【推荐1】“Can you say mama? Or dada? Wave bye-bye!” If you’ve spent any time around a baby, chances are you’ve heard of said things like this. The high-pitched (声调高的), singsong tone we switch to when interacting with young children can go by names—baby talk, or, according to development specialists, infant-directed speech. But as simplistic as this melodic chat might seem, the conversations are important.

Baby talk is an essential piece of speech and language development. Studies show that when infants are exposed to daily doses of it throughout their first year of life, they develop more vocabularies than other kids. By analyzing the jabber (含糊不清的话) between babies and caregivers throughout the world, investigators have pointed out key parts of the tender interactions—elements that, when parents apply them, help their kids learn more words and promote social interaction.

In a study led by University of Washington professor Naja Ferjan Ramirez, researchers recorded parent-child interactions at home, equipping infants with vests (背心) containing recording devices that listened for two continuous days at 6,10,14, and 18 months of age. Before each session (部分), some of the adults were coached on using infant-directed speech effectively, while others received no training. The kids of trained grown-ups performed better throughout the study, and follow-up surveys showed the benefits lasted: At 18 months, the average vocabulary of children whose parents had received coaching was about 100 words. However, children in the control group averaged about 60 words.

Researchers are still trying to find how baby talk functions and why it’s so beneficial. Better understanding of the role it plays in a child’s growth could help psychologists and others identify infants at high risk of developing a language disorder, says UCLA’s Sundara. And maybe, eventually, she says, it could result in earlier targeted treatments and therapies. So don’t be shy, sing. “Who’s that? That’s Mommy!” as much as you want—babies everywhere are listening.

1. What do we know about infant-directed speech from the first two paragraphs?

A．It helps develop babies’ language ability.

B．It offers directions to parents about how to raise kids.

C．It improves the babies’ trust toward the caregivers.

D．It promotes the relationship between caregivers and babies.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Tone study.

B．Baby talk.

C．Kid vocabulary.

D．Language development.

3. What does the study by University of Washington show?

A．The kids in vests were listened to for 18 months.

B．The control group operated the recording devices.

C．Ne kids in the control group learned more effectively.

D．The programme involved four sessions.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．How can babies learn to speak?	B．What are parents talking about?
C．What’s the point of baby talk?	D．How can researchers identify kids?

【推荐2】The Advice Gap

Advice My Parents Gave Me: Go to college and major in what you love.
Advice I Will Give My Kids: Go to college only if you’ll major in science, engineering, or money. It’s a depressing job market, and majoring in English literature or anything with the word English in it has been useless since 1910s.
My Parents: Never show up to a party empty-handed.
Me: Never show up to a party. Send a text to the host twenty minutes before the party starts to say that you’re “sooooooo sorry” to cancel but your stomach is feeling “weird.”
My Parents: To find a job, walk into the offices of ABC News’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” and ask for one.
Me: Apply to jobs via LinkedIn, Zip-Recruiter, or your connections. Write a cover letter and attach your résumé, then manually enter the same information through the company’s portal, which looks as though it were designed in Microsoft Paint. Do this twenty times a day for two years, and you’re bound to make it to a third round of phone interviews before getting ghosted.
My Parents: Learn the difference between a 401(k) (an employer-sponsored defined-contribution pension account) and a Roth I.R.A. (a special retirement account) so that you can start investing early.
Me: Learn the difference between a 401(k) and a Roth I.R.A. so that you can explain it to me.
My Parents: Never wait to do your taxes.
Me: If you wait long enough to do your taxes, there might be a global crisis that forces the federal government to extend the deadline: Then you can wait some more and do them right before the new deadline.
My Parents: Work hard so you can save for retirement.
Me: Retirement is something you’ll read about in your history books under the tile “Abstract Ideas.”
My Parents: When we’re gone, look after your siblings and never fight with them over money!
Me: When I’m gone, clear my browser history. Don’t quarrel with your siblings over who gets my monthly ten-cent payments from Medium (an American online publishing platform).

1. Why do you think the author has written this passage?

A．To present a better guide for young people today.

B．To show his annoyance with his parents’ advice.

C．To exhibit his capability of living a worthy life.

D．To demonstrate the contemporary generation gap.

2. Which of the following suggestions is the author most UNLIKELY to agree with?

A．Science majors should be favored over those related to English in college.

B．Job seekers should try various means and prepare for gloomy prospects.

C．You should check your stomach first before texting to the host of a party.

D．Siblings shouldn’t fight with each other but protect their gone parents’ privacy.

