“It’s a big hammer to crack a nut.” This is how one angry parent described the recent crackdown(强制措施)by London police on parents who drop their kids off at school by car. Yes, you read that correctly—the very mode of transportation that many American schools insist—the only safe way to deliver kids to school is now being criminalized in the United Kingdom.
The decision to fine any vehicles seen dropping off or picking up kids with in a particular zone of east London comes from city councillors’(议员) long-term efforts to make the area safer and less crowded. They say they’ve been trying for years “to encourage sensible driving and parking”, but in vain. Neighborhood residents complain frequently about their driveways being blocked by illegally parked cars for 15 minutes or more，often while they’re trying to get to work, and the streets are long overcrowded.
Now the rules have changed. Some parents are angry. Angie Baillieul is a mother who made the “big hammer” comment and says the crackdown is “way over the top.” The nearest drop-off point for her six- year-old is now a five-minute walk from the school. Others are happy with the decision, severe though it may seem. Councillor Jason Frost said ：
“Traffic has significantly reduced，and more children are now walking to school, which is a great outcome. I would rather have complaints that we are slightly inconveniencing parents than hear that a child had been seriously injured because nothing was done.”
I witness daily the chaos created by these in-town drivers，when I walk my own kids to school. There’s a parking lot overflowing with vehicles and a slow-moving train of cars moving in circles，many filling the air with harmful smokes. Meanwhile, the conversations around child over-weight and the importance of daily physical activity continue to stand out in schools.
1. Why is Angie Baillieul opposed to the new rule?| A．She is often fined by London police. | B．She will lose her job as a school driver. |
| C．She has adapted to the American practice. | D．She thinks it adds inconvenience to her son. |
| A．On account of massive complaints. | B．Because of heavy traffic jams. |
| C．Owing to safety concern. | D．Due to air pollution. |
| A．Less daily chaos. | B．Favor from all people. |
| C．More over-weight children. | D．Complaints from neighbors. |
| A．Parents attempt to resist a school rule. |
| B．London police cause widespread anger. |
| C．American schools care about kids7 safety. |
| D．Different voices are heard on a new traffic policy. |
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【推荐1】Everyone meets troubles and difficulties, and everyone needs to get negative feelings out of their own systems. Do you have a person, a place or even an object that you turn to whenever you need a listener and comfort? Welcome to post your stories below.
 Sun FlowerWhen I am thinking about relieving stress, thoughts of my school’s cherry trees instantly fill my mind. It is this place where I take a walk every day after lunch that helps me to reflect on myself and prepare for my afternoon classes. When the tree blooms in the summer, it will symbolize the time that we need to say goodbye to our school and graduate. Enjoying the fresh air and warm sunshine and whispering to the lovely trees about both my progress and challenges are my special ways to find comfort. | |
 AmyWhen I have troubles in my life and find it difficult to talk to my friends, then I have a tendency to share them with strangers online. One of the reasons is that it seems easier to tap on the screen of the mobile phone than to speak because, in this case, my anxiety is minimized. In addition, I can freely control the chat content and express my emotions without worrying about being interrupted. Most importantly, social media gives me a feeling of security. Often we don’t know who the other person is on social media, so we can speak freely without reservation. | |
 EnkaerI have a friend with whom I can talk about any of my worries — I often call him “Mr Tree Hole”. He has been my good friend since high school. Whenever I complain to him and seek help, he always patiently listens to me and magically calms me down. He is always there to “hear out” my daily small things, so I am more than willing to share many small things with him. He is truly a reliable shoulder for me to cry on. | |
| A．Sun Flower. | B．Amy. | C．Enkaer. | D．Mr Tree Hole. |
| A．It is easier to tap on the screen of a mobile phone than to speak. |
| B．Social media provides a sense of security. |
| C．People can speak with reservation on social media. |
| D．Emotions can be expressed freely online. |
| A．In a daily newspaper. | B．In a social magazine. |
| C．In a student handbook. | D．In a blog post. |
【推荐2】You've come back from your holiday and you feel amazingly recharged.
As much as possible, limit your meetings and scheduled commitments the first week back.
Up your fun the week you're back. Go out for a meal with your friends. Walk your favorite route in your neighborhood. Look at the pictures from your holiday.
| A．This enables you to deal with your overflowing inbox. |
| B．You've got a spring in your step and a smile on your face. |
| C．Remember, there will be plenty more holidays in the future. |
| D．So the first week back at work will be more tiring than usual. |
| E．Give yourself at least half a day before you jump back into work. |
| F．Then, start the urgent ones before diving into the quick responses. |
| G．Post-holiday blues can be very common if you go straight into all work. |
【推荐3】The summer vacation is over. It’s true that time always flies fast. During the vacation, the weather was hot and I could not do much work, but I lived happily. As the afternoon was hot, I did my work in the morning. I used to get up at 6:30 and take a walk in the garden for half an hour. After breakfast, I began reading English and Chinese and did some exercises in maths. Those took me three hours or more. I worked quite hard and made great progress. I spent the afternoon outside. I went to swim and it was funny. I would not go home until it was about five or six o’ clock. Sometimes a friend of mine would come to see me and we would spend some hours listening to music. In this way I spent my vacation happily. And I not only studied well but also became a good swimmer. Now I am in good health and high spirits(精神).
