1 . I’m May. high school seniors all around the U. S. scramble (争抢) to get ready for prom. Prom. short for promenade, is a formal dance held by a high school before graduation. It's an important aspect of American school culture because it's the last high-school dance seniors will ever attend.
Prom entails (牵涉) countless traditions. First a guy must ask a girl to go to prom with him. Most guys choose to do special prom proposals in hopes of winning the girl's heart with their creativity. Then he will rent a tuxedo (燕尾服), and the girl will often get their hair, nails and makeup done professionally. That night couples will take pictures, and then they will often take a limousine (豪华轿车) to dinner and to the dance. Several reports state that parents can spend upward of $ 2,000 to give their kids the perfect prom experience.
The history of prom can be traced back to the last half of the 1800s. At that time, American universities and colleges organized dances each year for their graduating students. The purpose was not only to entertain the students but also to prepare them for the wider world by teaching them proper manners for men and women.
Later, high schools took over the prom tradition. In the 1950s, high schools began moving the dance from their gyms to beautiful hotels or country clubs to make the event even more special. Perhaps the most amazing prom took place in 1975, when Susan Ford, the daughter of the country's president, received permission to hold her high school's prom at the White House. So far, no other prom has managed to top that.
1. What does this article mainly explain about prom?| A．Its unusual atmosphere. |
| B．Its present and future. |
| C．Its educational benefits. |
| D．Its customs and roots. |
| A．Their appearance. |
| B．Their possessions. |
| C．Their transportation. |
| D．Their supervisors. |
| A．What marketing plan to use. |
| B．How to behave around others. |
| C．Which food was best to eat. |
| D．When to earn a great degree. |
| A．In an official residence. |
| B．In an international court. |
| C．In a motion picture studio. |
| D．In a modern gallery. |
2 . Smartphones, tablets and other digital devices can be addictive. They affect sleep. They draw kids into an alternate universe, often distracting（使分心）them from more productive-and healthier-real-world activities. And they are often linked to anxiety and depression, learning disabilities and obesity（肥胖）. Yet for many teenagers, cellphones and social media are also absolutely necessary tools for planning their social lives, keeping up with schoolwork and staying in touch with out-of-town friends and relatives.
How can parents make the most of the constructive uses of screen-based technology while minimizing its harmful effects？
The key is helping kids use technology as a tool, not a toy, “where there’s some purpose other than the medication of boredom,” says Jim Taylor, a psychologist and author of the book Raising Generation Tech：Preparing Your Children for a Media-fueled World. Taylor, like many other medical and mental health professionals, advises parents to set limits and stick to them. They should restrict the amount of time their kids spend on devices, create tech-free zones-no cellphones in their bedrooms, for example-and tech-free times, such as at the dinner table, in restaurants and on family outings.
Perhaps the best thing you can do is serve as a good role model by exhibiting the same online behavior you expect of your children, says Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, a Stanford University psychiatrist. “If parents are breaking their own rules,” Aboujaoude says, “kids cannot be expected to behave differently.”
Chad Landgraf, 44, of Oklahoma, told me he was worried about how addicted his 12-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter became when they were on their devices. So, hoping to set an example, he switched from e-books to old-fashioned print. “When I had my Kindle or ipad open, they. didn’t know if I was reading or surfing the net,” Landgraf says. “But at least if I have a paper copy of a book, they know I am reading. Modeling seems like the easiest way.”
1. What may be the result of children’s using digital devices?| A．Health improvement. | B．Free creation. |
| C．Sleep disorder. | D．Good conduct |
| A．Killing time by using screen-based technology. |
| B．Forbidding kids using smartphones. |
| C．Setting clear boundaries for kids. |
| D．Restricting tech-free family time. |
| A．He was afraid of becoming addicted. | B．He expected to be a role model. |
| C．He was tired of surfing the net. | D．He preferred paper copies of books. |
| A．Parenting in a digital world | B．Learning to be intelligent parents |
| C．Using smart devices wisely | D．Helping children behave themselves |
3 . A recent study suggests there's nothing soft about pink, as it is revealed that the pinkest flamingos are the toughest. Published in the Journal Ethology, a recent study found that a pink color of feathers was a good indicator of how aggressive a bird was when feeding, as well as a sign of good health or a signal that the bird was ready to breed(繁育）.