3. When it comes to finances, the author holds the idea that ________.

A．saving for retirement contributes to a better grasp of history books about abstract ideas.

B．the younger generation may inherit the legacy of their parents’ payment bills in the future.

C．the knowledge about a 401(k) and a Roth I.R.A is quite significant for early investment.

D．doing taxes is absolutely urgent, even allowing for unpredictable economic conditions.

【推荐1】Video doorbells, an American import, are now taking off in the UK.     1    

Historically, cameras around the home have been used only for security, and that’s a pretty good reason to have cameras.     2     It’s more than security. The ones with built-in speakers and microphones enable you to talk to the person at your door, via your smartphone, tablet or laptop. This means you can, for example, ask delivery drivers to drop your package at a neighbour’s house — even if you’re in Australia!     3     And, of course, they record video footage (画面) of potential criminal activity.

How do they work? Equipped with motion sensors, video doorbells start recording video when someone approaches your property.     4     That means high definition and colour. Many doorbell cameras also feature night vision technology, which is definitely a benefit if security is high on your agenda. Doorbell cameras can prevent thieves — some even state out loud that they are recording — and also provide the police with invaluable evidence if there should a crime take place. You can also programme your device so it’s right for your home. If you’re close to a road, you don’t want the camera recording every time a car drives past, so you can adjust your doorbell camera accordingly.     5    

Video doorbells are neat bits of kit, and definitely worth having if you’re away a lot or if security is a concern.

A．But why might you need one and how do they work?

B．Different video doorbells are powered in different ways.

C．However, the new generation of smart doorbells can do so much more.

D．The quality of the video tends to be exceptional, even with the cheaper models.

E．You can also change the angle of the recording and the type of footage it records.

F．Video doorbells allow working parents to check that their kids have arrived home safely.

G．You can monitor the elderly and children at home in case something unexpected happen.

【推荐2】   
Rubbermaid Commercial Stainless (不锈的) Steel Oven Monitoring Thermometer (温度计) FGTHO550
   
by Rubbermaid Commercial Products
4.3 out of 5 stars 2,274 customer reviews
Price: $7.01
Color: Metallic

Made of wearable stainless steel, this oven thermometer is designed to endure the test of the toughest professional and home kitchens. The scale reads in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, and it features clearly marked temperature differences to aid accurate readings. Easy to install, the thermometer comes equipped with a convenient hanger, so it can be hung on an oven rail. Its self-standing design also allows it to stand upright on a baking pan in the oven.

Easy-to-Read Dial (仪表盘)

This oven thermometer measures and displays true oven temperature, helping to ensure precise result when preparing food.

Durable Stainless Steel Design

With its stainless steel construction and rock-resistant lens, this thermometer withstands tough and repeated use. And with its long 10-year warranty, it’s sure to become one of your kitchen mainstays.

About manufacturer

Rubbermaid Commercial Products, headquartered in Winchester, Va, is a manufacturer of innovative, solution-based products for commercial and institutional markets worldwide. Since 1968, RCP has pioneered technologies and system solutions in the categories of food prep services, cleaning maintenance, waste handling, material transport, and safety products.

Product details
Product Dimensions: 6.1 × 4.5×1.5 inches; 1 pound
Domestic Shipping: Item can be shipped within U.S.
International Shipping: This item can be shipped to selected countries outside of the U.S. Learn More
Amazon Best Sellers Rank:

#1 in Home& Kitchen＞ Oven Thermometers

Special offers and product promotions

Pay with your credit or your Amazon.com Gift Card. Apply now.

1. Which of the following features does the product enjoy?

A．It’s made of quality plastic easy to be bent.

B．It is assisted with electronic dial reading system.

C．It could be positioned within the oven in two ways.

D．It is resistant to shake and pressure.

2. Which description about the product is TRUE?

A．It provides unconditional domestic and international shipping.

B．It sells best in Oven Thermometers section on Amazon.

C．Over 3000 customers have commented on the product.

D．It could be paid for only through credit card.

3. Which of the following products is NOT likely to be manufactured by Rubbermaid Commercial Products?

A．Deskside Plastic Wastebasket.	B．Airtight Snack Container.
C．Full Pan Carrier.	D．Over-ear Bass Sound Stereo Headphones.

【推荐3】Most people who live in Seattle, Washington, love their city. There is a never-ending flow of fun things to do. But, people who live there do not always enjoy the day-after-day absence of sunshine during the winter months.

