1 . A man came home from work late to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door.
“Daddy, may I ask you a question?”
“Yeah sure, what is it?” replied the man.
“Daddy, how much do you make an hour?”
“If you must know, I make $20 an hour.”
Looking up, the little boy asked, “Daddy, may I please borrow $10?”
The father was angry, “If the only reason why you asked that is that you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard every day for such this childish behavior?”
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. “How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?”
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down and started to think: “Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10 because he really didn’t ask for money very often.”
The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door. “Are you asleep, son?” He asked. “No daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy.
“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too strict with you earlier,” said the man. “It’s been a long day and I took out my bad feelings on you. Here’s the $10 you asked for.” The little boy sat straight up, smiling, “Oh, thank you, daddy!” Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled(褶皱的)bills.
The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father. “Why do you want more money if you already have some?” the father complained. “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied. “Daddy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.”
1. Why was the father angry at first?| A．Because he misunderstood his son. | B．Because he worked too late that day. |
| C．Because his son wanted to buy a silly toy. | D．Because his son asked for too much money. |
| A．To offer his son more money. | B．To check if his son was asleep. |
| C．To make an apology for his strictness. | D．To take out his bad feelings on his son. |
| A．That his son owed him money. | B．That his son had owned money. |
| C．That his son had told a lie to him. | D．That his son refused to talk to him. |
| A．Inspired. | B．Panicked. | C．Regretful. | D．Doubtful. |
2 . We’ve all been there—you’ve sent a message and it’s marked “read”, but you haven’t heard anything back. What’s the deal? While being left on read (已读不回) can be confusing, it’s also pretty common.
Expect the best. Remind yourself that the person is probably just busy. Ask yourself if you actually know their schedule. There could be some time commitments you aren’t aware of. Here are a few other reasons for a delayed response.
Resist the temptation (诱惑) to double-text.
Read over your previous messages. See if there are any confusing texts that you need to clarify. It’s okay if you review your message again and notice that it might have been a little unclear—it happens!
| A．Put your phone away. |
| B．Fix your attention closely on text responses. |
| C．Give them a little space so they have a chance to reply. |
| D．They want to give you a longer response but can’t right now. |
| E．Ask yourself why being left on “read” frustrates or confuses you. |
| F．You can keep the situation from bothering you until you hear back. |
| G．You might feel relieved when you find something that is easy to misread. |
3 . When going shopping with a friend, Gail Heyman found herself quite awkward (令人尴尬的) when her friend asked her which dress she liked best. Her friend had a clear favorite — a dress that Heyman happened to dislike. “In that case, I lied and said that I like the same one,” said Heyman.
As Heyman’s experience shows, it might not matter all that much if you tell a white lie to make a friend feel good at times. But when it comes to the most meaningful relationships in your life, protecting a friend’s feelings at all costs can sometimes make them fail. For example, if a person is practicing for a job interview and it’s a few days before his interview, and he gives an answer that you think is not good at all and you don’t tell him because you don’t want to hurt his feelings, that’s really not very nice to him, right? Because he has an opportunity to fix that thing.
If you know that lies can have results, why do you still lie often? A study carried out by Tali Sharot, a professor at University College London, found that it’s because people just get used to it. One little lie can turn into bigger and bigger lies over time. “If you habituate emotionally, it will change your behavior,” says Sharot.
Sharot notes that if you’re worried about lying a bit too much, try and notice when you want to bend the truth (歪曲事实). She thinks it’s best to do so when you’re not actually responding to those triggers (诱因). Moving your attention away from shame and focusing more on your values can be a healthy way to start looking at this more actively.
1. How does the author start the text?| A．By raising a question. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By expressing an opinion. | D．By comparing different views. |
| A．Be careful about lying. | B．It’s OK to tell a white lie. |
| C．Never should a person tell lies. | D．A meaningful relationship matters. |
| A．They are used to lying. |
| B．They don’t behave well. |
| C．They lose track of others. |
| D．They don’t want to hurt others’ feelings. |
| A．Try to bend the truth. |
| B．Change our behavior. |
| C．Say sorry to the one we lied to. |
| D．Concentrate more on our values. |
4 . From going to work to traveling, here are some backpacks you can use in several different situations.
SZLX backpack
This backpack is described as “designed for travel” and you can see why—as unzipped and open, it looks a bit like a carry-on bag. It has two zip pockets and an inside compartment (隔层). With a shoe compartment and a bag for wet clothes, it is a great choice for traveling and regular use.
Della Gao backpack
This backpack will have you feeling safe, with lockable zips (拉链). It has three main compartments and at 17 inches, has a large overall space for keeping important items. It’s a wise choice for business travel, university or if you’re going on holiday with high-value items.
