1 . When Adora Svitak was twelve years old, she spoke on the TED stage, saying she hates the word "childish" if it's being used to describe irrational （不合理的）demands or irresponsible behavior. She said she has seen enough of that in the adult world, so she knows irrational demands and irresponsible behavior aren't limited to children. In fact, she made the point that adults could learn a thing or two if they'd only open their mind to the possibility that kids have a lot to offer the world.
Even as a kid, Svitak often spoke to educators, making the point that there should be more of a reciprocal （互惠的）relationship between teachers and students. "It shouldn't just be teachers at the head of the classroom telling them to do this or that. The students should teach their teachers," she said.
But she wasn't naive（幼稚的）, and she knew that isn't how many classrooms and schools operate in that way. Her theory is that it's all about trust. Adults always seem to have a restrictive （约束的）attitude towards kids. "Kids have no or very little say in making the rules," Svitak joked.
As a young child, Svitak loved to write. When her mom gave her a computer she wrote over 300 short stories on it. She wanted to get them published, and she was lucky because her parents were on her side. Even though she was turned down by many publishers, eventually she did have a book of short stories published. She was only seven years old then.
After that first success, Svitak has gone on to do more impressive things, something she wishes more kids had the support to do. She says it's important for kids to be heard and contribute when they're young, so they grow up to become a better kind of adult. "The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adults, but rather better adults than you guys have been. Progress happens because new generations and new eras grow and develop, and they become better than the previous ones. It's the reason we aren't in the Dark Ages anymore," she said.
1. What does Svitak think of using "childish" to describe irrational demands?| A．It is unfair for children. | B．It can lead to positive effects. |
| C．It takes no account of adults' needs. | D．It can result in irresponsible behavior. |
| A．Students get along with teachers. | B．Students teach instead of learning. |
| C．Teachers keep telling students what to do. | D．Teachers and students learn from each other. |
| A．They supported her. | B．They had doubt about it. |
| C．They were greatly shocked. | D．They hardly took it seriously. |
| A．Children need to stick to their dreams. |
| B．Parents should satisfy their children's needs. |
| C．Children are advised to imitate their parents. |
| D．Parents should support and expect more from children. |
2 . Recently, an unhappy event has happened in a kindergarten in Chongqing. Most primary schools suggest that parents should come along with their children to school and guard the school gates from 7:40 to 8:00 in the morning. Opinions on this problem are different from person to person.
Sun Zhenyao, 13, Jiangbei
Safety comes first. I don’t think it’s a big problem for parents. They just have to stay at the school gate for a little longer. Also, it’s very crowded around school gates in the morning. Traffic accidents can happen. Depending only on school guards is not enough. If parents can help, there will be fewer accidents.
Li Minyi, 14, Yubei
On weekdays, guarding schools and keeping students safe should be the schools’ responsibility – not the parents’. Also, the time during which they have to stand guard is usually about 7:40 to 8:00 am, the morning rush hour. Some parents might get caught in a traffic jam and be late for their work. I don’t think this task should fall on the parents.
Sun Run, 14, Beibei
This request is not just about children’s safety, but also supporting the school. It is a good way to improve relations between parents and schools. Secondly, parents can set a good example for their kids by working selflessly for their society.
Huang Xi, 15, Jiulongpo
Most of these parents are office workers. They have their own things to do. They hurry to go to work every morning. To meet this new request, some may have to ask for time off. This will affect their work performance.
1. The students who agree with the suggestion are_______.| A．Li Minyi, Sun Run |
| B．Huang Xi, Sun Zhenyao |
| C．Huang Xi, Li Minyi |
| D．Sun Zhenyao, Sun Run |
| A．Guarding schools and keeping students safe should be the schools’ job. |
| B．It is a good example for kids to have a sense of responsibility. |
| C．Some parents can ask for time off to guard the school gates. |
| D．There are not enough school guards in the primary schools. |
| A．a newspaper interview |
| B．a police report |
| C．a short story |
| D．a textbook passage |
3 . A US government study has found that facial recognition technology is getting better at identifying people wearing masks. The study is part of an ongoing research by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The agency has examined the effectiveness of more than 150 facial recognition systems on people wearing face coverings . The systems are powered by machine learning algorithms (算法).
