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根据短文理解,选择正确答案。

Uncivilized behavior by passengers unacceptable

    For the first time, airline passengers have been blacklisted for uncivilized behavior. Their names will remain on the blacklist for one or two years, according to an announcement by the China Air Transport Association on Saturday. The blacklisting means they will not be able to travel by air until their names are removed from the list.

    Blacklisting passengers who disobey the rules for traveling by air and so place their own interests before everything else, including safety, has long been overdue (迟到的,延迟的).

    There have been frequent reports of passengers making a scene when their flight was delayed or when they believed that they were not treated as they should be on a flight.

    Yet it is natural for some flights to be delayed because of reasons such as bad weather or mechanical problems that need to be solved. However, some passengers seem to take it for granted that their flight must take off at the time stated on their ticket, and they even assume that the members of the cabin crew are simply there to do their bidding(吩咐).

    They forget that they should behave themselves in the first place and that respect is reciprocal (互相给与的).There is no reason for them to be respected when they do not show enough respect for others.

    Observing rules can never be over-emphasized when it comes to flight safety. No one has the right to disregard the rules for any reason. Of course, airlines should provide quality services to meet the needs of passengers. Yet, even if passengers are not satisfied with the service provided, there is still no reason for them to flout the rules that are designed for the safety of all.

    The blacklisting of these three passengers should serve for others to know they have to toe the line (顺从集体).

  1. (1) Which of the following statements is TRUE?

    A . Never before have airline passengers been blacklisted. B . At no time should flights be delayed, whatever the reasons. C . Members of the cabin crew should be at the passengers' service at any moment. D . If an airline passenger is blacklisted, he or she will never be allowed to travel by air.
  2. (2) The underlined word “observing” in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to ________.

    A . abolishing B . violating C . setting D . obeying
  3. (3) According Paragraph 4, the author's attitude towards some passengers is ________.

    A . Tolerate B . Curious C . Critical D . Neutral
  4. (4) The text is most probably taken from ________.

    A . a research paper B . a newspaper report C . an advertisement D . a flight guide
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    Don't you just hate it when you have to take an important phone call and you're surrounded by potential eavesdroppers(潜在偷听者)? You either have to whisper or go outside to keep the conversation private, which is not good. Now Hushme aims to fix this problem by muffling your voice and making you look like Bane in the film Batman.

    Hushme is a strange high-tech mask(口罩)that blocks the sound of the wearer's voice so that people nearby can't hear what is being said. It connects to your phone via Blucetooth and comes with a pair of earphones. When you get a private call, all you have to do is put the mask on and it will do the rest. The pair of thick pads over your mouth does a good job of muffling your voice, but to ensure nothing gets through. Hushme also has speakers that play a variety of sounds when you speak.

    The Hushme mask, which comes in a variety of colors, can be worn around the neck, like a regular pair of earphones, and attaches in front of your mouth thanks to a couple of very powerful magnets(磁铁). It's not yet clear how comfortable speaking with this Bane-like mask over your mouth really is, or how effective its speech muffling ability is, so we know so far is that it makes you look strange. The sound choices for covering your voice currently include wind, ocean, rain, birds, monkey, but new ones could be added in the future.

    Advertised as the “world's first voice mask for mobile phones'. Hushme was showed at CES. At the becoming of this year. Its makers plan to sell it by the end of this year. It will cost about $200.

  1. (1) Why does the author mention Bane in the first paragraph?

    A . To show what Hushme looks like B . To tell eavesdropping is impolite C . To encourage readers to buy Hushme D . To say Hushme will be popular in the future
  2. (2) What does the underlined word “muffling” in Paragraph 1 mean?

    A . Blocking B . Recognizing C . Changing D . Remembering
  3. (3) What is certain about Hushme?

    A . Its popularity B . Its appearance C . Its high standard for comfort D . Its speech muffling ability
  4. (4) What can we know about Hushme?

    A . It can be bought in the market now B . Its price is neither too high nor too low C . Its speakers will be improved in the future D . Its makers are confident about its market sales
阅读理解

    My husband and I had been married nearly twenty-two years when I acquired Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a disorder where my immune system (免疫系统) responded to a virus by producing painful blisters (水疱). Although my long-term evaluation was good, I, who had been so fiercely independent, rapidly became absolutely helpless.

    My husband, Scott, stepped up to the plate, taking care of kids and cooking dinners. He also became my personal caretaker, applying the medicine to all of my blisters because my hands couldn't do the job. Needless to say, I had negative emotions, bouncing from embarrassment to shame caused by total reliance on someone other than myself.

    At one point when I had mentally and physically hit bottoms I remember thinking that Scott must somehow love me more than I could ever love him. With my illness, he had become the stronger one, and I the weaker one. And this disturbed me.

    I recovered from my illness, but I couldn't seem to recover from the thought that I loved my husband less than he loved me. This seeming distinction in our love continued to annoy me for the year following my illness.

    Then recently Scott and I went on a long bike ride. He's an experienced cyclist; I'm quite the green hand. At one point with a strong headwind and sharp pain building in my tired legs, I really thought I couldn't go any further. Seeing me struggle, Scott pulled in front of me and yelled over his shoulder, “Stay close behind me.” As I fell into the draft of his six- foot- three- inch frame and followed his steps, I discovered that my legs quit burning and I was able to catch my breath. My husband was pulling me along again. At this very moment I woke up to what I now believe: during these and other tough times, love has the opportunity to become stronger when one partner learns to lean on the other.

