1 . Market traders and street vendors （摊贩）are making a comeback across China, and this time they find themselves equipped with a new set of digital skills essential to navigating the vast consumer market. To revitalize （复兴）retail stands, in a move aimed at stimulating domestic spending and stabilizing employment, the country's leading e-commerce platforms are lending a helping hand, offering services like accessible financing backed by technologies.

Domestic wholesale site 1688. com is among the first group of tech players with such offerings. At the heart of the action plan is an effort to link street vendors directly with factories, effectively avoiding middlemen and saving time and costs.

According to general manager Wang Hai, numerous small-scale merchants on the site have managed to gain the upper hand in price negotiations, while manufacturers are more willing to mass-produce as the economy of scale serves to reduce costs, thus creating a win-win situation.

“Data analytics also kicks in, giving traders some insight into current consumer trends so that they no longer need to operate their business purely based on intuition （直觉），and they can avoid stockpiling,“ Wang said. For instance, the most sought-after categories in markets are daily necessities _? underwear , digital gadgets and beauty products, according to the company, whereas the most passionate buyers come from Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.

Meanwhile, to stabilize employment _, e-commerce major JD. com vowed to add a number of job positions that either require flexible working hours, allow working from home or are designed to promote startup businesses. For posts related to delivery, warehouse management and packaging, priority is given to people from poverty-stricken areas.

“The COVID-19 outbreak will accelerate the digital transformation of the real economy, and individual traders and smaller stores are no exception,^” said Xu Lei, CEO of JD's retail unit. "We have the capability and, more importantly, the responsibility to inject vitality （活力）into these entities, thus contributing to the economic rebound （回弹）and stabilizing employment.

1. What can we learn about e-commerce platforms like 1688. com?

A．They have an advantage in price negotiation.

B．Their efforts help street vendors cut the cost.

C．They increase production through technology.

D．Their services are financed by the government.

2. How does data analytics benefit traders?

A．By improving traders' business intuition.

B．By helping traders find out market trends.

C．By telling traders when to stockpile goods.

D．By aiding traders in controlling the market.

3. Who is more likely to get a delivery job from JD?

A．A person experienced in driving a truck.	B．A person willing to start a new business.
C．A person from an underdeveloped village.	D．A person preferring flexible working hours.

4. Which column of a newspaper is the passage probably taken from?

A．Culture.	B．World.
C．Lifestyle.	D．Business.

2 . Most people can't wait for spring to arrive. It means flowers and warmer weather, all welcome changes from the dark winter days. Now we know that spring is arriving sooner in the Northern Hemisphere   (北半球）than it was in the past, thanks to a study published in Scientific Reports.

For example, Los Angeles may experience spring only a day earlier than it did 10 years ago, but further north, in Seattle or Chicago, spring will arrive four days earlier. If you lived in the Arctic, spring could arrive 16 days earlier than it used to.

To determine how springtime is starting earlier, researchers looked at temperature records and 743 earlier studies over 86 years. These studies were about various biological indicators of spring, including birds migrating, plants flowering and amphibians（两栖动物）sounding their mating calls. Researchers then studied these data to see if they were occurring earlier. The result showed that not only is spring making itself known sooner but it's warmer, too.

Before you go out in a happy springtime hike, spring arriving sooner isn't so good. The livelihood of migratory birds, for instance, may be concerned.

“The food that birds rely on when they move to the north might not be reliable if the beginning of spring at these higher latitudes（维度）is expanded by future warming." said Eric Post. He is a fellow of the John Muir Institute and a polar ecologist.

Animals relying on Arctic sea ice, like polar bears, probably aren't crazy about things warming up sooner, either, because it impacts on their ability to hunt. Spring's early arrival could cause disorder in the delicate balance of various ecosystems~~not to mention how soon you'll need to buy allergy medicine.

1. We learn from the study published in Scientific Reports that.

A．spring comes earliest in Los Angeles

B．Los Angeles is further north than Seattle

C．spring comes 12 days earlier in Arctic than in Chicago

D．the further north a place lies, the sooner spring comes than before

2. Researchers made the discovery mainly by.

A．comparing related data available

B．conducting research and test

C．calculating the exact length of each spring

D．observing animal's behavior all year round

3. What do the last two paragraphs focus on?

A．Concerns over spring's early arrival.

