1 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
2 . 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. |
| A．1-877-926-2463. | B．800-365-0556. |
| C．516-621-5035. | D．516-593-2267. |
| A．Both are day camps. | B．Both are long-term camps. |
| C．Both are traditional camps. | D．Both are family-run camps. |
3 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
4 . 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. |
| 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. |
| A．Los Gatos. | B．Santa Cruz. | C．Saratoga. | D．Campbell. |
5 . 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 |
6 . 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. |
| 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 |
| A．Silk fabric. | B．Tea. |
| C．Alcohol. | D．The mechanical clock. |
7 . “Are personal sad stories a must to win talent shows?” “Shouldn’t talent be judged on the basis of itself without needing a sad story of struggle to win?” These are questions Sanya Malhotra posed on a recent Facebook post.
This morning I came across this interesting post by Sanya Malhotra. She revealed that she loved dancing and dreamt of becoming an actress, but got defeated in “Dance India Dance” because her background story wasn’t sad and inspiring enough. That’s when she started doubting her artistic gift.
This really set me thinking. Why are people attracted to sob stories? Why do we always appreciate only those people who have achieved something after going through a lot of hardships? Why does the headline of a newspaper “Taxi-driver’s Son Stands First In UPSC Exam” find more readers? I think it is because most people, who are in a similar situation, find it comforting that someone has succeeded with so many hardships. I know it is really very difficult for people with financial, health, or family problems to overcome obstacles and succeed. I really feel proud of them and I am often touched and inspired by their stories.
Now come back to what Sanya has said. I think this is a talent show rather than a story-telling competition. When it comes to a competition of singing or dancing or any fine arts, all the competitors should be judged without any bias (偏见). No one should lose because they don’t have a sad story of struggle to tell. It’s very unfair. They can be given opportunities otherwise, but should not be judged because of their stories.
Maybe, the TV channels do it to attract more viewers, because the most important element of any reality show is these touching stories. But as Sanya has said, it’s unfair to those who haven't such a story and are equally talented.
1. What do we know about Sanya Malhotra?| A．She entered a talent show. | B．She won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．She had a sad story to tell. | D．She was rejected in a film. |
| A．experienced many hardships | B．is a famous actress in Indian |
| C．has a great gift for gymnastics | D．used to be confident in her artistic talent |
| A．A Millionaire Donated Money To Harvard University. |
| B．A Gifted Indian Teenager Won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．An Armless Girl Was Admitted To Harvard University. |
| D．A Freshman Paid Off Loans By Getting A Part-time Job. |
| A．Winners Should Be Determined By Public Judges |
| B．Sanya Malhotra Displayed A Great Artistic Gift |
| C．Competitors Should Not Be Judged By Sob Stories |
| D．Talent Shows Competitors Can Tell Their Stories |
8 . If you believe that scientists and artists are most creative when they're young, you are missing an important part of the story. A new study published in De Economist looked at Nobel Prize winners in the field of economics. It found there are two different peaks of creativity. One comes early in a person's career, while another comes later.
The research supports previous work by the authors that found similar patterns in the arts and other sciences.
"We believe what we found in this study isn't limited to economics, but could apply to creativity more generally," said Bruce Weinberg, lead author of the study and professor of economics at The Ohio State University.
"Many people believe that creativity is exclusively associated with youth,but it really depends on what kind of creativity you're talking about."
In the study, those who did their most groundbreaking work early in their careers tended to be "conceptual" innovators(创新者).
These type of innovators "think outside the box", challenging conventional wisdom and suddenly coming up with new ideas. Conceptual innovators are not yet immersed(沉浸于)in the accepted theories of their field, Weinberg said.
But there is another kind of creativity, he said, which is found among "experimental" innovators. These innovators accumulate knowledge through their careers and find new ways to understand it.
The long periods of trial and error for important experimental innovations come later in a Nobel laureate's(荣誉获得者的)career.
"Whether you hit your creative peak early or late in your career depends on whether you have a conceptual or experimental approach," Weinberg said.
The researchers took a novel, empirical(经验主义的)approach to the study, which involved 31 laureates. They arranged the laureates on a list from the most experimental to most conceptual.
This ranking was based on the laureates' most important work, classifying them into "conceptual" or "experimental".
After classifying the laureates, the researchers determined the age at which each laureate made his most important contribution to economics and could be considered at his creative peak.
They found that conceptual laureates peaked between ages 25 and 29. Experimental laureates peaked when they were roughly twice as old, in their mid-50s.
"Our research suggests that when you're most creative is more about how you approach your work."
1. What did the study published in De Economist find?| A．Creativity comes at any age, young or old. |
| B．Creativity tends to decrease as people get older. |
| C．Economists, artists and other scientists have much in common. |
| D．Economists are more creative than artists and other scientists. |
| A．Follow rules strictly. |
| B．Experiment on boxes. |
| C．Break old thought patterns. |
| D．Figure out how to escape from a box. |
| A．They usually come up with new ideas all of a sudden. |
| B．They make discoveries through constant trial and error. |
| C．The majority of them reach their creative peak in their twenties. |
| D．They make more contributions than "conceptual" innovators. |
| A．One's personality type. |
| B．What kind of job one takes. |
| C．How one handles their work. |
| D．One's attitude toward their work. |
9 . Student Accommodation (住处) to Let in London
One - bedroom flat
Riverside Gardens, W6 £ 1,250 pcm
This one - bedroom top floor flat is located at Riverside Gardens in Hammersmith. It is perfectly located for shopping and entertainment. Walking distance to Hammersmith Broadway, Ravens Court Park & the River Thames.
Key features (特点): Spacious living area; Fully equipped kitchen
Two - bedroom flat
New Orient House Chelsea, SW6 £ 1,148 pcm
This flat has easy access to West Brompton station where a quick change to the District Line will allow you to make good use of the London Underground. This means that you are within easy access of 21 higher education institutions including Imperial College London and Kings College London.
Key features: Excellent social spaces: movie room, games area and dining area
Private halls
Nido West Hampstead, NW6 £ 1,664 pcm
Our modern student accommodation is near West Hampstead Tube Station, allowing you to easily explore London. It is close to all major universities in the city. Our house team will look after you during your stay, all you need to worry about is living your best student life.
Key features: In - house gym (健身房)
Rooms for the 2019/2020 academic year start from just £ 229 pp/pw.
(pcm: per calendar month pp/pw: per person per week)
1. What will Tom who works part - time in a restaurant by Ravens Court Park probably choose?| A．The flat next to West Brompton station. | B．An apartment at Nido West Hampstead. |
| C．The flat at Riverside Gardens. | D．The flat at New Orient House Chelsea. |
| A．Nature lovers. | B．Party lovers. |
| C．Shopping fans. | D．Gym fans. |
| A．£ 1,250. | B．£ 1,148. | C．£ 916. | D．£ 229. |