    I pray my husband will always be strong and healthy. But if he should ever become the struggling one, whether on a bike ride or with an illness, I trust I'll be ready to call out to him: Stay close behind me-my turn to pull you along.

  1. (1) What made the author feel helpless?
    A . Her treatment failure. B . Her husband caring for her too much. C . Her losing the previous independence. D . Her suffer ring from illness and mental disorder.
  2. (2) Which of the following can best describe the author's husband?
    A . Family-centered. B . Not good at taking action. C . Career-centered. D . Independent but tired of negative emotions.
  3. (3) What did the author's husband do when going on the long bike ride?
    A . Followed her closely. B . Gave in to her depression. C . Backed her up all the way. D . Stopped to take care of her.
  4. (4) Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “stepped up to the plate” in paragraph 2?
    A . Moved into batting position. B . Began to take the responsibility. C . Walked to the kitchen. D . Began to wash the plates.
阅读理解

    Next time you make yourself a hot cup of tea or coffee, you might want to let it cool down a bit before drinking.

    Researchers say letting your hot drinks cool off could help you avoid some kinds of cancer. Researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found evidence that drinks at temperatures above 65℃, when swallowed, can cause cancer of the esophagus (食道). The researchers examined findings from other studies where tea and coffee were often served at 70℃ or above. Those studies were completed in Iran, China and South America.

    In developed countries, health experts have linked esophageal cancer to smoking and alcoholic(酒精)drinks. However, this form of cancer is more common in areas where people drink beverages(饮料;酒水)at very high temperatures.

    In Europe and the United States, many people drink coffee and tea at temperatures around 60℃.And they often add milk which lowers the temperature greatly. However, tea-drinkers in Iran and mate-drinkers in South America often enjoy their beverages at closer to 70℃.

    The researchers find that South Americans not only drink their mate very hot, they also drink it through a metal straw(吸管). This sends the scalding liquid directly into the throat.

    The findings, however, are good news for coffee drinkers. In 1991, the World Health Organization listed coffee as possibly carcinogenic (致癌的).” The WHO officials have since changed their position on that listing. They now suggest that the temperature of your hot drink is a greater risk factor than the actual drink itself.

    The results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of esophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible.

  1. (1) What might be the cause of esophageal cancer in developed countries?
    A . Smoking. B . Alcoholic drinks. C . Unhealthy vegetables. D . Hot drinks.
  2. (2) Where do tea-drinkers like adding milk?
    A . In China. B . In Iran. C . In Europe. D . In South Africa .
  3. (3) What does the underlined word "scalding" in paragraph 5 mean?
    A . sweet. B . cold. C . hot . D . tasteless.
  4. (4) Which of the following descriptions is TRUE?
    A . Once, the WHO thought coffee would cause cancer. B . Drinks below 60℃ can cause esophagus cancer. C . Temperature should not be the cause of cancer. D . Drinking milk is a much healthier way to keep away from cancer.
阅读理解

    It was only after her death from Bright's disease on May 15, 1886 that Emily Dickinson enjoyed recognition for her poetic accomplishment. A limited volume of her works appeared in1890, but it was Thomas H. Johnson's release of her complete body of poetry that made her works receive real acclaim. He published 1,775 of her poems in 1955 in a volume entitled The Poems of Emily Dickinson.

    Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, MA in 1830. The Dickinson family was well known in the community for their contribution to politics and education. Dickinson lived most of her life with her grandfather who was famous for having founded the Amherst Academy in1814 and later Amherst College in 1821.

    Emily Dickinson led a reclusive life, but her childhood was a happy one. She had the privilege of being educated at some of the most outstanding women schools in her time and devoted herself to reading all kinds of books.

    It was during her college years that Emily started writing. Some of her poems were published with the help of her female friends. However, the first serious attempt at having her poems published failed for her being rejected by The Atlantic magazine. This led the selfconscious poetess to believe that the public would never care for her works, and thus she never attempted to have any of her works published again. After the Civil War, Dickinson withdrew from society and had little contact outside of Amherst.

    Dickinson was very concerned with the subject of nature. Her writings are complex, and for many years scholars have searched for romantic inspiration, but have not yet understood her works. What is clear, however, is that her works can't just simply describe something in terms of a narrative style.

    Without doubt, Dickinson's works have greatly influenced and continue to influence modern poetry. In her time, her writing style was unique given that it included the use of dashes and capitalized nouns. None of her works rhymed, and she used unusual comparisons when referring to events and situations. This unconventional method of writing has made her one of the most innovative poets of the 19th century.

  1. (1) Which of the following best explains "acclaim" underlined in the first paragraph?
    A . Apology. B . Enthusiasm. C . Approval. D . Reference.
  2. (2) What did Dickinson do during her childhood?
    A . She studied in good schools. B . She passed her poems to magazines. C . She spent much time on politics and education. D . She practiced writing with the help of her friends.
  3. (3) What do we know about Dickinson's poems?
    A . They are easy for readers to understand. B . They make much difference to modern poetry. C . They inspire modern naturalists to study nature. D . They rhyme well and include many comparisons.
  4. (4) What can be the best title for the text?
    A . Causes of Emily Dickinson's Failure B . Features of Emily Dickinson's Poems C . Reasons for Emily Dickinson's Becoming World Famous D . A Brief Introduction to Emily Dickinson and Her Works
阅读理解

    A survey said the average Asian dad spent one minute a day with his children. I was shocked. I mean, a whole minute? Every day? Get real. Once a week maybe. The fact is, many Asian males are terrible at kid-related things. In fact, I am one of them.

