1 . South Korea has the biggest rate of Internet addiction in the world and it is increasingly the country’s children who are spending every waking moment immersing themselves in fantasy role plays or gaming In the remote mountains of South Korea, teenage Internet addicts are turning up for a 12-day boot camp.
Kyle Won’s addiction is out of control. He spends 10 hours a day on the Internet. Now Kyle’s smartphone is taken away. The teachers here do what they can to get them socializing again; for many, the only friends they have had are online. “I have relationships on the Internet and a real distance has gown with my real-life friends and I know it’s not good,” Kyle said. The teachers show them other possibilities and bring back dreams and hopes that have been buried by their addictions. “We teach them methods of managing their desire to use the Internet so that they can continue to use it when they go back home,” Shim Yong-school, a teacher here, said. After just two days Kyle said It was helpful. He’s set a good example to others though he hasn’t reached the goal completely.
Sout Korean psychiatrists (精神病专家) are urging more/action as they are finding evidence that too much screen time is a barrier to the developing minds. Professor Kang Seak Young from Dankook, University said the addiction was damaging critical thinking. “It affects the frontal lobes (额叶) which are important to critical analysis” Professor Kang said. “Reading a book and guessing what happens in the story next show activity in frontal lobes but playing popular computer games for a long time shows no activity.”
South Korea is one of the most wired nations on Earth, but it does have a cost. One in every ten kids is an addict so the country is now learning how to manage its high-tech future to avoid more serious consequences.
1. What do the teachers in the camp teach teenagers to do?| A．Self-manage their smartphones. | B．Attain something beyond the Internet. |
| C．Make online friends more wisely. | D．Keep away from electronic products. |
| A．He faced the most serious addiction. | B．He has succeeded in kicking the addiction. |
| C．He’s the representative of the addicts. | D．He participated in the camp actively. |
| A．The importance of offline reading. | B．The effects of frontal lobes on thinking. |
| C．The popularity of kids’ Internet games. | D．The harm of Internet addiction to brains. |
| A．There are two sides to every coin. | B．No pain, no gain. |
| C．It’s good to learn at another man’s cost. | D．Prevention is better than cure. |
2 . There are so many uses of GPS tracking that people don’t think of’ every day. From the military to searching for treasure, we use GPS for a wide variety of activities, both serious and fun. Of course, the most important benefits of GPS technology are the life-saving ones, one of those uses is in search and rescue missions. More people than ever have a GPS device right in their pockets, which makes them safer than ever when they run into a dangerous situation.
Many hikers equip themselves with GPS devices because they know that anything can happen when they go out on the trail. A working GPS device is equally as important as any of their other tools. A lot of hikers have found their GPS devices helpful in their rescue. There are many stories of GPS technology saving hikers who have run into trouble on or off the trail.
Kidnappings (绑架) arc a tragedy whenever they occur. The US Department of Justice found that in one year, 797,500 children were reported missing. Only some parents equipped their children with GPS devices to protect them in the event of a kidnapping. GPS devices aren’t only useful for kidnappings but can also be applied if children simply wander off and gel lost. Many are equipped with a panic button so children can warn their parents as soon as they feel they are in danger.
Everyone has heard of planes disappearing and never being heard from again. With GPS tracking, this no longer has to be a reality. GPS tracking can find planes that have disappeared in most cases and even rescue passengers in the event of a crash. It is an important technology for air travel to keep airplanes from crashing into one another in mid-air.
1. What is the biggest use of GPS?| A．Keeping us safe. | B．Offering more fun. |
| C．Doing military tasks. | D．Tracking hikers’ position. |
| A．To look into the tragedies in the US. |
| B．To tell us GPS devices sometimes fail to work. |
| C．To show how important GPS technology is for kids. |
| D．To explain why the parents didn’t use GPS devices. |
| A．By using position tracking. | B．By searching more widely. |
| C．By learning more experience. | D．By developing more new technologies. |
| A．Important life-saying tools. |
| B．GPS tracking’s benefits to saving lives. |
| C．Everyone should be equipped with GPS devices. |
| D．How to keep safe in a dangerous situation? |
3 . The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most diverse places in America, a wonderful place filled with people from all backgrounds. Each of them drew something different from their own experience. Their stories are the focus of Status Update, an exhibition of 14 projects offered by Dundon and former WIRED contributor Pete Brook. The show at SOMarts uses personal tales to show the Bay Area’s culture.
