1 . Parking your car in a parking garage has a lot of advantages. You do not have to constantly move your car for alternate side parking, or snow removal, and you do not have to go in and out of your vehicle in unpleasant weather. Now, in Munich, Germany, there is an additional benefit--artificial intelligence can reward drivers for not using their cars.
A trial program, led by UK-based Fetch. ai and Datarella, a German company, at a downtown Munich office building, uses AI to communicate with drivers to tell them when the garage is filling up and a price increase will go into effect, or suggest that drivers find an alternative place to park. Actually, it can be used as a motivation for people to leave their cars and use environmentally-friendly methods of transportation. People who do not use their cars to commute to work will be rewarded with public transit passes.
The AI is based on a multi-agent technology where agents can perform specific tasks and by communication with each other, sort out complex situations. The drivers' apps will be programmed to know when the cars will be in use and the parking garage agent will tap into a camera system that will analyze the amount of spaces and then set the price accordingly. Then the drivers can decide whether and where to park through the apps.
The city council（议会）made some comments on the new project: it is still immature but it is likely to improve parking space management and organize traffic flow to prevent traffic jams. "Our system encourages community use of public transport or other sustainable transportation through a distribution system while reducing the congestion（拥堵）that accounts for a great deal of Munich's CO2 emissions（排放）," Michael Reuter, CEO of Datarella said.
Even a 10 percent reduction of car use will save 37, 000 tons of emission. That is the equivalent emissions of all yearly energy use for 4, 000 homes.
While the system is being trialed in only one garage, Fetch. ai plans to expand the trial to other parking garages around the city in 2021.
1. What does the trial program encourage drivers to do?| A．Avoid public transport. | B．Use green transportation. |
| C．Pay more for the parking. | D．Park in traditional garages. |
| A．How parking prices are increased. | B．How drivers benefit from parking. |
| C．How normal parking garages operate. | D．How the AI parking system works. |
| A．Generally positive. | B．Extremely worried. |
| C．Barely hopeful. | D．Totally admiring. |
| A．You Will Be Rewarded for Not Parking. |
| B．Parking Your Car in the Garage Matters. |
| C．A Parking Garage Is Using AI for Parking. |
| D．A Trial Parking System Is Expanding Fast. |
2 . On a drive to my appointment on Halloween, I thought about how life should be going. I was 30, a mother of three daughters — twin five-year-olds and a one-year-old. I should be playing in the park with them or visiting the library. But once again, I needed this appointment.
It had been a year since I’d been diagnosed with cancer. My surgery was over, so it’s just a routine blood test. As always, there was a fear that the cancer had returned. But today, it was more than that. I felt alone, tired, and sad. My family and friends were busy with their lives, and I did not want to burden them with my feelings of unhappiness. I just wanted to see the positive things in life and be truly grateful — without reservations.
When we finally arrived, we sat in a crowded waiting room. It was pretty uneventful (平淡的) until my youngest daughter, dressed up like an angel, walked up to a complete stranger and said, “Tweet.” This was what she said, “Trick or Treat,” coached previously by her twin sisters. The old woman , who was in a wheelchair and accompanied by her caregiver, knew exactly what my daughter meant. She ordered her helper to take her over to the vending machine. She put in enough money to give each of my girls a treat. This caring act started a run on the vending machine. Soon, everyone had a candy bar or bag of chips ready for impromptu trick or treat, which was beyond their expectation.
Everyone was smiling and laughing, and my daughters were extremely happy with their good fortune. Here were these people, facing who-knows-what health difficulties, and they only thought of giving three little girls some Halloween fun. It was a lesson for me about how good, kind and generous people are. The gratitude I felt was overwhelming (压倒性的),and the thankfulness didn't fade away.
