1 . Humans have little difficulty recognizing one another. And we know that no two faces are exactly alike. Even identical twins have slightly different faces. Each human face is truly unique, and now we've invented machines that are able to recognize faces for numerous purposes.
Governments, employers and security and police services are increasingly using facial recognition technology. This allows them to quickly confirm an individual's identity. Systems are becoming so advanced that a wanted criminal can instantly 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, their computers and other devices.
Personal facial recognition protection has several benefits. It is instantaneous, and it relieves us of the need to memorize passwords. However, a device will require a password in the rare event that it doesn't, for whatever reason, recognize the user's face.
There are numerous concerns about the use of facial recognition. Primarily, the concern is that it threatens privacy. The installation of more and more cameras in public and private places is now part of everyday life. This means people can be observed and recognized wherever they go. Cameras may make public spaces safer, but keeping law-abiding(守法的) citizens under constant watch is disturbing to many.
In the age of the coronavirus and the widespread wearing of masks, facial recognition systems are having some difficulty. A mask covers many of the facial data points used by recognition software to confirm a person's identity. In response, facial recognition systems are being trained to use less facial data. That could affect how dependable it is as a method of identity detection.
1. What's the author's purpose of writing Paragraph 2?| A．To further explain the importance of facial recognition. |
| B．To describe the powerful functions of facial recognition. |
| C．To list in detail various advantages of facial recognition. |
| D．To state the unique advanced features of facial recognition. |
| A．The cameras may be occasionally out of order. |
| B．Too many cameras disturb people's daily life. |
| C．People's personal life might be exposed to others. |
| D．The cameras make law-abiding citizens feel stressful. |
| A．Getting more accurate with less information. |
| B．Becoming faster with more facial data. |
| C．Protecting personal information if necessary. |
| D．Responding more quickly to unexpected events. |
| A．The wide popularity of facial recognition. |
| B．The rapid development of facial recognition. |
| C．The benefits of facial recognition. |
| D．The introduction to facial recognition. |
2 . Everyone can smile when they are on cloud nine. Everyone can cry when the weather is blue. But it takes a strong person to smile when he or she has every reason to cry!
Kiley, from Maryland, is an author, fashion model, motivational speaker and entrepreneur. Since 3 years old, her life has proven to be a journey of surgeries. She was forced to have two permanent ostomies (造口术), causing her to have ostomy bags for the rest of her life.
Carrying not one, but two ostomy bags is not something you would want anyone to go through especially your own child. As a single father, Jay is Kiley's biggest advocate. When Kiley was 10 years old, she gave a special Father's Day gift to her father to express her gratitude, which was to dance with him at her talent show at school. In the video, the little girl was smiling from ear to ear. They danced along the song, Overcomer of American Idol's Mandisa. "You're an overcomer. Stay in the fight till the final round." True to the lyrics, Kiley is a strong and inspiring overcomer.
At only fifteen, Kiley set up Enhancing Children's Lives Organization, a foundation dedicated to helping low-income children, providing them with backpacks filled with school supplies, shoes clothing and even food.
She has been a fashion model for over 7 years, yes with two ostomy bags. She is helping cancer survivors and inspiring ostomy patients. Looking at the outer appearance, one would not tell she lives with these adversities. She has proven that not even the biggest problem in the world could wipe away the smile from her face!
Kiley wrote in one of her books, "I used to say, ‘Why me? Why cancer? Why ostomy bags?’ Now I say, ‘Why not me?’ Just because you have some difficulties in life doesn't mean you can't make it. We have the ability to make a difference, to change lives."