The Bay Area is a microcosm (缩影) of the national melting pot, a place where people of color comprise 58 percent of the overall population and are a majority in four of the region’s five countries, San Francisco in particular is the type of place where you can’ t walk down the street without hearing another language. Yet the change is not all for the better. The gap between rich and poor is widening at a frightening speed, and San Francisco is becoming less diverse as minorities escape from the city for more affordable communities elsewhere in the region.
Status Update reflects these changes and the challenges they bring. Joseph Rodriguez’s Faces of Foreclosure features quiet images of people like Ethel Gist, who lost her home in the East Bay suburb of Brentwood six years ago. Photographer Sam records Oakland resident Shannon and his efforts to provide for his daughter. And Laura Morton documents millennials (千禧一代 )hoping to make their way to the top in Silicon Valley in her series Wild West Tech.
Status Update starts a conversation about how the Bay Area is changing, and what people can do to build up a more just equitable (公正的) society. “I hope people walk away from this show with a little more respect for our neighbors and communities and the ways we depend on one another.” Dundon says. “we’re all out here together”
1. What are the artworks in Status Update mainly about?| A．The real lives of people in the Bay Area. |
| B．The beautiful construction of the Bay Area. |
| C．The friendliness of people in the Bay Area. |
| D．The technological development of the Bay Area. |
| A．It is facing a rapid economic slowdown. |
| B．The population has been falling in recent years. |
| C．More and more local people tend to speak the same language. |
| D．It is getting harder and harder for minorities to afford their lives. |
| A．Sharing the successful experience of the Bay Area. |
| B．Recording the diversity and change of the Bay Area. |
| C．Introducing the long and rich history of the Bay Area. |
| D．Showing the past, the present and the future of the Bay Area. |
| A．They can know more about themselves. |
| B．They can open their hearts to other people. |
| C．They can respect the people around them. |
| D．They can develop an interest in diverse cultures. |
4 . Journey into the heart of Costa Rican culture
Costa Rican culture and its natural environment are deeply connected. Travel through the country from the Central Valley to the Pacific coast and everywhere in between. Experience first-hand Costa Rica’s lifestyle and you’ll soon see why Costa Rica is the happiest country in the world!
Program
●Dates: August 5-9
●Price: $750 per person. Children under 12 years old accompanied by an adult are free of charge.
●Group size: 4-10 participants
Details
●Start with a walking tour of San Jose, focusing on “City and Society” and visit its top places of interest: the National Theater, Gold Museum, Central Park, and Central Market.
●Stay with a homestay in Heredia for a close experience into the Costa lifestyle.
●Learn about the beautifully painted oxcarts (牛车) in Sarchi, the heart of the country’s artisan culture. Participate in a painting workshop, enjoy a typical lunch, and visit botanical gardens (植物园).
●Travel to the Guatuso indigenous (当地的) area to learn about the native peoples and their traditional ways.
●Visit Abangares and its gold mines.
●Enjoy a traditional dance class and attend a performance.
Typical day
●Morning: Breakfast with your homestay or at the hotel.
●Midday: Morning tour and meeting with a local community.
●Afternoon: Traditional lunch and artisan workshop.
●Evening: Dinner at homestay or group dinner, relax and get a good night’s sleep.
1. What can people do during the program?| A．Learn to cook at a local community. | B．Spend nights at comfortable hotels. |
| C．Experience the local lifestyle on July5. | D．learn about the culture related to oxcarts. |
| A．$750. | B．$1,500. | C．$2,250. | D．$3,000. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A geography textbook. |
| C．A book review. | D．An academic article. |
5 . Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, started erupting late Sunday in the U.S. island state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The volcano last erupted 38 years ago. But it is not expected to put people in danger.
