1 . Known for their huge size, whales are important sea animals. The organizations of the world are calling all nations not to kill or eat whales any more.
After the Japanese government made its decision clear on Nov. 8, 2016 to catch 100 more whales in 2017, many animal experts in the world voiced their angry answers. Japan’s new whaling (捕鲸) plan is a great danger to the living of these large animals. It will also do harm to the sea interests (利益) of other surrounding countries including China, experts said.
According to a Japan News report, Japan caught 174 minke whales and 140 sei whales totally in the northwest Pacific Ocean in 2017. “After years of overfishing (过度捕捞), the population of minke whales in the northwest Pacific Ocean has been reduced to a dangerous level. Therefore, Japan should stop whaling in the area,” said Wang Yaming, a leader of the International Whaling Organization.
According to Wang, most whales living in the northwest Pacific Ocean are migratory (迁徙的) animals, and their traveling way is very close to the land of Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan and China. Japan’s whaling will also have a terrible influence on those countries.
Although the world has stopped to catch and kill whales, Japan lies to others that its killing of whales is just for scientific purposes. However, many experts don’t agree with it completely. “Japan should not kill more whales, as doing so would harm the international whale resources (资源). Japan’s whaling in the northwest Pacific Ocean hasn’t drawn much more attention because it hardly influences the interests of western countries.” Wang explained.
It is really high time for Japan to stop its whaling from now on.
1. What is animal experts’ attitude towards the Japan’s whaling plan?A.Surprised. | B.Interested. | C.Angry. | D.Happy. |
A.About 314. | B.About 274. | C.About 240. | D.About 414. |
A.Whales travel far from the land of Japan when they are migrating. |
B.Western countries strongly oppose to Japan’s whaling in the northwest Pacific Ocean. |
C.Japan’s whaling has nothing to do with the neighboring countries. |
D.Overfishing has made certain whales in the northwest Pacific Ocean fewer. |
A.Food supply. | B.Scientific study. | C.Zoo interests. | D.Sea balance. |
2 . When I re-entered the full-time workforce a few years ago after a decade of lonely self-employment, there was one thing I was looking forward to the most: the opportunity to have work friends once again. It wasn't until I entered the corporate world that I realized, for me at least, being friends with colleagues didn't emerge as a(n)
Perhaps my expectations of lunches, water-cooler gossip and caring, deep-and-meaningful conversations were a
In an academic analysis just published in the profoundly-respected Journal of Management, researchers have looked at the concept of “indifferent relationships", a simple term that summarizes the fact that relationships at work can
Indifferent relationships are neither positive nor negative. The limited research conducted thus far indicates they're especially
As noted above, indifferent relationships may not always be the most
The other is
Ego aside, a third advantage is that the emotional
A.burden | B.priority | C.obligation | D.coincidence |
A.long-standing | B.contractual | C.steady | D.interpersonal |
A.affecting | B.enhancing | C.measuring | D.restoring |
A.cause | B.reflection | C.consequence | D.reminder |
A.pretending | B.needing | C.promising | D.hesitating |
A.peculiarly | B.interestingly | C.reasonably | D.decisively |
A.dominant | B.rare | C.significant | D.intense |
A.preferred | B.compulsory | C.additional | D.likely |
A.engaging | B.casual | C.demanding | D.effortless |
A.traditional | B.cautious | C.flexible | D.helpful |
A.image | B.efficiency | C.profit | D.expansion |
A.self-respect | B.self-improvement | C.self-evaluation | D.self-control |
A.resistant | B.unique | C.open | D.essential |
A.feature | B.neutrality | C.reaction | D.conflict |
A.exhausting | B.meaningful | C.fun | D.popular |
3 . It’s not easy to feel like you’re always under the spotlight being judged for each little mistake you make. Your mind is in an endless circle playing what you said and did over and over again. And you wish you had a time capsule (胶囊) to go back and make things change if you find mistakes. You fear what others will think about you and that they will dislike you. You want to be socially perfect.
Academically, you work long endless hours just to make those excellent marks. Although most would say “it’s good to have high standards (标准)”, they have no idea about the internal bell you put yourself through to achieve perfection. If you come up to less than your desired goal, you will feel as though you have failed, but you’re far from failing; you just don’t see it that way. So instead you are telling yourself that you’re stupid, and not smart. The pressure you place on yourself weighs you down and you wear the “not good enough” label each and every day.
You not only have high standards for yourself but you also have them for others. If people don’t perform up to your expectations then you will think them not good enough. This causes a lot of frustration because you can’t trust anyone to get things right. So instead of being a team player you fly solo and try to do two or three jobs at once. Your unrealistic expectations cause you to criticize and judge others and that leads to problems in other aspects of your life.
