1 . I grew up in an age when I had to wait for almost everything. Classic movies were shown on television. And, of course, one had to be home at the appointed time to watch them. “The Wizard of Oz” for example, was broadcast only once a year. The steadily heightening sense of expectation as the broadcast date approached was almost too much for my 10-year-old heart to bear.
And then there was money. The banks did business on weekdays only. They opened at 9 and closed at 4. You needed money but didn't make it to the bank on time? Well, check under the sofa cushions or borrow from family or friends.
Such was the world as recently as the 1970s. Everything seemed to operate on a strict clock, and the words “on demand” had no meaning. This was the way things worked, and it was all we knew.
And then, seemingly overnight, everything changed. It suddenly seemed as if I never had to be anywhere at an appointed time, because everything was available all the time. The changed times, on the other hand, have encouraged nothing less than a constant sense of urgency, which is ironic (讽刺性的): If we can have anything we want anytime we want it, should’t we be less hurried? The answer is that an “on demand” lifestyle has created an appetite for speed: If I can have something this fast, why can’t I have it faster? Recently I read a book that has “FSTR” (get it?) written across its cover. One of its metaphors (隐喻) was telling: First there was the fresh-squeezed lemon； then there was the lemonade mix; now we just buy the lemonade by the gallon (加仑).
And so, on this hot day, I went to the supermarket and bought three fresh lemons. I squeezed them into a tall glass. Then I filled the glass with cold water, ice, and a teaspoon of sugar. Fresh lemonade in hand, I went outside, sat in my lawn chair, and looked out over the river.
Yes, time passes quickly. But, now and then, it doesn’t have to.
1. How did the young author feel about watching The Wizard of Oz?| A．Surprised. | B．Excited. | C．Touched. | D．Worried. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Optimistic. | C．Opposing. | D．Cautious. |
| A．His enjoyment of spending a lazy day at home. |
| B．His disapproval of the demands of a hurried age. |
| C．His satisfaction of making use of modern technology. |
| D．His disappointment at the lemonade in the supermarket. |
| A．We waited, and it was worth it |
| B．We worry, but it makes no sense |
| C．Why does time pass quickly now? |
| D．How do we balance speed and happiness? |
2 . Rocky was a 65-pound dog. Rita was his eleven-year old owner. When Rocky was given to her, Rita immediately liked him. Whenever she was not in school,the two were always together and within touching distance. The family would lovingly call the pair “R and R”.
But Rocky had one shortcoming. He feared water very much because of a terrible experience. When he was at the age of seven weeks long before he met Rita,he was nearly drowned by a naughty boy who had been blamed by his father.
One late afternoon, Rita's mother took R and R to a shopping area near a lake. Rita was running along the wooden bridge over the water,enjoying the beautiful scenery around. Suddenly a boy on a bicycle hit Rita. She let out a cry of pain and fell into the lake.
Rita's mother was at the entrance of a store not far away. She rushed to the lake shouting for help. Rocky seemed to forget his fear and jumped into the water to save his owner. Rocky immediately swam to Rita and held her by the shoulder's clothes with his mouth. Rita's face was quickly out of the water and she could cough.Luckily,the water was calm,they were not far from the bank,and Rocky finally reached a depth where his feet were on solid ground. He pulled Rita hard until her head was completely out of the water, and then he stood beside her, licking (舔) her face.
Rita and her family firmly believed that it was only the big dog's love for the little girl that caused him to take action that might be life-dangerous.
1. From the text, we know __________.| A．Rita was once blamed |
| B．Rocky was eleven years old |
| C．Rita spent her spare time with Rocky |
| D．Rocky lived in Rita's home since his birth |
| A．Brave. | B．Honest. | C．Unkind. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．At noon. | B．At night. | C．In the morning. | D．In the afternoon. |
① Rocky came into Rita's life.② Rocky was nearly drowned.
