1 . Faster, cheaper, better-technology is one field many people rely upon to offer a vision of a brighter future. But as the 2020s dawn, optimism is in short supply. The new technologies that dominated the past decade seem to be making things worse. Social media were supposed to bring people together, but they are better known for leaking privacy. E-commerce, ride-hailing (网约车) and the gig economy (零工经济) may be convenient, but they are charged with underpaying workers, worsening inequality and blocking the streets with vehicles.
Today's pessimistic mood is centered on smart phones and social media, which took off a decade ago. Yet concerns that particular technologies might be doing more harm than good have arisen before. The 1920s witnessed a criticism against cars, which had earlier been seen as an answer to the problems caused by horse-drawn vehicles which filled the streets with noise and animal waste and caused accidents. And industrialization was criticized in the 19th century by Romantics who worried about the replacement of skilled workers, the robbing of the countryside and the suffering of factory hands.
However, that pessimism can be overdone. Too often people focus on the drawbacks of a new technology while taking its benefits for granted. Worries about screen time should be weighed against the much more substantial benefits of convenient communication and the instant access to information and entertainment that smartphones make possible. A further danger is that Luddite (反对技术进步者) efforts to avoid the short-term costs associated with a new technology will end up denying access to its long-term benefits-something Carl Benedikt Frey, an Oxford academic, calls a "technology trap". Fears that robots will steal people's jobs may discourage their use. Yet in the long run countries that wish to maintain their standard of living as their workforce ages and shrinks will need more robots, not fewer.
Any powerful technology can be used for good or ill. It is the choices people make about it that shape the world. Perhaps the real source of anxiety is not technology itself, but growing doubts about the ability of societies to hold this debate, and come up with good answers. So as the decade turns, put aside the pessimism for a moment. To be alive in the tech-obsessed 2020s is to be among the luckiest people who have ever lived.
1. What phenomenon is described in Paragraph 1?| A．The seriousness of social inequality. |
| B．The rapid development of technology. |
| C．Problems brought by personal privacy leaks. |
| D．Worries about the influence of new technologies. |
| A．Negative. | B．Uncertain. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Enthusiastic. |
| A．A lack of good jobs in the job market. |
| B．An increase in the number of Luddites. |
| C．A decrease in the number of skilled workers. |
| D．An interruption to the advancement of a new technology. |
| A．Pessimism vs Progress | B．Technology vs Civilization |
| C．2020s: The Age of Technology | D．Robots: Our Future Caretakers |
2 . Beijing, with co－host Zhangjiakou in neighboring Hebei Province, will host the 2022 Winter Olympics. That will benefit the capital as well as its residents (居民), so the below are something to be expected from the Winter Olympic Games.
Blue skies
It is highly expected that hosting the Winter Olympic Games will push Beijing to reduce pollution and improve the air quality more effectively.
Beijing began carrying out a five－year plan from 2013 that cost 130 billion US dollars to upgrade heating systems, cut car emissions (排放) and close heavy－polluting factories. Such efforts will not only be made in Beijing but in a neighboring Hebei and Tianjin as well, as suggested by a development action plan to integrate (结合) the three places. Hopefully, blue skies will become a regular feature even after the Games.
Transportation
Although Beijing is the host city of the 2022 Winter Games, Chongli county of Zhangjiakou will host some of the snow events.
The capital region is likely to benefit from investments in infrastructure (基础设施), including the Beijing－Zhangjiakou intercity railways, expansion of Beijing subway systems, upgraded highway networks and another regional airport.
Winter sports
Beijing's vision is to develop a winter sports market for more than 300 million people in northern China.
With a rich legacy left by the summer Olympics, China plans to reuse 11 of 12 venues built for the 2008 Olympics and only needs to build a new rink for speed skating, effectively easing possible problems of facilities (设施) being left idle after the Games.
Transformation (转变)
On the back of the Winter Olympics, the Beijing municipal government is looking at fostering sports－related industry as a new growth driver to power its economy.
The goal is to integrate
the Winter Games with sustainable development plans for the wider region, focusing on clean energy, green technology, and improvement in ecology
and air quality.
Tourism
The country's plan to develop a winter sports industry will enhance Zhangjiakou's reputation as a tourist destination by upgrading its transportation system and facilities, such as hotels and restaurants.
1. What can be a suitable title for the text?| A．How Important the 2022 Winter Games Is |
| B．What Have Been Done for the 2022 Winter Games |
| C．When and Where to Hold the 2022 Winter Games |
| D．What to Expect from the 2022 Winter Games |
| A．Lazy. | B．Not in use. |
| C．Not serious. | D．Not working hard. |
| A．Transportation | B．Winter sports |
| C．Transformation | D．Tourism |
3 . Mother Nature is a cruel mistress. Why? Read on to find the answer.