    Child-rearing (养育) doesn't come naturally to guys. My mother knew the names of our teachers, best friends and crushes. My dad was only vaguely aware there were short people sharing the apartment. My mother bought healthy fresh food at the market every day. My dad would only go shopping when there was nothing in the fridge except a jar of butter. Then he'd buy beer. My mother always knew the right questions to ask our teachers. My dad would ask my English teacher if she could get us a discount on school fees. My mother served kid food to kids. My dad added chili sauce to everything, including our baby food.

    The truth is, mothers have superpowers. My son fell off a wall once and hurt himself all over. I demanded someone bring me a computer so I could google what to do. My wife ignored me and did some sort of chanting (咏诵) phrase such as" Mummy kiss it better," and cured 17 separate injuries in less than 15 seconds.

    Yes, mothers are incredible people, but they are not always correct. Yet honesty forces me to record the fact that mothers only know best 99.99 percent of the time. Here are some famous slip-ups.

    The mother of Bill Gates:" If you're going to drop out of college and hang out with your stupid friends, don't come running to me when you find yourself penniless." The mother of Albert Einstein:" When you grow up, you'll find that sitting around thinking about the nature of time and space won't pay the grocery bills." The mother of George W. Bush: "You'll never be like your dad, who became President of the United States and started his own war."

  1. (1) The tone (语气)for the writer to write the passage is ________.
    A . serious. B . critical C . disapproving. D . humorous.
  2. (2) In paragraph 2, the writer makes a comparison between mothers and fathers to prove that _____.
    A . females love kids more than males B . males are not good at child-rearing C . my dad is not interested in child-rearing D . child-rearing is difficult both for females and males
  3. (3) What does the underlined word "slip-ups" in paragraph 4 probably mean?
    A . Mistakes. B . Shortcomings. C . Stories. D . Disadvantages.
  4. (4) The last paragraph is mainly developed by __________.
    A . making comparisons B . following the order of space C . providing different examples D . analyzing causes
阅读理解

    A hospital has been forced to ban Pokemon Go players from the site after a monster hub(妖怪枢纽站) was found in the A&E department. Royal Stoke University Hospital discovered that its casualty unit(急诊室) is on the same spot as a Pokemon Go 'gym' ­­ where players can train their newly caught Nintendo creatures.

    The University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust agreed last week that patients can play Pokemon Go on wards because walking around is healthy. But the Trust has been forced to post a warning on its website about public access to A&E. It said if Pokemon Go becomes a major annoyance it would ask Nintendo­­ which decides on the locations of the virtual gyms according to GPS­­to have it removed from the premises(道馆).

    Kevin Parker, associate chief nurse, said, "Members of the public who do not need to be at Royal Stoke should not attempt to enter A&E or any other part of the hospital building to play the game. The A&E department is incredibly busy this summer. We want the public to understand that anybody who visits the hospital solely to play the game will provide an unwanted distraction to the important work of the hospital. I'm also aware of various reports in the media of unsafe areas that the game has been played in."

    "Royal Stoke University Hospital is a safe area where gamers can enjoy Pokemon Go." Michelle Harris, the Trust's manager, said the game could still be played by those already in hospital. "We recognize that the Pokemon Go game encourages walking and exercise, which is something that the Trust is equally keen to promote," she said.

    There are a number of "walking routes" established throughout the Trust that can be used to combine walking and playing the game. "Walking just 30 minutes, five times a week, can help reduce the risk of preventable illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease."

    There have been several warnings about the game since its UK release. Last week a group of teenagers in Wiltshire were left stranded almost 100ft underground after they got carried away searching for Pokemon Go characters. The four boys, aged 16 and 17, ended up getting lost and had to wait to get a phone signal before they could call for help. Eventually, they contacted Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue team, who took them to safety. Damien Bence, of the fire and rescue team, said: "Pokemon Go is obviously leading people into dangerous situations."

  1. (1) It seems that Pokemon Go is a game     .
    A . designed to help patients in hospital recover sooner B . helping cure such diseases as obesity, diabetes and heart disease C . encouraging players to walk and exercise instead of staying indoors D . warning teenagers of the places easy to get lost or attacked
  2. (2) The A&E department is incredibly busy because     .
    A . more patients' arrival increases the workload of the A&E department B . doctors' playing the game makes the A&E department less efficient C . players' injury increases the workload of the A&E department D . players' arrival disturbs the work of the A&E department
  3. (3) The underlined word in the last paragraph probably means     .
    A . hurt B . disturbed C . trapped D . threatened
  4. (4) The passage is mainly about     .
    A . the negative effects of Pokemon Go since its UK release B . the applications of Pokemon Go in hospitals since its UK release C . the popularity of Pokemon Go since its UK release D . the establishment of Pokemon Go virtual gyms since its UK release
阅读理解

    Does the amount of cash in a lost wallet influence how likely a person is to return it? Classical economic theories suggest that the greater the appeal, the less likely we are to be honest—but a new study turns the idea on its head, finding altruism(利他主义), and a powerful hate for viewing oneself as a "thief" outweigh the financial attraction.

