1 . The Wonderful Things You Will Be
By Winfield Martin $14.96
4.9 out of 5 stars Age Range: 3—7 years
With beautiful and sometimes humorous pictures, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids—both young and old. A special stand-out for birthdays and graduation. It has a loving and truthful message that will last for a lifetime.
Peek-a WHO
By Nina Laden $4.06
4.8 out of 5 stars Age Range: 1—3 years
With colourful pictures and simple rhyming texts, the guess of who's hiding on the next page, and the bright and attractive pictures will keep children guessing and laughing all the way to the surprise endings.
How to Draw People
By Barbara Soloff Levy $3.56
4.6 out of 5 stars Age Range: 5—10 years
By joining circles and other common shapes, even the beginner can easily create 30 different characters—a fireman, a mailman, a cowboy, an astronaut and more. Simple directions, step-by-step illustrations(图解), and blank practice pages make it even easier. You can color the pictures when you are done—it’s a fun-filled way to teach art to young children that enjoy drawing.
Karian Garcia's DIY
By Karina Garcia $5.78
4.2 out of 5 stars Age Range: 10-14 years
Get ready to become a slime(黏液) master with these feen DIY projects! Full-color and with step-by-step pictures, this book also includes tips on how to store your slime, all the amazing things you can do with slime, and cool fact about Karina.
1. Whose book is the best choice for kids as bedtime stories?| A．Nina Laden's. | B．Karina Garcia's. | C．Winfield Martin's. | D．Barbara Soloff Levy's. |
| A．$3.56. | B．$4.06. | C．$5.78. | D．$14.96. |
| A．How to buy high-quality slime. | B．How to arrange different colors. |
| C．How to create full-color pictures. | D．How to keep slime in good conditions. |
2 . Almost all animals need to sleep to stay healthy. But sleeping can also be dangerous because other animals may hurt those who are sleeping. This leads to many different ways of sleeping that help them stay safe. Some of these ways may surprise you!
Almost all bats sleep upside down. They hang from a branch of a tree or the ceiling of a cave. Up high, bats are safe from most other animals. If they are in danger, they just fly away.
A dolphin sleeps with just half its brain at a time. It must stay awake to breathe and to watch for danger. Dolphin mothers and babies can go without sleep for as long as two months to stay safe.
Some ducks sleep with just half their brains, too. These ducks often sleep in a line. The ducks at both ends help to keep the group safe. They keep one eye open to watch for danger. The ducks in the middle sleep deeply with both eyes closed.
Seals breathe air, but that doesn't stop some of them from sleeping underwater. They hold their breath and dive deep to sleep for up to twenty minutes at a time. Sleeping deep underwater helps these seals stay safe from animals that hunt them near the surface.
Horses often sleep standing up. Their legs lock in place so they don't fall over. If a horse is lying down, it needs a long time to get up. A horse can run from danger more quickly if it is already standing.
A flamingo (火烈鸟) can sleep while standing on one leg. The standing leg locks so it stays straight. The other leg remains close to the flamingo's body. Its head rests on its back. A flamingo lives (and sleeps) near many other birds to stay safe.
Some seabirds can sleep while they fly. These large birds spend most of their lives over the ocean. They are in danger on the water, but they are safe in the air. They fly for many hours without flapping (拍打) their wings. Sometimes they sleep while they are flying.
Would you like to sleep how they sleep?
1. The animals that sleep with half their brains are ___________.| A．ducks and seals | B．dolphins and ducks | C．bats and dolphins | D．flamingos and seabirds |
| A．To run from danger quickly. | B．To avoid falling over. |
| C．To help them to seep deeply. | D．To shorten the time to go to sleep. |
| A．offer to help | B．come to teach | C．refuse to protect | D．want to kill |
| A．How Animals Sleep | B．Sleep To Stay Healthy |
| C．Sleep As Animals Do | D．What Sleeping Animals Are Like |
3 . Slowly but surely, we’re moving closer and closer to 5G world. From smart-home security(安全) to self-driving cars, all the internet-connected devices in your life will be able to talk to each other at lightning-fast speeds. Objectively speaking, the fastest 4G download speeds in the US top out at an average of 10.42 Mbps. But by comparison, 5G promises gigabit(千兆) speeds.
“5G is one of those signs, along with artificial intelligence(人工智能)，of this coming data age,” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research for the Consumer Technology Association. The self-driving vehicle(车辆) is a great emblem of this data age, and that is to say, it is a sign of time, because with one single task, driving, you have a large number of data coming from the vehicle itself, and a variety of sensors(传感器) are collecting a lot of information to model its environment as it moves. It’s pulling in data from other vehicles about road conditions down the lane(车道). It could be weather information, but also connected infrastructure (基础设施)construction. There is lots of data behind that task, which is why we need high speeds.
