1 . Imagine a world where you move around in front of a personal computer in your own sound space. You listen to your, favorite songs, play loud computer games or watch a movie - all without other people hearing the sound. That is the possibility presented by "sound beaming,'' a new technology from Noveto Systems, an Israeli company.
On Friday, the company debuted (首发) a desktop device that sends sound directly to a listener without the need for headphones or a special receiver. No veto Systems gave The Associated Press (AP) a chance to test its SoundBeamer 1.0 before its debut. The AP's Louise Dixon writes that listening to the device is like something from a science fiction movie. The sound seems so close that it feels like it is inside your cars while also in front, above and behind them.
Noveto expects the device will have many uses. Office workers could listen to music or conference calls without others hearing. People could play a game, a movie or music without waking up others in the same room. Because the device does not use headphones, it is possible to hear other sounds in the room clearly.
The device uses a 3-D technology that finds and follows the ear position of the listener. It sends ultrasonic (超声的) waves to create sound pockets by the user's cars. Sound can be heard in stereo or 3-D. The 3-D method creates sound on all sides of the listener, the company said.
The demo (样本) version of the device included nature videos of birds on a lake, bees flying and a quiet waterway. Most people trying the technology for the first time just say, 'Wow. I really don't believe it. It sounds like a speaker, but no one else can hear it ... it's supporting you and you're in the middle of everything. It's happening around you.”
By changing a setting, the sound can follow a listener around when they move their head. It is also possible to move out of the sound beam's path and hear nothing at all.
While the idea of sound beaming is not new, Noveto was the first to launch the technology. Its chief executive officer Christophe Ramstein said a “smaller" version of the device will be ready for release to consumers next year.
1. What does the Soundbeamer Product mainly feature?| A．Its various uses. |
| B．The application of 3-D technology. |
| C．An escape from other sounds around. |
| D．The absence of headphones for a listener. |
| A．Scientific. | B．Fashionable. |
| C．Lifelike. | D．Convenient. |
| A．Make sound pockets. | B．Enjoy natural scenes. |
| C．Play games with friends. | D．Produce a science fiction movie. |
| A．Its original idea. | B．Its present size. |
| C．Its positioning ability. | D．Its sound effect. |
2 . Every year on April 1, April Fools' Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. In France, it's called "Poisson d’Avril" or "Fish of April”. In Scotland, the holiday is often called "Gowkie Day". In Iraq, the holiday is called "Kithbet Neesan” or "April Lie".
History experts say people have celebrated April Fools’ Day for a long time. Some believe April Fools' Day comes from the ancient Romans more than two thousand years ago, which was a day of playing games and pretending to be someone else.
Others say the day for fooling began in France in 1564. when King Charles changed the yearly calendar. He moved New Year's Day from April 1 to January I Many people did not know about the change because of communication problems then. Some people continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people called them April Fools and played jokes on them.
In the United State, April Fools' Day is just a day of joking and playing tricks on friends. These kinds of jokes are also called pranks （恶 作 剧）.These jokes typically end in the prankster shouting “April Fools”!
Simple pranks, like telling a friend a funny lie or making prank phone calls, are still common. But major companies also get in on April Fools' Day in a much bigger way. A few years ago, on April 1, Starbucks announced it was introducing new coffee cup sizes-plenta and Micra. The very large cups, bigger than a human head, remained useful for customers even after finishing all that coffee. According to Starbucks, the cups could be used as a rain hat, a pot for plants, or a lampshade.
It did not take long for customers to catch on to the prank. More and more people use media or smartphone apps to play pranks on their friends on April Fools' Day. One very annoying smartphone app, Cat Facts, sends funny facts about cats to your friends5 phones every day.
1. Why did some French people keep the old New Year's Day?| A．They liked the old celebration. |
| B．They did not know the change. |
| C．They wanted to be different from others. |
| D．The king wanted to play plank on the people. |
| A．escape the stress of their work |
| B．find a chance to give children gifts |
| C．improve the friendship between them |
| D．have fun and play jokes on others |
| A．Join in | B．give away |
| C．stick to | D．break away from |
| A．To introduce a new festival. |
| B．To tell a story on April Fools' Day. |
| C．To introduce April Fools' Day. |
| D．To explain the misunderstanding of April Fools' Day. |
3 . When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied （欺凌）at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.
But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy 1 shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received, I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.
Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.
After surviving the terrible experiences at school and at home, 1 made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.
Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone's life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.
