1 . Robots that can cook are in growing demand(需求)in the United States. The increased demand comes at a time when restaurants are trying to put some distance between their workers and customers during the COVID-19.

In a few weeks, White Castle restaurants will test a robot arm that can cook French fries and other foods. The robot, called Flippy, is a product of Miso Robotics, a company based in Pasadena, California.

Robot food service was becoming popular even before the coronavirus pandemic(冠状病毒). Hospitals, college dining areas and other places tried to meet demand for food while keeping labor costs low. Robot chefs appeared at places like Creator, a restaurant in San Francisco. Now, some say, robots may become necessary for the food service industry. "I expect in the next two years you will see much more robotic adoption(采纳)in the food space because of COVID-19," Jain said.

Some peoples say, robots can lower the demand for labor. At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, cafe workers used to spend six hours per day making salads, notes Tonya Johnson, the school's director of nutrition services. But two years ago, the university added a Sally, a kind of robot that now makes around 40 salads per day. By adding Sally, the school was able to cut a job opening in its cooking staff, Johnson said. "I think the pandemic has made us realize how much we need more equipment like Sally," Johnson said.

Miso Robotics co-founder and chief Buck Jordan said fast food restaurants are already having trouble finding workers, partly as a result of a losing population of young workers. Jordan added that his company's position is that "automation(自动化)is not a choice". He added, "You must automate in order to survive in the future."

1. Why is robot food service becoming popular?

A．It can take the place of human beings in the future.

B．It can shorten the distance between workers and customers.

C．It can meet the demand for food and reduce the cost of labor.

D．It can make all kinds of delicious food in a very short time.

2. What does Johnson say about Sally?

A．It is just a common robot like others.	B．It is useless to improve the speed of work.
C．It makes as many salads as workers.	D．It helps the school employ fewer workers.

3. What's Jordan's attitude to automation?

A．Worried.

B．Supportive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncaring.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The popularity of robots in the food space.

B．The reason for choosing robots in restaurants.

C．More demand for robot cooks in US restaurants.

D．The difficulties in finding enough labor workers.

2 . There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health, wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.

People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into n habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize it had effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.

Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position, or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start, step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrong doings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

1. People who are unhappy           .

A．always consider things differently from others

B．usually are affected by the results of certain things

C．usually misunderstand what others think or say

D．always discover the unpleasant side of certain things

2. The phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means “           “.

A．have a good taste with social life

B．make others unhappy

C．tend to scold others openly

D．enjoy the pleasure of life

3. We can conclude from the passage that           .

A．we should pity all such unhappy people

B．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life

C．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness

D．unhappy people cannot understand happy persons

4. If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should         .

A．prevent any communication with them

B．show no respect and politeness to them

C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects

D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes

5. In this passage, the writer mainly           .

A．describes two types of people in our 1ife who have negative effect on others

B．give some examples to laugh at the unhappy people in our society

C．suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habits of unhappiness

D．tells people get away from unhappy people and how to be happy in life

3 . Benefits of Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing can be enjoyed by a wide range of students, from the youngest kindergartners to those secondary students. It is really a fun activity, providing students a gentle workout outside in winter. While having fun, students can gain physical and mental benefits .

The physical benefits of cross-country skiing are well known. If we look at Olympic cross- country skiers, we can see the positive effects on the body that result from training for cross-country skiing. The average best female cross-country skier carries 11 percent body fat, and best male skiers carry 5 percent. These percentages are well below the average for people who are considered to be athletic-17 percent for females and 10 percent for males. The high number of calories burned while skiing helps to keep skiers slim in a healthy and attractive way.

Cross-country skiing is also an efficient way to exercise a large number of muscles at once. Because skiers use ski poles as a means of propulsion, the force that drives skiers forward, the upper body gets much more of workout. Of course, the leg muscles also do their fair share. People who use cross-country skiing as a workout over several weeks will discover that the muscles of their entire body increase in strength.