Lekesky backpack
Looking like a cross between a lunch bag and a backpack, the Lekesky bag is actually a bit of both, with two pockets alongside a main compartment. The bag also has a separate lunch compartment, able to store food for nine hours with an ice bag. The bag comes in black/white as well as green/white.
Maxtop backpack
If what you’re after in a backpack is a lot of space, then this bag will be the one for you. It comes with metal zippers and a USB port, plus it can be folded up when not in use. It also has a D-ring for you to hang a key or other items if desired.
1. Which backpack best suits a person carrying expensive items?| A．Della Gao backpack | B．Lekesky backpack |
| C．SZLX backpack | D．Maxtop backpack |
| A．It comes in four different colors. |
| B．It is great for keeping food. |
| C．It can be folded up when not in use. |
| D．It has a bag for wet clothes. |
| A．Sports. | B．Health. | C．Lifestyle. | D．Culture. |
5 . You may study English for years and still not understand a native speaker of English when you meet one. Many language learners know that native speakers say a lot of things that you can’t find in a dictionary. Well, here’s a secret for you: A lot of British people can’t understand each other either!
Across the UK, a number of regions have different dialects. There are many different accents (口音) in London, because it is not just where a person is born in the UK that decides their accent. Language and accents also change across social class and level of education. Therefore, “Multicultural London English” was created at the end of the 20th century.
Other factors are also important in the invention of new accents and ways of speaking. These include the influence of people from different countries and different age groups, too.
“Yoof culture” is an example. The word “yoof” is a slang (俚语) spelling of “youth”. Young people are creating their own language, ideas and identity. By using words that their parents don’t understand, children can talk about things that their parents might not agree with. For example, instead of saying something like “That’s good!” or “I understand”, yoof will use a single adjective like “Safe!”, or “Sorted!” Yoof would use “kind-a-thing” or “sort-a-thing” to replace “if you understand what I’m saying”. In this way, they are starting to find freedom, independence and self-expression.
As learners of English, we may wonder how well we can talk to a native speaker, but perhaps we should worry less about this. Research by the British Council shows that 94 percent of the English spoken in the world today is spoken between non-native speakers of the language. In fact, when we think about “international English”, there is no such thing as a native or non-native speaker. The UK no longer owns the English language.
1. What do we know about “Multicultural London English”?| A．It was invented by Londoners in the 1900s. |
| B．It is now spoken by people around the world. |
| C．It’s a dialect specific to a particular social class. |
| D．It’s a modern accent that crosses educational levels. |
| A．A mix of many different cultures. | B．The way to simplify English spelling. |
| C．Young people’s desire to express themselves. | D．Young people’s longing for more attention. |
| A．Got it! | B．No way! | C．With pleasure! | D．No worries! |
| A．Mastering English is next to impossible. |
| B．The English language is always changing. |
| C．Don’t worry if you cannot understand native speakers. |
| D．It helps for a non-native speaker to talk to a native speaker. |
6 . In times of sadness, a friend would always suggest going for a walk. “Are you overwhelmed (压垮) by your work? Take a walk around the neighborhood.” Comments like this are often said with nothing but the best of intentions, but they used to make me angry as much as being told to drink more water. I did not understand how these things were going to help.
Three years ago, I hit a low point. Once I saw a pair of empty eyes looking at me through the mirror, I knew I was at my breaking point. So, I took the advice I fought so hard to ignore. I went for a walk—with the hope that it would somehow change my life.
I embraced (拥抱) the fresh air everyone seemed to be talking about. But it did nothing. I was just as sad as I was before. I went on a walk every single day for more than a month. Some days I could hardly make it outside, but I managed to push through. I took a picture every time I went. I think I wanted to document myself trying to make an effort. One day, the unthinkable happened. I found myself smiling. I realized I had patiently waited all morning to go on this walk. What I once hated had become the best part of my day. I found myself longing to be outside. I never had a destination in mind. I just danced along the trails (小路) , stopped to look at the beautiful blue skies and listened to music.
I’m glad I took pictures because there was a noticeable difference in my face. I slowly started to look less tired and defeated. I don’t know why I refused to go on that walk for so long. I guess I didn’t want to believe that something small and seemingly meaningless could actually make an impact on my physical and mental well-being.
If you’re having a bad day, a bad month, a bad year or even a bad life, you should try going for a walk. Sometimes, all we need to do is try.