    A team of researchers conducted a huge experiment concerning 355 cities in 40 countries. More than 17,000 identical wallets were dropped off at public places, each containing a grocery list, a key, and three business cards in the local language using made-up names and an email address. Some had no money while others contained the equivalent (等值) of $13.45.

    According to the research, people on average returned 40% of wallets with no money in them but 51%with money. It also shows extreme differences between countries. But although rates of people's honesty varied greatly from country to country, one thing remained remarkably constant: wallets with money, as opposed to no money, raised reporting rates.

    In the US, the UK and Poland, they repeated the experiment with even more money: $94.15, which increased reporting rates by an average of 11% compared to the smaller amount. They also found that having a key expanded reporting rates by 9.2%.

    The findings, which run counter to a fundamental principle of classical economics, suggest honesty, altruism and self-image can sometimes be more influential than economic self-interest.

    A purely economic approach to behavior suggests people would keep the wallets with the larger amounts of money due to the increased financial reward, but economics often doesn't account for a person's sense of honesty or self-image, according to behavioral scientists. Altruism also influenced the findings, the researchers say. Since the key is valuable to the owner but not the finder, this pointed toward an altruism concern in addition to the cost of negatively updating one's self image.

  1. (1) What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?
    A . Introduce a new topic for discussion. B . Add some background information. C . Describe a widely conducted experiment. D . Provide the research results for the readers.
  2. (2) What's the average reporting rate of a wallet with $94.15 inside?
    A . 11%. B . 20.2%. C . 51%. D . 62%.
  3. (3) What does the underlined phrase "run counter to" in Paragraph 5 mean?
    A . Go against. B . Account for. C . Agree with. D . Focus on.
  4. (4) What's the main idea of the text?
    A . Classical economic theories have already been out of date. B . People are more likely to return a lost wallet with more cash. C . An experiment conducted worldwide proves people's altruism. D . Rates of people's honesty vary greatly from country to country.
阅读理解

    UK-based swimming pool manufacturer (制造商) Compass Pools has announced plans for the world's first 360-degree infinity (无限) pool. Titled Infinity London, the pool would contain 600,000 liters of water, and would sit at the top of a 55-story hotel.

    According to Compass Pools' plan, the pool would feature transparent (透明的) walls and floor, offering views across London's skyline and down into the hotel below. These walls would be made of cast acrylic, a material chosen to make sure that the material is completely clear.

    The main problem with designing the pool was how to make sure entry or exit from the pool without affecting the view. Speaking about this design, Compass Pools' technical director and designer Alex Kemsley explained,"Normally a simple ladder would suffice, but we didn't want stairs on the outside of the building or in the pool as it would spoil the view – and obviously you don't want 600,000 litres of water running down through the building either. The solution is based on the door of a submarine, coupled with a rotating spiral (螺旋的) staircase which rises from the pool floor when someone wants to get in or out."

    Take a look at early models of how the pool might look in the gallery above. At present, no contract has been made but building work could begin as early as 2020.

  1. (1) What does the underlined word "suffice" in Paragraph 3 mean?
    A . Solve the problem. B . Beautify the pool. C . Add to the difficulty. D . Make sure of safety.
  2. (2) How can swimmers get in the pool?
    A . By stepping onto a simple ladder in the pool. B . By taking a lift of the building below the pool. C . Through a rotating spiral staircase in the center of the pool. D . Through a submarine door and a staircase.
  3. (3) Which is the best title for the text?
    A . The secret of the world's first 360-degree infinity pool B . World's first 360-degree infinity pool is set to open in London C . UK-based swimming pool manufacturer Compass Pools meet problems D . Enjoying ourselves in the sky is never impossible
阅读理解

    Teenagers who spend hours in front of the television may have a poorer diet as young adults.

    A study, which included nearly 1, 400 high school students, found those who watched TV for five hours or more per day had less healthy diets than peers(同龄人)five years later. Why does this happen? Should the parents take any measures?

    On the one hand, people who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially teenagers, may snack more, and that may affect their long-term diet quality.

    On the other hand, TV ads for fast food, sweets and snacks tempt teenagers to eat more of those foods. And TV time might also replace exercise time for some kids.

    Lead researcher Dr. Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, told Reuters Health a clear correlation between TV time during high school and diet quality in young adulthood. While the heaviest TV viewers were eating the most junk food , those who'd watched less than two hours per day had the highest intake(吸收)of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high-calcium food. In her opinion, parents should limit and monitor TV viewing.

    As far as I am concerned, children should watch no more than two hours of television per day. And parents should set a good example by eating right, being physically active and curbing their own TV time.

  1. (1) What's the best title for this passage?
    A . People should keep away from TV to keep healthy. B . Teenagers' TV time may affect their diets later. C . Why do teenagers like TV. D . Parents' own habits may affect children later.
  2. (2) According to the passage, heavy TV viewers tend to    .
    A . eat more fruits B . eat less junk food C . take in fewer vegetables D . take in high-calcium food
  3. (3) What suggestion does the author give the parents?
    A . They must watch TV with their children. B . They should forbid the children to watch TV. C . They should pay attention to nutrition in diets. D . They can't do what they don't want their children to do.
  4. (4) The underlined word "curbing" in the last paragraph can be replaced by    .
    A . controlling B . checking C . adding D . Stopping
阅读理解

    I watched my Dad close the door. It was a really cold night in dead silence and I was all alone at home. My parents left because they had been running fever for several days and they were showing other symptoms of COVID-19. It was the 9th day of Wuhan lockdown starting on January 23.