1. What was the author's life like when he was 12?| A．Boring. | B．Peaceful. | C．Joyful. | D．Unhappy. |
| A．It helped him find the goal of life. |
| B．It made him energetic in his life. |
| C．It helped to shape his dream career. |
| D．It helped him understand others' lives better. |
| A．he was inspired by his teacher. |
| B．he found he had a talent for writing. |
| C．he could pass positive energy to readers. |
| D．he wanted to share his teenage experiences. |
| A．Say 'no' to bullies bravely. |
| B．Make positive changes in our lives. |
| C．Treat others with kindness in daily life. |
| D．Learn to care more about others' feelings. |
4 . Family-friendly walks
PADLEY GORGE
Next to Grindleford Station, eight miles north of Bakewell, lies Padley Gorge. Trails are kept as natural as possible---it's more a case of finding the gaps in the woods than following a path.
LONGSHAW ESTATE
The 1.7-mile walking route around this National Trust estate skirts the upper end of Padley Gorge. People love the stepping stones, but Longshaw is mostly all about the giant fallen trees, left in place for little hands and feet to delightfully climb over.
HIGGER TOR
A pile of giant rocks dominates Higger Tor, the best of several lookouts along the Ringinglow Road between Hathersage and Sheffield. Walk through the nearby fields, then let the kids climb over hundreds of strangely smooth grey stones. The views out over the Hope Valley are great and impressive, and the rock pools in Burbage Brook are perfect for rowing in.
STANAGE EDGE
Popular with rock climbers, this stone cliff marks the boundary of the mysterious land of the Dark Peak cliff and the grass-covered flat land of White Peak. It's a six mile circular walk from Hathersage. Alternatively, park at the Hollin Bank Car Park and climb half a mile to the top, out of breath.
CHATSWORTH ESTATE
A three-mile circle from Calton Lees Car Park takes in a ruined factory, the pretty village of Edensor and views of Chatsworth House. Appreciate the stretch along the River Derwent---deer often hang out there.
1. Whom is the text intended for?| A．Friends. | B．Farmers. |
| C．Families. | D．Climbers. |
| A．HIGGER TOR and STANAGE EDGE. |
| B．LONGSHAW ESTATE and HIGGER TOR. |
| C．PADLEY GORGE and LONGSHAW ESTATE. |
| D．STANAGE EDGE and CHATSWORTH ESTATE. |
| A．PADLEY GORGE. | B．LONGSHAW ESTATE. |
| C．STANAGE EDGE. | D．CHATSWORTH ESTATE. |
5 . 4 World Heritage (遗产)Sites in China
The Temple of Heaven
Located in the southern part of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven is a magnificent complex (综合建筑群) of fine cultural buildings set in gardens. The sacred (神圣的) place served as a complex of sacrificial (献祭的) buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, and is the largest one in Beijing among several royal altars (神坛) to Heaven, Earth, the Sun , the Moon and other symbolic forces of nature. It symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven --- the human world and God’s world --- which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony (宇宙进化论).
Mogao Caves
Located on south-east of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu province, the Mogao caves, also known as the Thousand-Buddha Caves, are the world’s largest and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art. According to historical records, the carving of the caves started in 366 AD and continued for about 1000 years. The 492 well-preserved cells and cave sanctuaries (内殿)in Mogao, housing about 45000 square meters of murals (壁画)and more than 2000 painted sculptures (雕塑), are well-known for their statues (雕像)and wall paintings.
Fujian tulou
Fujian tulou consists of (is made up of) 46 buildings constructed (built) between the 15th and 20th centuries. Several stories high, the earthen houses were built along an inward-looking , circular(圆形的) or square floor plan as housing for up to 800 people each. They were built for defense(防御) purposes around a central open courtyard (庭院)with only one entrance and windows to the outside only above the first floor. Housing a whole clan (家族), the houses functioned as village units and were known as “ a little kingdom for the family”.
The Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha is said to be the biggest Buddha statue in the world. The way in which the cultural features (特色) have been integrated (成为一体)with the natural scenery is considered to be a precious legacy (遗产).The Giant Buddha statue, carved on the mountain, stands 71m high, with its back against Mount Jiuding. There are more than 90 stone carvings and Buddha shrines (神坛)on both sides of the Giant Buddha.
1. Which of the following served as a sacrificial place in the past ?| A．Fujian tulou. | B．Mogao. |
| C．The Temple of Heaven. | D．The Leshan Giant Buddha. |
| A．They are several stories high. |
| B．They can hold hundreds of people. |
| C．They have windows on the first floor. |
| D．They have only one access to the outside. |
| A．They were both royal places. | B．They were both found in caves. |
| C．They are both religious resorts (名胜). | D．They both have historic murals. |
6 . A books-for-food program in Guatemala is helping feed needy children as hunger rates rise during the pandemic(疫情). It is run by a local nonprofit organization that aims to feed nearly 400 children.
