1 . When I was worried my son was coming down with a little something, I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit.
“I’ve noticed how fast you eat,” my wife’s Auntie Carmel said. I looked down at my plate — the plate from which my food had just been emptied — and looked up at her scientific stare. “I’m not being critical,” she assured me, “and I find it fascinating.” She said “fascinating” the way a polite member of the FBI might describe your recent Internet searches.
“You do eat pretty fast,” whispered my wife by the time I’d placed my knives and forks down. Her mother shared the same view shortly after that, and soon the entire table were unanimous in this opinion.
We were at my wife’s parents’ home in Dublin because Auntie Carmel was visiting from New York, and it was a good chance for her to meet our son, who immediately adored her. We all adore Auntie Carmel for her ability to speak her mind in a way that never seems rude.
In fairness to Carmel, I do eat quickly. I’m fond of saying it’s because I come from a large family. I now realize this makes no sense. There is also the fact that my wife’s mum and Auntie Carmel themselves both come from a family of 12. The same is true for her dad. Yet somehow, none of them eat as if their legs were on fire.
It’s a habit I picked up along the way, and I might have been permanently blind to it without this intervention. Left unexamined, it might have coloured my parenting, demanding my speed as a default (默认) for my son, for I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit. For now, at least, he can clear his plate as slowly as he likes.
1. How does Auntie Carmel feel about the author’s eating habit?| A．Disturbing. | B．Embarrassing. |
| C．Interesting. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．At a loss. | B．In agreement. |
| C．Out of patience. | D．Under consideration. |
| A．She is skilled at expressing herself. |
| B．She is particular about table manners. |
| C．She lives alone in New York. |
| D．She tends to criticize others. |
| A．Children in large families usually behave badly. |
| B．Children's eating habits are not easy to change. |
| C．The small family usually has strict family rules. |
| D．The family size isn't related to one’ s eating speed. |
2 . Slowly but surely, we’re moving closer and closer to 5G world. From smart-home security to self-driving cars, all the internet-connected devices in our life will be able to talk to each other at lightning-fast speeds with reduced delay. Objectively speaking, the fastest 4G download speeds in the US top out at an average of 19.42Mbps. But by comparison 5G promises gigabit (千兆) speeds.
“5G is one of those heralds (使者),along with artificial intelligence, of this coming data age.” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research for the Consumer Technology Association. The self-driving vehicle 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 massive amounts of data coming from the vehicle itself, and a variety of sensors 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. It could be weather information, and also connected infrastructure (基础设施) construction. There’s lots of data behind that task, which is why we need the high speed.
And virtual reality glasses and headsets haven’t yet broken the mainstream, but tech companies are joyfully betting that these devices will eventually replace our smartphones. With 5G, that could actually happen. This is notable because companies such as Apple are reportedly developing AR glasses to assist — or 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, the glasses could rely on hardware for processing 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 only in big cities.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The security of 5G. | B．The present world of 5G. |
| C．The future of 5G. | D．The super speed of 5G. |
| A．exhibition | B．symbol | C．sponsor | D．explanation |
| A．They will be heavier than present ones. | B．They will process power on their own. |
| C．They will bring a big fortune to tech companies. | D．They will take the place of smartphones. |
| A．How to fully expand 5G coverage. | B．How to effectively reduce 5G trials. |
| C．How to nicely operate 5G hardware. | D．How to widely construct 5G big cities. |
3 . A new study, published in Music Education Research, examined whether an extended music education had an impact on pupils’ experienced satisfaction with school. Nearly 1,000 pupils at ten Finnish schools with extended music classes and comparison classes participated in a survey that measured the quality of school life at Year 3 and Year 6.
According to the results, the differences between the extended music classes and the comparison classes were significant at Year 6. But there were no differences between the groups at Year 3. The most likely explanation is the amount of music lessons which was four hours per week for the extended music classes and one lesson per week for the normal classes.