It is a documented fact that sunshine(or lack of it)plays a major role in how each of us greets the day. It also affects how we perform at school or work. When people are deprived of sunlight, they can develop seasonal affective disorder, which makes it difficult for them to feel happy or get things accomplished. No major city in the United States is more affected by the “sunshine factor” than Seattle.

To fight drizzle and fog during the winter months, Steve Murphy created a business that is very popular among the locals. The Indoor Sun Shoppe is more than a little ray of sunshine during the grey days of Seattle’s winter. His shop offers a huge source of plants and artificial lighting for people who are trying to overcome seasonal affective disorder.

Located in Fremont, Washington, The Indoor Sun Shoppe has an amazing collection of exotic(奇异的)plants and “good bugs” in a humid and well-lit environment. At The Indoor Sun Shoppe, you can spend up to $400 for artificial lighting that will chase away the winter blues. It will also keep your plants healthy. You can buy a dawn simulator(模拟器)that will gradually fill your room with a warming wake-up glow. What better way to greet a Seattle morning when real sunshine is nothing more than a happy thought!

Murphy’s in-home waterfalls are also popular with customers. But his plants and lights remain the “main course”. On a cloudy winter day, The Indoor Sun Shoppe is a bright spot in Seattle!

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Seattle is located in the state of Washington.

B．Citizens love Seattle for their colourful city lives.

C．Sunshine in Seattle is rare during the winter months.

D．People who live in Seattle are used to the sunshine absence.

2. Which of the following best defines the underlined term ”seasonal affective disorder“ in paragraph 2?

A．Mild temperature and a general feeling of illness caused by grey winter.

B．Exhaustion, depression and lack of energy caused by lack of sunlight.

C．Winter-related illness caused by the low temperature and little sunlight.

D．Post-holiday depression that comes when relatives leave after Christmas.

3. The Indoor Sun Shoppe_________.

A．attracts people from different parts of the whole country

B．aims to create a humid and well-lit environment during the winter months

C．brings only a little ray of sunshine during the grey days of Seattle’s winter

D．offers a variety of goods helping people overcome seasonal affective disorder

4. Which of the following best explains the use of a dawn simulator?

A．An alarm clock activated by the light rays of early morning.

B．A bringer of indoor artificial sunshine when there is none outside.

C．An automatic waterfall system helping make indoor plants healthy.

D．A better way to greet a Seattle morning with real warming sunshine.

【推荐2】Our Conservation & Environment Projects are ideal for people who want to help with environmental conservation efforts, and carry out fieldwork in fascinating habitats. You’ll be actively involved in conservation efforts, which includes educating local people about the importance of protecting the environment. We share the same goal: to protect our planet for years to come. So get your backpack because you’re going on an environmental travel adventure!

Our environmental and wildlife conservation projects cover an incredible range of species and environments. If you love working on projects to help the environment and animals, you can unleash your passion in different ways like:

Jungle Reforestation

Volunteers can travel to the Amazon rainforest in Peru to assist with reforestation. Volunteers must stay for at least two weeks to get the most out of this program – learn more and to sign up!

Sri Lanka Elephant Experience

If you want to go on a tropical getaway where you can also do good, check out the Sri Lanka Elephant experience, where you’ll have the chance to work alongside a mahout to care for elephants. This program starts from two weeks at $600 – learn more here!

Marine Conservation in South Africa

Check out the marine conservation volunteer program in South Africa, where you can get up close to marine wildlife. Program fees are $525 to start for one week, and you can stay up to three months – Learn more and sign up here!

South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience

You can visit South Africa and volunteer on a world-class wildlife reserve, where you will get up close with elephants, lions, rhinos and other amazing animals. This program starts from $795 for your first two weeks – click here to learn more and to sign up!

You’ll support and learn from professional environmentalists and scientists, as well as people from the local community. We offer safe, ethical, and sustainable wildlife and environmental conservation projects, and you’ll always be aware of the impact of your work. In addition to making a difference on an animal care program, you’ll develop important skills for working in wildlife conservation.

Adventures Await!

1. The shared goal of Conservation & Environment Projects is to __________.

A．protect our planet	B．educate local people
C．experience adventures	D．improve the local community

2. If you only have one week to volunteer, which project is best for you?

A．Jungle Reforestation.

B．Sri Lanka Elephant Experience.

C．Marine Conservation in South Africa.

D．South Africa Big 5 Wildlife Experience.

3. Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A newspaper.

B．A magazine.

C．A textbook.

D．A website.

4. What is the main purpose of this advertisement?

A．To present how to care for wildlife.

B．To call on people to protect wildlife.

C．To recommend volunteer programs on wildlife.

D．To explain the importance of protecting wildlife.