For the study, researchers observed the behavior of flamingos in different feeding situations, ranging from small indoor spaces to large outdoor spaces, with or without a pool.
They found that compared to indoor birds competing for food from a bowl, the outdoor-raised flamingos spent twice as much as time searching for food, so they had less time to show aggressive behaviors. Interestingly, their findings also revealed that when the race for food turned hot, the birds most likely to appeal to arms were the pinkest, whether they were male or female.
“The color of flamingos comes from their food, more specifically, from the algae(藻类）that they absorb from water. So the more food they have, the pinker the birds are,” said Dr. Paul Rose, from the University of Exeter, in a statement. “Flamingos live in large groups with complex structures, in which color plays an important role.”
Flamingos don't have a breeding season. Instead, they breed when they are healthy enough to do so. Their health is indicated by the color of the feathers, which is pinker in their prime and paler when they weak. So, the signal that a bird is ready to breed is described as a pink flush in its feathers, which goes away when the bird parents a chick or already passes its best reproductive time.
A healthy pink flamingo will have more time and energy to be aggressive and dominant when feeding. When birds have to crowd together to get their food, they fight more and therefore spend less time feeding, leading to the fading color of flamingos that are already weak. “And this definitely is unfavorable for their reproduction,” Rose said.
The research provides a direction for zoos to feed their flamingos and keep them content and colorful. That is, ensure captive birds are fed in a wide space, as crowded conditions are more likely to result in fights. “Based on my observations, I suggested some changes. And the keepers were willing to try them out. As a result, we've got pinker, more relaxed flamingos," said Dr. Rose.
1. What's the purpose of the author by writing Paragraph 1?| A．To propose an example. |
| B．To make an argument. |
| C．To make a comparison. |
| D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Health condition. |
| B．Social structures. |
| C．Feeding activities. |
| D．Breeding activities. |
| A．Body size determines status. |
| B．Family is taken as a basic unit. |
| C．Healthy flamingos control the whole group. |
| D．Pinker flamingos enjoy a breeding advantage. |
| A．Enlarging the raising space. |
| B．Raising all flamingos indoors. |
| C．Limiting the population of a group. |
| D．Increasing the frequency of providing food. |
4 . Teen volunteering is valuable experience, where you see parts of the world you’ve never seen before, make new friends with locals and fellow participants, and learn what you cannot experience in school. Below are some of the most popular teen volunteer programs.
Broadreach Global Summer Adventures
Boradreach partners with schools to offer teens more exploration, learning and discovery. Teens have the chance to join local organizations to provide medical health care for villagers in Ecuador and help with sea turtle research in the Mediterranean. More importantly, they can earn college credits while gaining hands-on experience in the real world.
Dates: 12—31 days in June, July and August
Phone: 919-256-8200
VISIONS Service Adventures
Visions summer programs work on meaningful services, full cultural involvement and open-minded exploration. Students volunteers work among Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne people in Montana India Reservations and with local Athabascan in Alaska.
Dates: 2—4 weeks in July and August
Phone: 406-551-4423
Global Leadership Adventures
Volunteer to help children and make a difference to the lives of the youngest generation abroad. It gives teens the opportunity to take part in meaningful service projects that are designed to help the disadvantaged youth and the communities in which they live.
Dates: 21 days in June, July and August
Phone: +1858-771-0645
GoEco Teen Volunteering Abroad
We offer a series of wildlife or environmental projects abroad where teens will have the chance to improve their knowledge and skills. We also offer a few fantastic “under 18” projects which are designed specifically for teenagers.
