1 . A child who had tested positive for Covid-19 was stopped from boarding a plane just in time, thanks to the joint effort of the police and health officers who pulled off the feal in "under an hour," a Maryland State Police official said.
The health officer told police they had been unable to reach the 9-year old child's mother. As a consequence, State Police immediately reached out to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA) police and gave them the family's departure time, destination and names. It took airport authorities about half an hour to locate the family, and by 3:45, they were able to get the mother on the phone with health officials.
It all happened in “under an hour,” Nelson said. “Never got on the plane, no serious exposure there or anything like that.”
The family was sent home with the isolation order for the boy and a quarantine order for his mother, due to her direct exposure, Nelson added. The family has not been dentified and it is unclear when or why they were tested for the virus.
The stop was a good display of the state's cooperation system at work, Nelson said, and is a testament to the trust that's been built across the state over this year, to the point where a local health department can get important information across the state in just a matter of minutes.
1. What message did Nelson want to convey in his words?| A．The boy's mother was irresponsible. |
| B．The airport handled the incident badly. |
| C．The incident showed great teamwork across the state. |
| D．Health department should have told the police earlier. |
| A．On a news website. | B．In a brochure. |
| C．In a book review. | D．In an advertisement. |
| A．Flights delayed due to Covid-19. | B．Police awarded for saving a child. |
| C．Family quarantined for deadly virus. | D．Child with Covid-19 stopped from boarding a flight. |
2 . 90-Second Newbery Film Festival
The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is a yearly video contest in which young filmmakers create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery award-winning books in about a minute and a half.
Who can make movies for this film festival? It's a big range：elementary school kids, junior high school students, high school students, even college students.
We show the best movies we receive at special-event screenings in many cities.
Here are the rules:
Your video should be about 90 seconds.
Your video has to be about the story in a Newbery award-winning book.
We're looking for full-on movies with mostly child actors, who manage to tell the entire story of the book in 90 seconds.
Upload your videos to any video website and send us the link.
Sending the link to us gives us the right to post it on our blog and to other websites where we sometimes post content.
The general deadline for the tenth annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is January 15, 2021.
Don't know where to start? Check out our Video Resources page here for a step-by-step primer on how to make a 90-Second Newbery video, plus lots of other tips, tricks, and tutorials（教程）.
1. Who can take part in the contest?
| A．Anyone. | B．Only adults | C．Students. | D．Professionals. |
| A．The film is starred by child actors. | B．The film is sent on December 31, 2020. |
| C．The film is about the history of Newbery Award. | D．The copy of the film is sent to a small video website. |
| A．On a website. | B．On the school board | C．In a magazine. | D．In a newspaper. |
3 . It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children’s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.
Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.
Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It’s mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book.
“Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can’t really come alive,” says Yohannes. “The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities.”
Yohannes first worked in the children’s section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children’s literature is. He says, “I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children’s books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?”
He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time.
“What brings you back here time and time again?” the librarian asks him.
“The stories,” Tamrat replies instantly.
1. How do the children feel when they see the donkey mobile Library ______.| A．Curious. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Interested. | D．Excited. |
| A．Ethiopian children have no idea about their future. |
| B．Yohannes and Kurtz share similar life experiences. |
| C．donkey carts in Awassa usually carry vegetables and tools. |
| D．most books in the donkey mobile library were brought in America. |
| A．A news report. | B．a book review. |
| C．A historical story. | D．An advertisement. |
4 . The spa town of Cheltenham sits on the edge of the Cotswolds, in the county of Gloucester. Below is a look at four fabulous attractions that make Cheltenham such a terrific place to visit.
Cheltenham Festival
The festival is an annual, four-day feast of racing and, on the last day, features the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeplechase. It's a dramatic race of around 3 miles and 2.5 furlongs. and the horses have to clear 22 fences. Anything can happen. In 2020,this last day of the festival drew in a crowd of 68,859.