1. Where might the story take place according to the text?| A．In the library. | B．In the park. |
| C．In a hospital. | D．At a store. |
| A．She felt excited. | B．She was optimistic. |
| C．She feared the worst. | D．She had mixed feelings. |
| A．Unprepared. | B．Initial. |
| C．Eventful. | D．Splendid. |
| A．An Exciting Appointment | B．A Special Trick or Treat |
| C．A Routine Blood Test | D．One Special Friend |
3 . The world’s largest iceberg, named A68a, broke away from Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf in July, 2017. It has since floated(漂浮)toward the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Satellite pictures show the iceberg has remained in one piece. It is about 150 kilometers long and 48 kilometers wide. It is traveling at one kilometer an hour and is on a path to hit South Georgia in around 30 days.
Right now is the time of year when seals and penguins spend a lot of time caring for their young. This means the distance that parents have to travel to find food is important. Scientists fear that if the iceberg hits the island, it could prevent the penguins and seals from reaching food supplies. That means they have to go a lot further. They have to go around the iceberg, or to actually go further to find food. And that time is quite important at this particular period of their life cycle.
Ecologists say an iceberg crash(碰撞)would also disturb materials settled on the seabed, possibly polluting the surrounding seas. As the iceberg melts(融化), it would also send large amounts of fresh water into the ocean. This could affect krill populations that are a major source of food for the island's wildlife. Besides, the iceberg could remain for 10 years and change the area’s whole ecosystem. If some rare species fail in this area, their numbers globally are going to go down quite sharply.
The breaking-off of icebergs from Antarctica is a natural process. But the process is changing with climate change. What we’re seeing now is that the speed at which this is happening is increasing. And so, this might become more of a usual thing into the future. Right now, officials are hoping that changing weather patterns could direct the iceberg out into the open ocean, where it would, in time, break up and melt.
1. What can we know about the iceberg A68a?| A．It was hit by another iceberg and broke into pieces. |
| B．It has been floating on the sea for more than 4 years. |
| C．It is now more than 500km away from South Georgia. |
| D．It came into being because of a drop in water temperature. |
| A．By bringing other wildlife there. |
| B．By slowing down their life cycle. |
| C．By cutting off their way to feeding areas. |
| D．By making the weather completely different. |
| A．The time period an iceberg could remain. |
| B．The possible influence of an iceberg crash. |
| C．The possible reason for the failure of rare species. |
| D．The fresh water an iceberg could produce. |
| A．Floating icebergs will be more common. |
| B．The iceberg will soon break up and melt. |
| C．Icebergs have nothing to do with climate. |
| D．Officials have planned to direct the iceberg. |
4 . A new report says English ability is improving in many parts of the world. The report is a yearly look at English levels around the world. This year, the study was based on information from more than 2.2 million test-takers in 100 countries. The Netherlands had the highest level of English proficiency（精通）, while Tajikistan had the lowest.
Europe had the highest scores of any region（区域）. Within the continent, northern European countries had the best ratings（等级）, with the Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland at the top. The report notes that schools in northern Europe have high levels of English ability for several reasons. They include early attention to communication skills, daily speaking and listening in English, and career-targeted language teaching.
The report notes that not all countries have the same ability levels. France, Spain, and Italy still fall behind most other European Union states. However, English ability levels in France have improved over the past three years.
Asia had the second-highest regional score, behind Europe. But the report notes that Asia has room for improvement. Asia has the widest differences in English ability levels. Singapore had the highest score among Asian countries, coming in at number ten in the world. Yet several Central Asian countries were toward the bottom of the list. Their low rating is partly because Russian is the second language that is most commonly taught in schools.
Africa came in third in regional scores, with South Africa in the lead. The report notes that ability test results across Africa were not equal. Kenya and Nigeria were also in the upper part of the list, while other African countries were much lower.
One limitation（局限）is that the report only had enough information to include just 13 African countries. But there could also be less of a difference in skill levels than the information suggests.
