1 . These people are studying English. However, they are now facing some problems.

I am Pablo. I work 50 hours a week as a taxi driver, so I talk to people all day. They understand me, but I know I make a lot of mistakes. No one corrects me. My vocabulary is strong. Grammar is my problem. I'm trying to change little by little. For example, I don't use the past tense (时态). I always say, “I drive him to the office this morning” instead of “I drove him to the office this morning”.

My name is Maria Luisa. I'm teaching myself English, and I'm good at grammar. However, it's really difficult to find ways to practice English. I live in an area where everyone speaks my language. My neighbors and friends speak Spanish. I can speak Spanish in the supermarket and at the post office.

I am Li Ping. I understand the grammar and the readings in my class and I think my writing is good, but I'm very nervous when I speak English. I don't want to make any mistakes because I'm afraid people will think that I'm stupid. Also, my pronunciation isn't good. When I speak, people often say, “What? Say that again”.

I am Yoshi. I have been in the United States for one year. I'm studying hard and I know grammar well, but the vocabulary is very difficult. When I listen, I don't understand many of the words. When I try to read, there are three or four new words in every sentence. I feel discouraged.

1. Who may say, “I go to bed late last night”？

A．Pablo.

B．Maria Luisa.

C．Li Ping.

D．Yoshi.

2. What would be the best advice for Maria Luisa?

A．Try to have a wide vocabulary.	B．Develop a good knowledge of grammar.
C．Read as many English books as possible.	D．Make friends with English­speaking people.

3. Why do people find it hard to understand Li Ping's English?

A．She can't pronounce words in English correctly.	B．She speaks at a very fast speed.
C．Her grammar is terrible.	D．Her voice is very low.

2 . Mental health is deteriorating(恶化)among young people globally.The incidence of depression and anxiety is increasing, and this not only lowers quality of life, but can have a lasting negative impact as an adolescent reaches adulthood.

Many experts are trying to get at the root causes of this decline, in order to find ways to prevent further deterioration and to provide more effective help when needed. Two “emerging determinants of interest” are (a) over use of screen-based technology, and (b) too little time spent in nature. Most research to date has considered these factors independently, but a group of scientists from University of Adelaide recently decided to look at them jointly, to see if the combination of high screen time (ST) and low “green time” (GT), could affect mental wellbeing.

The result is published on September 4, 2020, in the scientific journal PLOS One. In it, the researchers analyzed data from 186 studies that looked at children's interactions with screen-based technology and nature and their psychological outcomes, including mental health, cognitive(认知的) functioning, and academic achievement.

What they found was that, in general, excessive screen time results in poorer psychological health, whereas green time improves mental wellbeing. Ten years ago in the U.S., the average daily screen time for 8-to-18-year-olds was 7.5 hours. As the study states, “This greatly exceeds recreational ST guidelines of 2 hours or less per day,” and is made even more challenging by the fact that so many schools are using technology to teach classes.

While some screen time can be beneficial, such as promoting connections and enabling tasks to be done more efficiently, there are many ways in which it is harmful. Excessive screen time “replaces important protective behaviors for mental health such as physical activity, getting adequate sleep, in-person social interactions, and academic activities.”

And yet, when children do go outside, they become more physically active. Their day-night rhythm is regulated, thanks to the exposure to sunlight, thus “encouraging healthy sleep-wake cycles and improved sleep, which is key for psychological well-being.”

1. The research of the University of Adelaide is different because________?

A．The researchers tried to find the root causes.

B．The researchers analyzed large amounts of data.

C．The researchers tried to find a solution.

D．They combined ST and GT.

2. What are the findings of their research?

A．Mental health is worsening among young people globally.

B．School technology contributes to the most screen time.

C．ST and GT have opposite impact on mental health.

D．Guidelines of screen time shouldn’t be more than two hours.

3. Why does over screen time affect mental health?

A．It replaces mentally healthy behaviors.

B．There is too much unhealthy information on the screen.

C．Teens can’t break away from screen addiction.

D．Teens can’t sleep well after screen time.

4. What is implied in the passage?

A．Over screen time worsens teens’ health.

B．Teens need more green time, less screen time.

C．Teens should be banned from any screen time.

D．Screen-based technology shouldn’t be allowed in schools.

3 . My 9-year-old daughter and I were flying from our home in Carolina to spend a week with my husband in Florida. We were excited about the trip because we hadn’t seen him for five months, and my daughter missed her dad terribly.

