1 . I did an experiment last week. No, nothing involving test tubes or beakers (烧杯). Instead, I experimented with not watching the news right before I went to bed.
This is a long-time habit of mine so it’s probably not surprising that the first couple of nights I got a little twitchy when news time rolled around and I wasn’t watching. To distract myself, I went to bed a little earlier and read. Wow, what a treat that was! I love to read but I don’t always make the time for it so this felt quite luxurious. On the nights I didn’t read, I spent a little extra time petting my dog, Henry. He loved it. There’s never enough ear scratching for him. The compromise nights were when I had a book in one hand and was petting the dog with the other. Happy all around!
The funny thing about happiness is that it’s a whole lot easier to feel when you’re not being bombarded (轰炸) by images of bad news. It’s not like skipping the late news means that I don’t know what’s going on in the world. I still do read, listen to, and watch news stories. Just not right before I go to bed. That makes it easier to fall asleep and then stay asleep without dreaming about crime, wars, or natural disasters. (Although that dream I had about going to the prom might count as a natural disaster!) It’s definitely a much gentler way to end the day. I like it so much that I’m going to not only continue the no news before bed practice, but I’m also going to experiment with turning off other electronics earlier in the evening, things like the computer and smart phone.
Do you have any experience with turning off your electronics early in the evening? Does setting a particular time, like digital Quiet Hours, work? Please share any tips you have. Something tells me that this could be a little more challenging for me than no news.
1. What does the underlined word “twitchy” mean?| A．Angry. | B．Sad. | C．Anxious. | D．Pleased. |
| A．To treat himself with snacks. |
| B．To read to his dog. |
| C．To turn off the TV. |
| D．To read in bed. |
| A．He had more time to walk his dog. |
| B．He was less exposed to images of bad news. |
| C．He was cut off from the current world. |
| D．He had nightmares. |
| A．To encourage the readers to cut down time on electronics. |
| B．To gather the readers’advice in watching TV. |
| C．To share the effect of watching news. |
| D．To tell the readers the importance of reading. |
2 . During the ongoing battle against the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP)(新型冠状肺炎), you may have read news that garlic can quickly kill the virus but it proved to be misinformation. While the nation continues to fight against the NCP, it’s also stepping up efforts to fight the spread of misinformation.
In the Internet era, the nature of how information spreads has changed largely. Information and misinformation can spread to thousands of people in seconds.
For most people, fact-checking is an afterthought — if it is a thought at all. Therefore, misinformation spreads, said The Washington Post. People simply prefer passing on information that will lead to an emotional response(反应) from readers. Whether or not it is factual is not always important.
Misinformation could be a greater danger than the virus itself. Misinformation is “making the work of our heroic workers even harder”, World Health Organization(WHO) Director-General Tedros told China Daily. He said misinformation “causes confusion and spreads fear”.
During the fight against the NCP, Ghebreyesus said that “at the WHO we’re not just fighting against the virus, we’re also battling conspiracy(阴谋) theories that undermine our response. ”
It is true that as China races to contain the NCP and minimize(减少到最低限度) its spread across countries, fears and rumors(谣言) surrounding the virus are creating their own problems on social media. “Ironically(讽刺地), speed is important on those things,” US professor Gabriel Kahn told The Los Angeles Times. “But.... those are the ones you have to be most certain about verifying (验证) before you share.”
As ordinary people, we may not be able to devote ourselves like those medical staff. But we could think twice about what we read. If you can be careful about sharing information, it’s your contribution to the fight against the outbreak.
1. According to the article, what is the main cause of the spread of misinformation?| A．The lack of fact-checking. |
| B．An increase in viruses. |
| C．People’s desire to trick others. |
| D．Changes in the way people view information. |
| A．Test. | B．Harm. | C．Guide. | D．Explain. |
| A．People have fears caused by misinformation. |
| B．It is hard to deal with misinformation across countries. |
| C．Rumors about the virus travel too fast to be controlled. |
| D．Social media creates problems for people to verify misinformation. |
| A．To share tips on how to fight against misinformation. |
| B．To introduce some misinformation about the NCP. |
| C．To call on people to watch out for misinformation. |
| D．To tell people what China has done to deal with misinformation. |
3 . Universities and colleges in the United States are trying new programs for international students to increase enrollment and income. Some universities are experimenting with bringing international high school students to their campuses. These programs permit students to complete their high school diploma while earning college credit at the same time.
One example of this model is at the University of Southern Maine, or USM. The program is called the “International Academy”. The school is expecting its first class of international high school students this fall. Joanna Evans is the director for the academy. The program is officially a “boarding school on a university campus” that serves 11th and 12th grade international high school students only.