1. What does the text mainly tell us?| A．How the writer spent his summer holidays. | B．What the weather was like in that summer. |
| C．When the writer got up in the morning. | D．Where the writer took a walk. |
| A．listening to music | B．visiting his friends | C．walking in the garden | D．swimming. |
| A．worked very hard and made great progress | B．learned to swim and did his work well |
| C．got up early and went home late. | D．liked swimming better than studying. |
| A．The writer made great progress in his lessons |
| B．The writer took a walk for half an hour before breakfast. |
| C．The writer began studying as soon as he got up. |
| D．The writer spent more time swimming than listening to music |
【推荐1】The Australian state of New South Wales rolled out “high definition detection cameras" on Sunday, designed to catch drivers using cell phones behind the wheel.
Andrew Constance, New South Wales' minister for roads, said the "world-fist" technology would target illegal cell phone use through "fixed and mobile cameras". The cameras will use artificial intelligence to review images and detect illegal use of cell phones, according to Transport for NSW.
Images identified as being likely to contain a driver illegally using a cell phone would then be verified by traffic police. Those images would be securely stored and managed.
Over the next three years, 45 portable cameras would be set up across the state, in unknown locations, and without warning signs, CNN branch Sky News Australia reported.
For the first three months, drivers caught out by the technology would receive a warning letter, Transport for New South Wales said in a statement, after which the drivers would face a fine of up to $344, or $457 in a school zone, and loss of points on their drivers' license.
“The NSW Government is serious about reducing our state's road deaths and launching mobile phone detection cameras is another way we will do this." Con stance said in a statement.
Officials said that a trial of the technology earlier in the year had caught more than 100,000 drivers illegally using a phone behind the wheel. Some 329 people died this year on New South Wales' roads, Reuters news agency reported, compared with 354 people for 2018, according to official statistics.
1. Why does the NSW Government set up detection cameras?| A．To get some real-time information about the traffic. |
| B．To monitor people crossing the street casually. |
| C．To catch drivers using cell phones illegally. |
| D．To improve the work efficiency of the police. |
| A．Described. | B．Restored. |
| C．Edited. | D．Confirmed. |
| A．Locations of the cameras will be informed in advance. |
| B．Illegal driving in school zones is punished more severely. |
| C．Illegal drivers will be fined once cameras are set up. |
| D．Cameras are the first attempt for the government to cut road deaths. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
【推荐2】"Click!" That's the sound of a seat belt（安全带）locking in place
Think about it. When you are driving in a car, you may be going 60 MPH or faster. Then somebody ahead of you locks up his or her brakes. Your car, which was going 60 MPH, has now suddenly stopped. Your body, however, is still going 60 MPH.
Let's just take a closer look at your choices. If you are not wearing your seat belt, you can hop around the car and slide in and out of your seat easily. You are more likely to die or suffer serious injuries.
Wearing a seat belt does not always ensure your safety. You can still get hurt or killed while wearing seat belts.
| A．What's going to stop your body? |
| B．Seat belts save lives and that's a fact |
| C．Some people forget to wear seat belts. |
| D．Some people think that seat belts are uncomfortable. |
| E．If you are wearing a seat belt, you have to stay in your seat. |
| F．If you don't have a seat belt on, the police can give you a ticket. |
| G．But wearing them has proven to' be safer than driving without them |
【推荐3】Driving in Iceland
It’s not uncommon for people visiting Iceland to hire transport or even bring their own cars via the ferry service. There’s some important information about driving in Iceland you need to know first.
Driving regulations
In Iceland, you drive on the right side of the road and overtake ( 超车) on the left. The general speed limit is 30- 50 km/hour in populated areas, 80 km/hour on stone roads in rural areas and 90 km/hour on paved roads. Car headlights must be switched on at all times, day or night when driving in Iceland. The use of mobile phones while driving is prohibited.
Driving around Iceland
Driving around Iceland is a wonderful way to experience all those wonders of nature at your own pace. Most people visiting here choose to drive on the ring road, since it runs by the island’s beautiful coast connecting lots of natural wonders and attractions.
Don’t be distracted
When driving in the Icelandic countryside, it’s very easy to get distracted by the gorgeous surroundings. No matter how beautiful something is, don’t let it distract you from your driving. If you see something that demands your attention, please find a safe place to park and give the attraction your full attention instead.