    The virus we now know as COVID-19 is somehow fearsome partly because it does not discriminate( 区别对待) in choosing who it infects. But that is only partly true. All the evidence suggest that it can be merciless to older people, so I was wondering whether my parents would  make it and whether we would ever take family photos, which my parents and I had talked about during the Spring Festival holiday.

    On their second day away my parents called and asked me how I was. We talked using FaceTime, and the moment I saw mom lying there with an oxygen mask and my dad could not talk without breathing heavily, I realized that I had to live on my own.

    But two weeks later, I came across a fever and had to go into quarantine(隔离) and be put under medical observations for 14 days. Fortunately, my illness turned out to be due to a bacterial infections but not COVID-19.

    Everything there was hectic, there seemed to be a shortage of medical staff and materials were in short supply. Even though the doctors and nurses were covered from head to toe, I could see how tired they were when I looked into their bloodshot eyes.

    They would work a whole day preparing for new patients and seemed incredibly apologetic for not having everything that was needed. Most of the patients were really understanding, but of course there were those who were not, and complained loudly, but all the doctors and nurses tried their best to deal with it in a calming way. And they are all from other cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou, and some of them are just three or four years older than me.

    When the quarantine was over, every patient effusively thanked the workers for what they had done, but the answer they received was exactly the same: "That's what we're here for."

  1. (1) When did the author's parents leave her for the hospital?
    A . January 23 B . January 30 C . January 31 D . February 1
  2. (2) What does the underlined phrase "make it" in Paragraph 2 mean?
    A . succeed B . join in C . arrive D . survive
  3. (3) What can we learn according to the passage?
    A . Both the author and her parents got infected with COVID-19. B . The majority of the patients understood the doctors and nurses. C . The patients apologized to the doctors and nurses because they were too tired. D . The author didn't get infected with COVID-19 because the virus can only infect the older.
  4. (4) What may the author think of the medical workers according to the passage?
    A . admirable B . outgoing C . impatient D . thankful
阅读理解

The day Madelyn McClarey's twin sons, Aaron and Aubrey Hough, each received scholarships(奖学金)to Florida A&M University, she figured that after they moved seven hours north from Hollywood to Tallahassee, she'd be lucky to see them on weekends.

But her sons had something else in mind. The twins told her they'd move to Tallahassee on one condition. She had to go with them—and work toward the college degree she'd always wanted. And that is how McClarey ended up in a green cap and gown this month at FAMU. Cheering her on were her twins. "Our mom is so determined and dedicated, we're lucky to have her as our mother," said Aaron. "It was a lot of hard work, but she never gave up."

McClarey's sons jumped as she was awarded a bachelor's degree (学士学位)in English with a minor in education, excited that their mom finally had the degree she'd dreamed about for more than twenty years. Her professional goals were put on hold when she became a single mom looking after two kids. Before motherhood, before divorce, McClarey had gone to business school.

McClarey, who described herself as "40ish," said that when her sons insisted she go with them to college four years ago, her jaw dropped, having known most teens are eager to start lives away from their parents once they graduate from high school. She said, "But I was also delighted when I realized they weren't joking and weren't going to leave home unless I moved with them, so I said, 'Well, all right—let's go, then.'"

Now that McClarey has graduated, she doesn't plan to leave Tallahassee anytime soon. She wants to stick around to encourage and support her sons, but there is also another matter to deal with. "My goal is to become an author someday," she said. "So this summer, I'll be working on getting my master's degree."

  1. (1) After being admitted to university, the twin sons wanted their mom to          .
    A . move to Tallahassee B . see them on weekends C . live with them in college D . continue her college education
  2. (2) What does the underlined phrase "put on hold" in Paragraph 3 mean?
    A . To be done later. B . To be improved. C . To be taken off. D . To be set up.
  3. (3) How did McClarey feel when hearing her sons' suggestion four years ago?
    A . Surprised. B . Delighted. C . Disappointed. D . Anxious.
  4. (4) What would McClarey do after graduation?
    A . Find a job as a writer. B . Realize her dream. C . Deal with important matters. D . Move back to Hollywood.
阅读理解

Artists always treat businessmen as money-obsessed bores. Or worse, many businessmen, for their part, assume that artists usually consider themselves to be more intelligent than others. Bosses may stick a few modern paintings on their office walls. But they seldom take the arts seriously as a source of inspiration.

The prejudice starts at business school, where "hard" things such as numbers rule. It is reinforced by everyday experience. Bosses constantly remind their employees that if you can't count it, it doesn't count. Few read deeply about the arts. Sun Tzu's The Art of War does not count while some tasteless business books are pleasing to them: consider Wess Roberts' Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.

But lately there are welcome signs of a thaw (缓和) on the business side of the great cultural divide. Business presses are publishing a series of books such as The Fine Art of Success by Jamie Anderson. Business schools such as the Roman School of Management at the University of Toronto are trying to learn from the arts.

