In Western society, especially in the English-speaking world, the chance for young people to see the other countries and experience life is considered important. Many young people, when they finish school at the age of 18, take a gap year (间隔年) before they go to university.
Parents often want their children to grow up a little and see what the real world is like when they finish school. Although they are worried about their safety, many think that the advantages of independence (独立) and experience are worth the worries. Children are encouraged to be brave, independent and to explore (探索) the world on their own or with friends.
Young people also want to experience freedom and see what life is like on the other side. This other side could be the other side of the world or just the other side of life. For example, if they have a rich life, they may want to see how people in poor areas live.
A gap year after school is also an important chance for young people to spend time thinking about what they want to do with their lives. A little bit of growing up and experience will help them make their important career (职业) decisions, especially when they are unsure about what they want to study.
Another reason for going straight after school is to get a break from studying before they start the next few years of university. So anywhere you travel in the world, you will meet young European people exploring the world.
So much of the world has been travelled and explored. The young people are now looking for more worthy experiences. Some of them work as volunteers to do something for the country they are visiting. Many gap year volunteers are now spending a few months teaching English in Thailand, helping feed giant pandas in China or building a well (井) in a village in Africa.
These young people’s wish to explore the world is an expression of the values of the societies that they are part of. Both discovering the world and making a positive (积极的) difference in it are important parts of the Western mind.
1. Many young people ______, often take a gap year before they go to university.| A．in Western society | B．at the age of 16 | C．in China | D．live alone |
| A．Young people want to take a break from studying. |
| B．Young people want to be sure about what to study. |
| C．Parents encourage them to be brave and independent. |
| D．Parents encourage them to live a free and rich life. |
| A．experiencing different cultures | B．helping protect rainforests in Brazil |
| C．making friends with more people | D．enjoying traditional local food |
| A．stay with their parents all the time | B．make money for their further study |
| C．help change the world for the better | D．change the Western mind completely |
| A．show different opinions about gap year | B．discover new ways to take a gap year |
| C．offer readers information about gap year | D．tell young people when to take a gap year |
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【推荐1】Growing up, I thought math class was something to be endured, not enjoyed. I disliked memorizing formulas (公式) and taking tests, all for the dull goal of getting a good grade. One of my teachers told my mother that I was “slow”. But my problem wasn’t with math itself. In fact, when a topic seemed particularly interesting, I would go to the library and read more about it.
By high school, no one told me that I could become a professional mathematician. What I wanted to do then was to play college football. My goal was to get an athletic scholarship to attend a Big Ten school.
The chances of that happening were very low. But that didn’t stop my coaches from encouraging me to believe I could reach my goal, and preparing and pushing me to work for it. They made video tapes of my performances and sent them to college coaches around the country. In the end, a Big Ten school, Penn State, did offer me a scholarship.
I wish math teachers were more like football coaches. Students are influenced by more than just the quality of a lesson plan. They also react to the passion of their teachers and the engagement of their peers and they try to achieve a sense of purpose. They get advantages from detailed and exact instructions and constant feedback (反馈).
Until I got to college, I didn’t really know what mathematics was. I still thought of it as laborious (耗时费力的) calculations. Then my professor handed me a book and suggested that I should think about a particular problem. It wasn’t easy, but it was attractive. My professor kept giving me problems, and I kept chasing them, even though I couldn’t always solve them immediately. The mathematical research I was doing had little in common with what I did in my high school classrooms. Instead, it was closer to the math and logic puzzles I did on my own as a boy. It gave me the same sense of wonder and curiosity, and it rewarded creativity. I am now a Ph.D candidate (候选人) in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
1. Why did the writer think math class in school was “something to be endured” before entering college?| A．Because he wasn’t interested in math. |
| B．Because his math teachers didn’t care to push him. |
| C．Because he was too smart and talented for math class. |
| D．Because he was training hard for an athletic scholarship. |
| A．was busy looking for math problems to solve |
| B．studied on his own just as he was in high school |
| C．met with laborious calculations in his studies |
| D．began to realize what mathematics really is |
| A．Interest is the best teacher | B．Be the best — you can make it |
| C．Math, taught like football | D．Once your teacher, always your teacher |
Instead, they receive their elementary and high school education by working at home on computers. The center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public “cyberschools(网络学校)” and that is about twice as many as two years ago.
The money for students to go to a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well.
Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school.
Whatever the judgment of cyberschools, they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschools called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen.
Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer, a printer, books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary.
Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.
1. What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschools?
| A．They have to take long bus rides to school. |
| B．They study at home rather than in classrooms. |
| C．They receive money from traditional public schools. |
| D．They do well in traditional school programs. |
| A．Their equipment costs a lot of money. |
| B．They get little support from the state government. |
| C．It is hard to know students' progress in learning. |
| D．The students find it hard to make friends. |
| A．they are less expensive for students |
| B．their students can work at their own speed |
| C．their graduates are more successful in society |
| D．they serve students in a wider age range |
【推荐3】While Jennifer was at home taking an online exam for her business law class, a monitor a few hundred miles away was watching her every move.
