2 . Next-generation fitness equipment and robots help you cook dinner. Those are a few of the countless new products expected to be shown next week at CES, the annual tech conference that typically sets the tone for the biggest trends of the year. Home automation, health and 5G will once again be hot topics, but many companies will also introduce pandemic-specific features to reflect our increased time at home.

Each year, reporters, exhibitors and investors typically explore Las Vegas showrooms filled with giant TVs, smart cars and robots, but CES will be online only for the first time in its 54-year history due to Covid-19.

The Consumer Technology Association, the nonprofit behind the four-day event starting Monday, said 1,800 exhibitors from around the world will fill its "digital venue" this year—a number that's down significantly from 4,000 in-person exhibitors last year. The move will allow tech companies from countries which have never attended before to take part in the online exhibition, but could also make it harder for smaller companies to get noticed without a physical showroom.

Registered attendees will be able to stream and re-watch keynotes from companies such as Verizon (VZ) and General Motors (GM), tune in to breakout sessions — about how, for example, technology is playing a role in vaccine deployment—and search through a registry of exhibitors to watch new product presentations.

It'll lack some of the signature ingredients of the trade show, such as hands-on time with the latest small machines and networking. But the technology that makes our lives more connected and convenient will still gain popularity.

1. What are the new products mainly connected with?

A．People’s daily life.	B．Everyday busy work.
C．The popularity of 5G.	D．Countless housework.

2. What do we know about the tech conference?

A．It takes place every two years.	B．It attracts fewer exhibitors this year.
C．It is held mainly on the Internet.	D．It prohibits small companies to attend.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the move?

A．Supportive.

B．Disappointed.

C．Doubtful.

D．Casual.

4. Where are the text possibly from?

A．A brochure.

B．A textbook.

C．A newspaper.

D．A guidebook.

3 . People around the world are finding different ways to reduce stress during the coronavirus (冠状病毒) pandemic. Some have tried running, gardening, doing puzzles, cooking — but what about screaming (尖叫)?

Promote Iceland, which encourages tourism to the country, is encouraging people to scream to reduce depression. And even if you can’t travel to Iceland to do it, you can scream into your device and your voice will be broadcast throughout the empty Icelandic countryside.

An advertisement of the campaign shows yellow loudspeakers playing the screams of people from around the globe in front of peaceful scenery like glaciers, caves and waterfalls. A button at the top of the site invites users to join in with the phrase, “Tap to scream.”

“You’ve been through a lot this year and it looks like you need the perfect place to let your frustrations out,” Promote Iceland says. “Record your scream and we’ll release it in Iceland’s beautiful, wide-open spaces. You’ll feel better, we promise.”

According to a news release, the speakers are located at seven locations across Iceland. People who participate receive a video of their scream as it's broadcast from one of the stunning locations.

“Prolonged indoor living, loneliness, endless teleconferencing (视频会议), as well as restrictions (限制) on travel between countries, have increased people’s stress,” Promote Iceland says.

Zoe Aston, a mental health consultant, even offered screaming tips to people looking to participate. Some of her advice includes choosing what type of scream to use — volume, words or breath.

The campaign is light-hearted, but Promote Iceland still wants users to take mental health struggles during the pandemic seriously.

“This is a starting point,” Aston said. “If you need mental health support, it is necessary for you to seek for professional help.”

Some professional suggestions are put forward, and there are netizens’ views on the activity in the forum below.

1. What is the purpose of the campaign of Promote Iceland?

A．To encourage tourism to the country

B．To encourage people to scream to reduce depression

C．To call on people to donate to Iceland

D．To advise people to protect the environment in Iceland

2. Which is NOT true about the campaign of Promote Iceland?

A．Participants use the button at the top of the site to “tap to scream”.

B．Participants scream into the device and their voice will be broadcast.

C．Loudspeakers play the screams of people in peaceful scenery.

D．Participants send a video of their scream and it’s broadcast.

3. Why is Zoe Aston mentioned in the passage?

A．She is the organizer of the campaign.

B．She is not in favor of the campaign.

