1 . While flatmates can bring about stress and difficulty, they can also be great company and develop into wonderful, lifelong friends. Before making the decision to live with a flatmate or to live alone, consider carefully all the accompanying advantages and disadvantages.
Most people join forces with a flatmate primarily due to financial problem. A shared living space also means you're responsible for only half of the rent or shared bills. Additionally, when you're splitting costs, you can afford a better apartment than you could alone. However, money can become a point of argument for flatmates as well. If your flatmate gets laid off or quits his job, you may have to pick up his bill until he's back on his feet. Your flatmate may also insist he owe less because he doesn't use the shower too often.
In addition to bills and the rent, flatmates also typically share responsibility for unpleasant tasks, such as cleaning or doing the dishes. Without a flatmate, cleaning and tidying responsibilities are yours alone. However, flatmates also frequently end up sharing plenty of other things many people would rather not: use of the TV, the bathroom, food and even clothing, for example. You may have to wake up earlier than you'd like to get a hot shower before work or give up watching your favorite show because your flatmate beat you to it.
When you live alone, you get to determine the terms of your social life, and you go home to an empty house or apartment at the end of the day. That can be preferable if you're a serious student or professional, someone who needs to work and rest in the quiet of an apartment. With a flatmate, there are unexpected guests and your social options can expand sharply. Keep in mind, however, that having a flatmate means that he may feel social when you do not, and you may have to deal with wanted house guests.
1. What's the main reason for most people to share a flat?| A．Ensuring safety. | B．Saving money. |
| C．Sharing housework. | D．Reducing loneliness. |
| A．He likes a peaceful life. |
| B．He has excellent social manners. |
| C．He keeps everything in the room tidy. |
| D．He often turns away unexpected guests. |
| A．By describing the process. | B．By stating an argument. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By analyzing the outcome. |
| A．Buying a Flat or Sharing One? |
| B．The Reasons for Sharing a Flat. |
| C．How to Share a Flat with a Flatmate? |
| D．The Advantages and Disadvantages of Flatsharing. |
2 . Remember when your mom told you not to eat too many candy bars or sweets because they can cause tooth decay (蛀牙)? However, it turns out that chocolate can be more salutary to your teeth than you might expect. Recent studies show that chocolate can effectively fight against tooth decay, as if we need another excuse to eat chocolate.
Chocolate offers protection like fluoride, a main ingredient in most household toothpastes. Not only does chocolate protect our teeth, but it can do so very effectively. Studies show that chocolate has compounds that provide strong protection for teeth. One of the compounds in chocolate, CBH, is shown to protect even more effectively than fluoride.
Tooth decay happens when bacteria work to turn sugar into acids in our mouth. This is why eating foods with high sugar content can lead to more tooth decay. The compounds in chocolate, however, are anti-bacteria and can fight against bacteria in your mouth. The CBH compound in particular also works to strengthen tooth enamel (牙釉质), and protects against tooth decay.
Does this mean you can cat as much chocolate as you want without worrying about your teeth? It depends on the types of chocolate that you like. The protective effect of chocolate is most effective when you chew on cocoa beans. Of course, this option is not very appealing to; most people. A more tasty option is to choose dark chocolate with little sugar content, ideally no more than 6 to 8 grams per serving. For other types of chocolate with higher sugar content, the effect will be lessened. However, because of the protective compounds, it is still better for your teeth than other sweets and desserts containing the same amount of sugar.
1. The word “salutary” in paragraph 1 means?| A．Beneficial. | B．Harmful. | C．Familiar. | D．Useless. |
| A．It can help chocolate cure tooth decay. |
| B．It can effectively stop teeth from decaying. |
| C．It may protect teeth better than toothpastes do. |
| D．It may soon replace most household toothpastes. |
| A．By breaking down acids. | B．By building up compounds. |
| C．By fixing up tooth enamel. | D．By fighting against bacteria. |
| A．Chocolate plays the role of toothpaste. |
| B．Chocolate protects against tooth decay. |
| C．Chocolate is the best choice for teeth protection. |
| D．Chocolate is healthier to teeth than other sweets. |
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) encourages lifelong learning by welcoming all people and offering equal access to information, entertainment and knowledge through materials, programs and events. Each year, Chicago Public Library recommends the Best of the Best, CPL’s selections of the very best books published that year.
