1 . Looking for work?
Tutors Wanted: Math / Science / Humanities + Test Preparation
Job Posted: 2 days ago
Wage: $27 – 30 per hour
Job Type: Part-time
Schedule: Afternoons, evenings, weekdays, weekends
Job description:
We're looking for tutors to join us before the next school year starts.
Our suitable candidate will be able to assist middle and high school students with test preparation and academic work in Math, Science and or Humanities.
We'll pay for your training before this fall and can also offer flexible summer tutoring chances, including teaching group classes.
Once our fall semester starts on August 21, we’ll have even higher demand for tutoring sessions on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. as well as from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
What we offer:
★ Flexible scheduling. Tutors work from 15 to 30 hours per week depending on availability and student demand.
★ Free Sunday dinners during the academic year.
★ Fun staff gatherings
★ Health insurance reimbursement (补偿) for staff working over 30 hours per week.
★ We are 5 minutes’ walking distance from the Menlo Park Caltrain Station.
Applicants must：
★ Have a good command of the subjects they tutor.
★ Be willing to tutor students through the full academic year.
Application instructions:
★ Email us your resume (简历)
★ Tell us why you want to join Academic Trainers and describe your experience of tutoring students if you have any.
★ Let us know your scheduling preferences and potential start date.
★ Tell us which of the subjects you are able to tutor — Math, Science and or Humanities.
1. Which period of time needs the most tutors during the academic year?| A．Saturday and Sunday mornings. | B．Friday afternoons and evenings. |
| C．Monday and Thursday mornings. | D．Sunday afternoons and evenings. |
| A．Comfortable accommodation. | B．Free job training every month. |
| C．Health insurance reimbursement. | D．Free meals during the academic year. |
| A．is good at one or more academic subjects |
| B．will work every evening throughout the academic year |
| C．has the opportunity to become a full-time tutor |
| D．must have previous tutoring experience |
2 . Babies are surrounded by human language, always listening and processing. Eventually, they put sounds together to produce a “Daddy” or a “Mama”. But what still confuses neuroscientists is exactly how the brain works to put it all together.
To figure it out, a team of researchers turned to a frequent stand-in (代替) for babies when it comes to language learning: the song-learning zebra finch. “We’ve known songbirds learn their song by first forming a memory of their father’s song or another adult’s song. Then they use that memory to guide their song learning,” said Neuroscientist Todd Roberts. “It’s been a long-term goal of the field to figure out how or where in the brain this memory is. This type of imitative learning that birds do is very similar to the type of learning that we engage in regularly—particularly when we’re young, we use it to guide our speech learning.”
Roberts and his team had a feeling that the interface (交叉区域) between sensory areas and motor areas in the brain was critical for this process, and they focused on a group of brain cells called the NIf.
“In order to prove that we could identify these circuits, we thought if we could implant a false memory.” First, they used a virus to cause the neurons (神经元) in the birds’ NIf to become sensitive to light. Then, using a tiny electrode as a flashlight, they activated (激活) the neurons. The length of each pulse of light corresponded with the amount of time the neurons would fire. And the birds’ brains interpreted that time period as the length of each note.
Soon enough, the birds began to practice the notes they had learned, even though they never really heard the sounds. Amazingly, the birds produced them in the correct social situations. The researchers say this is the first time anybody has found exactly a part of the brain necessary for generating the sorts of memories needed to copy sounds.
“This line of research is going to help us identify where in the brain we encode memories of relevant social experiences that we use to guide learning. We know that there are several neurodevelopmental disorders in people that have really far-reaching effects on this type of learning.”
