1 . Independent living at home is the ideal for every aging person. But a fall or other health-threatening incidents can change everything rapidly.

The wearable “panic buttons” introduced in the late 1980s were a great advance. But they only work if people actually wear them and can reach the button in an emergency. Today there are passive wearables that automatically detect falls, and camera-based systems to monitor elder safety.

Coming from a 40-year career in the semiconductor and wireless communication field, Rafi Zack decided to find a better alternative. “People aren’t devoted to wearing small devices 24/7, and camera-based systems are an invasion（侵犯）of privacy,” he points out, “The most challenging aspect is a fall. How fast we can detect a fall matters because the medical situation worsens quickly. Sometimes people stay on the floor for a long time. We have to find out how to solve that problem.”

Zack is a co-founder, CEO and vice president of R&D at EchoCare Technologies which has developed ECHO (Elderly Care Home Observer), a cloud-connected monitor based on radar technology and machine learning.

Because radar sees through walls, one ECHO unit fixed on the ceiling or wall can monitor one person (or two persons, in a future version) in a standard-sized apartment in a senior living facility. The device detects falls, breathing difficulties, drowning in a bathtub and other dangerous events. It gives out warnings to potential health worsening conditions by continuously monitoring and analyzing the person’s location, posture（姿势）, motion and breath. EchoCare tested the device in the United States, Japan, Australia and Israel. ECHO was certified（认证）in 2019 in Japan with the most aging population in the world.

“Bathrooms were the main testing area where about 17,000 deadly accidents happen annually.” said SMK Director and Executive Vice President Tetsuo Hara. “Bathroom makers, home security service providers and nursing homes are highly interested in EchoCare’s solution.” Zack noted, “As more and more elder people live alone as a result of social distancing, there is an increased need to monitor them without the burden of wearables or privacy-invading cameras.”

1. What’s the advantage of ECHO over “panic buttons”?

A．It has camera-based systems.	B．It has been widely accepted.
C．It can function without cameras.	D．Its buttons can be easily reached.

2. What can we know about ECHO from paragraph 5?

A．It is designed to send out warnings regularly.

B．It monitors dangerous health-related events.

C．It was certified in many developed countries.

D．It detects more than one person at the same time.

3. What can we infer about the future of ECHO?

A．It’ll become more popular with the elderly.

B．It’ll stop 17,000 deaths happening annually.

C．It’ll be used in nursing homes and hospitals.

D．It’ll help elderly people to live an active life.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．An Advanced Medical Instrument

B．A High-tech Monitor for the Elderly

C．The Invention of a Healthcare Device

D．The Improvement of a Medical Facility

2 . What is talent? Are you born with it? Or does it seem to develop over time? Before I start, I’d like to say that one thing everyone agrees on is that the most skilled musicians have worked hard to get there.

While it’s true that a few of us had enough “talent” to avoid extra practice to do just as well as those who did, those who worked hard easily beat us. It is, in fact, very likely that if some of us “talented ones” had actually been practicing and improving our skill, we would have achieved a whole different level.

Another aspect of talent seems to be heart and passion (酷爱). The people I see who are the most talented musicians are crazy about music. They eat, breathe, and live music and they make an extraordinary effort to make it part of their lives. As Remus Badea said, desire for the musician-to-be is significant for them to be successful. This desire is easily found in those considered to be talented. When you want and love something so bad, it drives you and your entire character can be shaped around it. Such determined passion seems to produce incredible skill and talent.

The third aspect (方面) of talent is having talent around you. When surrounded by talented musicians, it only seems natural that you start to catch up to their level Take a look at almost any group of musicians in history. The more talented people in the group the more talented the group is as a whole. A great example of this is the relationship between audio producer and artist. The artist turns up to the studio with their song, and as they work through recording it, the audio producer will often suggest various changes to the song to make it better.

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．Pride goes before a fall.

B．It’s never too old to learn.

C．Practice contributes to talent.

D．Talent determines achievements.

2. What is the key to success according to Remus Badea?

A．Passion.

B．Character .

C．Skill.

D．Talent.

3. Why is the example mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To introduce what real talents are.

B．To explain how a song is composed.

C．To prove talents need team spirit.

D．To show the benefits of being with talents.

4. What might the author probably agree with?

A．Music has no limits.

B．Musicians are born with talent.

C．Music favors the talented.