● Hours
Monday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
● Holidays & Closures
All Staff Institute Day: Thursday, April 30, 2020 Closed All Day
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25, 2020 Closed All Day
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, 2020 Closed All Day
Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2020 Closed All Day
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26, 2020 Closed All Day
Christmas: Friday, December 25, 2020 Closed All Day
● Address & Contact
1625 W. Chicago Avenue Chicago IL 60622
Phone: (312) 743-0450
Email: westtownchipublib.org
● Get a Library Card
Getting a library card is easy – and it’s free! Please visit any CPL location to fill out an application.
Current, valid ID with name, photo and Chicago address is required.
● Facilities
After-hours book return Bike rack
Computers Meeting room Wi-Fi Parking lot Scanner
● Upcoming Events at West Town
Design Challenge Day
Description: Are you up for a challenge? Drop in and tackle some design challenges using supplies provided by the library. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative submissions.
Suitable for: Kids and Teens
Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2020, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Film Screening: The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017)
Description: Join the West Town branch for a screening of The Zookeeper’s Wife. A married couple who work as zoo caretakers help save Jewish people from the Nazi’s Holocaust.
Suitable for: Adults and Teens
Time: Tuesday, March 31, 2020, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
1. When can people go and read in Chicago Public Library?| A．11:00 am, April 29, 2020. | B．2:00 pm, May 25, 2020. |
| C．9:00 am, July 5, 2020. | D．6:00 pm, November 26, 2020. |
| A．Paying for it in your free time on a yearly basis. |
| B．Providing a recent photo and an application. |
| C．Applying on the library’s official website first. |
| D．Having a valid ID with name, photo and Chicago address. |
| A．It targets adults as their major participants. |
| B．Participants will compete for prizes. |
| C．The activity will last for nearly 2 hours. |
| D．Winners can watch The Zookeeper’s Wife for free. |
4 . My family and I belonged to a country club located across the street from the Long Island Sound. Each summer, the big attraction for us was the pool. I learned how to swim and joined the swimming team but was never really a good swimmer. However, swimming in my younger days was a way to keep cool, and swimming on a team gave me identity and a sense of belonging. It also became invaluable many years later.
Fast-forward (快进) to 1973 – I was married, pregnant and had a home. What made our little home even more wonderful was when I discovered that four blocks away was Rath Park Pool! For the next 30 years, most of our summer days were spent around that pool.
Each of my five kids took swimming lessons and learned all the different swimming strokes (姿势). They later joined the swim team and competed in meets. My daughter even became a lifeguard at the town pool. I sat back and happily took it all in!
As much as I would have liked to have life stand still, it doesn’t. My children outgrew their pool days and moved on. But the pool was still four blocks from my home, so I began to take up swimming again. And it was far better than I ever could have imagined. I got so much out of it that I joined the local pool so I could swim year-round. Whenever I swam, I would always come out feeling physically and mentally refreshed. I often felt that if I looked hard enough, I would be able to see all of the worries and problems I’ve had in life, sitting at the bottom of the pool!
What has swimming taught me? I’ve learned that balance is the key to being a good swimmer. If you are balanced in the water, you have no resistance. Working on staying balanced made me realize the similarities between life in and out of the swim lane (泳道). If you work on keeping yourself balanced, you will be able to swim right through the stress and problems life throws at you!
1. What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 1?| A．Her family taught her how to swim. |
| B．She swam with friends more often in summer. |
| C．Swimming brought her lifelong benefits. |
| D．She was elected to be the swim team captain. |
| A．The author loved the pool days with her kids. |
| B．Swimming was losing its appeal to the author. |
| C．Her kids’ winning competitions made her proud. |
| D．The author preferred to have a peaceful life. |
| A．Sports can give you the courage to face difficulties. |
| B．She mastered more swimming skills than expected. |
| C．It enabled her to see how to handle problems in life. |
| D．Swimming made her remember her younger days. |
| A．The wonderful pool days with the author’s family. |
| B．The influence of swimming on the author’s life. |
| C．The physical and mental benefits of swimming. |
| D．The similarities between swimming and life. |
5 . Seni Felie has already lived through a crisis. He came to America in 1994 as a refugee (难民) from the war in the Socialist Federal Republie of Yugoslavia. He was 29 years old at the time and alone.
