1 . What is PayQuick?
PayQuick is a fast payment service for shopping in the biggest supermarket in UK — Tesco. It allows you to add your credit or debit card details to the app so you can use your smartphone to pay for your shopping with just one scan, which means you can go wallet-free in all UK Tesco stores.
What are the benefits?
●Collect your Tesco points automatically
●Pay for your weekly shopping up to £250
●Use PayQuick offline, even with no signal
●Track your spending in Tesco
However, only one qualifying deal per week will collect the extra Tesco points. Additional payments in the same week won’t receive extra points. Tesco points will be added to your future Tesco points statement.
How to get your PayQuick?
Available to new customers who sign up by 3rd March 2024, the PayQuick app can be downloaded from the App Store or our official website. Once you have the app on your phone, register your personal details on the app to get an account. Note that for each customer, only one account is allowed and a family shared account will not be acknowledged. Finally, with all the preparation work done, you’ll be ready to shop using just your phone.
Plus, there’s no need to worry about your bank details being stored on your phone — they’re all securely protected in our data centers. So not only is it quicker and easier, it’s safer than going shopping with your wallet as well.
1. If customers use PayQuick in UK Tesco stores, they can ______.A.purchase things only offline |
B.get their Tesco points automatically |
C.keep track of their daily spending |
D.pay for their shopping without limit |
A.To register by 3rd March 2024. |
B.To download the PayQuick app. |
C.To bring their phones with them. |
D.To share the account with their family. |
A.To ensure the safety of PayQuick. |
B.To stress the importance of PayQuick. |
C.To popularize the use of PayQuick. |
D.To illustrate the application of PayQuick. |
2 . Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience: the iPad.
Instead of looking at nature, I
So this year I made up my mind to try something
With determination and the strong support of my wife, I succeeded in my vacation struggle against the Internet. I finally
I knew I had
A.received | B.selected | C.checked | D.removed |
A.online | B.informal | C.local | D.traditional |
A.opinion | B.mind | C.identity | D.curiosity |
A.attractive | B.logical | C.magical | D.different |
A.as | B.unless | C.though | D.so |
A.generous | B.capable | C.eager | D.determined |
A.battery | B.button | C.signal | D.function |
A.grateful | B.tough | C.stuck | D.puzzled |
A.rely on | B.go through | C.connect to | D.adapt to |
A.method | B.goal | C.trick | D.choice |
A.expected | B.realised | C.permitted | D.suggested |
A.approach | B.sign | C.evidence | D.problem |
A.won | B.forgotten | C.suffered | D.recovered |
A.Somehow | B.Anyway | C.However | D.Therefore |
A.take apart | B.give up | C.turn up | D.go off |
3 . Noah Wall recently celebrated his ninth birthday. The little boy from Cumbria, England, uses a wheelchair to get around. He’s extremely smart and loves learning about the solar system. His life is pretty normal, which is astonishing considering doctors didn’t even expect Noah to survive his birth.
His mom, Michelle Wall, was pregnant when tests revealed that her little one had spina bifida (脊椎裂) . When they performed more tests, a scan of Noah’s head showed a cyst(囊肿) that was destroying his brain.
Michelle and her husband Rob prayed for a wonder. On the day Noah was born, he let out a huge cry the moment he appeared to let his parents know that their little guy wasn’t going down without a fight!
Scans showed that just 2 percent of Noah’s brain had survived the cyst in his head. Seven weeks after birth, he received an operation to close the opening in his spine and place a shunt (分流管) in his head to lead fluid (积液) away from his brain. Yet Noah is not mentally disabled. In fact, he’s impressively clever! At 9, he is physically active and dreams of becoming an astronaut someday.
“They told us he might not be able to speak, hear, eat, or anything,” Michelle said. “But I see he can tell the time, read, do maths and love science. He can talk about the solar system. He has unbelievable dreams. ”
Noah has gone through 11 surgeries so far and there are many more to come, but he has already exceeded everyone’s expectations —in every possible way!
“Every single day he does something that impresses me,” Michelle said. “I’m so extremely proud of him. I will help him all I can and always be there for him.”
Noah! What a wonderful reminder of the importance of keeping hope alive.