C．She gives some screaming tips and attaches importance to mental health help.

D．She thinks the coronavirus pandemic has increased people’s stress.

4. Where is the passage likely from?

A．A medical journal

B．A website

C．A research report

D．A travel guide

4 . From classic films like The Lion King to new Marvel and Star Wars, the service has a lengthy list of worthy content. Look through the list of movies you can watch on Disney.

Home Alone（1990）

As the McCallister family take off for Paris for the holiday season, they accidentally leave their eight-year-old son Kevin at home alone at Christmas. While he's left behind, the house is targeted by 2 robbers, Harry Lyme and Marv Merchants, who have just come out of prison. Kevin is left to take care of himself and defend his house.

Beauty and the Beast（1997）

Following the original Disney classic, the film follows everybody in the castle as they prepared for Christmas back when they were still under the spell（魔咒）. Told by Mrs. Potts, we see what happened after Beast saved Belle from the wolves and they celebrated Christmas.

Good Luck Charlie（2011）

The Charlies are ready for a great Christmas in Palm Springs. However, Teddy and Amy are separated from the rest of the family and madly try to find a way to Palm Springs in time for Christmas. In the end, the family are reunited and learn a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas.

Olaf's Frozen Adventure（2017）

One of Frozen's breakout characters Olaf, the snowman, has his very own adventure as he sets out on a mission to create Christmas traditions for Elsa and Anna.

1. What do we know about Kevin in the film Home Alone?

A．He knows the robbery in advance

B．He is left home alone unexpectedly.

C．He doesn't like spending holiday in Paris.

D．He is willing to fight against the robbers.

2. What do the four movies have in common?

A．They' re all comedies.

B．They' re all intended for kids only.

C．They' re all related to Christmas.

D．They' re all adventurous films.

3. In which section of a website can we probably see the text?

A．Entertainment.	B．Advertisement.
C．News report.	D．Economy.

5 . The UK is filled with unbelievable palaces and historic castles. Now you can take 360 degree virtual (虚拟的)tours of the attractions by just clicking(点击)your mouse at home.

Buckingham Palace

The Queen's palace offers 360 degree virtual tours of rooms including the Throne Room, Grand Staircase and the White Drawing Room. There are clickable “information points" which when clicked can explain the history of the rooms. CLICK HERE

Palace of Holyrood House

The Queen's official palace in Edinburgh is packed with history. The palace is usually open year round to the public, but for those who can't visit for whatever reasons, you can take virtual tours of some of the amazing rooms including the Morning Drawing Room and Royal Dining Room. CLICK HERE

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace offers 360 degree virtual tours of some of its beautiful state rooms from the grand Drawing Rooms and Saloons to the Great Hall. You can choose to listen to the audio (声首) guide which not only gives you a quick look inside, but offers lots of exciting details. CLICK HERE

Edinburgh Castle

Here is a great visual trip to Edinburgh Castle. You can visit the historic ruins and have some wonderful views of Edinburgh itself. You can also zoom in (拉近)or out to get an idea of the museums and interesting places to explore, as well as 3D models of the castle. CLICK HERE

1. What do the four places have in common?

A．They are the Queen's palaces.

B．They provide online virtual tours.

C．They are open to the public all year round.

D．They have clickable "information points”.

2. What is special about Edinburgh Castle?

A．It has become ruins.	B．It offers audio guides.
C．3D models of it are provided.	D．History of the castle is unknown.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A website.	B．A travel guidebook.
C．A newspaper.	D．A medical magazine.

6 . Do you like running enough to make it a habit? Tierney Wolfgram does; she has made running a lifelong career and isn't stopping.

In February, the 16-year-old from a high school, US, competed at the 2020 US Olympic Trials. She finished the marathon(42.195 km)with a time of 2:42:47 as the youngest competitor in the race and ranked 76th out of 390 runners. However, the cross-country(越野的)season was postponed to winter because of the COVID-19. So she jumped at the opportunity to train for another race-the Parkway Marathon in California. In November, Wolfgram broke the Women's American Junior marathon record with her time of 2:31:49. The old record was 2:34:32, which had stood since 1984.