③They were playing near the lake. ④ Rocky saved Rita from the water.
| A．①②④③ | B．②①③④ | C．③①②④ | D．④③②① |
3 . With over 4. 1 billion people, or around 55 percent of the world’s population, living in urban areas, cities and towns worldwide are getting increasingly congested. In addition to spending many hours stuck in traffic, residents are also exposed to high air pollution levels caused by transportation emissions. Now, Saudi Arabia hopes to revolutionize urban living with “The Line”— a city designed around nature, without cars and roads!
“The Line” is designed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Located in NEOM — a 10,000-square-mile high-tech planned development on the Red Sea coast in the northwestern Saudi province of Tabu — The Line will be the cornerstone of MBS s Saudi Vision 2030. The plan aims to diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-dependent economy into other sectors, like tourism, and create exciting job opportunities for its citizens.
The 105-mile-long city, expected to cost between $100 billion and $200 billion, will be built along a straight line and is made up of several self-sustaining communities. To ensure all services are within a short, five-minute walk, each community will feature a three-layer infrastructure (基础设施).
The top “pedestrian layer” will be void of cars and roads, allowing residents to freely walk and bike in the surrounding green spaces. The second “service layer”, will include all essential daily services, such as schools, leisure facilities and grocery stores. The third “spine layer” will house high-speed subway and autonomous vehicles capable of transporting residents across communities in less than 20 minutes. The entire city will be powered with renewable clean energy sources such as solar and wind, and possibly even hydrogen.
If all goes according to plan t construction of this complex project will start before the 1st quarter of 2021. In addition to providing up to a million residents with a clean and stress-free living environment, The Line is expected to create 380,000 new jobs, start economic diversification, and contribute an astounding $ 48 billion to Saudi Arabia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. More importantly, MBS believes it will provide governments worldwide a “blueprint for how people and planet can co-exist in harmony.”
1. We can infer that “The Line” will be_________.| A．temporary | B．primitive | C．eco-friendly | D．conventional |
| A．Low crime rates. | B．High unemployment. |
| C．Super communities. | D．Diverse economic sectors. |
| A．Medical clinics. | B．Bus stops. |
| C．Underground trains. | D．Cycling lanes. |
| A．Saudi Arabia Has Created A Green City With No Cars Or Streets |
| B．“The Line” Will Be The Cornerstone Of MBS's Saudi Vision 2030 |
| C．“The Line”— Blueprint Of People And Animals Co-existing In Harmony |
| D．Saudi Arabia Announces “The Line”— A Low Carbon City Without Cars |
4 . When was the last time something important slipped your mind？Maybe it was the answer to a test question，the name of an acquaintance or where you left your keys. Fortunately，memory can be improved so they won’t happen that often. People’s memory has much to do with training and practice. Applying effective means will help improve your memory so that you can access everything you learn whenever you need it.
When students want to prepare for a test，they often try to study by simply reading over the material again，copying notes，etc. But these methods of remembering are not always helpful. People remember more when actively taking part in their learning rather than passively receiving it.
One great way to do this is to test yourself on the material. Come up with questions about the topic，and try to answer them without looking at your notes. It also helps to try to summarize the material in different ways. You could diagram the information，or you could write your own outline. The more you use the information，the more likely you are to remember it.
When I was 8，I began learning to play the flute(长笛)，and my music instructor said that it’s better to practice for five minutes a day，seven days a week，than for two hours on one day. The same goes for remembering information. The more you spread out the time you spend reviewing information，the more likely you are to remember it.
A psychologist named Hermann Ebbinghaus made an important discovery about memory and forgetting. He found that people tend to forget information in a regular pattern. They forget the most information shortly after learning it. The rate at which they forget then slows down over time. Every time people review the information，it causes them to forget less of it-which means they remember more. So it is vital to review things you want to remember shortly after learning them. Over time，you can review them less and less frequently.
1. What would happen if something slipped your mind?| A．You let your mind wander. |
| B．You think of the answer to a question. |
| C．You fail to remember certain information. |
| D．You keep a person’s name in mind. |
| A．By making a comparison. |
| B．By giving a summary. |
| C．By conducting experiments. |
| D．By offering examples. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Repeated revision is important. |
| C．It’s vital to insist on what you are fond of. |
| D．Efforts play a key part in learning. |
| A．An explanation of Ebbinghaus’s theory. |
| B．A description of the learning process. |
| C．The approaches to improving memory. |
| D．The relationship between time and memory. |
5 . An artist in Oakland, California is using his skills to help the homeless. Greg Kloehn builds very small shelters that make life on the streets a little more comfortable. The structures offer the homeless some safety and protection from bad weather. Each little house also has wheels on the bottom so it can go wherever its owner goes.