Cross-country skiing on a regular basis has a tremendous effect on a person’s cardiovascular system. In addition to gaining strength in the muscles of the upper and lower body, people who use cross-country skiing as a workout method over several weeks will also discover that their heart is stronger. A strong heart pumps more efficiently, sending out more blood to the muscles with each contraction. Through weeks of skiing, people often discover that their resting heart rate has decreased. Highly trained Olympic cross-country skiers have resting heart rates between 28 and 40 beats per minute. Compare that to the resting heart rate of the average person, which is 60 to 80 beats per minute!

The benefits of cross-country skiing extend beyond overall general health. A lot of evidence exists indicating that regular physical activity increases the release of mood-lifting endorphins in the body. After one of the energetic and fun skiing lessons, students will be smiling and laughing; they will be relaxed and in a better mood than when they started class. Students will leave class with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that they have developed new skills in a fun activity.

Cross-country skiing is a great way to work the total body. Now more and more students are taking part in this exercise outside during the winter months. They are enjoying it and benefiting from it!

1. The underlined word “workout” means ______.

A．manner

B．exercise

C．application

D．opportunity

2. According to the passage, we can learn that cross-country skiing ______.

A．requires the use of most muscle groups	B．offers students a unique way to keep fit
C．can increase the athletes’ resting heart rates	D．can balance out the skiers’ increased calories

3. How does the author prove the benefits of skiing in the fifth paragraph?

A．By making comments.	B．By giving examples.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By giving explanations.

4. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
CP: Central point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion

A．	B．
C．	D．

4 . A team of researchers spent weeks playing human-vs-rat hide-and-seek which was so much fun that the little rats laughed and jumped for joy.

The small players consisted of six adolescent male rats that were trained to play hide-and-seek against neuroscientist Annika Stefanie Reinhold. The researchers filled a room with hiding places made from different boxes. The little creatures learned that if they began the game inside a closed box, they wee the seekers while being in an open box meant they needed to hide. Soon, the rats became wise, figuring out that transparent boxes make the worst hiding places, and checking spots where their two-legged competitor had hidden before when seeking. The findings are reported in Science.

When they won, the rats were rewarded with tickling (挠痒) instead of food. " They chase our hand, we tickle them from the side, it's like how you play with small kittens or puppies," said co-author Konstantin Hartmann from the Humboldt University of Berlin.

Apart from playing for these interactions, the rats were motivated by the fun of the game. They would let out high-pitched laughter, suggesting they we in high spirits. If you’re wondering why you've never heard a rat laugh, their naughty giggles have to be picked up by scientific equipment as they are too high-pitched to be detected by the human ear. Even more adorably, the test subjects leapt in the air whenever they sniffed out a scientist. Yes,they jumped for joy. And even when the researchers offered food as an end-game reward, the rats postpone accepting them. They seem to want to keep playing the game.

Another sign that the rats were enjoying themselves was that they would often leap away to hide in a new location once they'd been found. Like children they wanted to keep playing again and again.

The team recorded nerve signals coming from the prefrontal cortex (前额皮质)of the rats' brains, an area involved in leaning. While research like this could tell us more about learn in the mammals, it could also help us better understand the importance of play. Future studies would look into the effects that not being allowed playtime might have on the brain, revealing how children and teenagers denied the opportunity to have fun and play with others might be affected.

1. What can we know about the rats in Paragraph 2?

A．They didn’t know when to hide or seek.

B．They liked to hide in transparent boxes.

C．They got the hang of the game quickly.

D．They hid in the same spots as the human.

2. How would the rats react when they found the hider?

A．Screaming for help.

B．Making joyful leaps.

C．Laughing bitterly.

D．Chasing the hider.

3. What motivated the rats to keep playing again and again?

A．The end game food reward.

B．The human-and-rat friendship.

C．Their eagerness to win the game.

D．Interactions and fun of the game.

4. What might further studies focus on?

A．The importance of play for the young.

B．The way of learning for the mammals.