At this point, melted(熔化的) rock, called lava, is predicted not to come near populated areas, but officials warned people to be ready to move away. The path of lava flows can change quickly.
Island officials warned people to stay away from the areas where lava is coming out because it can shoot 30 to 60 meters in the air. The gas coming from the eruption is also harmful. At the moment, however, the state said air quality on the island is good.
The eruption is a new experience for many people on the island. There are more than twice as many people living there compared to the last time Mauna Loa erupted. State officials are most concerned about an area about 50 kilometers to the south of the volcano where about 5,000 people live.
There is some concern about a weak area on the southwestern part of the mountain. If lava escapes from that area, it could threaten places where people live in just hours or days. The lava has never come up through that area during past eruptions.
The lava could flow toward the city of Hilo, which has about 45,000 people. That could take about a week. Scientists say they hope the lava flows like it did in 1984, when it moved slowly.
Hawaii mayor is Mitch Roth. He said the eruption “will be remarkable”, but he does not think it will cause problems for people visiting Hawaii. He said many people come to Hawaii to see volcanoes, but they have to travel a long way to a national park. Now, they can see an eruption much more easily. “You can just look out your window at night and you’ll be able to see Mauna Loa erupting,” he said.
1. Why did officials give people a warning?| A．The way lava flows is uncertain. | B．Air quality on the island isn’t good. |
| C．The lava can shoot 60 meters at least. | D．The lava will reach where people live. |
| A．It is near populated places. | B．No lava has come up through it. |
| C．Many people live there. | D．It can stop eruptions. |
| A．People had better leave Hawaii soon. |
| B．The eruption is a possible danger to visitors. |
| C．It is convenient to watch an eruption in Hawaii. |
| D．The eruption is a once-in-a-century natural wonder. |
| A．People in Hawaii Are Ready to Escape |
| B．Volcanoes in Hawaii Always Attract Visitors |
| C．Damage of Volcano in Hawaii Is Not Clear |
| D．World’s Largest Active Volcano Erupts in Hawaii |
6 . Give a little sunshine!
The Council on Aging(COA)runs a telephone friendship project called the Sunshine Call Program, matching over-60s with a friendly volunteer for a daily chat over the phone. The aim is simple -- to help ease the loneliness and repair social networks.
Sheila, 77, a retired teacher, lived alone. She has been receiving calls from Rianne, a volunteer, for over two months. “Talking to Rianne is something I really look forward to -- a breath of fresh air. We talk about everything -- theatre, her work, books we’ve read. . . Listening to someone else’s life enriches you and gives you something positive to focus on.” “At the beginning, I had no expectation of how the phone calls would go, but it’s wonderful that it’s led to a genuine friendship. Rianne helps me a lot...” |
Are you ready to add a little sunshine to a senior’s life?
The Sunshine Call Program initially links a volunteer with an isolated(独居的)senior for a daily call. When comfortable, the volunteer introduces a second senior to the call. Then another, until there are four seniors to one volunteer on what is essentially a conference call. Without having to leave the house, you will help the seniors meet and make new friends. They will then exchange phone numbers to chat on their own and reduce their isolation.
What are the volunteer qualifications?
Volunteers must have access to the Internet and be willing to be trained on the use of a chat app. COA will provide all supplies required to make the calls. Besides, volunteers must agree to participate in monthly meetings with other volunteers and guest speakers. All volunteers must be willing to provide a recent Criminal Record Cheek, the cost of which will be borne by COA. And the most important volunteer qualification is a sense of caring and a desire to help seniors in the community!
If you wish to volunteer with our Sunshine Call program, never hesitate! Just CLICK HERE to fill out the application form.