1. The zebra finch is researched because its song-learning mode ________.| A．decides whether it will sing songs |
| B．helps it to say “Daddy” or “Mama” |
| C．is like the way babies learn speech |
| D．reflects its talent for imitating its father’s song |
| A．The interface in the brain. |
| B．Guidance from adults. |
| C．Imitative learning type like birds’. |
| D．The way of regular learning. |
| A．Scientists activated some neurons by using an electrode. |
| B．A bird only sings what it heard before. |
| C．The brain produces tiny electrodes. |
| D．Birds are sensitive to light. |
| A．A change in our way of listening and processing. |
| B．A chance to have relevant social experiences. |
| C．A better knowledge of the secrets of learning. |
| D．Identification of neurodevelopmental disorders. |
3 . Summer
Author: Ali Smith
Price: ￡ 16. 99
Ali Smith’s Summer continues the interplay between the recent past and modern day society that marked out her works as insightful. The top of a hugely ambitious and fast paced literary project that aims to display the state of the nation with burning immediacy（直观性）, Summer is one of 2020’ s absolute must-reads.
Actress
Author: Anne Enright
Price: ￡ 16. 99
A beautifully realised novel of mother-daughter relationships and the dark side of fame and adulation（吹捧）, Actress skillfully unpacks the secrets and lies of a well known theatre performer and the effects of her bad fame on the child who admired her. With a sharp eye for female interaction and familial meaning, Actress finds the former Booker Prize-winner on excellent form.
Redhead by the Side of the Road
Author: Anne Tyler
Price: ￡ 14. 99
Redhead by the Side of the Road is both a deliciously perfect love story and a character study of a lovable eccentric（古怪的人）, stuck in his ways. Showing the emotional warmth that has made her both a critical darling and a beloved popular author, this is Anne Tyler at her winning best.
Grown Ups
Author: Marian Keyes
Price: ￡ 20. 00
There are few writers as capable of showing the frictions of family life with as much humour and accuracy as Marian Keyes and her latest sees her on flashing form. When one woman’s accident leads to an outpouring of long-contained complaints and secrets, it calls into question just how civilised and “ grown-up” any of us actually are.
1. What is special about Summer?| A．It is about the reflection of the country. | B．It shows the bad side of the daily life. |
| C．It shows how a country grew stronger. | D．It tells the fast pace of the present life. |
| A．The hard work of performance. | B．The glory of the film star. |
| C．The bitter side of a mother. | D．The growth of a rising star. |
| A．Actress | B．Summer | C．Grown Ups | D．Redhead by the Side of the Road |
4 . Some people have glibly（轻率地）called it the "Chinese burger." But roujiamo, a food that has its origins in northern China's Shaanxi Province, is different from what you'd order at Burger King, with a far longer 2,000-year-old history. Roujiamo is a thing of beauty — a soft but chewy bun filled with small pieces of braised（炖）pork.
Most amazingly, some customers might show their respect for the pork in this little bun, which was just bathed in the soup that is older than them. Among a sea of tough competition, Lijiarongxi, a restaurant recognized as the best roujiamo place in town, should owe its success to the soup used to slow-cook its meat, which has been braised on the stove since the founder, Mr. Li, first braised it 27years ago. In fact, most restaurants of good fame have an exclusive heritage recipe（家传秘方）for their soups that often date back to decades ago. The soup in Fanji Roujiamo, one of Xi'an's best-known roujiamo restaurants, is believed to be more than 80 years old!
You might eat the bun quickly in seconds, but like all good things, it should be given time to enjoy. Chefs braise the pork in its decade-old soup for hours and let it sit overnight, making the meat more tender. Such tenderly cooked meat is what lends this dish the nickname "lao han xi" in Xianyang. That's because the best roujiamo meat is so soft that it should melt in your mouth without having to chew it — imagining the elderly customers in question, without a perfect set of teeth.
It's also worth noting that like most types of regional Chinese food, roujiamo varies depending on the city and community. Buns come baked or pan-fried, and for the meat, Muslim communities in Shaanxi often use beef, while people in Ningxia usually choose lamb.
