1 . My 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, came home from school yesterday, proudly waving her grade book to me. She had been awarded A-1 in most subjects such as mathematics, language arts and science—a great achievement! Then she sadly pointed out that her perfect score was damaged by a B-1 in French and a C-1 in Physical Education.
I asked her what the scores meant. She said that the letter showed the achievement(成绩) and the number showed the effort. That moment I realized that the grades were misleading. I reached out my hands and gave her a big hug and told her in my mind she had a perfect score. It didn’t matter that her grade in French was a “B”—the “l” showed that she had tried her best. That is something to make any parent proud.
Everybody is different. Everybody has different potential(潜能). Not all of us will become linguists(语言学家) or sports stars. But without 100％effort no potential can be achieved. If I see a salesperson fail at sales, the first thing I want to examine is the effort being put in. If there is a problem with effort, the salesperson has no future. But if I see a salesperson isn’t successful with l00％effort, he or she is worth my effort in helping. Maybe a bit of training or some advice from a more successful person will help. I know that 100％effort, focus in the right direction, will always bring a result whether that is an “A” or a “C”. As long as you make 100％effort, you are great.
1. The author’s daughter was weak in _______.| A．maths. | B．science. | C．chemistry. | D．physical education. |
| A．High grades make parents proud. |
| B．Grades are important to children. |
| C．People hold a wrong idea of grades. |
| D．High grades show great achievements. |
| A．will give him training. |
| B．is willing to offer help. |
| C．will find an easy way for him. |
| D．may think he has no future. |
| A．trying his or her best. |
| B．achieving good grades. |
| C．having different potential. |
| D．giving other people useful advice. |
2 . What should I eat for breakfast? Who should I go out with on weekends? What should I do if I miss the bus to school? What colleges should I apply for? Again and again Chinese kids ask these questions to their teachers and parents. They can't make their own choices.
Kids in America would be very surprised to hear how much Chinese children depend on adults.When they are ten years old, kids decide what clothes they want to wear and buy.By twelve they know what classes to take for middle school.Thirteen years old is the beginning of being what Americans call a “teenager”.Now the child makes almost all his/her decisions — what to do after school;who are his/her friends, sometimes even when to come home at night. Finally at sixteen the kid usually gets a car from his/her parents. Now he or she can come and go when he/she likes.The only rule is when they come home at night.
Why should kids be independent? Think about it. After high school most of us will be by ourselves. Will our parents be able to tell us what to eat for breakfast in college? Can our teachers decide what we should do at work?
Making our own choices can be quite hard and scary. But we can start with making small choices,and then slowly make bigger and more important choices. Before we know it we will become independent, confident and able to make our own decisions! And we will have a lot more fun!
1. The first paragraph tries to tell the readers ________.| A．Chinese kids don't know what to do |
| B．Chinese kids always have many questions |
| C．Chinese kids believe in their teachers and parents |
| D．Chinese kids depend on adults very much |
| A．Ten. | B．Eleven. |
| C．Twelve. | D．Thirteen. |
| A．Generally, American kids are more independent than their Chinese fellows. |
| B．Chinese kids will more easily adapt (适应) themselves to society. |
| C．American parents don't care for their children. |
| D．A seventeen American young can do what he likes. |
| A．dependence on adults is shameful in China |
| B．independence from adults is worth encouraging |
| C．kids have no ability to make a real choice |
| D．making decisions is rather easy |
3 . The structure of DNA plays an important role in medicine and biology. But you may not know that its founder is a female scientist and goes through a lot on her way to make scientific research. Rosalind Franklin was born in London, England on July 25, 1920. On April 16, 1958, at age 38, she died from cancer. Franklin was responsible for much of the research and discovery work that led to the understanding of the structure of DNA.
Franklin was interested in science and attended one of the few girls' schools in London that taught physics and chemistry. When she was 15, she decided to become a scientist. Her father was decidedly against higher education for women and wanted her to be a social worker. Franklin's aunt decided to support her and she agreed to pay for her full schooling. Within weeks, Franklin's aunt got her mother to support her going to college also. Months later, Franklin's aunt and mother got her father to agree with it. Franklin was very excited that she was going to college and did a good job in her study.