Pittville Park
If you visit Pitville Park, you'll find it divided into two main parts by the Evesham Road. The eastern side is home to the children's play area and is where people can view wildlife. Meanwhile, on the western side of the road, you'll find the larger area of the park and small areas of woodland. There's also a lower lake at which you can fish during fishing season. That's not the only activity, however. There's a skate park, tennis courts and a small children's play area.
Holst Birthplace Museum
Cheltenham was the birthplace of the 19"century English composer Gustav Holst, and visitors can visit the home in which he was born. You'll receive a taste of what Victorian life was like, as the home boasts a working Victorian kitchen, scullery, and nursery. The museum also allows you to discover the composer's life and times by allowing you into his music room. Here is where he composed The Planets.
Sudeley Castle
This private castle, which is surrounded by views of the Cotswolds, holds the claim to fame of being the only castle in England to have a queen buried in the grounds. The castle has witnessed all sorts of drama throughout its history and is one of the most interesting Tudor castles you'll ever visit.
If you would like more information on Cheltenham Town, please visit the website: www.ctladiesyouth.co.uk.
1. Pitville Park is unique in its_______| A．game areas. | B．horse racing. | C．beautiful views. | D．children's performances. |
| A．Pitville Park. | B．Sudeley Castle. | C．Cheltenham Festival. | D．Holst Birthplace Museum. |
| A．A diary. | B．A novel. | C．A website. | D．A magazine. |
5 . While known for its Pacific Ocean beaches and fashionable coastal towns, the Golden State is also home to many new and clean lakes where visitors can soak up the sun and cool off.
Shasta Lake
Shasta Lake is the largest reservoir in California at 30. 000 acres wide. The Lake is in Northern California and is a three and a half-hour drive from Los Angeles. With 370 miles of shoreline, it's no surprise that renting a houseboat is a popular activity. Depending on their location , visitors can enjoy the view of Mt. Shasta, which has snow on its peak year-round.
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is another great option for those wanting to take a day trip from Los Angeles. It takes only two hours to drive there from downtown Los Angeles. Animal lovers can stop by the Big Bear Alpine Zoo to get an up-close look at the lake's namesake (同名物). The lake also has many hiking and biking trails, along with plenty of fishing spots.
Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is divided along the border of California and Arizona and is an oasis (绿洲)in the desert. It's a five-hour drive from Los Angeles and a two and a half hour drive from Las Vegas. Visitors can fish or go boating on the lake that was formed from the Colorado River.
Mono Lake
Mono Lake is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains and spans more than 70 miles. It's a five-hour drive from either Los Angeles or San Francisco. Visitors into fishing should head to a different lake because this body of water does not have any fish. It's a salty lake, which means that it's filled with saltwater and is two to three times saltier than the ocean.
1. What can we know about Shasta Lake from the text?| A．It's the biggest in America. |
| B．It's located in Southern California. |
| C．Visitors can watch snow there. |
| D．Visitors can look at bears there. |
| A．Shasta Lake. | B．Big Bear Lake. |
| C．Lake Havasu. | D．Mono Lake. |
| A．Travel | B．Geography. | C．Sport. | D．Education. |
6 . Female seals don’t change their spots, according to a new study by University of Alberta biologists. In fact, individual differences in boldness remain consistent over time. The study is among the first to examine boldness in wild marine mammals in the field of animal personality. Animal personality influences many ecological processes, like how individuals interact with other species or respond to changing environmental conditions.
Researchers studied female seals on Sable Island, home to the world’s largest grey seal colony. Over a period from 2008 to 2016, biologist Christi Bubac and a field team led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada measured boldness responses in the female seals when defending their young.
“During the breeding season, we saw that females tend to behave consistently, not only between years, but also within the lactation period of a given year,” explained Bubac, lead author and PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences studying with wildlife geneticist David Colman. “This provides an example of animal personality, with consistent individual differences observed over time.”
