1 . I received a private message on Facebook. It began harmlessly enough: “Hey, girl. Wanted to invite you to join my next challenge group—we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise and balanced nutrition.”
It was all becoming too much. Facebook was running my life, not me.
But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how many “likes” it had got. His question was a wake-up call.
“Likes” are signs of acceptance and approval. I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.
Before Facebook, surfing the internet was an occasional distraction and I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.
To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a healthier example to my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.
I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.
I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I’m in trouble, and I will help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are very lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.
I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment.
The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.
After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends’ kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family far and wide. I look in on a daily basis, but no longer with the desire constantly to post updates.
It is not an addiction any more.
1. What was the author’s life like before her break from Facebook?| A．She enjoyed reading in her free time. |
| B．She spent much time on social media. |
| C．She didn’t get along well with her son. |
| D．She didn’t care what others thought of her. |
| A．close | B．update | C．keep | D．check |
| A．She went to the gym as often as she could. |
| B．She developed some healthy habits. |
| C．She tried to make money for her holidays. |
| D．She traveled around a lot for a year. |
| A．Critical. | B．Supportive. | C．Objective. | D．Indifferent. |
It’s hard to imagine life without smartphones or mobile devices. But it wasn’t until 3G that smartphones began to influence and change our life. Since then, faster network speeds have been contributing to the creation and widespread use of cloud technology enabling ride-sharing apps， HD entertainment, and video calls. While 3G and 4G powered these services, 5G represents another connectivity jump beginning this year.
5G is known for last speeds, low latency—the time between data request and its delivery, and more capacity—the amount that the data can be contained, setting the stage for immediate improvements to existing experiences as well as the development of new, yet-to-be-imagined technological advancements.
From day 1, 5G is designed to make everything faster, providing fiber-like speeds to support great demand for unlimited data. You should notice improved download speeds, superior quality video streaming and virtually instant cloud access as 5G is launched in 2019. And it should be easier than ever to download your favorite series at the airport or deliver massive files to colleagues when you’re on the go. What’s more，5G is designed to deliver entirely new real-time experiences we’ve never had before.
One good thing about 5 G and edge computing is extended reality， which could transform your experience from passive watching to living the moment. The other good thing is AR shopping， which can make the shopping experience more fun， an experience that can allow you to see how a sofa will fit in your home， a try-it-before-you-buy-it type of experience.
2020 has been declared the year in which 5G will become commercially possible. Global carriers have started 5G speed trials. Developed cities will be the first to experience 5G， as rural areas currently lack the infrastructure (基础设施) to support the network. In order to continue to advance technologically， we will need a stronger network. The future of innovation (创新) depends on the successful implementation (实现) of 5G—and when we get there， it will truly revolutionize the world.
1. What is 5G known for? (不多于7个单词)2. What are the two good things about 5G? (不多于5个单词)
3. Where will 5G first be experienced? (不多于3个单词)
4. What is the purpose of the passage? (不多于4个单词)
3 . A walker seriously injured in a mountaintop lightning strike which killed two others is showing signs of improvement, the police have said. A major rescue operation was performed on Sunday following two strikes which hit the Brecon Beacons, South Wales. Two men died, while two others were taken to hospital.
A police spokeswoman said, “A man in a serious condition in hospital, following simultaneous(同时发生的)incidents in the Brecon Beacons, has now improved and he is recovering. Officers are continuing to get in touch with the next of relatives of the dead men and enquiries are ongoing. All men were believed to be from England.”
Mark Jones,of the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, described the lightning strike as a freak accident, and something he had not been called out to in 30 years of service.
The walking group Ramblers Cymru said that while incidents involving thunder and lightning were rare, electrical storms should be taken seriously by walkers.
The organisation's delivery officer, Elly Hannigan Popp, said, “We'd advise everyone to check the weather forecast before starting a walk. If you hear thunder, see lightning or if your hair stands on end, postpone activities even if the sky looks blue and clear. Lightning will strike as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. Lightning can strike the same place repeatedly—especially tall, pointed, isolated objects.”
“If there is no shelter you should keep moving. And if you become the tallest object, crouch(蹲)in the open twice as far away from the nearest pointed object as it is tall. Make yourself as small as possible, stay on your toes and keep your heels together, as it will allow electricity to go up one foot, through the heels and back into the ground through the other.”