Parking in Reykjavik
1. What should you keep in mind when driving in Iceland?
| A．Driving on the left. | B．Driving at a low speed. |
| C．Turning on the headlights. | D．Taking a mobile phone with you. |
| A．When driving on paved roads. | B．When driving on the ring road. . |
| C．When driving around the coast. | D．When driving in the countryside. |
| A．190 kr. | B．220 kr. | C．245 kr. | D．300 kr. |
【推荐1】There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist. Knowing a little about a lot of things that interest you can add to the richness of a whole, well-lived life.
Society pushes us to specialize, to become experts. This requires commitment to a particular occupation, branch of study or research. The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know more and more about less and less. There is a great deal of pressure to master one’s field. You may pursue training, degrees, or increasing levels of responsibility at work. Then you discover the pressure of having to keep up.
Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. But such commitment can also weaken a sense of freedom. These specialists could work at the office until ten each night, then look back and realize they would have loved to have gone home and enjoyed the sweetness of their family and friends, or traveled to exciting places, meeting interesting people. Mastering one thing to the exclusion of others can hold back your true spirit.
Generalists on the other hand, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all its connections. They are people of ability, talent, and enthusiasm who can bring their broad perspective into specific fields of expertise. The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills.
Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they are. My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally interested to learn more about Chinese philosophy. “I don’t know where it will lead, but I’m excited I’m on this pursuit.”
These expansions into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. We begin to see the interconnectedness of one thing to another in all aspects of our life, of ourselves and the universe. Develop broad, general knowledge and experience. The universe is all yours to explore and enjoy.
1. To become a specialist, one may have to ______ .| A．narrow his range of knowledge | B．avoid responsibilities at work |
| C．know more about the society | D．broaden his perspective on life |
| A．treasure their freedom | B．travel around the world |
| C．spend most time working | D．enjoy meeting funny people |
| A．is fully aware of his talent and ability | B．is a pure specialist in medicine |
| C．should love poetry and philosophy | D．brings knowledge of other fields to work |
| A．Passion alone does not ensure a person’s success. |
| B．In-depth exploration makes discoveries possible. |
| C．Everyone has a chance to succeed in their pursuit. |
| D．Seemingly unrelated interests are in a way connected. |
【推荐2】Are you troubled by housework, such as cleaning tables or tidying your room? Do you need a helping hand? Recently, the robot Mobile Aloha made by scientists at Stanford University in the US became popular online. In the videos posted, we can see the robot preparing dishes on its own. It’s also good at watering plants, petting cats, cleaning the floor and washing clothes.
Sounds good? Well, another video posted by researchers may disappoint some people. Mobile Aloha isn’t good at doing housework on its own. Instead, it learns from human actions before doing each kind of housework. When the situation changes, it can’t work well without a human “teaching” it. So it may break dishes, bump into (撞上) things and even burn a pot.
The robot can successfully move chairs 80 percent of the time, said the team after they did more research on it. For cooking dishes, it’s only 40 percent. In short, it’s far from perfect.
In fact, AI robots are good at tasks such as math and playing chess, but they face challenges when it comes to simpler actions like cleaning. And it’s the same for Mobile Aloha. For example, if its body doesn’t move correctly — even just with a small mistake, its arm may move too far to pick up a glass.
“Robots are not ready to take over the world,” the team posted online.1. How does the writer begin the passage?
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By asking questions. |
| C．By showing a finding. | D．By imagining a scene. |
| A．To show the latest findings of the team. |
| B．To prove that robots can do nothing right. |
| C．To support an opinion that robots are far from perfect. |
| D．To explain the main function of Mobile Aloha is moving chairs. |
| A．The importance of robots to the world. | B．The latest research on robots. |
| C．Some disadvantages of robots. | D．Some ways to produce perfect robots. |
| A．EDUCATION. | B．CULTURE. | C．PEOPLE. | D．TECHNOLOGY. |
【推荐3】"We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds. ... Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I am convinced that humans need to leave Earth" These are the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking.
Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humans to last far into the future is to colonize (殖民) other planets. That way, if an asteroid (小行星), a terrible discase, or some other disaster strikes Earth, we would still have a chance. Mars is one of the best choices. NASA, the private company SpaceX，and other organizations all have plans to send humans there. "Either we spread Earth to other planets, or we go out of existence,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said.
But not everyone agrees that colonizing Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it's just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there, let alone set up a place for them to live. It's not even clear if humans could survive on Mars.
Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars task would be better spent on more important projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid strike or disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet. In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabited, but it could possibly host some life. Human visitors may destroy this life or change the Martian environment forever.
What do you think? Should humans colonize outer space or stay at home?
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to________| A．provide an explanation | B．make a comparison |
| C．reach a conclusion | D．introduce a topic |
| A．protect humans from dying out |
| B．make Hawking's dream come true |
| C．seek more space for humans to live in |
| D．encourage different organizations to compete |
| A．Out of space, out of mind. | B．Money should be well spent. |
| C．East or west, home is the best. | D．One should mind his own business. |
| A．Confident. | B．Doubtful. | C．Objective. | D．Supportive. |