After her graduation from college, Franklin started her research on DNA. However, there were so many quarrels in her life because Franklin and her research partner did not get along. Franklin and her partner's arguments set them back on the study of DNA quite a bit. At the time they were working against another pair to find the story of DNA. Because of Franklin and her partner's fights, another pair found the structure of DNA first and won the Nobel Prize for it four years after Franklin died. Many scientists felt sorry for her early death and thought that the winners had stolen her research about DNA.
1. We can learn from the text that Franklin ________.| A．died in her early thirties | B．was a really lucky scientist |
| C．didn't get along with her father | D．achieved a lot in the study of DNA |
| A．Franklin's father agreed to pay for her college education |
| B．Franklin's aunt loved her than others |
| C．it was not easy for Franklin to go to college |
| D．it has been Franklin's dream to be a scientist since she was a child |
| A．Franklin's scientific research was not easy |
| B．Franklin first found the structure of DNA |
| C．Franklin's partner had no interest in DNA |
| D．Franklin had enjoyed a peaceful life |
| A．How DNA Was Found? | B．DNA and Good Education |
| C．The Life of a Woman Scientist | D．Should Girls Study or Not? |
4 . Day Trip: Van Gogh Alive at The Dali Museum
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to step inside an artistic masterpiece, Van Gogh Alive at The Dali in St. Pete is a must-do experience. The Dali is the first museum in North America to host this hilly immersive (浸入式) art experience.
Read on for all the details, on display through June 21, 2021.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Book your timed ticket and your timed entry at thedali.org in advance. This includes Dali members, out of concern for social distance. Face mask wearing is required.
NEW HOURS AT THE DALI
Open 10:00 a. m. — 6:00 p. m. daily and until 8:00 p. m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Admission is half off on Thursday nights.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
The Dali has a fantastic app worth downloading, which takes you on a deeper dive about the art you’ll experience and more about the artist himself. You’ll also get the augmented reality (AR) experience with Dali’s works, too.
THE EXHIBIT
The exhibit has three areas — there’s a smaller open room, a larger open gallery, and lying in between is a bedroom sized room. You are surrounded by enormous screens on the wall and even a few on the floor. High-definition projections (高清投影) of his paintings like ‘Sunflowers’ and ‘starry Night’. sketches, and even quotes pulled from the numerous letters he wrote during his lifetime fill the giant screens on the walls and floor, making you feel as if you’ve stepped inside Van Gogh’s masterpieces. In a way, you have.
It’s not just the images, but the sound that makes this a multi - sensory experience. The classical music soundtrack of Van Gogh Alive helps bring the works to life by tugging at your heartstrings, connecting you to the misterpieces in a way you’ve probably never felt before.
1. Who is the text intended for?| A．Van Gogh Art lovers. | B．Fans of Dali Art. |
| C．Museum working staff. | D．Photography enthusiasts. |
| A．Download the Dali app. | B．Booked timed tickets online. |
| C．Wear face masks and gloves. | D．Learn about the artist in advance. |
| A．To advertise more coming exhibits. |
| B．To introduce a unique experience. |
| C．To tell about the life of an artistic genius. |
| D．To present details of some masterpiece. |
5 . Once there was a poor farmer and his farm belonged to (属于) a rich man. One day he brought a basket of apples to the rich man’s house. On the doorsteps, he met two monkeys dressed like children. They jumped onto the basket to eat the apples and threw some on the ground. The farmer politely took off his hat and asked the monkeys to get off. They obeyed (服从) and the farmer went into the house. He asked to see the rich man. A servant took him to the room where the rich man was sitting.
“I have brought you the basket of apples you asked for,” he said.
“But why have you brought a half-empty basket?” the rich man asked.
“I met your children outside, and they stole (偷) some of the apples.”
1. Why did the farmer bring apples to the rich man? Because ______.| A．he was poor | B．he liked the rich man |
| C．his farm belonged to the rich man | D．the rich man’s children liked apples |
| A．They cried. | B．They played games. |
| C．They ran away. | D．They ate some of the apples. |
| A．they had thrown apples on the ground |
| B．the farmer had politely asked them to get off |
| C．they were afraid of the hat |
| D．the farmer was angry with them |
| A．pleased | B．unhappy | C．excited | D．moved |
6 . Jenny went to visit her friends in New York last weekend. Her friends met her at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove her to the hotel. They had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that．
Jenny and her friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning. During their stay, they went fishing and swimming in the small river on the farm. They played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire（篝火）, singing and dancing till late into the night.
Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning. So when they got back to New York City, it was about three o'clock in the afternoon. They drove right to the airport because Jenny didn’t want to miss her plane back home. Jenny only stayed in New York for two nights but she had a great time with her friends.
1. Jenny went to New York________．| A．to do some shopping | B．to see her friends |
| C．to spend her summer holiday | D．to find a job |
| A．By train. | B．By bus. |
| C．By plane. | D．On foot. |
| A．To the farm. | B．To the Chinese restaurant. |
| C．To the airport. | D．To the railway station. |
| A．On Saturday afternoon. | B．On Sunday morning. |
| C．On Saturday evening. | D．On Sunday afternoon. |
7 . Magic is a form of entertainment that is based on pretending to do things that are impossible. The magician is a specially trained actor. He tries to make the audience believe that he has the power to do things which are against the laws of nature.
Magic shows are entertaining as long as the audience does not discover how the tricks are done. The magician usually depends on his skill with his hands, on his knowledge of psychology, and, sometimes, on mechanical devices(机械装置). Since magic performance is meant to trick people, the use of psychology is important. The magician must keep people from noticing all the movements of his hands and from thinking about the secret parts of his equipment. He must also lead the audience to draw false conclusions. The magician's success depends on the fact that many things seen by the eye are not the things that matter.
Two basic magic tricks are making objects seem to appear and making objects seem to disappear. A combination of these two tricks makes for some interesting effects. For example, the magician puts a small ball under one of several cups. The ball then seems to jump from one cup to another or to change colour. What actually happens is that the magician, employing quick hand movements or a mechanical device, hides one ball. While doing this he talks to the audience and waves a brightly coloured cloth with one hand. The audience is too busy watching the cloth and listening to the magician's words to notice that his other hand is hiding the ball.
Another favourite trick is to cut or burn something, and then make it appear whole again. What actually happens is that the magician makes the cut or burned object disappear by quickly hiding it while the audience watches something else. Then he “magically” makes it appear whole again by displaying(展示)another object that has not been cut or burned.
1. What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?| A．To promote a magic show. | B．To teach people to be magicians. |
| C．To explain the art of magic. | D．To praise the talents of magicians. |
| A．Moving stage equipment. | B．Directing the audience's attention. |
| C．Applying high technology. | D．Keeping the performance in secret. |
| A．Providing examples. | B．Making a summary. |
| C．Drawing comparisons. | D．Explaining a concept. |
| A．Mechanical devices are expensive. | B．Most magicians employ assistants. |
| C．It takes practice to perform magic. | D．Small objects are magicians' favourite. |
8 . Our fascination with Mars has never stopped. However, in the early days of space exploration, visits were restricted to “fly-bys”, such as those by Mariner Space Probes, by means of which craft would simply pass the planet, taking pictures and collecting data as they went. The Viking “orbiters” were next, and later craft in the Viking series, known as “Landers”, began to study the surface, equipped with instruments which continued to collect data about the environment until they stopped working.
The more recent “Rovers” move around the planet’s surface as they gather information. Current proposals include missions to study geographic features, climate, and soil components, in order to determine, among other things, whether the planet can ever have supported carbon-based life forms. Scientists now believe that at some stage the planet cooled dramatically, resulting in the near-loss of its atmosphere and, thanks to the wearing away of some surface features mineral deposits and other factors, it is also believed that liquid water once flowed here.
One of the most famous craft is “Phoenix”, which landed in November 2008. Its mission was to obtain samples from beneath the surface by digging into the arctic ice while its camera provided geological data and other equipment scanned the atmosphere, measuring temperature and pressure in an attempt to discover whether the chemicals necessary for life might exist beneath the surface. The craft was expected to send back data for three months, but managed to hold out for further two. An especially important part of the project was the need to keep absolute cleanliness of the equipment in order to ensure that any organic material collected was not contaminated by microbes(微生物).
In the future manned landings may probably come true-and though it may seem an extremely difficult undertaking, plans have already been discussed for the “terraforming(行星地球化)”of the planet, giving it an atmosphere, oceans and other elements similar to earth, with, the possibility of human settlement.
