1 . Jobs Week: Find Your Next Job Here

▲ A Registered Nurse

Average salary: $ 65,470 per year

Top cities for hiring: San Antonio, Texas；Chicago, Illinois；Dallas, Texas

In the United States, registered nurses （RNs）are clinicians who have completed at least an associated degree in nursing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics（BLS）has identified it as one of the top ten occupations for career growth. RNs can either practice independently or as part of a healthcare team.

▲ A Retail Associate

Average salary：$ 21,410 per year

Top cities for hiring：Atlanta, Georgia；Houston, Texas；Chicago, Illinois

Retail workers sell products and help customers find the products they want. According to the BLS, nearly 14. 8 million people were employed as retail workers in 2014. Top places to find retail positions include Walmart, Target and Macy’s.

▲ A Truck Driver

Average salary：$ 46,000 per year

Top cities for hiring：Atlanta, Georgia；Houston, Texas；Indianapolis, Indiana

Truck driving doesn’t require a college degree and can pay well even at the entry-level stage. It takes a certain kind of person to work the long weeks away from home— but with a high level of demand, it can be a great career choice for someone who wants job security without the cubicle（工作间）.

▲ A Web Developer

Average salary：$ 62,500 per year

Top cities for hiring：Chicago, Illinois；New York；Atlanta, Georgia

Tech jobs like Web Developer frequently top lists of the best jobs for pay, worklife balance, and career welfare. The wide use of the Internet means that web developers are in continuous demand, and there are no education barriers preventing job seekers from learning programming languages like Java or Python.

1. According to the text, a registered nurse

A．can be paid at least US$ 70,000 every year.

B．must have an associate's degree in nursing.

C．is considered one of the top ten occupations with the most employees.

D．is a popular position in Atlanta, Georgia.

2. If one cannot adapt to long weeks of work away from home, he/she shouldn't work as ________

A．a registered nurse.	B．a retail associate.
C．a truck driver.	D．a web developer.

3. Where can we most probably read the text?

A．In a newspaper.	B．In a health magazine.
C．In a travel leaflet.	D．In a science report.

2 . If you think of pumpkins as an orange-colored squash that's carved as the key ingredient for holiday season pies, you wouldn't be wrong.

But there's much more to pumpkins, which are full of nutrients that provide an impressive collection of health benefits, says Lisa Jones, a registered dietitian based in Philadelphia. Pumpkins may be good for carving, but they're even better for a variety of healthy nutrients, she says. “Pumpkins provide a diverse variety of nutritional benefits in addition to being an ingredient in pies or festival decoration.”

The best part about pumpkin is that it's so easy to work it into your daily food. When preparing various dishes, add pumpkin to things like soups or bake with it in breads. There are so many things you can do with pumpkin beyond pumpkin pie. Pumpkins are seasonal, ripening in fall. But you can get pumpkin products, like canned puree or soup, in many stores throughout the year.

Consuming pumpkin can help fight cancers, says Mahmoud Ghannoum, professor and director in a medical center. Pumpkins have plenty of beta carotene, which is an antioxidant, playing an important role in protecting the body from cancers. Pumpkin is a good source of minerals, vitamin C and fiber, all of which are associated with heart health and keep your skin strong, healthy and, hopefully, wrinkle-free. The squash also contains a healthy amount of vitamin E, which helps reduce damage caused to your skin by ultraviolet light. Besides, the fiber in pumpkin can help you feel full ——which, in turn, boosts your odds of consuming healthy portions of food. Every half-cup of cooked pumpkin provides about 3 grams of fiber. Pumpkins are also low in calories: a cup of cooked pumpkin contains about 50 calories, which helps with weight management.

1. What does Lisa Jones think of pumpkin?

A．It can be used in various western dishes.

B．It is more than used in dishes or decoration.

C．It is easy to carve pumpkin into diverse shapes.

D．It suits people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

2. Which of the following is the biggest advantage about pumpkin?

A．It ripens in fall.	B．It can be bought all over the year.
C．It is not hard to add it to daily dishes.	D．It can be made into various products.

3. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．The classification of pumpkin.	B．The characteristics of pumpkin.
C．Different ways to consume pumpkin.	D．The potential benefits of consuming pumpkin.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A review.

B．A guidebook.

C．A fiction.

D．A website.

