1 . Facebook is a habit forming activity， but users who spend a lot of time on the site say they feel less happy with their lives.
Researchers from University of Gothenburg say that many users log in as soon as they turn their PCs on and that the behavior can develop into an“addiction”. People in low income groups and the poorly educated are particularly at risk. Up to 85% of users say that they use Facebook daily and half say they start up Facebook as soon as they open their web users. Half fear that they are not“on top of things”if they are not logged into the site, and 25% say they feel”ill at ease”if they can't log in regularly.
The Swedish survey showed the network had its dark side.“Face-booking may become an unconscious habit. A majority of the respondents(受访者) log in every time they start their web browser(浏览器). This may even develop into an addiction,” says Leif Denti, doctoral student of Psychology at the University of Gothenburg.
People with low income and low-educated individuals spend more time on Facebook. Women are generally more active than men on Facebook. Users with low income and low education use Facebook more than other groups. Within these groups，users who spend more time on Facebook also report feeling less happy and less content with their lives.
The other surprise about the network is that although a huge amount of personal “ news”is traded through the site,it tends to focus on the positive.“ Most of the content they share has something to do with major events, positive events and when feeling good,”says Leif Denti.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．Using Facebook may become an addiction. |
| B．Positive events are more welcome on Facebook. |
| C．Women spend more time on Facebook than men. |
| D．Spending more time on Facebook leads to less happiness. |
| A．Pleased. | B．Tired. | C．Annoyed. | D．Interested. |
| A．Half of the users use Facebook daily. |
| B．People tend to share good things on Facebook. |
| C．Men are more active than women on Facebook. |
| D．Well-educated people spend more time on Facebook. |
| A．A diary. | B．A novel. | C．A magazine. | D．A travel guide. |
2 . In recent years, Ethiopia has become a regional leader in solid waste management. Last year, the country transformed the landfill (垃圾填埋场) in Addis Ababa into a new waste-to-energy plant, the first such project on the continent. The plant incinerates up to 1, 400 tonnes of waste every day, about 80 percent of the city's rubbish, supplying the capital with 25 percent of its household electricity needs.
However, despite these important steps, challenges remain in Ethiopia. Although the country has permitted the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions, laws and policies for environmentally sound management of hazardous (有害的) wastes are still not effective in pre- venting littering waste illegally.
To help Ethiopia meet these challenges, the Chemicals and Waste Management Program is supporting the country with a three-year project to enhance its capacity for sound management of hazardous wastes.
In the initial stages, a project management unit will be formed, made up of many representatives from government departments and private organizations. This unit will be responsible for reviewing and assessing Ethiopia's current legal system, which, despite numerous advances in recent years, does not specifically target the recycling of hazardous waste. Once legal gaps are identified, the project will seek to update existing policies and strategies.
Many people in Ethiopia are not aware of the possible effect of environmental damage and the need to report such crimes to the police. To resolve this pressing issue, Ethiopia will be conducting a series of capacity-building activities, including creating awareness-raising programs, training trainers and providing equipment.
Ethiopia will also work to establish a national mechanism for chemicals and waste management by engaging government departments and civil society groups. Authorities will also make budgetary provisions (预算拨款) in national, regional and institutional planning to ensure funding for these activities is sustainable even after the project's completion.
1. Which can replace the underlined word “incinerates” in paragraph 1?| A．Produces. | B．Burns. | C．Gathers. | D．Absorbs. |
| A．The relevant laws are not sound. | B．The shortage of workers is severe. |
| C．The pollution level is too high. | D．The funds are not sufficient. |
| A．Restrict their environmental movement. | B．Call on them to start some programs. |
| C．Reward them with budgetary provisions. | D．Raise their environmental awareness. |
| A．Ethiopia is facing serious environmental problems. |
| B．Ethiopia has achieved success in waste management. |
| C．Ethiopia is putting efforts into waste management. |
| D．Ethiopia has reduced environmental pollution levels. |
3 . Thankfully, I found the courage to persevere in the face of adversity and succeeded. Otherwise. I could be a victim and feel sorry for myself for the rest of my life.