Merely attending an extended education class at Year 3 did not cause differences in school satisfaction. To explore whether belonging to any extended education class would have the same benefits, some extended education classes that focus on visual arts and sports were recently included in the analysis. However, school satisfaction in these classes did not differ from that in the normal ones at Year 6.
"Singing in a choir and group performance are popular activities at extended music classes. Other studies have established that people find it very satisfying to synchronize (合拍)with one another. That increases connection within the group and may even make people like each other. Other objects in the school do not have as much training in synchrony and cooperation as music lessons, which could explain part of the phenomenon,” says doctoral student Pävi-Sisko Eerola, at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
A particular answer may be that girls usually tend to give more positive scores on satisfaction with school and they also make up the majority of pupils at extended music classes. However, the gender differences do not fully explain the observed results. In fact, it seems that extended music classes improve the quality of school life more for boys than girls.
Maybe it’s impossible to adopt the Finnish music education system, but the benefits of having a few extra hours of art and self-expression via music every week are dramatic and necessary.
1. What did the new study find?| A．Elder kids are content with school when receiving more music lessons. |
| B．Extended music education is getting popular in many Finnish schools. |
| C．Primary pupils have different preference for the class arrangements. |
| D．Music education may have different functions in different grades. |
| A．They pay more attention to kids’ feelings and emotions. |
| B．They stress visual appreciation and physical activity. |
| C．They are extended to the same length and frequency. |
| D．They are attended by both younger and elder kids. |
| A．They can promote teamwork between students. |
| B．They can build good teacher-student relationship. |
| C．They effectively practice studenls’ singing skill. |
| D．They will develop students’ interest in music. |
| A．The researchers. | B．Music teachers. |
| C．Finnish students. | D．School administrators. |
4 . Academic Year Language Arts
This course focuses on close-reading and analysis paired with academic writing. Students learn thetorical(修辞的)analysis: how to recognize the “tools”an author uses to create certain effects in their writing. Students learn and apply these skills in the first trimester (Weeks l-12) by studying several short stories from The Best American Short Stories of the Century, coupled with a study of the book How to ReadLiterature Like a Professor. In the second trimester (Weeks 13-24), students continue improving their thetorical analysis skills by examining several challenging texts.
In the final trimester (Weeks 25-36), students will use what they've been developing to write their own essays.
What is encouraged in class?
·Close-reading and discussion of very challenging literary texts
·Targeted study of professional, published writing and in-class practice of academic writing skills
·Feedback on writing, including one-on-one conferencing with the teacher and group workshops
Homework
Throughout the year, students draft and revise several long-term writing projects.
Students will work on these projects mostly in class, but they'll also be expected to complete some writing at home. At the end of the year, students will choose one of these projects to revise and polish. Besides, students will also complete short reading tasks at home that will be discussed in class.
Teachers' feedback
Since students will complete most of their writing in class, there'll be many chances for the teacher to provide face-to-face feedback immediately while students are working. At the end of-each multi-week project, students will hand in their final drafts and receive detailed, formal written feedback from their teacher.
Exams
Students have to take an in-class exam at the end of each trimester. Exams will focus on the analysis and writing skills students are learning in class.
1. When are the participants expected to start writing their own essays?| A．In the l0th week. | B．In the 13th week. |
| C．In the 24th week. | D．In the 25th week. |
| A．Consulting publishers. | B．Reading aloud alone. |
| C．Sharing different ideas. | D．Recommending books. |
| A．The instant access to teachers' feedback. | B．The chance to avoid taking extra exams. |
| C．The possibility of drawing more attention. | D．The quick way to get the essays published. |
5 . Most people can't wait for spring to arrive. It means flowers and warmer weather, all welcome changes from the dark winter days. Now we know that spring is arriving sooner in the Northern Hemisphere (北半球）than it was in the past, thanks to a study published in Scientific Reports.