The program is simple. People choose a book they want from a list of donated titles, and in return give bags of Incaparina, a high-protein drink mix. Bonifaz Diaz works for the program. By bringing the books-for-food program directly to people's homes, Diaz makes sure donations keep flowing. He has traveled more than 2,000 kilometers on his bicycle, delivered loads of books and carried back thousands of kilograms of Incaparina for the nonprofit group 32 Volcanoes. Diaz sometimes pulls a small cart that helps him carry up to 57 kilograms of product. He has traveled as far as 60 kilometers for a delivery to a town in the Western Highlands, where road conditions are poor.
Nearly a year into the books-for-food program, two more cyclists have joined Diaz and donations keep flowing in. Ana Castillo is a 29-year-old high school teacher who recently received the sociology book from Diaz. She donates to the program often. The 1.8 kilograms of Incaparina she provided will help one family eat for a month.
Castillo looks forward to choosing her books from the titles Diaz posts on social media. She also loves the feeling of a "growing circle" of giving and receiving. "You might not get to those places, but your help can. "she says.
Diaz says he plans to continue cycling against hunger as long as the need exists. He has faced his own economic difficulties since the theater company he co-founded closed last spring. But the program has kept him active. "It's an opportunity to serve in which we all benefit. "Diaz said.
1. What is the purpose of the program?| A．To serve the readers. |
| B．To produce Incaparina. |
| C．To offer poor children food. |
| D．To fight the pandemic. |
| A．He set up a social media. |
| B．He made donations frequently. |
| C．He rented a cart to carry goods. |
| D．He traveled to deliver books and food. |
| A．More people are involved in it. |
| B．Only two cyclists work for it. |
| C．Over 400 adults benefit from it. |
| D．Financial difficulties put it to an end. |
| A．Indifferent. |
| B．Supportive. |
| C．Tolerant. |
| D．Unwilling |
7 . Whales are big, but why aren't they even bigger? A new study says the key factor is how many calories they can take in. Researchers came to this conclusion after using small boats to chase down 300 whales of various species around the world. They reached out with long poles to attach sensors (传感器) to the creatures, allowing them to record what whales were doing as they dived for food.
The study included 90 blue whales, the biggest animals ever to live. Size estimates vary, but they can grow to about 100 feet long and weigh more than 100 tons, according to the American Cetacean Society. The research also included sperm whales, the biggest whales with teeth; they can grow to about 60 feet in length.
Toothed whales hunt their prey (猎物) one at a time, seeking them out in the dark depths with a sonar-like detection. But as their body size increases, their hunting style becomes progressively less efficient — they take in fewer calories from their meals than the number they burn in each dive. That's a result of the limited availability of prey.
Blue whales grow bigger because they feed in a much different and more efficient way, the researchers reported. They open their mouths wide to take in an enormous volume of water — even bigger than their body size — as they swim along. They then close their mouths and strain the water out through a sieve-like filter (过滤器), trapping huge numbers of tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill. That "allows them to take advantage of a very large prey resource that's very rich in a small amount of time," said Jeremy Goldbogen of Stanford University, another member of the research team. "They get a huge bang for the buck."
So why aren't they even bigger than they are? Perhaps blue whales are limited by the seasonal nature of the most nutritious krill patches, which grow huge and dense in the summer," Goldbogen said. "And calculations indicate that to sustain a blue whale that's 115 feet long, you'd need a density of prey that is just not seen anywhere in the world."
1. How did researchers conduct the study?| A．By detecting whales with poles. | B．By tracking whales with devices. |
| C．By filming whales' preying on boats. | D．By recording whales' sound from sensors. |
| A．They can grow to about 100 feet long. |
| B．They seek prey in the shallow waters. |
| C．They hunt less efficiently as they grow older. |
| D．They dive consuming more calories as they grow bigger. |
| A．Blue whales have big mouths. |
| B．Blue whales hunt in the deep sea. |
| C．Blue whales eat more varieties of foods. |
| D．Blue whales hunt for food more efficiently. |
| A．Preying takes more time than before. |
| B．Preying becomes easier than expected. |
| C．Whales get a greater harvest from preying. |
| D．Whales consume more calories than they obtain. |
8 . In the 1994 film Forrest Gump, there's a famous saying, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. The surprise is part of the fun. Now blind box toys（盲盒)are bringing the magic of surprise to online shopping.
A blind box toy is hidden inside similar boxes but invisible from the outside. You don't know what will be inside, although the toys typically come from pop culture, ranging from movies to comics and cartoons.
Blind boxes have become popular since they were first introduced from Japan to China in 2014. According to a 2019 Tmall report, the mini-series of Labubu blind box designed by Hong Kong-born Kasing Lung, was named Champion of Unit Sales with 55, 000 sold in just 9 seconds during the Singles Day shopping event. Most customers for blind boxes are young people aged 18 to 35.
According to The Paper, blind box toys are popular in part because of their cute appearances. The typically cute cartoon figures(人物)come in small sizes, making them suitable for display almost anywhere.