1. Why is the nine-year-old Noah Wall’s life astonishing?A.The doctor judged him not to survive. | B.He is too smart to explore the solar system. |
C.His full recovery created a great wonder. | D.He will live through 11 operations. |
A.Gone beyond. | B.Subscribed to. |
C.Lived up to. | D.Set the stage for. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Positive. | C.Cautious. | D.Objective. |
A.A Touching Family | B.A Medical Wonder |
C.A Powerful Child | D.A Wonderful Reminder |
4 . Selecting gifts for your beloved ones can be one of the most difficult parts. But don’t worry! We can help! Here are some gift ideas to suit all pockets.
Air purifier
Do you have a loved one who suffers from allergies (过敏) or other skin diseases? Why not gift him or her an air cleaner? Research has shown that air purifiers can help reduce allergy reactions, remove asthma (哮喘) causes such as dust by improving air quality in your home. Look for purifiers with more than one filter and, especially, a high efficiency air filter.
Electric toothbrush
One review of 56 studies has found that a powered toothbrush resulted in a 21 per cent reduction of plaque and an 11 per cent reduction in gingivitis (牙龈炎) after three months, compared with a manual toothbrush. It’s also a fun way for children to look after their dental hygiene.
Dark chocolate
Nothing screams a gift quite like chocolate. Good news is that dark chocolate is associated with several health benefits. Small amounts of this sweet treat may lower the risk of heart disease, improve brain function and give your immune system a boost, potentially reducing infection.
Your time
Quality time spent with your nearest and dearest is completely free, but is the most precious gift you could give them. If you’ve been too preoccupied of late, determine to put aside more hours to do fun things together, or if you have time to devote to others outside your immediate circle, consider volunteering with Age UK as a friend to an elderly person.
1. Which of the following is suitable for someone with a dental problem?A.Air purifier. | B.Electric toothbrush. |
C.Dark chocolate. | D.Your time. |
A.They belong to tech presents. | B.They are non-physical objects. |
C.They are intended for the elderly. | D.They help promote healthy living. |
A.It is priceless. | B.It is worthless. |
C.It is physical. | D.It is rare. |
5 . Molly has a kidney (肾脏) disease. But she lived a healthy life until recently when her
Worried how it would
Kristi replied to her
Six years ago, Kristi saved the life of Molly’s father John when he suffered a heart attack. Later, Kristi
When Kristi saw Molly’s social post for
Molly recalled that Kristi
After a series of tests, doctors determined that Kristi would
“Kristi gave me back my life. I’m really
The Foundation for a Better Life and PassItOn believe that Kristi is a hero. She gave a father and daughter the most
A.life | B.finance | C.injury | D.condition |
A.warn | B.guide | C.impact | D.assist |
A.in charge of | B.in search of | C.in front of | D.in need of |
A.post | B.decision | C.question | D.advertisement |
A.transformer | B.planter | C.winner | D.match |
A.looked out for | B.took pride in | C.reached out to | D.looked forward to |
A.publicly | B.personally | C.timely | D.frequently |
A.help | B.company | C.advice | D.convenience |
A.upset | B.surprised | C.threatened | D.annoyed |
A.make | B.prepare | C.find | D.bring |
A.doubt | B.amazement | C.pressure | D.success |
A.sorry | B.relieved | C.grateful | D.confident |
A.precious | B.popular | C.impossible | D.unexpected |
A.secret | B.caring | C.humble | D.normal |
A.serve | B.contact | C.protect | D.celebrate |
6 . The animal kingdom is dotted with species that give birth to spotted young, from deer to birds and fish. Even species that we don’t typically associate with spots, such as lions, wear the pattern as babies, only to lose it later in life.
But what purpose do these spots serve, and why do only some species seem to have them? Kiyoko Gotanda, a biologist at Brock University, said it is likely so common because spots are useful in keeping babies hidden from their enemies.
Spotted young tend to be more common in species that live in habitats with some three-dimensional structures, Gotanda noted, and less common in environments that are uniform or featureless. Indeed, baby seals born on pack ice are pure white, and develop spots only when they leave the ice for rocky beaches. But in habitats with some cover, spots function as the sunlight passing through leaves or tall grass, making an animal hard to be discovered in its background.
“It is not as overt a pattern as something like a stick insect that becomes something else entirely, which can be clearly identified. But spots do create these three-dimensional effects that help some species hide better,” said Gotanda.
In other rarer cases, spots actually help babies stand out. Young garibaldi — orange marine fish found along the coast of California and Mexico — have bright-blue spots that advertise their lowly status to highly territorial (有地盘意识的) males. As the fish grow and start to engage in the social order, their spots fade.
