1 . The setting was a packed gymnasium just before the start of a game against another school. There were five girls who were members of the Danville High School basketball team — all of them starters. They were not in uniform to play that night and would not be on the team for the rest of this season. They were there to admit their breaking learn rules. They were there to support their coach's decision to take them off the team. They were there to let the town know there was a problem in their little community that needed to be addressed. And they did it with sincere regret rather than defensiveness.
While the school had been out for the New Year's holiday, the five girls had gone to the party with several of their friends. There was alcohol there. And they all drank some.
Coach Rainville has a zero tolerance rule on drugs and alcohol for her members though it was a hard decision to make. When classes resumed (恢复) and accounts of holiday parties were shared, rumors about the five girls began closing in on them. The coach said she couldn't back down on her rules. And the players — Iwo junior students and three senior students — agreed. That night in the gym was part of their public support of the coach's decision.
“We hope you will understand that we are not bad kids. What we did was definitely not worth it. We hope this event will make everyone realize that there is a big drug and alcohol problem in our community, one of the senior students said, “And if you work with us to try to solve this problem, you will help us feel that we have not been thrown off our basketball team for nothing." The five left the floor to deafening applause.
The team may not win another game this year. But they've learned something about personal responsibility, the effect of one's action on others, and honesty that will serve them well throughout life.
1. It can be inferred from the passage that the five girls who were kicked off the team were probably ________.| A．good players on the team |
| B．three junior students and two senior students |
| C．addicted to alcohol and drugs |
| D．scolded by their parents for drinking alcohol |
| A．They didn't fight for Danville High School any more. |
| B．They admitted their mistake in public in the gymnasium. |
| C．They would never drink any alcohol throughout their life. |
| D．They all gave speeches to apologize in the local newspaper. |
| A．Energetic. | B．Strict. |
| C．Content. | D．Cruel. |
| A．Growing Up with Pain | B．A Bad Mistake in Training |
| C．The Coach Who Values Rules Most | D．Basketball Girls in High School |
2 . From the very beginning of school we make books and reading a constant source of possible failure and public humiliation. When children are little we make them read aloud, before the teacher and other children, so that we can be sure they “know” all the words they are reading. This means that when they don't know a word, they are going to make a mistake, right in front of everyone. After having taught fifth-grade classes for four years, I decided to try at all costs to rid them of their fear and dislike of books, and to get them to read oftener and more adventurously.
One day soon after school had started, I said to them, “Now I’m going to say something about reading that you have probably never heard a teacher say before. I would like you to read a lot of books this year, but I want you to read them only for pleasure. I am not going to ask you questions to find out whether you understand the books or not. If you understand enough of a book to enjoy it and want to go on reading it, that’s enough for me. Also I’m not going to ask you what words mean.”
The children sat stunned and silent. Was this a teacher talking? One girl, who had just come to us from a school where she had had a very hard time, looked at me steadily for a long time after I had finished. Then, still looking at me, she said slowly and seriously, “Mr Holt, do you really mean that?” I said just as seriously, “I mean every word of it.”
During the spring she really astonished me. One day, she was reading at her desk. From a glimpse of the illustrations I thought I knew what the book was. I said to myself, “It can’t be.” and went to take a closer look. Sure enough, she was reading Moby Dick, in edition with woodcuts. I said, “Don’t you find parts of it rather heavy going?” She answered, “Oh, sure, but I just skip over those parts and go on to the next good part.”
This is exactly what reading should be and in school so seldom is, an exciting, joyous adventure. Find something, dive into it, take the good parts, skip the bad parts, get what you can out of it, go on to something else. How different is our mean-spirited, picky insistence that every child get every last little scrap of “understanding” that can be dug out of a book!
1. According to the passage, children’s fear and dislike of books may result from________.| A．reading little and thinking little | B．reading often and adventurously |
| C．being made to read too much | D．being made to read aloud before others |
| A．it sounded stupid | B．it was not surprising at all |
| C．it sounded too good to be true | D．it was no different from other teachers' talk |
| A．She skipped over those easy parts while reading. |
| B．She had a hard time finishing the required reading tasks. |
| C．She learned to appreciate some parts of the difficult books. |
| D．She turned out to be a top student after coming to this school. |
| A．children cannot tell good parts from bad parts while reading |
| B．children should be left to decide what to read and how to read |
| C．reading is never a pleasant and inspiring experience in school |
| D．reading involves understanding every little piece of information |
3 . Active Challenge Weight loss camp for girls aged 13-18 in Canada.
| Location： Beautiful Bear Creek Outdoor Centre near Ottawa Ontario Season： July 2-August 28th Capacity： 40 | Activities include hiking，rafting，canoeing，yoga （瑜伽），cooking， camp skills， mountain biking，nutrition classes， swimming， fitness classes，etc. Choose what you like. |
Active Challenge is a weight loss program specially for young women. The burden of being overweight is heavier than just the extra pounds. We use outdoor adventures to challenge the girls, to give them something to draw strength from.