Even if blind boxes are not their top choice for decorations, the mystery and uncertainty of the process also attracts people. It's the main reason why people buy blind boxes one after another.
"Expecting the unknown is always a part of the box-opening process," said Miss Cao, 24, who lives and works in Shenyang. Speaking to Sina News, she said: "Until you open all the boxes, you cannot know what it is inside."
Opening a blind box is a delightful little surprise for our mundane daily lives, something small but fun to wait for each day, week or month. When people open this simple little box, they may be disappointed, but the uncertainty is part of the fun. People will open more blind boxes and hope for a better outcome.
When someone re-makes Forrest Gump, don't be surprised if he says, "Life is like a blind box."
1. What do we know about blind boxes?| A．They may bring surprise to our life. | B．They are visible from the outside. |
| C．They are popular among all ages. | D．They were first designed in 2014. |
| A．Because blind boxes are fashionable gifts. |
| B．Because blind boxes are educational gifts. |
| C．Because people enjoy box-opening process. |
| D．Because people prefer the colorful boxes. |
| A．Wonderful | B．Interesting | C．Amazing. | D．Boring. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. | C．A novel. | D．A guidebook. |
9 . A few years ago, my sister-in-law started to feel concerned about her teenage daughter. What was she doing after school? Where was she spending her time? My niece was an excellent student, and took part in all kinds of after-class activities. Even so, her mom decided to put a tracking app(跟踪应用程序)on the kid's phone.
At first, this made my sister-in-law “feel better”. Then the good situation suddenly ended. She recalled, “I found out that she was someplace that she said she wasn't. I went out in the middle of the night and found her walking without shoes in the middle of the street with some friends. " Things went quickly downhill for the mother and the daughter after that.
With 73 % of teens having their own smart phones now, according to a 2015 Pew study, more and more of their parents are facing the question: To watch or not ?
Ana Homayoun, founder of Green Ivy Educational Consulting, has advised many parents and their kids about this. "I've found teens are more acceptable to tracking apps when it is included as part of a family agreement to improve safety than when it is placed as a secret tool to watch them,“ she said.
Mark Bell, a father of a teenage girl, said, “We don't have tracking apps, but we have set some ground rules that my daughter must follow in exchange for us providing a smart phone,“ he said. For example, his daughter must “friend“ him on social media so that he can read posts, and must share all passwords.
When you're trying to build trust, you need to create an environment that encourages it. So, to win their trust, you always need to be straight with your children. "Parents must let children know how and when they'll be watching them,“ said Doctor Pauleh Weigle. If they're not open about it, he warns, it can “greatly damage the parent and child relationship”.
1. Why is the author's sister-in-law and her daughter referred to in the first two paragraphs?| A．The author wants to give an example of the failure use of the tracking app. |
| B．The author wants to introduce he had more communication with her daughter. |
| C．The author wants to say that she wasn't worried about her daughter any more. |
| D．The author wants to express he felt good with knowing more about her daughter's activities. |
| A．They doubt family agreements. |
| B．They dislike being watched secretly. |
| C．They are worried about online safety. |
| D．They welcome the use of tracking apps. |
| A．To show how to use smart phone safely. |
| B．To teach how to put tracking app on phones. |
| C．To give some suggestions on how to make children accept it. |
| D．To tell the importance of being children's friends instead of tracking. |
| A．Check the kid's phone. |
| B．Teach the kid how to use it. |
| C．Advise the kid to use his phone less. |
| D．Discuss with the kids and have an agreement with them. |
10 . There are some special traditions in Hawaii. People are very friendly and always welcome visitors. They give visitors a lei, a long necklace of beautiful fresh flowers. Men wear bright flowered shirts, and women often wear long flowered dresses. There are traditional Chinese, Japanese and Filipino holidays and all the holidays from the United States. They call Hawaii the Aloha State. Aloha means both hello and goodbye. It also means “I love you”.
Usually when people from different countries, races and traditions live together, there are serious problems. There are so many people living in Hawaii, but in general, people have learned to live together in peace.
Hawaiians get most of their money from visitors, and most of the visitors come from the mainland and from Japan. There are so many people living in Hawaii now that there are residential areas(住宅区) where there used to be farms. Some of the big sugar and pineapple companies have moved to the Philippines, where they do not have to pay workers as much money. The families of the first people who came from the U.S. mainland own the important banks and companies. Japanese are also buying or sharing businesses here.
1. The author wants to show that_________.| A．all the people in the world have to go to Hawaii |
| B．it is possible to learn to live together in peace |
| C．it is not possible to live together in peace |
| D．Hawaii is the only place where there is peace |
| A．Modem industry | B．The bank | C．The airline | D．Tourist trade |
| A．Hawaii, the Aloha State | B．The Businesses of Hawaii |
| C．The Flowers of Hawaii | D．The Problems of Hawaii |
