1 . When you think of a map, is north on the top or the bottom? Usually, maps are designed with north on top, though when we think about it, there is no logical reason for this bias (偏见). After all, there is no up or down in space. So what is wrong with south, east or west being on the top of the map? The answer is: nothing at all. In fact, north-up maps only became the norm in the last few hundred years.
Ancient Egyptian maps had south at the top because the Nile River flows downhill from mountains in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Mecca was to the south of most early Muslim civilizations, and south-up maps were designed so that viewers would look up to see Mecca. Medieval Christian maps had east at the top, as they believed the Garden of Eden was in the east. The only early maps that had north at the top were those of early China because the emperor lived in the north.
North seems to have settled at the top of maps during the 16th century, largely thanks to a Flemish mapmaker, Mercator. Mercator was a great admirer of an early Greek mapmaker, who, for reasons now unknown, put north at the top of maps, so Mercator did, too. When Mercator’s world map became the standard map to navigate the oceans, north up became standard as well.
What is the implication of this north-view of the world? Psychologically, people tend to think of up as good and down as bad. Just think of words and phrases like “upmarket”, “upbeat” and “moving up in the world”, and how they contrast with their opposites. Because north is so consistently put at the top of maps, people now think of north as good, too.
Several attempts have been made in recent years by introducing south-up maps to the market. These maps not only give us a chance to see the world differently, but also give everyone the chance to see themselves on top.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．North-up maps were rare in ancient times. |
| B．Deciding up or down in space is ridiculous. |
| C．Mecca maps were based on a legend. |
| D．The south-up map first appeared in ancient Egypt. |
| A．An illogical reason. | B．The spread of Mercator’s maps. |
| C．People’s preference for up. | D．An age-old tradition in Greece. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．To criticize a phenomenon. | B．To compare various facts. |
| C．To correct a cultural bias. | D．To argue for a viewpoint. |
2 . Three packs of cigarettes were lying there on the pavement. I picked them up and pocketed them. Later, in a bar, when I opened the first pack, I found, to my
I’m still at the bar, telephone in one hand and the cigarettes in the other. I’m dialing Shubentsov, who told me to call the moment I felt the urge to
I went to see Shubentsov. I think it’s time to
Smoking has been very good to me. Cigarettes have never let me down, never abandoned me on lonely, desperate nights. Smoking
I will
I claim to smoke for pleasure, but I realize that slowly I’m losing control of this close, special friend. I
So here I am, attempting to
I put the phone down and I can honestly say I’m
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to smoke this cigarette. Whether I’ll really enjoy it, though, is another story.
1.| A．sadness | B．disappointment | C．inspiration | D．delight |
| A．smoke | B．talk | C．drink | D．dial |
| A．popular | B．mysterious | C．frightening | D．dangerous |
| A．whenever | B．whatever | C．however | D．whichever |
| A．start | B．continue | C．stop | D．keep |
| A．struggling | B．beating | C．hitting | D．playing |
| A．destroys | B．hurts | C．cuts | D．clears |
| A．begin | B．quit | C．report | D．study |
| A．hate | B．love | C．ignore | D．miss |
| A．ill | B．excited | C．addicted | D．fascinated |
| A．give in | B．give up | C．give off | D．give away |
| A．available | B．alike | C．abnormal | D．additional |
| A．strikes | B．attacks | C．indicates | D．continues |
| A．disappointed | B．unhappy | C．satisfied | D．relieved |
| A．living | B．working | C．smoking | D．smiling |
3 . “Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. “If you can carry on, one day something good will happen. And you’ll realize that it wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous disappointment.”
Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way up to sports announcer. I hitchhiked (搭便车) to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station-and got turned down every time. In one studio, a kind lady told me that in most cases big stations couldn’t risk hiring inexperienced person. “Go out in the remote areas and find a small station that’ll give you a chance,” she said. I went back home to Dixon, Illinois.
While there was no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I applied. The job sounded just right for me.
But I wasn’t hired. My disappointment must have shown. “Everything happens for the best,” Mom reminded me. Dad offered me the car to hunt for jobs. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer.
As I left his office, my frustration boiled over (沸溢，发怒). I asked aloud, “How can a fellow get to be a sport announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?” I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, “What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?” Then he stood me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. The preceding autumn, my team had won a game in the last 20 seconds with a 65-yard run. I did a 15-minute boost to that play, and Peter told me I would be broadcasting Saturday’s game!
On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother’s words: “If you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous disappointment”.