A doctor told me at a young age that I would likely never graduate from high school due to my severe hearing loss and my extremely slow speech development. I found the courage to work hard in school and be active in sports and other activities despite wearing hearing aids and living with a 70% hearing loss. By the time I was college-age, I started losing my night vision. I decided to go away to college 300 miles from home. I obtained my bachelor' s degree and graduated with honors. Even though I had terrible hearing loss and was beginning to lose my sight at night, I found the courage to begin a professional career.
After earning my MBA degree, I accepted a position with Kellogg in the Corporate Affairs Department. When I was working on my MBA degree, I found the courage to ask someone successful despite facing similar challenges to mentor（指导）me. He encouraged me to consider Kellogg as he knew the company was committed to diversity and inclusion（包容）. I nervously started my new career, because my vision loss had progressed significantly in the past few years. I am thankful to have a mentor that encouraged me and I am thankful I found the courage to apply for a position with Kellogg.
While Kellogg fosters a supportive, encouraging environment, it still takes courage for me to require what I need to make sure I am successful in my career. I need courage to speak up and ask for suitable accommodations to do my job. I also have to ask for assistance navigating through unfamiliar areas. I have found that everyone at Kellogg is always more than willing to take my requests into account.
Even though I face daily challenges, I have so much to be grateful for. We often face difficulties we cannot control, but we can be courageous in order to face adversity and address challenges.
1. What does the underlined word "adversity" in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Advertisement. | B．Reality. |
| C．Difficulty. | D．Reward. |
| A．was very talkative in class |
| B．was engaged in sports actively |
| C．suffered a severe medical error |
| D．dropped out once for her hearing loss |
| A．A mentor's encouragement. |
| B．Her aggressive personality. |
| C．Her interest in a challenging job. |
| D．The company's support for the disabled. |
| A．she picked up many skills in this job |
| B．she has met with a lot of misunderstandings |
| C．she has to gain lots of support for her career |
| D．she achieved great success during her career |
4 . The 90-minute documentary, Amazing China, which is co-produced by China Central Television and China Film Corp, opened in theatres nationwide.
The film focuses on the major achievements the country has made since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 under Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Speaking about the documentary, Wei Tie, the director, says," The film arouses Chinese pride from deep inside."
The documentary focuses on key Chinese infrastructure（基础设施）projects in aerospace，high-speed rail，the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the world's largest single-dish telescope FAST. The documentary also informs viewers that seven of the world's 10 biggest sea ports are now in China and that the country now has the longest high-speed rail network in the world.
In the film, Lin Ming, the chief engineer of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project, says," In the past, what kind of projects we took up was decided by what kind of facilities we had. But, nowadays, no matter what kind of projects we are assigned, we develop the technology to complete it." His voice is calm but his words show the country’s self-confidence. Speaking of the importance of the new documentary for the Chinese, La Peikang, the head of China Film Corp, says," It's not only about showing the achievements, but presenting the present situation of China. The film will help people to know our country better."
Amazing China also focuses on common people. In the film, you see a young Tibetan woman volunteering in rural areas to help people get rid of poverty. And, you also see a successful entrepreneur from the coastal Fujian Province who settles in the Gobi Desert, in northwest China, who has taken up a new career growing grapes.
1. The underlined word" assigned" in Paragraph 5 means________.| A．given | B．allowed | C．required | D．connected |
| A．The high-speed rail. | B．The ancient Silk Road. |
| C．The single-dish telescope FAST | D．The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. |
| A．The documentary also covers common people. |
| B．The film calls on people to convert the Gobi Desert. |
| C．The film encourages more people to volunteer in rural areas. |
| D．A young Tibetan woman is the main character of the documentary. |
| A．An Introduction to China |
| B．An Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought |
| C．The Effect of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics |
| D．An Introduction to a Documentary Named Amazing China |
5 . Research has shown that disrupting one's natural “morning lark” (早起鸟) or “night owl” (夜猫子) tendency can result in immoral behavior at work.
