1 . A new study has found that tools designed to warn drivers and automatically stop vehicles in emergency situations helped reduce crashes by about 50 percent.
For the study, numerous automobile manufacturers supplied vehicle equipment data on 93 different vehicle models from 2015 to 2020. This information was combined with data collected on more than 12 million police-reported crashes in 13 American states.
One of the technologies studied is called forward collision warning. Collison is another word for crash. This system uses cameras, radar and other technology tools to gather information on safe driving distances. It warns drivers if their vehicle is getting too close to other vehicles ahead. Another related driver assistance tool is known as automatic emergency braking (刹车). This system is designed to identify possible crash dangers involving vehicles ahead. The tool can automatically slow or stop a vehicle if it senses the immediate danger of a crash.
The group’s study found that front-to-rear (前后) crashes were reduced by 49 percent when the striking vehicle had both forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. The systems also reduced crashes resulting in injuries by 53 percent. The research also suggested automatic braking systems perform well in many situations, including poor weather and low light conditions.
The study also found that vehicles equipped with technologies designed to keep vehicles in their driving lane (车道) “are effective in reducing single-vehicle crashes that lead to serious injuries”.
Many carmakers now include this kind of technology on some vehicle models. It is designed to automatically keep a vehicle centred in lanes of traffic. The study found these tools reduced crashes involving vehicles leaving the roadway by eight percent.
That study warned that drivers who put too much trust in driver-assist technologies are putting themselves at risk for serious accidents. A majority of drivers in the study said they were more likely to perform non-driving related activities, like eating or texting, while using the tools.
1. What does the author’s statement in Paragraph 2 imply?A.There is potential danger of automatic driving. |
B.The data source for the study result is true and reliable. |
C.Traffic accidents are decreasing in America. |
D.The market prospect of assistance tool is broad. |
A.Forward collision warning. |
B.Automatic emergency braking. |
C.The technology keeping vehicles in their driving lane. |
D.Technology tools to gather information. |
A.No driver-assist technique is completely dependable. |
B.Future technology can avoid any traffic accident. |
C.Future technology can bring more convenience to drivers. |
D.There is still a long way to go to study driverless cars. |
A.A Traffic Accident Report to Prevent Injuries and Loss of Life |
B.Study: Vehicle Warning and Braking Systems Cut Crashes by 50 Percent |
C.An Advertise on the Effectiveness of Driver Assistance Systems |
D.Automobile Manufacturers Are Trying to Develop High-Quality Vehicles |
2 . In Moldova, Tudor Popescu splits (劈) firewood that will heat his home in the capital of Chisinau. In the past, Popescu depended on natural gas for warmth in the mornings and firewood at night. But gas is now in short supply, following Russia’s major cut to gas exports.
The demand for firewood in Europe is not limited to poorer nations like Moldova. The German forestry service has reported getting requests for firewood from people who had never sought firewood before. German foresters also report increased incidents of people gathering fallen wood in forests, often not knowing it is illegal.
State forests in the Czech Republic also report increased demand for firewood. The government sells the wood for use at home, only. Officials say they’ve had to limit the amount of firewood sold to individuals.
In Poland, demand for small firewood from state forests increased by 46% through the end of August from a year earlier. Larger firewood demand was up 42%.
To prevent theft in Germany, the forestry department is experimenting with hiding GPS devices in logs (原木). The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is the latest to try the technology. Foresters in neighbouring Hesse have been using GPS devices since 2013 and say they have been able to solve several thefts that way.
Austrian police recently warned people to watch for those claiming to sell firewood online. Police in Germany had issued similar alerts. In Britain, prices of firewood also are going up. Company Certainly Wood says it has seen “a massive increase in demand” even though the price is 15% to 20% higher than last year.
In Denmark, the demand for wood-burning stoves (炉子) is growing along with demand for firewood itself. The Danish sales site DBA said searches for wood-burning products have increased by over 1,300% in the past year. At the same time, government officials and environmentalists have warned Danes about the risk of burning firewood. The smoke produced can be dangerous and adds to pollution, they say, and the tree loss adds to climate change problems.
1. What caused the increase in demand for firewood in European countries?A.Wood shortages. | B.Rising prices in Europe. |
C.Europe’s energy crisis. | D.Unseasonable weather. |
A.Moldova. | B.Germany. | C.Denmark. | D.Poland. |
A.Criminals. | B.Cases. | C.Warnings. | D.Ads. |
A.To prevent destroying trees and reduce pollution. |
B.To strengthen collective environmental awareness. |
C.To attack the crime of damaging woods resources. |
D.To stress Denmark is a developed country. |
3 . Zu Wenbao, a 23-year-old Chinese villager with autism, grew up in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. Autism is a developmental disability that makes it hard for some people to talk with others or learn social skills. For Zu, the recent years of COVID-19 restrictions(限制) have been difficult.