Venice
This iconic city is sinking rapidly. The canals that make up the streets of Venice rise 2mm every year, making relics of history go under the surface of water and destroying architecture. Experts warn that without intervention (干预) , this city will disappear back into the water at an even faster rate, consumed by rising sea level from melting polar ice caps.
Machu Picchu
These iconic ruins have drawn adventurous tourists into the mountains of South America. The forces of natural erosion (侵蚀) have been accelerated by tourism and this landmark faces severe influence from increasing foot traffic. The Peruviar government recently suggested a cable car that would cut out the intense hike up to the ruins, making the site instantly accessible to millions, but the future of Machu Picchu remains uncertain.
Glacier National Park
Perhaps you’ve heard that the ice caps are melting. But nowhere is more apparent in the United States than in Glacier National Park. Estimates indicate that the glaciers that are part of the beauty of this national landmark will disappear entirely in the next two decades.
The Great Barrier Reef
Hidden from view beneath the waves, the Great Barrier Reef has been rapidly dying off. Nearly fifty percent of coral which once occupied a large area is gone, destroyed by pollution and disease.
1. What can we learn about Machu Picchu?| A．It’s famous for cable cars. | B．It will soon turn away all visitors. |
| C．It bears a heavy burden of tourism. | D．It’s well preserved by the locals. |
| A．The Great Barrier Reef. | B．Machu Picchu. |
| C．Glacier National Park. | D．Venice. |
| A．They all have a long history. | B．They’re all threatened by climate. |
| C．They’re all in danger of disappearing. | D．They’re all well-known for natural scenery. |
4 . “Snowplow(扫雪机) parenting” is the newest parenting style that can include parents booking their adult children haircuts, calling their college kids to wake them up so that they don’t sleep through a test, and even calling their kids’ employers.
“‘Helicopter (直升机) parenting’ means monitoring their kids’ every activity, which is out of date.” Claire Cain Miller and Jonah Engel Bromwich wrote in The New York Times. “Some rich mothers and fathers now are more like snowplows: clearing any problems in their children’s path to success so that they don’t have to meet failure or lose opportunities.”
There is a mother who started a charity in her son’s name to try to raise his chances of being accepted to the college. Another parents spent years helping their daughter avoid foods with sauce, which she didn’t like. Once she got to college, she had problems with the food in her school because it was all covered in sauce.
A survey says that three-quarters of parents of children between the ages of 18 and 28 ask for doctor visits or haircuts for their children, and 11% say they would call their kids’ bosses whether their children are having an issue at work.
As reported, wealthy parents try to get their children into top colleges by giving a large amount of money to a school, such as paying for a building. This parenting has become the most popular way to raise children, whatever the income, education, or race is.
Julie, a teacher at Stanford, told the Times that “snowplow parenting” is not a reasonable approach. “The parents should prepare the kid for the road, instead of preparing the road for the kid,” she said.
1. How does Julie like “snowplow parenting”?| A．It is unreasonable. | B．It is advanced. |
| C．It is accepted by teachers. | D．It is refused by rich people. |
| A．Parents make kids popular. | B．Parents provide little money for kids. |
| C．Parents ask kids to care for themselves. | D．Parents watch over kids’ every activity. |
| A．Do as wealthy parents do. | B．Make kids be prepared. |
| C．Make roads be prepared. | D．Do as little as possible. |
| A．Helicopter Parenting. | B．The Similarity in Parenting. |
| C．A Research on Parenting. | D．A New Kind of Parenting. |
5 . Little Jarrell was testing his mountain bike road outside of Columbus, Georgia, when his riding partner, Chris Dixon, stopped suddenly. Something in the distance
He was skinny, and had a lot of road rash and a
The 30-minute ride into town"
Shaw called him Columbo
| A．calling | B．moving | C．standing | D．sleeping |
| A．turned out | B．looked | C．found out | D．figured |
| A．dirty | B．broken | C．burnt | D．beaten |
| A．shared | B．drank | C．poured | D．finished |
| A．school | B．home | C．village | D．downtown |
| A．take | B．carry | C．leave | D．keep |
| A．quickly | B．carefully | C．natural | D．finally |
| A．front | B．other | C．hurt | D．injured |
| A．turned | B．reached | C．arrived | D．ended |
| A．medicine | B．care | C．food | D．rest |
| A．happened | B．made | C．stopped | D．moved |
| A．excited | B．touched | C．shocked | D．annoyed |
| A．luck | B．wish | C．intention | D．mind |
| A．at | B．in | C．from | D．after |
| A．friendship | B．way | C．life | D．chance |
6 . Music. We hear it everywhere, every day. Getting into a lift, going around a supermarket or simply relaxing at home, music is our constant companion. And music can have a significant effect on the way we think and feel, so it's worth paying attention to what we're listening to.