The attempt to be perfect is called perfectionism and it’s damaging our emotional and mental health. We fight for perfection of our body, our performance, and our relationships. In a society that overstates mistakes, is it any wonder that so many young people attempt the impossible task of being perfect?
We all have fears and make mistakes, and that’s perfectly OK. It’s our imperfections that makes life interesting and they help us grow into a stronger and more adaptable person. We don’t have to achieve the impossible. We are designed to be perfectly imperfect.
1. Where is the text most likely from?A.A diary. | B.A novel. | C.A magazine. | D.A guidebook. |
A.Nobody is perfect. | B.Be generous with praise. |
C.There is no best, only better. | D.A contented mind is an everlasting feast. |
A.The society plays a role in perfectionism. |
B.More and more people are making mistakes. |
C.Many young people find it impossible to be perfect. |
D.It’s unusual for a society to seek perfectionism nowadays. |
A.It’s unbearable. | B.It`s part of our life. |
C.It has to be overcome. | D.It does harm to our mental health. |
4 . New technology rules the whole world now. But I still remember when I was a child, I did not have a cell phone or a computer because it was not necessary at all in those days. The internet was not popular, and the touch screen technology was unknown.
At this time here in the US smartphone are really a need, especially for young and business people. There are many applications really useful like maps, dictionaries, e-mails and games.
For me, I use my smartphone to check the weather and to look for something on the internet and of course to keep communicating through calls and texts. Besides, I like music applications, GPS and Facebook.
Many tests have discovered that cell phones cause damages to us because they send out radioactive(具有放射性的) waves to our bodies and this could cause cancer.
Psychologists say that these devices can affect behavior and I believe everyone knows it is harmful to the eyes if we are sitting for a long time in front of computer. However, it seems to be difficult for us to give up, even if we know how bad it is for our health. The use of technology becomes more and more important in our lives.
I think the use of technology has brought us unimaginable things. If we use technology correctly, I am sure it would be possible to decrease the damage to our bodies.
Keep in mind that it is important not to focus only on technology, but to spend time with our families and people close to us.
1. What can we know from the passage?A.The author is a businessman working for a cell phone company. |
B.The author has suffered a lot from the use of electrical devices. |
C.The author knows little about the functions of modern cellphones. |
D.The author is quite pleased with the various functions of cell phones. |
A.It’s not necessary to add more applications to the cell phone. |
B.Cell phones have made our world a boring place to live in. |
C.New technology has done people more harm than good. |
D.New technology makes people separated from each other. |
A.keep | B.cause | C.reduce | D.add |
5 . Intercity Sleeper Between London and Scotland
Most tickets may be used for travel by Sleeper, subject to availability; and a reservation in a two-berth cabin can be made for £25, except in the case of Solo and Special tickets, which include Sleeper reservations in the fare. The price includes early morning tea or coffee and biscuits. A continental or hot breakfast can be ordered if you wish.
Choose from a range of tickets to suit your journey.
A — SuperApex Only available for travel after 9 a. m. Book at least 2 weeks ahead and travel between Edinburgh or Glasgow and London for the unbeatable price of £59 return. This ticket is non-refundable unless the service is cancelled. | |
B — Apex A real bargain fare. Only £69 return between Edinburgh or Glasgow and London. Great value Sleeper travel available by booking at least a week before outward travel. Ticket refundable on payment of a 25% administrative charge. | E — Solo Treat yourself and enjoy exclusive use of a Standard cabin. Solo is an inclusive return travel ticket with Sleeper reservations for one or both directions. Outward and return reservations should be made at the time of booking. The journey must include al Saturday night away. £140—160 London to Edinburgh/Glasgow return. |
C — SuperSaver Available right up to the day of travel and valid any day except these peak days: all Fridays, also 18—30 December, 31 March and 28 May. Departures between midnight and 2am count as previous day’s departures. London to Glasgow or Edinburgh £82. | F — Special Special is an inclusive return travel package for two people including sleeper reservations for one or both directions. It can mean savings for both of you. Outward and return reservations should be made at the time of booking. From £120. |
D — Saver This flexible ticket is valid every day and can be bought on the day of travel. Your ticket allows standard class travel on any train between 10 a. m. and midnight. No seat reservations available. London to Glasgow or Edinburgh £95. | G — Standard Not the cheapest option but available up to the time of travel and valid for all trains and at all times. You are advised to turn up early for travel on a Friday. |
A.This can only be booked up to one week before departure. |
B.This is not available if you’ re travelling out between 8 a. m. and 9 a. m. |
C.It’s the cheapest ticket available but there is a restriction on departure time. |