1. How did the author use to feel when people suggested she go for a walk?| A．Delighted. | B．Annoyed. | C．Relieved. | D．Confused. |
| A．Her friend encouraged her. |
| B．She wanted to challenge herself. |
| C．Her hopelessness drove her to try. |
| D．She was eager to get close to nature. |
| A．She felt cheered up after the first week. |
| B．She always set off with a destination in mind. |
| C．She stopped for a while due to lack of progress. |
| D．She was inspired by the pictures she took of herself. |
| A．Go for a walk when feeling down. |
| B．Care about our mental well-being. |
| C．Stay positive when bad things happen. |
| D．Take other people’s suggestions seriously. |
7 . Hummingbirds (蜂鸟) are a very important part of Mexico’s ecosystem, but because of the ever-spreading city landscape, they face all sorts of serious dangers. That’s where 73-year-old Catia Lattouf de Arida comes in. As a self-taught hummingbird care-taker, she devotes most of her free time and resources to nursing the tiny birds back to health. Her home in Mexico City has become known as a hummingbird hospital
Catia’s story as a hummingbird nurse began in 2011, at a very dificult moment in her life. At that time, she focused on her battle with cancer and fell into a depression (抑郁) . She was walking on the strect one day when she noticed a hummingbird that had suffered a serious eye injury. The kindhearted woman took it home and named it Gucci. She managed to nurse Gucci back to health, but she said it was Gucci that saved her. Why? Because the hummingbird managed to pull her out of the sadness and loneliness that had taken over her life.
Word of her success spread among Catia’s friends, and before long some of them began bringing her injured hummingbirds. She didn’t repulse them at all. She began to study the bird and their habits in order to better take care of them, and after 11 years of experience, the 73-year-old woman is considered an expert on hummingbirds.
In order to raise awareness of the difficult situation of hummingbirds in Mexico, Catia Lattouf de Arida started posting videos of the patients in her Mexico City apartment on social media, and many of them became popular. That’s when the need for her nursing services really blew up. She has cared for hundreds of hummingbirds in her 11-year career, when she has had as many as 50 of them in her apartment at any one time. She spends pretty much all her time looking after the tiny birds.
1. Which saying can best show the main idea of the first two paragraphs?| A．It is better to give than to take. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Helping others is helping ourselves. |
| D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. |
| A．Expect. | B．Refuse. | C．Accept. | D．Recognize |
| A．When her friends heard about her success. |
| B．When she was considered as a bird expert. |
| C．After she shared the birds’ videos on the media. |
| D．After she looked after a large number of the birds. |
| A．honest and kind | B．generous and creative |
| C．devoted and strict | D．caring and responsible |
8 . The halo effect is a cognitive bias (认知偏见) that affects our opinions of quality in products, brands, businesses or people. It describes our tendency to judge a wider concept on our experience of a single moment or interaction. That is, your experience of using a product may colour your impression of an entire brand.
This is a very surface-level, quick-fire response that’s deep in our mind. If we see a good or bad quality, we really can’t help thinking this “thing” must flow through to the rest of the person, business or brand. Marketers understand this and have been using it against you for years.
Advertisers want to back winners, especially those on big stages. The Olympics, the World Cup and the Super Bowl all attract huge amounts of advertising spend. Why? Because when sports stars win big, they create huge amounts of feel-good factors and a brand can use the halo effect to project some of those feel-good factors onto themselves.
Studies have shown that when a product has a label that it is either fair trade, sustainably sourced or organic in nature, it will receive higher ratings in customer satisfaction and people will pay more for it. In a blind taste test though, that’s not necessarily the case. The product could be considered poor in taste or quality, but the act of adding a certain label to the packaging increases people’s liking for it.
The halo effect is a bias we cannot escape. It is in action everywhere in the modern world. Every high-end product you experience leaves a lasting impression and every advertisement that catches your eye is looking to direct your attention towards something you may not have otherwise been interested in. As a consumer, be careful. There are businesses that will go to any extent to influence your behaviour. Next time you find yourself really wanting something, stop and ask yourself why.
1. How does the halo effect influence our opinions?| A．It helps us see things in a better way. | B．It deepens our understanding of things. |
| C．It stops us from jumping to conclusions. | D．It works on us through former experience. |
| A．To use halo effect to attract more audience. |
| B．To contribute to the development of sports. |
| C．To connect their brands with positive emotions. |
| D．To drive sports stars to create feel-good factors. |
| A．It leads to false advertisements. | B．It results in incorrect judgments. |
| C．It ensures the quality of products. | D．It improves environmental protection. |
| A．To warn of unplanned buying. | B．To summarize the halo effect. |
| C．To expose the influence of advertising. | D．To show modern marketing strategies. |
9 . The middle class in Uganda is on the increase. So is the country’s tourism industry. The growth of restaurants and high-end hotels is evidence that both foreigners and Ugandans are spending money. But the owners of these businesses have often had to turn to other countries to find executive chefs (行政总厨) . The reason: a lack of well-trained chefs and other assistants at Ugandan restaurants. Slowly but surely, this is changing.