1. According to the text, what is “fly-by”?| A．A type of UFO. | B．A photograph of a planet. |
| C．A planet of the solar system. | D．A way of collecting information. |
| A．There is ice on it. |
| B．It once had some mineral deposits. |
| C．It once had carbon-based life forms. |
| D．There are some damaged areas on its surface. |
| A．Polluted. | B．Protected. | C．Controlled. | D．Reduced. |
| A．It will happen very soon. |
| B．It may be hard, but it’s possible. |
| C．It will be full of uncertainties, but it’s worth the efforts. |
| D．It relies on different countries working together. |
9 . American billionaire Elon Musk has demonstrated a technology designed to use a computer chip inside the head to control the brain. During a video demonstration on Friday, Musk provided details about the system, called Neuralink.
Musk says he hopes the technology can be used to treat neural disorders and help spinal injury victims regain body movement. Musk also believes the system could be used in the future to improve intelligence to help humans keep up with supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
During the show, Musk showed off a model of the Neuralink device. It is about 23 millimeters wide. It is designed to be implanted into a person's skull. Small wires would connect the device directly to the brain.
The Neuralink system is currently being tested in pigs, with plans to seek government approval for human testing sometime in the future.
A pig named Gertrude was also shown during the show. Musk explained that Gertrude had a Neuralink chip inside its head. The device is meant to record nerve activity in the pig's nose and mouth.
Musk said the company had three pigs, each with two chips. He described the animals as "healthy, happy and indistinguishable from a normal pig." Musk said the company was able to predict with "high accuracy" a pig's leg movement on a running machine using data from the chip.
Musk noted that Neuralink first wants to use the device on people with severe spinal cord injuries to help them talk and move using their brain waves. He said he is hopeful that, in the long term, those people could regain "full-body motion."
Some neuroscientists not linked to the company said the presentation suggested Neuralink had made great progress with the technology. However, they warned that many more studies will be needed to test the long-term success of such devices.
1. What good can the Neuralink device do to the disabled?| A．Making them think clearly. |
| B．Treating their diseases successfully. |
| C．Having them keep up with supercomputers. |
| D．Helping them to move again. |
| A．Normal. | B．Active. | C．Nervous. | D．Intelligent. |
| A．it has been a great success. |
| B．it will succeed very soon. |
| C．it has a long way to go. |
| D．It needs support from new theories. |
| A．There Will Be Great Progress in Brain Science. |
| B．Musk Shows Technology Linking Computer to Brain. |
| C．Three Pigs Are being Tested Instead of Human Beings. |
| D．The Disabled Will Receive Better Treatment in the future. |
10 . Obviously television has both advantages and disadvantages.
In the first place, television is not only a convenient source of entertainment, but also a comparatively cheap one. With a TV set in the family people don’t have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre, the cinema, or the opera .All they have to do is to push a button or turn a knob, and they can see plays, films, operas and shows of every kind. Some people, however, think that this is where the danger lies. The television viewers need do nothing. He does not even have to use his legs if the has a remote control. He makes no choice and exercises, no judgment. He is completely passive and has everything presented to him without any effort in his part.
Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events and the latest developments in science and politics. The most distant countries and the strangest customs are brought right into one’s sitting room. It could be argued that the radio performs this service as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real. Yet here again there is a danger. The television screen itself has a terrible, almost physical charm for us. We get so used to looking at the movements on it, so dependent on its pictures, that it begins to control our lives. People are often heard to say that their television sets have broken down and that they have suddenly found that they have far more time to do things and the they have actually begin to talk to each other again. It makes one think, doesn’t it?
There are many other arguments for and against television. We must realize that television itself is neither good nor bad. It is the uses that it is put to that determine its value to society.
1. Television, as a source of entertainment, is ______.| A．not very convenient | B．very expensive |
| C．quite dangerous | D．relatively cheap |
| A．Because TV programs are not interesting | B．Because TV viewers are totally passive |
| C．Because TV prices are very high. | D．Because TV has both advantages and disadvantages |
| A．it keeps us informed | B．it is very cheap |
| C．it enables us to have a rest | D．it controls our lives |
| A．its quality | B．people ’s attitude towards it |
| C．how we use it | D．when we use it |