The students will take classes at the University of Southern Maine to complete their high school diploma. However, because the classes are university-level, the students will receive college credit at the same time.
According to Evans, the students they recruit will have to be very strong. Their course schedule will be the same as taking only advanced-placement courses. The goal is that, by the time they complete their high school diploma at the academy, they will be ready to start college as a third-year college student.
Their English language skills also must be strong. The Academy looks for students with a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL score of 79, or a 6.5 on the International English Testing System, or IELTS. However, there are classes available to provide additional English language training when the students arrive if they need it.
All incoming students at the academy are required to take a college writing class in their first term. If English is not their first language, they will take a class taught by teachers with a background in teaching students who speak English as a foreign language.
Although they are only high school students, the expectations are the same as college students. “Students need to be ready to take university classes, and that is the deal,” Evans said.
1. How does the new program “International Academy” benefit students?| A．Shortening their time at school. | B．Offering free education. |
| C．Supplying free room and board. | D．Giving up courses in high school. |
| A．Refuse. | B．Train. | C．Value. | D．Admit. |
| A．Being very creative. | B．High English level. |
| C．High intelligence. | D．Wealthy background. |
| A．Have a high level of writing. | B．Build up strong enough bodies. |
| C．Achieve what college students do. | D．Progress with help of experienced teachers. |
4 . Where in the classroom do you prefer to sit,and why? Scientists have discovered that seating preference not only shows students’ personalities,but has a great influence on their school performance.Generally speaking,students show different attitudes depending on where they sit. Based on the research, scientists have developed a funnel-like(像漏斗的) model of “learning zones(区域)” to see the relationship between seating and active learning.
In this model,the mouth of the funnel(A) is the best position for learning. Students in this front area prove to be the most active learners.They show a greater desire(渴求) for learning,which leads them to focus(集中注意力) better and take a more active part than the rest of the class.Those in the neck of the funnel(B) don’t pay the same close attention,but they ask a lot of questions,partly because of the added confidence they feel from being in a safe zone, with others around them. Less desirable is the area “outside the funnel(C,D),” which refers to the side and the back rows,where students take a less active part in classroom activities and find it hard to focus their attention, falling asleep at times.
Studies about learning zones suggest that a change in traditional seating plans can benefit students. In fact, a growing number of teachers have begun less traditional seating plans,such as “U-Type”.There are no side and back areas,so teachers can expect their students to take part in activities more actively and increase student-teacher interaction(互动).
1. According to scientists,students’ learning is greatly influenced by .| A．the number of students | B．the time of class |
| C．seating positions | D．the size of the classroom |
| A．sometimes fall asleep | B．feel safe and confident |
| C．seldom ask their teachers questions | D．try to avoid looking directly at the teacher |
| A．Area A. | B．Area B. | C．Area C. | D．Area D. |
| A．Cause trouble for. | B．Take control of. |
| C．Give a warning to. | D．Do good to. |
5 . Nature has provided us with many kinds of resources. It is like a great magician(魔术师), creating wonders on Earth. One of them is the Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest and home to millions of plants and animals. Nicknamed”the lungs of our planet”, it produces about one-fifth of Earth’s oxygen. However, this wonderful natural wonder is now in danger.
Thousands of fires have broken out in Brazil, endangering much of the rainforest. These flames have lasted several weeks and are believed to be the”most intense”in almost ten years, according to BBC News.
The Amazon has seen a large number of fires in 2019. Between January and August, there were over 74,000 fires – the highest number since 2013, the BBC reported.
Forest fires are common during the dry season, which runs from July to October. They are usually caused by natural events like lightning. However, most of the fires this year are believed to be caused by farmers, who use fire as a traditional part of tropical agriculture(农业) to clean land, reported CNN.
“It’s the best time to burn because the plants are dry. Farmers wait for the dry season and they start burning and clearing the areas so that their cattle can have grass,”wrote CNN meteorologist Haley Brink.
The disaster has raised concern(关注) around the world. The Amazon rainforest is important for preventing climate change, said the BBC, absorbing millions of tons of carbon annually. When trees are cut down or burned, the rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon is reduced.
Brazilian climate expert Carlos Nobre told Reuters he’s worried. If more than 20 percent of the ecosystem is destroyed, the Amazon rainforest could reach a”tipping point (临界点)”, where the thick jungle will turn into a tropical savannah(大草原).
Nobre warned that it is not far off, with between 15 and 17 percent of the rainforest having already been destroyed.
