1 . Children born in the past four decades had the luxury of being the center of their parents’ attention. The entire family’s resources were poured into their education and well-being.
However，when the same resources are split between two children，the amount distributed to each one is going to shrink.
According to the Hangzhou Daily，when there are two children in the family，parents tend to choose public schools instead of private schools，which are usually more expensive. Each child is enrolled in fewer after-school training classes.
But having a second child may cure some deep-rooted problems in China’s traditional family education.
Having two children in the family can help to prevent one child being spoiled by too much attention，according to People’s Daily. It also spares the only child from the pressure of shouldering parental expectations all alone. Taking care of a sibling also enables children to gain a sense of responsibility，cooperation，obedience and caring.
China’s public education system is also expected to shift. Currently，there are not enough vacancies in kindergarten and schools to accommodate the potential increase in children.
“It’s not only the enrollment capacity of educational institutions that will feel the pressure. People are also placing more emphasis on the quality of education，”Peng Xizhe， director of the Population and Development Research Policy Center at Fudan University，told China Education Daily.
He predicts the government may have to invest more to support the educational system as a result of the new family planning measure.
1. What can children benefit from a two-child family?| A．They can have less pressure. |
| B．They can study in private schools. |
| C．They can get much more attention. |
| D．They can take more after-school training classes. |
| A．hold | B．adapt | C．solve | D．consider |
| A．People are placing more emphasis on the quality of education. |
| B．The government may have to invest more to support the educational system. |
| C．The new family planning measure will challenge the current educational system. |
| D．The educational institutions will feel the pressure that their capacity is not enough. |
| A．To show benefits of owning two children. |
| B．To persuade people to bear more children. |
| C．To encourage people to have only one child. |
| D．To introduce the impact of two-child policy. |
2 . A sleepover (过夜) program, which is designed to make kids believe that their favorite toys enjoy reading, can help encourage children to pick up more books, a new study suggests.
Toys sleepover programs are designed to get children interested in books. Children take their toys to a library for the night. At this point, workers and volunteers take photos of the toys which explore the library and read books. The next day, the children collect their toys and the photos of what the toys did during the night. They are given the books their toys chose to read.
It was found that before the sleepover the children did not spend time looking at the books in their play area at preschool. Immediately after the sleepover, the number of children who read to the toys was higher than the number who did not, but after three days the effect decreased gradually.
The researchers also tested a method for sustaining the effect. They reminded the children of the sleepover a month later, by hiding the toys and showing them the photos again the next day. This simple method brought an increase in the number of children reading to their toys.
The study proves for the first time that children who take part in sleepover programs read picture books to their toys more. “We wanted to know if there really was an effect, and if so, how long it lasts. Surprisingly, not only did the children show interest in the books, but they also began to read to their toys. This means that a new behavior pattern appeared that the children hadn’t had before. We did not expect anything like this,” said one of the researchers.
Reading is important for the development of children’s language skills and imagination. When parents read to their children, it is a passive way of reading for the child. However, when children read to their toys, it is a more active, self-directed way of reading, helping them develop into more active readers, researchers said.
1. What is the purpose of the sleepover program?| A．To develop children’s language skills. |
| B．To help children to sleep well. |
| C．To encourage children to read more. |
| D．To guide children to form a good sleeping habit. |
| A．Go around the library with their toys. |
| B．Sleep with their toys. |
| C．Read together with their toys. |
| D．Take their toys to the library. |
| A．keeping | B．testing | C．surveying | D．showing |
| A．Children showed no interest in the books. |
| B．The effect of the sleepover program could last long. |
| C．Children began to read to their toys on their own. |
| D．Whether the sleepover program had an effect remained unknown. |
3 . 1. Scenic landscapes on stamps: A nine-day tour in the cities of Xuzhou,Suqian and Huai'an in northern Jiangsu province.
This route is associated with local culture, characteristics, and creativity. It offers a taste of the famous canal cities.
2.Life on the Grand Canal: A seven-day Jiangsu tour through the cities of Nanjing, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou and Suzhou.
This route presents the most authentic, economic, cultural and entertainment-focused activities along the canal from both ancient and modern times.I allows visitors to ride in boats and observe local fishermen fishing.
3.Food,culture,leisure and health;Seven-day experience of local life in Zhenjiang Changzhou,Wuxi and Suzhou
To increase tourists’ interest in the traditional culture and crafts of Jiangsu, the route will include pottery,embroidery(刺绣), paper-cutting, cooking and other hands-on experiences. It includes scenic spots along the Beijing-Hangzhou Gran Canal, ancient water towns, historical streets and ancient fishing villages.Visitors can join in the recreational farmhouse experience and pick up both fruits and vegetables
4．A walk into history: Six-day tour in Xuzhou, Suqian,Huai’an,Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Changzhou and Wuxi
The Beiing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the entire province and has been a part of Jiangsu's culture for thousands of years. Inspired by the canal, the route includes historical cities Xuzhou, Suqian, Huai'an,Yangzhou along with Zheniang Changzhou and Wuxi.