But he is doing better now that he is learning music and spending time with other young people at a school called Chen’s Studio, which started offering music lessons for people with autism when the pandemic started.
Zu’s mother brings her son to the music school every Sunday so he can study with the teacher, Chen Shensi. It takes them two hours on three different buses to get to the classroom from their home. At the studio, Zu learned how to play the keyboards and sing in a band called “Star Kids”.
“Without music, without these lessons, he wouldn’t have anything,” Zu’s mother said. The children he grew up with, she said, all have jobs or go to school. Her son would not have any people to socialize with if it were not for the music school. Although Zu is older than the other young people at Chen’s Studio, “they all take care of him like he’s their brother,” Zu’s mother said.
China is making progress in teaching people about autism and offering more support for people like Zu. But experts say there are still millions of children who do not get social or educational support.
Chen knows the young people with autism will have trouble getting jobs, so he hopes music will help them make a living. The Star Kids band has already played some concerts. He did not know much about autism before he started teaching a bass player with the disorder in 2020. At the start, it was hard. Chen became upset when he had trouble communicating with his students. However, it eventually became easier. He said he knows it is hard for them to communicate. But “to some degree, I think music might be their language.”
1. What can we know about Zu Wenbao?A.He has difficulty talking with people. |
B.He likes to learn social skills very much. |
C.He grew up in the northwestern province. |
D.He does better in learning music than others. |
A.To receive timely treatment. | B.To reach out to more patients. |
C.To show his musical talent. | D.To increase communication opportunities. |
A.Favourable. | B.Concerned. | C.Doubtful. | D.Critical. |
A.To tell us an interesting story. |
B.To provide information about music teaching. |
C.To introduce the potential of people with autism. |
D.To guide us to the situation of Chinese autistic patients. |
4 . WELCOME TO OUR LITTLE VILLAGE
Our Mission
Little Village is a nonprofit record company that seeks to shine the light of awareness on musicians who might not otherwise be heard, and in doing so further the belief that a life filled with diverse music builds empathy (同感), making for stronger communities and a better world.
Our Story
Jim Pugh’s work with well-known blues artists and top selling rock musicians has earned him many Grammy Awards, platinum, and gold records. After 40 years in the music industry, the idea for Little Village came to Pugh after taking a step back and thinking about what meant most to him.
Founded in 2015, Little Village is an arts non-profit that uses music as a tool to increase cross cultural understanding. Our day-to-day programming consists of recording and producing underground artists whose music has not yet been discovered outside their community. Through sharing multicultural music with American roots, we work to deepen understanding and promote empathy.
Our Artists
Little Village artists come from various communities and cultures but all share a common goal of exposing their music to audiences who they would not have otherwise reached.
Little Village seeks out these previously undiscovered artists, and provides them with the tools to launch a successful album (专辑), at no cost to the artist. All proceeds from sales of the albums are given back to the artists as a way to promote artist agency and ownership of their work. Recording an artist helps them connect to their community, while providing Little Village with an opportunity to share their music with the world and win the artist acclaim (高度评价). For more information on our artists, click here please.
1. What is the focus of Little Village’s daily work?A.Promoting and supporting popular music. |
B.Recommending mainstream American music. |
C.Recording a new record for well-known musicians. |
D.Advocating musical diversity and understanding. |
A.Jim Pugh didn’t work with blues artists. |
B.Jim Pugh founded Little Village before 2015. |
C.Little Village has made a lot of money ever since. |
D.Little Village artists are from different communities. |
A.A research report. | B.A historical magazine. |
C.A music website. | D.A job advertisement. |
5 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the Supreme Court of the United States. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 25 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1. What is Jane Addams noted for in history?A.Her social work. | B.Her teaching skills. |
C.Her efforts to win a prize. | D.Her community background. |
A.Her lack of proper training in law. |
B.Her little work experience in court. |
C.The discrimination against women. |
D.The poor financial conditions. |
A.They are highly educated. | B.They are truly creative. |
C.They are pioneers. | D.They are peace-lovers. |
6 . Over the last century, engineers all over the world have spared no effort to achieve the unachievable in bridge design.
Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge
No bridge is as long as the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in the world. The 164.8-kilometre-long bridge built in 2011 in China serves as part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The trip from Ningbo to Jiaxing that previously took 4.5 hours has been reduced to two, thanks to this bridge.
