1 . Every year, the Joint Mathematics Meeting brings more than 5,000 math lovers together. It’s the largest math meeting in the world. In January 2019, mathematicians flew to the meeting in Baltimore, Md. , to learn about new ideas and talk about their work. Many even came to admire the latest in mathematical art.
The meeting included an entire art exhibition. Visitors felt amazed at sculptures made from metal, wood and folded paper. One was based on a supersized Rubik’s cube. Many like triangles, were arranged in strange and surprising sizes and colors. The collection also included drawings and paintings inspired by the study of numbers, curves（曲线）and patterns.
Art and math may seem like a strange pairing. People usually experience art through their senses. They see a painting or listen to music. If this art moves them, they will have an emotional（情感上的）response. Working at math problems is usually viewed as something you think about—not feel. But connections between the two fields reach far back in time. Sculptors and architects in some ancient civilizations included numbers and math ideas into their works.
“A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns,” wrote British mathematician G. H. Hardy in 1940. If a mathematician’s patterns are more permanent, he continued, “It is because they are made with ideas.”
Henry Segerman is a mathematician and artist. When he was in high school, in England, he was good at math and art. But he had to choose. “I went in the math direction back then,” he says. He thought it difficult to succeed as an artist.
Still, Segerman’s math studies led him into the visual areas of math, such as geometry. In 2015, Segerman and some math art friends created a virtual-reality artwork. Participants can put on a pair of VR goggles to float around and through four-dimensional shapes. Art makes it possible to interact（互动）with these shapes, which would be impossible to create in our three-dimensional world. As beautiful as it is to see, Segerman’s work also offers a new view on mathematical ideas.
1. What is special about the exhibits at the meeting?| A．They are made based on math ideas. |
| B．They reflect the long history of math. |
| C．They are art works with high technology. |
| D．They turn abstract art into specific math. |
| A．They’re experienced in different ways. |
| B．They seem extremely hard to appreciate. |
| C．They’ve been separated since ancient times. |
| D．They fail to bring about people’s responses. |
| A．one can’t easily succeed in science | B．math makes art easier to understand |
| C．math is actually the origin of fine art | D．math learning promotes the creation of art |
| A．Real artists will stand the test of math. |
| B．Artists make math become a kind of art. |
| C．Modern artists turn into mathematicians. |
| D．Math and art turns out a great combination. |
2 . Instagram is about to take its biggest step toward removing likes from its platform. After months of testing an option to hide likes in select international markets, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook (FB), has already been testing hiding likes in seven other countries, including Canada, Ireland and Australia. For years, likes have been central to how celebrities, brands, politicians and everyday users experience Instagram and Facebook. It’s a way of measuring popularity and success. But in recent months, Instagram has been rethinking how likes contribute to making its platform more toxic. Now it’s considering a change.
The total number of likes on posts – which appear as hearts on the app – will disappear from Instagram’s main feed, profile pages and permalink pages. The owner of the account can still see their own likes, but their followers won’t know the count.
CNN Business previously spoke with users in countries with the test. The majority felt this move would improve well-being on the app. Instagram is the most detrimental social networking app for young people’s mental health, such as negatively impacting body image, according to one study.
But other users and psychologists said hiding likes won’t fix everything. The test doesn’t address some of the key ways that activity on Instagram can impact the well-being of users, including bullying, feeling left out and thinking other people’s lives are better than their own.
Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, voiced his opinion that the biggest impact of Instagram is the content and the exposure to this constant stream of perfected images is what seems to hurt psychologically. Plus, users can still see their own likes – and feel badly if their posts don’t perform well.
1. How do users usually experience Instagram for years?| A．By selecting platforms. | B．By showing off talents. |
| C．By hiding likes. | D．By giving likes. |
| A．profitable | B．popular | C．harmful | D．positive |
| A．Instagram has affected youngsters’ mental health. |
| B．The account owners won’t know the count o£ likes. |
| C．Instagram tested hiding likes in seven countries first. |
| D．The majority think Instagram has been a well-being app. |
| A．Instagram Misuses Likes |
| B．More People Are Against Likes |
| C．Likes Cause Mental Problems |
| D．Likes will Be Hidden on Instagram |
3 . “We give our girls the power (力量) to believe in themselves, go to college, and become tomorrow’s leaders,” says Felicia Gibson Jaycox, the founder (创立者) and chief executive officer of The Power of You Teens (POYT). The organization is based in Harlem, a historic African-American neighborhood in New York City.