For example, Los Angeles may experience spring only a day earlier than it did 10 years ago, but further north, in Seattle or Chicago, spring will arrive four days earlier. If you lived in the Arctic, spring could arrive 16 days earlier than it used to.
To determine how springtime is starting earlier, researchers looked at temperature records and 743 earlier studies over 86 years. These studies were about various biological indicators of spring, including birds migrating, plants flowering and amphibians（两栖动物）sounding their mating calls. Researchers then studied these data to see if they were occurring earlier. The result showed that not only is spring making itself known sooner but it's warmer, too.
Before you go out in a happy springtime hike, spring arriving sooner isn't so good. The livelihood of migratory birds, for instance, may be concerned.
“The food that birds rely on when they move to the north might not be reliable if the beginning of spring at these higher latitudes（维度）is expanded by future warming." said Eric Post. He is a fellow of the John Muir Institute and a polar ecologist.
Animals relying on Arctic sea ice, like polar bears, probably aren't crazy about things warming up sooner, either, because it impacts on their ability to hunt. Spring's early arrival could cause disorder in the delicate balance of various ecosystems~~not to mention how soon you'll need to buy allergy medicine.
1. We learn from the study published in Scientific Reports that.| A．spring comes earliest in Los Angeles |
| B．Los Angeles is further north than Seattle |
| C．spring comes 12 days earlier in Arctic than in Chicago |
| D．the further north a place lies, the sooner spring comes than before |
| A．comparing related data available |
| B．conducting research and test |
| C．calculating the exact length of each spring |
| D．observing animal's behavior all year round |
| A．Concerns over spring's early arrival. |
| B．Springtime emergence of creatures. |
| C．Early springtime's impacts on humans. |
| D．Disorder in the balance of ecosystems. |
| A．Medical Report. | B．Survival Stories. |
| C．Scientific Discoveries. | D．Natural environment |
6 . Kevin Randall, a teacher,who teaches biology at Grandville High School,runs the environmental club at the high school,which has around 2,000 students.The club is known as the GHS Green Team,and it aims to raise awareness among students and teachers about sustainability(持续性).It also works on projects to reduce the environmental footprint of the building itself.
One of the club's recent projects focused on reducing waste in the school cafeteria.Randall said their cafeteria supervisor told them that the school went through 54,000 plastic forks every year.The club applied for a financial help,built recycling centers for the cafeteria,and purchased metal silverware.
And now every student uses a durable metal fork or a spoon instead of disposables.(一次性用品),“and that's just one way we're trying to capture the low-hanging fruit,if you will,"Randall said.
The efforts of Randall and his students have earned Grandville High School the Michigan Green School certification from the state.In addition to their work reducing waste in the cafeteria, the GHS Green Team has also built a garden with flowers and vegetables on campus,and leads cleanups on site and out in the community.Over the years,Randall and his students have also been working on raising money to install solar panels(太阳能板) on the roof of the high school.
Randall said he was motivated to take the lead on environmental issues for his school because he wanted his students to have someone to turn to in the building who understands what's at stake(利害攸关）when it comes to climate change.
＂And I also felt like I needed to do more in my life for my own two children at home," Randall added,"They need to know that their dad is working as hard as he can to reduce the effects of climate change,and to spread the word,and to make sure that other students out there are learning about this just the way they are at home."
1. What is the purpose of the GHS Green Team club?| A．To inspire students' love for biology. |
| B．To finish the projects assigned by school. |
| C．To prepare students for their future jobs. |
| D．To promote environmental protection. |
| A．It has changed the outlook of the cafeteria. |
| B．Students can have more fruits in the cafeteria. |
| C．Plastic forks are no longer used in the cafeteria. |
| D．The school has become famous nationwide. |
| A．The classification of the projects. |
| B．The characteristics of the club. |
| C．The activities organized by the club. |
| D．The future of the club. |
| A．To educate the young. |
| B．To get material rewards. |
| C．To amuse his children. |
| D．To make himself famous. |
7 . When we talk about positive thinking, we often use terms having to do with our hearts — open heart, pure heart or joyful heart. But new research from Duke University is making a closer connection, finding that a positive attitude may be helpful to people who have angina (心绞痛)，a common heart condition.
