1 . It had been a year since Susan, thirty-four, became blind. As a result of medical accident, she was sightless. All she had to depend on was her husband Mark.
Mark was an air-force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost sight, he decided to use every method to help his wife.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the us, but she was now too frightened to go to work by herself. Mark suggested taking the bus with us an each morning and evening.
For two weeks, Mark, in military uniform, took the bus with Susan to and from work each day, lie taught her to rely on her other senses, especially her hearing. He helped her make friends with the bus drivers who could watch out for her and save her a seat.
Each morning they made the journey together, and Mark would take a taxi back to his office, although that meant he had to travel through the city. Mark knew it was only a matter of time before Susan would be able to take the bus on her own. He believed in her.
Finally. Susan decided that she was ready to start the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived. She said goodbye and, for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday-Each day on her own went perfectly.
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was getting off the bus, the driver said," Miss, I sure envy you." Susan asked the driver why. "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the comer watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady," the bus driver said.
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. She was so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.
1. What does the underlined sentence probably mean?| A．Susan had lost her sight because of Mark’s gift. |
| B．A gift was more important than sight. |
| C．Mark’s deep love had given Susan great strength. |
| D．Mark’s love had made Susan recover from blindness. |
| A．Because he loved Susan very much and watched out for her safety. |
| B．Because Susan was not sure of herself and asked for his help. |
| C．Because he wanted to show others that he was a good husband. |
| D．Because he had nothing to do every morning after getting up. |
| A．Susan lost her sight in a car accident. |
| B．Susan lost her sight before she met Mark. |
| C．Susan went to work alone two weeks after her blindness. |
| D．Susan didn’t know the truth until the bus driver told her. |
| A．Love is Sight. | B．Love is Blind. |
| C．Never Say Die. | D．Husband and Wife. |
2 . If you have ever tried a new sport or tried learning a musical instrument, you may well know that the hardest part is getting started. Once you have learned the skills, they return fairly easily, even if they are not used for long periods of time. Most experts put this down to "muscle memory," which means the brain remembers the action and can remember it when needed. There is another thing that may be as important in recalling formerly learned sport skills—the mistakes made while learning the task.
The study led by Reza Shadmehr included asking volunteers to play a simple video game: hitting a red target dot with a slightly smaller blue dot, similar to playing virtual darts. What the gamers did not know was that as soon as they mastered the game, the researchers moved the blue dot slightly off-course, so forcing them to restart the learning process. Though the volunteers did make mistakes every time the game was changed, they got faster at mastering it.
Reza believes that this has to do with the fact that in addition to performing the task to muscle memory, the brain is also correcting each wrong move and learning how to correct it. He compares it to having a coach that points out the mistakes and makes suggestions on how to improve.
What surprised the scientists is that making mistakes not only trains the brain to do better at a certain task, but also helps it learn faster from mistakes, even when the mistakes are made while learning an entirely different task. The brain keeps a general record of mistakes and draws on them whenever a new sport skill is being learned, to make sure that mistakes are not made again. This helps make leaning much faster and probably explains why people, who master one sport or musical instrument, are able to pick up others more easily.
Making mistakes is a good thing. So the next time you are practicing playing the piano, working on your tennis skill, or learning any other sport skill, don't get discouraged by the mistakes!
1. The second paragraph is mainly about _________.| A．how Reza carried out the experiment | B．when the gamers learned a game well |
| C．what games the volunteers were interested in | D．why the researchers liked to play virtual games |
| A．Mistakes make people learn faster | B．Mistakes add difficulty to learning |
| C．Mistakes will be repeated in learning | D．Mistakes speed up the actions in brain |
| A．learning is a course of practice | B．the brain can point out most mistakes |
| C．mistakes train the brain to do tasks better | D．mistakes will make people discouraged |
| A．Mistakes help achieve success | B．Mistakes should be corrected in time |
| C．Muscle memory makes you succeed | D．Muscle memory shows past experience |
Location: Victoria Street. Windermere
Date: Saturday, 12th ＆ Sunday, 13th December, 2020
Times: Saturday 10a. m. -6p. m., Sunday 10a. m. 4p. m.
Run entirely by a group of volunteers, the Windermere Christmas Market first took place in 2016. With around 50 stalls selling a range of goods produced both locally and from Europe, you will find live music and other street performers. There is a shuttle bus in operation from car parks, and plenty of stands selling hot food.