1. What is right about roujiamo?| A．A soft but chewy bun with meat. |
| B．A pork bun with a history less than 2,000 years. |
| C．A kind of food ordered at Burger King. |
| D．A typical burger originating in Shaanxi Province. |
| A．A sea of fierce competition. | B．The softness of the meat. |
| C．The soup used to braise the meat. | D．Its exclusive heritage recipes. |
| A．The decade-old soup is so attractive that the old feel like bathing in it. |
| B．The meat gets soft and is friendly for the old to eat, making them happy. |
| C．The meat turns tough after being braised in its decade-old soup for hours. |
| D．The meat melts in the mouth of the old, who sigh for not tasting it successfully. |
| A．Humorous and affectionate. | B．Ridiculous and religious. |
| C．Serious but affectionate. | D．Humorous but ridiculous. |
5 . Shay cannot learn as other children do. When a child like Shay comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child. Seeing some boys playing baseball, Shay wondered if he could join in. His father knew it difficult, but he also understood if Shay were allowed, it would give him a sense of belonging.
Thankfully, Shay was admitted by one boy, whose team was losing by one run (跑垒分), to play in the outfield. Though no hits came his way, Shay was stillecstaticjust to be in the game, grinning (咧着嘴笑) from ear to ear as his father waved to him. Eventually, the potential winning came while Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture (关头), let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew the hit was impossible. Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly. The pitcher (投手) moved in some steps to throw softly so Shay could hit it, but Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher took more steps forward to throw softly again. This time, Shay made it, hitting a slow ground ball back to the pitcher.
The pitcher picked up the ball and could have easily thrown it to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw it on a high are (弧) to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first!” Never in his life had Shay ever made it. He scampered (惊慌奔跑) down the baseline, wide-eyed and frightened. “Run to second!” Meanwhile, the first baseman had the ball, who could have thrown it to the second baseman, but he also intentionally threw the ball higher and farther over the third baseman’s head. “Run to third!” the boys from both teams were screaming, “Shay, run home!”
That day, Shay was cheered as the hero who hit the “grand slam” (全垒打) and won the game for his team. In the stand, a man’s face was flooded with tears.
1. According to Shay's father, what could Shay get from playing baseball with the boys?| A．True human nature. | B．People’s presents. |
| C．A sense of belonging. | D．Physical exercise. |
| A．Shy. | B．Puzzled. | C．Thrilled. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．To win the game. | B．To make Shay run longer. |
| C．To create a high and beautiful are. | D．To assist Shay to hit the “grand slam”. |
| A．Never say die. | B．Sharp tools make good work. |
| C．Every dog has its day. | D．Kindness is not a science, but an action. |
6 . Feeling hungry? Then what’s the easiest way to satisfy your hunger? Many of us will reach for a takeaway menu and order some delicious- but possibly unhealthy -food. And our increasingly busy and stressful lives add to our need to buy ready-made food on the go or delivered to home.
Eating options are endless, and new technology means we can feed our desires at the push of a button. Takeaway delivery apps make ordering food quick and convenient, and during the recent coronavirus（冠状病毒）crisis, it provided a lifeline to those stuck at home with nothing to cook or who lacked the skills to prepare a meal for themselves. It’s estimated that in the UK alone, people eat three million takeaway meals a day, and the three biggest delivery apps together offer a choice of 100 dishes from 60, 000 restaurants.
It’s no wonder we are tempted to skip the grocery shopping, bypass the kitchen, and enjoy something that someone else has prepared. But ordering a pizza, a spicy curry or a box of noodles, can come at a price both financially and to our health. Eating too much processed and unhealthy fast food has some effect on obesity and the risk of developing certain diseases. A few years ago, The BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that most people ate fast food on average two days per week. But, in the 16 to 20-year-old category, one in six ate fast food at least twice a day.
Of course, reducing salt, sugar and fat is one way to make takeaway food healthier, as well as offering smaller portion sizes. But the best advice is to find a cooking book and try making your own healthy meal. And if you haven’t got time, try ordering a healthier alternative from the menu.
