2 . Work is a part of living—my grandparents understood that. They lived and worked on a central Pennsylvania farm that has been in my family for 150 years. Hess Farm, at that time, was self-sufficient. They raised beef cattle for meat, chickens for eggs and hogs for pork and lard. Dairy cows were kept for milk and the cream from which Grandma made butter and cheese. That little yard they had became a garden.

The Depression, therefore, didn’t make a dramatic change in their lives. But it did bring an unending flow of men out of work, drifting from job to job, to the farm. The first man to show up on the kitchen porch was ragged-looking, but polite. He took off his hat and quietly explained that he hadn’t eaten for a while. Grandpa stood watching him a bit, then said, “There’s a pile of firewood stacked against the fence behind the barn (畜棚). I’ve been needing to get it moved to the other side of the fence. You have just about enough time to finish the job before lunch.” With that, he stuck out his rough hand to the stranger.

Grandma said a surprising thing happened. The drifter got a shine in his eyes and, behind his beard, he smiled. He hurried to the barn in a near trot (小跑). She set another place at the table and baked an apple pie. During lunch, the stranger didn’t say much, but his shoulders straightened when he left. “Nothing ruins a man like losing his self-respect”, Grandpa later told me.

Soon after, another man showed up asking for a meal. This one was dressed in a suit and carried a small, worn suitcase. Grandpa came out and then offered a handshake. “There’s a stack of firewood along the fence down behind the barn I’ve been meaning to get moved. It’d sure be a help to me. And we’d be pleased to have you stay for lunch.”

The fellow set his suitcase and neatly laid his coat and vest on top. Then he set off to work.

Grandma says she doesn’t remember how many strangers they shared a meal with during those Depression days—or how many times that pile of wood got moved.

1. What is the result of the Depression?

A．Some people earned a lot of money.

B．A large number of people went abroad.

C．Many people were laid off.

D．Quite a few people died of a strange disease.

2. Which of the following best describes the grandpa?

A．He pretended to be generous.

B．He pretended to be mean.

C．He shared meal with everyone who came to his door.

D．He gave meal to the poor without losing their self-respect.

3. How many strangers did Grandpa and Grandma share a meal with during those days?

A．They shared a meal with only two people.

B．They shared a meal with twenty people.

C．The passage doesn’t mention the number.

D．They didn’t share a meal with anyone.

4. What can we know about the stranger from the underlined sentence?

A．The stranger was full after lunch.

B．The stranger earned his bread through his own work.

C．The stranger wanted to show his gratitude.

D．The stranger wanted to stretch his body.

3 . Summer Camps in America

Maine Camp Experience

Belgrade Lakes, Maine

Phone：1-877-926-2463

At Maine Camp Experience, kids connect with nature. Kids have fun, make lifelong friendships, learn new skills and achieve independence. The camps provide sailing, swimming, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, wakeboarding, water skiing, yoga, etc. Campers of the summer programs are welcome to our winter programs in San Pedro, Belize.

Camp Pocono Trails

Readers, Pennsylvania

Phone：800-365-0556

Camp Pocono Trails is a health camp for kids, teens, young adults and families. We offer cooking classes, basketball, football, boating, fitness training, drama, arts, dance and field trips to NYC. Campers come back each year to have fun, reconnect with friends and keep the progress they have made. If you'd like to discuss your long-term health goals, or even if you just want to learn how to feel better, give us a call today.

Pierce Camp Birchmont

Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

Phone：516-621-5035

Pierce Camp Birchmont was founded by the Pierce family in 1951 and three generations of the Pierce family have owned and directed the camp ever since. As a traditional summer camp, Pierce Camp Birchmont offers over 40 activities such as arts and crafts, fishing, football, gardening, golf, hiking, horseback riding, etc.

Rolling River Day Camp

East Rockaway, New York

Phone：516-593-2267

Since 1993, RRDC has provided children with great camp experiences. Rolling River is a one-day camp that is owned and run by a local family. Directors Rhonda Goodman and Mark Goodman and their three children have created innovative programs. Exciting events such as hip hop nights, fall festivals and holiday camps connect families with RRDC.

1. What can kids do at Maine Camp Experience?

A．Try water sports.	B．Play with sports stars.
C．Have fun with parents.	D．Join winter programs for free.

2. Which number should people call if they want to learn cuisine?

A．1-877-926-2463.	B．800-365-0556.
C．516-621-5035.	D．516-593-2267.

3. What do Pierce Camp Birchmont and Rolling River Day Camp have in common?

A．Both are day camps.	B．Both are long-term camps.
C．Both are traditional camps.	D．Both are family-run camps.

4 . I was new to this high school, and to the students it served. I settled into my seat at the front of the classroom. Of the thirty students, I counted just 10 in their seats. The students didn’t seem to want to be there. They sat in their chairs, staring out of the window.