1. What is concluded from the passage is that ______.| A．the frustration of the author prevented him from performing well at WOC Radio |
| B．both of the author’s parents showed support when he was trying to search for a job |
| C．Peter MacArthur recognize the author’s talent in broadcasting after reading his resume |
| D．the author lost all his hope and courage when he was turned down by Montgomery Ward |
| A．he showed no confidence at the stations | B．there were no job available at the stations |
| C．he had no experience in radio broadcasting | D．there were too many people competing with him |
| A．requirement | B．encouragement | C．enjoyment | D．amazement |
| A．No cross, no crown | B．Prevention is better than cure |
| C．Well begun is half done | D．Rome was not built in a day |
4 . Not everyone needs or can afford the latest, most powerful laptop out there. For simple tasks, such as running web-based apps, browsing the Internet, or sending an email, a low-powered, low-priced laptop fits the bill. That’s where budget laptops come in.
You get what you pay for. Budget laptops often come with small drive space, low memory, and slow processors. You won’t be able to use them to run the latest graphics-heavy computer games, but for giving your kids access to the web, sending a teen off to college with a computer for their studies or for you to stay up-to-date with Facebook, a budget laptop could be an ideal purchase. Our top pick is the HP Envy x360 15z (available at HP), a 2-in-1 laptop with high quality and smart performance that can be found for under $700 and competes with laptops that cost twice as much. Many of our picks are even more affordable, so there’s sure to be a laptop for anybody. These are the best budget laptops we tested, ranked in order:
HP Envy x360 15z
Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5
HP Stream 14
Acer Chromebook Spin 514
Asus Zenbook 14
Acer Aspire 5
Google Pixelbook Go
HP Chromebook x360
Lenovo Ideapad 3
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewer’s editors and you can complete your purchases through our links.
1. In what case couldn’t a budget laptop be a good choice?| A．Browsing the Internet. | B．Sending Emails. |
| C．Running complicated games. | D．Editing school work. |
| A．High processing performance. | B．High quality with good price. |
| C．Thinner and smart shape. | D．Competitive price with lower power. |
| A．To introduce the functions of laptops. | B．To contrast the prices of some laptops. |
| C．To rank the best budget laptops. | D．To recommend some budget laptops. |
5 . “Lei ming m ming baak ngo gong ge waa ah? Do you understand what I am saying?” I stare back at the speaker dumbly, my lips parted, the ideas clear in my mind but a response unable to express itself in a language in my distant range. After an uncomfortable pause, a bunch of words spill out of my mouth, sounding forced and unnatural.
The anecdote (轶事) above is a semi-conversation I had in Malaysia years ago. A three-week stay in Malaysia once every few years was often the highlight of my summers—what more can you ask from a food paradise? But besides the family, food, and escape that Malaysia offered, trips also brought accompanying feelings of guilt that I just couldn’t seem to translate. For one month every few summers, I got a taste of what it feels to be an outsider in my own culture, peering in. I was a girl lost in translation, passively absorbing the various tongues shouted between the stalls in the wet markets, quietly nodding along at my grandparents’ huge family dinners.
In America though, I am a different person. I don’t think twice about my grammar when speaking. I don’t struggle with the words and fear that my logic and stories won’t get through to people. So as a native English speaker, I do not have to worry daily about whether I’m judged for having an accent or whether I’m misunderstood across languages. In Malaysia, I naturally burst out “have you eaten?” instead of recalling the Malaysian equivalent “you makan already?” In Malaysia, everything about the way I speak-my accent, intonation, sentence structure, slang-gives me away. My American-ness is seen in the way I talk, dress, and act. Maybe my face could pass for a Malaysian local, but once I open my mouth to speak I am so clearly not. It is uncomfortable and awkward, and sometimes I wonder if I did not look Asian at all would it be better, since there would be no more language expectation for me than for a white tourist.
1. How did the author feel in the anecdote?| A．Confused and scared. | B．Embarrassed and nervous. |
| C．Curious and surprised. | D．Upset and puzzled. |
| A．Because she had to stay away from her family |
| B．Because she didn’t enjoy speaking the language |
| C．Bccause she had to accept what grandparents said |
| D．Because she found it hard to understand the culture. |
| A．She was a good language learner. | B．She didn’t like being an Asian. |
| C．She was judged unfairly in Malaysia | D．She spoke English unconsciously in Malaysia. |
| A．Opinion | B．News. | C．Education. | D．Humor |
6 . My knees started shaking. It felt as though my soul
I stormed out of the room as fast as I could. My mind was
“Nothing. It’s just that all my friends made the school team except me.”
“Well, are you just going to sit there?” he asked.