Mr. Anderson points out that many artists have also been superb businessmen. Damien Hirst has been one of the most enterprising. He upturned the art world by selling his work directly through Sotheby's, an auction (拍卖) house. Whatever they think of his work, businessmen cannot help admiring a man who parted art lovers from £ 75.5 million on the day that Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Studying the arts can help businessmen communicate more effectively. Most bosses spend a huge amount of time "messaging" and "reaching out", yet few are good at it.

Studying the arts can also help companies learn how to manage bright people. Rob Goffee of the London Business School points out that today's most productive companies are dominated by what they call "clevers", who are very hard to manage. They hate being told what to do by mangers, whom they regard as being stupid. They refuse to submit to performance reviews. In short, they are prima donnas. The art world has centuries of experience in managing such difficult people. Directors persuade actresses to cooperate with actors they hate. Their tips might be worth hearing.

  1. (1) What kind of person is Damien Hirst actually?
    A . An artist whose works changed the art world. B . A businessman who just cares about money. C . An artist who is good at doing business. D . A businessman who had prejudice toward the arts.
  2. (2) The underlined words "prima donnas" probably refer to those who are ________.
    A . quite stupid B . rather proud C . really bright D . very efficient
  3. (3) What does the author mainly discuss in the text?
    A . Good management takes skill and patience. B . Artists should show respect for businessmen. C . Painting is a special form of communication. D . Businessmen have much to learn from artists.
阅读理解

There was a time when both literature and the study of literature came under the delightful belles lettres-beautiful letters. When the phrase was introduced in the 18th century, literature was considered, at its best, beautiful. Devotees tried to reproduce that beauty in their response to it.

Modernism was a turning point, when literature became more alienated and combative (好斗的) with respect to society. American literature, with its powerful, democratic associations, contributed to the change. Belles lettres seemed too elitist to describe early-20th century writing. The superiority of belles lettres was further undermined by the rise of science as civilization's potential savior. Science was necessary to defend democracy, first during World War 11 and then during the Cold War. Now, it is the means of moving ahead in a competitive, technological society. Who has time for beauty when there is serious work to be done?

The death knell (丧钟) for belles lettres came with a 1959 lecture by the scientist and novelist C. P. Snow, "The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. "Snow seemed to call for cooperation between science and the humanities, but he was really criticizing the scientific illiteracy of writers and critics who, unlike him, didn't happen to be scientists as well. The problem is that science and the humanities are inherently incommensurate fields. Science builds on its discoveries. It moves forward, so that the past is the literal foundation for the present and future. Literature does not move forward in this way. One need not read Shakespeare to write a play or a poem. By the same token Shakespeare is as relevant today as he was when he wrote.

The simple truth that progress is central to science but not to the humanities is difficult to grasp for people who seek improvement in every walk of life. It fuels the drive to make the humanities scientific-through the use of technical jargon (术语) , general theories about social texts, and quantitative tools to analyze word choice, sentence structure and other aspects of literature.

When the humanities give up their mission and seek shelter from progress, they become dangerous companion to ideological agendas. Students come to feel there is a definitive, "virtuous" reading of an event or a text; they criticize great authors of the past based on the standards of the present. They create a climate that arouses opposition from those who feel excluded or offended by such thinking but who lack the humanistic training to do more than fight back.

We need to be skeptical of beauty and its relationship to truth, but we also need to see truth as beautiful, and to look with skepticism upon the products of a culture that speak to us in ugly, pseudoscientific (伪科学的) ways.

  1. (1) In the author's opinion, which of the following statements might C. P. Snow agree with?
    A . Cooperation determines the progress of civilization. B . We don't actually need literature and art. C . We need the humanities as much as science. D . A writer who doesn't know science is undesirable.
  2. (2) What does the word "incommensurate (Line 1, Para. 4)" most probably mean?
    A . unable to affect and promote each other. B . unable to be judged by the same standard. C . related and unable to be totally separated. D . mutually exclusive and independent.
  3. (3) According to the last two paragraphs, what is the unique role of the humanities?
    A . To promote civilization of the past. B . To encourage openness and tolerance. C . To cultivate the skeptical mind. D . To create a climate without criticism.
  4. (4) What's the subject of the text?
    A . Call for due attention to the humanities. B . Regret about the death of belles Jetties. C . Challenge to the cooperation between art and science. D . Criticism on progressives' control of the humanities.
阅读理解

When scientists go to a forest to study monkeys and their habits and behaviors, how do they know who's who?

In the past, scientists had to make marks on each of the animals to tell them apart. But in the future, they may have a much easier way to tell them apart thanks to facial recognition technology.

A research team from China's Northwest University is using facial recognition technology to identify thousands of snub-nosed monkeys that live on Qinling Mountain in Shanxi province.

Similar to human facial recognition, the technology that is used to identify monkeys uses their facial features to create a database that includes every monkey, Xinhua reported.

"When the system is fully developed, we can connect it with cameras set up in the mountains. The system will automatically recognize the monkeys, name them and analyze their behavior," said Zhang He, a member of the research team.

"For each snub-nosed monkey, we have 700 to 800 image samples, and the recognition success rate is 94 percent, Zhang added.

"We used mobile phones and portable cameras with the monkeys in tests at distances ranging from about 3 to 10 meters," said He Gang, also a member of the research team. "With its help, we don't need to disturb the monkeys while studying them."