The back door opened heavily. After Mike came Belinda. No apologies, no explanations. “Things will get better, ” I told myself, and began the first lesson. Perhaps because I was nervous, I ran through the material more quickly than I should have. “Wait, ” interrupted Mike. “I didn’t pay good money to come to a school where the teacher doesn’t explain things clearly.” It was forty-five minutes before class ended, but I couldn’t go any further. In all my years of teaching, I’d never had a class like this.

The next day I got to school early as usual. This time the students showed up on time, but half the students didn’t take notes. They acted as if they were sitting there to meet a requirement.

Why couldn’t I reach them?

“You try picturing them being happy and successful,” my husband advised.

The next day, I pictured each student listening, taking notes, raising their hands and learning. Then at school, my eyes moved from chair to chair. I thought about how hard they worked during the day, studying late into the night or whenever they had a spare moment.

Things started to change. During the break, Mark even volunteered to help me set up my materials. Belinda stayed focused, quietly taking notes.

At our last class Mike handed me a thank-you card signed by every student. One comment stood out: “It took me a while, but I found I enjoyed your class. Nothing could take away the joy I got from my experience. Thank you, Belinda.” My eyes were filled with tears.

1. How about the students first mentioned in the text?

A．They were cool and polite.	B．They were all promising.
C．They were never late for the class.	D．They were almost absent from class.

2. What can we learn about the author?

A．She wasn’t new to teaching.	B．She loved educated students.
C．She can’t explain things clearly.	D．She was given a warm welcome.

3. Why were the author’s eyes full of tears at last?

A．She felt heartbroken for her students’ failure.

B．She couldn’t tear herself away from her students.

C．All her efforts to teach her students paid off.

D．Everything about the students was unchangable.

5 . For decades, world wars and fears of a brave new world have made British workers very anxious. Yet it appears that the rise of robots has been overestimated, according to new data. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) published a series of data which showed that far fewer jobs are at risk of replacement by robots than previously thought.

In 2017, out of the 19.9 million jobs analyzed in England, 7. 4 percent of people were employed in jobs at high risk of replacement. This marked a fall of 0.7 percent less than in 2011. However, the number of employees that were in jobs at low risk of replacement in 2017 was 27.7 percent of all employees, a rise of 2.4 percent since 2011.

The ONS found that the three jobs with the highest possibility of replacement are waiters and waitresses, shelf fillers and the most basic sales jobs. As expected, regular things in a fixed order and repeated tasks can be carried out more quickly and efficiently by an algorithm(计算程序) written by a human, or a machine designed for specific functions. Therefore, the risk of replacement in such jobs is to be higher.

However, the three jobs at the lowest risk of replacement are doctors, higher education professionals and senior education professionals. Furthermore, while the general number of jobs has increased, most of these are jobs that are at low or medium (中等的) risk, suggesting that the labour market may be changing to jobs that require more complex skills.

Alessandro, an expert in AI, said he was not surprised by the fall in jobs which were at risk. “When something like technology becomes fashionable, there's a rise in major expectations. Our expectation reaches the highest point, and then it comes back down to a more realistic level,” he added.

1. What do data in paragraph 2 mainly want to show?

A．Robots are helpful to job market.

B．The future of robots looks bright,

C．Robots have better performance than people.

D．The threat of job replacement by robots isn't as serious as expected.

2. What's the finding of the ONS in paragraph 3?

A．Regular and repeated tasks are likely to be replaced.

B．The work of service will no longer exist.

C．More people prefer working on computers.

D．Jobs with lower pay will totally be replaced by machines.

3. What is Alessandro's attitude towards the finding shown in the text?

A．Doubtful.	B．Uncertain.
C．Supportive.	D．Critical.

4. What is the suitable title for the text?

A．Most Jobs Are Being Replaced by Robot

B．Jobs Replaced by Robots Are Fewer Than Thought

C．People's Anxiety on Education

D．The Robot Application on Education Industry

6 . Kids Nature and Survival Camp

Set free your kids’ imagination and spirit of adventure at this camp, as they learn about the natural environment and the important skills of survival.

Activity overview

* 44-day Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains

* Basic Survival Skills: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food

* Expert Instructors-with a minimum of 10 years of experience

* Set your own custom(定制的) camp date

Details

* The camp will run for 5 hours each day: 9 am-2 pm.

* This class is 100% hands-on and very active. Everything your kids learn, they will do—no indoor classrooms or long lectures.

* Each day will center around one of the 4 main necessities of survival: SHELTER(day 1). WATER(day 2), FIRE(day 3), and FOOD(day 4).

Dates offered

* We offer 1 public camp date each summer for ages 8-12. For 2021, that date is August 5-8(9 am-2 pm each day). To book that date for a child between the ages of 8-12, please click the REGISTER NOW link below.

* We also arrange custom/private camp dates for both kids and teens all year round.