Because you'll be losing weight alongside young women just like you, you'll find no one laughing at you and you'll help each other. At Active Challenge you'll make lifelong friends with young women of your own age and learn to love new adventurous activities.
Unlike any other weight loss program, Active Challenge is designed so you'll lose weight and have the strategies (策略) and skills to keep the weight off forever. Active Challenge does not put you on a diet. We follow the Canada Food Guide to healthy eating and exercise appropriate portion (一份) control. We help you develop healthy habits.
The staff at Active Challenge combine experienced outdoor adventure professionals with highly qualified clinicians. All of us are absolutely devoted to helping you achieve lasting behavioral change and weight loss. Most of all, we are devoted to having a great time doing it.
Pre-Camp:Upon registration (注册) in Active Challenge, a registration package will be sent out to you with forms to be completed before camping as well as program preparation materials, an introduction to Active Challenge and pre-program personal challenging assignments (任务) to get you on your way toward a healthier self.
Post-Camp:Our post program is designed to keep you focused and remind you of the goals that you set during the camp. After the camp ends we will send you home with your personal meal and exercise plan and keep in touch with you for a full three months through letters, emails and phone calls，tracking your progress and giving you strategies and support.
1. Outdoor adventurous activities are held for girls ________.| A．to follow a good diet | B．to lose weight quickly |
| C．to build up their health | D．to increase their confidence |
| A．Lonely but safe. | B．Cold but exciting. |
| C．Friendly and supportive. | D．Competitive and challenging. |
| A．To explain why Active Challenge is popular. |
| B．To share skills and strategies of losing weight. |
| C．To show how important losing weight is. |
| D．To invite girls to join in Active Challenge. |
4 . Autism is a serious condition that affects people in different ways. People with autism often have problems understanding other people's thoughts and feelings, which makes it hard for them to show their ideas to others with words or through touch, facial expressions, and gestures. However, just like anyone else, they also have their own identities, and preferences.
During the mid-90s, a researcher named Barbara Strickland found that virtual reality (VR) could help people with autism with social skills. Although Barbara Strickland's studies were promising, headsets of VR, were often huge and uncomfortable, especially VR was too expensive.
But recently, VR technology has become the focus for the betterment of children with autism again. Let's explore how this technology can be used to educate children with autism.
Children with autism can be effectively engaged with their environment by the services of VR training providers. It can help improve learning among children and develop focus. Using virtual reality can also help children with autism prepare for speaking in public and build a sense of confidence in them.
People with autism developed social skills like emotional recognition, and they started to understand and respond to others during a conversation with the development of VR. A study by Didehbani (2016), Parsons& Cobb (2011) and Tzanavari (2015) states that there is evidence that suggests social skills learned in a virtual environment can be used in everyday life.
Although there has been much development around VR for autism over the years, an increased requirement of research on Virtual Reality-Head Mounting Display for a better theoretical foundation is needed. We are expecting to see more VR treatment across schools, homes, and offices as more training programs are developed, and in-depth studies are performed.
1. What problem do people with autism face?| A．Lack of their own preferences. | B．Focusing on their own feelings. |
| C．Disability to learn different gestures. | D．How to express themselves properly. |
| A．VR's high price. | B．VR's single style. |
| C．VR's mini headset. | D．VR's light weight. |
| A．By offering them much focus. | B．By making them become talkative. |
| C．By preparing public speeches for them. | D．By improving their confidence in themselves. |
| A．VR for autism has a long way to go. | B．VR's theory requires to be published. |
| C．VR training programs need volunteers. | D．VR has enjoyed popularity in schools. |
5 . What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 percent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sales. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.
1. Why are e-shops mentioned in the passage?| A．To introduce the rise of e-commerce. |
| B．To push stores to use sights and sounds. |
| C．To urge shop assistants to change their attitude. |
| D．To show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores. |
| A．A platform that exhibits goods. | B．A spot where travelers like to stay. |
| C．A place where customers love to go. | D．A target that a store expects to meet. |
| A．Friendly assistants. | B．Unique scents. |
| C．Soft background music. | D．Attractive window display. |
| A．compare and evaluate | B．examine and assess |
| C．argue and discuss | D．inform and explain |
6 . It was a fine day. Jeffrey Del Monte was driving With his friend late Friday afternoon along the beach near Ramp 49 in Friso when they heard the screams of children. They surveyed the water trying to locate the screams and， two young girls were spotted apparently struggling while being swept out in a rip current（激流）.