Who doesn't love a flexible work schedule? Being able to make your own hours, come in when you're ready and leave when you're done, step out to attend a child's presentation at school, have a midday appointment, or even squeeze in a quick workout or nap as a guaranteed pick-me-up — flexibility greatly improves one's quality of life.
The benefits don't stop there, however. Research has shown that having flexible work hours actually makes one a better person. How so? It's been found that disrupted sleep patterns —in the form of having to act outside of your normal inclination to be a morning “lark” or a night “owl” — can result in strange, unethical, and out-of-line behavior.
Science journalist Linda Geddes said, “If you don't get enough sleep, research suggests you are more likely to have unethical behavior, such as being mean, bullying your fellow employees or falsifying receipts. But it's not just owls: the larks tend to behave more unethically in the evening, and owls in the morning. So ideally, you want to introduce flexible working."
Employers would be wise to allow their employees to start whenever they feel ready — whether it's at the crack of dawn or at 11 a.m., and to allow breaks or pauses in the day as needed — because that would mean better productivity, performance, and behavior.
This shift is already happening, with the New York Times recently reporting that 27 percent of US employers now offer the flexibility to work outside normal business hours, up from 22 percent in 2014; and 68 percent allow telecommuting as needed (up from 54 percent in 2014). With the national unemployment rate at its lowest in 50 years, employers are having to become more competitive in what they offer workers, and flex-hours seem like a no-brainer, highly beneficial to all.
1. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 2?| A．Ways to improve life quality. |
| B．People's activities in their free time. |
| C．Methods to get a flexible work schedule. |
| D．The advantages of flexibility in work time. |
| A．Judgment. | B．Tendency. | C．Reaction. | D．Choice. |
| A．They will show their nature more easily. |
| B．They tend to suffer from sleep problems. |
| C．They tend to behave immorally in their work. |
| D．They will get more flexibility in working time. |
| A．The unemployment rate is increasing. |
| B．Employers are getting more free time. |
| C．Flexible working has been creating more jobs. |
| D．More employers adopt a flexible work schedule. |
6 . The TV series, The Longest Day in Chang'an, which was shown on Chinese online platforms last summer became a hit soon. Since then, it has been shown on partnering streaming platforms and TV networks abroad. Some websites overseas also offered the program to their users paying for it — the first time a Chinese series was broadcast as paid content abroad.
"I was amazed by the overseas audience's love for this show," Cao Dun, director of The Longest Day in Chang'an, told Bejing Review. "I was worried that they wouldn't understand the complex political structure of the Tang dynasty. But in reality the show is prompting foreign audiences to research Tang dynasty's history to better understand the plot. "
The unique culture in ancient China is not a barrier but a bridge to connect with foreign audiences. In the TV series, every figure is given enough space to flesh out his or her character. Telling stories of ordinary Chinese people that resonate (引起共鸣) with the audience might be the way to communicate with the world. "The success of the TV series shows that beauty is a universal language crossing borders," he told Beijing Review.
His ambition is to distinguish Chinese dramas from the TV shows in the rest of the world. "The TV series is a step in my plan to tell Chinese stories to the world," Cao said. "After describing the impressive beauty of the Tang dynasty, I am looking for several plays that tell stories of today's China. I don’t want to copy any country's production. Chinese dramas have to be built on our rich culture and Chinese people's everyday life," Cao added.
1. What do we know about the TV series?| A．It was first put on overseas. |
| B．It can be appreciated for free. |
| C．It is about the development of the Tang dynasty. |
| D．It was very popular once it was shown. |
| A．Requiring. | B．Reminding. |
| C．Encouraging. | D．Informing. |
| A．Stories of ordinary people. | B．Recognition of beauty. |
| C．Diversity of Chinese culture. | D．Personalities of every figure. |
| A．To tell Chinese stories to the world. | B．To make a successful TV series. |
| C．To show China’s different nationalities. | D．To learn the ancient political structure. |
7 . Oxford English Dictionary（OED） announced on November 23 for the first time that it has chosen not to name one single word of the year, but many words for the “special” year 2020. Describing 2020 as “a year which cannot be neatly summarized in one single word”. OED said on Monday that there were too many words to sum up the events of 2020. From more than 11 billion words found in web-based news, blogs and other text sources, its lexicographers(词典编纂者)revealed what the dictionary described as “great shifts in language data and frequency rises in new words” over the past 12 months.
