1 . Several years ago, when someone used camera covers to protect against possible monitoring, it was not popular to talk about it. Today, people use various types of tapes to cover the web cameras and microphones.
There are many types of spyware that can dive into our devices and secretly spy on them, recording everything they do. Such programs may infect not only computers but also smartphones. Your data may be used by hackers who will try to request money for not exposing your private information or by companies like NSO Group who created the Pegasus spyware to “provide authorized governments with technology that helps struggle against terror and crime”.
In my opinion, the described protection technique is highly overestimated. Users tape cameras and microphones due to the lack of understanding of how their devices work and how malware(恶意软件)works. Hackers and even secret services do not have enough resources to monitor all victims using cameras or microphones. If they need to yet any information, they get it by sending a targeted malware to your device, which will not be stopped by the tapes. Such a virus will find what to steal -from personal photos and videos to passwords from social networks, browser history, bank accounts and much more.
It is unwise to believe that attackers will not be able to find a way to spy on you, even if the device, discharged to zero, can still deliver data about your location, using the smartphones of the surrounding people as signal repeaters. Let us face it. we live in an era when it is extremely difficult to hide something and a piece of tape is clearly not the most useful tool in the struggle for your privacy.
Again, to be able to spy on you, attackers need to plant malware in your device. To prevent malware from entering your device, do not click suspected links and email attachments. Use strong passwords for email, social media and online banking accounts.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Cameras. |
| B．Types. |
| C．Programs. |
| D．Devices. |
| A．group of hackers. |
| B．A company developing spyware. |
| C．A group of terrorists and criminals. |
| D．A company fighting against crime. |
| A．People know little about their devices. |
| B．Hackers have no access to others. |
| C．It hardly prevents malware from getting privacy. |
| D．It can't cover the cameras completely. |
| A．Protecting privacy on devices. |
| B．Rising trend of using tapes. |
| C．Monitoring devices via cameras. |
| D．Avoiding clicking distrustful links. |
2 . Teachers say that the digital age has had a good influence and a not-so-good influence on American teenagers. More than 2,000 middle school teachers took an online survey. Researchers also spoke with teachers in some groups. Most teachers think the Internet and digital search tools have had a mostly positive (积极的) influence on their students’ research habits and skills. But at the same time, some teachers also point out some problems in teenagers’ using digital search tools.
The Pew Internet Project did the survey with the College Board and the National Writing Project. Judy Buchanan is the director of the National Writing Project and a co-writer of the report. She says digital search tools are helping students learn more, and learn faster. “Both teachers and students really welcome these tools because they make learning exciting. And the goal（目的）is to really help students become creators of something meaningful, and not just users of the online information.”
But one problem the survey found is that these technologies make teenagers have short attention spans (持续时间). As there is lots of information about different subjects on the Internet, teenagers’ attention is easily drawn away from their research.
Another problem the survey found is that many students trust the information they find on the Internet too much. Judy Buchanan says these students have not developed the skills to judge (判断) the online information. They need to learn a lot to tell if the information is believable. It’s something that really has to be paid attention to.
One more problem the survey found is something that might not seem like a problem at all: being able to quickly find information online. Many students think “doing research” now means just doing a quick search on Google. Teachers say the result is a drop in the wish and ability of their students to work hard to find answers. That is, they are depending too much on search engines and do not make enough use of printed books or research librarians.
Many teachers also say that the Internet makes it easy for students to copy work done by others instead of using their own abilities.
1. The result of the survey shows ________.| A．digital search tools need to be greatly improved |
| B．digital search tools are generally good for teenagers |
| C．teenagers have difficulty in using digital search tools |
| D．American teachers enjoy using digital search tools |
| A．less trusting of online information |
| B．more independent in doing research |
| C．more willing to work hard to find answers |
| D．less able to pay full attention while searching |
| A．spend more time searching online |
| B．ask their teachers for more advice |
| C．make better use of printed materials |
| D．learn more knowledge of search tools |
| A．all the students like using digital tools |
| B．the Internet is playing an important role |
| C．teachers encourage their students to use digital tools |
| D．digital tools bring about something helpful and problems |
3 . Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in Wyomissing. Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Andrea Gardner, a housewife who previously worked in finance, and Scott Kingsley Swift, a stockbroker. Her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, was an opera singer. Swift has a younger brother, Austin. She grew up on a Christmas-tree farm.