Rio-Niterói Bridge
Completed in 1974, the Rio-Niterói Bridge in Brazil is the second-longest bridge in all of Latin America connecting the cities of Rio and Niterói across the Guanabara Bay. The Rio-Niterói Bridge is technically known as a “box-girder (箱形梁)” bridge, made of special concrete. It receives an astonishing 140,000 (or more) vehicles per day.
Hartland Covered Bridge
The Hartland Covered Bridge is the world’s longest covered bridge. The 1,282-foot-long bridge was opened in 1901 and has been on Canada’s list of National Historic Sites since 1980. Although it was originally built without a roof, the bridge was capped with wooden materials during the repairs in 1921.
Jiaozhou Bay Bridge
The newly-built Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China was named “world’s longest bridge over water” by Guinness Book of World Records in 2011, a title previously held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The dispute was settled when the title of “longest continuous bridge over water” was given to the causeway, with the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge receiving the title of “longest bridge over water”.
1. On which of the following can trains pass?A.Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge. |
B.Rio-Niterói Bridge. |
C.Hartland Covered Bridge. |
D.Jiaozhou Bay Bridge. |
A.It is a busy bridge. | B.It was built in 1980. |
C.It has a roof. | D.It is a wooden bridge. |
A.In America. | B.In Brazil. | C.In Canada. | D.In China. |
7 . As you walk around the UK in March, you might notice that some people are wearing a daffodil (水仙花) on their coats. The British wear these yellow flowers to show they support one of this country’s best-known charities: Marie Curie.
Marie Curie tries to ensure everyone who has cancer is cared for in the best possible way. It also helps fun d research into possible cures. Founded in 1948, it has been continuing with its goal ever since.
The charity was named after Marie Curie, a famous scientist. She experimented with newly-discovered elements to create the theory of radioactivity (放射性). Unfortunately, over-exposure to the radioactive elements made her develop a disease and die in 1934. Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in two different fields. Because of her pioneering work, the charity decided on the name of Marie Curie.
The daffodil is one of the first plants to flower during spring in the UK, which marks the return of flowering plants to the ecosystem after winter. Because of this, the charity uses the daffodil as a symbol, hoping cancer patients could recover from sickness.
Everyone you see wearing a daffodil has contributed to the charity, but each daffodil is worth only what you want to pay for it. The charity does ask that you stick to a minimum amount of £1.
The charity encourages people to start wearing their daffodils at the start of March, when the “Great Daffodil Appeal” kicks off. But that doesn’t mean you can only wear them in March. People are sometimes seen walking around with daffodils on their clothes all year round.
1. Why do some British people wear a daffodil?A.To advocate a charity. | B.To celebrate patients’ recovery. |
C.To remember a scientist. | D.To offer hope to cancer patients. |
A.Marie Curie’s support for the charity. | B.Marie Curie’s achievement in cancer treatment. |
C.Marie Curie’s study on radioactivity. | D.Marie Curie’s concern over cancer patients. |
A.Bringing life to other people. | B.Returning of flowering plants. |
C.Contributing money to the charity. | D.Encouraging patients to cheer up. |
A.A change in a British custom. | B.The effect of a campaign. |
C.A special activity held in March. | D.The time to wear daffodils. |
8 . Mia, 12, is now on a year-long trip with her parents and three younger brothers. Far from their home in Quebec, Canada, the family rode horses in Mongolia, kayaked in Cambodia, camped in Namibia and flew in a hot air balloon in Turkey, looking to collect as many once-in-a-lifetime memories as they could.
The memories really matter because unless science makes a breakthrough soon, three of the children will become blind, likely in adulthood. They have been diagnosed with a disease that has no effective treatment and no specific timeline as it gradually robs them of their sight.
The diagnoses came in 2015. Despite the grief, the parents were surprised to find Mia, then 7, was calm about it. She announced that she would need to start keeping her bedroom especially neat, with everything in its place. “In the future, I’ll need to know where things are,” Mia said.
“She’s finding solutions on her own,” the parents told each other. “We need to follow her lead.” And so the idea of a yearlong trip was born, one that would show the kids the world, in person and at close range – while the kids could still see it. For the next two years, the parents saved money and researched places to visit. “How we adults see the world and how kids see the world are so different.” says the mother, Edith. “It would have to be less about temples and museums and more about whatever caught their eyes.”
By the time the trip began to wind down in early 2023, the family had traveled 52,000 miles and visited 18 countries. Mia grew taller and when entering adolescence, needed more independence. Her brothers became more confident and outgoing. The kids were very aware that they had learned a lot. “There’s a lot of suffering, a lot of poverty, but lots of good and interesting things too. We should be positive.” said Mia.