As usual on the Charlotte-to-Miami flight, the plane was totally full. Because we did not get our boarding passes until we arrived at the gate, Kallie and I could not get seats together and were separated by the aisle (过道). I asked two passengers in my row if they would exchange places with Kallie and me so that we could be together. They refused, saying they thought they should stay in their own seats. Meanwhile, a mother and her three children were in a panic several rows ahead of us. There had been a mistake in their boarding passes, and therefore the whole family had been split up. The passengers in her row also refused to move elsewhere. She was very concerned about the younger boy sitting with strangers. She was in tears, yet nobody offered to help her. There were a troop of Boy Scouts (童子军) on board. Suddenly the Scout leader stood up and said, “Ma’am, I think we can help you.” He then spent five minutes rearranging his group so that enough space was left for the family. The boys followed his directions cheerfully and without complaint, and the mother’s relief was obvious.

Kallie, however, was beginning to worry at the thought of not being next to me. I told her that there wasn’t anything I could do. Amazingly, the man sitting next to the Scoutmaster, turned around to me and asked, “Would you and your daughter like our seats?” referring to himself and the Scoutmaster. We traded seats and continued our trip, very much relieved to be together and watch the scenery from Kallie’s window seat.

1. What made Kallie excited?

A．Travelling to Florida for the first time.	B．Seeing her father very soon.
C．Enjoying the beautiful scenery.	D．Having fun with other kids.

2. We can know that the author asked to exchange seats with others to ________.

A．keep herself away from danger	B．stop her daughter from crying
C．make herself less nervous	D．sit together with her daughter

3. How did the Scout leader help the mother and her three children?

A．He made room for them.	B．He kept chatting with them.
C．He bought them tickets.	D．He carried luggage for them.

4. Which of the following best describes the Boy Scouts?

A．Energetic.

B．Humorous.

C．Creative.

D．Caring.

4 . 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.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

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

3. What can be inferred about the SoundShirt described in the passage?

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.

4. The author probably wrote this passage to ___________.

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

5 . We offer five kinds of courses. Each course has been designed to help students according to their needs.

Course 1: General English

General English is designed to develop students’ basic communication skills in speaking and pronunciation, reading, listening, writing, grammar and vocabulary. Tuesday to Friday: 9:00 am to 11:00 am, $ 288 per week.

Course 2: Academic English

Academic English is for students who want to take the IELTS exam or for those who need to use English in a professional area. Monday to Friday: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, $ 320 per week.

Course 3: High School ESL

Why not make the most of your time studying in Australia with the help from TIES? We have High School ESL classes each week specifically designed for international students. Tuesday to Friday: 8:00 am to 11:00 am, $ 25 per hour.

Course 4: Night Classes

Do you want to improve your English and get the best possible results in your GRE test? We have three night classes each week designed to meet your needs. Tuesday to Thursday evenings: 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm, $ 60 per day.

Course 5: One on One

If you are interested in some One on One lessons with TIES teachers, we can design a course to meet your needs. One on One lessons can improve your English language skills more quickly and help students who want to take TOEFL. Tuesday to Friday: 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, $ 80 per hour.

Please click here to learn more about the courses.

1. Which course would be helpful for basic communication skills?

A．High School ESL.	B．Night Classes.
C．General English.	D．Academic English.

2. How much will you pay if you spend two weeks taking the Night Classes?

A．$240.

B．$300.

C．$360.

D．$600.

3. Where can we find the passage?

A．A newspaper.	B．A website.
C．A brochure.	D．An application.

6 . Have you ever wondered what wild animals do when no one is watching?

Low cost, dependable and small modern cameras offered a big help. Cameras placed in hard-to-reach places have shot everything from small desert cats to larger snow-lowing cats in the northern Rocky Mountains. Scientists have been able to document the “private” moments of wildlife with leading technology.

Grant Harris is a government biologist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In his words, “there’s no doubt that these wild cameras are important tools to learn new information on wildlife.” Harris said some images help scientists see the influences of climate (气候) change.

Researchers with the Wyoming Migration Initiative, or WMI, are among those using wild cameras along with global positioning systems, or GPS. But WMI director Matthew Kauffman says as those devices (设备) are limited (有限的), so is the amount of information they can gather. However, cameras can be left in very wild areas for days, weeks or even months. They can provide information on how many animals are moving over a given period of time.