Greg Kloehn has given away at least 20 tiny houses. Several are on the roadside near an active railroad. On a recent day, Mr.Kloehn stops at one to visit Oscar Young. The two men hug. Inside his little shelter Mr.Young gets relief from cold nights on the streets. Mr.Kloehn also visits SweetPea, another friend who also lives in one of the little homes the artist built. She says it keeps her safe and protects her belongings.
In the mornings, Mr. Kloehn searches the streets for building materials. He gathers what he can and takes it to his studio. There, he puts the houses together. Empty coffee bags become roof material. A washing machine door and refrigerator part become windows. Nails,screws and the sticky glue hold all the pieces together. The artist also attaches a small electrical device to the house. The device is powered by the sun.
Some of the people living on the streets once had normal houses of their own. But some of the people say they have learned to live with less and they are thankful to that man.
Mr.Kloehn says his work is not a social project. He says he is just someone using his skills to help his homeless neighbors.
1. The following are the advantages of the small shelters EXCEPT ________.| A．saving power and energy |
| B．protecting possessions of the homeless |
| C．decorating the streets where they are |
| D．keeping the homeless safe and comfortable |
| A．Greg Kloehn has sold at least 20 tiny houses |
| B．an act of kindness has made people simple and grateful |
| C．the shelters are immovable |
| D．the government has got involved in the action |
| A．an official report |
| B．an art review |
| C．a science magazine |
| D．a news report |
| A．An artist creates homes for the homeless. |
| B．A more comfortable shelter on the streets. |
| C．A successful social project in Oakland. |
| D．An artist makes a living by designing small shelters. |
6 . Recycling Electronic Waste
When Alex Lin was 11 years old, he read an alarming article in the newspaper which said that people were burying old computers in backyards, throwing TVs into streams, and dumping (丢弃) cell phones in the garbage. This was dangerous because e-waste contains harmful chemicals that can leak into the environment, getting into crops, animals, water supplies—and people.
Alex was really worried and decided to make it next project for WIN—the Westerly Innovations Network. Alex and six of his friends had formed this organization to help solve community problems two years before.
But what could they do about this project with e-waste? The team spent several weeks gathering information about the harmful chemicals in e-waste and their effects on humans. They learned how to dispose (处置) of e-waste properly and how it could be recycled. Then, they sent out a survey and found only one in eight knew what e-waste was, let alone how to properly dispose of it.
Alex and his friends went into action. They advertised in the local newspaper and distributed notices to students, asking residents to bring their unwanted electronics to the school parking lot. The drive lasted two days, and they collected over 9, 500 kilograms of e-waste.
The next step was to set up a long-term e-waste drop-off center for the town. After some research, they’d learned that reusing is the best way to deal with electronic devices and it is seven times more efficient than recycling. So, they began learning to refurbish (翻新) computers themselves and distributed them to students who didn’t have their own. In this way, they could help students in the area and protect the environment at the same time.
For a lasting solution to e-waste, the drop-off center wasn’t enough. Laws would have to be passed. In 2016, WIN helped push for an e-waste bill in their town, which required companies that manufactured or sold electronics to take back e-waste. The bill clearly forbids the dumping of e-waste.
Because of the work of WIN, more and more people, like Alex and his team, are getting the message about safe disposal of e-waste. As Alex says, “Today’s technology should not become tomorrow’s harmful garbage.”
1. What was Alex’s worry after he read the article?| A．The littering of e-waste. | B．The recycling of plastic. |
| C．The change of environment. | D．The overuse of old computers. |
| A．Set up WIN. | B．Collect information. |
| C．Ask friends for help. | D．Carry out a survey. |
| A．Traditional. | B．Competitive. |
| C．Scientific. | D．Convenient. |
| A．There is no end to perfection. |
| B．Success comes through failure. |
| C．Every positive attitude has a reward. |
| D．Young people can make a big difference. |
7 . Facebook's recent acknowledgment that social media may be making its users feel bad in some cases is a significant milestone. So far, the technology industry hardly has talked about the downsides of their products.