1. What has made ordering and delivering takeaway food easy?| A．The fast-pace lifestyle. | B．Takeaway delivery apps. |
| C．The coronavirus crisis. | D．Lack of cooking skills. |
| A．Processed food is usually sold at a low price. |
| B．It’s unbelievable for people to enjoy fast food. |
| C．Fast food does less harm to the health of adults. |
| D．The youth consume fast food more frequently. |
| A．Preparing meals yourself. | B．Eating in large restaurants. |
| C．Eating takeaway occasionally | D．Adding vegetables and fruit. |
| A．The popularity of takeaway. | B．The necessity of cooking at home. |
| C．The harm caused by takeaway. | D．The dilemma takeaway faces. |
7 . Lake Tekapo lies in the center of the South Island in an area known as the Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand. Tekapo Tourism provides one of the most comprehensive accommodation (住宿) listings in the region. All accommodation providers in Tekapo are listed as follows.
• The Chalet Boutique Motel
It’s only a short distance from the Church of the Good Shepherd. You’ll find the Chalet Boutique Motel very close to the shores of Lake Tekapo.
At the Chalet Boutique Motel you have the choice of six self-contained (独立的) apartments varying in size from 2-bedroom apartments to studio apartments (单间公寓). Some offer excellent views of the lake and mountains.
Address: Pioneer Drive, PO Box 2, Lake Tekapo
• Tekapo B2 Apartment
Tekapo B2 apartment is a self-contained, one-bedroom, upstairs apartment with views overlooking Lake Tekapo. It’s only a short walk from the town center. The bedroom is suitable for two people. A double sofa bed is available for a third person or child.
Address: 2 Murray Place, Lake Tekapo
• Mt John Historic Homestead
Built in 1911，the Mount John Homestead has recently been renovated (整修). An original collection of art by a local artist and thousands of local photos are displayed throughout the rooms.
The yard is also available for special occasions such as weddings, family reunions or small parties. A minimum (最少的) booking of 2 nights is required.
Address: State Highway 8，PO Box 91，Lake Tekapo
1. If Lily wants to take a walk along the shores of Lake Tekapo, she’d better stay in .| A．the Church of the Good Shepherd | B．the Chalet Boutique Motel |
| C．Tekapo B2 Apartment | D．Mt John Historic Homestead |
| A．Both have a long history. | B．Both have recently been renovated. |
| C．Both have local photos in the rooms. | D．Both have rooms with a lake view. |
| A．It has studio apartments. | B．It is near the town center. |
| C．It can hold a wedding. | D．It is the cheapest of the three. |
8 . Nola (August 21, 1974—November 22, 2015) was a northern white rhino who lived at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido, California. At her death, she was one of only four remaining northern white rhinos in the world. The other three lived in Kenya. World Rhino Day, held on September 2, is to raise awareness(意识) of the less than 30, 000 other rhinos left on Earth.
''Rhinos need our help today, not tomorrow,'' Nola's lead keeper Jane Kennedy said. ''Last year we lost over 1, 200 rhinos just in South Africa. If we continue to lose more than 1, 000 rhinos a year, in 10 to 20 years all the rhinos on the planet will be gone. ''
''Unfortunately, most animals are in danger of dying out because of humans,'' Kennedy says. ''Humans have either poached animals, or because there are over seven billion of us, we've taken up too much of the world's resources''. Poachers illegally hunt rhinos for their horns. They sell the horns for thousands of dollars per pound, to be used for art, jewelry, and decorations. Experts believe that one rhino is poached every eight hours.
In 1975, the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research started the Frozen Zoo, a program through which researchers have collected cell (细胞) samples from more than 8, 000 different types of animals, including the northern white rhino. Scientists hope that by studying the rhino cells, they will get greater understanding of it, and will find ways to increase its numbers.
Jane Kennedy describes World Rhino Day as a celebration of rhinos along with an awareness campaign for everybody across the world to know that rhinos need our help. ''At the San Diego Zoo, children and adults are welcome to visit and speak with zookeepers to learn about rhinos. But you don't have to live in San Diego to celebrate World Rhino Day. It is observed around the world, with zoos and wildlife parks holding special events and programs to teach people about rhinos, and enable them to see the animals up close. For more information, go to www. worldrhinoday. org.
