1 . Smart Kids is a collection of one hundred events scheduled in October. This year, it is experimenting with Pay What You Decide (PWYD). That is, you can decide to pay what you want to or can afford, after you have attended an event. You can pre-book events without paying for a ticket in advance. Here are some of the director’s picks.

Walk on the Wild Side

Not ticketed, Free

Join storyteller Sarah Law to hear science stories about animals. Along the way you’ll meet all sorts of beautiful creatures and discover life cycles and food chains. Best suited to children aged 5-9. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Introduction to Waves

Pre-book, PWYD

Subjects range from sound waves to gravity waves, and from waves of light to crashing waves on the ocean. Mike Goldsmith explores the fundamental features shared by all waves in the natural world.

Science in the Field

Not ticketed, Free

This storytelling night features a scientist sharing his favourite memories of gathering first-hand data on various field trips. Come along for inspiring and informative stories straight from the scientist’s mouth. Join Mark Samuels to find out more in this fun-filled workshop.

Festival Dinner

Pre-book, £25 per person

Whether you want to explore more about food, or just fancy a talk over a meal, join us to mark the first science festival in London. Which foods should you eat to trick your brain into thinking that you are full? Find out more from Tom Crawford.

1. In which event can you decide the payment?

A．Introduction to Waves.	B．Walk on the Wild Side.
C．Science in the Field.	D．Festival Dinner.

2. Who will talk about experiences of collecting direct data?

A．Mike Goldsmith.	B．Sarah Law.
C．Mark Samuels.	D．Tom Crawford.

3. What do the four events have in common?

A．Family-based.	B．Science-related.
C．Picked by children.	D．Filled with adventures.

2 . I decided to ski to the North Pole. It was after I saw an advertisement in a newspaper looking for people to join a team to ski 350 miles to the North Pole. Back in 1996, there had never been a woman from the UK who had accomplished this challenge. I wondered what it would be like to survive in temperatures cold enough to freeze your flesh in seconds, so I sent off for the application form.

The application form full of pictures of male explorers arrived. The words "Are you man enough for the ultimate (终极的) challenge?" made me angry and even more determined to get on the team.

Over 500 individuals applied for a place in the team, and the selection process included physical and psychological tests designed to pick the best group. In one test, there was a huge rope ladder we had to climb, and I froze at the top because I have a fear of heights. I thought my hopes were fading as most other applicants sailed past, leaving me behind. But two others helped me over, and later I found out that the organizers were not looking for amazing individuals, but great team players, and this moment had shown them who would take care of others in the team.

I had revealed (显示) my weakness, and in a place like the Arctic, you have to be yourself, as there is nowhere to hide. There personalities of asking for help and showing weakness are necessary for women to master.

I realized that by being myself, I could succeed. I was selected for the team. I realized that I could achieve more than I ever imagined—more importantly, by sharing my story with others, I could inspire them to take a step into the new world and reveal more of their abilities.

1. How did the author react on seeing the advertisement?

A．She got cross.	B．She was determined.
C．She got frightened.	D．She was uninterested.

2. What did the organizers view as the most important in the selection of new hands?

A．Personal quality.	B．Individual ability.
C．Spirit of teamwork.	D．Courage to challenge.

3. What does the author think of women's showing weakness?

A．Beneficia1.	B．Shamefu1.
C．Mercifu1.	D．Disturbing.

4. What's the intention of the author in writing this passage?

A．To inspire us to prepare for our future goa1.

B．To advise women to turn to others.

C．To make suggestions to her team members.

D．To encourage people to explore the unknown.

3 . Teenagers who check social media for several hours a day are at the risk of developing ADHD, a study has concluded.

The research team, from the University of Southern California, tracked 2,600 teenagers aged 15 and 16. They asked them how many times they checked their phones and other digital devices for various reasons, and then monitored them for symptoms of ADHD. After two years, those who had checked their phones the most often were twice as likely as those who cheeked the least often to show signs of ADHD.

Writing in the JAMA medical journal, the scientists said, “Modern media devices immediately inform users when new text messages, social media postings, or video game play invitations arrive. Exposure to such information may draw attention away from important tasks. Frequent distraction could interrupt the development of constant attention and organization skills.”

They believe constant access to instant entertainment also has an impact. Researcher Professor Adam Leventhal said all previous researches had focused on the link between ADHD and televisions. "What's new is that previous studies on this topic were done many years ago, when social media, mobile phones, tablets and mobile apps didn't exist. We can say with confidence that teens who are exposed to higher levels of digital media are significantly more likely to develop ADHD symptoms in the future, he said.

Leventhal believes the findings help fill a gap in understanding how new mobile media devices and seemingly limitless content pose a mental health risk for children. And the findings serve as a warning.

British scientists welcomed the findings. But Professor Andy Przybylski of the Oxford Internet Institute said, “The study relies on survey responses provided by the students in question. It is not clear if teachers or parents would rate the children similarly or if the self-reported measure of digital screen use is related with either actual behavior or higher quality survey items.”

1. How did the researchers conduct the study?

A．By monitoring 2,600 teenagers with ADHD.