1. Why did Kiley decide to dance with her father at school?| A．To show off her talent. |
| B．To win her dad's support. |
| C．To promote Father's Day. |
| D．To show thanks to her dad. |
| A．Medical care. |
| B．Full scholarship. |
| C．School necessities. |
| D．Better education |
| A．Optimistic and inspiring. |
| B．Strong-willed and realistic. |
| C．Creative and independent. |
| D．Confident and ambitious. |
| A．Health is money. |
| B．Smile has power. |
| C．Hard work pays off. |
| D．Cherish the time. |
3 . My life as a tax-paying employed person began in middle school, when, for three whole days, I worked on an assembly (装配) line. My best friend Betsy’s father was an executive (管理者) at Hough Bakeries, which, at special festivals, made little rabbit-shaped cakes for all its stores. The plant downtown needed eight kids for temporary help, and the shift (轮班) fell over spring break, during which I had no plans. Cake? I loved cake-icing especially. I’d earn minimum wage. I’d see how a factory worked. My parents thought all of this was a grand idea for a girl like me and called Betsy’s dad with their permission.
Our roles on the line were simple: Place cakes on conveyor belt. Attach icing ears. Apply icing eyes and nose. Remove the cakes from belt; place onto trays. This was harder than it sounds. With your mind wandering, the cakes pile up. As I told my parents that first night, it was all a little more high-pressure than I’d expected. Dad smiled. This was the sort of work that made you appreciate the money you earned, he told me. And if your feet hurt or the minutes felt like hours, well then that was just motivation to keep those grades up and get that college education.
And the icing? We kids were allowed to eat as much as we wanted. By noon the first day, I could barely look at the stuff. To borrow a favorite phrase from my father: The executives weren’t born yesterday.
1. Why did the writer decide to take the job?| A．To earn lots of money. |
| B．To enjoy her spring break. |
| C．To help Betsy’s father temporarily. |
| D．To learn of the operation of the plant. |
| A．The writer found the job simple. |
| B．The job needed great concentration. |
| C．The writer quit the job the first night. |
| D．Father laughed at the writer’s performance. |
| A．Inspiring. | B．Doubtful. | C．Critical. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．She found the icing ugly. | B．She was tired from the work. |
| C．She had eaten too much icing. | D．She felt depressed with the job. |
4 . These days there is so much tempting technology to look at: smart phones, tablets, computer games and TV screens. Much of children's entertainment and education comes from using them, so it's no wonder they spend so much time staring at them. But even if the saying that looking at a screen for too long gives you square eyes isn't true, there is still some concern. So, should we be worried?
Certainly for children who spend hours glued to a screen, there is a concern that their health might be at risk. Also there is a fear that their eyesight is declining too. Although there's not much evidence to prove this yet, recent findings have brought the problem into light.
Chris Hammond, consultant at St Thomas' Hospital, says “We find short-sightedness is becoming more common It has greatly spread in East Asia, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea where approaching 90 of 18-year-olds are now short-sighted.”
But can this be linked to children's obsession with using electronic gadgets? Annegret Dahlmann, expert at Moorfields Eve Hospital in London. says lack of natural light seems to be the key issue. She's suggested that children in East Asia study a lot, using computers, smart phones or tablets, and they go outside less. Wearing glasses is one solution, but it's not ideal.
This leads to a dilemma: achieving short-term academic success or protecting your long-term eyesight. It's always going to be a challenge to drag children away from their screens and it's likely that more and more studying will be done online. But despite that, Professor Hammond says. “In countries like urban China, where 10% of children in each class per year are becoming short-sighted from about the age of six. there's an argument for saying we should be trying to prevent it.” It's evidence we can't turn a blind eye to. So, maybe it's time to hit the “off” button and get our children outside?
1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?| A．Recent findings have opened our eyes to the issue of eyesight. |
| B．Looking at a screen for too long will get you square eyes. |
| C．It has been confirmed that children's eyesight is failing. |
| D．Using electronic gadgets affects children's education. |
| A．Wearing glasses. | B．Heavy school work. |
| C．Lack of natural light. | D．Booming technology. |
| A．Learning online or offline. |
| B．Reading for pleasure or exams. |
| C．Focusing on study or protecting eyesight. |
| D．Protecting eyesight or promoting technology. |
| A．Study hard. | B．Head outdoors. | C．Quit computer. | D．Challenge more. |
5 . A teenager from the UK almost died because of an addiction to unhealthy exercise.
Lisa Fouweather, 19, was so addicted to working out that she ran half marathons before breakfast. She started to practice running, hoping to become excellent at her running club, but quickly became addicted.