Music can have a powerful effect on our moods, in terms of both reducing and increasing stress. Listening to calm gentle music in bed can help us drop off to sleep. Some airlines play smoothing music on board planes at take-off and landing, to calm nervous travelers. Athletes often listen to fast loud music to help them prepare for games. The American swimmer Michael Phelps is known to listen to rap music before important races to help pump him up.
The mood-altering effect of music can be especially acute for the people who actually play the music. Musicians who do not have high self-esteem (自尊心) can suddenly overflow with confidence once they go on stage. It's as though the music gives them a different personality.
And it's not only those who feel ill at ease with themselves who can benefit. Scientists have conducted research into the effect of music on students studying for exams. They found that listening to calm music with a regular beat can actually help students recall facts and improve their performance in exams. Classical music, preferably something by Mozart, seems to have the most beneficial effect. A word of caution, however: it's best not to over-rely on this method, as you won't be able to listen to music in an exam.
For most of us though, music is one of life's great pleasures. And it's a pleasure that endures. Researchers have found that we don't often grow out of the music that we love as teenagers, because our musical tastes are such a huge part of our identity, personality and outlook on life. So don't delete those songs you downloaded when you were fifteen - you'll probably still love them when you're fifty.
1. What would be the best kind of music to play to nervous drivers stuck in traffic jam?| A．Rap music. | B．Gentle classical music. |
| C．Cheerful folk music. | D．Heavy metal music. |
| A．powerful | B．controllable |
| C．complex | D．opposite |
| A．Pop music improves students' academic performance. |
| B．Music has magic power to change musicians' personality. |
| C．Music generally influence people's thoughts and emotions. |
| D．Sportsmen listen to fast music to relieve their stress before games. |
| A．Musical tastes affect our characters to a great extent. |
| B．We have to find ways to make the pleasure of music last. |
| C．We will be fond of different kinds of music as we grow up. |
| D．A part of our personality and tastes are well developed in our teens. |
7 . Once upon a time，there was a little boy who wanted to meet the king. He set off，walking towards the king’s castle. After many years of walking，the king’s castle came into his view. However，as the boy drew closer to the outside of the castle，the guards took notice of him.
“Get out of here！” commanded the guards.
Well，the little boy didn’t have to be told twice. He turned...and ran right away. All he wanted to do was to tell the king wonderful things，and see all the beautiful things in the king’s house. But he couldn’t even get near the castle! The boy finally stopped running，sat down and cried.
A young man happened to be coming down the path at the very moment. He saw the little boy and came up.“What’s wrong，young man？” he asked.
“Sir，I walked and walked just to see the king. But these guards made me frightened. I wanted to tell the king how lovely everything is and just tell the king that I just wanted to see him！”
The man looked at the little boy thoughtfully.“Look，why don’t you try again. Don’t lose heart. I ’ll come with you this time.”
The little boy got up and took the man’s hand. The king’s guards spotted them.
“Look，mister，we don’t have to do this...I don’t want you to get hurt. We can just turn around now.”
The man held the little boy’s hand and went on. The boy really thought the man might be crazy until he looked back up at the guards. They were all smiling now. The little boy was surprised.
“Who are you？” asked the little boy in surprise.
“Why，I’m the king’s son. You can enter the castle and be with the king，” said the man.
The little boy broke into a huge smile.
1. Why did the boy want to see the king?| A．To ask the king to play with him. |
| B．To get some help from the king. |
| C．To invite the king to visit his beautiful village. |
| D．To share wonderful things with the king. |
| A．The little boy understood the guards’ words right away. |
| B．The little boy didn’t understand the guards’ words at first. |
| C．The guards repeated the words to the boy. |
| D．The little boy had been to the castle twice. |
| A．determined | B．stubborn |
| C．warmhearted | D．mean |
| A．Never judge a book by its cover. |
| B．Anything is possible if one tried hard enough. |
| C．Life can sometimes be unfair. |
| D．Make new friends and keep the old. |
8 . On my first day of high school, I asked an eleventh grader where my class was. And he told me it was “on the fourth floor, next to the pool.” I found out five minutes later that we don’t even have a fourth floor and there’s no pool either! Besides that, I didn’t have any trouble with the older kid.
I think the biggest difference between middle and high school is the homework load (工作量) and size of the school. I went from maybe fifteen minutes of homework a night to several hours, so I had to learn how to make full use of time! Our class size is around 550, but joining in clubs, sports, music, and other activities at school makes it easier to get to know people in every grade.