1. Why does the passage mention Sheila’s experience?| A．To show her loneliness. | B．To share a sweet memory. |
| C．To stress the value of the program. | D．To praise Rianne’s kindness. |
| A．making weekly calls to seniors | B．visiting seniors during holidays |
| C．introducing new friends to seniors | D．teaching seniors to use smart phones |
| A．Learn the use of a chat app. | B．Prepare a computer by yourself. |
| C．Offer a letter of recommendation. | D．Have relevant working experience. |
7 . In 2018, a severe drought brought Cape Town close to “Day Zero”, when it could have become the world’s first major city to run out of water. Dam levels in South Africa’s Western Cape fell to below a fifth of capacity and the province suffered its worst water crisis in 100 years.
“The water supply was dwindling and it just wasn’t raining,” recalls Thinus Booysen, a professor at Stellenbosch University, who had created a device in 2015 designed to help homeowners cut their power usage. Seeking to reduce water waste, Booysen figured he could adapt the device to measure water usage instead of electricity use.
Soon, Booysen launched a start-up, Bridging the Internet of Things (BridgloT), to develop his idea. Called Count Dropula, the device reports water usage once a minute while many conventional devices only record data once an hour. The system uses an app in the user’s cellphone and sends short messages in real time. “Within minutes, we would be able to tell the user, ‘Something has burst, or something is leaking,’” he says.
Then Booysen discovered that a key issue was maintenance (维修), with the poorest schools using by far the most water. Leaking toilets could waste 1,000 liters of water per day. “We found that the biggest problems are things like children not closing taps properly, but often that would be because the taps just don’t close,” Booysen explains. During the test, the invention saved one school more than three million liters of water in three months. Another reduced its water usage 55 percent in four months.
Businesses including Cape Talk radio station and Africa’s largest food company, Shoprite, became sponsors, partnering with the Western Cape Education Department to install (安装) test devices in 350 schools. They saved more than $2.7 million and almost 550 million liters of water in 17 months. Booysen has looked at expanding to government buildings, hospitals and hotels. There are plans to roll out the device across Africa.
1. What does the underlined word “dwindling” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Beginning | B．Continuing. |
| C．Expanding. | D．Decreasing. |
| A．Proud and determined. |
| B．Cautious and friendly. |
| C．Creative and caring. |
| D．Ambitious but generous. |
| A．It works smartly to help save water. |
| B．It was designed by Booysen in 2015. |
| C．It will soon be tested in 350 schools. |
| D．It cuts power usage efficiently. |
| A．He will become a member of Shoprite. |
| B．He will further promote his new invention. |
| C．He will stop water pollution in Cape Town. |
| D．He will travel around Africa for better ideas. |
8 . ●Bark
Cover price: $19.80 Price: $15.00 ($2.50/issue)
You save: $4.80 (24%) Review: By Pat Kane
I love Bark magazine! I love the “smiling” pages and the tips on every issue. I am a dog lover and have saved all of my dogs from either death row or from people who were going to put them down. Everyone should have a chance to live and Bark stresses that with its articles. This magazine is MUST HAVE for any dog lover!!
●Dog Fancy
Cover price: $54.00 Price: $14.99 ($1.25/issue)
You save: $39.01 (72%) Review: By Berner Mom
Don’t waste your money on this magazine. 60-70 percent of it are advertisements, and the articles offer little useful information. It might be suitable for children, but not adults who are serious about educating themselves about dogs.
●Dog World
Cover price: $48.88 Price: $14.99 ($1.25 /issue)
You save: $33.89 (69%) Review: By one critic
Dog World has many very interesting and thought-provoking (令人思考的) articles for people involved in dog showing, breeding (饲养), performance events, etc. However, over half of the magazine is devoted to breeder ads, which is boring. Still, as a whole, I recommend (推荐) it for the articles. Good articles, but tons of ads.
●Modern Dog
Cover price: $45.00 Price: $15.00 ($3.75/issue)
You save: $30.00 (66%) Review: By Dinah
My new favorite magazine! Beautiful photos, smart and interesting articles, fashion, art, interviews with famous people... all with a dog focus! Cover models range from Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell to Virginia Madsen and her dogs. Thanks to Modern Dog I now know how to give a dog-friendly cocktail party and how to actually get my dog to come when she’s called. Surely worth checking out.