Using a web camera equipped in Jennifer’s Los Angeles apartment, the monitor in Phoenix tracked how frequently her eyes moved from the computer screen and listened for the secret sounds of a possible helper in the room. Her Internet access was locked-remotely-to prevent Internet searches, and her typing style was analyzed to make sure she was who she said she was: Did she enter her student number at the same speed as she had in the past? Or was she slowing down?
In the battle against cheating, this is the cutting edge and a key to encourage honesty in the booming field of online education. The technology gives trust to the entire system, to the institution and to online education in general. Only with solid measures against cheating, experts say, can Internet universities show that their exams and diplomas are valid-that students haven’t just searched the Internet to get the right answers.
Although online classes have existed for more than a decade, the concern over cheating has become sharper in the last year with the growth of “open online courses.” Private colleges, public universities and corporations are jumping into the online education field, spending millions of dollars to attract potential students, while also taking steps to help guarantee honesty at a distance. Aside from the web cameras, a number of other high-tech methods are becoming increasingly popular. Among them are programs that check students’ identities using personal information, such as the telephone number they once used.
Other programs can produce unique exam by drawing on a large list of questions and can recognize possible cheaters by analyzing whether difficult test question are answered at the same speed as easy ones. As in many university classes, term papers are scanned against some large Internet data banks for cheating.
1. Why was Jennifer watched in an online exam?| A．To correct her typing mistakes. | B．To find her secrets in the room. |
| C．To prevent her from slowing down. | D．To keep her from dishonest behaviors. |
| A．advanced technique | B．sharpening tool | C．effective rule | D．dividing line |
| A．they can attract potential students | B．they can defeat academic cheating |
| C．they offer students online help | D．they offer many online courses |
| A．checking the question answering speed | B．producing a large number of question |
| C．scanning the Internet test question | D．giving difficult test question |
| A．The Advantages of Online Exams | B．The High-tech Methods in Online Courses |
| C．The Fight against Cheating in Online Education | D．The War against the Booming of Online Education |
【推荐1】以下是一则短文，请阅读短文，并从文后选项中选择合适的选项还原到原文中，使原文的意思完整、连贯。
Thanksgiving Day is a very special day for people in the United States. They celebrate it on the last Thursday in November.
A Thanksgiving Day celebration was held every year for a long time, but not always on the same day of the year.
| A．Then, in 1789, President G. Washington named November 26thas the Day of Thanksgiving Day. |
| B．A harvest is the fruit you take from the trees and the crops you take from the the ground. |
| C．Nowadays, Thanksgiving Day has become a public holiday. |
| D．Canadians also celebrate Thanksgiving Day, but they do it on the second Monday of October. |
| E．People usually take small boxes of fruit, flowers and vegetables to their churches to show their thank. |
| F．These festivals are widely celebrated in western countries like Britain. |
【推荐2】The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook's uniform, stood at the table; his poor helpers were behind him; the gruel(稀粥) was served out; and after they spoke to God to give thanks, there was little time left to eat. The gruel disappeared in no time; the boys whispered to each other, and encouraged Oliver to ask for more. Oliver was very hungry and decided to take a risk. He rose from the table; and went to the master, plate and spoon in hand, said:
"Please, sir. I want some more."
①
The master was a fat, healthy man, but his face became very pale. He looked at the small boy in great surprise for some seconds, and nearly fell but for the support to the table. The helpers were frozen with wonder; the boys with fear.
"What!" said the master at last, in a weak voice.
"Please, sir," replied Oliver, "I want some more."
The master hit Oliver's head with the ladle(长勺) and screamed for Mr. Bumble.
②
Some people were sitting in talking about something, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and spoke directly to the gentleman in the high chair, said:
"Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!"
③
"For more!" said Mr. Limbkins. "Calm yourself, Bumble, and answer me clearly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper which was offered?"
"He did, sir," replied Bumble.
"That boy will be hanged," said the gentleman in white. "I know that boy will be hanged."
Everybody supported the gentleman's idea. A heated discussion took place. Oliver was locked in a cold dark room and no boys were allowed to talk to him. The next morning a notice was put up on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five pounds to anybody who would employ(雇佣) Oliver Twist. In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice(学徒) to any trade or business.
④
"I never was more sure of anything in my life," said the gentleman in white, as he knocked at the gate and read the notice the next morning. "I never was more sure of anything in my life—that boy will be hanged."
Adapted from Oliver Twist by Dickens
1. Why were the characters in the text angry about Oliver asking for more gruel?| A．Oliver put the master to the trouble of cooking more. | B．Oliver challenged the traditional rules. |
| C．Oliver impressed Limbkins with his not keeping a diet. | D．Oliver had bad relationships with the gentleman in white. |
| A．① | B．② | C．③ | D．④ |
| A．He would have to leave to avoid being hanged. |
| B．He would become an apprentice working for Bumble. |
| C．He would be sold to anyone who was willing to offer five pounds. |
| D．He would become an apprentice of someone who was willing to accept him. |
36.My American friends invite me to their dinner party. I don’t know what to bring.
37.One of my American friends invites me to dinner at eight tonight. Should I arrive earlier?