D．Musicians are created, not born.

3 . The use of AI (artificial intelligence) is becoming more common in many branches of industry and online shopping. Traditional lines of work, such as goods transport and driving, are developing in a similar direction although mainly out of public view. Scientists at the University of Göttingen have now investigated how efficient (高效的) the use of AI can be in the commercial management of trucks.

“Digital applications—as well as machine leaning, a kind of AI—are increasingly applied to operations and courses in the transport area,” explains Professor Matthias Klumpp from the Faculty of Economics. “The question in the commercial area, however, is whether or not this contributes to achieving goals.”

To answer this question, the researchers compared the work efficiency of truck drivers with their main use of AI applications. Looking at trade delivery by truck, they studied three groups: the first drove completely following human decision-making models; the second used a combination of human and machine; and the third depended completely on fully automated decisions.

The researchers found that an intelligent combination of human work and decision-making abilities with AI applications promises the highest transport and driving efficiency. “On average, the second group achieved the most efficient transport trips, with the fewest interventions (干预) and off-course from the best path.” one researcher said, “Clearly, neither a completely human decision-making structure nor a fully automated driving system can promise to meet current goods transport requirements.” The scientists therefore summarized that despite the progress of AI in the field of transportation by truck, human experience and decision-making abilities will still be necessary in the longer term. However, the challenge is that a wide range of training and qualification (资格) needs will come along by working with Al applications, especially for simple goods transport activities.

1. What does Matthias Klumpp focus on?

A．The efficiency of AI.

B．The advantages of AI.

C．The problems caused by AI.

D．The wide applications of AI.

2. How did the researchers get the finding?

A．By providing examples.

B．By making comparisons.

C．By using different trucks.

D．By listing three experiments.

3. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．Al is better at making decisions.

B．A balance is needed between human and AI.

C．Human will soon be replaced by AI in driving.

D．Al applications meet the current requirements.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The future of transport.

B．Artificial intelligence as a co-driver.

C．Artificial intelligence-a better choice in driving.

D．The strengths of artificial intelligence in transport.

4 . My life as a tax-paying employed person began in middle school, when, for three whole days, I worked on an assembly (装配) line. My best friend Betsy’s father was an executive (管理者) at Hough Bakeries, which, at special festivals, made little rabbit-shaped cakes for all its stores. The plant downtown needed eight kids for temporary help, and the shift (轮班) fell over spring break, during which I had no plans. Cake? I loved cake-icing especially. I’d earn minimum wage. I’d see how a factory worked. My parents thought all of this was a grand idea for a girl like me and called Betsy’s dad with their permission.

Our roles on the line were simple: Place cakes on conveyor belt. Attach icing ears. Apply icing eyes and nose. Remove the cakes from belt; place onto trays. This was harder than it sounds. With your mind wandering, the cakes pile up. As I told my parents that first night, it was all a little more high-pressure than I’d expected. Dad smiled. This was the sort of work that made you appreciate the money you earned, he told me. And if your feet hurt or the minutes felt like hours, well then that was just motivation to keep those grades up and get that college education.

And the icing? We kids were allowed to eat as much as we wanted. By noon the first day, I could barely look at the stuff. To borrow a favorite phrase from my father: The executives weren’t born yesterday.

1. Why did the writer decide to take the job?

A．To earn lots of money.

B．To enjoy her spring break.

C．To help Betsy’s father temporarily.

D．To learn of the operation of the plant.

2. What can we learn from paragraph 2?

A．The writer found the job simple.

B．The job needed great concentration.

C．The writer quit the job the first night.

D．Father laughed at the writer’s performance.

3. How did Dad respond to the writer’s first-day experience?

A．Inspiring.

B．Doubtful.

C．Critical.

D．Sympathetic.

4. What does the writer mean by saying “I could barely look at the stuff”?

A．She found the icing ugly.	B．She was tired from the work.
C．She had eaten too much icing.	D．She felt depressed with the job.

5 . The joy of giving is real, according to a study. Research presented in the Journal of the Association for Psychological Science shows that those who give gifts are happier — and happier for longer — than those who receive gifts.

Researchers conducted two studies last year. In one，participants were given $5 every day for five days and were required to spend the money on the same thing each day. Some participants were required to spend the money on themselves, while others were required to give to make a donation to charity. In a second experiment that was done online, participants played 10 rounds of a word puzzle game and each won 5 cents per round, which they could keep or donate.