Dates: 1 week—6 months during the whole year
Phone: +1646-240-4545
1. What can you do if you volunteer in Broadreach Global Summer Adventures?| A．Get medical experience. | B．Offer protection for animals. |
| C．Make friends around the world. | D．Work with local people in Alaska. |
| A．It provides special projects for teens under 18. | B．It gives help to some communities. |
| C．It allows teens to get credits. | D．It requires leadership skills. |
| A．919-256-8200. | B．406-551-4423. | C．+1858-771-0645. | D．+1646-240-4545. |
5 . With the world’s attention on vaccines (疫苗), now feels like a good moment to sing the praises of an often forgotten contribution to their development. Three hundred years ago this month, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu got her daughter inoculated (接种) against smallpox, making her child the first person in the West to be protected in this way. Without Montagu’s willingness to adopt a practice she had learned from other cultures, the introduction of vaccines around 80 years later would never have taken place.
Montagu first witnessed inoculation when she accompanied her husband to Turkey in 1717. Inoculation had started in Asia, probably in China, as early as the 10th century AD. Montagu observed how older women in Turkey took a tiny amount of pus (脓) from a person with smallpox. They then used needles to make cuts on people’s wrists and ankles and added the pus to their bloodstream. This helped people gain immunity from future infection.
Like other visitors to the country, Montagu took steps to ensure that her son was inoculated in Turkey. This worked well, but she knew that trying it in England would be far more challenging. Inoculation performed by unlicensed amateurs would threaten doctors’ professional standing and potentially rob them of valuable income. Churchmen also disagree with the practice, as they saw it as going against nature.
Back in England, Montagu observed the increased severity of smallpox infections. Eventually, in April 1721, she decided to use the Turkish practice to have her daughter inoculated, because she believed that the rewards would outweigh the risks. After a safe time had passed following the inoculation, Montagu allowed doctors to examine her daughter.
Doctors in Britain gradually accepted the practice. About so years later, a pioneering physician found smallpox vaccines to destroy smallpox completely. As early as last century, academics argued that Montagu was no more than an enthusiastic amateur. In truth, she made a vital scientific contribution towards finding the cure for smallpox.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The origin of smallpox inoculation. |
| B．Montagu’s first access to inoculation. |
| C．The benefits from smallpox inoculation. |
| D．Turkish women’s invention of inoculation. |
| A．it was against human nature | B．it might harm doctors’ interests |
| C．it was beyond doctors’ abilities | D．it might shake churchmen’s belief |
| A．The increased severity of smallpox infections. |
| B．A physician’s discovery of smallpox vaccines. |
| C．The result of Montagu’s daughter’s inoculation. |
| D．Montagu’s focus on its rewards rather than its risks. |
| A．An unsung hero | B．No limit to creation |
| C．Development of vaccines | D．A historic medical innovation |
6 . If history doesn't quite repeat itself, it certainly rhymes. With demand for bicycles rocketing, and nations preparing to spend billions of dollars to redesign their cities with a new focus on cycling and walking, it's worth remembering how the invention of the bicycle in the late 19th century transformed societies the world over. It was a hugely revolutionary technology, easily equal to the smartphone today. For a few heady years in the 1890s, the bicycle was the best must-have—swift, affordable, stylish transportation that could take you anywhere you cared to go, anytime you liked, for free.
Almost anyone could learn to ride, and almost everyone did. The sultan of Zanzibar（a former Muslim country）took up cycling. So did the king of Russia. But it was the middle and working classes around the globe that truly made the bicycle their own. For the first time in history, the masses were mobile, able to come and go as they pleased. No more need for expensive horses and carriages.
Society was transformed. Women were especially enthusiastic, abandoning their burden some Victorian skirts, adopting reasonable clothes, and taking to the road in groups. “I think bicycling has done more to liberate women than anything else in the world,” Susan B. Anthony, the American champion of women's suffrage（选举权）said in an interview with The New York Sunday World in 1896. “I stand and feel thrilled every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of unrestricted womanhood.”
By 1898 cycling had become such a popular activity in the United States that The New York Journal of Commerce claimed it was costing restaurants and theaters more than $ 100 million a year in lost business. Bicycle manufacturing became one of America's biggest and most advanced industries. A third of all patent applications were bicycle-related—so many that the US patent office had to build a separate building to deal with them all.
The arrival of the bicycle touched virtually every aspect of life—art, music, literature, fashion, and even the human gene pool. English songwriter Henry Dacre scored a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1892 with Daisy Bell and its famous refrain（副歌）A Bicycle Built for Two.