Putting those cameras in place requires careful planning. Wild video can show details about animal behavior. However, wild cameras have their problems too. Animals such as wolverines and bears sometimes attack (袭击) them. Scientists do not know if the attacks are the result of anger or interest. Also, the devices have become popular tools to help hunters look for animals. Some people argue that it is unfair to use the cameras that way.

Even with such problems, wild cameras are clearly an important scientific tool in researching wild animals.

1. What does the underlined word “document” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Remind.

B．Enrich.

C．Produce.

D．Record.

2. Which is a disadvantage of wild cameras?

A．They cannot be left in the wild over a long period.

B．They cannot be placed in hard-to-reach areas.

C．They provide limited information.

D．They might be stolen by people.

3. Why do some people argue against using wild cameras?

A．It is difficult to fix the cameras.

B．It helps hunters find animals easily.

C．It is hard to achieve careful planning.

D．It makes animals interested in the cameras.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards wild cameras?

A．Doubtful.

B．Supporting.

C．Uncertain.

D．Uninterested.

7 . Charles Darwin lived an unusually quiet life．In 1842, Darwin and his wife Emma moved from London to Kent in southern England to have as little disturbance(烦扰) as possible．They already had two children then, and would go on to have eight more in the country．

Darwin had very regular(有规律的) habits．He rose early and went for a walk．After breakfast he worked in his study until 9：30 am, his most productive time of the day, and then read his letters lying on the sofa before returning to work．

At midday he would go for another walk with his dog, stopping at his greenhouse to inspect(查看) his experiments．Then he would go for another walk around an area of woodland．While walking on his “thinking path”，Darwin would consider his unsolved scientific problems．

After lunch he read the newspaper and wrote letters．His network of friends provided information from all corners of the world．

The Darwins were not very strict parents and the children were always seen running wild．Their father worked patiently to a background of playful shouts and little footsteps walking past his study door．

After dinner Darwin played backgammon (a game for two people to play) with his wife．He once wrote, “Now the result with my wife in backgammon stands like this: she．．．has won only 2，490 games, while I have won, hurrah(a cheer of joy or victory), hurrah, 2，795 games！”

Although he had poor health, Darwin continued to publish(出版) a lot of creative works until his final book in 1881．He died the following year, aged 73．

Rather than a quiet space in the local churchyard, which he called “the sweetest place on Earth”，Darwin was given a state funeral(国葬) in London’s Westminster Abbey．

1. Why did the Darwins move to Kent?

A．To do more experiments．	B．To cut their cost of living．
C．To enjoy more peacefulness．	D．To be together with their children．

2. What did Darwin do every day?

A．He studied in the woods．	B．He started to work at 9：30 am．
C．He wrote letters in the morning．	D．He examined his experiments．

3. What did Darwin’s children probably think of him?

A．Strict．

B．Sweet．

C．Cold．

D．Brave．

4. What is this text mainly about?

A．Darwin’s scientific achievements．	B．Darwin’s unusual state funeral．
C．Darwin’s personal life．	D．Darwin’s large family．

8 . When most people hear the words “Big Ben” they immediately think of the attractive Victorian Gothic structure of the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster. Let’s clear up a common misunderstanding first; technically speaking, the name “Big Ben” does not refer to the famous tower, nor to the four huge clock faces of this London landmark; instead, it refers to the largest one of the five bells inside the clock tower.

Construction of the tower was begun following the disastrous fire which destroyed the old Palace of Westminster in 1834. Charles Barry was responsible for rebuilding the Palace, and his designs included a clock tower.

It took 16 years to build the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster and it was completed in 1859. The tower is 316 feet high. The spire of the tower is built with an iron frame, and it is this frame which supports the weight of the bells. Several small rooms are built into the lower part of the tower, including a small prison cell.

The iron frame of the clock face was designed by AW Pugin, who was responsible for many of the Gothic decorative elements of the Palace of Westminster. The dials are 23 feet in diameter and the faces themselves are not solid, but are made up of many small pieces of opal glass, like a glass window. Several of the central pieces of glass can be removed to make it easier for people to check the hands of the clock from inside.

At the time of its construction the clock movement was easily the largest in the world, and it is still among the largest today. The clock, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, has proven to be very accurate over the years.

Big Ben — the hour bell — is said to have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was known for his great size, as is the bell! The first Big Ben hour bell was completed before the tower, so the bell was hung in New Palace Yard. After repeated public ringing the bell cracked and had to be replaced by the current bell.