1. Which of the following do the four travel routes share?| A．A time duration of less than a week. |
| B．Ancient towns in southern Jiangsu. |
| C．The Grand Canal. |
| D．The city of Suqian. |
| A．Route 1 | B．Route 2 | C．Route 3 | D．Route 4. |
| A．Rowing a boat. | B．Trying on paper-cutting. |
| C．Growing vegetables. | D．Fishing with local villagers. |
4 . In a study published in Nature Machine Intelligence, researchers at Ohio State University show how artificial intelligence（AI）can follow clinical trials to identify drugs for repurposing, a solution that can help advance innovative treatments.
Repurposing drugs is legal and not unusual. When doctors prescribe(开处方)drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)for purposes different from what is printed on the labels, the drugs are being used “off-label” Just because a drug is FDA-approved for a specific type of disease does not prevent it from having possible benefits for other purposes.
For example, Metformin, a drug that is FDA-approved for treating type 2 diabetes, is also used to treat PCOS(a disease of women), and other diseases. Trazodone, an anti-depressant with FDA-approval to treat depression, is also prescribed by doctors to help treat patients with sleep issues.
The Ohio State University research team created an AI deep learning model for predicting treatment probability with patient data including the treatment, outcomes, and potential confounders(干扰因素).
Confounders are related to the exposure and outcome. For example, a connection is identified between music festivals and increases in skin rashes(红疹). Music festivals do not directly cause skin rashes. In this case, one possible confounding factor between the two may be outdoor heat, as music festivals tend to run outdoors when the temperature is high, and heat is a known cause for rashes. When working with real-world data, confounders could number in the thousands. AI deep learning is well-suited to find patterns in the complexity of potentially thousands of confounders.
The researcher team used confounders including population data and co-prescribed drugs. With this proof-of-concept, now clinicians have a powerful AI tool to rapidly discover new treatments by repurposing existing medications.
1. What do we know about a drug used off-label?| A．It is sold without a label. |
| B．It is available at a low price. |
| C．Its uses extend beyond the original ones. |
| D．Its clinical trials are rejected by doctors. |
| A．are used off-label |
| B．treat rare diseases |
| C．result in sleep issues |
| D．are medical breakthroughs |
| A．They are possible treatments. |
| B．They are environmental factors. |
| C．They can be easily recognized in real-world data. |
| D．They should be taken into serious consideration. |
| A．AI examines benefits of existing drugs. |
| B．AI identifies off-label uses for drugs. |
| C．AI finds new drugs for common diseases. |
| D．AI proves the power of drug research. |
5 . SEED Madagascar Volunteer
Whether your passion is sustainable community development or vital conservation work, we can offer you an unforgettable experience. No particular skills are required to volunteer in a short term with us and training is given locally, but if you do have particular experience in areas relevant to your program, all the better! .
Who it's for
High schoolers, university and college students, corporate team building groups are all welcome.
At a glance
●Program length: 2 - 4 weeks
●Start dates: flexible, please discuss with our team
●Group size: 10一30 participants
●Activities: construction/ conservation/ English teaching- combined as required
● Location: Saint Luce, Anosy region, Southeast Madagascar
What's included
●Transport costs for the duration of the program from Day 1 collection at Fort Dauphin airport to drop-off at the program's end
●Use of our beautiful campsites and facilities
● All meals while on program( Optional meals out at Fort Dauphin restaurants are extra. )
●Full training for building and construction tasks and conservation field research techniques
●Malagasy language lessons
Additional costs
| International flights(return from the UK) | ₤ 680—₤ 1,000 |
| Internal flights ( return from Antananarivo to Fort Dauphin) | ₤ 280—₤ 400 |
| Comprehensive travel insurance | ₤ 60—₤ 150 |
| Tourist visa | ₤ 20 |
| Medical preparations | ₤ 30—₤ 80 |
| Personal equipment | ₤ 0—₤ 100 |
Contact us today via our online form: Online enquiry form
1. What should you bear in mind if you want to apply for SEED Madagascar Volunteer?
| A．It lasts for four weeks. | B．It doesn't have fixed start dates. |
| C．It requires relevant experience. | D．It is intended for high school students. |
| A．Comprehensive travel insurance. |
| B．Conservation field research techniques. |
| C．Short-term training for different languages. |
| D．Transport from Antananarivo to Fort Dauphin. |
| A．₤ 560. | B．₤ 680. | C．₤ 1,360. | D．₤ 2,000. |
6 . Answering the Community Needs of Our City
The Siver City Council recognizes that citizens have certain needs. To better meet your needs, we have made several changes to community facilities in 2020. The followings shows how we have tried to make your life better.