Uganda has a problem not normally found in a low-income country. It has a shortage of local chefs. In recent years, the number of restaurants and tourism-related businesses has risen. As a result, the demand for well-trained cooks and other assistants has grown. But experienced chefs are difficult to find. Jean Byamugisha is in the Uganda Hotel Owners Association. “The biggest challenge is capacity building. People really need a lot of training, especially now that we are competing to reach East African level.”
To meet the need, many restaurants have turned to neighboring countries for help. Enock Alumasi is from Kenya. He saw that Uganda had a lack of top chefs. So he helped set up the Impact Chefs Academy in 2013. The academy is the only school in Uganda that offers a full training program for chefs. It offers a number of program-starting with one-week courses for those who already have a career in the restaurant industry, to a year-long training program.
One recent day, several students were learning the different ways to fry an egg. This may sound like something that comes naturally to a chef. But some workers have never cooked an egg before. Brian Kazibe has worked as a chef. He says that some trainees have learned about five different areas of restaurant operations over three months. “By the time they get to the kitchen,” he says, “they only remain for two or three weeks, which is not really enough for them.”
The Impact Chef’s Academy has trained more than 3, 000 people in the past two years. Jean Byaugisha says that the need is still growing. “The impact is not yet felt. One week’s training for a chef is too short. We need somebody who can come for two months, six months, nine months and train the chefs and release somebody who can actually come to the restaurant or a hotel and prepare a meal that everybody will fall over themselves to pay for.” However, the academy has gotten a taste of success; it looks forward to expanding.
1. What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?| A．Uganda is a high-income country now. |
| B．Tourism is Uganda’s main source of GDP. |
| C．Visitors go to Uganda mainly for its foods. |
| D．Uganda’s economy develops at a high speed. |
| A．It mainly trains students to fry eggs. |
| B．It provides courses different in length. |
| C．It employs teachers from neighboring countries. |
| D．It was set up by Enock Alumasi in Kenya in 2013. |
| A．has gained success to some extent |
| B．has trained enough experienced chefs |
| C．has set up a series of chain training schools |
| D．has only opened short-term classes for 3 months |
| A．How to solve the difficulties in Uganda. |
| B．Handling lack of excellent chefs in Uganda. |
| C．The setting up of the Impact Chef’s Academy. |
| D．The expanding of the middle class in Uganda. |
10 . Remember the woman in Port Hood, N. S. whose recipe for meat rolls spread all over the internet? The dog from Quebec that attracted hundreds of thousands of followers for its advice on surviving social isolation? The pilot whose path over Nova Scotia formed the shape of a heart?
All of their stories, and dozens more, are collected in a new book by two Canadian authors. It took Heather Down and Catherine Kenwell just a little more than seven weeks to collect the stories behind the 49 uplifting moments they recorded during the pandemic.
The book includes everything from the tale of Robbie Griffiths, the father from Paradise, N. L. who dressed up as Spider-Man so kids could have something positive in their day, to Carter Mann, the Grade 5 student from Sudbury, Ont, who wrote a poem to encourage front-line heroes including his own father, who is a health carer.
“Not Canceled: Canadian Caremongering in the Face of COVID-19” is a reminder that a lot of positive things happened during lockdown. The book’s title is a nod to the Canadian attitude and reaction to the pandemic, as the word “caremongering” has Canadian roots. Even the number of stories is no accident: it’s a reference to the 49th parallel, along which runs the Canada-U. S. border between Manitoba and B. C.
One of the stories in “Not Canceled” centers on the marriage of a couple in B. C. They may have had to shift their celebrations to a living room, but the ceremony was far from lonely. Friends showed up in their cars outside, with everyone tuned into the same radio station, so the bride and groom could have their first dance in the middle of the street.
Down wanted to document how the nation navigated such dark times with kindness. She told CTV News that “the response has been amazing. I’m so pleased.”
The stories included in the book are just the tip of the iceberg. Down says that there are so many stories left over that she and Kenwell might just have to do a second book.
1. What does the underlined word “uplifting” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Inspiring. | B．Embarrassing. | C．Mysterious. | D．Humorous. |
| A．He trained hard to become a health carer. |
| B．He wrote poems with the help of his father. |
| C．He used words to cheer up essential workers. |
| D．He dressed up as Spider-Man to please other kids. |
| A．It shows Canadian attitude and response. |
| B．It shows the total number of the stories. |
| C．It has the new-made word “caremongering”. |
| D．It contains Canada’s geographical information. |
| A．It was canceled halfway. | B．It was held completely indoor. |
| C．It was witnessed by a group of friends. | D．It was broadcast live by a radio station. |