When Swift was in fourth grade, she won a national poetry contest with a three-page poem, “Monster in My Closet”. At the age of ten, a computer repairman showed her how to play three chords (和弦) on a guitar, arousing her interest in learning the instrument. Afterwards, Swift wrote her first song, “Lucky You”. When Swift was 12, she devoted an entire summer to writing a 350-page novel, which remains unpublished. She began writing songs regularly and used it as a way to help her with her pain from not fitting in at school. Swift was a victim of bullying (欺凌), and spent her time writing songs to express her emotions. She also started performing at local karaoke contests, festivals, and fair.
Swift began to regularly visit Nashville, Tennessee, and work with local songwriters. When she was 14, her family moved to Nashville. Her first major show was a well-received performance at the Bloomsburg Fair. In Tennessee, Swift attended Hendersonville High School, but was then homeschooled for her junior and senior years. In 2008, she earned her high school diploma.
Swift’s greatest musical influence is Shania Twain. Her other influences include Leann Rimes, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton, and Swifts grandmother. Although her grandmother was a professional opera singer, Swifts tastes always leaned more toward country music. In her younger years, she developed a love for Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. She also credits her love for music in her teens to the influence of the Dixie Chicks.
1. What can we know about Swift from the passage?| A．Her first novel came out in 2001. |
| B．She showed her music talent in her teens. |
| C．Her first major show was in Hendersonville High School. |
| D．Her mother influenced her a lot in her later music career. |
| A．Colorful. | B．Busy. |
| C．Successful. | D．Unhappy. |
| A．film star | B．novelist |
| C．opera singer | D．country music star |
| A．family life | B．achievements |
| C．early life | D．contributions |
4 . The great-grandmother is learning English with the help of her family when she is at the age of 91. She hopes to use the language at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. Takamizawa was one of the more than 200, 00 people who requested to volunteer for Tokyo’s 2020 Games. English is not required for service, but it is a useful skill for volunteers to have.
But Takamizawa had not been able to learn the language when she was young. Takamizawa said that she was in high school when World War Two started. She said, “In my second year there, English was banned because it was the enemy language.”
Takamizawa said her grandchildren helped persuade her that she was not too old to learn. “When I talked to my grandchildren about my wish, they said, ‘It’s not too late. We will teach you one word a day’ ”. Natsuko is Takamizawa’s granddaughter and main English teacher. Natsuko sends a new English word to her grandmother’s phone every day. They also often work together directly on phrases that Takamizawa will need for the Olympics. “Welcome to Tokyo, this is the Olympic stadium, how can I help you?” Takamizawa answers when asked to say an English phrase she has learned. Natsuko explains that she wanted to give her grandmother something to enjoy. “I can clearly see her English is getting better. It’s my joy now.”
The EF English Proficiency Index is a measure of the level of English spoken in a country. Japan ranks 49th among countries where English is not the first language. This situation is slowly changing as younger generations welcome English. However, Takamizawa believes real change will not happen unless Japanese people become more open to the rest of the world. With around 500 days to go until the games begin, the whole Takamizawa family is ready to welcome the world to Tokyo.
1. Why couldn’t Takamizawa learn English when she was young?| A．Because English was useless. |
| B．Because she was too young to learn English. |
| C．Because English was forbidden to learn. |
| D．Because she was unwilling to learn English. |
| A．Takamizawa gets strong support from her family. |
| B．Takamizawa’s grandchildren love her a lot. |
| C．Natsuko is Takamizawa’s granddaughter and only English teacher. |
| D．Natsuko teaches Takamizawa English mainly by talking with her. |
| A．English is not the first language in Japan. |
| B．The level of English spoken in Japan is relatively low. |
| C．Younger generations in Japan welcome English. |
| D．Japanese people become open to the rest of the world. |
| A．Where there is a will, there is a way. | B．It is never too late to learn. |
| C．The early bird catches the worm. | D．Two heads are better than one. |
5 . Leonardo da Vinci did practically everything, and he did it all amazingly well. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and musician. Born in the town of Vinci, Italy, he was given the last name da Vinci, which means “from Vinci”.
Leonardo loved to draw. He apprenticed (师从) with a famous painter and sculptor in Florence. He would mix colors, clean brushes, and ready the walls or wood for painting. Young Leonardo was so talented that one day he painted a very realistic-looking angel. His teacher threw down his paintbrush in jealousy, declaring he would never paint again. Royalty, wealthy patrons, and even the Pope asked Leonardo to paint for them. He took on a lot of work, but he was easily distracted. He often didn’t finish what he promised.
Leonardo had a never-ending thirst for knowledge. At night he would secretly cut apart dead bodies that he got from hospitals or prisons to learn humananatomy, which helped him learn how the body and its organs fit together and made his paintings look more realistic. Leonardo did not outline his people. His study of nature made him realize that people and animals don’t have outlines. He used a technique called sfumato, which comes from the Latin word that means “smoky.” With sfumato, one color is blended into another in a soft, hazy way.