Symptoms of this condition include chest pain or pressure because the heart is not receiving sufficient oxygen. Patients who displayed optimistic thought patterns, including having positive expectations about recovery, were 40 percent less likely to be hospitalized or require surgery than those who were not optimistic, according to the study. The researchers collected data from 2,400 patients who had diagnoses of angina.
An interesting additional finding from the patients' questionnaires was that the most optimistic patients were also the least likely to have histories of heart attack, heart failure or heart disease.
The researchers did not declare a causal relationship between positive thinking and better heart disease outcomes, however. There are multiple possible reasons for the results of the study, including the idea that patients who are healthier to begin with are more likely to expect to recover and regain good health.
But the study does represent a new way of looking at the situation. Now, in addition to a body of research that examines the relationship between depression and heart health, there is a new way of inquiry that asks whether positive thinking could be used as a strategy to improve outcomes.
Lead researcher Alexander Fanaroff, a fellow in the department of cardiology (心脏病学) at the Duke University Medical Center, told the Duke Chronicle that his next research question will find ways to improve attitudes among heart patients.
Perhaps his subjects could reflect on the word of the writer Anthony J. D'Angelo: "Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart."
1. How can people with angina get better according to the study?| A．By expecting more. | B．By thinking positively. |
| C．By getting timely surgery. | D．By taking more exercise. |
| A．To explore how to improve patients’ attitudes. |
| B．To find out the ways to treat heart patients. |
| C．To learn the causes of heart diseases. |
| D．To test if positive attitudes help with health. |
| A．Optimistic people hardly get heart attack. |
| B．People's attitudes decide their overall health. |
| C．How positive thinking benefits heart health is unclear. |
| D．The reason why patients recover well is that they have no depression. |
| A．Keep positive to get rid of illness |
| B．Angina, a kind of serious condition |
| C．Depression, a key cause of heart attack |
| D．Positive thinking makes hearts healthier |
8 . Discover Nature Schools Programs
All programs include outdoor time, so please help children prepare with proper clothing, sunscreen and insect repellant(驱虫剂) as needed.
Each program is taught for a class with a minimum of 10 students and maximum of 125 students.
To schedule a program, please email deprograms@mdc. mo. gov.
Acorn to Oak(K-2 grade, 1. 5-2 hours)
From seed to shade tree, the oak(橡树) changes through the seasons and the years. Through exploration, students will understand the lifecycle of a tree. On a hike, students will explore various life stages of oak tree, taking a closer look. Creation of a tree relief sculpture using recycled wood products helps students review and represent their new knowledge.
Outdoor Sensations( K-2 grade, 1.5-2 hours)
The natural world is filled with sights, sound and smells. Students will see live animals and learn how wild animals rely on their senses to find food and survive. Spending time outside students will participate in various hands-on activities, focusing on each of their senses(not taste) to better experience the natural world.
Winged Wonders(3-5 grade, 3-4 hours)
Birds add color and sound to our world and fill an important ecological role. Students will learn the basics of bird identification, understand the role birds play in food chains and go bird watching using field guides and telescopes. Using hammer and nails, students will build a bird feeder, allowing them to attract birds at home.
Exploring Your Watershed(6-8 grade, 3-4 hours)
We all live in a watershed (流域) and depend on clean water. Examine how our actions shape the waterways around us. Interact with the Brush Creek Model and go on a hike to see first-hand some of the challenging water quality issues in an urban setting. Students will assess water quality using live fish to determine the health of an ecosystem.