Augmented reality glasses and virtual headset haven’t yet broken the mainstream, but tech companies are joyfully betting(打赌) that these devices will eventually replace our smartphones. With 5G, that could actually happen. This is notable(显著的) because companies such as Apple are reportedly developing AR glasses to assist--or perhaps even replace--smartphones.
Ericsson stated at February' s Mobile World Congress how smart glasses could become faster and lighter with a 5G connection, because instead of being weighed down with components(部件), the glasses could rely on hardware for processing(处理)power.
But don't get too excited. There's still a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including various trials to make sure the radios play nicely with hardware and infrastructure construction, so 5G isn’t concentrated(集中) only in big cities.
1. What does the author want to stress in Paragraph 1?| A．The lightning- fast speeds of 5G. | B．The expectation of 5G world. |
| C．The difference between 4G and 5G. | D．The internet-connected devices in our life. |
| A．Exhibition. | B．Success. | C．Symbol. | D．Explanation. |
| A．How to fully expand 5G coverage(覆盖范围). | B．Smart glasses will become faster and lighter. |
| C．Why 5G isn't concentrated in big cities. | D．The importance of infrastructure construction. |
| A．A science fiction. | B．A science magazine. |
| C．A business report. | D．A film documentary. |
4 . It's not easy to grow up. Actually, it's far from easy. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren't allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel trapped, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don't understand why we can't stay young forever. When we look back on all the hardships in life with a positive attitude, we realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!
Throughout our lives we are going to face many challenges and pains, but we should never let these obstacles keep us from following our dreams. We must overcome every obstacle one small step at a time.
As a young girl my parents forced me to do so many things that I never liked. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music, just because it was what they wanted me to do. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched my life in so many ways. I realize that my parents and teachers were always pushing me along, not because they wanted me to suffer but because they wanted me to succeed in life. They've always wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.
Every moment of our lives we are either living or dying, so live life to its fullest! We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just small pains in life. They might seem so huge at the time but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no fear and live life like that.
The future is ours! A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps（凸块）on our road to success we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!
1. According to Paragraph 1, we learn that when we are young ______________.| A．life is full of joy | B．life is easy for us |
| C．we know we can stay young forever | D．we sometimes can't do things we like |
| A．make it easy for you to do something | B．make it difficult for you to do something |
| C．make you happy | D．make you full of energy |
| A．take music lessons | B．turn gains into pains |
| C．look back on hardships | D．live a successful life by suffering a lot |
| A．A little hard work and sweat are harmful to us. |
| B．We all have to experience growing pains. |
| C．Growing pains are necessary for us to grow up. |
| D．Life without fear is a better choice for us. |
5 . Our lives changed tracks the day our daughter was born. My wife and I felt
Then, a few weeks later, I received a call from my brother, who told me that our father had passed away.The great
It wasn't
Looking back, I'm
| A．settled | B．misled | C．abandoned | D．misunderstood |
| A．discovery | B．memory | C．survival | D．arrival |
| A．celebration | B．consideration | C．interruption | D．weakness |
| A．return | B．submit | C．respond | D．keep |
| A．tough | B．changeable | C．silent | D．different |
| A．career | B．future | C．culture | D．school |
| A．costly | B．official | C．friendly | D．traditional |
| A．blame | B．sink | C．expose | D．mark |
| A．burden | B．expectation | C．happiness | D．sympathy |
| A．wasting | B．regaining | C．listing | D．losing |
| A．chance | B．doubt | C．right | D．reason |
| A．tests | B．requests | C．suggestions | D．offers |
| A．easy | B．lucky | C．rare | D．fair |
| A．but for | B．thanks to | C．instead of | D．regardless of |
| A．developed | B．compared | C．discussed | D．shared |
| A．supported | B．perfected | C．obtained | D．valued |
| A．treat | B．form | C．defeat | D．tease |
| A．eager | B．confused | C．content | D．painful |
| A．decision | B．attempt | C．living | D．mistake |
| A．take on | B．take in | C．take up | D．take off |
6 . A new app aims to help parents interpret what their baby wants based on the sound of their cry. The free app ChatterBaby, which was released last month, analyzes the acoustic (声学的) features of a baby’s cry, to help parents understand whether their child might be hungry, fussy or in pain. While critics say caregivers should not rely too much on their smartphone, others say it’s a helpful tool for new or tired parents.
Ariana Anderson, a mother of four, developed the app. She originally designed the technology to help deaf parents better understand why their baby was upset, but soon realized it could be a helpful tool for all new parents.
