1 . The popularity of Chinese-owned video-sharing service TikTok(抖音)continues to grow among young people in the United States. In 2019, experts say the service more than doubled its American user base to 37 million. TikTok is especially popular with teens and young adults.
The service lets users create and share their short videos that they think interesting and useful. Many of them are under 15 seconds. The TikTok app offers a wide choice of sounds, brief parts of songs and special effects tools to help create a video. Some TikTok-based memes(表情包)are very popular. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has even helped launch the careers of new music stars.
TikTok is considered a competitor to the video-sharing app Snapchat, as well as Facebook's Instagram service. Snapchat and Instagram also mainly interest young users with a wide mix of photos and videos centered largely on fashion, pop culture and humor.
Last year, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app from Apple and Google stores. Only WhatsApp was downloaded more. Research company Sensor Tower guesses people have downloaded the TikTok app 1.65 billion times.
TikTok has been used by many major companies to reach young people who use little or no traditional media. One of those companies is American-based e. l. f. Cosmetics(化妆品). The makeup company's chief marketer, Kory Marchisotto, said that TikTok is "where the Gen Z party is". Gen Z is a name used to call the generation born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s.“That's where they're all hanging out," Marchisotto said.
Companies appearing on TikTok can make money through advertising. Often, the companies create user "challenges" as part of their advertisement campaigns. TikTok users created 3 million videos that received more than 4 billion view.
1. Which word can best describe the videos created on TikTok?| A．Traditional. | B．Boring. | C．Various. | D．Serious. |
| A．TikTok. | B．Snapchat. | C．Instagram. | D．WhatsApp. |
| A．Challenge their competitors. | B．Make advertisements. |
| C．Hold music concerts. | D．Promote users' abilities to make videos. |
| A．TikTok Keeps Growing Among US Youth | B．How to Share Short Videos |
| C．Facebook Achieves Great Success | D．Companies Benefit Much from Videos |
2 . A 3-year-old boy called Casey who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But he told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends at his grandfather’s house in the southern state of North Carolina. When the other children returned to the house and Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search and rescue team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and still no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying they heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. They pulled him out of some briar (多刺野灌木). He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers that he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his “friend”.
Officer Hughes spoke with reporters from several agencies. He said Casey did not say how he was able to survive the woods for three days in the cold, rainy weather. However, he said, “Casey did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear. And at no point do I think he was taken away illegally.”
Doctors at Carolina East Medical Center treated Casey for minor injuries. He was then released to his family on January 25.
His mother Brittany Hathaway talked with reporters from a local news agency and thanked everyone who joined in the search and rescue efforts.
“We just want to tell everybody that we’re very grateful that you took the time out to come search for Casey and prayed for him, and he’s good,” said his mother. “He is good, he is up and talking. He’s already asked to watch Netflix.”
1. What happened to Casey?| A．He was ignored by his friends. | B．He went missing in the woods. |
| C．He was attacked by a bear. | D．He was wanted by the police. |
| A．How Casey managed to survive. | B．When he was successfully rescued. |
| C．Why he was seriously injured. | D．How many hours he was trapped. |
| A．His mother cared about him. | B．His mother was very grateful. |
| C．Casey deserved a good rest. | D．Casey was in good condition. |
| A．survey | B．news report | C．advertisement | D．travel brochure |
3 . Belly fat（stomach fat） has long been thought to be especially bad for your heart, but now, a new study adds more evidence to the idea that it may also be bad for your brain.
The study, from the United Kingdom, found that people who were overweight and had a high waist — to — hip ratio （a measure of belly fat） had slightly lower brain volumes （容量），on average, compared with people who were just over weight or had a healthy weight. Specifically, belly fat was connected with lower volumes of gray matter, the brain tissue （组织）that contains nerve cells.
“Our research looked at a large group of people and found obesity （肥胖）,specifically around the middle， may be linked with brain shrinkage （萎缩），” lead study author Mark Hamer, a professor at Loughborough University, said in a statement.
Lower brain volume， or brain shrinkage， has been linked with a higher risk of memory recession， which leads to being forgetful.
The new findings, published on Jan. 9 in the journal Neurology ， suggested that the combination of obesity （as measured by body mass index, or BMI） and a high waist—to—hip ratio may cause brain shrinkage.