The first results of the study were announced in July, as health officials across the world urged people to wear masks to limit the spread of COVID-19. New findings were released this week . Police agencies have long used facial recognition technology to search for and help catch criminals. It can also be used to unlock phones or other electronic devices. Some robots use facial recognition technology to recognize the people they are communicating with. However, the wide use of masks in public has created major difficulties for such systems.
The study looked at facial recognition systems already in use before the pandemic. It also looked at systems specially developed to work on masked faces. The NIST said it processed a total of 6. 2 million images for the experiment People in the images were not actually wearing masks. So, the researchers digitally added different mask shapes to faces in the pictures for use in the study. In some cases, up to 70 percent of a person’s face was covered in the images. Overall, the research shows the top-performing facial recognition systems fail to correctly identify unmasked individuals about 0. 3 percent of the time and the failure rate rose to about 5 percent with masked images. Many of the lower performing algorithms, however, had much higher error rates with masked images — as high as 20 to 50 percent.
In the latest findings, researchers included results from 65 new facial recognition systems that have been developed since the start of the pandemic. “Some of these systems performed “significantly better” than the earlier ones，” Mei Ngan, a lead researcher on the project, said in a statement. The study also found round-shaped masks — which cover only the mouth and nose — led to fewer errors than wider ones that stretch across the cheeks. The new study also ran tests to see whether different colored masks would affect error rates. The team used red, white, black and light blue. The research findings suggested that generally, the red and black masks led to higher failure rates than the other colors.
1. How does the author mainly present the study finding?| A．By giving definitions and examples. |
| B．By giving examples and a brief description. |
| C．By presenting data and making a comparison. |
| D．By giving definitions and presenting data. |
| A．The speed of the machine learning algorithms. |
| B．The operators’skill in performing algorithms. |
| C．The number of the tested people. |
| D．The diversity of face coverings. |
| A．A girl wearing a white round-shaped mask. |
| B．A lady with a red mask stretching across her cheeks. |
| C．A man wearing a light blue mask covering his mouth and nose. |
| D．A man wearing a black mask with his nose and mouth covered up . |
| A．Objective | B．Negative |
| C．Uncaring. | D．Doubtful. |
4 . The vaccine (疫苗) news continues to seem very encouraging. Britain started its mass vaccination effort and the U.S. isn’t far behind.
But there is still one dark cloud hanging over the vaccines that many people don’t yet understand.
The vaccines will be much less effective at preventing death and illness in 2021 if they are introduced into a population where the coronavirus is still severe—as is now the case in the U.S.
A vaccine is like a fire hose (消防龙头). A vaccine that’s 95 percent effective, as Moderna’s and Pfizer’s versions appear to be, is a powerful fire hose. But the size of a fire is still a bigger determinant of how much destruction occurs.
At the current level of infection in the U.S. (about 200,000 confirmed new infections per day), a vaccine that is 95 percent effective—distributed at the expected pace—would still leave a terrible toll (伤亡人数) in the six months after it was introduced. Almost 10 million or so Americans would catch the virus, and more than 160,000 would die.
This is far worse than the toll in a different situation where the vaccine was only 50 percent effective but the U.S. had reduced the infection rate to its level in early September (about 35,000 new daily cases). In that case, the death toll in the next six months would be kept to about 60,000.
It’s worth pausing for a moment on this comparison. If the U.S. had maintained its infection rate from September and Moderna and Pfizer had announced this fall that their vaccines were only 50 percent effective, a lot of people would have panicked.
But the reality we have is actually worse.