“I'm completely stunned, ”said Wolfgram's coach.   “I knew she was going to break it, but she really showed out！”

During the run, Wolfgram once hit a wall pretty hard, but she overcame it to finish. “I guess I can say I gave it my all, ”she told Runner's World. “When I finished, all I was thinking was I felt super happy,” Wolfgram said This was only her third marathon. In 2018, when Wolfgram was 15 years old, she ran her first marathon just because she wanted to see if she had the ability to do it. “I believed that I would get faster as the distances got longer. . . I'm still glad that I did it. ”

When preparing for that first marathon, she ran up to 120 miles per week. Although her parents didn't have any background in running, they helped Wolfgram train. At first, her dad would take her out in the morning and run about 13 miles. The distance would gradually increase each day. On top of her runs in the morning, she would do cross-country practice after school.

Now Wolfgram will consider attending the Olympics Games in 2024 after it's scheduled.

1. What can we learn about Wolfgram from Paragraph 2?

A．She was the champion at the 2020 US Olympic Trials.

B．She put off the cross-country season for the COVID-19.

C．She broke an Olympic marathon record in November.

D．She prepared for the Parkway Marathon in California.

2. What does the underlined word “stunned”in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Doubtful

B．Worried.

C．Shocked.

D．Interested

3. What inspired Wolfgram to run her first marathon?

A．Her parents' encouragement.	B．Her desire to prove she could do it.
C．Her coach's support and help.	D．Her hope to break the national record

4. Which section of a newspaper does the passage probably come from?

A．Sports.

B．Lifestyle

C．Culture.

D．Opinion

7 . Unsolved Mysteries About the Planet Earth

◆Mystery 1: Where did all the water come from?

Water covers 70 percent of Earth’s surface and earns it the nickname “the blue planet”. And where did it come from? The most popular scientific theory states that the water came from several violent asteroids (小行星) filled with ice. Another suggests that the water actually has been around since Earth’s formation. However it happened, though, it’s certainly worked out well for Earth’s life forms.

◆Mystery 2 :What about all the oxygen?

Another thing is the planet’s oxygen. Tiny creatures released oxygen as a waste product, filling the atmosphere with it. After that, the level of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere went wildly up and down until it finally calmed down around 540 million years ago. Since then, it’s remained at about the breathable level we experience today. But what caused it to be suddenly steady?

◆Mystery 3: What caused the Cambrian (寒武纪) Explosion?

The Cambrian Explosion refers to the explosion of complex life forms that occurred on Earth about 540 million years ago. Before then, life had consisted mostly of bacteria. But at the beginning of the Cambrian period, complex creatures began developing at a rate never seen before. Suddenly, life forms had brains, eyes, and bones. Most living creatures today can trace their blood back to the Cambrian period.

◆Mystery 4: Will we ever be able to predict earthquakes?

We still haven’t been able to come up with a way to accurately predict earthquakes. We can certainly try, but our current technology cannot predict them exactly. We know that earthquakes start when rocks crack underground and send earthquake waves toward the surface, but we haven’t figured out why that happens, or how to predict it.

1. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Earth is called the blue star because of water coverage.

B．The level of oxygen has been steady all the time.

C．Complex creatures had rapid development after the Cambrian period.

D．We know nothing about predicting earthquakes.

2. Which of the following is true about Mystery 4?

A．It is the oldest mystery of the four.

B．It will be solved in the near future.

C．It is the most difficult mystery to solve.

D．It is a matter that is of practical significance.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A geography book.
C．A novel.	D．A magazine.

8 . Do you need a human to create a beautiful scent (气味)? That’s the question being asked as artificial intelligence (AI) starts to enter the perfume(香水) industry.

Companies are increasingly turning to technology in order to create more bestselling, unique fragrances that can be produced in just minutes. Last year, Swiss-based fragrance developer Givaudan Fragrances launched Carto, an artificial intelligence-powered tool to help perfumers(调香师). Through machine learning (a way computers improve outcomes automatically by learning from past results) Carto can suggest combinations of ingredients.