1. Why did the author consider the bicycle as a revolutionary technology?| A．It cost its owner too much money. | B．It harmed the cyclists' health at first. |
| C．It had a huge influence on the society. | D．It made people redesign their city buildings. |
| A．It changed public morals. | B．It made women more united. |
| C．It offered women more freedom. | D．It made Victorian skirts more popular. |
| A．Bicycle-related patent applications. | B．Interviews with cyclists. |
| C．Bicycle management charges. | D．Broken restaurants and theaters. |
| A．Business and economy. | B．Environment and energy. |
| C．Entertainment and sports. | D．History and culture. |
7 . Island life is one of those things you dream about. Here are four beautiful small islands to consider for your next vacation.
Washington Island, USA
Although with fewer than 700 residents, the island is home to Schoolhouse Beach, known for its clear water and smooth, rounded limestone rocks-one of only a handful of such beaches in North America. Tour the island on the Cherry Train, climb the lookout tower, or rent a bike and cycle the miles of empty roads. Retire for the night at the Hotel Washington & Studio, a landmark inn with a history of over 100 years.
Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda
There’s a good chance birds actually outnumber humans on the small island of Barbuda. Mostly undeveloped and completely unspoiled, the beaches are famous for silky white and pink sand, stretching as far as the eye can see. There’s only a handful of resorts and restaurants, mostly plain beach bars, but make sure to stop by Uncle Roddy’s, which serves up cold drinks and some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever find.
Grand Manan Island, Canada
While you won’t find any palm trees here, Grand Manan still offers a relaxed pace. Connected to mainland New Brunswick by ferry, the small island is home to charming villages, and the Swallow Tail Lighthouse-the second-most photographed lighthouse in all of Atlantic Canada. Take a whale-watching cruise (巡游), surf on the Bay of Fundy (home to the highest tides in the world), or just sit back and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Key West, USA
Located at the end of the famous Florida Keys, Key West has a fascinating history. Tennessee Williams is said to have written the first draft of A Streetcar Named Desire here. Ernest Hemingway spent many a night in the bars of Old Town, now a historic district filled by wood-frame buildings. Take in the island’s famous lighthouse, photograph some of the free-running chickens, then settle in for the daily Sunset Celebration on Mallory Square.
1. Where can visitors live in a famous century-old inn?| A．Key West, USA. |
| B．Grand Manan Island, Canada. |
| C．Washington Island, USA. |
| D．Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda. |
| A．The wild and unexplored beaches. |
| B．The great number of bars and hotels. |
| C．Cold drinks and fresh food. |
| D．The chance to play on beautiful beaches. |
| A．Travelers can watch whale shows. |
| B．Travelers can visit a famous lighthouse. |
| C．Travelers can see the highest tide in the world. |
| D．Travelers can find the village where Hemingway once lived. |
8 . Being trapped in an elevator(电梯) can be one of the worst experiences of one’s life. Some people who have such experiences may be afraid to use elevator again. In fact, there are some useful tips to follow when people are in trouble with the elevator.
First, take deep breaths and keep calm. Too much fear will add to your panic(恐慌) and make you too nervous to think clearly. Tell yourself to be patient and believe that nothing is impossible.
Secondly, use the emergency(急救) call inside the elevator or your mobile phone to let people outside know your are stuck in the elevator. There is an emergency call on the wall of each elevator. You may use your mobile phone to give light and find it. The phone number can be found around it.
Thirdly, putting on messages on Wechat(微信) is also a good idea to allow more people to find you are in need of help. If help hasn’t come, knock the door hard to get attention from other people in the building.
Fourthly, move less and try to relax. Even if the workers have known your situation, it may take them a long time to repair the elevator and bring you back to safety. Instead of keeping moving all the time, you are advised to keep still and relax yourself as much as possible, or you will make yourself tired out. Make sure that you are fine when the door is open.