B．Springtime emergence of creatures.

C．Early springtime's impacts on humans.

D．Disorder in the balance of ecosystems.

4. In which section of a magazine can we read this text?

A．Medical Report.	B．Survival Stories.
C．Scientific Discoveries.	D．Natural environment

3 . Cars could be able to "talk" to each other to warn about dangers on the roads using 5G technology in future, according to researchers.

Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) believe 5G may enable driverless cars to send each other messages about dangers such as ice or deep holes.

And they believe the high-speed, low -delay (低延迟的) nature of 5G will improve driverless cars to the point where they will be safer than the cars being driven today. They predict the number of road traffic accidents which cause more than 1. 3 million deaths and up to 50 million people injured worldwide every year will drop greatly as a result.

Dr Dimitrios, a member of the research group, said, “To have a better idea of what the future will look like, think of having cars that not only use sensors (感应器) to find what's around them, but also can talk to each other about safety information nearby.”

“I'm sure anyone who has had a bad experience on frozen roads would have benefited from knowing about the dangerous conditions ahead of time so they could have changed their speed or, if possible, even avoided that route (路线) altogether.”

With the help of 5G, an early warning system in vehicles will come into use within the next few years. Cars that are close enough to the danger area will pass warning messages to other cars around them using communication technologies, but also to cars further away using 5G, fast and reliably. Then those cars will send the same information to cars near them and 80 on, forming a joined-up.

5G is an exciting mobile technology, which will give a great boost to smart cities and autonomous (全自动的) vehicles among many other things.

1. Which of the following will Dr Dimitrios agree?

A．Cars can talk with drivers using 5G.

B．5G will improve the safety of car driving.

C．Massages sent by 5G will never be delayed.

D．Over 1.3 million deaths are caused by driverless cars.

2. What will cars probably do with dangerous conditions with 5G EXCEPT____________.

A．changing their speed	B．turning to another route
C．getting closer to the danger area	D．sending warnings to nearby cars

3. What does the underlined word "boost" in the last paragraph mean?

A．Recovery.

B．Push.

C．Danger.

D．Fame.

4. In which part of a newspaper is the passage probably found?

A．Science and Technology.

B．Entertainment.

C．Life.

D．Transport.

4 . Each month, we post a photo online. All you need to do is work out where it is and you could win three superb illustrated （有插画的）DK Travel Guide books.

To give you a helping hand, we'll be revealing clues here. So make sure to check back, and follow @MirrorTrapel and @TravelEdNigel on Twitter for updates !

This month's picture shows a shining royal palace. It's in the capital of an exotic country and a popular tourist destination—but it's not the most famous one in this nation.

The question for April—name the COUNTRY.

CLUE 1 ：The city is on the banks of a famous 2,703-miIe-long river.

CLUE 2: Sounds like you could find a pen pal here.

THE PRIZE：

The first correct answer chosen at random will win three beautifully illustrated DK Travel country or city guides of their choice, each up to a value of £19. 99. For a full list of titles visit dk. co. uk.

HOW TO ENTER：

When you think you've guessed our mystery location, simply fill out the form below with your answer and details.

Terms & Conditions：

Competition closes on April 30, 2020.

Entry is open to aged 18 or over only. Employees of Reach pic, DK Travel Ltd, their families, agents, suppliers of the prizes and anyone professionally connected with this competition are not included.

Only one free entry per person via the competition entry form above.

Entries made using methods produced by a movie, macro （微距镜头）or the use of automated devices will be useless. No responsibility is accepted for entries which are invalid, incomplete, unclear, lost or delayed in transit, or which fail to be properly submitted. All of these will be considered useless.

Entry is considered acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

The winner will be the first correct answer drawn at random after lines close.

1. What does the author want readers to do?

A．Find out the best photos.

B．Guess the mystery picture location.

C．Work out the most popular country.

D．Take part in a photography competition.

2. Who can take part in the competition?

A．A pupil whose hobby is photography.

B．An employee of Reach pic, DK Travel Ltd.

C．An adult sending his entry before April 30, 2020.

D．A college student who selected a picture from a movie.

3. Where is the text probably from?

A．A weather report.

B．A travel website.

C．A geography textbook.

D．A photography magazine.

5 . Do you live in a city? You’ve probably noticed how noisy and crowded life in a city can be. What if you could live next to a calm lake instead?