1. Which European country has the lowest English ability?| A．France. | B．Finland. |
| C．Denmark. | D．The Netherlands. |
| A．Low education level. | B．Another foreign language. |
| C．Remote location. | D．Traditional culture. |
| A．It didn't study Africa carefully. |
| B．It reached a false conclusion. |
| C．It didn't have enough information. |
| D．It refused to include all African countries. |
| A．Huge Differences in English Ability among Countries |
| B．English in Many Countries Needing Improving |
| C．English Ability Improving in Many Countries |
| D．Different Countries' Opinions about English |
5 . When the last snow melts and everything becomes green again, you probably feel very happy. You know that summer is drawing near soon, and you will be able to be outdoors in the sunshine. People all over the world have celebrated the coming of spring and the rebirth of nature. Though customs differ from one place to another, many of them use eggs as a sign of new life.
To Christians, springtime is Easter time. Easter is a religious holiday celebrating the rebirth of Christ. Many Easter customs have to do with eggs: decorating them, hiding them, and eating them.
For Jews, springtime is Passover time. Passover is a celebration of the Jew’s escape from slavery to freedom. People eat eggs as meals during this special holiday because eggs stand for freedom, new beginnings, and new life for them.
Many old European customs think eggs as a symbol of rebirth and love. In Hungary, a boy earns a coloured egg if he can splash (洒湿) a girl with perfumed water. In parts of Germany, girls go into the woods in the springtime and bring back a tree decorated with green, red, and white ribbons. As they carry the colourful tree home, they sing.
“Spring comes to visit us,
With eggs that are red,
With yellow pancakes...
We are carrying Summer
Into the village.”
In England, rolling coloured eggs down slopes on Easter Monday was popular. Rolling eggs across the White House lawn has become a tradition in the United States.
In ancient times Egyptians and Persians celebrated their spring festivals by colouring and eating eggs. They understood the world was actually created in the spring. Some of them thought that at first the world itself was one huge egg!
1. What can we learn from the text?| A．Eggs are a popular dish in most cultures. |
| B．Easter eggs spread around the world. |
| C．Spring is very important to people all over the world. |
| D．People worldwide celebrate the spring’s coming in the same manner. |
| A．Because it means the booming of Jewish culture. |
| B．Because it means the end of suffering for Jews. |
| C．Because it means the success of Jewish people. |
| D．Because it means the birth of a new country. |
| A．By rolling colorful eggs. | B．By singing in the woods. |
| C．By decorating eggs in colors. | D．By taking home trees with ribbons. |
| A．Easter colourful eggs | B．Western foods |
| C．Spring celebrations | D．Christmas traditions |
6 . I remember exactly how I felt when I was listening to instructions on what to do in the water for my first ever whitewater rafting (漂流) trip. It was a mixture of fear and excitement—feelings I usually get before I begin a new adventure. I had been in Costa Rica for three days and one of my goals for the trip was to raft down the beautiful Pacuare River.
I think it is stories like this that lead people to tell me I have an adventurous spirit. But was this experience really adventurous? My tour guide has gone down the river many times, but the excitement was gone and he was just doing his job. Another couple I had met on the trip had been to Costa Rica six times. To them, it was just another trip.
I think a big part of any adventure is in the novelty (新鲜) of the experience. You have to break new ground and experience what you’ve never experienced before. Part of the fun of adventures lies in not knowing what the result will be. That’s not something you get from things you know really well.
The second feature of adventure is fear. Anything adventurous has a little bit of fear in it. That doesn’t necessarily mean overcoming your biggest fears. Just a little fear is all that is needed.
It doesn’t matter if the thing you’re doing has been done before by other people. If it is new to you and something you feel nervous about, it is adventurous. This is why my rafting down the river in Costa Rica was adventurous to me while to my guide, it was just another day on the job.
For me, one of the greatest things about adventure is how it affects me internally (内在地). Before an adventure you only recognize your limits; afterwards you realize that you have no limits. That’s an amazing thing to think about and something I think everyone should experience.