To build a database, Anderson and her team uploaded 2,000 audio samples of infant(婴儿) cries. She used cries recorded during ear piercings and vaccinations to distinguish pain cries. And to create a baseline for the other two categories, a group of moms had to agree on whether the cry was either hungry or fussy.
Anderson’s team continues to collect data and hopes to make the app more accurate by asking parents to get specific about what certain sounds mean.
Pediatrician Eric Ball pointed out that evaluating cries can never be an exact science. “I think that all of the apps and technology that new parents are using now can be helpful but need to be taken seriously,” Ball said ,“ I do worry that some parents will get stuck in big data and turn their parenting into basically a spreadsheet(电子表格) which I think will take away the love and caring that parents are supposed to be providing for the children. ”
But Anderson said the aim of the app is to have parents interpret the results, not to provide a yes or no answer. The Bells, a couple using this app, say it’s a win-win. They believe they are not only helping their baby now but potentially others in the future.
1. How does the app judge what babies want?| A．By collecting data. |
| B．By recording all the sounds. |
| C．By analyzing the sound of their cries. |
| D．By asking parents about specific messages. |
| A．All new parents. | B．Deaf parents. |
| C．Ariana Anderson. | D．Crying babies. |
| A．Parents should use the app wisely. |
| B．The app can create an accurate result. |
| C．Parents and babies are addicted to the app. |
| D．The app makes babies lose love and caring. |
| A．Parents should not rely too much on their smartphones. |
| B．A new app helps parents figure out why their babies are crying. |
| C．Parents can deal with babies’ hunger with the help of a new app. |
| D．A new app called ChatterBaby can prevent babies from crying. |
7 . Usually, when you listen to music you will expect it to be enjoyable. Music is everywhere these days. It can make an experience much more pleasurable, unless we are watching a horror movie. Then, we expect something different, or something that is also horrible!
Mark Korven writes music for movies and TV. He provided the music for a successful horror movie called The Witch .Its director, Robert Eggers, asked Mark not to use any electronic music for this movie. He wanted to create a more real sound. Following this experience, Mark began to think about how a more natural sound could be made for future horror movies. He got in touch with his good friend, Tony Duggan-Smith, a musician and maker of musical instruments. Tony camp up with something great.
Tony created a special instrument that he calls The Apprehension Engine. It looks a little like a mechanic or engineer's workshop table. The handmade instrument was inspired by something called the Soundtrack Box, invented by the Oslo-based new- music technologist Koka Nikoladze. Every section of the instrument is there to create a sound or noise that can scare you.
Mark has said that his purpose when writing music for the The Apprehension Engine is to help produce sounds that are disturbing. He showed his skills recently by giving a hugely successful performance one dark evening in Brooklyn, New York on Friday 13", of course! In the shadow of candles, members of people jumped out of their skin.(吓得魂不附体)
So, is The Apprehension Engine a musical instrument, a machine, or an engine? If you believe that the purpose of music is to excite the listener, you can probably call it a musical instrument-it’s just that the sounds the instrument makes do not necessarily make you feel happy or relaxed.
1. What did Robert Eggers require Mark Korven to do?| A．To invent a new instrument. | B．To avoid using electronic music. |
| C．To work with others to make music. | D．To make pleasant music for his movie. |
| A．It is the idea of a director. | B．It was first played in Brooklyn. |
| C．It looks more like a machine. | D．It is made up of different instruments. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Surprising. |
| C．Worrying. | D．Relaxing. |
| A．The advantage of music. | B．A special musical instrument. |
| C．How to mix different music. | D．How to create music for horror movies. |
8 . One in five women and one in eight men are becoming more tired and less productive, according to a new Australian study on mobile phone use.
Led by the Queensland University of Technology in Australia, researchers surveyed 709 mobile phone users across the country aged 18 to 83 and asked them a series of questions based on a similar study 13 years ago. Identifying a phenomenon "technoference (科技干扰)", researchers discovered a significant increase in people blaming their devices for losing sleep, becoming less productive and even getting more aches and pains".
According to the study's lead author Dr Oscar, the issue is so bad that 24 percent of women and 15 percent of men are now considered to be " problematic mobile phone users". "When we talk about technoference, we're referring to the everyday intrusions (侵入)and interruptions that people experience due to mobile phones and their usage," he said. "Our survey found technoference had increased among men and women. For example, self-reports relating to the loss of sleep and productivity showed that these negative outcomes had significantly increased during the last 13 years. This finding suggests that mobile phones are potentially increasingly affecting aspects of daytime functioning due to lack of sleep. "
Compared to a 2005 study, "technoference" issues for 18 to 24-year-old experienced a surprising 40. 9 percent rise, while those aged 25 to 29 also recorded a dramatic increase of 23. 5 percent.