Most words of the year are coronavirus-related, including coronavirus, lockdown, circuit-breaker, keyworkers and face masks. The report said the word "coronavirus" dates back to the 1960s and was previously "mainly used by scientific and medical specialists". But by April this year it had become one of the most frequently used nouns in the English language, beyond even the usage of the word "time". It said use of the word “pandemic” has increased by more than 57,000 percent this year.
The revolution in working habits during the pandemic has also affected language, with both “remote” and “remotely” seeing more than 300 percent growth in use since March. “On mute(静音)”and “unmute” have seen 500 percent rises since March, while the words “workation” and “staycation” also increased drastically.
Casper Grathwohl, the president of Oxford Dictionaries, said. “I've never witnessed a year in language like the one we've just had. The Oxford team was identifying hundreds of significant new words and usages as the year unfolded.” “2020 has been filled with new words unlike any other,” Grathwohl added.
The OED's announcement mirrored the huge influence of the COVID-19 on the people from all walks of life. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines.
1. How did the lexicographers find words to summarize the events of 2020?| A．By consulting some experts, scholars and authors. |
| B．By consulting some reporters and hosts of news programs. |
| C．By referring to web-based news, blogs and other text sources. |
| D．By referring to magazines, newspapers and other printed materials. |
| A．They are precise. | B．They are subjective. |
| C．They are reasonable. | D．They are unique. |
| A．Sharply. | B．Steadily. | C．Similarly. | D．Slightly. |
| A．It is a word created in 2020. |
| B．It might first appear in the 1960s. |
| C．It is the only named word of 2020. |
| D．It has been frequently used since the 1960s. |
8 . In 2018 measles ( 麻疹) infected almost 10 million people around the world and killed 420. Countries that achieved high vaccination（苗接种） rates or had formerly eradicated the disease also failed to have narrow escape .
Fortunately, apart from troublesome measles, many inspirational global health stories happened in the last decade, new viruses, vaccines, and treatments were discovered, once again showing the significance of science.
Huge progress was made in virus research. For instance, a kind of virus named Medusavirus, which can turn an amoeba, a kind of single-celled living creature, into a "stone", was identified by Japanese scientists. The virus has one of the largest and most complicated viral genomes(基因组) that have ever been found. Besides, a new virus, Alongshan virus, was discovered in a group of patients in Inner Mongolia. Researchers also found for the first time that an insect RNA virus, the Providence virus, was able to infect plants and mammalian cells, which indicated that plants could serve as hosts of human viruses.
We also saw improvement in treatments and vaccines. Ebola virus is good case in point. According to the Royal Free Hospital in Britain, the drug MIL77, which had been developed by Academy of Military Medical Sciences, an institution in China, jointly with some other companies, was adopted to treat a Briton infected with the disease and helped her recover from the deadly virus. This has indicated China's capability of offering an economical and practical drug fighting Ebola virus worldwide. Furthermore, the Chinese and British medical research teams have worked on genome sequencing of the virus, making it possible to develop drugs and vaccines that are more effective. Therefore, Ebola is no longer a death sentence.
Thanks to investment in global supervision transnational partnership, and scientific research, many new viruses, vaccines, and treatments were successfully discovered in the last decade. But the journey will continue and much more needs to be done. For example, we need to have a deeper understanding of bow climate change influences the spread of infectious diseases
1. What does the underlined word "eradicated” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Got rid of. | B．Conducted research on | C．Lost control of | D．Come down with. |
| A．It is a newly identified virus . | B．It has the largest viral genome |
| C．It was discovered in Inner Mongolia. | D．It can infect both plants and humas |
| A．MIL77 is an effective Ebola vaccine. |
| B．No death will be caused by Ebola virus anymore. |
| C．China has made great contributions to fighting Ebola virus. |
| D．Genome sequencing of Ebola virus is too complicated to he carried out. |
| A．Science keeps improving global health | B．A victory over deadly diseases |
| C．Global cooperation in fighting viruses | D．Serious global health problems |
9 . When Hurricane Florence landed in North Carolina on the morning of September 14, it wasn’t 90-mile-an-hour winds that officials feared most. It was water. The 400-mile-wide-storm brought heavy rain and a 10-foot wave of seawater. Roads were destroyed. Trees fell down. More than 600,000 homes and businesses on the East Coast lost power. And it was just beginning.
