1 . 2020's biggest fashion trends reflect a world in crisis
Functionality
Face masks became the unrivaled(无对手的) accessory of the year. People made their own brands，produced unique designs and, almost overnight, they became the finishing touch to many outfits.
Comfort
Fashion platform Lyst looked at search data from over 100 million online shoppers and, in its annual report, found that Birkenstock clogs, Crocs, UGG slippers and Nike joggers were among the year's most sought-after items of clothing.
Statements
Statement-wear took on an entirely new meaning in 2020. From protest T-shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement to political merchandise in the lead up to the US election, people dressed not to impress, but to convey powerful messages.
Conscious
Growing demand for local, handmade, sustainable clothing isn't a new trend. But the pandemic saw a rise in values-driven shopping, reflecting a shift in mindset among more cautious spenders, who, perhaps, also had more time to think about the brands they lent their loyalty to.
Digital
From Shanghai to London, fashion weeks throughout the year went digital to present new collections safely. During London Fashion Week in September, Burberry streamed its show— filmed live in the woods — on Twitch, a social media platform more popular with gamers than fashionistas.
The future
Fashion's recovery from the pandemic is set to be slow, with experts predicting a difficult year ahead for businesses. Trends seen during a year defined by crisis will not be left at 2021's door, and they may permanently change the shape of the industry.
1. What became the biggest fashion in 2020?| A．Digital products. | B．Face masks. | C．Statement-wear. | D．The loyal brands. |
| A．To convey political statements. | B．To state an advertisement. |
| C．To impress people deeply. | D．To comfort online shoppers |
| A．In a huge stadium. |
| B．In a big shopping mall. |
| C．On media platform. |
| D．By setting up a platform. |
2 . The Chinese manned submersible(潜水器) Fendouzhe, over 96.5 percent of whose core components have been independently developed by China, reached one of the deepest spots on the planet, a dizzying and dark depth of 10,909 meters.
Extreme water pressure is the first challenge that requires dealing with during the exploration. At 10,000 meters down in the ocean, the submersible has to stand about 1,100 atmospheres of pressure, equal to 2,000 elephants stepping on a person’s back. As the solid “armour (盔甲)”，the manned cabin is a safety guarantee for humans to reach down to 10,000 meters deep in the ocean. To overcome the technical bottleneck, the Chinese researchers developed a new material-Ti62A, successfully solving problems of the strength and toughness of the manned cabin.
To avoid risks of crashes in the dark deep sea with complex terrain(地形)，Fendouzhe requires its control system, a smart “brain” to give the exact instructions. Researchers designed a neural network algorithm(神经网络算法), which enables Fendouzhe to travel automatically according to the seabed terrain and locate fixed points. Its control system has reached the international frontier level.
The submersible is equipped with two flexible and strong “arms”. Each 7-joint arm with 6 degrees - of - freedom control and a weight-carrying ability of more than 60 kilograms can cover the sampling basket and its front areas. With the arms, Fendouzhe collected samples of ocean rocks, deep-sea living things and seabed sediments(沉淀物).
The ocean, especially the deep sea, is widely regarded as Earth's final frontier. Deep down in the ocean are unusual creatures, strange environments and impressive geological wonders, yet humanity knows less about the ocean floor than about the far side of the moon. These samples and data collected from the deep ocean can be used for geological and biological research, as well as study the human impact on the planet.
1. Why is “2000 elephants” mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To make the numbers accurate. |
| B．To provide a biological explanation. |
| C．To emphasize the importance of the task. |
| D．To describe the degree of the pressure vividly. |
| A．Collect ocean samples. |
| B．Land the submersible. |
| C．Provide safety guarantee. |
| D．Prevent crashes intelligently. |
| A．The toughness of the cabin. |
| B．The ability of weight-carrying. |
| C．The method of data-collection. |
| D．The technology of control system. |
| A．It is more complex than the moon. |
| B．It is seriously affected by humans. |
| C．To make sure of the depth of the ocean. |
| D．To explore the less-known field of the planet. |
3 . The 2020 Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded to former U.S. Poet Laureate（桂冠诗人）Louise Gluck. The prize committee cited “her unique poetic voice that with plain beauty makes individual existence universal”. Gluck is the first American woman to win the award since Toni Morrison in 1993. Gluck, 77, joins a list of literary giants and previous Nobelists who include, in this century, Canadian short-story master Alice Munro, Chinese magical-realist Mo Yan, etc.