Oscar said that with the number of smartphone users around the world expected to surpass 2. 5 billion before the end of this year, the problem of "technoference" could get even worse. "The speed and depth of smartphone take-up makes our population particularly vulnerable to some of the negative consequences of high mobile phone use." he said. "Rapid technological innovations have led to dramatic changes in today's mobile phone technology, which can improve the quality of life for phone users but also result in some negative outcomes. "
1. How are people affected by technoference according to the text?| A．It makes people addicted to communicating online. |
| B．It pushes people to work at a fast pace. |
| C．It causes people to sleep less at night. |
| D．It brings negative outcomes to people of all ages. |
| A．Young women. | B．Young man |
| C．Children. | D．Seniors. |
| A．Widely spread. | B．Easily hurt. |
| C．Deeply devoted | D．Absolutely accustomed. |
| A．The increasing side effects of smartphones. |
| B．Ways to solve technoference problem. |
| C．Smartphones and people's happiness. |
| D．The popularity of smartphones. |
9 . Alida Monaco doesn’t spend her summers doing the usual teenage work, like working at the shop. Instead, she’s studying.
It used to be that a summer job was considered a teenage thing. Today, Monaco, who has never had a summer job, is part of growing trend (趋势) teenagers focusing on their studies, even during the summer. That’s down from 72% of Americans aged 16 to 19 who worked in July of 1978, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fierce competition, older workers returning to the workforce (劳动力) and weak economic growth are all adding to the decrease of teenagers in the workforce. But as schoolwork grows increasingly heavy and homework eats up more time, data (数据) suggest the biggest reason why some teens won’t be working this summer is that they simply don’t have time.
For college-bound (准大学生)tem, some teachers even advise students not to waste time on a summer job. “Some of my students only have about six weeks off in the summer,” said Shannon Reed, a lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh and a former high school English teacher. “I could never advise that they get jobs during that short break. They should rest.”
Young people who don’t work may miss out on valuable skills that they’ll need later in life. Early work experiences teach honesty, financial intelligence, self-control and help people learn to deal with adult (成年人的) situations. But Monaco, who plans to attend Harvard, doesn’t worry about her lack of work experience. “Maybe I have missed out on a couple of life skills,” she said. “But I don’t think it will harm me in any way.”
1. What is the trend of American teenagers?| A．They are becoming lazy. |
| B．They are becoming interested in doing holiday jobs. |
| C．They are focusing more on studies than on jobs. |
| D．They are becoming particular about holiday jobs. |
| A．The reasons for teenagers giving up work. |
| B．The fierce competition teenagers face. |
| C．The structure of America’s work force |
| D．The effects of America’s weak economy. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Worried. |
| C．Agreeable. | D．Doubtful. |
10 . The last few days before Christmas passed quickly and it was soon Christmas Eve. That night when everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn’t sleep. He still couldn’t think of what he wanted his Christmas gift to be. He wondered how Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn’t know himself.
As he was sitting up in bed, Bunny heard a big noise on the roof (屋顶) and a sound downstairs. It was Father Christmas, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to the stairs hoping to have a look at the old man with his own eyes.
By the time Bunny reached the bottom of the stairs, though, everything was again silent. Beautiful gifts were piled (堆积) under the Christmas tree, but Father Christmas was gone. He looked for him for a few minutes, but it was already too late. Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.
“Hello, ” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”
He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of gifts to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. Bunny might have mistaken it for a dog, if it hadn’t been for the antlers (鹿角) on its head.
“Are you a reindeer (别鹿)?” asked Bunny.
“Yes,” replied the animal. “My name is Ralph.”
“And you were pulling Father Christmas’s led (雪橇)?”
“I was until I got airsick (晕机),” replied Ralph. “I’m afraid I wasn’t cut out for the job. Now I’m stuck here and I don’t know how to get back to the North Pole.”
“Well, if you like, yon can stay with us as a friend,” said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the gift he wanted from Father Christmas was a new friend!
1. Why couldn’t Bunny fall asleep on Christmas Eve?| A．He was thinking of what gift he would get. |
| B．He was disturbed by a big noise. |
| C．He had a lot of things to do. |
| D．He wanted to have a look at the reindeer. |
| A．Afraid of. | B．Fit for. |
| C．Proud of. | D．Interested in. |
| A．A Strange Christmas Tree | B．A Lovely Reindeer |
| C．A Quiet but Smart Boy | D．A Special Christmas Gift |