In both experiments, participants reported their overall happiness. Those who donated their money showed that their happiness declined at a much slower rate than those who kept the money or spent it on themselves.

The researchers note that when people focus on an outcome, they can easily compare outcomes, which may diminish their sensitivity to each experience. When people focus on an action, they may focus less on comparison and instead experience each act of giving as a unique happiness-inducing event. Further analyses ruled out some potential alternative explanations, such as the possibility that participants who gave to others had to think longer and harder about what to give, which could promote higher happiness.

The results are especially interesting because according to one of the researchers, Ed O’Brien of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, they conflict with past research. “If you want to sustain happiness over time, past research tells us that we need to take a break from what were currently consuming and experience something new. Our research reveals that the kind of thing may matter more than assumed: Repeated giving, even in identical ways to identical other，may continue to feel relatively fresh and relatively pleasurable the more we do it,” O’Brien said.

So for all the holiday gifts you give this season, expect to feel happy and know that feeling is going to stick around for a while.

1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?

A．To lead to the topic.

B．To highlight the importance of the study.

C．To recommend a journal.

D．To persuade people to give gifts regularly.

2. Why did the researchers do two experiments?

A．To challenge the past research.

B．To rule out different experimental data.

C．To show the benefits of donation.

D．To make the conclusion more convincing.

3. What does the underlined word “diminish” probably mean in the fourth paragraph?

A．Develop.

B．Show.

C．Reduce.

D．Lack.

4. What’s the main finding of the new study?

A．Gift giving will result in longer happiness than receiving.

B．Thinking longer and harder on giving will promote higher happiness.

C．The feeling of happiness will disappear soon if people just give holiday gifts.

D．Taking a break from what were currently consuming will sustain happiness.

6 . In November 2020, Hurricane Eta made landfall in Central America. The storm caused huge damage from Panama to Florida. Two weeks later, Hurricane lota arrived. It was even more powerful. Heavy rain fell on places that were already flooded. President Juan Orlando Hernandez, of Honduras, said lota would leave the area in tatters.

Scientists say climate change is to blame. They don't know if it' s causing more storms, but data seems to show it's causing storms to be stronger and more harmful. James P. Kossin is a climate scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA).He says the increase in greenhouse gas emissions (排放) is changing how storms behave. “These storms have a human fingerprint on them," he told TIME for Kids.

As the planet warms, so do its oceans. That' s where hurricanes begin. A storm draws its energy from ocean air. Warmer water provides more energy, which means higher winds. It also means heavier rain. Increased energy is also causing hurricanes to get stronger and faster. In August, Laura changed from a tropical storm to a strong hurricane in about a day. It hit Texas and Louisiana with winds of up to 150 miles per hour. Laura's storm surge ---- a wall of ocean water mainly caused by a strong wind --- reached 17 feet in places. It was among the highest ever recorded in Louisiana.

Hurricanes are also sticking around longer to do more damage. Rising temperatures are slowing down westerly winds, which blow around the planet. That makes storms move more slowly. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey hung around for days, flooding parts of Texas. “That storm was damaging because it didn't move.” Kossin says. “It just sat there. And it rained and rained."

Reducing greenhouse gases is the first step. Kossin says. "we can stop making it worse. Then we can try our best to adapt to the new climate we' re in."

1. What do the underlined words “in tatters” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Quiet.

B．Ruined.

C．Crowded.

D．Dangerous.

2. How do scientists think climate change has influenced storms?

A．It's led to storms destroying more.

B．It' s made storms difficult to read.

C．It' s increased the number of storms.

D．It's made storms happen in more places.

3. Why did the author give the example of Laura?

A．To prove that increased energy is causing storms to get stronger.

B．To show that storms are causing more and more damage.

C．To introduce different types of storms.

D．To explain how storms form.

4. What happened in Texas in 2017?

A．A wall of ocean water broke the record in history.

B．A girl named Laura was lost in a storm.

C．Greenhouse gases increased rapidly.

D．Floods hit some places there.

7 . The world has seen many inventions. While most people are proud of those associate with their names, there are things making inventors feel the other way.

The pop-up (弹出) advert, by Ethan Zuckerman

Pop-up ads are convenient for those who are interested, but most people get annoyed when they are on computers. They may contain computer viruses. Just as we would blame the inventor, the man humbly accepted his invention isn’t one of the best. In his essay, Zuckerman wrote about the most hateful thing, “I wrote the code to launch the window and run an ad in it.”