Gluck’s work includes 12 collections of poetry and a few volumes of essays on literary writing. “All are characterized by a striving for clarity（清晰）. Childhood and family life, the close relationship with parents and siblings, is a theme that has remained central to her,” Anders Olsson, the chairman of the Nobel Committee for Literature, said. “She seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs,” Olsson added, citing her 2006 collection Averno, which the committee described as “masterly” for its “visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone’s (珀尔塞福涅) fall into hell in the captivity (囚禁) of Hades(哈得斯), the god of death”.
Being a professor at Yale and a resident of Cambridge, Gluck also served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2003 to 2004 and is no stranger to awards. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection of poems titled The Wild Iris, in which “she describes the incredible return of life after winter in the poem Snowdrops,” the Nobel literature committee said Thursday. She also won the 2014 National Book Award for the poem Faithful and Virtuous Night. In 2016, President Obama awarded the National Humanities Medal to Gluck in a White House ceremony.
The publicity-shy Gluck did not immediately issue any comment about the latest honor for her body of work, which spans more than half a century. In a 2012 interview, she acknowledged that prizes can make “existence in the world easier” but did not amount to the immortality(不朽) of a true artist.
1. What can we know about Gluck from Paragraph 1?| A．She is as popular as the Chinese novelist Mo Yan. |
| B．She won the Nobel Prize for her special literary style. |
| C．She is the first American to win a Nobel Prize in literature. |
| D．She is the only Poet Laureate in modern American history. |
| A．Daily life. | B．Nature. |
| C．Careers. | D．Classical myths. |
| A．To show Gluck’s contributions to literature. |
| B．To prove Gluck’s great passion for writing. |
| C．To present Gluck’s outstanding achievements. |
| D．To stress Gluck’s influence on other poets. |
| A．She is content with it. |
| B．She takes it very seriously. |
| C．She deserves a higher honor. |
| D．She doesn’t attach great importance to it. |
4 . McKenzie grew up at a farmhouse. Initially, the fence around the property was old and had several large gaps, so I strengthened the bottom with chicken wire and thought all was well. McKenzie would spend his days frolicking (嬉戏) in the large yard while Connie and I were at work and Sophie was at school.
One day, while on a job in the area, I stopped home to visit. As I pulled up to the driveway, I saw McKenzie outside of the fence playing in the daisies, dancing and nosing at a large butterfly hovering just out of his reach. I watched McKenzie enjoying himself until, suddenly, he realized he wasn’t alone. He took one look at me and fled to a hole under the fence, wriggling (扭动) back into the yard. He ran around to the back of the house, the place where he was usually asleep when we came home. As I stood and watched, McKenzie then proceeded to come around the corner of the house, stretching as if he had just woken up. Then, continuing his act, he looked at me as if he had just noticed I was home and excitedly came up to the fence, where he sat in his “proud boy” stance (姿态), as if he had been good all day and was glad to see me! I laughed as I opened the gate, and then I stood and gave him a frown. With my hands on my hips, I asked the little faker where the hole was. To my surprise, he lowered his ears and dejectedly walked over to the spot in the fence he had earlier wriggled through and sat down, looking at me. I laughed so hard that I cried.