Bubac also examined how reproductive success is related to a seal’s boldness or shyness. Rey seals nurse for 16 to 18 days, so mother seals have a very short window to get baby seals as fat as they can. During this time, baby seals triple in body mass. Body mass is a good predictor of reproductive success because it indicates the puppies’ chances of survival. “On average, we found that bolder females stop feeding those that are two kilograms heavier, compared with the shyest females, improving their chances of surviving the first year of life,” said Bubac.
These results present some very interesting biological questions, explained Coltman, professor of biology. “This research shows that young grey seal moms that are bold tend to stop feeding larger puppies compared with shy moms. However, older grey seals also tend to be bolder. If bolder animals have bigger pups and live longer, why does variation in boldness remain? Why be shy?”
1. What is the purpose of the study of seals?| A．To test their effects on ecological processes. |
| B．To study how seals interact with each other. |
| C．To check how the environment affects mammals. |
| D．To examine marine mammals’ personality difference. |
| A．Animals have remained their personality since they were born. |
| B．Female seals behave more boldly in the lactation period. |
| C．Seals’ boldness responses remain the same over time. |
| D．The study on seals’ personality has been very mature. |
| A．Bolder female seals adjust the nursing time to their babies’ weight. |
| B．Mother seals tend to get babies as slim as possible. |
| C．It usually takes mother seals 20 days to nurse. |
| D．Bolder female seals feed less than shy ones. |
| A．In a travel guide. | B．In a textbook. | C．In a magazine. | D．In an art gallery. |
7 . An artist in Oakland, California is using his skills to help the homeless. Greg Kloehn builds very small shelters that make life on the streets a little more comfortable. The structures offer the homeless some safety and protection from bad weather. Each little house also has wheels on the bottom so it can go wherever its owner goes.
Greg Kloehn has given away at least 20 tiny houses. Several are on the roadside near an active railroad. On a recent day, Mr.Kloehn stops at one to visit Oscar Young. The two men hug. Inside his little shelter Mr.Young gets relief from cold nights on the streets. Mr.Kloehn also visits SweetPea, another friend who also lives in one of the little homes the artist built. She says it keeps her safe and protects her belongings.
In the mornings, Mr. Kloehn searches the streets for building materials. He gathers what he can and takes it to his studio. There, he puts the houses together. Empty coffee bags become roof material. A washing machine door and refrigerator part become windows. Nails,screws and the sticky glue hold all the pieces together. The artist also attaches a small electrical device to the house. The device is powered by the sun.
Some of the people living on the streets once had normal houses of their own. But some of the people say they have learned to live with less and they are thankful to that man.
Mr.Kloehn says his work is not a social project. He says he is just someone using his skills to help his homeless neighbors.
1. The following are the advantages of the small shelters EXCEPT ________.| A．saving power and energy |
| B．protecting possessions of the homeless |
| C．decorating the streets where they are |
| D．keeping the homeless safe and comfortable |
| A．Greg Kloehn has sold at least 20 tiny houses |
| B．an act of kindness has made people simple and grateful |
| C．the shelters are immovable |
| D．the government has got involved in the action |
| A．an official report |
| B．an art review |
| C．a science magazine |
| D．a news report |
| A．An artist creates homes for the homeless. |
| B．A more comfortable shelter on the streets. |
| C．A successful social project in Oakland. |
| D．An artist makes a living by designing small shelters. |
8 . Gum (口香糖) Shoes
Dutch fashion and shoe label Explicit Wear is hoping to solve one of life's sticky situations the annoyance of stepping in deserted chewing gum on the pavement-while helping to keep Amsterdam's city streets clean. The brand has partnered with local marketing organization Amsterdam and another firm Gumdrop to create a limited-edition sneaker for adults made from recycled gum that's been removed from the city's pavements.