1. What can we learn about the victims of the incident?| A．Both of the injured men are recovering slowly. |
| B．The bodies of the two men haven't been found. |
| C．The four men involved may be from the same country. |
| D．The police cannot contact the two dead men's relatives. |
| A．Because the accident is very serious. |
| B．To announce where the victims come from. |
| C．Because the police are looking into the accident. |
| D．To tell the readers some facts of the incident. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Regular. |
| C．Unimportant. | D．Frightening. |
| A．Harm done by lightning. | B．Warnings from a delivery officer. |
| C．First aid in a lightning incident. | D．Safety tips on a lightning strike. |
4 . The early life of the green sea turtle (海龟) is full of danger. Only one in 1,000 baby sea turtles survive to adulthood (成年). From its home in the sand, it breaks its egg with an egg tooth. Its mother is not there to help it. Instead, it is greeted by crabs, coyotes, and dogs waiting to eat it for dinner. To survive, the baby turtle must hide in the sand until night. Then, it moves slowly to the sea.
The small turtle must swim hard to reach the ocean waters. In the sea, it tries hard to find food. It must also keep itself from being food for fish.
As dangerous as the sea turtle’s life is in the natural world, its most dangerous enemies are humans. The rubbish left by humans in the ocean causes problems for the small green sea turtle. A little turtle might eat a piece of plastic (塑料) in the sea. It might also eat oil on the ocean’s surface. Young turtles also get caught in fishing nets. There are laws against hunting sea turtles. Still, many are hunted, both for their meat and for their shells (壳). All of these dangers must be prevented.
Sea turtles that do survive to grow into adulthood go through many changes. For example, adult green sea turtles weigh about 500 pounds. They stop eating jellyfish and other meat and eat only plants. And they may plan a trip to go back home again. A mother sea turtle goes back to the beach where she was born. This is the only place where she will lay eggs. Even if it has been forty years since she was a baby, she always knows her way back home.
1. Why do baby turtles move to the sea at night?| A．They dislike sunshine. |
| B．They prefer lower temperatures. |
| C．They can find food easily then. |
| D．They need to avoid enemies. |
| A．Pitiful. | B．Careless. |
| C．Interesting. | D．Courageous. |
| A．They mainly feed on fish and meat. |
| B．They always produce eggs at their birthplaces. |
| C．They can live for around forty years. |
| D．They visit their beach homes several times a year. |
| A．The homes of green sea turtles. |
| B．How sea turtles find their food. |
| C．The dangers faced by sea turtles. |
| D．How young turtles become adults. |
5 . Three important changes that will affect people’s everyday life in the future.
The cashless society
Cash and bank notes will disappear almost completely. They will be replaced by smart cards with microchip(微芯片) “loaded” with some money. When we pay for goods, we will put our smart cards into a payment terminal(终端) and money will be transferred(转) from our cards to the retailer’s (零售商的) card. When all the money is used up, we will be able to “reload” it by inserting it into a telephone, dialing our bank account and putting money to the card from the account. If we want to transfer money from our cards to a bank account, we will use the same method. Smart cards will be able to hold several different currencies at the same time. So if we go abroad, we will be able to use our smart cards in the same way.
Interactive telephones
Human telephones will be replaced by talking computers. These computers will recognize speech, ask us what information we need, find the information and change it to speech. If we want to book a flight or pay a bill by phone, we will ask a talking computer to do it. Of course, this won’t happen until all the technology is in place, but when it is we will soon get used to using computers in this way.
____________________
Traffic congestion(拥挤) in cities will be reduced because drivers will use electronic maps to find the quickest way to their destinations and avoid traffic jams. Because people have to pay to drive in cities, they will stop using their cars and use public transport instead. Speed control systems will be built into cars. These systems will control the speed of the car according to the traffic and weather conditions and prevent accidents.
1. The underlined word “currencies” can be best replaced by ________.| A．cards | B．kinds of money | C．banks | D．telephones |
| A．Intelligent cars | B．Fewer traffic jams | C．Fewer traffic accidents | D．Cleverer drivers |
| A．Smart cards will be very important in the future. |
| B．Goods will be cheaper in the future. |
| C．Talking computers will do many daily things in the future. |
| D．Driving will be safer in the future. |
6 . Shopping therapy （疗 法）is the practice of using the shopping experience to help overcome depression or other emotional problems.
People who don't actually have any money to buy things still benefit from shopping therapy. For them, simply browsing （浏览）can be a nice experience. That's because it helps them form future shopping plans.