B．By controlling different teens, time spent on social media.

C．By tracking the participants for two years.

D．By analyzing data from previous researches online.

2. What does Leventhal think of the exposure to higher levels of digital media?

A．It will cause diverse ADHD symptoms.	B．It will create higher ADHD risks.
C．It will weaken teenagers' confidence.	D．It will have a major influence on organization skills.

3. What does Professor Andy Przybylski think of the study?

A．It provides a better understanding of the media.	B．It should have focused on parents' responses.
C．Its findings are not reliable enough.	D．It's a breakthrough in this field.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The use of digital media is on the rise

B．Teens' exposure to modern media calls more attention

C．Heavy use of social media may increase Teens' ADHD risks

D．Teens are increasingly exposed to ADHD

5 . A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone 's else or ourselves- -the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.

We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We 're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.

This“self-talk" helps us motivate (激励) ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order lo stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying“Good job!"

Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh (刻薄的) and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.

Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking. we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.

Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem (自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.

1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that

A．negative words may let us down

B．inspiring words give us confidence

C．words have a lasting effect on us

D．not sticks and stones but words will hurt us

2. There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because

A．we can benefit from talking to ourselves

B．talking to ourselves always gives us courage

C．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves

D．it does no harm to have “self-talk" when we are alone

3. The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely

A．remind ourselves

B．give ourselves amusement

C．make ourselves relaxed

D．praise ourselves

4. The author would probably hold the view that

A．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers

B．it is better to think twice before talking to others

C．people tend to remember friendly words

D．negative words may inspire us to make more progress

6 . If you have a bad habit of losing things, a new device that can be connected to any item that you might lose may be the way to solve your problem. The Tile, a small square linked up to your iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth, lets you see how close you are to the missing item, within a 50-to 150-foot range. If the item goes out of your phone's 150-foot range, it can still be detected on other smart phones with the same app.

When you log into the app on your phone, it shows you, with green bars that increase or decrease, how far away you are from the Tile. You can also program it to make a sound when you get close to the Tile. And you can link up your phone with up to ten Tiles. And if your lost item — a dog, for example, or a stolen bike — goes out of your own phone's 150-foot Bluetooth range, you can set it as a "lost item". If any of the phones with the Tile app comes within the range of your lost item, a message will be sent to your own phone, reminding you of its position. The Tile app also has the function to remember where it last saw your Tile, so that you can easily find where you left it.

Since the Tiles use Bluetooth rather than GPS, they never run out of battery or need to be charged, and they last for one year before needing to be replaced.

1. The Tile app can help you _________.

A．find your missing items	B．use your phone more wisely
C．save your phone's battery power	D．connect something to your phone

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The Tile needs to be charged after a year of use.

B．One smart phone can only be linked up to one Tile.

C．The Tile cannot work when linked up to a phone without Bluetooth.

D．A missing item can't be found if it goes out of the needed range.

3. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A．What the Tile app is.	B．How the Tile app works.
C．The advantages of the Tile app.	D．Why the Tile app was invented.

4. Where does this passage probably come from?

A．A science fiction novel.	B．An advertisement.
C．A personal diary.	D．A news report.

7 . Covid-19 has brought a great deal of trouble for all of us since March 2020. During this time, mobile phones have been the solution for the boredom and restlessness caused from staying indoors. The most downloaded apps on play store 2020 are;

TikTok

TikTok was the most downloaded app. With over 111.9 million downloads, TikTok has seen a huge growth in 2020, twice more than what it got in 2019. 20% of its total downloads were from India and around 9. 3% of the total downloads were in the US.

Zoom

Zoom was the second most installed app in the overall downloads category. With nearly 94. 6 million installs, Zoom is the most used app for online meetings and virtual classrooms. 17% of its downloads were in the US and India. Offices and educational institutes were shut down and to continue working and studying from home, people relied heavily on Zoom for video conferencing and calling.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp ranked third in overall downloads with more than 100 million downloads. It is one of the most popular and widely used chat applications; WhatsApp also supports communication between international phone networks.

Facebook

It ranked fourth in the overall downloaded list. Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking application. Facebook builds technologies that give people the power to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.

1. What do we know about TikTok?

A．It is an India-based app.	B．It has most users in America.
C．It is used for growing business.	D．It has doubled its download than in 2019.

2. Which app is the best to turn to for online education?

A．TikTok.

B．Zoom.

C．WhatsApp.

D．Facebook.

3. What function does Facebook probably serve?

A．Communication.

B．Training.

C．Teaching.

D．Payment

8 . When talking about being overcome with emotions, both good and bad, we have a somewhat strange expression to describe that situation：to be beside yourself. So, if I say I am beside myself with joy, I am filled with joy! However, I can also be beside myself with sadness, anger, or any other emotions. The expression is useful and simple，but queer. It sounds as if someone has become two people. How can you be next to yourself? Being “beside yourself ” is technically impossible.

In American English，you can simply say “I’m beside myself ” to mean you are very upset. For example，if you have a bad quarrel with a close friend, you might be beside yourself. You might shout, write an angry letter to your friend, or just go somewhere by yourself and cry.