The emoticon, by Scott E. Fahlman

Emoticons began to occupy screens crazily in 2011 and gained great popularity, especially with young men. It had been four years since Fahlman first used a “smiley face” in a computer message. He created the emoticon as a joke marker. But things are different. “It has gone to places I don’t approve of,” he complained to The Wall Street Journal in 2013. “It shouldn’t have been created.”

The office cubicle (隔间), by Bob Propst

In 1968, Bob Propst came up with the idea office cubicles, something that “would build a futuristic and tidy office style with no real walls or doors and provide a more comfortable environment”. But the man has come to hate what he has invented, as Propst recalled to Fortune at age 80, “They’ve changed and just become cubicles”.

The K-Cup, by John Sylvan

It seems everyone has a Keurig coffee maker for K-Cups. John Sylvan invented the K-Cup, aimed at facilitating office life of white-collar workers. Now it’s common in houses and companies. However, the single-serve plastic coffee cups aren’t eco-friendly. “I feel bad sometimes that I ever did it”, Sylvan admits. But! Good news for Mr. Sylvan: Keuring now offers varieties of recyclable K-Cups.

1. When was the emoticon invented?

A．In 2007.

B．In 2009.

C．In 2011.

D．In 2013.

2. Which one was created for office workers’ convenience?

A．The pop-up advert.

B．The emoticon.

C．The office cubicle.

D．The K-Cup.

3. What do the above inventions have in common?

A．They benefit human life greatly.

B．Their creators are blamed by the public.

C．Their inventors feel regretful.

D．They are very popular with young people.

8 . Urban planners may soon have a new way to measure traffic jams. By putting in the different routes by which vehicles can travel between locations, researchers have developed a new computer algorithm (运算法则) that helps quantify regions of jams in urban areas and suggests ways around them.

The study, published in the Journal of Physics: Complexity, used traffic speeds from taxis in New York City to demonstrate how road infrastructure (基础设施) and driver behavior can create complex road networks that differ among cities.

The team approached the issue by designing a computer algorithm to capture the topology-or relationship between the different routes between locations-of road networks. “We found that the most significant traffic bottlenecks in Manhattan seem to arise as a result of the city’s structural layout,” said study co-author Daniel Carmody. “For example, the fact that a bridge enters Manhattan at a range where traffic is already limited due to Central Park slows traffic in the area considerably.”

The researchers performed a comparative analysis using traffic patterns in Chengdu, China, to test if the algorithm works equally well in areas with different layouts. Manhattan has a long and thin structure, while Chengdu is round. There are significant differences in the way traffic moves between these two different setups, the researchers said.

“The bottlenecks in Chengdu seem to arise due to the function of the buildings in a particular area,” Carmody said. “For example, it is hard to travel in and out of the central business district in Chengdu because of the large amount of traffic alone. Beltways, or faster streets around busy areas, have emerged in circles around this area, which is not surprising because this feature was intentionally built into the city.”

In Manhattan, the bridges and underpasses that form the entry and exit points cause traffic slowdowns. However, in lower Manhattan, where drivers seem to obey the lower posted speed limits, traffic moves more smoothly, forming a new traffic beltway with the southern end of Central Park acting as a block between lower and central Manhattan.

“It surprised us that there is an emergent beltway in such a busy area of Manhattan,” Carmody said. “This indicates that, unlike in Chengdu, beltways seem to arise from driver behavior even when they aren’t part of the structural plan of a traffic network.”

“The researchers have imagined that this technology could give urban planners a means to quantify traffic patterns, leading to better traffic,” Carmody said. “As methods of transportation develop, new problems will emerge, and we hope that our tools will give planners new ways to measure what is going on with city traffic.”

1. According to the new study, what contributes to traffic jams in Manhattan?

A．The number of bottlenecks and beltways.

B．The location of bridges and underpasses.

C．Road facilities and driver behavior.

D．Road signs and urban population.

2. Researchers also studied Chengdu in order to         .

A．compare the layouts of the two cities

B．find better infrastructure for one city

C．design traffic patterns with the algorithm

D．assess the effectiveness of the algorithm

3. Why do vehicles move faster in lower Manhattan?

A．Because of lower posted speed limits.