Academic research in a Facebook blog post in December documented that when people spend a lot of time passively consuming information, they feel worse. For example, clicking or liking too many links and posts can have a negative effect on mental health. Some researchers also believe that reading rosy stones about others leads to negative comparisons about one's life and that being online too much reduces in-person socializing. Social media may well be making many of us unhappy, jealous and anti-social. Although Facebook said that, as a result of the assessments, it would make some changes to its platform. It also highlighted some of the benefits of using the social network. It explained that “sharing messages, posts and comments with close friends and recalling about past interactions” can make people feel better. “The research and other academic literature suggest that it’s how you use social media that matters when it comes to your well-being,” Facebook said.
But that approach doesn’t seem to be an effective solution for those who can’t pull themselves away from such platforms. The Pew Research Center estimates that 24 percent of teens go online “almost constantly”. It is becoming a matter of addiction.
We need to be aware of what we are up against. Remember when we would just pick up the phone and call someone rather than email them and create greater misunderstandings. This may be an old-fashioned choice, but the right one. And maybe we should just turn away from our screens sometimes and meet our friends and family in person.
1. Why is Facebook’s acknowledgement considered as a milestone?| A．The acknowledgement has drawn a wide public attention. |
| B．Facebook has come to admit their products' negative effects. |
| C．The technology industry has made progress in mass production. |
| D．The technology industry have never brought bad feelings to users. |
| A．Socializing in person. |
| B．Reading others’ rosy stories. |
| C．Liking your friends’ links and posts. |
| D．Sharing messages with close friends. |
| A．Subjective. |
| B．Approval. |
| C．Acceptable. |
| D．Unsatisfied. |
| A．How to Use Social Media |
| B．Acknowledgement from Facebook |
| C．Off Screens Whether Change Or Not |
| D．Gap Between Real Life and Network. Life |
8 . The way you learn most effectively will impact many different aspects of your life. Visual learners process information best when it’s presented with images drawn on a whiteboard, charts or graphs. Visual learners usually process pictures before they read printed text and are also able to visualize concepts quickly. People who are visual learners prefer when instructions are printed rather than given verbally (口头地), and may often write or draw when conceptualizing (构思、将……概念化) or attempting to make sense of a new topic. Many visual learners remember something better once they’ve written it down or drawn it out.
Auditory (听觉的) learners process information best when it’s said out loud, such as in a lecture setting or spoken presentation. These types of learners can easily recall what others say and prefer to talk through topics they find complex or difficult to understand. People who are auditory learners prefer verbal directions and may use repetition or repeat things aloud to memorize. They may ask questions to understand the subject matter better and may need to hear something repeated more than once before they fully comprehend. Auditory learners also often benefit from listening to recordings as a method of absorbing new concepts.
Kinesthetic (动觉的) learners process information through experience rather than by being shown or told. These types of learners prefer to do things that are more “hands-on.” They prefer to touch and feel items and can easily recall things they’ve done. People who are kinesthetic learners like to make and create things using their hands, and remember information best when they are physically involved. Kinesthetic learners like to participate in the process by shadowing or assisting, and prefer to practice or rehearse concepts as a way to absorb new information.
Take time to consider how you prefer to lake in new information. Think about the last time how you worked to ensure you retained the information? The answer to these questions will help you discover which learning styles work best for you.