However, the study found only a connection between belly fat and lower brain volume, but couldn't prove that belly fat actually caused brain shrinkage. It could be that people with lower volumes of gray matter in certain brain areas are at a higher risk of obesity. Future studies are needed to find out the causes for the connection.
1. What can we infer about belly fat from the new study?| A．Belly fat may have a bad influence on our brain. |
| B．Belly fat can help increase brain volumes. |
| C．Belly fat affects people's diet. |
| D．Belly fat is bad for our eyes. |
| A．A tall and thin man. |
| B．A man with too much belly fat. |
| C．A short and thin man. |
| D．A man with normal body weight. |
| A．Going ahead. | B．Getting poor. |
| C．Getting active. | D．Going around. |
| A．The real cause of getting obesity. |
| B．The danger of getting too much fat. |
| C．The bad effect caused by belly fat and brain shrinkage. |
| D．The reasons for the connection between belly fat and brain shrinkage. |
4 . We will all probably know both some introverts （内向的人）and extroverts （外向的人）in life, and yet we can gain a wrong impression about both types of people. For example, some introverts can be extremely confident and they can be able people. However, some extroverts aren’t as confident as they'd like to appear to be and often try to hide their true identities behind a false appearance.
Shyness can affect both introverts and extroverts and anybody else too. It can be very debilitating （使衰弱的）and, if severe, can have a huge negative influence upon our ability to form meaningful relationships and it can also affect our careers or jobs.
A lot of people feel shy because they have low self-respect and feel unworthy when comparing themselves to others. They find it difficult to communicate with others whom they don't know. In that case, one of the best ways of overcoming the shyness is to focus the attention on the other person instead. Shy people can try changing people's focus on someone else， so that they don't need to talk about themselves too much.
If you recognize that you are shy and see that as a lion in the way of enjoying your life. you should first overcome it by accepting that it's causing a problem for you. Trying getting into conversations with strangers is helpful. Shy people are challenging themselves and over- coming their shyness. In this way, shy people can get their own self-respect. Each time they do it, this will be repeated until they feel confident enough.
Like any negative thought， determination can also help you beat shyness and having a positive attitude is the key to overcoming the shyness.
1. What does the author intend to tell us in paragraph 2?| A．The difference between introverts and extroverts. |
| B．The relationship between ability and shyness. |
| C．The harmful effects of shyness. |
| D．The cause of shyness. |
| A．They are afraid of learning from others. |
| B．They are often made fun of. |
| C．They are short of confidence. |
| D．They have to talk too much. |
| A．Do sports as much as they can. |
| B．Listen to the voice in their heart. |
| C．Have a good talk with their parents. |
| D．Keep a strong belief in supporting themselves. |
| A．How to Overcome Shyness |
| B．Tips of Expressing Shyness |
| C．How to Understand Introverts |
| D．Tips of Talking with Extroverts |
5 . If you want to find a book for your children, here are some books that you can choose from.
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs
The CIA is on a task to find an equation （方程式），which could destroy the world if the bad people get it. For help，they turn to Charlie, a 12-year-old girl who is as smart as Albert Einstein. Children who like exciting mysteries will enjoy reading this book.
AstroNuts by Jon Scieszka and Steven Weinberg
In AstroNuts , the Earth has been destroyed by humans for thousands of years. Four animals set out from Mount Rushmore， the main office of NASA. Their task is to find a new planet fit for human life. Finally, they discover one： Plant Planet. The story's topic is simple： Don't harm the planet. Readers who love science fiction （科幻小说）will enjoy AstroNuts.
Stargazing by Jen Wang
Christine hears that Moon, who is new in town, is the kind of kid who beats people up for fun. But Moon and her mum come to live with Christine's family, and the two kids become best friends. Moon even shares a big secret with Christine. Stargazing is based on Jen Wang's experiences as a child. The story is about the power of friendship.
Roll with It by Jamie Sumner
Roll with It is a story about a 12-year-old girl named Ellie. She has difficulty walking on her own and uses a wheelchair. When Ellie and her mum move to another state to take care of Ellie's grandpa, she must learn to deal with a new school and new friendships. This book is a must-read for everyone. It's a heartwarming story that really shows the value of family.