1. Dog World is recommended for its ________.| A．wonderful articles | B．fashionable cover |
| C．low price | D．good paper quality |
| A．has lovely dog pictures on the cover | B．is interesting but not helpful |
| C．has some photos but no articles | D．has interviews with famous people |
| A．Bark and Dog Fancy. | B．Bark and Modern Dog. |
| C．Dog Fancy and Dog C. World. | D．Dog Fancy and Modern Dog. |
9 . This is a typical (典型的) day for Yang Jinlong.
At 9 a. m., he drives to primary schools and middle schools in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, to teach students about Shaanxi kuaiban. It is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling to the rhythm (节奏) of bamboo clapper (响板), which the art form is named after. Sometimes, he helps students prepare for competitions. Usually, his classes run until about 6 p. m. and then he returns home to prepare classes for the next day.
On June 10, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced 325 national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) items in Beijing, increasing the list to1, 557 items. Shaanxi kuaiban, which appeared during the late Qing Dynasty, has been included. The form has been introduced to local schools as part of their art education.
Yang has been teaching young people the art form since 2003 after graduating from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing. He studied quyi there. Quyi is a general term for Chinese folk art forms, including storytelling crosstalk and clapper talk.
“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and vioiin, there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts, including Shaanxi kuaiban, which I’ll work for my whole life,” he said.
Kuaiban is popular in northern China, including Beijing and Tianjin. According to Yang, Shaanxi kuaiban was influenced by the art of different areas. The art form can be played by a group of players or only one. With one or two pairs of kuaiban of different sizes in hand, the players speak in the local dialect (方言) while telling stories, which are usually about heroes. The player tells stories while playing kuaiban, and it’s easy for the watchers to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme.
Thanks to artists like Yang, this traditional Chinese form of storytelling is passed on and stays alive in our country.
1. Why is today a typical day for Yang Jinlong?| A．He is teaching students about kuaiban as usual. |
| B．His work starts at 9 and lasts 6 hours like every day. |
| C．He is preparing for a kuaiban competition today. |
| D．His life today is as busy and boring as every day. |
| A．It is named after the Shaanxi dialect. |
| B．It is listed in the national intangible cultural heritage. |
| C．It is more popular than the piano and violin in northern China. |
| D．It is played to tell stories usually about common people. |
| A．Devoted. | B．Stressed. | C．Generous. | D．Curious. |
| A．To show how to play Shaanxi kuaiban in the local dialect. |
| B．To tell the difference between Chinese and Western arts. |
| C．To prove that kuaiban players are living a busy life. |
| D．To praise the work of spreading traditional Chinese art. |
I’m very happy to receive your letter. I have always dreamed about having a pen-friend. Hopefully, we can learn from each other and grow to be good friends. I think our letters will let us know each other and share parts(宠物)of our lives.
Your horse Shannon looks beautiful. I also want to live on a farm like you and learn to ride horses. It must be interesting to ride through the beautiful countryside. I have pictured myself in that situation so many times. Your sisters are also lovely. I am the only child in my family, and sometimes I feel very lonely.
Life in New York is so busy and it is difficult to find the time to get to know people. Even becoming close to my classmates is quite difficult. However, sometimes it can be the most fantastic(极好的)city in the world. At night it is so bright.
I love reading too! But I have never read any books by your favorite author Enid Blyton. I will have to go to the library in my neighborhood and find some. I also enjoy dancing and have dance class every Thursday and Saturday. My other favorite hobby(爱好)is skating(滑冰). In winter, I like to skate in Central Park.
I have to go now and do my homework. I really hope that I hear from you soon!
Yours Megan
1. Who is Shannon?| A．Mary’s dog. | B．Megan’s dog. |
| C．Mary’s horse. | D．Megan’s cat. |
| A．Once a week. | B．Twice a week. |
| C．Three times a week. | D．Four times a week. |
| A．She has many friends. | B．Her sister is good at skating. |
| C．She likes to live in New York. | D．Her favorite writer is Enid Blyton. |
| A．Schoolmates. | B．Penfriends. |
| C．wife and husband | D．They are in the same club |