1. What do we know about Nola?| A．It was a baby white rhino. |
| B．It was one of the last of its kind. |
| C．It lived with other northern white rhinos in Kenya. |
| D．It died on September 22 at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. |
| A．The rhinos' uncertain future. |
| B．The rhinos' strange activities. |
| C．The limited natural resources. |
| D．The rare animals in South Africa. |
| A．Invent new kinds of animals. |
| B．Keep animals from dying out. |
| C．Prevent rhinos from being hunted. |
| D．Raise public awareness of rhinos. |
| A．To help people know more about animals. |
| B．To encourage people to protect rhinos. |
| C．To report special events in San Diego. |
| D．To introduce World Rhino Day. |
9 . I am a mother of three children and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was social study. The last class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.
Soon after we were given the project, my husband, my youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one cold March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back way. I turned around and found there standing behind me were two poor homeless men with a horrible “dirty body” smell. The short gentleman, close to me, was “smiling”. His beautiful sky-blue eyes were full of light as he searched for acceptance. The second man played with his hands uneasily as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation(救赎). The short man just asked for a coffee because that was all they could afford.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray(餐盘).I then walked around the corner to the men’s table. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said “Thank you”.
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down, my husband smiled at me and said, “That’s why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope.”
On the last evening of class, I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and we all knew that we need to heal people and to be healed.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. “LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS--NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.”
1. Why did the people around the author back away?| A．Because the second man stood playing with his hands. |
| B．Because the two homeless men were also waiting in line, with a bad smell. |
| C．Because the short gentleman was smiling to everyone around. |
| D．Because both men were poorly dressed and mentally ill. |
| A．regretted and cried | B．turned in her project |
| C．went back to her husband and son | D．talked with them for a while |
| A．Lovely. | B．Mature. |
| C．Over-curious. | D．Caring. |
| A．Poor as the homeless men were, they had their dignity. |
| B．The author felt we should know how to heal people. |
| C．The author’s husband was very proud of her. |
| D．What the author did to the men touched many people. |
10 . History tells us that footwear was one of the first things ancient people learned to make. Footwear helped them across rocky paths or hot sands without injuring themselves. The earliest footwear we know of was simply a piece of plaited (编织的) grass or leather tied to the feet.
The ancient Egyptians seem to have invented the first footwear with a firm sole (鞋底) — sandals. Egyptian royalty usually wore sandals that had a different style from those with lower status (身份), while slaves were not allowed to wear anything on their feet. The sandal is still the basic form of footwear in many countries, particularly those with a hot climate, whereas in cold climates, an entirely different type of shoe appeared — the moccasin — a slipper-shaped shoe made of soft but strong leather.
The Greeks were the first to develop shoes with heels (鞋跟). Then, in the Middle Ages, shoes with long points at the toe became very chic for the nobility. These shoes were often very difficult to wear. Other trends followed, with square-toed shoes, wide shoes, and even shoes that could make a woman stand two feet taller. Not surprisingly, these sometimes led to accidents. Even today, fashion rather than comfort often leads to the kind of shoes women wear.
Mechanical shoemaking appeared in the 1800s in North America. Until then, shoes had been made with the same kinds of hand tools used by the ancient Egyptians. And in 1858, a machine was invented that could stitch (缝合) the sole of a shoe to the upper part. Now it was possible to make shoes that were shaped to fit either the left or right foot. Toward the end of the 1800s came a new type of shoe that was specifically designed for sports — the sneaker — and it soon become an all-time favorite.
1. What did shoes often show in ancient times?| A．The rich resources. | B．People's different beliefs. |
| C．People's status in society. | D．The changeable climates. |
| A．Valuable. | B．Convenient. |
| C．Fashionable. | D．Comfortable. |
| A．shoes were often very difficult for people to wear. |
| B．all the shoe patterns made by the Greeks were the same. |
| C．the only function of footwear was to protect people's feet. |
| D．people wore the same-shaped shoes on their two feet |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. | D．By following the order of importance. |