Founded in 2014, POYT offers educational chances and positive role models for teenage girls growing up in Harlem. These “Power Girls” take part in dance, summer camp, and STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), among other programs. The purpose, according to the group, is to empower teenage girls to help them “dream big and to inspire them to achieve the most that they are capable of.”
POYT held its sixth yearly Empowerment Event in the fall of 2019 in New York City. The theme of “Girl Boss” encouraged girls to show their inner boss spirit. Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris was the keynote speaker.
Kaliegh said that she and other beauty competition winners are helping to reshape traditional images of beauty and showing that women of color are not just beautiful — they also are driven, wise women whom little girls can look up to.
I asked Ashley McFarlin Buie, POYT co-director, what inspired founder and CEO Felicia Gibson to start the organization. Gibson saw the plight that girls of color are in. For some historical reasons, many girls of color are growing up in terrible neighborhoods. They seldom see people like themselves showed positively in movies, books, TV shows, and other media.
“Powerful girls grow up to be dependable and confident women, preparing for their futures as creative leaders,” Buie said. POYT centers on saving the mind, body, and spirit of Black girls through love and support, she added.
What do the girls get out of the group? “We offer chances,” Buie said, “to break barriers (屏障).”
1. What do we know about POYT?| A．It is run by teenage girls. |
| B．It was started about 6 years ago. |
| C．It provides services all around America. |
| D．It was first started in African-American neighborhoods . |
| A．Speak for women of color. |
| B．Change people’s traditional ideas of beauty. |
| C．Call on girls to be positive role models. |
| D．Encourage girls to go into business in the future. |
| A．Sad feeling. | B．Difficult task. |
| C．Bad situation. | D．Uncertain future. |
| A．Dream big | B．Power Girls |
| C．Teenage Power | D．Breaking barriers |
4 . When Central Bucks South became one of the first Philadelphia-area high schools to close due to fear of novel coronavirus exposure in early March, 16-year-old sophomore Andrew Chen knew that things were not going to return to normal as quickly as some of his peers hoped.
But still, the change from seeing his friends on the swim team during daily practices to learning alone at home was jarring. “I only have three years here at South, and it pains me to see one of them being wasted,” Chen said.
The coronavirus has upended everyone’s lives, but for students, the disruption feels particularly acute. Schools closed and graduation ceremonies were canceled. Summer plans, like camps and internships, are up in the air.
But right now, many students are trying to stay connected, struggling with misinformation, and figuring out the best ways they can help through online method.
For Josh Harycki, 17, a senior student at the Shipley School in Philadelphia, the best way to contribute was to create a “social distancing pledge” for young people.
“I saw a lot of younger generations not paying attention,” he said. “They were still going out, hanging out with people. I thought that there had to be a way to reach younger folks, who were probably not watching the news.”
Harycki launched a call to action on social media and then built a website with a map that tracked the locations of people who’d signed the pledge. The site also shares links to accurate sources of information like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Harycki knows that his peers are worried they can’t connect with their friends in the same way, so he created the social distancing pledge to stress that while everyone might be physically distant, they’re still connected.
“Part of what we’re highlighting is that you might feel like you’re the only one taking this seriously, but our map shows that you’re not alone,” he said.
1. What do the underlined words “up in the air” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．unnatural | B．uncertain | C．unnecessary | D．unreasonable |
| A．To show how the coronavirus affected students’ lives. |
| B．To explain what worried students most when schools closed. |
| C．To illustrate the appropriate reaction to the closure of school. |
| D．To present the different views of students toward the coronavirus. |
| A．Friends who are worried and bored. |
| B．Folks taking the coronavirus seriously. |
| C．Younger generations trying to contribute to society. |
| D．Young people who are not aware of the situation. |
| A．To track those people infected with the coronavirus. |
| B．To convince young people to stay at home. |
| C．To inform young folks of latest news about the coronavirus. |
| D．To show young people they shouldn’t be concerned about the coronavirus. |
5 . ● West Town
The Chicago Public Library (CPL) encourages lifelong learning by welcoming all people and offering equal access to information, entertainment and knowledge through materials, programs and events. Each year, Chicago Public Library recommends the Best of the Best, CPL’s selections of the very best books published that year.
● Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
● Holidays & Closures
All Staff Institute Day: Thursday, April 30, 2020 Closed All Day
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25, 2020 Closed All Day
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, 2020 Closed All Day
Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2020 Closed All Day
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26, 2020 Closed All Day
Christmas: Friday, December 25, 2020 Closed All Day
● Address & Contact
1625 W. Chicago Avenue
Chicago IL 60622
Phone: (312) 743-0450
Email: westtown@chipublib.org
● Get a Library Card
Getting a library card is easy – and it’s free! Please visit any CPL location to fill out an application.
Current, valid ID with name, photo and Chicago address is required.
● Facilities
Bike rack; Computers; Meeting room; Parking lot; Scanner; WiFi
● New at West Town
Firewatching by Russ Thomas
The Big Lie by James Grippando
Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut by Sarah Graves
The Girl in White Gloves by Kerri Maher
● Upcoming Events at West Town
Design Challenge Day
Description:
Are you up for a challenge? Welcome to drop in and tackle some design challenges using supplies provided by the library. Prizes will be awarded for most creative.
Suitable for: Kids and Teens
Time: Monday, July 20, 2020
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Film Screening: The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017)
Description:
Join the West Town branch for a screening of The Zookeeper’s Wife. A married couple who work as zoo caretakers help save Jews from the Holocaust.
Suitable for: Adults and Teens
Time: Tuesday, March 31, 2020
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
1. When can people go to Chicago Public Library?| A．11:00 am, April 29, 2020 | B．2:00 pm, May 25, 2020 |
| C．9:00 am, July 5, 2020 | D．6:00 pm, Nov 26, 2020 |
| A．The activity will last for 2 hours. |
| B．The activity will offer prizes. |
| C．The activity is mainly open to adults. |
| D．Participants can watch The Zookeeper’s Wife for free. |
| A．People can still return books when the library closes. |
| B．The library doesn’t have a parking lot for readers. |
| C．The Big Lie is one of the recommended books this year. |
| D．The library holds more activities for kids than for adults. |
6 . Feel the Music
We’ve all heard of smart phones, but how about smart clothing?The CuteCircuit company has stepped up the technology beat and invented the SoundShirt, which was designed specifically for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.How does this incredible shirt work?
First, let’s talk about a little science.People who have either all or some hearing loss don’t actually listen to music the way that hearing people do, but they can feel it.Sound is made up of vibrations, called sound waves, which hearing people can hear through their ears with the help of the brain.What’s really cool is that deaf people sense vibrations in the part of the brain that others use for hearing!
So how is this remarkable technology able to function? First, CuteCircuit had to figure out a way to send signals to the body, kind of like how you can feel when your phone vibrates in silent mode.Those connections the body can feel are called haptics, a use of technology that simulates the senses of touch and motion.The SoundShirt has tiny sensors woven into the shirt to pick up sound and transfer signals to the brain and body.
To test this music-to-shirt-to-wearer’s brain connection, CuteCircuit set microphones around the stage of a symphony orchestra.The shirt’s computer system digitally received the sounds coming from the instruments.Then the sensors, working like little motors, changed the signals into vibrations and the shirt wearer’s brain did the rest.
The SoundShirt lets people who are deaf or hard of hearing enjoy music in a unique way.The very deep musical sound, or pitch, of instruments like drums and basses vibrates in the lower part of the shirt.Higher pitched sounds from instruments like the flute or violin vibrate higher, around the neck and arms.As the music plays, the sensations combine while the brain gets to work putting together all the different vibrations, allowing the wearer to “hear” the concert.
You might think this innovation(创新)would look like something out of a science fiction movie, but in fact, these shirts are wireless! And the decorative laser-lined design on the shirt looks like an image of sound waves.