3 . Tune in tonight at 6:00 p.m. to catch a science awards ceremony like no other. The 30th First Annual Ig Nobel Prizes celebrates unusual scientific research “that makes people laugh, then think,” according to the Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), the magazine that organizes the annual event.

Now in its 30th year, the Ig Nobels ceremony is always officially described as the “First Annual” because “every year is a new beginning,” master of ceremonies and AIR editor Marc Abrahams told Live Science in 2016.

Former winners of Ig Nobel Prizes explored questions such as: Why do old men have big ears? Can you unboil a hard-boiled egg? And the eternal puzzle: Are cats a solid or a liquid?

Since 1991, the ceremony has unfolded in front of a packed house at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Nobel winners typically hand the winners their awards. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic (新冠肺炎), the 2020 award ceremony has been prerecorded, but it will still offer a science-themed opera- a long-standing Ig Nobel tradition, performed by opera singers and scientists from the Boston area-as well as plenty of surprises, Abrahams told Live Science.

“Every part of the ceremony has been re-designed, because of the pandemic,” AIR representatives said in a statement. “The organizers even invented a new way for a Nobel winners on one continent to “physically” hand an Ig Nobel Prize to a new Ig Nobel Prize winner on a different continent.”

How is that even possible? You’ll have to watch the Ig Nobels to find out.

The ceremony will be broadcast live here on Live Science as well as on YouTube and AIR’s Facebook page as in previous years. Versions of the ceremony with translations in Japanese, Chinese and Spanish, will premiere at the same time as the U.S. version and will be accessible from the AIR website.

1. Why is the 30th First Annual Ig Nobel Prizes called the “First Annual”?

A．Because every year is a new start.

B．Because the ceremony is brand new this year.

C．Because the ceremony is organized by the AIR for the first time.

D．Because the aim of the ceremony is to make people laugh and think.

2. What can we conclude according to Marc Abrahams？

A．The Ig Nobel ceremony is always recorded in advance.

B．The 2020 Ig Nobel ceremony has prepared many surprises.

C．Ig Noble competitors are addicted to strange but meaningful questions.

D．It’s an Ig Nobel tradition to invite scientists around the world to perform.

3. How is the 2020 Ig Nobel ceremony different from before?

A．All details about the ceremony will be broadcast online.

B．It has been put off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

C．Nobelists cannot give awards to the Ig Nobel winners in person.

D．It will offer a science-themed opera performed by singers and scientists.

4. Where can you most probably find the text?

A．On a website	B．On a noticeboard.
C．In a science guidebook.	D．In a daily newspaper.

4 . The Palace Museum is limiting the daily number of visitors to 80,000 and recommending both individual visitors and tourist groups to book tickets in, advance online (booking address: https://gugong ktmtech.cn). foreign visitors are required to provide passport numbers during the online booking

ADMISSION

April 1st-October 31st            60 yuan

November 1st-March 31st.        140 yuan

●Free admission(入场费) for children under.2 meters in height.

●Free admission for disabled visitors.

●20 yuan for elementary, middle school, and undergraduate students with student I.D. (not including graduate and adult or continuing education students).     

●50% discount for people over 60 years with valid certificate or proof of age (passport, etc.)'

●Women's Day (March 8): Half-price admission for female visitors.

●Children's Day (June 1): Free admission for children 14 years old and younger. 50% discount on admission for one accompanying parent. legal guardian, or adult,

For detailed information and instruction, please click here.

1. How many people can visit the Palace Museum daily at most?

A．Eight hundred

B．Eighty thousand.

C．Eight million

D．Eighty million.

2. Among the four,who can get the lowest admission price?

A．A middle-aged woman visiting it on 13,Mar.	B．A middle-aged parent visiting it alone on lst, June.
C．A 65-year-old man visiting it on 7th,May.	D．A middle school student visiting it on 6th,Jan.

3. Where do you think the passage most probably comes from?

A．A website.

B．A magazine

C．A book.

D．A newspaper.

5 . Barcelona’s opera house has celebrated its reopening to the public since the coronavirus pandemic (新冠疫情) put the world into a huge horror, but their opening night had an unusual audience. For its first concert, the theater refused the usual crowd of people and instead packed the house with plants. Yes, that’s correct. All 2,292 seats at the Gran Teatre Liceu were occupied by leafy green plants.