1. According to the text, students who participate in Acorn to Oak can ________.| A．understand various uses of an oak tree |
| B．learn about characters of various trees |
| C．take a closer look at various trees |
| D．know different life stages of an oak tree |
| A．Acorn to Oak. | B．Exploring Your Watershed. |
| C．Winged Wonders. | D．Outdoor Sensations. |
| A．learn how to build bird feeders |
| B．know how to cook birds as food |
| C．have teachers as their field guides |
| D．stay there at most two hours |
9 . Every year there are hundreds of earthquakes in different parts of the world. In September, 1923, Tokyo and Yokohama were both destroyed by an earthquake and the fires that followed it. They had to be completely rebuilt. One of the most serious earthquakes was in China’s Shaanxi Province in 1556. It killed almost one million people.
We measure an earthquake’s strength on the Richter Scale. The Richter Scale was introduced in 1935 in Southern California in the USA. It measures earthquakes on a scale of one to ten. Any earthquake measuring five or more is usually serious.
The Earth’s crust (地壳) is made up of rock called plates. As these plates move, they sometimes crash against each other, causing the crust to quake. In cities such as Tokyo, where small quakes happen quite often, many modern buildings are designed to be flexible so when the plate moves, they move with it.
Earthquakes can also break up gas and oil pipes. This can cause fires to break out, which can do as much damage as the earthquake itself. Another effect of earthquakes is tsunami. These are huge waves created by earthquakes beneath the sea. They can be many meters high and cause great damage to coastal towns and cities. China, Japan, Russia and the USA have the highest occurrence (发生) of earthquakes in the world.
1. The passage is mainly about .| A．scientists who study earthquakes | B．the way of measuring earthquakes |
| C．a usual natural disaster — earthquakes | D．what people should do in the earthquake |
| A．The earthquake in Shaanxi Province happened in 1556. |
| B．The earthquake in Shaanxi Province killed almost one million people. |
| C．The earthquake in Shaanxi Province caused a lot of damage. |
| D．The earthquake in Shaanxi Province was the only earthquake in China. |
| A．can cause earthquakes | B．are caused by earthquakes |
| C．only happen on land | D．are a way of measuring earthquakes |
I recently cared for a patient near the end of his life. Medically speaking, his situation was hopeless, which made me feel helpless and defeated.
His mother came in to see him. I had prepared myself to support her, imagining she would crumble (崩溃) into a pile of tears.
“Our God is faithful,” she said, with a smile on her face and the sunshine of hope in her eyes.
“Cancer is faithful,” I muttered (嘀咕) in my mind.
“We still believe he can heal him,” she continued, as if she had heard what I was thinking. I provided updates on his body. In a laundry list of updates, perhaps two things were positive. She thanked me for the information, repeating back the minor positive notes I had given. I became kind of angry. And I wanted to sak, “Do you really not understand the gravity (严重性) of this illness?”
And then, yet again, as if she had heard me, she replied with this: A positive attitude gives us power over our circumstances, rather than allowing our circumstances to have power over us. I was shocked. Here I was, judging her positive attitude as a fault. I completely disregarded the choice to believe in something more powerful than me, more healing than the doctors on our team. It wasn’t blind faith. It was strength and devotion.
When I came out of the room, tears welling in my eyes, I sat at my computer and looked down at a small plate of candies she must have left for me on her way into the room. A hand written note was laid above them: Kate, your devotion is so appreciated, So, it is your devotion that I am appreciating today. Because of you, I am begging again to believe in miracles.
1. The author is probably a ________.
| A．nurse | B．patient | C．teacher | D．mother |
| A．would recover soon |
| B．had got much better |
| C．was going to die of cancer |
| D．might make a miraculous recovery |
| A．Because of her optimism. |
| B．Because of her impoliteness. |
| C．Because she couldn’t stop crying. |
| D．Because she was always complaining. |
| A．more patient | B．more positive |
| C．more aggressive | D．more sympathetic |