The simple act of leaving home and spending time around other humans is another possible reason for the effectiveness of shopping therapy.
| A．So why not shop until you start feeling better? |
| B．So how do people benefit from shopping therapy? |
| C．These plans offer great expectation and hope in their life. |
| D．Many people shop for this reason without even realizing it. |
| E．People can have the feeling of achievement after shopping. |
| F．Many people have gone into debt due to shopping addiction. |
| G．There is sometimes a sense of community in the shopping experience. |
7 . There was a time when a trip to the supermarket in the United States often ended with a seemingly simple question from the cashier, "Paper or plastic？"Well, which type of bag would you choose？
While both types of bags have some influence on the environment, it has long been supposed that paper bags are kinder. They are made from a renewable source, are broken down easily, burn without giving off thick smoke and can be recycled. However, the producing process behind paper bags uses more energy than that of plastic ones. How can this be true？
Studies show that paper bag production requires four times as much energy as plastic bag production.
And the amount of water used to make them is twenty times higher. Besides, the influence on forests is very serious. It takes about fourteen million trees to produce ten billion paper bags, which happen to be the number of bags used in the United States yearly. In terms of recycling, the idea that paper bags are more environment friendly than plastic ones can be quickly discarded. Research shows it requires about 98% less energy to recycle plastic than it does to recycle paper.
Even though paper bags might be more harmful than plastic ones, plastic still seems to be considered as the more harmful of the two by governments. In Ireland, for example, a tax has been introduced to discourage the use of plastic bags. People have to pay 22 cents for every plastic bag, and as a result, their use has dropped quickly.
There’s no doubt that it makes more sense to reuse these bags. However, we don’t seem to be doing that at present. That may be because they fall apart quickly. If so, cloth bags are a better choice, but still, their production also has a bad influence on the environment. So what to do? How should we answer the question of “Paper or plastic?” It seems that we first need to ask ourselves one more general question: “What can I do to help the environment?”
1. The question at the end of Paragraph 1 is used to ________.| A．introduce points for discussion |
| B．tell readers how to save money |
| C．express the author's doubts |
| D．show the kindness of the cashier |
| A．take more time to break down |
| B．require less energy to recycle |
| C．need more water to produce |
| D．have less influence on forests |
| A．share | B．put forward |
| C．discuss | D．give up |
| A．Paper or cloth? |
| B．A new bag or your own one? |
| C．A small bag or big one? |
| D．Paper or plastic？ |
Study Techniques
You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.
Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before
beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking Skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty
of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.
Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also
improve your concentration. Eat healthy food too.
When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and
deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored. |
| B．Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time. |
| C．Check the time during the exam at a certain time. |
| D．Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method. |
| A．Your study desk or table. | B．Your textbook. |
| C．Your dictionary. | D．The equipment you need. |
| A．You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test. |
| B．You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet. |
| C．You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you. |
| D．If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes. |
9 . Do you worry about entering senior high school? Everything, from study to environment, has changed. Can you adapt yourself to it?
You’re not alone. Remember that everybody else in your year is in the same boat. You may not notice it, but they’re just as nervous as you are.
Moving to senior high school is a chance, not a problem. Things are different, and all you need to do is to be polite and learn the new rules.
The teachers will help. If you don’t know what to do or are worried about something, then ask for help. Teachers are probably the best people to turn to, because they have experience in helping new students. Pay attention to what your teachers say.
Everything changes. There are lots of differences between junior high school and senior high school. You will have your lessons with different teachers in different rooms. You will have homework for different subjects on different days, so make sure you get organized. Make sure you know which rooms your classes are in and which days you have your different subjects on.
Other points:
If you’ve got an older brother or sister at the school, then ask them for advice.
Be yourself! It sounds simple, but things will become better if you just act naturally.
Having early nights makes a difference. You’ll also find it easier to get up in the morning!
1. What does the author think of entering senior high school?| A．It sounds simple. | B．It is a difficult problem. |
C．It’s a good chance.  | D．It’s worrying. |
A．turn to your teachers  | B．follow your younger brother |
| C．write your problems down | D．go to bed early |
| A．Ask your classmates for help. | B．Don’t be shy. |
| C．Pay attention to others. | D．Just act naturally. |
| A．teach students how to organize themselves |
| B．tell students a story |
| C．help students that are going to senior high school |
| D．tell students how to make full use of time |
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place "Tomesha"-- the land of fire. Death Valley's present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and colorful parts of Death Valley is the Devil's Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from dreams. Sand sculptures stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.
1. The name of the valley comes from__________ .
| A．an Indian name | B．the death of the miners |
| C．the local people | D．a National Movement |
| A．no one had ever known the desert before the miners |
| B．it's still not easy to travel across the desert |
| C．people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert |
| D．people have changed the natural sight of the desert |
| A．the terrible sights | B．the moon-like sights |
| C．dream-like sights | D．the ever-changing sights |
| A．appreciates | B．is fearful of | C．dislikes | D．is tired of |