What my dad said
There were moments when I didn’t think I could keep on going, but I made it
After a year of training, I
| A．shifted | B．departed | C．reformed | D．dismissed |
| A．froze | B．stood | C．shouted | D．agreed |
| A．crazy | B．wild | C．upset | D．blank |
| A．picked up | B．brought up | C．taken up | D．caught up |
| A．join | B．honour | C．avoid | D．congratulate |
| A．anxious | B．expressive | C．puzzled | D．depressed |
| A．made sense | B．paid attention | C．gave rise | D．made allowance |
| A．award | B．setting | C．spot | D．name |
| A．connection | B．development | C．construction | D．breakthrough |
| A．Conveniently | B．Strikingly | C．Obviously | D．Identically |
| A．slid | B．collapsed | C．crashed | D．banged |
| A．over | B．with | C．under | D．through |
| A．beats | B．displays | C．repeats | D．wastes |
| A．figured out | B．tried out | C．picked out | D．started out |
| A．award | B．allowance | C．pay | D．reward |
7 . Universal Beijing Resort is a widely expected theme park destination featuring several all-new attractions. To ensure a safe, secure and pleasant environment, please obey the following regulations.
Food Policy
Universal Beijing Resort offers a variety of fresh and delicious food options at restaurants and stands throughout the resort. However, we respect that guests may need to bring some outside food and drinks for self-consumption. The following food and drinks will not be allowed into the Resort (except for medical, infant, or special dietary needs)
·Alcoholic beverages (e.g. beer, spirits, etc.);
·Foods that need to be heated or processed (e.g. instant noodles, cold food, instant hotpot, etc.);
·Food and drinks in glass containers (e.g. soda in glass bottles, etc.).
Security Inspection Process
·All bags, backpacks or packages are requested to be inspected according to applicable laws before guests enter Universal Beijing Resort.
·Bags/containers more than 56cm×36cm×23cm are prohibited.
·Please follow the instructions from Universal Beijing Resort Security Team.
Ticket Policy
There is no admission ticket required for entry to Universal City Walk Beijing, but Universal Studios Beijing is only accessible to guests with admission tickets. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by a guest aged 16 or older.
Themed Park ticket ·One Day Dated admission ·Valid on your selected date only ·Valid at Universal Studios Beijing only From ¥315 | Universal Express ·Valid on your selected date only ·Universal Express price may vary depending on the date selection ·Includes express access to participating ride and attraction, and priority seating at selected shows ·Valid at Universal Studios Beijing only From ¥400 |
If you have any questions or encounter an emergency, please consult an onsite team member, or dial the Guest Services Hotline via 4008-778899.
1. Who is the passage Intended for?| A．Tourists. | B．Tour guides. | C．Security Guards. | D．Parents. |
| A．Buying food from the booth. | B．Eating home-made cookies. |
| C．Drinking coffee from glass bottles. | D．Having backpacks checked. |
| A．The price of Universal Express fixed. |
| B．The entry to Universal City Walk is required to pay. |
| C．A14-year-old boy can buy a ticket and go alone. |
| D．At least ¥400 for express access should be paid. |
8 . In the animal kingdom, killer whales (虎鲸) are social stars: they travel in varied family groups, care for grandchildren, and even imitate human speech. Now, scientists are adding one more behavior to the list: forming fast friendships. A new study shows killer whales can rival animals such as chimpanzees and macaques (a kind of monkey), and even humans when it comes to the kind of “social touch” that indicates strong bonds.
Some ocean animals maintain social structures — including male dolphins that learn the “names” of their close allies (盟友). But there is little data about wild killer whales. That’s where drone (无人机) technology came in. Michael Weiss, a behavioral ecologist, teamed up with his colleagues to launch drones, flying them 30 to 120 meters above a group of killer whales. That was high enough not to trouble the whales, marking the first time drones have been used to study friendly physical contact in whales.
The researchers recorded over 800 instances of physical contact between individuals. Those included hugs, back-to-back and nose-to-nose touches between pairs of whales. Other whales playfully threw young whales into the air, letting them fall into the water. Besides, the drone images revealed clear preferences among individuals, usually for one “best friend” of the same sex and age. Take J49 and J51 — two distantly related young males aged 9 and 6 — for instance. “Every time you see a group of whales, those two are right there interacting with each other,” Weiss says.
The young led most of these interactions, rather than the older females or males. Older males in particular were less important. “The young individuals really seem to be the glue holding the groups together,” Weiss says. As individuals age, this gradual loss of “centrality” is known in many social mammals, including humans. That finding is “especially appealing” to Stacey Tecot, who wasn’t involved in the study. “Scientists have long observed this social aging trend in animals, but there are still many unanswered questions,” she says. That’s certainly on the researchers’ radar. “We’re already gathering new data, with more advanced equipment,” says Weiss.