1. The name “Big Ben” actually refers to ____.

A．the famous tower	B．the huge clock faces
C．the biggest bell inside	D．the designer of the tower

2. From the text, we know that the clock tower ___________.

A．was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison	B．was built in 1844
C．is more than 300 feet high	D．has no rooms in it

3. What is the benefit of the opal glass clock faces?

A．Opal glass is cheaper than solid materials.	B．The huge body makes it much easier to see.
C．The glass is solid enough.	D．Pieces of glass can be removed to check the hands.

4. From the text, we can infer that ________.

A．Sir Benjamin Hall was a famous architect	B．the first hour bell has worked till now
C．the bells are hung inside the spire of the tower	D．the clock is not accurate now

9 . Some students get so nervous before a test. They do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock, a professor at the University of Chicago in Illinois, has studied these highly anxious test-takers. The students start worrying about the results. And when we worry, it actually uses up attention and memory resources（资源）.

Professor Beilock and another researcher, Gerardo Ramirez, have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam, highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test.

The researchers tested the idea on a group of twenty anxious college students. They gave them two short maths tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test.

Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored（得分） an average of 12% worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved（提高） their performance by an average of 5%. Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated（不相关的） to the test. Professor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B-for those who did not.

"What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious, and who'd done our writing intervention（干预）, all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and grades. They were performing just as well as their classmates who don't normally get nervous in these tests."

But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.

1. What do the students start worrying about before an exam?

A．Whether they can pass the exams.

B．What other students do during the test.

C．Whether they have remembered the materials.

D．What kind of problems they will meet on the test paper.

2. What is the solution developed by researchers?

A．Making the students focused on the test.

B．Asking the students to sit quietly before the test.

C．Having the students write about their worries about the test.

D．Asking the students to direct the attention away from the test.

3. According to Professor Beilock, those who thought about things unrelated to the test ____________.

A．became less nervous before the test

B．were better at controlling their feelings

C．did worse than those who wrote about their feelings

D．did better than those who wrote about their feelings

4. We can infer from the last paragraph that ____________.

A．writing about our worries before an exam can work a bit

B．we can only write about our worries right before an exam

C．the best place to write about our worries is in the test room

D．it doesn't matter where we write about our worries before an exam

10 . With summer drawing to a dose, parents are helpless.

Camp’s over. The kids’ friends have left for warmer places. A trip to the pool doesn't bring the same excitement as it did in June. And so many families have no choice but to go for a trip to the amusement park.

Whether you’re thinking of Six Flags, Sesame Place, Hersheypark or Dutch Wonderland, don't do it—you’ll be sorry. Amusement parks—especially water parks—have never been more popular. More than 26 million people went to Six Flags last year. These parks bring out the worst in kids and parents alike. What starts out as a special treat ends up in disappointment and tears.

As soon as you get to the park, you pay a couple of hundred dollars for a family of four. Already, expectations are unrealistic as parents start to do the math. How many rides will I get for the money? The answer—at least in August—is four.

That’s because of the lines. Time stops as you stand in line leading to even the least exciting ride. Over and over we count the number of people in front of us, wondering how many more rounds there’ll be before our turn. Then there are the other parents—some of whom seem to think the lines are part of the game.

At Dutch Wonderland last weekend, one father walked up to my kids and asked if they were in line. For five minutes, he had his daughter stand behind them. When I turned my head, he had her stand ahead of them. Then he did it to the kids next in line, too.

By the end of the day, you see mothers and fathers buy their kids ice cream again and again to ease the influences of the heat, disappointment and anger.

It’s like they’ve forgotten—it was all the kids’ idea in the first place.

1. Why are parents helpless?

A．Their kids are having little fun.	B．They are not good at planning trips.
C．Their kids depend on them too much.	D．They are too busy to play with their kids.

2. What does the author think of the money spent by parents?

A．It is not worth it.	B．It is good for the family.
C．It wouldn't be so much in August.	D．It is a waste for those poor at math.

3. Why did the father ask the author's kids whether they were in line?

A．He was a polite person.	B．He couldn’t find the line.
C．He wanted his kid to cut in line.	D．He wanted to teach them a lesson.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Behave well, little kids!	B．Mind your manners, parents!
C．Make your choices carefully	D．Keep away from amusement parks