These days, he owns a restaurant in San Francisco called Bistro SF Grill, and he is feeling optimistic despite the crisis. “We’re going to pool our resources and people will pull together, and it will have a strong effect on solving any problems,” he told Reader’s Digest.
With that attitude in mind, he posted this on Nextdoor: “We are inviting all to stop by Bistro SF Grill at 1305 Castro St. to grab a lunch or dinner prepackaged box beginning Tuesday, March 17, beginning at noon and every day after. Price is only $5.50 and it covers our expenses,” he wrote.
Bistro SF Grill will be offering three different meals: chicken, rice, and vegetables; fish, rice, and vegetables; and vegan mushroom paella. All are gluten-free (无谷蛋白). The menu will change weekly.
“A lot of seniors, families, and people who don’t know how to cook are in need of fresh, high-quality food daily,” Felic said. “I’ve seen much worse than this—groups of people with guns, and people killed. I was hungry for three years. Under these conditions, food is necessary. Our idea was: Let’s try to help. We’d like to give for free but we can’t afford it.”
The restaurant started GoFundMe (请资助我) page to further lower the cost of the meals. So far, neighbors have pitched in almost $2,000.
He believes that working together and helping others will be the key to helping us—all of us—get through this. “This problem will be contained, and I just feel optimistic,” he added. “When people come together, I think we can overcome almost anything.”
1. Why did Seni Felic post a message on Nextdoor?| A．To provide free food. | B．To sell a cheap lunch. |
| C．To make more money. | D．To earn a good name. |
| A．used to suffer from hunger | B．didn’t know how to cook |
| C．was offered food for free | D．faced the threat of death |
| A．Dealt with. | B．Focused on. |
| C．Accounted for. | D．Contributed to. |
| A．Equality for all. | B．Greeting with each other. |
| C．Spirit of cooperation. | D．Being confident. |
6 . Most kids can walk into a library or bookstore and find hundreds of books to read. But it’s not that simple for kids who are blind. They read in a different way. Jenny Lee and other braille (盲文) transcribers take the printed words of a book and change them into a code of raised dots. Blind people can read these dots with their fingers. To know what braille feels like, take a ballpoint pen and press hard onto a piece of paper. Now turn the paper over and touch the raised dot made by the pen point.
When Lee first saw the dots of the braille alphabet, she wondered if she’d ever be able to read and write them easily. She took a class and practised hard for about six months before she passed the final exam: she had to convert 35 pages of a book into braille. Today, Lee works for a publisher. One of her jobs is to change children’s books into braille.
To do this, Lee first types the story into a computer and then uses a computer program to translate it into the braille code. Next, she looks over the translation several times to make sure it’s mistake-free. After that, a copy of the braille story is printed with a special printer. Then Lee and a proofreader work together to find and correct any mistakes. When a book is ready, many copies of it are printed. Afterwards, some are sold through websites and others are sent to libraries.
Sometimes, going over a story again and again gets tiring. That’s when Lee takes a break. Several of Jenny Lee’s co-workers, who are blind, use guide dogs. When the animals aren’t working, Lee likes spending a few minutes with them. To her, playing with dogs “is always a pick-me-up in the middle of the day”.
“I love this mission,” Lee says. “Through my brain power and my fingers, I am putting the dots into some kid’s hands.”
1. How does the writer explain what braille feels like?| A．By explaining what braille words look like. |
| B．By describing how blind people read books. |
| C．By asking readers to experience it themselves. |
| D．By giving examples of different braille words. |
| A．She was excited to get a new skill. |
| B．She was amazed at the clever idea. |
| C．She realized she could teach it herself. |
| D．She believed it would be difficult to learn. |
| A．A discussion to release work stress. |
| B．Something to improve one’s appetite. |
| C．Something to help restore one’s spirit. |
| D．A free ride accompanied with a guide dog. |
| A．Profitable and hopeful. | B．Tiring but meaningful. |
| C．Relaxing and helpful. | D．Boring but challenging. |
7 . The term "bird brain" is frequently used to describe a person's lack of intelligence and good decision-making ability. However, some scientists believe it should be considered a praise, given that many birds can perform human tasks like producing and using tools, solving problems, and planning for future needs. Now, Griffin, an African Grey parrot, has proved that birds may even possess better visual memories than human adults and children.