TheMona Lisais the most famous painting of Leonardo, and her smile is the most famous smile. Who was she? She was the wife of a wealthy man from Florence who hired Leonardo to paint her portrait. She had to sit completely still for many hours, day after day, Leonardo brought in clowns and musicians to entertain her. This painting is so famous that it was stolen right off the wall of the Louvre in 1911. After a lot of detective work, theMona Lisawas discovered in Italy two years later, and the art thief was arrested.
1. We can learn from the passage that ________.| A．Leonardo was keen on nature |
| B．Leonardo was no more than a painter |
| C．Leonardo was named after his hometown |
| D．Leonardo was completely a self-taught famous painter |
| A．an artistic method for a realistic drawing |
| B．a group of essential organs of the human body |
| C．an attractive technique to draw the human bodies |
| D．a scientific study of the structure of human bodies |
| A．gifted & considerate | B．practical & cautious |
| C．enthusiastic & optimistic | D．successful & reliable |
| A．the early life of Leonardo da Vinci |
| B．a famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci |
| C．a general introduction to Leonardo da Vinci |
| D．a demonstration of the painting style of Leonardo da Vinci |
6 . When I grow up
In kindergarten, my class was asked to draw pictures, showing what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our drawings were expected to display our dream occupations. I remember pictures of ballerinas dancing, firefighters putting out a blaze, and astronauts leaping across the moon.
My picture showed a figure with brown hair holding a box of orange juice beside a counter. Underneath was my handwriting: “When I grow up, I want to work at Market Basket because it would be fun to swipe (刷) orange juice across the scanner.” Out of everything, my five-year-old self wished to work at the local grocery store.
When we are young, questions of what we want to be when we grow up are common. Yet we are not expected to respond with an answer that is likely to come true. However, when we become teens, we are asked the very same questions twice as often. The difference is, now we are supposed to answer with confidence.
Teens are expected to know exactly what we want to be and how we are going to achieve that goal. However, not all of us can be so sure. Even though I am in high school, I cannot answer with certainty. But I don’t consider that a bad thing. How am I supposed to know what I will want to spend my time doing at age 40?
When I think about the future, I definitely don’t see myself working at Market Basket, but in reality, if that was what would make me happy, I would do it. So, the next time someone asks me what I want to be when I grow up, I will simply say “happy”.
Happiness is a destination for everyone. We may want to walk different paths in life, but we all want to be happy wherever we end up. Choose your path, but don’t worry too much about choosing wisely. Make a mistake or two and try new things. But always remember, if you’re not happy, you’re not at the end of your journey yet.
1. What did the author want to be when he was in kindergarten?| A．An astronaut. | B．A firefighter. | C．A dancer. | D．A cashier. |
| A．kindergartners are able to display their dream jobs with confidence |
| B．kindergartners have limited imagination of their dream occupations |
| C．teenagers are supposed to be clear about what they want to be |
| D．teenagers stick to the path they chose when they were young |
| A．the principle of growth lies in human choice |
| B．happiness is the meaning of existence |
| C．it is never too late to correct mistakes |
| D．your future depends on your dreams |
| A．Different stages of life. | B．Career guidance. |
| C．The real goal of life. | D．Career paths. |
Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.
1. According to the passage, sharing bread______.
| A．indicates a lack of food |
| B．can help to develop unity |
| C．is a custom unique to rural areas |
| D．has its roots in birthday celebrations |
| A．Trust. | B．Success. |
| C．Health. | D．Togetherness. |
| A．using examples | B．making comparisons |
| C．analyzing causes | D．describing processes |
| A．The custom of sharing food. |
| B．The specific meaning of food. |
| C．The role of food in ceremonies. |
| D．The importance of food in culture. |
Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported (出口) to other countries like America and Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.
Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.
Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate (单独的) schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans.
1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．How Columbus found Costa Rica. |
| B．How Costa Rica got its name. |
| C．What the Costa Ricans wore. |
| D．What language the Costa Ricans spoke. |
| A．pink and red | B．grey and black |
| C．blue and green | D．yellow and orange |
| A．must go to school |
| B．study in the same school |
| C．do not have to go to school at all |
| D．can choose to stop schooling at any time |
| A．have lessons every day |
| B．have their examinations |
| C．help their parents pick coffee beans |
| D．help their parents decorate their houses |
| A．Christopher Columbus |
| B．Costa Rica |
| C．some products from Costa Rica |
| D．the education of Costa Rica |