As it turns out, living near bodies of water – lakes, rivers, ponds, even oceans – can help us feel both happier and healthier. Those who live less than a kilometer from the coast are around 22 percent less likely to have mental health problems than those who live 50 kilometers or more away, according to a study by researchers from the University of Exeter, UK. People who visit the coast at least twice a week tend to experience better general and mental health as well.

So how does “blue space” make us feel better? For one thing, aquatic environments tend to have less pollution and more sunlight, both of which are linked to better mental and physical health. People who get more sun tend to be happier than those who do not.

There’s also the air above the sea. After spending time near the ocean, you might find that you feel more relaxed than usual. This is because sea air is filled with negative ions（负离子）. These ions balance our levels of serotonin（血清素）, a chemical that affects our moods. With balanced serotonin levels, we feel more calm and relaxed, according to Daily Mail.

Finally, people who live near water tend to be more physically active, according to the Guardian. Water sports like swimming and rowing can help us stay in shape, which in turn keeps us healthy.

1. What did the researchers from the University of Exeter find?

A．Living near water can improve our mental health.

B．An increasing number of people don’t like living in cities.

C．Living near water has more advantages than living in cities.

D．People with mental health problems mainly come from cities.

2. The underlined word “aquatic” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “_____”.

A．natural

B．outdoor

C．oceanic

D．clean

3. What do we know about negative ions?

A．They are chemicals in our bodies.

B．They can only be found in sea air.

C．They can help people reduce stress.

D．They increase serotonin in our bodies.

4. In which column can you find this passage?

A．Health.

B．Travel.

C．Environment.

D．Entertainment.

6 . Smart Home Products for Living a Connected Life

What makes something a smart home product? Generally, it’s defined by its ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network, allowing users to interact（互动）with it from their smartphones.We’ve rounded up some cool, diverse offerings that you’ll love to have in your home.

Nest Cam IQ

walmart.com

$299.00

The Nest Cam IQ is a beautifully designed home security camera that can recognize faces. It can warn you if there’s a stranger in your home. The device also supports two-way communication via built-in microphones and a powerful speaker.

Logitech Harmony Elite

amazon.com

$249.99

The Logitech Harmony Elite is one of the best universal remote controls available on the market. It can control just about every piece of electronics you own（it supports over 270，000 devices！）in every room of your house or apartment, including TVs，streaming devices, and sound systems.

Apple HomePod

bhphotovideo.com

$349.00

The Apple HomePod has better audio quality than any other smart speaker available today. Available in white or space gray, the Siri-powered device also allows you to control a number of devices with your voice.

August Smart Lock Pro

amazon.com

$279.99

The August Smart Lock Pro is compatible（兼容的）with most locks. A mobile app allows you to manage access to the lock, check its usage history, and get informed when someone opens the door. You can control it and check on the state of your door with voice commands.

1. What can the Nest Cam IQ help you do？

A．Properly use your smartphone camera

B．Control electronics with your voice.

C．Check the locks of your house.

D．Keep your home safe.

2. Which device can help you operate almost all your electronic equipment remotely？

A．Nest Cam IQ.

B．Apple HomePod.

C．August Smart Lock Pro.

D．Logitech Harmony Elite.

3. Which column of a website is the text most probably taken from？

A．Technology.

B．News.

C．Society.

D．Education.

7 . Monster Zoo

Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.

Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.

Opening Hours

Monster zoo is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm with last entry at 3:00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.

To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.

Tickets

Child (4-14 years old) : AU $28.50

Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51.75

Family / Mini Group: AU $132.75

Meet the Keeper

Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo’s unique residents.

Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.

Café

Ketabi Café is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.

Picnics

For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.

1. What can we learn about the zoo from the text?

A．It is the largest zoo in the world.

B．It is open daily all year except Christmas Day.

C．It is open to the public ten years after it was founded.

D．It is home to 500 species of animals.

2. If three young men aged 12, 14 and 19 visit the zoo, how much will they pay?

A．AU $155.25.	B．AU $108.75.
C．AU $85.25.	D．AU $132.75.

3. Where does this text most probably come from?

A．A health newspaper.	B．An animal book.
C．A travel website.	D．A fashion magazine.