The idea was put forward by conceptual artist Eugeno Ampudia and was broadcast live on the theater’s website. These lucky ficus trees, palms, and Swiss cheese plants—which were brought in by local nurseries (苗圃) — got the pleasure of hearing Puccini’s Crisantemi performed by the UceLi Quartet string musical group.

Ampudia hopes that his idea and the work will inspire people to think more deeply about their relationship with nature and the concept of sustainability (持续性). “We are at the end of an era and that means that we have to change certain patterns,” he shares. “We don’t live in the same world as 90 days ago, and this means we have to reflect on everything that we do.”

As plants can respond to different vibrations (震动) caused by music, they certainly weren’t a passive audience—even if they weren’t able to give applause. Now that the concert is over, each plant will be given to a different frontline healthcare worker who helped guide the country through its battle with the coronavirus.

The moving concert is a continuation of the Liceu’s mission to create a dialogue between music and the visual arts. Pictures and a video of the performance taken by Ampudia will now become part of La Caixa contemporary (当代的) art collection.

1. What was the special part of the concert?

A．It had only 2,292 seats.

B．It made the world fall in horror.

C．It gave plants opportunities to enjoy music.

D．It welcomed audience with plants to come.

2. Who gave the idea that the seats were occupied by leafy green plants?

A．Barcelona	B．Eugeno Ampudia
C．the Gran TeatreLiceu	D．the Uceli Quartet

3. Which statement may Eugeno Ampudia agree with?

A．We didn’t do very well in dealing with nature.

B．The healthcare workers were more important.

C．The plants should have the equal rights.

D．We did everything in a wrong way.

4. In which part of a magazine can this text be read?

A．Daily Hero.	B．Teens’ Life.
C．Art Around the World.	D．Animals and Plants.

6 . 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

7 . Edinburgh is the world’s festival city. There are 12 festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer. Here are some of the events they can enjoy:

The Edinburgh International Festival

This is the original Edinburgh festival, which began in 1947. actors, musicians, dancers and opera singers from all over the world perform to huge audiences. You need tickets for most events which take place in theaters around the city.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of show taking place across the city. More than 20,000 artists take part, as the festival is open to anyone. Visitors can choose from a huge variety of acts. Join thousands of visitors and locals at the Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s main street, to watch all kinds of performers and shows.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival

The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and take place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens, in the centre of Edinburgh. There are more than 700 events for children and adults who love books. You can meet many authors, talk to them, ask them to sign a book or listen to them talk about their stories. Children can listen to stories and watch painters draw pictures.

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy music shows around the city. One of the highlights of this musical event is the street carnival, which is free to all. Artists perform street theatre, dance and circus shows in amazing costumes, and everyone can join in the dancing.

1. Which of the festivals is the most attractive to the bookworms around the world?

A．The Edinburgh International Festival	B．The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
C．The Edinburgh International Book Festival	D．The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

2. According to the passage, what can visitors do at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

A．They can take part in a street carnival.

B．They can enjoy the performances of a great many performers.

C．They communicate with some famous authors from all over the world.

D．They can join the locals at Charlotte Square Gardens to watch all kinds of shows.

3. Where can we probably read the passage?

A．In a history book.	B．In a tourist brochure
C．In an encyclopedia	D．In an art magazine.

8 . Being a polite airline passenger starts with just a few easy steps.

Help your fellow traveler

While you're loading your carry­on bag into the overhead space, offer to lift a fellow passenger's up there, too. Not only is it kind, but it could make the boarding process more efficient for everyone else.

Keep your personal things well, personal

It's important to be mindful of your personal belongings. Avoid hitting other passengers with your bag, as you walk down the aisles(过道), by keeping it in front of you and close to your body. And once you sit down, you should stay there, and make sure you have everything you will need for the flight once you settle in your seat. Reaching over other passengers to access the overhead storage during the flight is uncomfortable for everyone.

Respect your (limited) space

In the narrow space of an airplane, maintaining your personal space will go a long way towards making a smoother ride for everyone. Let the middle­seat passenger use the armrests (it's the least you can do), and keep your legs within the width of the chair frame.

Be willing to swap seats with a family

Airlines sometimes reserve certain seats for special passengers or charge extra fees for adjacent(毗连的) ones，making it tough for family members to buy seats together. If you're traveling alone, offer to switch seats so that a family can sit beside each other; it's a kind gesture that they won't forget. But be sure to delay swapping until the plane has reached the safe altitude，as switching seats while everyone is boarding can be an inconvenience for those standing in the walkways.