Ambleside Christmas Lights
Location: Market Cross market Place in Ambleside
Date: 2020, date to be decided
Times: 10a. m. -6p.m.
This annual event combines a traditional shopping experience with a Christmas light show, cruises on the lake, a lantern parade, and a visit from Santa Claus. The day ends with a large fireworks display. There are family-friendly activities throughout the day, while the market sells a range of tasty foods and other gifts.
Hawkshead Christmas Fair
Location: Hawkshead village Centre
Date: Saturday, 5th ＆ Sunday, 6th December, 2020
Times: 10a. m. 5p. m.
A Christmas Fair takes over the ancient streets of the small village every December. You will find both indoor and outdoor markets with over 50 stalls selling food, crafts, and other gifts. There is also a lantern parade, live music, and street performance. Children can meet Santa, while grown-ups can enjoy the mini beer festival in village’s pubs.
Keswick Victorian Fayre
Location: market Place ＆ Packhorse Court, Keswick
Date: Sunday, 6th December, 2020
Times: 10. 30a. m.-4p. m.
This is a fantastic opportunity to combine Christmas shopping with support for local charities. Around 30 local and national charities have stalls where you can browse their goods that include homemade Christmas crafts and cakes. Traders and other workers will be dressed in Victorian costumes and visitors are invited to do the same.
1. When is the Windermere Christmas Market open on 13th December, 2020?| A．10a. m. -6p. m. | B．10a. m. -5p. m. | C．10a. m. -4p.m. | D．10. 30a.m.-4p.m. |
| A．Enjoy delicious food. | B．Set off fireworks. |
| C．Watch street performance. | D．Celebrate beer festival. |
| A．Windermere | B．Ambleside | C．Hawkshead | D．Keswick |
With such strong support from the general public, the festival is surely a great event for people of all ages. This free family weekend event brings together people from all over the globe mixing culture, food and music in a great setting at Hampden Park. Time:Sat.24-Mon.26 Aug.
Eastbourne International Airshow
The world's biggest free seafront airshow returns in August with 4 days of perfect flying. The event also includes children's entertainment areas, evening concerts, helicopter rides. A fireworks show marks the end of the event. Ground displays open 10:00 am-6:00 pm daily, with flying from lunchtime until about 5 pm. Time:Thur.15-Sun.18 Aug.
A Celebration of Land and Sea
Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club at the Waterfront is, once again, pleased to be able to present their third annual Celebration of Land and Sea event. The event is free for all visitors with plenty of on-site free parking, and no live music performances will need to be canceled due to the summer weather. This year you'll be lucky to enjoy the fireworks display during the celebration.
A Celebration of Land and Sea starts on 23rd August and runs until Monday 26th August. The event opens at 10:00 am daily. Please see website for more information.
Punch and Judy
Returning for his 26th year Eastboume's Punch and Judy, Ray Sparks will be providing his free Punch and Judy shows on the Wish Tower Slopes every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the school holidays at the usual time of 12:30 and 2:00 pm.
1. Which event ends up with a fireworks show?| A．Punch and Judy. | B．Eastbourne Festival. |
| C．A Celebration of Land and Sea. | D．Eastbourne International Airshow. |
| A．On Monday. | B．On Friday. | C．On Saturday. | D．On Sunday. |
| A．They're open to the public for free. | B．They're sponsored by the public. |
| C．They are related to traditions . | D．They are international affairs. |
5 . Eve was having a party! She had been given a karaoke set for her birthday, so she invited all her friends round for a special competition evening. The best singer would win a prize of a huge box of her delicious cookies.
Everyone came along: Helen, Jane, and Peter, who looked a bit nervous. “Don’t worry, Peter. We’re only here to have some fun,” said Eve kindly. Jane was first up on stage (舞台). The minute she began to sing, everyone could tell she’d been practicing! Next, it was Helen’s turn. Her voice was not as strong as Jane’s, but she had a great sense of rhythm (节奏) and seemed to enjoy being on stage. All the girls took their turn singing. There were a few wrong notes, but all in all, everyone had a wonderful time.
“Come on, Peter. It’s your go now!” said the girls. But Peter shook his head. “No thanks. I’d be totally hopeless!” he said. “If you like, we can sing together. It won’t be as scary (可怕的) that way!” offered Eve. Peter gave in. He and Eve shared the microphone (话筒) and they began to sing a rock song. At first, you could hardly hear the voice of the shy boy but slowly, encouraged by his friends, he forgot his stage nervousness. Soon, Peter was holding the microphone on his own and singing his heart out! His singing was a bit off-key (走调的), but he made up for that by his performance. He danced around the stage like a real rock star!