The best advice I can give about the years you spend in high school is to learn things for yourself, not just to get a good grade. There have been so many tests that I’ve prepared for the night before, gotten an A, and not remembered anything later. I’ve changed that this year, and I enjoy school so much more. Don’t take easy classes just to have a simple year. If you have a choice between chemistry and sports, the first will prove to be a lot more useful!
While drinking and smoking might be present in some middle schools, they’re also around in high school. I have a lot of friends who promised they’d never drink or smoke, but are now partying every weekend. If you have “fun” and spend your nights wasted instead of studying, you will regret it when you’re applying for (申请) college. The “friends” who say you’re a loser for not partying are really not your friends at all. It’s hard to see your closest friends grow apart and go in different directions, but don’t follow their footsteps. Create your own path in life and make your own decisions.
1. What does the author think of high school?| A．There are very few activities. |
| B．It’s hard to meet new people there. |
| C．It requires hard work. |
| D．There isn’t enough time for homework. |
| A．get ready for tests the night before |
| B．give up sports |
| C．choose useful classes |
| D．try their best to get good grades |
| A．a high school student | B．a chemistry teacher |
| C．a college student | D．a sports player |
| A．about the trouble caused by drinking and smoking |
| B．not to go to any party in high school |
| C．not to lose ourselves in high school |
| D．about the importance of making friends |
9 . I can proudly say that last year I broke the record for the oldest person in the world to ride a roller-coaster. I'm 105, but I feel younger. Even the doctor agrees I'm in good condition. I'm a bit deaf and my legs feel weak, but they are the only issue.
I rode the Twistosaurus at Flamingo Land, which spins you round quite fast. I didn't choose to go on that. I'd have preferred a really fast one that went upside down. But I was told I couldn't ride something like that, because my blood pressure could drop and I might have some danger.
I wasn't nervous - I don't get frightened of anything. I was securely fastened， so I knew I wouldn't fall out. The roller-coaster ride went on for three or four minutes, and it couldn't be a better experience. And I raised a lot of money for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance fund, which was fantastic.
People were saying I'd got a place in the Guinness World Records. Later， someone came to present me with the certificate. I had it on the wall in my living room, with another one that got a year earlier.
My record-breaking ways really began a couple of years ago, with the ice-bucket challenge. It turned out that I was probably the oldest person in the world to do it, and the video was very popular. After that, I stared to think about what else I could do to raise money for different charities.
I'm not sure if anyone admires all the fun I'm having. They just say I'm daft and that's about it. But I've had many good days and many exciting times. I've had a really good life. I don't think I've wasted any of it.
1. Why didn't the author choose to go on riding the Twistosaurus？| A．Because he was told not to do so. |
| B．Because he considered it too gentle. |
| C．Because he thought it spun too fast. |
| D．Because he was in a bad physical condition. |
| A．He really enjoyed himself. |
| B．He was very worried at first. |
| C．He couldn't think much about it. |
| D．He got frightened as it started moving. |
| A．He was eager to get certificates. |
| B．He disliked showing off his success. |
| C．He was the oldest person in the world. |
| D．He set a record the year before last year. |
| A．Cooperative. | B．Optimistic. | C．Generous. | D．Intelligent. |
10 . My mom only had one eye． I hated her． She was such an embarrassment（尴尬）．
I
Then I
A few days later I received a letter from my mom．
"My life has been long enough now． And I won't﹣
"You see， when you were very little， you
My
| A．remember | B．admit | C．expect | D．understand |
| A．different | B．hateful | C．concerned | D．determined |
| A．realized | B．learned | C．feared | D．decided |
| A．suffered | B．studied | C．burst | D．trained |
| A．happy | B．special | C．lonely | D．boring |
| A．Still | B．Instead | C．Besides | D．However |
| A．secretly | B．frequently | C．hurriedly | D．unexpectedly |
| A．doubtfully | B．curiously | C．angrily | D．excitedly |
| A．cheat | B．surprise | C．frighten | D．command |
| A．remained | B．disagreed | C．shouted | D．disappeared |
| A．visit | B．miss | C．leave | D．mention |
| A．hard | B．strange | C．possible | D．necessary |
| A．got into | B．looked into | C．talked about | D．cared about |
| A．stop | B．stand | C．avoid | D．help |
| A．careful | B．afraid | C．proud | D．sick |
| A．honest | B．upset | C．patient | D．strict |
| A．love | B．believe | C．ignore | D．doubt |
| A．eye | B．family | C．world | D．marriage |
| A．dream of | B．know of | C．make use of | D．keep track of |
| A．unfair | B．careless | C．terrible | D．dangerous |