The Brazilian government has sent soldiers to fight the fires. Many people have offered their support and called for recovery efforts. For example, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, said he wanted to donate money and US Actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental charity, Earth Alliance, created a donation fund to help deal with the disaster.
The public are also encouraged to donate to charities concerned with rainforest protection. “Every little bit helps in a bad situation like this,”commented Gizmodo.
1. The underlined word”intense”probably means ______.| A．natural | B．terrible | C．common | D．unexpected |
| A．Lightning. | B．Hot weather. |
| C．Agricultural activities. | D．Garbage left by tourists. |
| A．Global temperatures will rise. |
| B．The Amazon rainforest is close to disappearing. |
| C．Animals in the Amazon rainforest are under threat. |
| D．It will take tens of years for the Amazon rainforest to recover. |
| A．Efforts made to save the Amazon rainforest. |
| B．The possible future of the Amazon rainforest. |
| C．What the Brazilian government has done to fight fires. |
| D．Celebrities(名人) who care about rainforest protection. |
6 . Mrs. Timms listened as the radio announcer gave a hurricane (飓风) warning for her town. Then she woke up her sons, Eddie and Jasper, and quickly explained, "We’ve got a lot to do, boys. There is no school today, and my office is closed. The hurricane is coming!
Just then, the boys grandfather arrived from his seaside home. Grandpa explained that the local government had told people to evacuate their homes by the sea. It just wasn’t safe for anyone to stay near the ocean during the hurricane.
Soon afterwards, Mrs. Timms left to buy supplies that the family would need during the storm. Batteries, bottled water and canned food were a few of the items on her list.
Grandpa stayed with the boys, and the three of them made preparations for the storm. First, they filled the bathtub and all the empty water bottles they could find. Next, they unplugged(拔掉插头)almost everything in the house. Then, Eddie helped Grandpa strengthen the windows. Meanwhile, Jasper put the outdoor chairs inside.
Later, as the storm approached, the family stayed in protected areas away from the windows and outside walls. Mrs. Timms and Grandpa moved chairs to a protected space near the staircase. Eddie and Jasper sat under a strong table next to them, reading and playing games. They waited for the radio announcer to declare that the hurricane had passed.
1. What did Mrs. Timms do after hearing the hurricane warning?| A．She went to work. | B．She woke up her sons. |
| C．She prepared breakfast. | D．She watched the hurricane. |
| A．lock | B．reach | C．repair | D．leave |
| A．filled the bathtub | B．turned off the lights |
| C．put the outdoor chairs inside | D．sat under a strong table |
| A．A Happy Family. | B．A Seaside House. |
| C．The Damage of the Hurricane. | D．The Day of the Hurricane. |
a liability.
While attractiveness is a positive factor for a man on his way up the executive ladder, it is harmful to a woman. Handsome male executives were considered as having more honesty than plain(平常的，不漂亮的) men; effort and ability were thought to lead to their success. Attractive female executives were considered to have less honesty than unattractive ones; their success was connected not with ability but with factors such as luck. All unattractive women executives were thought to have more honesty and to be more capable than the attractive female executives. Interestingly, though, the rise of the unattractive overnight successes was connected more to personal relationships and less to ability than that of the attractive overnight successes.
Why are attractive women not thought to be able? An attractive woman is considered to be more feminine and an attractive man more manly than the less attractive ones. Thus, an attractive woman has an advantage in traditionally female jobs, but an attractive woman in a traditionally manly position appears to lack the "manly" qualities required.
This is true even in politics. "When the only clue is how he or she looks, people treat men and women differently," says Anne Bowman, who recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political candidates. She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs, one of men and one of women, of attractiveness. The students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices. They were asked to rank them again, in the order they would vote for them.
The results showed that attractive males completely defeated unattractive men, but the women who had ranked most attractive unchangeably received the fewest votes.
1. The word "liability" most probably means __________.
| A．disadvantage | B．advantage | C．misfortune | D．trouble |
| A．makes women look more honest and capable | B．strengthens the qualifies required |
| C．is of no importance to women | D．often enables women to succeed quickly |
| A．turns out to be a disadvantage to men |
| B．is more of a disadvantage than an advantage to women |
| C．affects men and women alike |
| D．has as little effect on men as on women |
| A．practical | B．supportive | C．old-fashioned | D．one-sided |
| A．give advice to job-seekers who are attractive |
| B．discuss the disadvantages of women being attractive |
| C．demand equal rights for women |
| D．state the importance of appearance |