C．The impacts of restricted play on the brain.

D．The changes in rats' brains during the game.

5 . How much do consumers care about the carbon footprint of the products they buy? Would they care more if the goods were labeled with emissions（排放物） data? Does it matter at which stage in the lifecycle of a product the carbon is emitted? Research published in the International Journal of Environmental Policy and Decision Making offers a way to find out．

Study participants view a carbon footprint label as similar to labels that have appeared on some existing products．The label shows the carbon dioxide emissions connected with their production, transportation, usage and disposal（清理）, thus showing the buyer the likely effect on climate change of buying a particular product．

In the first group of studies, the research team proved that carbon emissions and a carbon emissions label would indeed play a role in consumer product decisions, although not as great a role as price．In a second set of studies, the team found that emissions connected with usage were most important to consumers followed by the transportation and disposal stages．The carbon footprint of the producing process was considered less important to consumers than the other stages in the product's lifecycle because it is outside the consumer's control．That is, the participants felt they were less responsible for carbon emitted during producing process．Consumers value recycling a product, but the researchers found that, overall, the consumers would prefer producers to offset（补偿） carbon emissions rather than having to address the problem directly themselves．

Consumers are increasingly concerned with climate change problems, and already carbon labeling is appearing on some products．"We find that participants not only take the carbon label into account when making product decisions, but they want detailed information on the label," the researchers explain．They suggest that companies should prepare for how carbon emissions labels might affect future consumer choice．

1. Which of the following most affects consumer's choice?

A．Labels．	B．Price．
C．Packaging．	D．Carbon footprint．

2. About the carbon dioxide emissions in the product's lifecycle, which stage do consumers care most?

A．Usage stage．	B．Transportation stage．
C．Disposal stage．	D．Producing stage．

3. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word "address"?

A．Look into．	B．Point out．
C．Deal with．	D．Run into．

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Companies should take carbon emissions more seriously．

B．All products have been labeled with carbon emissions data．

C．Producers will attach less importance to carbon emissions labels．

D．Products labeled with carbon emissions data will have poor sales．

6 . I was typing papers for new school students when Mama called. We talked about some senseless things for a while before she finally told me about it. "Well, Donner, there's this class up at the high school this summer." she said. "They say they can teach me to read and write. I'm trying to decide whether"

"Of course, you should do it! That would be so wonderful. I'd be so proud of you." I answered. She was 63 and had survived two alcoholic husbands and was an expert at buying and selling garage sale junk to keep food on her own table and buy Christmas presents for me and my brother's kids. She used food stamps to buy food and other goods. Mama laughed, seemingly with relief. "Well, you know, I'd about gotten used to being the silliest old lady in town," she said.

It turned out that her neighbor had found the class for her. The young woman had been doing Mama's "business" for a while in my absence, helping to allay my guilt over leaving Mississippi. The friend was a little crazy, but Mama liked her. She was real and, by then, I hated pretension as much as Mama did. When I was little she would tell me: "Remember, Donner Kay, nobody's better than anybody else."

Three months into the class. Mama left a message on my answering machine: "Donner, I taught a class tonight!" She was almost singing the words. "The teacher let me teach the class!" She soon wrote me a letter in a careful, boxy print I had never seen, instead of the strange way she had long written family names she had memorized.

The next time I flew home to visit, we both laughed like 12-year-olds as she read words from billboards on the way from the airport. Her grammar was getting better. She kept talking about her classes and the other students.

1. Why did Donner's mother phone her according to Paragraph 1?

A．To advise Donner to take a course.	B．To show her support for Donner.
C．To tell Donner her decision.	D．To ask Donner for advice.

2. Which can replace the underlined word "allay" in Paragraph 3?

A．admit

B．forget

C．punish

D．reduce

3. How did Donner's mother feel when she left a message for Donner?

A．Astonished.

B．Delighted.

C．Puzzled.

D．Worried.

4. What does the author want to tell us in the last two paragraphs?

A．What progress Donner's mother made.