Using a touch screen, the perfumer can pull together different scents using data from the brand’s vast library of fragrance formulas (配方) — a much more efficient process than using traditional forms. A small robot immediately processes the fragrances into perfumes, making it easier for perfumers to test their new scents.

German fragrance house Symrise has gone one step further and teamed up with IBM Research to create an AI called Philyra. Like Carto, Philyra can’t actually sniff anything. But it is not designed to replace perfumers.

“It’s machine-learning and sometimes the results have been wrong,” says Claire Viola, vice president of digital strategy fragrance at Symrise. “It’s still a project, the more we test, the more it continues to improve. It constantly needs training.”

1. What is Carto according to the passage?

A．a bestselling unique fragrance.	B．a Swiss-based fragrance developer.
C．an AI-powered tool.	D．combinations of ingredients.

2. What’s the main idea of para. 3?

A．The process of making fragrance.	B．Two ways of making fragrance.
C．The importance of a small robot.	D．The popularity of a small robot.

3. What can we infer from Claire Viola’s opinion on Philyra?

A．It will replace perfumers in the near future.

B．It’s the most effective technology to produce perfume.

C．The results will be perfect when using it.

D．We should train and improve it, because it’s machine-learning.

4. In which section of the newspaper can you probably read this passage?

A．Lifestyle	B．Entertainment
C．Advertisement	D．Science & technology

9 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.

While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.

But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.

In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and

philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.

So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.

Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.

As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.

1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.

A．provide some key facts about Confucius

B．attract the readers' interest in the subject

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students___________.

A．have a great interest in studying Chinese

B．take an active part in Chinese competitions

C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

3. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C．Chinese Culture for Westerners

D．Old Thinker with a Big Future

4. The passage is likely to appear in__________.

A．a personal biography	B．a history paper
C．a cultural newspaper	D．a philosophy textbook

10 . What’s a spacewalk? Any time an astronaut gets out of a spacecraft while in space, it is called a spacewalk. Astronauts go on spacewalks for many reasons. For example, experiments can be placed on the outside of a spacecraft. This lets scientists learn how being in space affects different things. By going on spacewalks, astronauts can also fix certain things instead of bringing them back to the earth to fix.

When astronauts go on spacewalks, they wear spacesuits to keep themselves safe. Inside spacesuits, astronauts have the oxygen they need to breathe and the water they need to drink. To keep the astronauts and the spacecraft safe, the astronauts must leave and go back to the spacecraft through a special door. When on a spacewalk, astronauts use safety tethers to stay close to their spacecraft, which connect the spacewalkers with the spacecraft. They keep astronauts from floating away into space. Another way astronauts stay safe during spacewalks is by wearing a SAFER. SAFER is worn like a backpack. It helps an astronaut move around in space.

How do astronauts train for spacewalks? One way is by going for a swim. Floating in space is a lot like floating in water. Astronauts practice spacewalks underwater in a huge special swimming pool. For every one hour they will spend on a spacewalk, astronauts need to train seven hours in the pool. Another way astronauts practice for a spacewalk is by using virtual reality(虚拟视镜). It looks and feels just like a spacewalk.

Today, only three countries have finished spacewalks independently. They are Russia, the United States and China. The first person to go on a spacewalk in the world was Alexei Leonov from Russia. Zhai Zhigang is the first Chinese astronaut to go on a spacewalk. The world record of spacewalks is held by Russian astronaut Anatoly Solovyev. He has been on 16 spacewalks and spent more than 82 hours outside in space.

1. What can an astronaut do by going on a spacewalk?

A．Fix different objects.	B．Collect any things he wants.
C．Carry out an experiment.	D．Study how things changes in space.

2. What does the underlined word “tethers” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Special ropes.	B．Spacesuits.
C．Spacecraft.	D．Special backpacks.

3. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．Walking in space is as easy as going swimming.	B．A virtual reality should be used in a spacewalk.
C．Only three countries have ever tried spacewalks.	D．Russia keeps the world record of spacewalks.

4. Where is this passage most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A magazine.

C．A novel.

D．A guidebook.