She was hardly eating to keep in shape. The teen’s meals would only include a few pieces of food from her “safe foods” list which was mainly fruit and vegetables. She would avoid anything containing sugar or fat. “I would throw my orange juice and bread out of the window when my parents left the room,” she said. At one point, her weight dropped to just 75 pounds — around 34 kg.
This helped to improve her running in the short-term when, in fact, her whole life was falling apart. It affected her education as she would turn up late to school every day to finish her morning running. She said, “Six-mile runs became half marathons, all on an empty stomach before breakfast. Upon my return, I would eat only fruit.”
However, although warned by her parents, Lisa refused to admit she had a problem and wouldn’t give up her way of working out until one day she had a heart attack after her running and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with anorexic (厌食症) and banned from exercise. “I was told that I could have died because my heart was under great pressure.” She was given dieting advice by doctors to help treat her eating disorders. Thanks to hard work and professional help, she managed to put a stop to her extreme exercise and dieting and has been in recovery for nearly three years.
Lisa said, “I want people who are going through the same problem as I did to know that there is help and support out there, and don’t wait until you’re at breaking point to seek that help.”
1. Why did Lisa start practicing running at first?| A．To become great at the running club. |
| B．To keep in shape. |
| C．To help her with her diet. |
| D．To improve her education. |
| A．She ran half marathons on an empty stomach. |
| B．She had an unhealthy way of eating. |
| C．She didn’t get any warning from others. |
| D．She wouldn’t quit her wrong way of exercise at first. |
| A．There are many people going through the same problem as Lisa did. |
| B．Lisa can provide help and support to people with the same problem. |
| C．You can wait for help if you’re going through the same problem. |
| D．People with the same problem should ask for help in time. |
| A．Science. | B．Technology. |
| C．Health. | D．Nature. |
6 . While it's not impossible for birds to fly in the rain, they usually choose not to. You may see birds fly for a few seconds in poor weather, but most of them prefer to stay put on rainy days.
Why does rain make it harder for birds to fly? You might imagine that moving through the air while being pelted by raindrops would be pretty unpleasant. However, it's not the rain itself that makes flying difficult. Instead, birds are influenced by the drop in the air pressure that comes with most rainstorms. When pressure drops, the air is less thick, which makes it harder for birds to fly. Moving through the sky in areas of low air pressure takes a lot of energy.
Most birds need to eat several times a day—rain or no rain. Luckily, most birds' feathers（羽毛）are highly waterproof（防水的）, protecting the skin beneath. Many birds can also make oil that they can spread over their feathers to further protect themselves from the rain. Most birds don't like rain. In fact, in a 2010 study, a team of researchers studied birds living in a Costa Rican rainforest. They found that the birds had higher levels of stress hormone（应激激素）on rainy days. That may not surprise you. After all, many animals feel stressed out during storms. Pet owners often find that rain and thunder make their animals nervous. Some animals are so strongly influenced by nature that they almost seem to forecast the future.
No one really knows how many birds die during a storm or series of storms. But the number is certainly higher than usual. They fly into trees or windows; they get lost over the ocean or a large lake; their food sources are made more difficult to get but, at the same time, they need more food to get warm. However, if rain continues for some time, birds will have to challenge the storm.
1. What makes it harder for birds to fly in the rain?| A．The wet air. | B．Food shortage. |
| C．Raindrops. | D．The low air pressure. |
| A．Cleaned. | B．Hit. |
| C．Frightened. | D．Protected. |
| A．Why birds can fly in the rain |
| B．How birds are influenced by rain. |
| C．How birds survive long rainy days. |
| D．Why birds' feathers are waterproof. |
| A．Birds will develop the ability to fly in the rain |
| B．Birds fly only when necessary on rainy days. |
| C．Birds have nowhere to hide in rainstorms. |
| D．Birds need less food on rainy days. |
7 . After traveling more than seven months in space, Tianwen 1 is one step closer to Mars! Tianwen 1, China’s first Mars probe （探测器）, successfully entered Mars orbit in February, according to the China National Space Administration （CNSA）. It will stay in orbit for about three months before landing on the red planet.