B．Because drivers follow the traffic rules.

C．Because it is planned in the traffic network.

D．Because a beltway has emerged around the area.

4. Who is the target of this new computer algorithm?

A．City planners.

B．Slower drivers.

C．Infrastructure developers.

D．Road sign designers.

9 . When you think of Australia's overall atmosphere, what comes to mind? Sun, surf, and sand? That's right, but don't forget the snow! The lifts open at ski resorts across regional Australia from June to October, Tours are excellent option and depart from Queensland, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, or Canberra. Some tours are all- inclusive of accommodation, meals, ski hire, and lift tickets. It's a handy option for first-timers and for meeting other travelers.

Falls Creek, Victoria

Falls Creek is the largest ski resort in Victoria. Falls Creek is seven-hour drive south-west of Sydney and a four - and - a - half - hour drive northeast of Melbourne. There is a resort entry fee of AU $ 51.50 per day for all vehicles or AUS18. 50 per person on a bus.

Mount Hotham, Victoria

Mount Hotham provides challenging terrain(地形), Mount Hotham is a four-hour drive from Melbourne. The train will take yow straight from Melbourne or Sydney to the Victorian snowfield. Lift pass prices vary depending on the day you visit and how early you book.

Mount Buller, Victoria

Mount Buller is a three-hour drive from Melbourne It's easy to get to as there's a coach service that runs regularly during the winter season. Mount Buller offers a “kids stay free” deal where up to two children under the age of 15 can stay for free when accompanied by two adults. Lift passes can get as cheap as S66 when you book ahead of time.

Thredbo, NSW

There are 14 lifts and 54 runs across the resort, with many choices for beginners to advance. Thredbo has a lively village as there's almost always an event going on. You can purchase full - day or half - day lift passes, and prices range depending on the time of year. The resort is a two - hour drive from Melbourne.

1. Which is the farthest to Melbourne?

A．Falls Creek, Victoria.

B．Mount Hotham, Victoria.

C．Mount Buller, Victoria.

D．Thredbo, NSW.

2. What is the advantage for two adults with a boy aged 9 visiting Mount Buller?

A．Its atmosphere is better.

B．Lift passes get discounted.

C．Only two tickets are needed.

D．The boy's accommodation is free.

3. What can we do in Thredbo, NSW?

A．Choose different villages.

B．Go skiing in the snowfield.

C．Enjoy the event in a village.

D．Book ahead of time to get discount.

10 . Dancing can be magic. At least it is to 11 - year - old Anthony Mmesoma Madu from Nigeria when he dances ballet. A video of Anthony's pirouettes(单脚尖旋舞) went popular, turning him into a star, and earning him a scholarship. Anthony's story has inspired millions and offers hope for the future.

It began on a cold, rainy day in a narrow passage outside untidy Lagos. But Anthony seemed unaware, pirouetting barefoot. His dance teacher took a quick video, posted it on social media, and went back to teaching.

Actress Viola Davis saw the video and tweeted: “Reminds me of the beauty of my people. We can imagine, and love... despite the obstacles that have been put in front of us. Our people can fly!”

In the past few weeks, some 15 million people from around the globe watched madly as Anthony danced across the smooth pavement. Thanks to this support, he received a scholarship to study with some of the world's best ballet dancers at New York's American Dance Theater.

Famous male ballet dancer Calvin Royal II was also moved by Anthony's dancing. He reached out from across the world to Anthony and his classmates at the Leap of Dance Academy in Nigeria He told the young dancers on a video chat, “You are not only changing your world there, in Africa but you're changing the hearts and minds of so many people.”

Many people in Anthony's community have never seen a boy dancing ballet before. But now, his love of dancing is paying off for Anthony, his teacher, his classmates, future Nigerian dancers as well as boys who love ballet.

1. How did people worldwide first know about Anthony probably?

A．On TV.

B．Over the radio.

C．On the Internet.

D．In the newspaper.

2. What is Viola Davis?

A．A teacher.

B．An actress.

C．A dancer.

D．A host.

3. Why did Anthony win a scholarship?

A．He danced very well.

B．His teacher helped him a lot.

C．Lots of people pay attention to him.

D．His academic achievement is great.

4. How did Calvin Royal II feel about Anthony?

A．Thankful.

B．Favorable.

C．Amazed.

D．Caring.