【推荐1】The other day, my sister and I were sitting in a restaurant, trying to have a conversation, but her children, four-year-old Willow and seven-year-old Luca, would not stop fighting. The arguments—over a fork, or who had more water in a glass—never stopped.

Then my sister reached into her handbag, produced two shiny iPads, and handed one to each child. Suddenly, the two were quiet. They sat playing games and watching videos, and we continued with our conversation.

After our meal, as my sister stuffed the iPads back into her bag, she said, “I don’t want to give them the iPads at the dinner table, but if they keep them occupied for an hour so we can eat in peace, I often just hand them over. I’m afraid it’s bad for them. I do worry that it makes them think it’s OK to use electronics at the dinner table in the future.”

Dr. Gary Small, director of the Longevity Center at the University of California, Los Angeles says that the brain is highly sensitive to stimuli (刺激物), like iPads and smartphone screens, and if people spend too much time on one technology, and less time interacting (互动) with people like parents at the dinner table, that could prevent the development of certain communication skills.

“Conversations with each other are the way children learn to have conversations with themselves, and learn how to be alone,” said Sherry Turkle, a professor of science, technology and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She fears that children who do not learn real interactions, which often have imperfections, will come to know a world where perfect, shiny screens give them a false sense of intimacy (亲密) without risk. However, they need to be able to gather themselves and know who they are. So someday they can form a relationship with another person without a panic of being alone. “If you don’t teach your children to be alone, they’ll only know how to be lonely,” she said.

1. What did Willow and Luca fight about?

A．iPads.

B．Little things.

C．Delicious food.

D．Interesting things.

2. How did the author’s sister feel about offering children iPads?

A．She was critical of it.	B．She felt it was worth a try.
C．She was uncertain about it.	D．She felt surprised at its effect.

3. According to Dr. Small, what should parents do?

A．Provide their children with various technologies.	B．Teach their children communication skills.
C．Talk to their children at the dinner table.	D．Limit their children’s screen time.

4. What is Sherry Turkle worried?

A．Children are afraid of taking risks.	B．Children try to escape from the real world.
C．Children can’t live without electronic devices.	D．Children can’t deal with companion—less situations.

5. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To tell a true story.	B．To discuss a phenomenon.
C．To give practical suggestions.	D．To compare different opinions.

【推荐1】The unquestioned role of a student is to learn as much as possible through whatever means it takes to acquire knowledge. Teachers and professors are human beings and are therefore not perfect. No one knows the correct answer to every question even when you limit the questions to a certain field of study. Having certain skepticism (质疑) about what they are being taught can help students to make the teachers even better by correcting mistakes and misinformation.

Students certainly have a huge role in their own abilities to learn. Teachers should act more as guides along the way rather than try to force each student to learn. The best teachers in the world cannot teach an unmotivated student. If the teacher, for whatever reason, cannot motivate the student, then the student must somehow find a way to motivate himself or herself.

One method of doing this is by becoming an active rather than a passive student. The more the student involves himself or herself in the act of studying, the better he or she can learn. One of the best ways to become more active is simply to ask the teacher or professor questions. Students who passively sit in a classroom and take everything that the teacher says for granted are not fully using their mental capacities to learn.

Better education comes from teachers who are able to get their students to think about a subject rather than merely absorb a certain amount of information. Having a healthy skepticism can improve a student's ability to both think and absorb knowledge in a learning situation.

Teachers are human beings and no one is one hundred percent right all of the time, even in a classroom situation. Perhaps a teacher would simply unconsciously say the wrong word or pass on some misinformation that the teacher truly believed was correct. A student's question could prevent an entire classroom from becoming confused or misinformed.

There is of course a fine balance between a student having a healthy skepticism and just being a downright skeptic. But with the proper attitude toward learning and a little skepticism, both the students and teachers can improve upon the learning process and maximize learning efficiency.

1. Which of the following is the author's main argument?

A．Passive learning results from passive teaching in class.

B．A student's ability plays a huge role in the learning process.

C．A healthy skepticism fully depends on students' motivation and ability.

D．A healthy skepticism and proper attitude contribute to effective learning.