According to the project, more than 3 million pounds of gum end up on Amsterdam's streets and sidewalks each year, costing the city millions of dollars to clean up. The designer, Anna Bullus, created a pink, bubble-shaped bin-itself made from recycled gum, mixed with other recycled materials-to begin to collect the gum on central city streets, train stations, and other places with heavy foot traffic. When the bin is full, the whole container goes to a machine. The gum and bin are then recycled together and made into little balls that can be used in the same type of producing equipment that usually works with regular plastic.
Priced at around $332, the shoes will be shown for the first time sometime in June. Available for preorder now, the Gumshoe sneakers-offered in both a bubblegum pink and a black colorway-feature durable rubber outsoles (外底) fashioned from recyclable material (called Gum-Tec) produced by Gumdrop, 20 percent of which are made from gum.
Every four pairs of shoes require nearly 2.2 pounds of gum. A map of Amsterdam is carved into the bottom of the shoes to remind people of the littering problem. Even better, the sneakers actually smell like bubblegum-without the annoying stickiness.
To help spread their message, Gumshoe's creators are hoping to expand the project to other major cities around the world.
1. Paragraph 2 mainly discuss how _________.| A．gum shoes are usually produced | B．the gum problem has become serious |
| C．the government handles gum problem | D．the material is collected and prepared |
| A．the map on the shoe bottom is designed for tourists |
| B．people can preorder gum shoes in two colors now |
| C．gum shoes are made for both children and adults |
| D．many major cities sell gum shoes at the moment |
| A．news report | B．science fiction | C．research paper | D．gum advertisement |
9 . 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（自动化）, 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（疫苗的应用）—and search through a registry of exhibitors to watch new product presentations.
It'll lack some of the signature ingredients（因素）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．The popularity of 5G. | B．Countless housework |
| C．People’s daily life. | D．Everyday busy work. |
| A．It attracts fewer exhibitors this year. | B．It takes place every two years. |
| C．It is usually held on the Internet. | D．It prohibits small companies to attend. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Doubtful. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Supportive. |
| A．A brochure. | B．A textbook. | C．A guidebook. | D．A newspaper. |
10 . When was the last time you thought about breathing? Most people usually do not. When we are healthy, breathing happens naturally and easily. Without much effect on our part, the human respiratory system（呼吸系统）works hard. Experts say we take about 20,000 breaths every day.
One such expert is James Hoyt, a doctor at the University of Colorado’s Health Pulmonology Clinic. He notes our “respiratory muscles are working every minute of the day, every day of our lives.” A muscle called the diaphragm（横膈膜）separates the chest and abdominal cavities（腹腔）. As we breathe in, the diaphragm tightens. The chest cavity opens, and the lungs expand. When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, pushing air out.
When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and the lower belly（腹部）rises. On its website, Harvard Medical School notes that deep breathing may slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure and lower stress. Deep breaths help your body fully exchange incoming oxygen with outgoing carbon dioxide. However, many people do the opposite of deep breathing. They take short breaths and have shallow breathing. Shallow breathing makes you feel short of breath and worried, or anxious.
The American Lung Association notes that shallow breathing, over time, leaves old, stale air in the lungs. This leaves less room for the diaphragm to bring in fresh oxygen. And that means lower oxygen levels and less oxygen for exercise and activity.
Several health websites explain an easy deep breathing exercise. Find a place to sit or lie down Place one hand just below your ribs（肋骨）. Take a slow, deep breath-or inhale-through your nose. Feel your hand go up. Your stomach should rise and expand. Now breathe out slowly through your mouth. Make sure to breathe out-or exhale-all the way. Feel your hand and stomach go down.
1. How can we breathe air out?| A．By the diaphragm’s tightening. | B．By the chest cavity’s opening. |
| C．By the lungs’expanding. | D．By the diaphragm’s moving upward. |
| A．It’s harmful. | B．It can cause anxiety. |
| C．It can reduce stress. | D．It’s bad for the heart. |
| A．No longer new. | B．Not beneficial. | C．Poisonous. | D．Available. |
| A．Special News. | B．Health Report. |
| C．The Making of a Nation. | D．People in America. |