At the end of the song, the girls all cheered. Eve stepped forward and handed him the big box of home-made cookies. “Peter, we all agree that you’ve won the prize!” she said. “OK, you may not exactly sing like an angel, but you really know how to put on a show!”
1. How was Jane’s singing voice?| A．Warm. | B．Fresh. | C．Funny. | D．Powerful. |
| A．Perfect. | B．Worrying. | C．Quite poor. | D．Generally good. |
| A．The girls asked her to do so. |
| B．There was no other microphone. |
| C．It could help fight Peter’s nervousness. |
| D．Peter was too nervous to hold the microphone. |
| A．He had the best voice. | B．He loved eating cookies. |
| C．He helped the girls a lot. | D．He held the stage very well. |
Free Thursdays, 2-6 pm
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum has something for kids of all ages. With fun, educational exhibits (展览) that teach children about world cultures, history, science and nature, including live animals and a collection of 30,000 historical objects, even parents will enjoy it. There’s also a special area for children under five, with activities for the youngest of youngsters.
New York Hall of Science
Free Fridays, 2-5 pm, and Sundays, 10-11 am
Kids get hands-on experience with science and technology at this place that offers more than 450 exhibits. There are a few worthwhile things to spend money on during your visit: a round of Rocket Park Mini Golf, a turn in the 60,000-square-foot Science Playground and a screening inside the 3-D theater.
Queens County Farm Museum
Grounds free daily (check to see if a ticketed public event is being held)
As the oldest working farm in New York City, the museum feels like a totally different world than Manhattan. Feed and pet animals like sheep, ponies and goats, tour farm buildings from three different centuries, and come back during fall when you can go pumpkin (南瓜) picking. Don’t forget to stop by the store on your way out for fresh fruits and vegetables grown on the farm!
Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge
Free Thursdays, 4-8 pm, and Saturdays, 1-5 pm
Come tour this large history wooden boat that lies in Brooklyn’s Red Hook, not far from the Fairway Market. Check to see if a performance (表演) is taking place — perhaps a magic‑, music‑ or history-related event that may cost money.
1. Which of the following provides activities specially created for kids under 5?
| A．Brooklyn Children’s Museum. | B．New York Hall of Science. |
| C．Queens County Farm Museum. | D．Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge. |
| A．On Thursday afternoons. | B．On Saturday afternoons. |
| C．On Friday afternoons. | D．On Sunday afternoons. |
| A．Learn how to plant. | B．Play with farm animals. |
| C．Pick fruits and vegetables. | D．Enjoy lunch made from fresh food. |
7 . Do you love holidays but hate the increase weight that follows? You are not alone. Holidays are happy days with pleasure and delicious foods. Many people, however, are worried about the weight that comes along with these delicious foods.
With proper planning, though, it is possible to control your weight. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. The following suggestions may be of some help to you.
Do not miss meals. Before you leave home for a feast(宴会), have a small, low-fat snack(小吃). This may help to keep you from getting too excited before delicious foods. Begin with clear soup and fruit or vegetables. A large glass of water before you eat may help you feel full. Use a small plate; a large plate will encourage you to have more than enough.
Better not have high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy have much fat in them. Choose lean meat(瘦肉 ). Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables. If you have a sweet tooth, try mints (薄荷) and fruits. They don’t have fat content as cream and chocolate. Don’t let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess(过多的) calories.
1. Holidays are happy days with pleasure but they may ______.| A．bring weight problems | B．bring you much trouble in your life |
| C．make you worried about your foods | D．make you hate delicious foods |
| A．drink much water and have vegetables only | B．not eat the food in high fat |
| C．not accept invitations to feasts | D．turn away from delicious foods |
| A．vegetables | B．water | C．calories of energy | D．physical exercise |
| A．can’t control themselves | B．go to too many feasts |
| C．enjoy delicious foods | D．can’t help turning away from the foods |
8 . The Best Free Tourist Places in America
Alaska: Anchorage Market and Festival
Although Anchorage isn't the capital of Alaska, it is the state's largest city with the largest population. The Anchorage Market and Festival is open and free of charge on weekends. Anchorage is at the beginning of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, where walks can last between two hours and a half day. It's free, of course.