2. Being passive learners, the students ________.

A．use little of their mental ability while studying

B．seldom involve themselves completely in learning

C．can hardly tell the right from the wrong in class

D．simply ask their teachers questions without thinking

3. According to the passage, a good teacher should ________.

A．help the unmotivated students patiently

B．instruct students in the learning process

C．make no mistakes in the teaching process

D．answer all the questions raised by students

4. The author will most probably agree that ________.

A．keeping skepticism to a certain degree is important

B．having a good attitude can ensure the learning process

C．taking everything for granted makes a student learn nothing

D．a teacher's ability can be improved by encouraging doubts

【推荐3】More than a billion people around the world have smart phones, almost all of which come with navigation (导航) apps such as Google or Apple Maps. This raises the questions we meet with any technology: what skills are we losing? What abilities are we gaining?

Talking with people who’re good at finding their way around or using paper maps, I often hear lots of frustration with digital maps. North/South direction gets messed up, and you can see only a small sections at a time.

But consider what digital navigation aids have meant for someone like me. Despite being a frequent traveler, I’m so terrible at finding my way that I still use Google Maps every day in the small town where I have lived for many years. What looks like an imperfect product to some has been a significant expansion of my own abilities.

Part of the problem is that reading paper maps requires specific skills. There is nothing natural about them. In many developed nations, including the U.S., one expects street names and house numbers to be meaningful references, and instructions such as “go north for three blocks and then west ” make sense. In Istanbul, in contrast, where I grew up, none of those hold true. For one thing, the locals rarely use street names. Why bother when a government or a military group might change them again? Besides, the city is full of winding, ancient alleys that meet newer avenues at many angles. Instructions as simple as “go north”would require a helicopter or a bulldozer.

Let’s come back to my original questions. While we often lose some skills after leaving the work to technology, it may also allow us to expand our abilities. Consider the calculator: I don’t doubt our arithmetic skills might have dropped a bit as the little machines became common, but calculations that once boring and tricky are now much more straightforward and one can certainly do more complex calculations more confidently.

1. What does the underlined word “frustration” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Convenience.

B．Annoyance.

C．Excitement.

D．Explanation.

2. What does digital map mean to the writer?

A．Travelling friend.	B．An imperfect product.
C．A good helper.	D．A learning tool.

3. What can we learn from the fourth paragraph?

A．The skills of reading maps are important.

B．How Americans name street.

C．America and Istanbul are different in many ways.

D．It is necessary to use navigation maps in Istanbul.

4. Which of the following will the writer agree?

A．Two paper maps are better than a digital one.

B．Calculations become boring due to the use of calculators.

C．Technology reduces our abilities.

D．When technology closes a door, it opens one as well.

【推荐1】As the saying goes,’ time waits for no man’. Time is always against us, and we just can’t stop it. Maybe that’s why some of us are always running late for appointments, But if timekeeping is not what you’re good at, don’t stress. There might be a good reason for your lack of punctuality.

People’s attitudes to being on time vary. Some clock-watch and make sure they’re exactly on time for a meeting. It is, after all, rude to be late, and if you can make it on time, why can’t everyone else? But if, like me，you want to make every second count, you might try to squeeze as much as you can into the time you have available. However, when your schedule doesn’t run to plan, your punctuality inevitably slips.

People who lack promptness have been described as ‘time benders’. Author Grace Pacie told the BBC that “they’re the people who don’t want to be late, but they have a strange resistance to being early, and they don’t allow enough time.” They assume their journey to an appointment will always go smoothly, and the train will always be on time!

Perceptions of unpunctual people are almost always negative — even if sometimes wrong. Writing for the BBC, Laura Clarke says: Being consistently late might not be your fault. It could be your type. The punctually-challenged often share personality characteristics, such as optimism, low levels of self-control, anxiety, or a preference for thrill-seeking, experts say. It is also possible that people are late so as not to be noticeable and to avoid the anxious wait for others to turn up.

Maybe we latecomers should make more of an effort and follow the advice I heard to no ‘try’ to be on time but ‘decide’ to be on time. But I know if a meeting or a deadline really matters, then I’ll be there. Otherwise relax, even if others are blaming you!

1. The text is meant to _____.

A．tell us to avoid being late	B．tell us why we are late
C．tell us the importance of punctuality	D．tell us to try to be early rather than late

2. “Time benders” refer to those _____.

A．who don’t want to he late

B．who don’t allow enough time

C．who have a strange resistance to being early

D．who lack punctuality

3. According to experts, it is typical of time benders to _____.

A．be pessimistic	B．be negative
C．make every second count	D．have low levels of self-control

4. It is quite possible that the writer is one of those _____.

A．punctual people	B．unpunctual people
C．trying to be on time	D．deciding to be on time

【推荐2】At thirteen, I was diagnosed (诊断) with a kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.

In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, ''Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it. ''

She glanced down at me through her glasses, ''You are not different from your classmates, young man. '' I tried, but I didn’t finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.