B．The difficulty Donner's mother had in learning.

C．How Donner's mother learned to read and write.

D．The effects other students had on Donner's mother.

7 . As online technology advanced, web sites, podcasts, and blogs became powerful sources of information that allowed everyone to stay updated on any subject imaginable. Although all of these information sources remain popular, there's a new king of media and it's online video.

There are many reasons why online video has increased suddenly over the past few years. The first is increasing data speeds. It wasn't until recently that people everywhere had fast enough online connections to enjoy high-definition （高清）videos. However, once faster Internet speeds were provided, people quickly fell in love with online videos. The second reason why online videos have become so popular is convenience. Watching videos requires less effort and energy than reading through paragraphs of text after a day of hard work. Videos also seem to provide more satisfaction, as people prefer to connect with people they can hear and see, as against the words of some author whom they know little about.

Advancing digital technology has also helped, as it has made sharing videos easier and more convenient than ever. High-powered smartphones and more affordable video cameras allow anyone to easily record an event or give a few comments about a scorching topic that is on their mind. Meanwhile, sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Ustream allow users to quickly upload their videos and share them with friends, family, and the general public if they wish.

Last but not least, advertising. Companies have made it easy for people to get rewarded for creating popular videos. Some people with large enough fan bases can even make a very wealthy living by uploading a few videos every week.

The future also looks bright for companies who post online video ads. In fact, new software allows them to watch viewers' emotional reactions to their content through the users' webcams （网络摄像机）.They'll be able to see whether users laugh, cry, or feel bored during videos, so they can adjust their ads. This should prove extremely helpful, as there will be millions of videos competing for viewers' attention.

1. Why do some people prefer watching videos to reading after work?

A．It helps them review the news.

B．It helps them get information with relative ease.

C．It provides them more information.

D．It helps them save time.

2. What does the underlined word "scorching" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Unusual.

B．Future.

C．Hot.

D．Social.

3. How will the software mentioned in the last paragraph help companies in the future?

A．It will enable them to better understand what customers enjoy.

B．It will let more viewers see the advertisements they make.

C．It will cause viewers to create more popular videos.

D．It will make people like their videos.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Online Video:   The New King of Media

B．Online Technology is Developing Fast

C．Online Video:   A New Advertising Trend

D．Online Technology is Closely Related to People

8 . Four Great Destination Cities to Visit on a Vacation to Australia

Adelaide

Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is known for its beauty and outdoor natural areas, many of which are protected and preserved for the use of the people that live there and those that visit there too. Adelaide has a number of popular attractions including attractive swimming beaches, an exciting nightlife, interesting shopping opportunities, great restaurants. and much more.

Canberra

The city of Canberra dates back to 1913 when it was purposefully built to be the capital of the nation of Australia. It has grown over time to not only be the location of the government of the nation, but also a city in its own right with a particular culture and atmosphere of its own. Canberra offers the chance to see the more official side of Australia and learn a little bit about how the country was founded, formed, and how it developed.

Darwin

Unlike other major cities in Australia, Darwin is of the rather small size. Darwin sits in the north-central region of Australia, right on the Timor Sea. The lifestyle in Darwin has been described as laid back by many who have visited there before. A visit to Darwin is a visit to one of Australia's truly unforgettable cities.

Sydney

The most famous, most traveled to, and most popular city in all of Australia is the city of Sydney. Sydney sits on the shores of Sydney Harbour and is an exciting city that offers an unbelievable experience to those travelers. Sydney has been the main point of tourism in Australia for decades and it will continue to be that so long as it keeps offering the amazing experiences that it does right now.

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1. What can visitors learn about in Canberra?

A．An exciting art show.	B．The outdoor natural areas.
C．The development of AustraliA.	D．The attractive swimming beaches.

2. What is Darwin special for compared with the other three places?

A．Its size.	B．Its history.
C．Its position.	D．Its attractions.