By afternoon, the winds had slowed. But as the storm moved west, it brought great amounts of rain to North and South Carolina. By the end of Florence’s second day on land, North Carolina had gotten more than 30 inches of rain, a new record. The National Center said the results would be “catastrophic”.
North Carolina governor Roy Cooper surveyed the situation in his state on September 15. “Floodwater are still spreading,” he said afterwards, “and the risk to life is rising.”
It is hard to tell how many of the 1.7 million people along the East Coast who were ordered to leave actually did, or could. Even when skies cleared, on September 17, people were dying for help. Floodwaters trapped people on rooftops. Federal and state authorities(官方) in the Carolina saved hundreds of people by plane, boat, etc. Others were saved by volunteers.
By September 18, Florence had left at least 32 people dead. There was more trouble on the way. “Wilmington, North Carolina, was cut off by floods. The hardest-hit areas will remain underwater for days to come,” Chris Vaccaro, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told TIME for Kids. “Rivers that have already flooded areas may continue to rise as more water flows down.”
Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, “Recovery is always a very hard thing for people when they’ve lost their livelihoods,” he said. “But we’re going to be okay.”
1. What did officials fear most when Hurricane Florence hit the city?| A．Its high traveling speed | B．The area it affected |
| C．The water it brought | D．Its strong wind |
| A．Extremely bad | B．Totally different |
| C．Far more common | D．A little disappointing |
| A．The hurricane grew stronger than ever. |
| B．Communication was totally cut off. |
| C．Rivers and streams stopped rising. |
| D．Most trapped people were saved. |
| A．By providing examples |
| B．By making comparisons |
| C．By following the order of time |
| D．By following the order of importance |
10 . At age 12, Keegan Sobilo of New Baltimore carefully tucks his legs and arms into a fire suit, pulls on a helmet and climbs into a race car that exceeds 80 mph. He has been doing this since age 8.
"At first, I was scared to death. It was like, 'Let's do bowling or swimming.' It' s still very scary. But he knows what he's doing." said his mother.
"The sixth-grader always wears pajamas to the track every night and takes them off when he puts his race clothes on. He's been doing that for the last four years. That' s his trademark," said Tim Phillips, his crew chief. The first time he wore his train pajamas to the track, Keegan went from last place to ninth place. He decided they brought luck. Since then, he has won a series of championships.
Passion for cars runs in the family. Keegan' s father is a design mechanic at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. He knows what it means to have seats and roll cages built to fit his son's body. "I tell my son you have to be the perfect package. Winning races every weekend is not the only key. More importantly, you have to have the right name, you have to look the correct way, speak the correct way, and act the correct way. Then the rest of it is really luck, like the stock market."
While Keegan' s classmates play basketball and volleyball, Keegan is at the Birch Run track—practicing, qualifying and racing until 10 pm or 2 am. While many children spend time playing video games, Keegan runs race simulation training with his joystick（操纵杆）after school.
"The kid is cool. It was like having a grandson. We showed respect to each other. And he takes it very seriously," said competitor Mike Todd, 69, of Galesburg, Michigan. "He's an older soul in a young man's body."
1. What does the underlined word "exceeds" in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Remains stable. | B．Goes beyond |
| C．Stops | D．Climbs |
| A．Victory | B．Safety |
| C．Good qualities. | D．Real luck. |
| A．Keegan spends a lot of time practicing |
| B．the train pajamas bring Keegan success |
| C．Keegan's mother worries about his studies |
| D．Keegan picked up the hobby at the age of 4 |
| A．his grandfather | B．his race car |
| C．his competitor | D．his joystick |