In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Lous Braile. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots (点), which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.

Wasn't I the ''blind'' in my class, being made to learn like the ''sighted'' students? My thoughts, spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was not different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problem, why should I ever give up?

I didn't expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day-with an ''A'' on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words, ''See what you can do when you keep trying? ''

1. Why didn't the author finish the reading in class?

A．Because he didn't like the teacher.

B．Because he was not fond of literature.

C．Because the class room was too noisy.

D．Because he got a kind of attention disorder.

2. What can we learn about Louis Braille from the passage?

A．He couldn't see and read for the whole life.

B．He got a good education at school.

C．He made an invention which helps the blind.

D．He managed to cure his blindness.

3. What's Mrs. Smith's attitude to the author in the classroom?

A．She encouraged him.	B．She looked down on him.
C．She sympathized(同情) him.	D．She was angry with him.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Keep trying, and you can do it.

B．Ways to overcome attention disorder.

C．How to be a great teacher.

D．What should you do as a blind.

【推荐3】If you want to be productive， you must complete work． Almost everything we do has many stages to completion and in many situations， you don't actually create value until you finish the last stage． Farmers can't sell their grain until it is harvested． Automakers can't sell cars that have made it 90% of the way through the assembly line（生产线）． Most employers aren't going to pay you for having a degree unless you finished the last class and graduated．

Now all those things require starting， but if you have work in progress， the most valuable thing you can do is to pick something and finish it． Finishing is where you start benefiting from the value you've created． I've noticed that many successful people aren't the ones who are the smartest or have the best ideas． They are often the ones who do the best job of taking an idea and completing it． A good idea fully carried out is better than a great idea that never gets completed．

Does this mean you need to finish everything you start？ Not necessarily， but if you don't think something is worth finishing， be honest with yourself and terminate the project． Don't leave hundreds of half finished efforts lying around physically or mentally acting like you are going to come back and pick them up． If you need to drop something ， do so strategically and intentionally． If you've put significant effort into a project， you may still benefit from finishing it even if you wouldn't start it again based on changed circumstances． For example， if you are in your last few months before graduating from college and realize you don't want to career in what you are majoring in， you probably should go ahead and graduate because there is significant value in having the degree---even if you don't intend to actually work in that field．

What projects do you have that are currently in progress？ Can you find something and finish it？

1. Why do many people become successful according to the author？ ______

A．They are the smartest	B．They have the best ideas
C．They start things smoothly	D．They make ideas fully completed

2. What does the underlined word "terminate" in paragraph 3 mean？ ______

A．Develop	B．End
C．Plan	D．Support

3. According to the author， which of the following is the correct way of creating value？ ______

A．A man decides to finish all he starts to do

B．Farmers hurry to sell their crops before they are ripe

C．A college student chooses to study until he gets his degree

D．A student keeps a half-filled stamp album around for future use

4. What is the best title for the text？ ______

A．Finishing vs． Starting	B．Well Begun is Half Done
C．Planning vs． Performing	D．It is Easier Said than Done

【推荐1】Spider webs have something in common with guitar strings. The long, thin strings on a guitar can vibrate(振动). They move back and forth, or from side to side. So do webs made by spiders. The lines of silk they produce can carry vibrations. This movement gives the small creature information about what landed on the web.

Spiders have eight legs and usually eight eyes. The animals build webs with their own soft, naturally-made silk. Spiders catch their food, usually insects, in their web. They make small movements, which spread across their web. The vibrations can tell the spider what is there—maybe something tasty to eat.

Vibrations give the spider details about what is caught in the web. They can tell the spider where that next meal is, and what it might be. But vibrations are not just used to identify what is for dinner. A spider makes its own vibrations to find out the condition of the web.

How do the researchers know that? They used special equipment to send out laser pulses into the web of a garden cross spider. Then they used a laser to measure the very small vibrations, which spread through the web.

Using computer models, the scientist could show how a spider can change the size of a wave vibration. The spider does this by changing the tightness of the silk lines. The spiders then can control how information is getting to them where they hang out in the middle of the web. In a way, spiders can move their silk threads, much like a musician plays the strings of a guitar.

Engineers might be able to learn a thing or two from spiders. This information could help engineers better understand how structures react to energy, and how vibrations affect a building.

1. What do spider webs and guitar strings have in common?

A．They both shake.	B．They are both strong.
C．They both convey information.	D．They both have the same shape.

2. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Webs.	B．Spiders.
C．Insects.	D．Vibrations.