How could this be? No vaccine can get rid of a pandemic immediately, just as .no fire hose can put out a forest fire. While the vaccine is being distributed, the virus continues to do damage.
There is one positive way to look at this: Measures that reduce the virus’s spread—like mask-wearing, social distancing and rapid-result testing—can still have great consequences. They can save more than 100,000 lives in coming months.
1. How does the author mainly present his argument?| A．By giving definitions. | B．By categorizing facts. |
| C．By drawing comparisons. | D．By appealing to emotions. |
| A．Improving the effectiveness of the vaccines. |
| B．Producing a greater variety of vaccines. |
| C．Looking at the situation in a positive way. |
| D．Wearing masks and practicing social distancing. |
| A．The vaccines are less effective than expected. |
| B．The US have controlled the spread of the coronavirus. |
| C．The death toll in the next six months will be about 60,000. |
| D．Fewer people will die if the infection rate is lower. |
| A．The vaccine is the hope of wiping out the pandemic. |
| B．The public are optimistic about the effects of the vaccine. |
| C．The public are concerned about the high infection rate. |
| D．The distribution of vaccine will end the pandemic quickly. |
5 . SWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNING
Best Time to Go
Like any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).
Rough Budget
Switzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.
Accommodation
Budget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotels
Mid-range: $ 150—200
Splurge: $ 250—350+
Food (Typical Meal For One)
Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25
Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinner
Very nice restaurant: $ 60+
Transport
City Buses: $ 2. 50—5
Intercity Trains: $ 25—50
Exciting Things to Do in Switzerland
With so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!
Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true for any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something we highly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and see all the adventurous activities available in the area this year!
1. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?| A．Choosing hotels for accommodation. | B．Cooking meals as much as you can. |
| C．Adopting local means of transport. | D．Attempting to travel in peak seasons. |
| A．You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland. |
| B．Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving. |
| C．Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland. |
| D．Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous. |
| A．A geography book about Switzerland. | B．An English textbook. |
| C．A composition on Switzerland. | D．A travel brochure. |
6 . Aunt Fannie was Blueberry Jam Woman. Of course she wasn’t really my aunt, and out of fear, I never called that to her face. The name always made my father chuckle (轻笑) and my mother look sternly (严厉地) at both of us—at me for being disrespectful, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions, so I looked for every opportunity to work for the name into conversation.
As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large Victorian farm house owned by Fannie Cratty. Fannie was the last of the Cratty line; she had never married, and had no living heirs(继承人). My father once told me that it was because she was too mean to share her family wealth or pass it on. Aunt Fannie was noted for her jam, and for never sharing the recipe with another living soul. Even though my mother knew it by heart, as long as Aunt Fannie was alive, she never made the jam without Miss Cratty in our kitchen to direct the process and preserve the secret.
One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam-making process. Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and some day you will be rich. I still have my first very quarter.” It had obviously worked for her, so I put that 1938 quarter in a small box,put it in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.
I now have the blueberry-jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has significantly contributed to my wealth, but I keep them to remind myself to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is your relationships, and your memories of time spent with friends and family, that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.
1. Where did the “fear” mentioned in the first paragraph come from?| A．That year’s blueberry harvest had been poor. |
| B．Aunt Fannie was too old to keep making jam. |
| C．The author’s mother couldn’t help Aunt Fannie harvest the blueberries. |
| D．The author knew it was impolite to call Aunt Fannie Blueberry Jam Woman. |
| A．Aunt Fannie had no children | B．Aunt Fannie was willing to share her recipe |
| C．the author often helped Aunt Fannie make jam | D．the author’s mother always made the jam alone |
| A．Disgusted. | B．Surprised. | C．Affectionate. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．To make new friends easily. | B．Not to put a price on generosity. |
| C．Not to think of kindness as a burden. | D．To treasure the time spent with family and friends. |
7 . Lizard (蜥蜴) species may already have declined past the point of no return in the world. What is the reason? Rising temperatures. Researchers estimate that as much as 40 percent of lizard species worldwide will die out by 2080. The problem is that temperatures in many regions where lizards live have changed too fast for the animals to keep pace.