Transport
☆Three stations for the suburbs have been added to the western train service.
☆20 new buses for the southern line were purchased in January.
☆50 per cent of city bus-stops have been upgraded.
Communication
☆Broadband cableis now available to ll parts of the city.
☆All of the new Government buildings are smart-wired for better computer service!
Medical Facilities
☆The new state-of-the-art Nightingale Hospital was opened in June.
☆To overcome a shortage of trained medical staff at Dover Hospital, 10 doctors have been employed from overseas.
☆Some facilities at Station Street Hospital have been upgraded.
Education
☆Textbooks will be free to all primary students in 2020!
☆Rental for private schools has been reduced.
Protection and Security
☆Extra police now patrol(巡逻)the tourist areas.
☆50 new police officers graduated in July and have taken up duties in the city area.
Entertainment/Recreation
☆The new Central Community Building opened in May.
☆5,000 new fiction books were bought for the Silver City Library.
1. What’s the notice mainly about?| A．The work carried out by the people of Silver City. |
| B．The facilities available in Silver City. |
| C．Some improvements in Silver City. |
| D．Information for interested tourists. |
| A．Travel books are provided in the new library. |
| B．More bus lines and stops are bought in Silver City. |
| C．Free medical treatment is available at Station Street Hospital. |
| D．There are more police officers on duty now. |
| A．the community | B．the local government |
| C．the Silver City Library | D．a travel agency |
7 . When it comes to new music, January was a bit slow. Still, there were great releases that had us listening on repeat. Here’s some of the new music you may have missed in January.
Jazmine Sullivan, “Heaux Tales”
Sullivan rose to the top of the R&B charts in 2008. Her new album, “Heaux Tales”, was released on Jan. 8. Much of the album was recorded in Sullivan’s Philadelphia home due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The R&B star is set to get some major exposure at this year’s Super Bowl on Feb. 7, where she’ll sing the national anthem.
Olivia Newton-John, ”Window in the Wall”
Olivia Newton-John released this song on Jan. 22 with her daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi. played the song and I started crying. It was really emotional；” the Australian artist said. “It was just a knowingness that I had to do this song because it’s about relationships, forgiveness, seeing other people’s point of view, and still with love, understanding and kindness." It’s not the first time the mother-daughter duo has cooperated on a song. In 2015 they sang “You Have to Believe”.
Selena Gomez, "De Una Vez”
Gomez, a Texas native, sang in Spanish on her latest single, “De Una Vez" ("At Once"), which dropped on Jan. 14. It’s the first track from her upcoming album, “Revelaci6n；’("Revelation’’) which is due out on May 12. It’ll be Gomez’s first Spanish-language album.
Justin Bieber, “Anyone”
Bieber started the new year with a fresh new song. "Anyone" was officially released on Jan. 1. Fans had been eagerly looking forward to its debut (首发).“Anyone" was one of several songs Bieber performed during his New Year’s Eve broadcast. Biebet’s last album, “Changes”, dropped last year on Valentine’s Day.
1. Who released the new music earliest?| A．Jazmine Sullivan. | B．Olivia Newton-John. |
| C．Selena Gomez. | D．Justin Bieber. |
| A．"Heaux Tales". | B．"You Have to Believe”. |
| C．"Revelacion". | D．"Changes”. |
| A．It ranks No. l on the R&B charts. |
| B．It is sung in the Spanish language. |
| C．It is a mother-daughter production. - |
| D．It is about someone’s long lost love. |
8 . Good Schools to Learn English
Atlanta English Institute (AEI)
It is designed for academically oriented, non-native speaking adults from beginners levels to those seeking mastery. Each program in the school is specially designed for our students and based on their current English levels and their goals. a student may register anytime, not merely at the beginning of a course. But at the middle of the course, registration time depends on the availability of space in the classrooms.
Atlanta International Language Institute (AILI)
It provides the opportunity to learn how to read, write and speak English as a second language for those who have little knowledge of the English language. Courses include ten continuous weekly classes and the classes meet once a week for two hours. The curriculum of this language program is built for groups of three or more students who can complete the material in ten weeks.
TALK Atlanta English School (TAES)
Located in the heart of Atlanta's Midtown Center area on Peachtree Street, it opened in 2011. Atlanta is home to numerous industries, making the Midtown location perfectly suited for corporate programs. With ample covered street parking space, the school is designed in the popular Atlanta loft style and has 10 large classrooms, a large and welcoming reception area, devoted full-time teachers and staff for teenagers and adults.