1. To be a polite airline passenger, you need to do the following except________________.

A．lending a helping hand to your travelling companion

B．using the armrests to support your arms if you want

C．avoiding reaching over others to open the overhead storage

D．keeping your bag in front of you while walking down the aisles

2. If a man wants to swap the seat with you, you should__________________.

A．charge extra fees for offering adjacent seats

B．ask him to reserve the seat online in advance

C．offer your seat and stand in the walkways

D．put off swapping unless it is safe enough

3. Where can you most probably find the text?

A．In a daily newspaper.	B．In a literature book.
C．In an airport guidebook.	D．In an official document.

9 . It took Sheperd Doeleman nearly a decade to pull off the impossible. As the director of the Event Horizon Telescope(EHT), a project involving hundreds of international researchers, he spent years flying suitcases full of hard drives around the globe to coordinate(协调) observations between radio telescopes on four continents(大洲). On April 9, 2019, the coordination at last released the fruits of their labors and the world got the first image of a black hole.

The feat-which pioneering black hole theorist James Bardeen called hopeless in 1973-represented a towering achievement of astronomical technology. “It took everyone a little by surprise that they got such a good image so fast,” says Andrew Strominger, a theoretical physicist at Harvard University.

Now Strominger and other researchers are back with a wild answer, which appeared last week in Science Advances. With a distance enough telescope, the EHT coordination could see multiple reflections(反射) of light streaming from around the black hole. By sorting through the precise pattern in these rays, astronomers could study black holes and test Einstein’s theory of gravity like never before. Basically, they hope black holes will become more like stars and planets: not just objects to think about, but to directly observe.

The team did pencil-and-paper calculations using Einstein’s theory of General Relativity and some simulations(模拟) to analyze what black holes do to light. “Black holes, they’re just kind of the best at everything they do,” Lupsasca says. “And that includes bending light rays into loops(圈、环).”

1. What did Sheperd Doeleman achieve according to paragraph 1?

A．An international project.

B．An image of a black hole.

C．Suitcases full of hard drives.

D．Radio telescopes on four continents.

2. Who believed it was impossible to get any image of black holes?

A．James Bardeen.	B．Albert Einstein.
C．Sheperd Doeleman.	D．Andrew Strominger.

3. Why did Strominger and his team do so many calculations?

A．To bend light rays into loops.

B．To observe black holes directly.

C．To design a distance enough telescope.

D．To analyze black holes’ impact on light.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A novel.

C．A guidebook.

D．A magazine.

10 . You are with me once in a while for nearly 20 years now. You never said why you chose me. I didn’t even think I was your type. I had always thought you went for the worrier, the unadventurous. But I am an outgoing girl. Maybe you were impressed with my demanding teaching career. Your past lovers come from all walks of life. I see them yell and accuse under your pressure.

I often keep you a secret. I refuse to let my identity be swept up in yours. Besides, sometimes when people talk about you, what they are concerned is how they know you, too and the ways to be relaxed and get away from anxiety. But you and they are only casual acquaintances—the intensity (强度) is incomparable.

I am writing now because I have noticed that we are growing apart. So there are things I want to say. I know my daily exercising annoys you; you’re nowhere to be seen when I’m reading our favourite books. I’ve noticed that you’re turned off by the way I’m eating fruits and vegetables. When I take the time to chat with a stranger or a friend, you often storm off. So I’ve decided it is time to start making plans of my own, despite not knowing what yours are.

I know we will always be in touch. You’ll visit me when I least expect it. But plan on being prepared. If we do eventually split for good, you should know you have changed me for the better. Because of you, I see that life is a fragile gift to be handled with awakened care and patience. So learn to keep you at bay by getting away from stress.

In short, appreciate you for what you have brought into my life but I ask you to give me the distance I need to live the lessons you have taught.

1. The word “you” mentioned in the passage refers to ________.

A．a secret	B．a bad feeling
C．a teacher	D．the author’s best friend

2. Which activity of the author will “you” like?

A．Reading her favorite books.	B．Chatting with her friends happily.
C．Working out on regular basis.	D．Doing demanding work and feeling stressed.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards “you”?

A．She is grateful to “you”.	B．She has pity on “you”.
C．She can’t forgive “you”.	D．She regrets treating “you” badly.

4. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A poem.

B．A guidebook.

C．A diary.

D．A biography.