1. How did the author feel before the first whitewater rafting?| A．Excited but hesitant. | B．Calm and hopeful. |
| C．Amused and relaxed. | D．Excited but fearful. |
| A．Because the trip lost freshness to them. |
| B．Because they were doing their separate jobs. |
| C．Because they overcame their fears completely. |
| D．Because they didn’t like the trip actually. |
| A．Overcoming the biggest fear. | B．Knowing something well. |
| C．Facing the unknown result. | D．Breaking one’s old ground. |
| A．First experience of whitewater rafting trip. |
| B．Love for outdoor adventurous experience. |
| C．Memory of living in Costa Rica. |
| D．Understanding of the adventurous spirit. |
7 . On March 19, 2018, the world lost Sudan, the last male northern white rhino (犀牛）.
Sudan died at the age of 45.
A new film, Kifaru, tells Sudan’s story through the eyes of his Kenyan caretakers. Kifaru, directed by David Hambridge, was recently shown at the Hot Docs 2019 Festival in Toronto, Canada. People are drawn into the world of the three caretakers and their love for Sudan
“I saw the caretakers, the bond (纽带）they had, and how strong it was,” Hambridge said. WI saw how much they loved giving Sudan baths, feeding him, sitting next to him, and talking to him.”
After showing the bond between Sudan and his caretakers, Hambridge decided to tell the story“ in a way that was very human, ” he explained. “I wanted people to be able to experience the joys and pitfalls of animal protection on the ground.
Taking care of a rhino, especially the last male northern white rhino, is no easy job. In Kenya, the role of a rhino caretaker does not make much money. Moreover, the caretakers had to spend 10 months out of the year away from their families. As James, one of Sudan scaretakers, said in Kifaru, the job was taking care of an animal that can never look you in the eyes 3nd say, “ Thank you.”
The film comes along with lots of sad news about animal extinction（灭绝)Except for rhinos, many of whom were killed for their horns(角)，lots of other animals are disappearing as well. According to a new report from the United Nations, as many as one million kinds of animals are at risk of extinction because of human activity.
As caretaker James said about the rhino problem, extinction is the result of humans endless greed(贪欲）. Unless we act now, life on Earth could change quickly.
1. What is special about Sudan?| A．He had many children. | B．He was the last of his kind. |
| C．He had more than one caretaker. | D．He was the world's oldest rhino. |
| A．It was directed by Sudani caretakers. | B．It shows how people train animals. |
| C．It tells a true story about a rhino. | D．It was finished in March 2018. |
| A．Hopes. | B．Losses. | C．Surprises. | D．Difficulties. |
| A．Kifaru, a Record of Wild Animals | B．Life Is Changing on Earth |
| C．Protecting the Rhino | D．Rhino Caretakers |
8 . An 11-year-old boy's dance in the rain in Lagos, Nigeria, not only touched the hearts of millions who saw his passion but it is helping make his dream come true.
Those who saw Anthony Madu jumping high and pirouetting（作单脚尖旋转）without shoes on the rain-soaked street in a video posted by his dance teacher were in awe（敬畏）of his talent—So much so that the attention the young ballet dancer, received online earlier this summer has helped him obtain a scholarship from a prestigious ballet, company in New York City.
With the support of actress Viola Davis, who shared Anthony's video with the title "reminds me of the beauty of my people," and actress Cynthia Erivo, 11-year-old Anthony was offered the opportunity to train at the American Ballet Theatre.
For Erivo, she says she felt a special, personal; connection, when she saw Anthony danced. They're in Nigeria. I happen to be Nigerian as well. And I was like, this felt like a fateful moment," the actress told NBC News. She was so moved by the young dancer's performance, she connected him with the theater company, "I think it's extremely important because I think boys are not encouraged to do this incredibly hard craft that actually encourages strength and endurance and beauty," Erivo said.
1. What do we know about Cynthia Erivo?| A．She's a NYC Ballett Company boss. |
| B．She supports Anthony Madu very much. |
| C．She doesn't encourage the boy to do the work. |
| D．She's Madu's friend in New York. |
| A．famous | B．interesting. |
| C．delightful. | D．valuable. |
| A．He loves poetry. | B．He's a news reporter. |
| C．He's very ambitious. | D．He makes videos. |
| A．Nigerian Boy: A Dancer of Talent |
| B．The Viral Video about a Dancer |
| C．NYC Ballet Company: A Haven for the Dancer |
| D．The Love of the Ballet |
9 . Recently I’ve had two good roles on television. But when I was just getting started in theater work 17 years ago, I never thought I’d make it. Back then I was recovering from surgery and had been off work for six months. Even worse, as a single mother with three youngsters, I had no place to live in. I felt hopeless.