A small step on the red planet will be a big step for human beings. Humans have launched 46 Mars exploration missions since October 1960, but only 19 of them have been successful, according to China Daily. It’s China’s first spacecraft to Mars, and the missions are rather ambitious. Tianwen 1 aims to achieve “orbiting, landing, and roving （环绕，着陆，巡视）” all in one journey, which will make the country the world’s first to accomplish all three goals with one probe, mission scientists said. Among the three tasks, touchdown on the red planet is the most difficult. The result mainly depends on the “breathtaking seven minutes,” which will deploy multiple cutting-edge technologies and accurate timing of each action, including the burning of engines and opening of parachutes （降落伞）to ensure a safe landing, according to the Global Times. The previous success of Chang’e 5 has accumulated experience in this regard which “boosts our confidence”, Wang Ya’nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times. Tianwen Vs ultimate goal is to land a rover on Mars in May or June, and it will conduct scientific investigations on Mars’ soil, geological （地质学的）structure, environment, atmosphere and water, according to China Daily.
February was Mars month. NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on Mars on Feb 19, and China’s Tianwen 1 and United Arab Emirates’ （UAE） Hope have arrived within orbit of the red planet. Although they started their Mars journeys at almost the same time, their missions vary. “When we step into the far planets of the solar system, the magnitude （量级）of the resources and timeline required will take a global commitment,” US Congressman Frank Lucas said, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in space.
1. What can we learn about Tianwen 1?| A．It’s the world’s first probe to enter the orbit around Mars. |
| B．It will spend 10 months preparing for its landing. |
| C．It is expected to land on Mars in May or June. |
| D．It’s one of the 46 successful Mars exploration missions. |
| A．Landing a rover on the red planet. | B．Staying in orbit around Mars for months. |
| C．Bringing back samples from Mars. | D．Orbiting, landing and roving with one probe. |
| A．Lack of advanced technologies. | B．Achieving a safe landing. |
| C．Completing tasks quickly. | D．Insufficient landing experience. |
| A．There are risks in exploring other planets. |
| B．Space exploration calls for global cooperation. |
| C．Tianwen 1 will reach other planets besides Mars. |
| D．Exploring space takes considerable time and resources. |
8 . For people who struggle to read text, technology can be a lifeline. Actually, assistive technology (AT) tools for reading can also be useful to students who just need some extra assistance to aid reading fluency or comprehension. These tools are inexpensive and easy to find. They open up the wonderful world of reading, making text accessible to students of all abilities. But with so many tools out there, it’s not always easy to know which ones to use.
To help, here’s a guide to some best ones.
Graphic organizers
They are visual representations, like diagrams and mind maps, of ideas and concepts. You can use graphic organizers to help with comprehension while reading. Graphic organizers can be digital or pen and paper.
Annotation aids
They let you take notes and write comments while reading. This can make it easier to keep information. Annotation aids can be part of software or apps, or they can be traditional pens, markers, and sticky notes.
Display control
It allows you to control how text is displayed. When reading on a screen, you can change the font(字体), font size, and spacing of text. You can also cover parts of the screen to lessen distractions(干扰) while reading.
Text-to-speech (TTS)
It lets you see text and hear it read aloud at the same time. To use this tool, you click on words, and you’ll hear the words read by computer-generated voices. You can even read after it and record your own voice. TTS can also be used to change any digital text files into audio files.
Optical character recognition (OCR)
It can read aloud text from images and pictures. You can use OCR by taking photos of worksheets, paper documents, and even objects like street signs. Like TTS, OCR uses computer-generated voices.
Keep in mind that using AT reading tools won’t prevent people from learning to read. For example, experts say audiobooks can actually help kids become better readers.