Extra information

* 4-Day Camp: $395

* Add shuttle(班车) ride to/from downtown Santa Cruz for $160($40 per day)

* At this time we do not have shuttle service from the Silicon Valley side of the hill, but we do work to help organize carpools(拼车) from the Los Gatos/Saratoga/Campbell area each year for interested parents.

1. What will kids learn if they join the camp?

A．How to make long lectures.	B．How to survive in the wild.
C．How to organize a camp.	D．How to improve their imagination.

2. What’s special about the class of camp?

A．It is free for all children.	B．Children could learn it online.
C．It is based on practicing in person to learn.	D．Kids could hook a public camp date each spring.

3. Which of the following provides shuttle service?

A．Los Gatos.

B．Santa Cruz.

C．Saratoga.

D．Campbell.

7 . For those who’ve always wanted to walk the halls of Hogwarts or explore the shops of Diagon Alley (对角巷)，Universal Orlando offers the next best thing. The theme park opened every Harry Potter fan’s dream place back in 2010.

For Potterheads everywhere, however, deciding when to make the trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not easy. These tips will help you experience the best of the Wizarding World, whether you’re looking to save money, avoid the busy season, or simply experience the most magical times of the year.

The cheapest times to visit Harry Potter’s world

The cheapest (and least busy) months to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are January and most of February, except the days surrounding the New Year and winter break. Other inexpensive times include the beginning of March and most of September and October.

The best Harry Potter events at Universal

While they may not be the quietest times to explore Harry Potter’s world, Universal holds many events throughout the year that fans won’t want to miss.

A Celebration of Harry Potter

For a weekend every January, Universal hosts A Celebration of Harry Potter. Guests (wearing their class robes, no doubt) will join other diehard Potter fans for three days of exhibits, discussions and cast Q&A activities. For anyone who really loves the books and the films, this may be one of the best times of the year to visit.

Christmas in the Wizarding World

Universal’s new additions to their holiday entertainment lineup make Hogwarts the perfect place to be around Christmastime. Decorations add beauty to the shops of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, the Frog Choir sings Christmas carols (颂歌)，and snow falls on Hogwarts as a festive show takes place in front of the castle.

Halloween in the Wizarding World

Lastly (and perhaps most surprisingly), Halloween season is also a good time for a magical visit to the Wizarding World. Universal’s main Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights, produces a special Harry Potter-related surprise.

1. Which times costs most to visit Harry Potter’s world?

A．January and most of February.

B．New Year and winter break.

C．The beginning of March.

D．Most of September and October.

2. What will people do in the event of A Celebration of Harry Potter?

A．They will join other Potter fans for various activities.

B．They will decorate the shops and sing Christmas carols.

C．They will watch a festive show taking place in front of the castle.

D．They will get a special Harry Potter-related surprise.

3. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To inform readers of some events about Harry Potter.

B．To introduce the Universal Orlando to readers.

C．To help experience the best of Wizarding World.

D．To advertise the books and films of Harry Potter.

8 . 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 they 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 an average of 12% worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved 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 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, who’d done our writing intervention (干预), all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. 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 may 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．Asking the students to ignore the test.

B．Asking the students to focus on the test.

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

D．Asking the students to write about their worries before 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. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

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.

9 . 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

10 . When it comes to the greatest inventions of the world, China's name is sure to be mentioned several times. There are hundreds of things which were invented by the Chinese.

Alcohol

Shocked? It was because when they said alcohol I thought about either the US or the UK. China had never crossed my mind. In China, alcohol was made by two legendary persons named Yi Di and Du Kang who belonged to the Xia Dynasty. This period was about 2000 BC—1600 BC. Research says that in ancient China, beer with 4% alcoholic content was widely consumed by people.

Tea

China is the proud inventor of tea which was first drunk by Shen Nong, a Chinese emperor around 2737 BC. Tea production was rapidly developed, making tea a popular drink during the Tang and Song Dynasties.

The Mechanical Clock

Have you ever wondered what on earth we would be doing without any idea of time? A clock really is an invention without which things were incomplete. The credit of making the first mechanical clock goes to ancient China. The first mechanical clock was invented by Yi Xing in the Tang Dynasty. This was during 618 AD and 907 AD.

Silk Fabric

Silk, the favorite fabric of many girls out there, is also a Chinese invention. Although we all know that silk is made by silkworms, it was Chinese people who first invented a way to harvest the silk and then use it to make clothes. The oldest silk which has been found so far is in Henan Province and dates back to 3630 BC.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 2?

A．Beer was popular in the Xia Dynasty.	B．Yi Di and Du Kang invented alcohol.
C．Alcohol was first invented in the US.	D．It is well known that alcohol is a Chinese invention.

2. The author asks the question in paragraph 4 to show          .

A．ancient Chinese inventors were wiser	B．many things in our lives are incomplete
C．ancient Chinese people never wasted time	D．the mechanical clock is an important invention

3. Which of the following inventions has a longer history?

A．Silk fabric.	B．Tea.
C．Alcohol.	D．The mechanical clock.