1. What does the underlined word “rival” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Benefit from. | B．Be equal to. | C．Depend on. | D．Be fond of. |
| A．The research method. | B．The variety of species. |
| C．The size of the research team. | D．The time spent on the research. |
| A．They have a stable friendship. | B．Their interactions are more complicated. |
| C．Their communicating ways change frequently. | D．They prefer playing with young female whales. |
| A．More researchers will be involved in the study. |
| B．Other scientists take a negative attitude to the research. |
| C．Researchers will collect more data to study killer whales. |
| D．Researchers will uncover the social aging trend in animals soon. |
9 . When you are about to go to a boarding school (寄宿制学校) in England, there are many different questions that may come to mind. But once you look at them with some perspective (视角), you will certainly feel easy. Here is a normal boarding day.
Early Morning:
Usually boarders get up around 7:00 am and have around an hour to take a shower and put on their uniform before breakfast.
Lessons:
Classes start at 9: 00 am and every lesson lusts for 50 minutes. After two lessons, at 10: 40 am, you’ll have a short break. The next period of classics will include two more lessons.
Lunch:
Lunch is usually held around 12:30 pm at the dining hall, where you’ll join your friends to enjoy a hot dish. After an hour of lunch, you’ll have three or four more lessons to attend.
Dinner:
At 5:00 pm you will have finished your school lessons for the day. Most boarding schools in the UK offer their full boarders different kinds of hot meals to choose from.
Activities/ Sports:
All boarding schools in the UK provide many different kinds of activities for their boarders, such as football, swimming, golf or art.
Prep:
An important part of boarding school life is the supervised homework session known as “prop”. Although “prep” might sound stressful, it’s a great way for you to keep up with your studies.
Free time:
Once you have done all your classes and activities, it’s time to relax.
Bedtime:
In most boarding schools, the lights go out around 10:30 pm.
Being nervous just before you go to a boarding school is completely normal and understandable. Hopefully, knowing the usual routine (常规) can help you. Once you are there, you will also see how exciting life in a boarding school in England can be.
1. What can help you keep up with your studies in the boarding school?| A．Doing activitıes. | B．Having lessons. |
| C．Enjoying free time. | D．Supervised homework sessions. |
| A．Classes usually start at 8:30 am. | B．Students can have a short break after four lessons. |
| C．They don’t give students any free time. | D．They turn off the lights around 10:30 pm. |
| A．To help students know about boarders’ life. | B．To attract more students to boarding schools. |
| C．To introduce a new school life. | D．To advertise for boarding schools. |
10 . To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, I called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada. “A lot of people think about being bored as being lazy. And it’s absolutely not that,” he says. “Bored people want to be engaged with their world, eager to do something satisfying and exciting. But any attempt to do so is failing.”
That means boredom is usually very upsetting. And it can have physical consequences. In one of his experiments, Danckert made people extremely bored by showing them a video of two people hanging clothes to dry. He found that when people got bored, their hearts beat faster and their levels of a hormone called cortisol (皮质醇) went up, compared to when they watched another video that made them sad. These physical changes were signs that boredom was stressing them out. “It’s not like having a full-on panic attack,”Danckert says. But it’s certainly enough to make boredom unpleasant.
Let’s come back to if boredom can kill you. Back in the 1980s, scientists asked people who worked for the British government a whole bunch of questions, including how bored they felt in their daily lives. The study tracked the participants over time. When any one of them died, the survey recorded the cause of death. In 2010, two researchers matched up these causes of death with the participants’ level of boredom. It turned out that people who said they were more bored were also more likely to have died of heart disease. “We know that prolonged exposure to stress is bad for your health,” Danckert says. A single boring day can’t kill you. But if you’re always bored, the stress could add up into something dangerous.
“Oh no,” you might be thinking. “School is boring, my friends are boring, everything is boring! What’s going to happen to me?” Don’t worry, Danckert says, “As you get older, you get less bored,” mainly because you gain more independence and have to get busy to achieve your long-term goals. And trust me: that’s anything but boring.
1. According to James Danckert, people feel bored because ______.| A．they are too lazy to do anything | B．they can’t fully understand boredom |
| C．they are too frightened to have a try | D．they can’t gain excitement in life |
| A．Doing housework will make people bored. |
| B．Physical changes can lead to extreme boredom. |
| C．People’s heart rate increases with boredom. |
| D．Watching something sad is a boring experience. |
| A．Continued. | B．Short. | C．Sudden. | D．Active. |
| A．Depending on friends. | B．Setting long-term goals. |
| C．Keeping yourself occupied. | D．Trusting people around you. |