Barry Sinervo from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California in Santa Cruz, along with colleagues from across the globe, reached that conclusion by taking current data on Mexican lizards. They also estimated that 4 percent of local species have already disappeared worldwide. That number could jump to 20 percent by 2080 if carbon dioxide levels aren’t lowered to reduce warming.
The team looked 48 species of Sceloporus lizard at 200 sites around Mexico. The sites were first sampled from 1975 to 1995. By 2010, research could not find lizards at 12 percent of those sites.
Lizards that bear live young are especially at risk of dying out, the researchers point out, compared to that lay eggs. “Live-bearers have lower body temperatures that heighten the risk of dying,” Sinervo said in a statement. We are watching these species disappear before our eyes.”
Although current evidence shows that climate change is affecting the habitat ranges of many species, there is still a lot of uncertainty about how much climate change will affect species, researchers say.
Many Mexican lizard species live in high altitude “islands”, where climate change happens the fastest. The lizards cannot adjust fast enough to survive. The scientists say they do not think the animals are likely to save themselves just by moving somewhere else either.
“How quickly can Earth’s lizards adapt to the rising global temperatures? That’s the important question,” Sinervo said in a press release. "We are actually seeing lowland species moving upward, slowly driving upland species out of their habitats. If the upland species can’t evolve fast enough, they will die out.”
1. Which of the following lizards face a higher risk of dying out?| A．Lizards at low altitudes. | B．Lizards that bear their young. |
| C．Lizards that lay eggs. | D．Lizards in a stable environment. |
| A．their conclusion is based on current data on various kinds of lizards |
| B．20 percent of local species have already disappeared worldwide |
| C．they are uncertain about how much climate change will affect species |
| D．they are seeing highland species moving downward |
| A．their living habitats’ destruction | B．their living skills |
| C．highland species moving downward | D．their adaptive capacity |
| A．prove that earth is not suitable for lizards |
| B．warn that lizards may die out quickly due to the climate change |
| C．explain why no more lizards will be found by 2080 |
| D．emphasize that the habitat of lizards is changing greatly |
Whatsonstage.com is the UK’s biggest and best online guide to the performing arts including theatre, opera, classical music, dance and so on.
◆ The Lion King
Musical: The stage adaptation of the Disney film taken from an original African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom and maturity(成熟).
Place: Lyceum Theatre, Wellington Street, London
Telephone: 0870 243 9000
Date: Friday, 18 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡37.5
◆ Oliver
Musical: Dickens’ story of a boy in a London workhouse and his adventures on the way to his family. The songs include “Food glorious food”, “You’ve got to pick a pocket or two”, “Who will buy this wonderful morning”, “I am reviewing the situation” and “Consider yourself at home.”
Place: Theatre Royal, Catherine Street, London
Telephone: 020 7494 5061
Date: Thursday, 17 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡25, but now save 20%
◆ Jersey Boys
Musical: It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four seasons: the blue-collar kids from New Jersey formed a singing group and became famous. The musical features many of the group’s popular songs such as “Big girls don’t cry”, “Oh, what a night” and “Can’t take my eyes off you”.
Place: Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London
Telephone: 0870 850 9191
Date: Saturday, 19 Nov. 2015
Ticket price: ￡22.5
◆ Alls Well That Ends Well
Play: A romantic story. Helena, daughter of a poor physician, loves Bertram, son of a Countess(女伯爵).