1. What’s the probable function of the first paragraph?A.To lead in the story behind. |
B.To arouse the readers’ interest. |
C.To provide background information. |
D.To inform readers of a wonderful trip. |
A.They are optimistic about the children’s disease. |
B.They are surprised at their daughter’s creative ideas. |
C.They are proud of their daughter’s courage to face difficulties. |
D.They are open-minded enough to respect their children’s decision. |
A.The details about the year-long journey. |
B.The keen anticipation of Mia about the future. |
C.The changes of the kids physically and mentally. |
D.The impression Mia had of what she had experienced. |
A.Seeing is believing. |
B.Making the most of the vision. |
C.Man who travels far knows more. |
D.The eyes are the window to the soul. |
9 . Dance Classes
Ballet
Ballet teaches grace, posture (姿势) and flexibility. Students focus on the use of proper ballet items (物品), expanding their knowledge of classical ballet techniques and improving motor skills for classical ballet practice. The class is a formal ballet class.
Age: 8 — 10
Date: September 7, 2019 — May 16, 2020
Time: 10:30 am — 12:00 am on Saturdays
Creative Movers
Students can explore creative movement, balance, focus, the development of skills, motor planning and balance. The class helps build strength, flexibility and self-confidence, and allows children to realize expression in a positive and encouraging environment. Children use their imagination to celebrate movement and have lots of fun.
Age: 3 — 5
Date: September 7, 2019 — January 18, 2020
Time: 9:00 am — 9:45 am on Saturdays
Jazz
Jazz includes movements from both classical ballet and dance techniques. This class will focus on traditional Jazz dance. Students will be introduced to jazz-style rhythms and movements. In order to ensure proper placement for your child, we invite all students to participate in a sample (示例) class. Students and parents work with program staff to meet students’ personal dance goals.
Age: 5 — 6
Date: September 7, 2019 — May 16, 2020
Time: 2:00 pm — 3:00 pm on Saturdays
Hip Hop
Students will be introduced to several different aspects of hip hop dance including Popping, Locking, Breaking and Tutting in a high-energy environment. Our hip hop instructors are highly knowledgeable and will provide students with a wonderful view of hip hop dance.
Age: 7 — 10
Date: September 7, 2019 — May 16, 2020
Time: 1:00 pm — 2:00 pm on Sundays
1. Which class is suitable for 4-year-old children?A.Ballet. | B.Creative Movers. | C.Hip Hop. | D.Jazz. |
A.Make use of all the ballet items. | B.Learn the long history of jazz. |
C.Dance with famous modern jazz dancers. | D.Get to know jazz-style movements. |
A.It is open in the afternoon. | B.It is available on Sunday. |
C.It teaches traditional dances. | D.It has the most skilled teachers. |
10 . I was 6 years old when my father told me we were leaving the Big Apple Circus (马戏团). Until that point, I had spent most of my life on the circus lot, playing with the other circus kids. The circus, by its nature, is one that has a loose structure. So the early years after my leaving the circus to sit in a classroom all day felt more like a prison.
But years later, I found areas that interested me. I took the skills I had learned from being onstage and applied them to broadcasting. And so when Boston’s news station WBUR offered me a job out of college, I jumped at the chance. Along the way, I found I really enjoyed the work. I became WBUR’s news reporter. The flexibility and adaptability I’d learned in the circus as a child helped me do my job naturally and easily in a stressful situation — whether it was a destructive tornado outside Boston, or the Boston Marathon bombings of 2013.
But then a serious infectious disease appeared. Suddenly, for the first time in my adult life, I went for a year without doing any shows. But it became clear to me that performing was what I truly wanted. For me, the circus symbolizes who I am. And stages have always been where I’ve felt the most free. Some people get nervous before they go onstage, but by assuming (扮演) the character of Jacques ze Whipper and drawing a stupid moustache on my face, all my social anxiety disappears.
Circus performances go beyond age, socioeconomic status (地位), and even language. It’s the type of performance where you can go anywhere in the world to entertain anyone — help anyone forget their troubles for 5, 10, and even 30 minutes. And most importantly, for me, it means coming home.
1. How did the author feel in the early years of school?A.Curious. | B.Unfree. | C.Loose. | D.Impatient. |
A.He did it for his father. | B.He did it against his will. |
C.He risked his neck doing it. | D.He took to it like a duck to water. |
A.A means of living. | B.A chance to go anywhere. |
C.A part of his identity. | D.A way to forget his troubles. |
A.To express his love for circus performances. |
B.To stress the value of performing. |
C.To share his personal experiences in a circus. |
D.To discuss the problem of choosing a job. |