1. Why did McKenzie run back when he saw the author?| A．Because he messed up the house. | B．Because he killed a butterfly. |
| C．Because he was afraid to be scolded. | D．Because he was tired of playing alone. |
| A．Disappointedly. | B．Passionately. | C．Delightedly. | D．Indifferently. |
| A．Critical. | B．Ironic. | C．Lighthearted. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．An Unforgettable Experience | B．McKenzie, a Fantastic Actor |
| C．A Lesson from a Clever Dog | D．McKenzie, a Loving Family Member |
5 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers' interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a personal biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a cultural newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
6 . Robots have certain advantages compared to humans. They are efficient, tireless, can be repaired when damaged and they never get sick. The last quality has made them the star during our fight against the COVID-19(新冠肺炎). While thousands of medical workers have fallen ill dealing with this highly infectious virus and a lot more have to stay at home for fear of getting the disease, this isn’t a problem for robots. This is why the COVID-19 outbreak is seen as the “tipping point” for robots to start to replace humans in certain jobs.
In hospitals, robots are used to perform high-risk tasks. In China, for example, a hotel in Hangzhou employed a robot to deliver food to people under quarantine(隔离). In Spain, robots are about to be used to test people for the coronavirus(冠状病毒).
In non-medical companies, robots are also replacing human employees since they don’t have the problem of the social distancing and will never take sick leave. Fast-food chains like McDonald’s are not only delivering food with robots in some areas, but also looking to use them as cooks and servers. Walmart and Amazon, for example, where robots are already used in packing and shipping, are planning to increase the number of robots in these areas.
But this sudden boom in robot demand doesn’t mean that they can replace humans successfully in every aspect. According to Bill Smart, a roboticist at Oregon State University, the human contact between doctors and patients is still important. Doctors comfort the patients and guide them through hard decisions while robots are only doing daily tasks, like cleaning and giving tests.
It might be true that robots have certain advantages over humans, but they are still secondary to human’s communication and emotion.
1. Which of the following is not the advantage of robots over human beings?| A．They never fall ill. |
| B．They can offer emotion support. |
| C．They are efficient in work. |
| D．They can be repaired when damaged. |
| A．To explain robots are more intelligent than humans. |
| B．To prove robots have social ability wherever they are. |
| C．To explain how robots replace humans in non-medical companies. |
| D．To prove McDonald’s and Walmart are famous companies in the world. |
| A．Sharp increase. | B．Low supply. |
| C．Short explosion. | D．Excellent performance. |
| A．The Efficient Tireless Robots | B．Robots Will Replace Humans |
| C．Robots Aid in Coronavirus Fight | D．The demand For Robots Increase |
7 . Computer programmer David Jones earns £35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank ready to let him have a credit card(信用卡). Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18.
The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David's firm releases(推出) two new games for the fast throwing computer market each month.
But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot, he cannot drive a car, take out a mortgage(抵押贷款), or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs," he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.
"Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school," he said. "But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway." David added: "I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement(退休) is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear."
1. In what way is David different from people of his age?| A．He has a handsome income. |
| B．He lives with his mother. |
| C．He often goes out with friends. |
| D．He graduated with six O-levels. |
| A．He has very little spare time. |
| B．He has no time to learn driving. |
| C．He is too young to get a credit card. |
| D．He will soon lose his job. |
| A．He had done well in all his exams. |
| B．He had written some computer programs. |
| C．He was good at playing computer games. |
| D．He had learnt to use computers at school. |
| A．He received lots of job offers. |
| B．He was eager to help his mother. |
| C．He lost interest in school studies. |
| D．He wanted to earn his own living. |
8 . Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers. But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.
Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as $ 172,000 a year.
The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income $ 30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.
By analysing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week, 40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm.
To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at £ 48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”, with psychologist (心理学家) a close second.
It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 percent making emotional demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.
Over a third of .mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.
The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother’s Day. The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their, children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing (投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.
1. How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister?| A．£ 30,000. | B．£ 142,000. |
| C．£ 172,000. | D．£ 202,000. |
| A．emotional demand | B．low pay for work |
| C．heavy workload | D．lack of training |
| A．Mothers’ importance shows in family all year long. |
| B．The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile. |
| C．Mothers’ devotion to children can hardly be calculated. |
| D．Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return. |
| A．Mothers，working hours should be largely reduced. |
| B．Mothers should balance their time for work and rest. |
| C．Mothers’ labour is of a higher value than it is realised. |
| D．Mothers should be freed from housework for social life. |