1. If a reader prefers taking his feelings down while reading, he’d better use ________.| A．graphic organizers | B．annotation aids |
| C．display control | D．text-to-speech |
| A．Changing file types. | B．Editing photos of documents. |
| C．Reading words in pictures. | D．Using computer-generated voices. |
| A．accessible and beneficial | B．expensive but worthwhile |
| C．helpful and energy-efficient | D．innovative but complicated |
9 . Wine and beaches, fireworks and music... our readers recommend some fantastic festivals.
Festa delTUva e del Vino, Italy
Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, this grapes and wine festival takes over the small town of Bardolino for four days every October. With local wines, food, art projections, fireworks and live music. people come from miles around to celebrate. First and foremost，it’s about great wine，but it’s worth visiting to soak up the great atmosphere.
Free，1-5 October
Quest festival, Vietnam
This is a weekend camping festival held just a 40-minute drive from Hanoi, bringing together locals and visitors in a celebration of underground live and electronic music culture. Held in the beautiful Son Tinh campsite, there are usually about 30 local and international DJs and 10 bands. There are also workshops, pop-up cafes, fire performances, dancing and much more.
Weekend tickets about £25, 6-8 November
Estiv al Switzerland
This is a free festival of jazz which takes place in the first weekend in July in the pretty squares and lakeside beaches and parks around the southern Swiss town of Lugano. The palm trees and summer air to see some of Europe’s up and coming jazz bands and enjoy Swiss
Free, every July
Irish Redhead Convention, County Cork
A friendly gathering for all red-haired people is held in the small seaside village of Crosshaven where redheads from all over the world take part in light hearted events. There’s live music, art exhibitions, lectures and of course the traditional Parade of Redheads through the village led by the newly crowned Redhead King and Queen.
Free, Every August
1. Jennifer, a girl with red hair, may be interested in ________.| A．Estival. | B．Quest festival. |
| C．Festa deirtlva e del Vino. | D．Irish Redhead Convention. |
| A．They offer local food. |
| B．They have fireworks. |
| C．They are free of charge. |
| D．They have music activities. |
| A．In a textbook. |
| B．In a magazine. |
| C．In a news report. |
| D．In a research paper. |
10 . Thankfully, I found the courage to persevere in the face of adversity and succeeded. Otherwise. I could be a victim and feel sorry for myself for the rest of my life.
A doctor told me at a young age that I would likely never graduate from high school due to my severe hearing loss and my extremely slow speech development. I found the courage to work hard in school and be active in sports and other activities despite wearing hearing aids and living with a 70% hearing loss. By the time I was college-age, I started losing my night vision. I decided to go away to college 300 miles from home. I obtained my bachelor' s degree and graduated with honors. Even though I had terrible hearing loss and was beginning to lose my sight at night, I found the courage to begin a professional career.
After earning my MBA degree, I accepted a position with Kellogg in the Corporate Affairs Department. When I was working on my MBA degree, I found the courage to ask someone successful despite facing similar challenges to mentor（指导）me. He encouraged me to consider Kellogg as he knew the company was committed to diversity and inclusion（包容）. I nervously started my new career, because my vision loss had progressed significantly in the past few years. I am thankful to have a mentor that encouraged me and I am thankful I found the courage to apply for a position with Kellogg.
While Kellogg fosters a supportive, encouraging environment, it still takes courage for me to require what I need to make sure I am successful in my career. I need courage to speak up and ask for suitable accommodations to do my job. I also have to ask for assistance navigating through unfamiliar areas. I have found that everyone at Kellogg is always more than willing to take my requests into account.
Even though I face daily challenges, I have so much to be grateful for. We often face difficulties we cannot control, but we can be courageous in order to face adversity and address challenges.
1. What does the underlined word "adversity" in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Advertisement. | B．Reality. |
| C．Difficulty. | D．Reward. |
| A．was very talkative in class |
| B．was engaged in sports actively |
| C．suffered a severe medical error |
| D．dropped out once for her hearing loss |
| A．A mentor's encouragement. |
| B．Her aggressive personality. |
| C．Her interest in a challenging job. |
| D．The company's support for the disabled. |
| A．she picked up many skills in this job |
| B．she has met with a lot of misunderstandings |
| C．she has to gain lots of support for her career |
| D．she achieved great success during her career |