3. Which city attracts the most tourists?

A．Adelaide.

B．CanberrA.

C．Darwin.

D．Sydney.

9 . Since their beautiful baby daughter Ella came into their lives, James and Ola Jordan's home has undergone a transformation in the past nine months. The designer marble coffee table has lost pride of place to a playpen. "Everything is about Ella, and that is how we always wanted it to be," says adoring mum Ola. "Our home was quite stylish before she came along; now there are toys everywhere. I can't remember the life we had without her. Ella has taken over our home —and our hearts."

The former Strictly Come Dancing professionals, who married in 2002, had longed to be parents and considered themselves blessed when Ella was born during the outbreak of coronavirus after their years of medical treatment and attempts. James tells us: "People say how this time of year becomes special again when you see it through the eyes of a child. I get that. Already she loves the Christmas lights and the tree, although she isn't going to understand what it's all about.”

There is no doubt that Ella is the couple's most precious gift ---and the icing on Christmas cake for James will be the moment she says "Dada". "We all keep saying it to her, she is not having any of it," laughs 43-year-old James. "It's just 'Mama, Mama... '"says Jam: “Ola knew that I would always be a big part of bringing up our little girl. And likewise, I always knew Ola was going to be a great mum, and very hands on."

Having James around so much has been a bonus for Ola, four years younger than James. "It has just been us and our baby so I feel lucky that James has been here. But I have missed not being able to meet up with other new mums and swap advice." "Ella is yet to meet another baby, and we will arrange another room for the new family member," says James. “but at least she is lucky that she has a really funny dad. She is always laughing and is such a happy little girl."

1. Their home was _______before they were blessed with Ella.

A．conservative	B．fashionable
C．messy	D．comfortable

2. If you describe something as "the icing on the cake", you mean that it makes something ______.

A．even colder	B．even better
C．more surprising	D．more believable

3. What does James mean when he says “Ella is yet to meet another baby"?

A．They are expecting a new baby.

B．Ella doesn't want any playmate.

C．James doesn't like Ella now.

D．He is simply making a joke.

4. The story mainly tells us that______.

A．spare the rod and spoil the child

B．a wife 's health is a man's wealth

C．parents are over the moon about a baby

D．all the glory comes from mothers

10 . Asha, Tanzania

Hi there! My name is Asha and I'm from Tanzania. Like most teenagers, I start my day early and end it late. After school, I study at a night school to prepare for the university entrance exam. When I have time off, I prefer to be outdoors. I love nature and animals. I'm quite upset about how we treat the environment, so I do my best to help. I volunteer to plant trees and I'm a member of our school's Nature Club.

Samika, Bangladesh

Hi! I'm Samika and I'm 15. I wish I were a student, but I'm not. I had to leave school when I was 13 so that I could get a job and help my family. I work in a garment factory. It's unbelievably hard work and the days are so long. Although everyone works hard, we still find time to play and laugh together. At times like these, the world feels like a wonderful place.

Frieder, Germany

Hi, Frieder here. So, I'm 16 and I go to a high school in Munich. I'm not crazy about school—listening to a teacher isn't my thing—but I know I have to get an education. It's very difficult for young people to find a job in Europe, so I worry a lot about the future. Oh, and I'm a gaming nerd. I love Internet games so much that I have started a gaming club in my school. Maybe I'll see you online—my screen name is Fast Freddy.

1. From the passage, what can we learn about Samika?

A．She has never felt happy because of her hard work.

B．She works after school to support her family.

C．She dreams of going to school.

D．She works long in a toy factory.

2. From the passage, which of the following about Asha is NOT true?

A．He studies hard to get well educated.

B．He tries his best to help protect the environment.

C．He has started the Nature Club in his school.

D．He prefers to go outdoors and love animals.

3. Why is Frieder worried about the future?

A．Because jobs are hard for the youth to find.

B．Because he has no money to pay for his education.

C．Because he cannot find a job on the Internet.

D．Because he doesn't listen to his teachers.