One Sunday morning I saw actor Robert Young on the television talking about his faith: Believe yourself! If we confidently take that first step, well take the next, until we reach our goal.
The first step was scary. After I went working part-time, I looked for an apartment. The ones I saw were either too expensive, or I couldn’t raise my children in them. I knew a house, not an apartment, was more suitable for me. However, after seeing several houses, my confidence was shaken. I found two seemed right, but when I was about to make an offer, someone else had ordered.
I remembered a saying, “When one door closes, a better one opens.” I wouldn’t just sit staring at the closed one but got up and struggled on. In a real estate (房地产) agent, I found a small house with proper price. To buy it, I had to borrow $ 3,000 for a down payment and get a mortgage (按揭). Common sense argued that a mortgage for a single mother working part-time was impossible. But I had enough self-confidence without following common sense.
After getting the house, my new self-confidence grew. Later , when I began filling small parts in television productions, that self-confidence showed. I'd always played the role as the director wanted. Now I find myself freer to interpret (演绎) it.
Self-confidence has made it through life. Trouble can be scary at first, but each time I take that step, I believe I will win the next.
1. How did the author feel when entering television industry at first?| A．Hopeful. | B．Embarrassed. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Aggressive. |
| A．To show the value of self-confidence. |
| B．To share her different life experiences. |
| C．To introduce her toughest part of life. |
| D．To tell us her ways to get over difficulty. |
| A．Her sense of confidence. | B．The difficulty in her life. |
| C．The director’s good direction. | D．Her success in her first attempt. |
| A．Appear on the Stage | B．Struggle with Life |
| C．Stick to Your Plan | D．Believe in Yourself |
10 . When schools, theaters, amusement parks and libraries around the country closed due to the COVID—19, kids were left with few activities to keep them busy. So Kelly Passek, a school librarian who works for Montgomery County Public Schools in Virginia, came up with a creative way to ensure that kids in her community still have books to read: She was delive-ring them by drone(无人机).
“As a school librarian，it is extremely important for me to have connections with my students,” Passek said. “So I can make sure that they have got access to the resources they need and the resources will allow them to be successful—not just academically(学业上), but also in life.”
When distance—learning began in the school district due to the COVID—19, Passek thought how she was going to keep that connection with her students. One day she came up with an idea. Her family often uses Wing, a drone service from Google’s parent company Alphabet, to get necessities delivered straight to their door. Passek thought maybe she could use the technology to respond to library book requests from students.
Passek discusses the delivery process with Wing. Students can ask to take out library books using an online form. Passek receives the requests» packs the books up in special delivery boxes, and then puts them on the top of Wing» which deals with the drone delivery. Now, students in Montgomery County can choose from the library’s more than 150,000 titles, and have their books delivered right to their front yard.
“Montgomery County Public Schools will be the first public school system in the world to use Wing to deliver library books to our students,” Passek said. “We are excited about this opportunity to have a really unique way to deliver resources, and do it practically on demand. Now we have received praise online from students.”
1. What is extremely important in Passek’s opinion?| A．Students, access to books. |
| B．Activities to keep students busy. |
| C．Friendship between her and her students. |
| D．Ways for students to fight COVID—19. |
| A．Students, requests. | B．The popularity of Wing. |
| C．Support from Google. | D．Her family’s experience. |
| A．It inspires students? love for books. |
| B．It brings students nothing but stress. |
| C．It can’t meet every student’s reading needs. |
| D．It is thought highly of by students. |
| A．Knowledge helps students succeed |
| B．Students need interesting activities |
| C．A librarian delivers books by drone |
| D．The COVID—19 is under control |