Language Institute of Georgia (LIG)
It is a well-established school in Atlanta that offers English classes using Graded Reader Method. Our maximum class size is eight students. Class meets once a week for two hours for six weeks. Please check our schedule section for start dates. Refunds (退款) have to be requested within a week of the start date of the class.
1. How many hours does it take students to finish the courses at AILI?| A．Ten. | B．Twelve. | C．Twenty. | D．Twenty-four. |
| A．The limited courses there. | B．The location of its reception area. |
| C．The deadline for a refund demand. | D．The requested levels of the students. |
| A．They are located in the same city. | B．They all use Graded Reader Method. |
| C．They have the same registration time. | D．They are all intended for adult learners. |
9 . The last few months have seen record numbers of us working from home, which begs the question: are offices still needed?
The likelihood is that you or a family member may have spent at least some time working from home since lockdown began. According to Finder.com, a huge percent of us were working from home, which has led commentators to dub the last few months a mass-work-from-home experiment.
Many people soon noticed positives such as increased productivity as a result of no office distractions, and more free time because there’s no need for commuting(上下班往返). For some, parents in particular, the ability to work from home with flexible hours has been a huge positive. Home working also cuts pollution levels due to fewer of us embarking on the daily commute and would save companies the costs of renting office space.
Some argue the shift to remote working is long overdue, with broadband technology now widely available and an ever-increasing number of people balancing working with childcare.
“Hopefully it will show employers who were resistant that it is possible to work effectively from home,” says Mandy Garner, managing editor of Workingmums.co.uk. Mandy adds that flexible working was regarded mainly as a bit of a favour done to mums. There was little research about it. Now we have countless studies showing the benefits.
A key concern, however, is loneliness, with Finder.com reporting 19 percent of remote workers were experiencing this. Even with video calls, it is difficult to recreate the buzzing dynamic of an office. Many people also have a daily battle with poor Wi-Fi. And there’s the challenge of switching off once the working day is over—an office creates a physical and mental line between work and home, which can be easily blurred(变得模糊) when working from home.
The future of offices is uncertain but with the benefits—to employees and employers—of remote working, it may be that a real shift has taken place and we won’t be going back to work in the same way again.
1. What do we know about working from home?| A．It was resisted by employees. | B．It can result in more distractions. |
| C．It brings about broadband technology. | D．It may lead to higher efficiency. |
| A．It will keep employees free from loneliness. |
| B．It can build a line between work and home. |
| C．It can balance working with childcare. |
| D．It may have the challenge of switching off. |
| A．Indifferent | B．Sympathetic | C．Disapproving | D．Positive |
| A．The benefits of remote working | B．A mass-work-from-home experiment |
| C．The End of the Office? | D．A real shift in employment? |
10 . The world's largest iceberg is floating toward South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Scientists fear the iceberg could crash into the island and block major feeding areas for a large population of penguins and seals. If the iceberg hits the island, it could prevent the penguins and seals from reaching food supplies.
The huge iceberg is named A68a. It broke away from Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf in 2017. Satellite images show the iceberg has remained in one piece. It is estimated to be about 150 kilometers long and 48 kilometers wide. It is traveling at one kilometer per hour and is on a path to hit South Georgia in around 30 days.
This is the time of year when seals and penguins spend a lot of time caring for their young. The distance that parents have to travel to find food is crucial. That means they have to go a lot further or go around the iceberg to find sources of food.
Ecologists say an iceberg crash would also disturb materials settled on the seabed, possibly polluting the surrounding seas. As the iceberg melts, it would also release large amounts of fresh water into the ocean. This could affect krill （磷虾）populations that are a major source of food for the island's wildlife. The iceberg could remain for up to 10 years and change the area's whole ecosystem. These are globally significant populations of these species. If these species fail in this particular area, then the numbers globally are going to go down quite dramatically.
Professor Geraint Tarling, an ecologist at the British Antarctic Survey, said, "The breaking off of icebergs from Antarctica is a natural process. But the process is changing with climate change. What we're seeing with models and some observations now is that this is happening at an increasing rate. And so, this might become more of a usual thing in the future."
1. Why are the scientists worried about the coming iceberg crash?| A．It will bring extremely cold weather. |
| B．It will destroy the feeding areas of the animals. |
| C．It will put wildlife on the island at risk of starving. |
| D．It will prevent animals from moving to other places. |
| A．The characteristic of the iceberg. |
| B．The importance of the iceberg. |
| C．The traveling speed of the iceberg. |
| D．The forming process of the iceberg. |
| A．Using up much fresh water. |
| B．Polluting the surrounding farms. |
| C．Changing the world's ecosystem. |
| D．Affecting the number of certain species. |
| A．It may slow down in the near future. |
| B．It may become common in the future. |
| C．It has a great influence on the climate. |
| D．It helps scientists conduct a sea study. |