D.If you decide not to travel after you have bought the ticket, you cannot get your money back. |
A.SuperSaver. | B.Saver. | C.Special. | D.Standard. |
A.Tourism Bureau. | B.Transportation Bureau. |
C.Advertising Bureau. | D.Finance Bureau. |
6 . Several years ago, Jeremy Clarkson, presenter of BBC television programme discovered one of his guests was half German and half Irish. Immediately, he said, “That’s quite a strange
This joke played on
I recently read on a website that Irish business people were
So why do some people
By definition, a stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. A cultural characteristic, on the other hand, is a pattern of behaviour that is
So what does this really mean? Stereotype are simply overstated assumptions about groups of people. Imagine if a tourist visited a small town in Switzerland and saw a number of locals playing the alphorn instrument, and then
If however, this tourist were to say that the Swiss are very punctual, this could be seen as a cultural
All this raises important questions: Can making generalizations about groups of people be a
A.association | B.combination | C.connection | D.relation |
A.patterns | B.models | C.stereotypes | D.features |
A.understandably | B.extremely | C.deeply | D.enormously |
A.classified | B.specified | C.described | D.thought |
A.indirect | B.conservative | C.emotional | D.direct |
A.disapprove | B.assure | C.accuse | D.remind |
A.nose | B.mouth | C.eyelid | D.lip |
A.normal | B.typical | C.peculiar | D.critical |
A.ensured | B.guaranteed | C.announced | D.claimed |
A.overestimated | B.overstated | C.overused | D.overlooked |
A.characteristic | B.function | C.approach | D.essence |
A.alert | B.mindful | C.patient | D.concerned |
A.Therefore | B.Moreover | C.However | D.Otherwise |
A.humans | B.personalities | C.groups | D.individuals |
A.essential | B.social | C.positive | D.inevitable |
7 . Most college students think that there are only two choices after graduation—finding a job or entering graduate school. An opportunity that is often missed is volunteering with an organized volunteer program.
Volunteering provides a year of intention (计划) in a community where recent graduates can learn about the world they are entering, about themselves as individuals (个体) and about their role in this world. It provides intentional time to understand the purpose that drives one as an individual in life. Taking a year off after graduation to volunteer allows students to slow down and really understand where they want their future to lie. Not only this, but students will also be helping others, getting work experience, living in a community and giving back to society.
Volunteering often leads to a job opportunity. A volunteer might stay and work with the organization, shifting from a volunteer position to a paid position. For example, an individual doing volunteer teaching with an organization might be offered a teaching position at their school. Even if the volunteer position does not lead to a paid position, the volunteer should keep in touch with their organization. One reason is that the organization can write letters of recommendation (推荐) for the volunteer’s job applications. What’s more, volunteer experience on a resume could catch the attention of schoolmates from the organization or program who work at a place of employment (雇用). A shared volunteer experience with the manager might help one find a job!
Volunteers have fun together and like helping others a lot. They share a common mission and vision (使命和愿景), continue personal and professional development, and get new ideas about the world around them. They get to know the community, practice their social responsibility, and build their skill set and network with others. Even if volunteers are not paid, they receive these and many other benefits through their service.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?A.Why students should volunteer during college. |
B.What the value of volunteering after graduation is. |
C.Whether recent graduates should have a yearly plan. |
D.How to find a volunteer program that works for you. |
A.To receive a job offer. | B.To find old schoolmates. |
C.To apply for a new program. | D.To get support when seeking jobs. |
A.Sharing your future plans. |
B.Showing your social responsibility. |
C.Letting others know more about you. |
D.Catching the attention of your schoolmates. |
A.To explain what volunteering is. |
B.To offer new volunteer opportunities. |
C.To encourage recent graduates to volunteer. |
D.To discuss whether to volunteer without pay. |
8 . Guan Shanyue Art Museum
Shenzhen artists are sending hope and gratitude to the Chinese CovID-19 frontline workers through 215 artworks at the “We Are Together”exhibition running until May 17. The paintings, sculptures, photographs and music videos show medical workers, delivery men, cleaners, police officers and volunteers working tirelessly during the outbreak. Meanwhile, a selection of master Quan Shanyue’s paintings featuring flowers and birds are also on display until July.
Hours: 9 a. m. -12 pm; 2 pm. 4. 30 p. m. closed Mondays.
He Xiangning Art Museum
Selected paintings by master He Xiangning are offering an in-depth review of her revolutionary and artistic career. The paintings mainly portray plum blossoms, pine trees, lions, tigers, and landscapes. Meanwhile, contemporary Chinese oil paintings produced in the past 30 years are also on display at the “As Times Go By”exhibition until May 5.
Hours: 9:30 a. m. - 4:30 p. m. , closed Mondays.
