
C. To explain the importance of space exploration.
D. To compare different science shows.
According to the passage, what can be inferred about Maggie Aderin-Pocock's childhood
A. She had a strong sense of identity.
B. She didn't feel she belonged in either Nigeria or the UK.
C. She was popular at school.
D. She didn't like science.
What does the word "infused" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Filled.
B. Destroyed.
C. Ignored.
D. Limited.
答案：
B
A
B
A
解析：
细节理解题。根据文中 “She trained as a physicist at Imperial College London with a PhD in 1994, and worked for the Ministry of Defence designing missile warning systems.” 可知她获得博士学位后在国防部工作，B 选项正确，A 选项是后来的事，C 选项也是之后的经历，D 选项时间也在之后。
主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了 Maggie Aderin-Pocock 的一些成就，如成为物理学家、获得奖项、主持节目等，还提到了她的童年经历，A 选项正确，B 选项只是文中一部分，C 选项不是重点，D 选项文章未重点比较不同科学节目。
推理判断题。从 “I didn't feel I had much of an identity because, generally speaking, I didn't feel as if I belonged anywhere. I didn't feel British because I'd never been there, but at the same time I didn't fit in the UK.” 可推断出她觉得自己在尼日利亚和英国都没有归属感，B 选项正确，A 选项与原文不符，C 选项文中说她在学校不受欢迎，D 选项与原文 “loved science” 矛盾。
猜测词义题。根据后文 “When you look at Earth from space, you don't see barriers or division - you just see the planet. That was really appealing to me as a child.” 可知童年时期太空充满了这种团结的想法，“infused” 意思是充满，A 选项正确，B 选项 “破坏”、C 选项 “忽视”、D 选项 “限制” 均不符合语境。Passage 1
Yerkes Observatory, a place that once attracted the elite of astrophysicists and theoretical astronomers like Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble, Gerard Kuiper, and Carl Sagan, is undergoing a significant transformation.
Thanks to a $15 million facelift - inside and out - financed by a nonprofit group that took possession of the building in 2020, the observatory is being reborn. For the first time in more than a century, the observatory, including its 50-acre grounds, is open for public tours of its working space-science facility.
Over the past few years, Yerkes staff have been preparing for what they expect to be one of the busiest days the institution has ever seen: North America's total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Williams Bay will see 90.2 percent totality, and Wisconsinites who don't want to drive hundreds of miles to witness complete darkness could find no more compelling a setting for near totality than here beneath these storied domes.
Yerkes's $15 million renovation included repairs to its three signature domes. The largest, 90 feet in diameter, rotates on 36 wheels.
But the glories of Yerkes are not confined to the heavens. The building itself is a thing of beauty. Festooned with elaborate Victorian-era stone carvings, Romanesque arches, and terra-cotta figures, the landmark observatory was created by George Ellery Hale and Charles Tyson Yerkes - two men with very different agendas.
Hale, an astrophysicist, had the revolutionary notion to establish a facility that housed both an observatory and an academic institution at which physicists and chemists could apply their discoveries to new theories about astrophysics. Financier Yerkes, on the other hand, was one of Chicago's most hated businessmen. He poured money into the observatory to rehabilitate his image, but it didn't work - and he ended up moving to New York.
Yerkes's face, however, is depicted on the observatory's exterior columns - albeit with a sinister smile and devilish horns. "The artists had fun with that," notes someone.
Who among the following once visited Yerkes Observatory
A. Albert Einstein
B. Isaac Newton
C. Galileo Galilei
D. Nicolaus Copernicus
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce the history of Yerkes Observatory.
B. To describe the renovation and features of Yerkes Observatory and its significance.
C. To compare different astronomers.
D. To explain how to observe a solar eclipse.
According to the passage, what can be inferred about the renovation of Yerkes Observatory
A. It was only for the appearance of the building.
B. It was funded by the government.
C. It included repairs to the domes and made the observatory open to the public.
D. It was completed a long time ago.
What does the word "facelift" in the second paragraph probably mean
A. A new telescope.
B. A major renovation or improvement.
C. A scientific experiment.
D. A public tour.
Passage 2
Litter-picking as a sport Yes, you heard it right! It's called poGoNis and involves teams covering an area of roughly 15.5 square kilometers, collecting litter and sorting it into recycling categories within a time limit.