1. Which of the following encourages readers to protect the Earth?| A．Stargazing. |
| B．AstroNuts. |
| C．Roll with It. |
| D．Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation. |
| A．It mainly discusses animals' stories. |
| B．It includes much scientific knowledge. |
| C．It is mainly about how to make friends. |
| D．It is connected with the author's own experiences. |
| A．She doesn't want to go to another state. |
| B．She has trouble communicating with others. |
| C．She is carefully looked after by her grandpa. |
| D．She has to solve problems faced in a new place. |
6 . Tropical rainforests (热带雨林) are home to native peoples who rely on their surroundings for food, shelter, and medicines. Today very few forest people in many areas like the Philippines, Papua New Guinea live in traditional ways; most have been displaced by outside settlers or have been forced to give up their lifestyles by governments.
Of the remaining forest people, the Amazon supports the largest native or native populations, although these people, too, have been affected by the modern world. While they still depend on the forest for traditional hunting and gathering, most Amerindians, as American native people are called, grow crops, use western goods, and make regular trips to towns and cities to bring foods and products to market. In Africa there are native forest people sometimes known as pygmies. The tallest of these people, also called the Mbuti, are not more than 5 feet in height. Their small size enables them to move about the forest more quickly than taller people.
Tropical rainforests have supported humans since ancient times. Although forest life cannot be described as easy, these peoples have built their lives around the surrounding forest and its systems. Still, these forest people can teach us a lot about the rainforest. Their knowledge of medicinal plants used for treating illness is valuable, and they have a great understanding of the ecology (生态学) of the Amazon rainforest. As a result, they are a great storehouse of the knowledge about the forest. They know the medicinal functions of plants and understand the value of the forest as an undamaged ecosystem. As forests fall, these native peoples lose their homes and culture, resulting in the drop of the native population.
1. Where do the greatest number of native rainforest peoples live today?| A．In the Philippines . | B．In Africa. |
| C．In the Amazon. | D．In Papua New Guinea. |
| A．They know little about growing some crops. |
| B．They make trips to towns and cities for trade. |
| C．They would like to use eastern goods in daily life. |
| D．They seldom know traditional hunting and gathering. |
| A．Forest people can get benefits from rainforests. |
| B．We can learn how to build storehouses from forest people . |
| C．Forest people live an easy and comfortable life as we imagine. |
| D．The knowledge of medicinal plants for treating illness can be ignored. |
| A．To make an advertisement for tropical rainforests. |
| B．To introduce the lifestyles of the native forest people. |
| C．To spread the knowledge and value of the forest plants. |
| D．To raise the awareness of protecting tropical rainforests. |
7 . Here are some after-Christmas best sales happening online right now:
J. Crew
When it comes to big discounts on the most popular gifts of the year, J. Crew has been the go-to spot all season long. You can still save money on some favorite items.
Anthropologie
You can get an extra 40% off all sale products, and get an extra 30% off sale furniture at Anthropologie. Just head to the site or one of their store locations and see for yourself just how good it really gets.
Carter's
Right now at Carter's, you can get up to 70% off sale items for babies' and kids' clothes, and the savings are amazing. If you're trying to buy a few pajamas(睡衣), this sale is a great way to save on fashion for your little ones.
Levi's
Denim(牛仔衣)will never go out of style, and neither will saving huge amounts of money on it, which is why this big end-of-season sale at Levi's makes my fashion-loving heart screaming with delight. You can get up to 50% off select denim jeans, jackets, and so on from now until January. You can also get free shipping on orders over $100, which is always a win-win.
Prices were exact at the time this article was published but may change over time.
1. In which store can you get the most savings for babies' clothes?| A．J. Crew. | B．Anthropologie. | C．Carter's. | D．Levi's. |
| A．It sells pajamas. | B．It offers free shipping. |
| C．It gives more discounts. | D．Customers can bargain there. |
| A．They may be changeable. |
| B．They rise a lot with time. |
| C．They remain the same as before-Christmas. |
| D．They are different in online sales and stores. |
8 . Yesterday was my final day as an English language assistant in Paris. I have loved every single moment of my time teaching, and could not have asked for a better school, with the most wonderful students. When applying to be a language assistant. I was a little worried about what the students would be like.
Upon arrival, I found the easiest approach to creating lesson plans was to focus on what was happening right here and now. For example, when it was Halloween in the UK, I found plenty of brainchildren to help me teach my students all about the different cultures and traditions they do not have in France. They loved it! And now, seven months later, it's all over!