The study, led by Hrag Pailian, a researcher at Harvard University, had the parrot compete in the game against twenty-one undergraduate students and twenty-one 6 to 8-year-old children. The popular challenge involves hiding a small object under one of three or more upside-down cups, which are moved around. Participants are required to accurately identify the cup under which the object lies. To make the task more challenging, the researchers required participants to track two, three, and four objects at the same time.
An analysis of the results showed that Griffin outperformed the 6 to 8-year-olds across all levels on average. Even more impressive, the "bird brain" performed as well as, or slightly better than, the 21 Harvard students on 12 of the 14 trials! It was only in the final two tests, which had the most objects and most movement, that the parrot fell behind the adults. However, Griffin's performance was never below that of the children.
Griffin was the candidate of choice because the scientists needed an animal that had a brain functionality similar to that of humans. "The fact that the smart parrot loves to show off his brain power in exchange for a few cashews (腰果) did not hurt either", said Irene Pepperberg, a Harvard lecturer, who has trained Griffin and several other African Grey parrots, has been studying the species for over four decades and is considered a pioneer in the study of bird intelligence.
1. What were the participants required to do in the study?| A．Identify different kinds of objects. | B．Tell where the hidden object lies. |
| C．Track other participants' performance. | D．Move around upside-down cups. |
| A．6 to 8-year-olds did better than Griffin. |
| B．Parrots have a better memory than other birds. |
| C．Harvard students have a better visual memory. |
| D．Griffin outsmarted Harvard students in some trials. |
| A．It was good at making decisions. |
| B．It was specially trained for experiments. |
| C．It had similar brain functions to human beings. |
| D．It loved to show off his language power for some treats. |
| A．"Bird brain" becomes a term for a stupid person. |
| B．Harvard lecturer pioneers in bird intelligence study. |
| C．Parrot outsmarted Harvard students in visual memory test. |
| D．Researchers made new discoveries about human intelligence. |
8 . It has been four years since the Flashfood App was set to hit Canadian grocery stores and make it easier for shoppers to buy soon-to-expiry (保质期) food at a discount. Much to my delight, I heard it advertised recently on a radio station and figured it’s time for an update, especially since people became more aware of food waste’s role in the climate crisis.
The first thing I did was download the App. I hadn’t done it before because it was limited to a few locations, but now it’s all over Canada. I could see immediately that many brands of yogurt are all marked down 50 percent. Users pay for the food using the App, and then pick it up at a marked location in the store. There is no need for you to worry about them actually being bad.
It makes sense for retailers to get behind this App because it offers a win-win situation for everyone involved. Flashfood sells 75% of the products made available through its App while saving consumers an average of 50% on those grocery items, and it has 300,000 active users right now. That number is expected to grow naturally as Flashfood partners with more grocers.
“As a food retailer, we are in the business of providing food, not wasting it. The Flashfood program allows us to provide our customers with a convenient and environmentally sustainable (可持续的) way to purchase food. Loblaw sells 77% of the items it puts on Flashfood, moving an average of ＄800 to ＄1,000 worth of goods weekly at each of its largest stores,” said Gord Chem, senior VP with Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstores.
I love looking for discount deals at the grocery store and always keep an eye out for the hot pink clearance stickers. But it’s always random, and I never know what I’m going to get from week to week. The appeal of Flashfood is that I can see what’s available, pre-purchase it, and leave it off my shopping list.
1. What can we know about the food on the Flashfood?| A．It’s delivered directly to the customers. | B．Much of it is charged at half the price. |
| C．Users can pay for it in the marked store. | D．It’ll be a month away before it goes bad. |
| A．beneficial | B．popular | C．creative | D．reliable |
| A．By listing some examples. | B．By making a comparison. |
| C．By explaining the cause. | D．By introducing the result. |
| A．Customers can buy much cheaper food on a recent app. |
| B．A win-win situation has been set for Canadians involved. |
| C．Canadians have a smart approach to reducing food waste. |
| D．Canadians adopt a new way of protecting the environment. |
9 . Dance is one of the most wonderful forms of human communication. In many cultures, dance has both historic and cultural significance, which is communicated through learned gestures and expressions. Here are a bit more details about three of the world’s most beautiful dances.