Del Monte then swam out into the ocean and helped one of the girls who were caught in the rip current, passing her to his friend for the lengthy swim back to shore. He then went back to search for the second girl and found her in great pain before he swam back to shore, bringing the child to the beach from nearly 100 yards out.
After both girls were safe on the beach, Del Monte and his friend attended to them until Dare County Emergency Medical Services and a Cape Hatteras National Seashore Ranger arrived on the scene. The children's parents also arrived and expressed their thanks to Del Monte and his friend.
“Jeffrey Del Monte's heroic, selfless and quick actions were key to saving these two girls from a very dangerous situation," National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent David Hallac said in a statement. "His courage and expertise allowed him to perform this successful ocean rescue. "
Park officials said the incident was a reminder of how quickly ocean conditions could change, even on what appeared to be a perfect clay.
“A perfect clay on the beach doesn't always mean that it's a perfect day in the ocean, so it is important that all visitors check the beach forecast for danger and rip currents before heading to the beach and always use something that floats when in the water. If individuals do find themselves caught in rip currents, please don't swim against the currents, instead swimming out of the currents and then to shore," David Hallac said.
1. Why did Del Monte hand the first rescued girl to his friend?| A．To go to seek for the other struggling girl. |
| B．To give his friend a chance to be praised. |
| C．To relieve his pain caused by the current. |
| D．To experience the lengthy swim himself. |
| A．They took them to hospital quickly. | B．They looked after them on the beach. |
| C．They drove them back to their parents. | D．They blamed them for taking the risks. |
| A．Worried, | B．Envious. | C．Appreciative. | D．Grateful. |
| A．Going swimming with others. | B．Avoiding floating in the water. |
| C．Swimming against the currents. | D．Preparing well for beach trips. |
7 . EP Portable Heater
We all know that the cost of heating our homes will continue to be a significant burden on the family budget. Now millions of people are saving on their heating bills with the EP Portable Heater. With over one million satisfied customers around the world, the new EP heats better and faster, saves more on heating bills, and runs almost silent.
The EP has no exposed heating parts that can cause a fire. The outside of EP only gets warm to the touch so that it will not burn children or pets.
The EP will not reduce oxygen in the room. With other heaters, you'll notice that you get sleepy when the heat comes on because they are burning up oxygen.
The advanced EP also heats the room evenly, wall to wall and floor to ceiling. It comfortably covers an area up to 350 square feet. Other heaters heat rooms unevenly with most of the heat concentrated to the center of the room. And they only heat an area a few feet around the heater. With the EP, the temperature will not vary in any part of the room.
The EP comes with a 3-year warranty and a 60-day, no questions asked, satisfaction guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied, return it at our expense and your money will be given back to you.
Now, we have a special offer for 10 days, during which you can enjoy a half price discount and a free delivery. If you order after that, we reserve the right to either accept or reject order requests at the discounted price.
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1. What is mainly discussed in paragraph 2?| A．The heat of the EP. | B．The safety of the EP. |
| C．The appearance of the EP. | D．The material of the EP. |
| A．doesn't burn up oxygen | B．runs without any noise |
| C．makes people get sleepy | D．is unsuitable for children and pets |
| A．persuade people to buy the product |
| B．advise people to save on heating bills |
| C．report the new development of portable heaters |
| D．compare the difference of different heater brands |
8 . Have you ever wanted to make a phone call but you couldn't? Perhaps because there is no signal.Or because you've left your mobile at home.Or because your battery has gone dead.It's frustrating, right? So far no one has found a solution to the problem of not receiving a signal, but now BIpho Phones have just brought out their latest invention—a mobile phone that is always with you and never runs out of energy.
The Permaphone is a telephone implant(植入物).The receiver sits behind your ear, the microphone is in the tip of your nose and the flexible touch screen is under a layer of completely transparent(透明的) artificial skin on the inside of your wrist.All you need is a quick visit to a hospital for a simple operation and then you are your mobile—a walking talking telephone.It gets its power from your body.Every time you move, you produce kinetic(运动的） energy.The Permaphone captures this energy and so never goes dead.
The operation took only five minutes and was completely painless and since I left the hospital I've been experimenting with my new phone implant.After a day or two it feels perfectly natural: just like a part of my body.It's so simple to switch the phone on and off, to turn the volume(音量) up or down and to access all the functions.
So are phone implants the future of mobile phone technology? Well, maybe.However, there are some drawbacks too.For example, when you have a cold it may not be very convenient to have the microphone in your nose.And although Blpho say it is completely waterproof, I wonder how confident you would feel when you go swimming with your Permaphone.And finally, one more question that they haven't answered yet: do you need to go back to hospital for another operation every time you want to update your phone?