38. I’m going to a dinner party held by Americans, but I don’t know how to use the forks and knives.
39.I am going to an American friend’s party. I am not sure what to dress. Should I dress formally?
40.An American family invites me to their home for dinner. How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness after dinner?
A. Never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You must refuse politely.
B. Just watch the other people, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, ask the person next to you.
C. If you accept a dinner invitation of your friend, tell him or her what you like and don’t like to eat.
D. You should arrive on time. Don’t get there early. If you’re going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
E. Flowers are always nice, or you may bring a bottle of wine if you know that your friends like it.
F. Casual wear is OK for most visits to an American’s home.
G. You should thank them for the meal and their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a thank-you card the day after.
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【推荐1】If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about reading rate:
● Knowing why you are reading or what you are reading to find out will often help you to know whether to read fast or slowly.
● Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing something, arithmetic problems, science and history books, which are full of important information. You must read such things slowly to remember each important step and understand each important ideas.
● Some things should be read quickly throughout. Examples are simple stories meant for enjoyment, news letters from friends, pieces of news from local, or home-town, papers, telling what is happening to friends and neighbors.
● In some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as you go along. You will need to read certain pages quickly and then slow down and do more careful reading when you come to important ideas which must be remembered.
1. The underlined word "rate" in the first sentence means _______.| A．fast | B．slow | C．speed | D．skill |
| A．Stories for enjoyment | B．Arithmetic problems |
| C．Letters from friends | D．News from hometown newspapers |
| A．The faster, the better. | B．The more slowly, the better. |
| C．Neither too fast nor too slow. | D．It depends on what we are reading. |
| A．Read slowly when you are reading something important to you. |
| B．Read fast when you are reading something unimportant to you. |
| C．Read the materials that you are interested in slowly. |
| D．Read the materials that you are interested in fast. |
【推荐2】Water shortages influence so many lives. The company Watergen produced a new machine to help solve this problem. The machine, called GENNY, is small enough to be used in a home or office but can produce up to 30 liters of water a day. More importantly, it can produce clean water out of air.
GENNY takes air in and passes it through a filter（过滤器）to remove dust and dirt. The filter is powerful enough to work even in areas with high air pollution. The air then passes through a room where heating and cooling turns steam in the air into water. This water is then passed through several more filters, and minerals are added to make it healthier and better tasting. Finally, the water is kept in a tank where it is continually recycled to keep it fresh.
The heating and cooling process, called GENius, is far more energy-efficient than other technologies that produce water from air. It produces four to five times more water per kilowatt-hour（千瓦时）. Watergen has other products that use this same technology in a larger size, the largest of which can produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day.
As a company, Watergen aims to provide drinking water to the billions of people who don’t have safe drinking water at home. Last year Watergen’s large-size products were given to the local government in Brazil, Vietnam and India.
Watergon tries to help the environment by reducing waste caused by plastic bottles. People can put the water from GENNY into reusable bottles so that plastic ones don’t get used and thrown away. It also calls for saving energy. There are even two types of GENNY: one that uses the electrical power supply and another that runs on energy from solar power. The latter one is particularly useful for villages or other areas not connected to an electrical network.
Watergen’s technology is sure to help many people around the world as well as help take care of our planet.
1. What does the underlined word “it” refer to in paragraph 1?| A．The latest technology. |
| B．The company Watergen. |
| C．The new machine GENNY. |
a. Some minerals are added into the water.
b. It takes air in and passes it through a filter.
c. The water is stored in a tank to keep it fresh.
d. The water passed through several more filters
e. The heating and cooling turns steam into water.
| A．b-e-a-c-d | B．b-e-d-a-c | C．e-b-d-a-c |
| A．It produces clean and safe water and air. |
| B．It uses solar power to turn air into water. |
| C．It solves the problem of water shortage in the world. |
| A．Water from Air | B．Clean Air out of Water | C．Ways of Turning Air into Water |
【推荐3】On January 27, in order to win the new pneumonia Resistance War (抗击新型肺炎战), the Ministry of Education issued (教育部公布) a notice on putting off the start time of school in spring 2020. However, many parents are very worried that putting off the start of school may affect (影响) children's studies.
So how should we avoid this problem? Local education departments have also issued a notice, that is, to organize online teaching and create a network platform (平台), where necessary courses will be shown every day, and online teaching will be given by excellent teachers of the subject. It is a good method. It can make students study at home, improve their learning ability, and truly achieve "no suspension of classes".
Of course, except for learning at home, it is also necessary to teach children about health knowledge, it is also necessary for children to do some physical exercises or some games, which is good for physical health at home.
1. Parents worried about putting off the start time of school because ______.| A．children may be infected by virus |
| B．they don't like the idea of online learning |
| C．children's study may be affected |
| A．To keep playing online games. |
| B．To keep touching different people. |
| C．To teach children about health knowledge. |
| A．plan | B．stop | C．growth |
| A．Students would rather go to school. |
| B．The date of going to school is decided. |
| C．Online teaching will help students study. |
| A．A Special Way to Learn at Home. |
| B．A New War with a New Chance. |
| C．A Way to Keep Mentally Healthy. |