The whole experience has been amazing. I highly recommend being a language assistant. I don't want to become a teacher，and I didn't before I arrived, but the skills and experience I have gained from these entire seven months of working is indescribable. Now, I'm finding myself still walking down the street and having ideas pop into my mind and saying, “Oh! 1 can teach mv class about that next week!” It's very bizarre(异乎寻常的).
I think this first week of having no work and not needing to think of potential lesson plans will be the hardest，and it was surprisingly difficult to say goodbye to most of my classes. But deep down，I know that my time teaching in Paris has given me so much experience and a completely new outlook on how to communicate with younger people with different needs and learning styles.
1. Where did the author work as a teaching assistant?| A．In America. | B．In England. | C．In France. | D．In Canada. |
| A．Clever children. | B．Different assistants. |
| C．Successful experience. | D．Sudden good ideas. |
| A．The writer thought it useless. | B．The writer liked it very much. |
| C．The writer found it very strange. | D．The writer had no idea about it. |
| A．My Teaching Experience in Paris |
| B．An English Language Assistant in Paris |
| C．How to Communicate with Younger People |
| D．How to Become an Amazing Language Teacher |
9 . At thirteen, I was diagnosed (诊断) with kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.
In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, “Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it.”
She glanced down at me through her glasses, “You are not different from your classmates, young man.” I tried, but I didn’t finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.
In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braile. He lived in a time when the blind couldn’t get much education. But Louis didn’t give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots (点), which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.
Wasn’t I the “blind” in my class, being made to learn like the “sighted” students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was not different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problem, why should I ever give up?
I didn’t expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day — with an “A” on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words, “See what you can do when you keep trying?”
1. What problem did the author meet when he was in class?| A．He didn’t like the teacher. | B．He was not fond of literature. |
| C．The classroom was too noisy. | D．He couldn’t focus his attention in class. |
| A．He managed to cure his blindness. |
| B．He got a good education at school. |
| C．He made an invention which helped the blind. |
| D．He couldn’t see and read for the whole life. |
| A．She encouraged him. | B．She looked down on him. |
| C．She sympathized (同情) him. | D．She was angry with him. |
| A．How to be a great teacher. | B．Keep trying, and you can do it. |
| C．What should you do as a blind. | D．Ways to overcome attention disorder. |
10 . For several months, Cara has been working up the courage to ask her mother about what she saw on the Internet. Not long ago, the 11-year-old found out that her mother had been posting her photos in her blog, without her agreement, for much of her life. "There are pictures I don't like of myself. It would be an embarrassment(令人尴尬的事)if my friends see those photos online," she said. "Now I'm even worried anytime someone has a phone out around me. I'm afraid that my photos could be taken and posted somewhere."
Not all kids feel the same when finding out they've been living a life online. Some are happy. In the fourth grade, Nate searched his name and found that he was in a news report about his making a beautiful kite in his third-grade class. He was really happy with that and he decided to search online every few months, hoping to find other things about himself online.
"I was surprised, really surprised," he said. "It made me feel famous."
He even kept saying, "Oh, I'm in a news report online." Although his friends knew that, many of his friends refused to stay close to him.
Like most other kids, Cara and Nate grew up in a society rich with social media. While many kids may not yet have accounts(账户)themselves, their parents, schools, sports teams, and organizations have been building an online presence for them since their birth. According to a study from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida, 92 percent of kids under the age of 2 already have their own life online.
"The blog posts are sure to follow the children into adulthood," says the study. "Therefore, we have to be careful about putting the children's personal information online."
1. Why does Cara want to stop her mother putting her pictures online?| A．She is not a very pretty girl. | B．Her friends keep laughing at her. |
| C．She does not like being photographed. | D．Some of the pictures are embarrassing. |
| A．They felt really happy for him. | B．Many of them stayed away from him. |
| C．Many of them did not believe him. | D．They also opened their own accounts. |
| A．parents should keep their kids away from the Internet |
| B．pictures should not be put online without kids' agreement |
| C．kids should not tell their stories of success to their friends |
| D．putting kids' information online might lead to some problems |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By reasoning. |
| C．By following time order. | D．By comparing. |