Kathakali
Kathakali is a storytelling dance, during which performers use a variety of gestures, and eyes and facial expressions to communicate meanings. Costumes, hair styles, makeup and face paint, and jewelry also all hold specific meanings in the performance of kathakali. There are nine facial expressions used to express emotions ranging from sadness and anger to curiosity. Through their expressions, it should be completely clear to the viewer what the performer is intending to convey.
Tango
The dance has its roots in an African slave dance called candombe, which is also a type of music. One key factor of a candombe performance is a partnered dance, which has over time developed into the modern tango. If you can keep your eyes on one part of the tango, just focus on the dancers’ legs and feet. The tango is typically performed low to the ground, with both performers’ step-work often taking place at the same time. It’s complex and communicative.
Flamenco
One of the most interesting facts about the flamenco is that it began as a song. Over time, flamenco developed to include its now-famous passionate accompanying dance. One of the key factors of flamenco is palmas. It may look like simple, rhythmic clapping, but palmas are performed at different speeds, and strengths, and it is essential that the flamenco dancer understands how to make use of his or her hands as part of the performance.
1. What is special about kathakali?| A．It is intended to convey a romantic story. |
| B．It involves many expressions to attract viewers. |
| C．It’s a dance to tell a story and express many feelings. |
| D．It is a dance where people can learn how to exchange feelings. |
| A．The dancers’ arms and hands. | B．The dancers’ legs and feet. |
| C．The dancers’ facial expressions. | D．The dancers’ eyes and hands. |
| A．Kathakali. | B．Flamenco. | C．Tango. | D．Candombe |
10 . Jumping Clay
Grades: K-2
Time: 3:25 pm — 4:25 pm Tuesday Jan 16, 23, 30 Feb 6, 3, 27 (No class 2/20)
Explore the Arctic and Antarctic in this creative hands-on workshop! Each student will create their own 3-D Polar display including the landscape and animals such as polar bears, penguins and whales while learning about basic shapes and color mixing. Jumping Clay is an air-drying polymer clay that is 100% safe and non-toxic and completely mess free! Beginners welcome! All materials included. Cost: $90
Vacation Destination
The ERfC Vacation Destination Center is located at Enfield Street school,1318 Enfeild Street. Vacation Destination is open from 7:00 am — 6:00 pm on the following days this school year:
December 26-29, 2020
February 20, 2021
April 9-13, 2021
June 25-29, 2021
A variety of theme-based activities are provided throughout the day and include enrichment and recreational activities such as sewing, sports & games, arts & crafts and science activities. Daily fee: $ 45
ERfC Counselors in Trainning Team for High School Students
Students in grades 9-12 who are looking to develop leadership skills are encouraged to join the ERfC CIT Team. High school students will gain experience working with children in different age groups, discover new strengths, and learn team-building skills. Training is provided and summer opportunities will be available. Contact Melissa Shea atmshea@erfc.us.
Tonight in Thompsonville
Located at St. Patrick’s Hall, 64 Pearl Street, Enfield Join us for a free family dinner and a variety of family fun activities. In addition to a family dinner, evenings include hands-on educational activities designed for parents and children to enjoy together. Community providers attend to share information about health, nutrition, physical activity,education, and other services such as SNAP, Care 4 Kids, early childhood programs and out-of-school time activities.
1. What is the main purpose of Jumping Clay?| A．To guide children to protect wild animals. |
| B．To teach children to use clay materials properly. |
| C．To encourage children to improve their creativity. |
| D．To help children learn about the Arctic and Antarctic. |
| A．December 30, 2020. | B．February 22, 2021. |
| C．April 12, 2021. | D．June 24, 2021. |
| A．Jumping Clay. | B．Vacation Destination. |
| C．ERfC CIT Team. | D．Tonight in Thompsonville. |