1. What do visual learners do to form an idea in mind?| A．Visualize or read. |
| B．Process or present. |
| C．Recall or speak. |
| D．Write or draw. |
| A．Visual learners. |
| B．Auditory learners. |
| C．Kinesthetic learners. |
| D．Lifelong learners. |
| A．Reflect perfectly. |
| B．Watch closely. |
| C．Memorize carefully. |
| D．Inquire constantly. |
| A．To help readers explore learning styles. |
| B．To introduce effective learning methods. |
| C．To arouse readers’ curiosity about learning. |
| D．To inform a new scientific study about learning. |
9 . An Indian official and his wife were giving a large dinner party. Their guests including a visiting American naturalist were seated in their dining room with wide glass doors opening onto a veranda （阳台）. A spirited discussion sprung up between a young girl who insisted that women had outgrown the jumping—on—a—chair —at—the—sight—of—a—mouse era and a man who said that she hadn't as much courage as a man.
The American watched the other guests' reactions towards the topic and saw a strange expression on the face of the hostess. Her muscles contracted slightly and whispered to the servant standing behind her chair. The servant left the room quickly and then placed a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors. The American remembered that milk in a bowl means only one thing—bait （诱饵）for a snake in India. He realized there must be a snake in the room and any move could cause the snake to attack.
"Now let's play a game! I'll count three hundred and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit（被没收）fifty rupees（卢布）. Ready!" The American said. Then the people sat like stone images."…two hundred and eighty …" when, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the snake emerge and made for the bowl of milk. Screams rang out as he jumped to shut the veranda doors safely.
"You’re a brave man!" the host exclaimed. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect control." "Just a minute," the American said, turning to his hostess, "Mrs Wynne, how did you know the snake was in the room?"
A faint smile lighted up the woman's face as she replied, "Because it was crawling across my foot. "
1. Why did the servant put a bowl of milk on the veranda?| A．To attract the snake there. |
| B．To feed other snakes outside. |
| C．To relax the guests off nerves. |
| D．To interrupt the heated discussion. |
| A．Smart and calm. |
| B．Creative and critical. |
| C．Friendly and humorous. |
| D．Environmentally— friendly and serious. |
| A．The girl. |
| B．The American. |
| C．The hostess. |
| D．The man mentioned in the first paragraph. |
| A．The American thought out a game for fun. |
| B．The guests knew the fact and remained still. |
| C．The hostess was to blame for the dangerous incident. |
| D．The discussing man would feel sorry for his comments. |
10 . A woman held her phone tightly to her heart the way a church-goer might hold a Bible. She was anxious to take a picture of an impressive bunch of flowers that sat not so far away, but first she had to get through a crowd of others pushing their way to do the same. The cause of this was Bouquets to Art, one of the most popular events at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Flower sellers were asked to create flower arrangements that respond to pieces of art on display, from ancient carvings to contemporary sculptures. It’s extremely attractive and also memorable, to the point that it has become a problem.
In recent years, the de Young received more than a thousand complaints from people who felt that cell phones had spoiled their experience of the exhibit. Institutions of fine art around the world face similar problems as the desire to take photographs becomes a huge attraction for museums, as well as something that upsets some of their patrons (资助人). So the de Young responded with a kind of compromise:carving out “photo free” hours during the exhibition’s six-day run.
One common complaint about the effect of social media on museum culture is that people seem to be missing out on experiences because they are so busy collecting evidence of them. A study recently published in the journal Psychological Science suggests there is some truth to this. It finds that people who keep taking photos of an exhibit and posting them on social media rather than simply observing it, have a hard time remembering what they see. But the issue is complex for the professionals running museums. Linda Butler, the de Young’s head of marketing and visitor experience, acknowledges that not everyone wants a museum to be“a photo-taking playland”. Yet a lot of people do and she believes that the de Young is in no position to judge one reason for buying a $ 28 ticket to be more valid than another. “If we removed social media and photography,” she says. “We would risk becoming irrelevant.”
1. What was the woman eager to do according to Paragraph 1?| A．To get her phone. | B．To escape the crowd. |
| C．To take a photo. | D．To push ahead. |
| A．By setting periods without photo-taking. |
| B．By making the exhibition free of charge. |
| C．By compromising with the government. |
| D．By extending the free exhibition hours. |
| A．uncover the truth | B．cause irrelevancy |
| C．bring more pleasure | D．play a negative role |
| A．Reducing admission prices. |
| B．Catering to visitors. |
| C．Reserving judgement in public. |
| D．Banning social media and photography. |