Compared to humans, facial recognition technology for monkeys is more difficult because of their hairier faces. The color of their hair causes them to blend (融入) into their environment. These factors make it harder for computers to identify them.

Currently, there are about 4,000 snub-nosed monkeys living on Qinling Mountain. The team's goal is to successfully identify every monkey that lives there.

  1. (1) What problem did scientists face in the past while studying monkeys?
    A . How to mark them. B . How to tell them apart. C . How to understand their behavior. D . How to observe them clearly.
  2. (2) What does the article tell us about facial recognition technology for monkeys?
    A . It is now widely used in China. B . It works better than human facial recognition. C . It will use monkeys' behavior to create a database. D . It can help scientists study monkeys without disturbing them.
  3. (3) What do the underlined words "these factors" in paragraph 8 refer to?

    a. Image samples.

    b. Hairy faces.

    c. Hair color.

    d. The environment.

    A . ab B . ac C . bc D . bd
  4. (4) What is the author's main purpose in writing the article?
    A . To introduce a new way to identify monkeys. B . To show the importance of studying monkeys. C . To compare different ways to identify monkeys. D . To explain difficulties in developing a new system.
阅读理解

What should you do when your parents are embarrassing you in front of your friends? Or what if you see what looks like a classmate stealing someone else's headphones? In our social Q's column the teenager Harper Ediger and the adult Philip Glances give their best advice to kids looking for help. Now it's your turn: Do you have a question about an uncomfortable social situation at school, at home, on social media or among friends? Email it to us at Kjdsqs@njpost.com and Harper and Philip may answer it in a future issue. Please include your age and hometown. Come on, we know you have one.

To inspire you, here are reader—submitted questions we've published in previous issues:

My mom signs me up for camps and activities without asking what I want to do. I only learn what I'm doing at the last minute. I don't like that it's a surprise, and I feel that I should be able to help plan my time. How can I have more of a say?

At my school, fourth graders need to learn different dances, then dress up for a fancy party where we ask partners to dance with us. This makes me nervous, and I'm not looking forward to it. How should I handle this situation?

My sister is home for college break, and lucky me, she's my roommate. As I'm 12 and she's almost 19, we both want our own space. I know she doesn't mean it personally, but she always complains that she doesn't have a home, which makes me feel as if I'm breaking into my own room. Do I tell her how I feel or let it go?

  1. (1) What should be included in your email to the social Q's column?
    A . Name, age and social media. B . Age, school and hometown. C . Age hometown and questions. D . Name, school and questions.
  2. (2) What does the underlined word "say" in paragraph 3 mean?
    A . The ability to plan time. B . The plan to enjoy activities. C . The chance to go camping. D . The right to make decisions.
  3. (3) Why does the writer use some published reader-submitted questions?
    A . To show kids ways of solving problems. B . To give kids examples of what to write about. C . To share Harper and Philip's advice with kids. D . To. offer kids a chance to complain about their lives.
  4. (4) What is the social Q's column designed for?
    A . To help kids deal with their troubles. B . To improve kids' writing abilities. C . To have kids introduce themselves. D . To advise kids to behave well.
阅读理解

China is showing the world its great resolve in the global climate campaign with concrete and self-motivated efforts as well as serious commitment.

At the opening ceremony of the Paris climate summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping restated China's plan made in June to cut its carbon emissions(排放)per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, and increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent.

With a large population, China is facing increasing resource limits, severe environmental pollution and a worsening ecosystem, and its citizens are also becoming increasingly aware of environmental problems. Suffering environmental problems and seeing the efforts as important to transforming its economic growth pattern, the country has much at risk if climate change is left unattended.

Actually, climate change efforts are already included in China's medium—and long-term program of economic and social development, and ecological efforts are the clear characteristics in China's 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-2020).

Although it is and will be a developing country for a long time to come, China has been actively involved in the global campaign against climate change, now topping the world in terms of energy conservation and use of new and renewable energies.

However, China's development rights need to be respected. It is unfair to overstress China's status as one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters and regard it as the major part of responsibilities in the global fight against climate change.

It is worthy of notice that China's emissions of greenhouse gases per person are far lower than those of developed countries, especially the United States, although rapid economic expansion and its population base have made it one of the biggest producers of the gases.

To show its great resolve, Beijing in September also announced the establishment of an independent South-South cooperation fund of 20 billion RMB to help developing countries affected by global warming.

While China is eagerly accomplishing its policy commitments, developed countries should stop questioning China's commitment to fighting climate change and pointing fingers, and start shouldering their due responsibilities instead.

  1. (1) China is self-motivated to fight against climate change in order to _______.
    A . top the world B . transform its economic pattern C . solve its population problem D . respond to pressure from developed countries
  2. (2) The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refers to _______.
    A . China B . the United States C . economic expansion D . the population base
  3. (3) It can be inferred from the text that _______.
    A . China will completely use non-fossil fuels by 2030 B . China will carry out its plan by stopping its development C . Chinese emit more greenhouse gases than Americans on average D . some developed countries are not taking on their due responsibilities
  4. (4) Which of the following is a sign of China's self-motivated fight against climate change?
    A . Expanding its economy. B . Using non-renewable energies. C . Making it part of China's 13th Five-Year Plan. D . Donating money to developing countries.
阅读理解

First of all, students should respect their teachers. They should pay attention in class. That means saluting (向……致敬) the teacher, standing from your chair when the teacher enters the classroom, attending any lesson attentively, etc. In the class of a certain subject or a teacher you don't like very much, if it's total anarchy (混乱), how can we talk about respect?