Technology’s purpose is to help people and make life better.Think of all the amazing things designers, engineers, and producers of wearable tech will be able to do for humankind.
1. What’s the passage mainly about?| A．Deep musical sounds from drums vibrate in the lower part of the SoundShirt. |
| B．The SoundShirt lets people who are deaf or hard of hearing enjoy music. |
| C．Wearable technology like the SoundShirt is the wave of the future. |
| D．CuteCircut tested the SoundShirt with a symphony orchestra. |
| A．The SoundShirt is made without any wires. |
| B．Deaf people are unable to sense sound vibrations |
| C．The shirt wearer’s brain change sound signals into vibrations |
| D．The sounds from the flute vibrate in the lower part of the SoundShirt |
| A．The SoundShirt works when the wearer is listening to a symphony orchestra. |
| B．CuteCircuit is giving away its SoundShirts to those deaf or hard of hearing. |
| C．The SoundShirt doesn’t work without the power of the human brain. |
| D．Before the SoundShirt, deaf people had no way of feeling sound. |
| A．advise that companies should focus on applying wearable technology |
| B．advocate that technology can be used to create products that help others |
| C．prove that the design of wearable technology is a rewarding industry in future |
| D．exemplify that musical instruments can be used to change technology for the better |
7 . As I drove along the road, small car flew across the center divider from the opposite direction and crashed into my car head-on. I fell unconscious and was awakened by the ringing of my mobile phone.
I was brought to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital bleeding on from my nose, mouth and legs. But the hospital staff was too busy to attend to me, so I called a friend to tell him about the accident. Some friends arrived very soon and sent me to a private hospital nearby. I saw my injured feet hanging from my body, blue and lifeless, and I begged the doctors to save them at all cost. They calmly promised to do their best.
The doctors made it. After I was discharged, I was given ten months medical leave. My heart sank, knowing that it meant I, a big man, couldn't work. How was I going to support my 65-year-old mother and other family members? I felt completely helpless, but a la of unexpected blessings came my way. When I was recovering at home, friends and relatives helped me with my banking, insurance or simply came to cheer me up.
When the casts（石膏）were removed, I did not let the sight of my weak legs discourage me. I worked hard at my physiotherapy（物理疗法）with only one aim. After eight months, I was walking without the aid of a walking stick. Oh February the following year, I returned to my job again. Today, after eight years, I have travelled to many counties as a tour leader.
The accident makes me realize how lives can change in a second. I value life more, not only of my own but also of everyone I know, and I will always try to help when I know of someone in trouble.
1. What made the author come back to life in the traffic accident?| A．Someone made a call to him. |
| B．A car crashed into his ear head-on. |
| C．One of his friends gave him first aid. |
| D．His mobile phone was out of order suddenly. |
| A．Was inspired. | B．Got injured. |
| C．Was discovered. | D．Left hospital. |
| A．He is honest and strong. | B．He is learned and intelligent. |
| C．He is optimistic and determined. | D．He is discouraged and desperate. |
| A．Life is very precious to people. | B．It's a hard job to be a tour guide. |
| C．Many people are in trouble in life. | D．It's a must for someone to help others. |
8 . Gems (珍宝) of Grand Central Terminal (GCT)
The Transportation Sculpture
This impressive sculpture — all 1,500 tons of it — really rocks. Three figures from Roman mythology (神话) rest above the terminal’s main entrance on 42nd Street. Hercules (on the left) represents strength; Mercury (in the middle) is linked to speed, commerce, and transportation; and Minerva (on the right) represents wisdom.
Designed by French sculptor Jules-Félix Coutan, Transportation is 66 feet wide and stands 48 feet tall at its highest point. Coutan made a small-scale model of the sculptural group, and craftsmen in Long Island City carved it from Indiana limestone.
The Tiffany Clock
A Jewel-like clock made by world-renowned Tiffany Studios sits in the middle of The Transportation Sculpture. With a diameter of 14 feet, this colorful timepiece is said to be the largest Tiffany glass clock in the world.