1. According to the passage, when in trouble with an elevator, you should________ first.| A．Keep calm and think clearly | B．do nothing but wait |
| C．shout out for help | D．try to break the door open |
| A．tired | B．kept |
| C．troubled | D．trapped |
| A．they can spend their time easily |
| B．their situations can be known by more people |
| C．they can become less nervous |
| D．they can make more friends |
| A．To introduce how to use an elevator. |
| B．To teach us how to save ourselves when trapped in an elevator. |
| C．To warn us not to take an elevator. |
| D．To tell us an elevator often goes wrong. |
9 . As a nation, we are getting bigger and eating more. But there are effective ways to control your appetite and eat only as much as you need.
Keep away from low-nutrition snacks
That means ice cream, sweets, chips biscuits, cakes and any other salty or sugary snacks you eat between meals. Although we have a tendency to eat them, you can learn to live without these unhealthy-and-fattening-additions to your diet. Try to make it a habit to eat them only when offered at social events or as a special treat.
Leave half an hour between main course and dessert
Having a break between courses gives your brain time to receive the fullness signal and make you more likely to refuse the sweet stuff. And, in fact, as soon as you feel the first signals of fullness, remove your plate from the table. That will tell your brain that food time is over.
Make yours a small helping
Put an end to super-sized portions. You won’t be missing out—today’s small was the medium or large of a few decade ago. Select or serve yourself a modest portion and eat it slowly, enjoying the flavors. Before you know it, small will feel just right. What’s more, ordering the smaller size leads to wearing the smaller size.
Distract yourself
When you find yourself hunting down food, even though you’re even hungry, do something else for 20 minutes. Drink a large glass of water as thirst is often confused with a desire for food. Choose something that engages your brain as well as your hands, such as writing a letter or listening to a song. You could also go for a short walk or do something that you enjoy. If you think you really are hungry, set an alarm for 20 minutes’ time and if you still want to eat when it rings, fine. If not, the urge will have passed.
1. Which way suits you better if you tend to order a large portion of food?| A．Distract yourself. |
| B．Make yours a small helping. |
| C．Keep away from low-nutrition snacks. |
| D．Leave half an hour between main course and dessert. |
| A．To give people time to chat. |
| B．To have a good appetite for sweet stuff. |
| C．To reduce appetite for dessert. |
| D．To give the host time to remove your plate. |
| A．Eat some biscuits. | B．Eat some sugary snacks. |
| C．Have some soft drinks. | D．Listen to a lovely melody. |
10 . Governments, financial institutions, employers, border security and police services are increasingly using facial recognition technology. This allows them to quickly confirm an individual's identity. Systems are becoming so competent that a wanted criminal can be picked out. of a crowd of thousands of people. All that's required is an image in a database to compare with the image of any number of people in a crowd.
Ordinary people, too, are using facial recognition to unlock their phones, computers and other devices. Such systems are generally quite secure. They also are instantaneous (瞬间的) and relieve people of the need to memorize passwords or PINs ( Personal Identification Numbers).
Despite these advantages, human rights groups in the U. S. have protested against the growing use of facial recognition technology for two main reasons. The first is that current facial recognition systems frequently make mistakes with certain groups of people. A study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology examined three systems and found that they wrongly identified up to 34 percent of women who had dark skin. Another government study on facial recognition systems found that their error rates were higher for black women and Asians as well as for African men and women. The systems were much more reliable when they were used to identify white men, suggesting that their facial recognition technology had mainly been trained using white faces.
The second reason is that these systems could be used in ways that would harm human rights. If the systems improved enough to become one hundred percent reliable, police departments might use them to identify people taking part in legal protests and demonstrations. Gathering and storing such information about citizens could violate their privacy rights.
In response to such concerns, the U. S. city of Portland has forbidden the use of facial recognition by government agencies as well as by stores, restaurants and hotels in the city.
1. What does this article explain about facial recognition technology?| A．What damage it can cause to machines. |
| B．Why it was surprisingly cheap to develop. |
| C．How it has been employed by consumers. |
| D．Which schools have profited from it most. |
| A．They haven't been widely available. |
| B．They don't save companies money. |
| C．They can't be tested by scientist. |
| D．They aren't sufficiently accurate. |
| A．It doesn't cause a serious danger to people. |
| B．It shouldn't be allowed in some businesses. |
| C．It's helping to keep minority groups safe. |
| D．It'll boost employment throughout the city. |