I first heard about this sport from him in May last year. The UK championships were in August, with the world cup in Tokyo in November. I had just a few weeks to prepare. We were drawn to taking part because of the prize of a trip to Japan.
Our team consisted of me, Alex Winship, and his brothers Jonny and another one. We only came up with our team name, The North Will Rise Again, on the way to the championships.
One of the rules is that all the members of a team have to stay within 100 meters of each other at all times. With tensions running high, so you have to have really good communication. Running isn't allowed, but speed-walking is permitted.
There were about 20 teams in the UK competition, which took place in a park in London. The area we had to cover was huge, and another team came over to us and tried to pick rubbish out of our bag. It was intense! In the end, we were second and the Brazilian team were third. My muscles were aching from all the speed-walking, and it was a long way back to the heart of Tokyo on a busy train. I didn't have much energy, and I remember Alex and Jonny saying we were on the edge of something amazing. We had to just keep pushing.
We were then heading for the world cup in Tokyo. In Tokyo I saw my brother, who was the captain of the Brazilian team, staying in the same hotel. That night, my team used a tactic we'd learned from my brother: doing a recce of the area the night before. We went to a busy commercial Shibuya district, where we thought there would be fewer people who drop litter, probably typically younger people or people who were out drinking. So we made notes of areas with lots of bars. Another advantage was that we were on the younger end of the age spectrum, and UK teams tend to like the competitive element of the sport, whereas people from other countries are motivated more by environmental interests.
Because of jetlag and nerves, I hardly slept the night before the competition. The world cup involved two 45-minute rounds of litter-picking in Shibuya. The competition was fierce. In the end, we won!
When was the world cup of litter-picking held
A. In May.
B. In August.
C. In November.
D. In December.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce a new sport called poGoNis and the author's experience of participating in it.
B. To describe the author's trip to Tokyo.
C. To compare different litter-picking teams.
D. To explain the rules of litter-picking.
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about the UK competition
A. There were only 10 teams.
B. Running was allowed.
C. The author's team came second.
D. It took place in Tokyo.
What does the word "recce" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. A rest.
B. A practice.
C. A reconnaissance or inspection.
D. A competition.
Passage 3
Maggie Aderin-Pocock, born in London in 1968 to Nigerian parents, is a physicist and presenter of The Sky at Night. She trained as a physicist at Imperial College London with a PhD in 1994, and worked for the Ministry of Defence designing missile warning systems. She has since designed a host of space instruments and is the first black woman to win a gold medal in the Physics News Award and in 2013 took over from Patrick Moore as a co-host of the long-running astronomy show. Aderin-Pocock is one of the panellists for the National Trust's initiative to give 11- to 25-year-olds the resources to explore ideas.
This was my Nigerian passport photo. I was quite excited to have my picture taken and my sister was, too. We were wearing matching outfits from Woolworths. Mine was green with a collar and hers was red. I remember I was quite envious of her.
I was quite innocent, but when I look closer it's not quite as sweet. There's a determination in my eyes that surprises me. I didn't think I had much of that at this age, but I must have done. I didn't feel I had much of an identity because, generally speaking, I didn't feel as if I belonged anywhere. I didn't feel British because I'd never been there, but at the same time I didn't fit in the UK. I was Black and living in Camden at school, students would say things like, 'Go home'.
Thankfully, my passion for space provided an escape. I remember the moon landings. Throughout my childhood, space was infused with this idea of unity. When you look at Earth from space, you don't see barriers or division - you just see the planet. That was really appealing to me as a child. I loved science, of course, and Star Trek. Star Trek was about people from all over the world, working together and going on adventures. The United Federation of Planets was this amazing idea of harmony and working together.
What did Maggie Aderin-Pocock do after getting her PhD
A. She became a presenter of The Sky at Night.
B. She worked for the Ministry of Defence.
C. She started designing space instruments.
D. She won the Physics News Award.
What is the main idea of the passage
A. To introduce Maggie Aderin-Pocock's achievements and her early experiences.
B. To describe the moon landings.
C. To explain the importance of space exploration.
D. To compare different science shows.
According to the passage, what can be inferred about Maggie Aderin-Pocock's childhood
A. She had a strong sense of identity.
B. She didn't feel she belonged in either Nigeria or the UK.
C. She was popular at school.
D. She didn't like science.
What does the word "infused" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Filled.
B. Destroyed.
C. Ignored.
D. Limited.