Arkansas: Walmart Museum
Lying in the northwest corner of Arkansas is Bentonville, which gave birth to a little mall you may have heard of. It's Walmart, one of the biggest companies in the world at present. It is free to visit the Walmart Museum, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. And just outside the town is the well-known Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is also free.
Connecticut: Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut was the first place in the U. S. to offer pizza to the hungry and the homeless, including students of Yale University. While in New Haven you can go on a tour of the campus（校园）, where many beautiful buildings have existed for a long time. It's the university where President Bushes, Bill and Hillary Clinton, journalist Bob Woodward, and Samuel F. B. Morse studied.
Kansas: Santa Fe Trail
Western Kansas has very little light pollution. So as you travel along, stop once in a while and stare at the night sky. The Santa Fe Trail went through Kansas and you can still walk the longest remaining distance of the road just outside Dodge City.
1. What feature do the four places have in common?| A．They are all free of charge. |
| B．They all have free museums. |
| C．They all have a long walking trail. |
| D．They are large places with large population. |
| A．To get something free in Walmart. |
| B．To find many interesting goods. |
| C．To get trained in a large company. |
| D．To get a good knowledge of Walmart. |
| A．Bentonville. | B．Western Kansas. |
| C．Anchorage. | D．New Haven. |
9 . If you'd like to go sightseeing, the following World Heritage Sites may be your best choices.
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, reaches a height of more than 4,800 meters, with a series of different forest ecosystem. There you can enjoy watching excellent waterfalls. Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, including the giant panda. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/637.
Khami Ruins National Monument
The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid16th century, is of great archaeological interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major center for trade over a long period of time. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365.
Henderson Island
Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls in the world whose ecology has not been touched by human beings. It is especially famous for the ten plants and four land birds that can only be seen on the island. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487.
The Old City of Jerusalem
As a holy city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the “List of World Heritage in Danger” the following year. For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148.
1. What can we know about The Jiuzhaigou Valley?| A．It sits at the foot of a 4,800meterhigh mountain. |
| B．It has different forest ecosystem. |
| C．Most of China's endangered plants can be found here. |
| D．In all about 140 kinds of birds and animals live there. |
| A．had a very short history | B．was ruined in the mid16th century |
| C．was once Great Zimbabwe's largest city | D．once played a great role as a trade center |
| A．hasn't been greatly influenced by human activities | B．isn't suitable for humans to live on |
| C．has been open to visitors for years | D．is made up of a few large atolls |
10 . As we live longer and technology continues its rapid development, we can imagine a future where machines will enlarge our human abilities and help us make better life choices, from health to wealth. Through our dialogue and digital pieces, AI (artificial intelligence) will understand our life goals and wishes, our duties and limitations. It will help us plan different life events, so we can spend more time enjoying life’s moments.
The ability for AI to understand the complexities and slight differences of human conversation is, however, one hurdle. There are several thousand known living languages in the world today. Adding to the difficulties are the varied ways words are shared and used across different cultures, including grammar, levels of education and styles of the speakers. Google Duplex, the technology supporting Google Assistant, which places phone calls using a natural-sounding human voice instead of a robotic one, is an early attempt to address such challenges in human communications. But these are just initial whispers in voice of AI’s long journey.
Beyond making reservations and conducting simple dialogues, virtual assistants will need to become far more useful and further fit into the parts of our everyday lives. Not only will they need to foresee what we need before we ask, they also need to understand the context of our conversations and react accordingly. Imagine a snow day when school is canceled for the kids. Knowing that you must now stay at home with your children, your phone would remind you, asking if you’d like your meetings moved to the following day. Alternatively, imagine how much more pleasant your journey home from a business trip would be if your phone could automatically arrange for a ride waiting to pick you up at the airport, based on your travel plan, location, and habits. The possibilities are endless.
1. What do we know about AI?| A．It stops us living longer. | B．It narrows our abilities. |
| C．It doesn’t know our limitations. | D．It helps us enjoy life better. |
| A．Low level of speakers. | B．Imperfection of AI. |
| C．Varieties of languages and cultures. | D．Similarities between languages. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Approving. | C．Negative. | D．Critical. |
| A．AI Will Replace Humans | B．AI Will Set Goals for Us |
| C．AI Will Be Part of Our Daily Lives | D．AI Will Meet Challenges |