Place: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Park Street, London
Telephone: 020 7401 9919
Date: Sunday, 20 Nov, 2015
Ticket price: ￡40.5
1. If Mary is available on Friday, which of the following should she call to buy a ticket?
| A．0870 850 9191 | B．020 7494 5061 |
| C．0870 243 9000 | D．020 7401 9919 |
| A．Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre |
| B．Lyceum Theatre |
| C．Prince Edward Theatre |
| D．Theatre Royal |
| A．To show the importance of Whatsonstage.com |
| B．To give some information about the performing arts. |
| C．To introduce some famous English theatres. |
| D．To teach readers how to use the online guide. |
9 . Kindness
Good friends are not just kind to you; they are kind to others as well. People like being around them because they are positive people. The kindness they spread comes from inner feelings of happiness and self-confidence. In contrast, social aggression, such as meanness, is a quality that shows lack of respect for others and discontent with oneself. These feelings outwardly show and eventually prevent communications and genuine friendships from forming.
Accepting
Good friends are easy to talk to because they accept what you are. They understand the things that are important to you and the values that you hold. Although they may not necessarily agree with all of your beliefs and actions, they will never judge you. People who can accept you also are better able to accept themselves. High self-esteem and self-acceptance are intertwined.
Interest
According to American writer and lecturer, Dale Carnegie, showing genuine interest in others is one way to promote feelings of goodwill. People are more likely to remember how you make them feel. This goes beyond good listening skills. Good friends ask questions about things that matter to you. To do this, they must put aside their own needs and focus on helping others feel important. If you make them feel inferior, they will not enjoy the time you spend together.
Honesty
Although honesty is important to friendships, it may be one of the most difficult qualities to maintain. When you ask a friend for honesty, she may prefer preserving the peace over telling you what she really thinks. But honesty promotes trust. A good friend cares enough to tell you the truth and has sufficient confidence in the relationship to be assured of a positive outcome.
1. What does the kindness of a friend come from according to the passage?| A．Respect. | B．Excitement. | C．Happiness. | D．Belief. |
| A．They will begin to care about their own needs. |
| B．They will take no interest in you. |
| C．They will feel uncomfortable to stay with you. |
| D．They are more likely to question about themselves. |
| A．connected | B．complicated | C．obvious | D．common |
| A．Being kind to friends. | B．Why we need friends. |
| C．How to make friends. | D．Qualities of a good friendship. |
10 . Our ships boast a sea of vacation possibilities for every guest. Like the chance to learn Italian, salsa dancing (萨尔萨舞), or the recipe (食谱) for a perfect martini (马提尼酒). To conquer the rock climbing wall and ice skate on the equator. Or slow things down with a hot stone massage (按摩) and duty-free designer shopping. See, do and learn more at sea than you ever thought possible.
North Star
The exclusive North Star promises to heighten your worldview. Simply step into the North Star’s closed, jewel-shaped capsule and gently climb over 300 feet above sea level. Take in breathtaking views of the ocean, the ship, and the exciting destinations that we visit.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean is teaming up with World Wildlife Fund to save our oceans and protect sea life. Join us in making a difference by symbolically adopting a sea turtle or get involved with numerous other activities both on board and ashore, like the Walk for Sea Turtles. Together we can turn the tide.
SeaPlex
SeaPlex is not only the largest indoor active space at sea, but also the most modern and creative. By day, experience a circus school and flying trapeze (高空秋千), as well as a full-size regulation (正规的) basketball court. By night, the first-ever bumper car (碰碰车) and roller skating offerings at sea will deliver thrills, with music provided by a floating DJ booth that hovers above the activity happening below.
Rock Climbing
Rise to the occasion and take on our signature rock climbing wall. From beginners to speed climbers, everyone can enjoy an unparalleled view from 40 feet above deck. Included in your fare, no reservation required.
1. If you are willing to have a good view of the ocean or sea from above, what should you try?| A．North Star. | B．Royal Caribbean. |
| C．SeaPlex. | D．Rock Climbing. |
| A．People who are fond of eating delicious food. |
| B．People who want to have a turtle as a pet. |
| C．People who want to save some money. |
| D．People who want to listen to music while playing. |
| A．A letter. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．A personal diary. | D．A newspaper article. |