In fact, many species grow out of their spots, and the reasons aren’t entirely understood. According to Gotanda, patterning is typically considered more energetically costly to produce than a single, solid color. But spots don’t take a lot of energy to grow and maintain at least in the case of white spots. There must be other reasons to explain their loss, he said.
1. Where are spotted baby animals more likely to appear according to Paragraph 3?A.In the desert. | B.On the ice. | C.In the forest. | D.In the lake |
A.Obvious. | B.Strange. | C.Hidden. | D.Complex. |
A.Animals with spots on the body are more energetic. |
B.Spotted animals often exist in uniform surroundings. |
C.The growth of animal spots will consume lots of energy. |
D.There are more to explore about the loss of animal spots. |
A.How Are Spots Protecting Baby Animals? |
B.Why Do So Many Baby Animals Have Spots? |
C.Where Can You Find Baby Animals with Spots? |
D.What Causes the Loss of Spots on Baby Animals? |
7 . English is increasingly used as a global language of instruction in higher education, known as English Medium Instruction or EMI. The aim is that a student taking a course in English should learn just as well as a student studying in their first language. But a new study involving 2,263 Swedish students now casts doubt on this assumption.
When these students registered for an introductory course in programming, they were randomly divided into two groups, either an English or a Swedish version of the course. The course was entirely digital and self-paced. Students’ performance was measured based on the number of correctly answered test questions and on how many left the course without completing it. When the researchers compared the number of questions answered correctly, they found that those studying in Swedish gave the correct answers to 73 percent more questions in the test.
“It’s important to remember that the only difference here is the language of instruction. The fact that the students on the Swedish-language course performed significantly better indicates that the use of English as the language of instruction can have a negative impact on learning under certain circumstances,” says Olle Bälter, one of the researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
When the researchers measured the student completion rate on the course, the results were confirmed; 25 percent more students dropped out of the English-language course.
The study now raises issues about the advantages and disadvantages of having such a large proportion (比例) of teaching at universities and higher education institutions in English, something that is common in Sweden as well as in other countries where English is not the first language for the majority of the population.
“It’s important to remember that a single study shouldn’t be used as the basis for a reform of the language or teaching policy in higher education. However, we believe the results from this research can contribute to a more informed discussion about the consequences of using English as the language of instruction,” says Bälter.
1. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2?A.How the study is conducted. | B.What courses the students choose. |
C.What information is needed. | D.How the students are grouped. |
A.The questions for students. | B.The content difficulty. |
C.The teaching language. | D.The class size. |
A.It reduces the dropout rate. | B.It changes the focus of teaching. |
C.It leads to poorer learning outcomes. | D.It helps improve the students’ English. |
A.Indifferent. | B.Positive | C.Doubtful. | D.Negative. |
8 . “Thank you for applying for the position,” the email read. “Your application has not been successful. We wish you every success in securing a suitable position in the future.” I received the email 2 weeks after an interview.
When I read it, I felt disappointed and angry. I’d spent hours preparing for the interview and in the end, I didn’t even know why I wasn’t successful! “How can I adapt my job search approach if I don’t know what went wrong?”
The value of that kind of feedback (反馈) became obvious to me a few months later. After applying for a job at a consulting company, I spent months working my way through the interview process before getting a phone call. “Unfortunately, we decided to offer the job to someone else,” the voice said. Again, the feeling I got from that rejection email appeared. But the conversation wasn’t over. “Would you like to hear feedback from us?” the company representative asked.
The representative went on to tell me I hadn’t clearly shown my motivation for applying for the position and why I wanted to work for the company. The feedback was tough to hear. But I quickly realized they were right. After completing my Ph. D. in Germany, my top priority had been to find a position in Poland. So I wasn’t very selective about what I had applied for. The job at the consulting company was something I could do, but I didn’t feel passionate about it—and that was clearly shown in the interview process.
From then on, I only pursued the jobs that I was passionate about. In my applications, I also began stating more clearly why I wanted that job. Soon the approach paid off. I got an offer for a postdoc position in Poland that I was truly excited about.
Now, when early-career scientists interview for positions in my lab, I keep that experience in mind. If they don’t get the position, I will tell them why and what they can do to improve their job applications going forward.