MixC Shenzhen Bay
The ”Fantastic Dali” exhibition, running until May 5, presents an unimaginable world of 200 artworks by Spanish master Salvador Dali. Another exhibition running until May 28 features painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” by Ming artist Qiu Ying(1494-1552)and vivid scenes for visitors to take photos.
Hours(Dali): 10 a. m. -7 p. m. (Mon. -Fri.), 10 a. m. -9 p. m. (Sat.-Sun)
Hours(Qiu Ying): 10 a. m. -9 p. m. , closed Mondays.
1. What are on exhibition in Guan Shanyue Art Museum?A.Artworks by a Spanish master. | B.Paintings featuring landscapes. |
C.Music videos showing lions. | D.Artworks honoring COVID-19 fighters. |
A.“Fantastic Dali”. |
B.“We Are Together”. |
C.“As Times Go By”. |
D.“Along the River During the Qingming Festival”. |
A.A travel journal. | B.An art website |
C.A painting album. | D.A comic book. |
NYC Parks offers a variety of events, programs and activities made with kids especially in mind. Children will have plenty to keep them active throughout the year no matter what their interests are.
Jr. Knicks Basketball Clinic (培训班)
8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Instructor: Jonathan Ogeleza
Location: Sorrentino Recreation Center
This instructional basketball clinic will provide an opportunity for youth, regardless of skill, to have a positive basketball experience. Children will have the opportunity to learn and practice their basketball skills through a series of training. This specific clinic is for youth ages 10-12.
Fort Tryon Kids Art: Winter Craft Workshop
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Ages 5-12
Location: J. Hood Wright Recreation Center
Identify the year-round birds found in Fort Tryon Park and find out which evergreen plants support them in the park. Then, create bird feeders for your home with local artist Jessica Maffia to help birds during the cold winter months!
TEEN Word Game Hour
4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Instructor: Sidikha Ashraf
Location: Al Oerter Recreation Center
Do you love word games? Welcome to Word Game Hour! Play a variety of word games outside of the classics and build that already impressive vocabulary of yours. If you've never played a word game before, then we want you to come even more. This isn't just for professionals. This is for fun!
Share, Grow and Give on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Location: Randall's Island Park
In 1958, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Harlem for the signing of his book, Stride Toward Freedom. Join us on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Randall's Island Park. We will create a community collage (拼贴画) centered around excerpts (节选) from Dr. King's book. Keeping with the essence of Martin Luther King Jr. Day being a day of service, there will also be an opportunity to keep our park clean and beautiful.
1. What do we know about the program instructed by Jonathan Ogeleza?A.It asks children to protect birds. |
B.B. It is held at Randall's Island Park. |
C.It is designed for children ages 5 to 10. |
D.It helps kids to develop their basketball skills. |
A.4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. | B.1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. |
C.8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. | D.11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. |
A.TEEN Word Game Hour. |
B.Jr. Knicks Basketball Clinic. |
C.Fort Tryon Kids Art: Winter Craft Workshop. |
D.Share, Grow and Give on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. |
10 . 4 WRITING COMPETITIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Calling all high school student writers! If you’re looking for scholarships or ways to support your future education, look no further than writing competitions.
Below are 4 writing competitions for high school students. Check them now!
Scholastic Writing Awards
The Scholastic Writing Awards celebrate was created by students aged 13 and older in grades 7 through 12 across the country. You can submit(提交) all kinds of writing works, including science fiction, humor, short plays, and more.
Gold medal winners can earn a $10,000 scholarship, and silver medal winners can earn a$1,000 scholarship. The fee to apply is $7 for a single entry.
Young Lions Fiction Award
To apply for this award, any writer aged 35 or younger may submit a novel or collection of short stories. Each year, a group of experts including Young Lions members, writers, and librarians select the winner.
The winner of this award will receive a $11.000 scholarship.
NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship
High school students of all ages can have access to this creative writing scholarship. Students can submit works (that have not been published before)in one or both categories (类别): poetry and fiction.
A prize of $2,000 ill be awarded to one student winner in each category.
We the Students Essay Competitions
This competition asks students to answer the question, “What are the important qualities of a citizen in your community in 21st century America?” in an essay between 500 and 800 words. Students must be US citizens between the ages of 14 and 19 to apply.
One national winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and six runners-up will receive $1,250 each.
1. If you have created a short play, which competition is suitable for you to enter?A.Scholastic Writing Awards. | B.Young Lions Fiction Award. |
C.NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship. | D.We the Students Essay Competition. |
A.Scholastic Writing Awards. | B.Young Lions Fiction Award. |
C.NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship. | D.We the Students Essay Competition. |
A.A club’s poster. | B.A teaching plan. | C.A school’s website. | D.A principal’s speech. |