1. Why does the author say the Permaphone can be always with you?| A．Because it never goes dead. |
| B．Because it will never break down. |
| C．Because it can always receive signals. |
| D．Because it is inseparable from your body. |
| A．Be in very good health. |
| B．Have a simple operation. |
| C．Walk as fast as possible. |
| D．Update their old phone. |
| A．It's ear-shaped. |
| B．It's self-updatable. |
| C．It's simplicity itself. |
| D．It's battery-powered. |
| A．He is a bit worried. |
| B．He is very doubtful. |
| C．He is quite confident. |
| D．He is filled with expectation. |
9 . There are so many choices when you go shopping. You have to check the sell — by dates so that you know how long you can store and use the food you are purchasing.
But do you know that the best sell — by dates on food packaging don't really tell you if the food is safe to eat. The food may not last as long as it says if it isn't stored correctly at any point of the distribution chain. Now there is food packaging that can detect and change colors if the food has gone bad.
Each American wastes 103 pounds of spoiled food out of the refrigerator every year. The new smart packaging from Primitives Biodesign—a new company that operates out of a lab at Indibio, a biotech accelerator in San Francisco-can help to reduce this huge waste of food.
The basic material that doesn't contain sensing material is made from algae and can block oxygen more effectively than regular film, so the food stays fresher for a longer time. Since it is made from a natural substance, it can also break down in nature.
Making the film smart is the thorny part. Luckily, the team managed to use a process that is like the way nature responds to changes in the environment. The mechanism responds like the way flowers emit compounds to change colors.
“It could be supplement packaging that indicate when it's been tampered with by changing color to tell you that it's no ledger safe," says Kan. She explained that the new packaging can be used on food products to fell if the food has turned bad before someone has to smell or taste it.
The company has proven in lab tests that the technology works and now they are working on how to develop commercial uses for it. The added safety features will come out later. Helping to control food waste in products like meat or cheese which have high greenhouse gas emissions will also help to reduce climate change.
1. What can we infer from paragraph 2?| A．Storing food properly is very important. | B．The color of food packaging is not clear. |
| C．Regular food packaging is of little value. | D．It's not hard to control distribution chains. |
| A．Changeable. | B．Interesting. | C．Natural. | D．Difficult. |
| A．It is too thin to block oxygen. | B．It is really good for the environment. |
| C．It is perfect for commercial uses. | D．It is sensitive to pleasant smells. |
| A．Smart Packaging Tells If Food Is Safe to Eat | B．Sensing Materials Indicate the Color of Food |
| C．A Great Team Is Concerned With Food Safety | D．Old Packaging Slows Down Climate Change |
10 . At the start of every working week, millions of people around the world get ready for something they do endlessly, joylessly and badly ： a meeting
It was awful before the pandemic (疫情), when research showed there were an average of 55 million meetings daily in the US alone. I fear to think what the figures look like now that Covid-19 and remote working have started the age of the continuous meeting.
It wouldn't be a problem if all meetings did what they were supposed to do and helped busy people make good decisions about important matters. But the evidence suggests otherwise. Studies over the past 15 years have shown about 70 percent of workers have rated their meetings poor or unproductive, writes US professor, Steven Rogelberg, in his 2019 book The Surprising Science of Meetings.
“The root of the rotten meeting is simple," says Madeleine de Hauke, a meeting coach and teacher. “We spend our lives in meetings, but there's very little investment (投入)into helping people run them effectively," she told me last week.
A meeting coach might say that, but I think Ms de Hauke is correct. Running a meeting well takes skills. At a minimum, people need to know in advance why they are meeting； what they are supposed to achieve ； who really needs to be there and how they should contribute. Yet meeting leaders are expected to learn all these on the job.
I thought the pandemic had made things worse. But Ms de Hauke makes a convincing argument that Zoom calls merely strengthen what was going on before. If a meeting was productive and cheerful before, it is probably better now. If it was wasteful and annoying, it is likely to be worse.
Still, a bad meeting is like a virus. By failing to produce good decisions it often requires another meeting to be held, then another and another. Luckily, there is no need for a vaccine (疫苗), just a bit more care and preparation, and an understanding that there is no shame in being taught how to lead a meeting well.
1. What does the passage focus on?| A．Why people hate meetings. |
| B．How Covid-19 affects meetings. |
| C．Recommending experienced meeting coaches. |
| D．Suggesting developing the skills of meeting running. |
| A．Meetings are poor and short. |
| B．Meetings are dull and fruitless. |
| C．Meetings make people less interested in work. |
| D．Meetings cause people to make wrong decisions. |
| A．Invite people to attend the meeting in advance. |
| B．Invest much money to run meetings successfully. |
| C．Set clear goals and make preparations for the meeting. |
| D．Make everybody present at the meeting learn some skills. |
| A．By comparison. | B．By classification. |
| C．By analying causes. | D．By listing examples. |