8 . “When your mother scolds you, you can look elsewhere and think about other things. Just ignore her words. But remember: such a tough attitude cannot be used often.” These words are from a series of cartoons which outline skills for children to fight against their mothers. The images have created heated debate among Chinese netizens(网民).

Regarded as “a book for children aged 6 to 12 who are always scolded by their parents”,   the cartoons, drawn by two 10-year-old Beijing girls, list over 20 skills which children can use to deal with their mothers’ anger such as crying, pretending to be ashamed, fleeing into the toilet and pleasing her afterwards. Each skill is described with vivid pictures and humorous notes. The creativity of the young girls has amazed netizens, the Yangtse Evening Post reported on Thursday.

According to one of the girls’ mothers, her daughter once received a poor mark in an exam, and the mother blamed her and compared her performance with another classmate. The daughter’s feelings led to her creating the cartoons. The girl’s father, who first posted the pictures on his Sohu Microblog on Monday, said he hopes parents pay close attention to the pictures, allow children to feel free to develop their own characteristics and try not to criticize them so often.

“The cartoons, although an individual case, reflect a modern phenomenon and some of the problems within Chinese family education,” said Yu Qinfang, an expert on family education. According to a survey of 104 children and their parents, Yu discovered that as many as 51.9 percent of primary school students hate being urged to do things by their mothers.“Not giving children enough time and hurrying them to do things seems to be a very tiny detail within family life, but it is potentially a huge problem which can easily be ignored by parents. A mother’s blame may lead to negative feelings within her child’s heart,” Yu said. “Parents should learn to blame less and be more patient.”

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Yu Qinfang found that primary school pupils disliked being forced to do things.

B．The father posted the cartoons on his microblog to show off his daughter’s cleverness.

C．Parents are advised to speak highly of their children frequently.

D．How to blame children needs parents’ further study of cartoons

2. What do we know about the cartoon book according to the passage?

A．It is finished by children aged 6 to 12.

B．It tells us how to control mothers’ feelings.

C．It is intended for primary school teachers.

D．It includes a number of vivid pictures and humorous notes.

3. Where would you probably find this passage?

A．An advertisement.

B．A textbook.

C．A newspaper.

D．A novel.

9 . Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care. We consider each applicant to Harvard College as a whole person, and put enormous care into evaluating every application. We hope you will explore the information in this section to understand what we look for in our admissions process.

How to Apply

Submit your application through the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the Universal College Application. Each is treated equally by the Admissions Committee. Complete and submit your materials as soon as possible to ensure full and timely consideration of your application. View our Application Tips for step-by-step information.

When to Apply

Date	Deadline	Date	Deadline
November 1	Early Action Deadline	March 1	Financial Aid Application deadline
November 1	Early Financial Aid Application deadline	Late March	Decision letters mailed
Mid - December	Early Auction decisions released	May 1	Reply date for Admitted Students
January 1	Regular Decision deadline

What We Look For

We seek promising students who will contribute to the Harvard community during their college years, and to society throughout their lives. While academic accomplishment is the basic requirement, the Admission Committee considers many other factors—strong personal qualities, special talents or excellences of all kinds, perspectives formed by unusual personal circumstances, and the ability to take advantage of available resources and opportunities.

We outline everything you need to apply to Harvard.

Click https: //college. harvard. edu/admissions/apply to get detailed requirements.

1. Where can you find step-by-step information of how to apply?

A．Common Application.	B．Coalition Application.
C．Universal College Application.	D．Application Tips.

2. Which is the final day for Financial Aid Application?

A．November 1.

B．January 1.

C．March 1.

D．May 1.

3. What is the basic requirement to apply for Harvard University?

A．Academic accomplishment.	B．Strong personal qualities.
C．Special talents.	D．Unique perspectives.

4. Where does this passage probably come from?

A．Travel journal	B．Business newspaper
C．Fashion magazine.	D．University website.

10 .

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1. Mr. and Mrs. White visited Sweet Tomatoes with two kids, Sara, age 7; Tom, age 4. They have to pay _______ for the meal.

A．110	B．120
C．150	D．180

2. What’s a “Coupon” used for?

A．To invite a friend.	B．To save money.
C．To get a VIP card.	D．To be a reader of China Daily.

3. Where would you probably read this passage?

A．In a story book.	B．In a math book.
C．In a newspaper.	D．In a geographic magazine.