The Clock on the Information Booth
Another famous GCT timepiece is the four-sided, brass-and-opal (黄铜和猫眼石) clock on top of the information booth in the main concourse (大厅). It’s a popular meeting point in this busy transportation center. The clock is capped by an acorn. Beneath the clock, a hidden staircase goes down to another booth on a lower level of the terminal.
The Main Concourse’s Ceiling Mural (壁画)
In a 1913 edition of The New York Times, a railway official joked that people might spend so much time stargazing at the mural on the main concourse’s ceiling that they’d miss their trains. It’s easy to see why. Groups of stars — a mix of gold leaf (thin sheets of gold) and artfully placed light bulbs — twinkle across the ceiling sky. The starry scene, which was designed by a French artist named Paul César Helleu, brings to mind travelers of the past who navigated by the stars.
1. What do The Transportation Sculpture and The Tiffany Clock have in common?| A．They are both located above the GCT’s main entrance. | B．They were both designed by Jules-Félix Coutan. |
| C．They are both linked to Roman mythology. | D．They were both made of glass. |
| A．It is forty-eight feet high. | B．It is on top of a huge statue. |
| C．It is connected to a lower level booth. | D．It is the largest opal clock in the world. |
| A．Some stories from mythology. | B．Thousands of stars in the sky. |
| C．Various clocks from history. | D．Craftsmen in ancient times. |
9 . 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 |
10 . Say goodbye to standing in long lines holding boarding passes and other travel documents. Step this way, instead. Look into the camera lens and off you go.
Sound convenient? Technology companies working with travel providers and the federal government to install facial recognition systems at airports hope you think so.
But privacy advocators don’t want you to become too comfortable. They worry that what we’re willing to accept for convenience today will soften our resistance to the idea of filling public spaces with cameras that can identify us and track our every move.
Facial recognition technology came suddenly into modern reality with very few people prepared for it. Facial recognition is a biometric technology that uses distinguishable facial features to identify a person. In many cases, we see it being used by governments and law enforcement agencies—testing its accuracy and value for future purposes.
Today, it’s used in a variety of ways from allowing you to unlock your phone, go through security at the airport, purchase products at stores. It checks the identities of ride-hailing drivers, permits tourists to enter attractions and let people pay for things with a smile. Airports are increasingly adding facial recognition technology to security checkpoints（检查站）. It’s even said that past footage of unsolved mysteries would benefit greatly from this technology as it would help identify the criminals of crimes long forgotten.
However, there has been a serious clash between the government and citizens in general over the technology’s use cases. At an airport, travelers are requested to present their passports, from which the software will determine whether the person standing in front of the camera matches the identity. If it matches, then they can get through quickly. However, the surveillance （监控）system searches a large database for the face presented to the camera. Editing such a big database, many worry, will inevitably （不可避免地）lead to privacy concerns down the road. The biggest drawback for facial recognition technology in most people’s opinions is the threat to an individual’s privacy.
Some say that it’s the most powerful tool as they fear for their privacy being invaded almost on a daily basis, while the government tries to push it as something necessary for better civil control and crime prevention. Overall, talks usually boil down to whether facial recognition technology should be banned or if it should be regulated.
According to IBM, the banning of facial recognition technology would be a step backward for human scientific advancement. However, restricting it within light regulations could yield just as many gains as it would in a “free market”.
There are many useful applications of facial recognition technology—both at the consumer level as a matter of security and convenience, and for governments and law enforcement agencies. The challenge is finding the balance between those benefits and the expectation of privacy. Banning facial recognition is not the answer. Regulating it, however, may be necessary to put an acceptable framework of rules around its use.
1. With the help of facial recognition, we can _______.| A．pass the security at the airport faster | B．figure out unsolved mysteries |
| C．reduce the number of criminals | D．purchase products at home |
| A．have no idea of its benefit | B．have already got well-prepared |
| C．worry their information is misused | D．refuse to accept the convenience |
| A．Conflict. | B．Crisis. |
| C．Challenge. | D．Consequence. |
| A．Banning facial recognition. |
| B．Regulating facial recognition with rules. |
| C．Maintaining the current situation. |
| D．Debating with the government. |