Play by the rules

If your teacher wants you to use wide-lined paper, do it! If he/she tells you to sharpen your pencils only before class starts, listen to him/her. If he/she doesn't accept late homework, do yours on time. Sometimes classroom rules seem strict or even silly, but most teachers know what's necessary to make things run smoothly and what it takes to let the learning begin. And the better the learning environment is, the smarter you'll be!

Expect him/her to like you

Teachers are teachers because they like kids. Given the chance, most teachers want to be your friends, too. Respect your teacher, but don't be afraid of him/her. He/ She wants you to have a great school year just as much as you want to have!

Put first things first

Friends are a fun part of school. But sometimes they're not the most important part. When your teacher is teaching, give him/her your full attention. Even when it's hard to do — recess will come soon, and that's the time for playing with your friends.

  1. (1) Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
    A . Advice Before You Go to School B . What You Should Do at School C . How to Get Along with Your Teacher D . How to Plan Your Time at School
  2. (2) What do you think the title "Play by the rules" means?
    A . Don't play if you haven't completed your homework. B . Follow what the teacher says. C . Work is work and play is play. D . Make the learning environment as good as possible.
  3. (3) According to the last paragraph, what do you think the first thing is?
    A . The teacher. B . The teacher's lecture. C . The students. D . Friends.
  4. (4) The underlined word "recess" in the last paragraph most probably means"___________".
    A . break B . play C . parents D . news
阅读理解

Human beings are extremely adaptable creatures, and able to find something good in almost everything. A recent study asked the American population to find out what they consider to be the positive aspect(方面) of COVID-19.

A team from Harvard and Stanford conducted interviews of 3,113 participants over the seven-month period from March to September 2020.

The scientists found many things in the responses. Using statistical analysis, the researchers grouped words themes together to find the most common silver linings in the storm of COVID-19 waves.

Number one, reported by 46% of participants, was quality time with loved ones,including " The kids are helping around the house more", "I'm in touch with my family who live far away "and" My husband and I take more walks, resulting in more time together.

The second most-recognized silver lining was" life slowed down, and I could do things calmly without FOMO (fear of missing out). "They also noted that because life was slower, they could pursue low-cost hobbies merely for fun, and find time for thinking.

Number three was community coming together, not just in terms of the local community in which the participant was a member, but seeing communities come together all over the world.

The other six themes reported by between 8% - 12% of participants, included the benefits of having a more flexible working schedule, or completely working from home, getting more health knowledge, and feelings of gratitude.

"Reflecting on benefits may help people better recognize the outside protective factors in their lives一such as having strong relationships with family or friends一or their own inside protective factors一such as being grateful," the researchers note.

"The process of identifying benefits may help people notice the protective factors in their lives, which are 'skill, strengths, or resources that can help them deal more effectively with stressful events'. It serves as psychological buffers(缓冲区) that protect individuals from the potential harms of tough situations."

  1. (1) What does the underlined phrase "silver linings" in paragraph 3 probably mean?
    A . Something good. B . Something strange. C . Something popular. D . Something interesting.
  2. (2) What did most participants value the most during the pandemic?
    A . Working from home. B . Living in a community. C . Having a flexible working schedule. D . Being together with family members.
  3. (3) What may help reduce people's FOMO according to the text?
    A . The slow pace of life. B . More quality time. C . Having feelings of gratitude. D . Getting more health knowledge.
  4. (4) What do the researchers think of identifying benefits?
    A . It's difficult. B . It's unnecessary. C . It's helpful. D . It's popular.
阅读理解

Carrots are grown all over the world. They are easy to plant and easy to harvest. They have a good taste.

When people think about carrots, they usually think they are a kind of long, thin, orange—colored vegetable. In fact, carrots are in many different sizes and shapes. And not all carrots are orange.

Carrots should be grown in a field that does not have water for a long time. The earth also should not be too hard. To prepare your carrot garden, dig up the earth and turn it over (翻土).

Weather, soil condition (土壤状况), and time affect the taste of carrots. Warm days and cool nights are the best time to grow great delicious carrots.

The best way to decide if a carrot is ready to be harvested is by its color. Usually, the brighter the color is, the better the taste is.

Most people do not know that carrots can be grown during the winter months. If the winter is not cold enough to freeze the ground, you can grow carrots the same way as you do during the summer months.

Carrots are prepared and eaten in many different ways. They are cut into thin pieces and cooked with other vegetables or meat. Or, they are washed, and eaten just as they come out of the ground.

  1. (1) What does the underlined word "harvest" mean?
    A . 品尝 B . 收获 C . 种植
  2. (2) What can affect the taste of carrots?
    A . Weather and time B . Weather and soil condition C . Weather, time and soil condition
  3. (3) _______carrots have a better taste.
    A . The long B . The thin C . The bright
  4. (4) Which is the right order according to the article?

    a. Carrots are eaten in different ways.

    b. Carrots are in many sizes and shapes.

    c. Dig up the earth and turn it over before planting carrots.

    d. The best way to decide if a carrot is ready to be harvested is by its color.

    A . b→a→c→d B . b→c→d→a C . c→b→d→a