1. What did the author expect to read in the rejection email?A.Reasons for failure. | B.Useful guidelines. |
C.Encouraging words. | D.Sincere apologies. |
A.Embarrassed. | B.Discouraged. | C.Nervous. | D.Guilty. |
A.His inexperience in consulting. | B.An overstatement of his capability. |
C.His lack of passion for the position. | D.His bad performance in the interview. |
A.Devoted and ambitious. | B.Knowledgeable and modest. |
C.Courageous and warm-hearted. | D.Responsible and thoughtful. |
9 . Broadway International Festival
About this event:
Join us for an incredible celebration of diversity and culture at the Broadway International Festival! This grand event is to take place on the streets of Broadway and will transform the heart of Sacramento into a multicultural grand gathering.
This event will show an incredible lineup (阵容) of global cuisine, a fascinating fashion show, exciting live music, and culturally rich performances by local artists. Explore our unique multicultural marketplace, where there are a variety of crafts and treasures from around the world. Additionally, take time to refresh yourself in the health and wellness space and let the kids have fun in the kid zone. The Broadway International Festival is a one-of-a-kind experience in an energetic and inclusive atmosphere. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable celebration!
Festival and Block Party:
The Broadway International Festival is a two-part event that offers both a daytime festival and an evening block party. The festival will run from 10 am to 7 pm, providing enough time to explore and enjoy all the festivities. Admission to the festival is free and open to all.
As the sun sets, the block party will kick off at 7 pm, transforming the festival atmosphere into an unforgettable experience until 11 pm. Please note that the block party requires a separate ticket, which will be available for purchase.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the Broadway International Festival! Mark your calendars and join us on Broadway Street on November 4, from 16th to 18th Street, in Sacramento, California. Come to enjoy the global feast and make unforgettable memories at this unique multicultural event.
1. What can people do on the festival?A.Perform with local artists. | B.Pay a visit to a book fair. |
C.Explore the origin of festivals. | D.Enjoy a feast of food and culture. |
A.It is only open to adults. | B.It charges admission fees. |
C.It offers a calendar as a gift. | D.It lasts about nine hours. |
A.In an academic journal. | B.In an art textbook. |
C.On an online event notice board. | D.In a legend about festivals. |
10 . Hibernation (冬眠) is a classic topic of science fiction. In movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, or Passengers, crew members are put into a state of sleep to take year-long journeys to space. Now a new study from Washington University has shown that human hibernation may soon become a reality.
The research team carried out tests on rats — animals that do not naturally hibernate. They first identified a group of neurons (神经元) in a deep brain region, which were found to be involved in controlling body temperature during hibernation. They showed that, in mice, these neurons could be stimulated using ultrasound (超声波), which was delivered through a helmet without causing an injury.
When receiving the ultrasound, the mice showed a drop in body temperature of about3°C, and their heart rates fell by about 47%. When the ultrasound system was switched off, they woke up again. The result was “surprising and fascinating”, said Hong Chen, a professor who led the work.
Researchers are also trying to determine how to harness the power of hibernation to help humans. They believe that it could be key to addressing health conditions like heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, hibernation’s ability to slow aging, which was observed in bats, could benefit space exploration, enabling longer missions with less food requirements. Research in animals also suggests that bodies of hibernating astronauts might lose less bone and muscle, making them fit and ready to start challenging exploration soon after they wake up.
By unlocking the secrets of this remarkable process, researchers may uncover ways to improve human health, as well as gain new insights into the natural world. Therefore, the exploration of hibernation is an exciting area that is sure to yield numerous benefits in the years to come.
The scientists now plan to look at how lowered body temperature might affect the cognitive abilities of humans. “Our next experiments will test working memory in monkeys. This is important because while astronauts physically hibernate as they fly into deep space, their brain still needs to be working,” said Chen.
1. How did researchers put rats into hibernation?A.By lowering their body temperature. |
B.By activating specific brain neurons. |
C.By putting a regular helmet on them. |
D.By using ultrasound through an operation. |
A.Employ. | B.Challenge. | C.Overlook. | D.Discover. |
A.It improves people’s mental health. |
B.It predicts a variety of heart diseases. |
C.It helps astronauts keep physically fit. |
D.It enables astronauts to build up muscle. |
A.To point out the significance of the study. |
B.To bring out the focus of follow-up studies. |
C.To discuss other factors affecting hibernation. |
D.To explain practical applications of the finding. |