Here’s another situation. A high school student applies to several colleges. If all her applications are refused, she could be beside herself. She might stay up all night worrying about what to do next.

If a person becomes seriously ill, he could start talking in a way that does not make any sense. The patient may also start behaving strangely, walking around the room—back and forth. A doctor might say, “He is beside himself.”

We have another expression that is very similar to “being beside yourself”.We can also be “out of our minds”. We use this expression in the same way we use “beside oneself ”. So we can be out of our minds with fear, with love, with happiness，or with any other emotions. And just like “beside oneself”.we also use this expression on its own without a specific emotion. So, if someone says or does something crazy—like learning how to ride a motorcycle on a dark, rainy night, you can simply say, “She is out of her mind!” You could also say the person is crazy or has lost her mind.

1. What does the underlined word “queer” probably mean?

A．Easy.

B．Difficult.

C．Common.

D．Strange.

2. How will you feel when saying “I’m beside myself ” in US English?

A．Excited.

B．Unhappy.

C．Relaxed.

D．Frightened.

3. How does the author explain the usage of “beside oneself”？

A．By asking some questions.

B．By telling some stories.

C．By giving some examples.

D．By listing some data.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The usage of the phrase “out of one’s mind”.

B．The difference between the two expressions.

C．An example about “being beside yourself ”.

D．More expressions about different feelings.

9 . For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to approach her mom about what she saw on Instagram. Not long ago, the 11-year-old girl, like all the other kids in this story, discovered that her mom had been posting her photos for much of her life.“I’ve wanted to bring it up.It’s strange to see myself up there, and sometimes there are pictures of myself I don't like,”she said.

Like most other modern kids, Cara grew up in social media. While many kids may not yet have accounts themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams, and other organizations have been organizing online presence for them since birth.The shock of realizing that details about your life have been shared online without your permission or knowledge has become an important experience in the lives of many teenagers. Recently a parenting blogger (博主) wrote in an essay of The Washington Post that despite (尽管)her 14-year-old daughter’s horror of discovering that her mother had shared years of highly personal stories and information about her online, she simply could not stop posting them on her blog and social media. The writer said that promising her daughter that she would stop posting things about her publicly on the Internet “would mean shutting down an important part of myself, which isn't necessarily good for me or her”.

But it’s not just crazy mommy bloggers who construct their children’s online identity; plenty of average parents do the same. There’s even a special word for it: sharenting (晒娃成癖). Almost a quarter of children begin their digital lives when parents upload their photos to the Internet, according to a study conducted by the Internet-security (安全)firm AVG. The study also found that 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own unique digital identity.

1. How does Cara probably feel about her mom’s behavior?

A．It’s aggressive.	B．It’s appropriate.
C．It’s annoying.	D．It’s favorable.

2. Why did the parenting blogger post things about her daughter online?

A．It filled up her blog.	B．It showed off her success.
C．It recorded her stories.	D．It meant a lot to her.

3. Who are fond of sharenting?

A．A quarter of students.	B．Many ordinary parents.
C．Kids under the age of 2.	D．Some crazy bloggers.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Children’s New Trouble

B．Social Media

C．Kids’ Online Performance

D．Mommy Bloggers

10 . When leaving school, I was pleased that my exam results meant that I could study engineering at university. But I also wanted to travel before starting my course. A friend of mine told me about the Schools Exploring Society, an organization which helps students take a gap year （a year between leaving school and going to college）. It has three foreign journeys a year, taking 16-20-year-olds on science and nature trips. I love being outdoors, and a mountaineering trip to Alaska was on offer. So I signed up immediately.

There was one problem, though. I had to raise a large amount of money for the trip. It was a big task, but I managed to make it. I washed cars, worked in a cafe and also sold off some of my old books, clothes and CDs. Then, just before starting out, I started worrying. Can I do this? Am I fit enough? What if I see a bear?

Seventy of us traveled to Alaska. The first two days after arrival were spent in a school hall preparing our equipment and five tons of food. Then we left for the beautiful Talkeetna Mountain. On the trip we dug paths and recognized plant species. Then we climbed a mountain that was over 6,000 feet high. It was tiring but exciting.

Looking back, a gap year was so right for me. I learned a lot about accepting other people for what they are. We had to help each other and it made me less selfish. My gap year has also made me more able to concentrate. Now, whenever Tm worried about anything, I think I did Alaska-I can do this!

1. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that the author      .

A．hadn’t taken foreign trips before

B．made the trip together with his friends

C．was not satisfied with his exam results

D．was going to study engineering at a college

2. What was the problem for the author?

A．His body was not strong.

B．He couldn’t afford the trip.

C．He had no outdoor experience.

D．He had little time to prepare for the trip.

3. The author may agree that his gap year      .

A．was well worth it

B．got him interested in plants

C．made him fall behind others in study

D．helped him know more about himself

4. What might be the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To explain how to prepare for trips.

B．To advise on how to spend a gap year.

C．To describe his experience in his gap year.

D．To encourage students to do part-time work.