3. Why do spiders shake their own webs?

A．To repair them.	B．To check them.
C．To find out insects.	D．To connect with other spiders.

4. What does the author think of the finding of spiders?

A．It might benefit engineers.	B．Spiders are clever creatures.
C．It helps improve playing guitar.	D．Humans should learn from animals.

【推荐2】

The Puffing Billy Railway, located about 40km east of Melbourne, was constructed in the early 1900s to open up remote areas. The present line between Belgrave and Gembrook travels through the forests and farmlands of the magnificent Dandenong Ranges. Today, this non-profit Railway operates almost daily thanks to the tireless efforts of more than 900 dedicated volunteers.

General Information: People with disabilities – can be accommodated on most excursion trains, including a limited number of wheelchairs. Please phone to check availability. Easy access toilets are at Belgrave, Lakeside and Gembrook. Refreshments and souvenirs – are available at most stations. Railway Tracks – standing and walking on the tracks is not permitted. Prams (婴儿车) – only folding or narrow type prams can be accommodated through the narrow carriage doors. Smoking – is not permitted on the train or under any roofed areas. Assistance Dogs certified by a registered authority – are the only dogs allowed on the train and must be kept on lead at all times. Alcohol – is not permitted on trains (except as provided in dining cars). Toilets – are located at each station. Parenting rooms are located at Belgrave, Lakeside & Gembrook. Photographs and videos – for personal use are permitted. Wedding photography and any use, re-use or reproduction for commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission.

1. The above information is mainly intended for _____.

A．international tourists in Australia	B．potential travellers of the steam trains
C．local residents in Dandenong Ranges	D．volunteers on the Puffing Billy Railway

2. People are not permitted to bring _____ onto the excursion trains.

A．prams	B．guide dogs
C．wheelchairs	D．alcohol

3. What can be learned from the above information?

A．Taking photos is forbidden on most excursion trains.

B．Toilets for the disabled are not available at all stations.

C．Foreign visitors to Australia can also get concession fares.

D．One can get tickets at a lower price as long as he books in advance.

【推荐3】A fisherman I know named Joar Hesten called me late in April 2019. A white whale was swimming around his boat near the northern tip of Norway. It appeared to be wrapped in a tight strap (背带), and Hesten didn’t know what to do. White whales are usually found in pods in areas with ice and glaciers — rarely alone along the Norwegian coast. As a marine (海洋的) biologist, I knew that the strap needed to be removed as soon as possible.

We contacted the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries Sea Surveillance Service. When inspector Jorgen Ree Wiig and his crew met with the fishing boat, the nearly 12-foot-long male eagerly engaged with them. He’d clearly been trained. The mystery deepened when Hesten got into the water to remove the strap. Attached to the strap was a camera mount (支架) with the words “Equipment St. Petersburg”.

A week after his discovery, Hvaldimir — the whale, followed a sailboat to Hammerfest harbor, about 25 miles from where he was first spotted. That’s where I photographed him in early May. I had traveled to Hammerfest to determine his physical condition. He was thin: He wasn’t eating on his own and seemed unlikely to survive in the wild. Later the authorities decided to feed him; his meals became daily tourist attractions in Hammerfest.

Training such a whale is expensive and time-consuming, yet no one claimed him. The Norwegian Police Security Service got on the case, and a German journalist used crowdsourcing to track the strap logo to an outdoor-equipment supplier in St Petersburg.

In June Hvaldimir left Hammerfest, in much better shape than when he arrived. Since then he has traveled along the coast of northern Norway, apparently feeding himself. Many people have opinions about what to do with Hvaldimir. Should the lone whale be placed in a dolphinarium (海豚馆), moved to a habitat, or just left to himself ? So far, he seems to be doing fine on his own.

1. Why did Hesten give the author a call?

A．To respond to greetings as an old friend.

B．To complain about the behavior of inspectors.

C．To ask him how to help a trapped whale.

D．To tell him increasing whale numbers along the coast.

2. How did Hesten feel when diving into the water?

A．Frightened.	B．Confused.
C．Embarrassed.	D．Disappointed.

3. What happened to Hvaldimir after being found?

A．He was spied on by a sailboat.	B．He was attached to a new camera.
C．He was ordered to perform each day.	D．He was supplied with food regularly.

4. Which of the following might the author agree with?

A．Keep Hvaldimir in the wild.	B．Return Hvaldimir to his owner.
C．Establish a reserve for Hvaldimir.	D．Invest more money in training Hvaldimir.