1 . The world can be a scary place when you' re young. It can be even scarier when you' re a young little blue penguin(企鹅) , the tiniest of the penguin species. Luckily, there are some humans willing to help. They stepped in to protect Billy, a blue penguin that appeared on a beach in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Spotted on November 29 at the slipway at Moncks Bay, near Sumner，in Christchurch，the little penguin immediately attracted a small crowd. Jeff Mein Smith saw the crowd while he was bicycling that afternoon, and he biked home to get his camera. When he returned to the scene，he found that the penguin had received a little sign, one that read “Hi, I'm waiting for my mum to come back. DOC(Department of Conservation) knows I'm here. Please leave me alone. Keep your dog away. Thanks, Billy the baby blue penguin.”

Billy didn't move away from the sign. The DOC arrived later that afternoon to pick up Billy, though they were surprised to see it on the beach. “It's unusual for a blue penguin to be out in the open on the beach during the day, ”Anita Spencer, a DOC senior ranger, told Stuff.

Billy was taken to the Christchurch Penguin Rehabilitation Center after being retrieved from the beach. Volunteers believe the bird may actually be a female penguin, and is around 2 months old. The chick weighs a mere 550 grams, less than a standard basketball. A blue penguin should weigh around 900 grams at this age. Most little penguins grow up to weigh 1 kilogram.

The center will help the little penguin gain some weight by feeding it fish juice, before it's set free into the ocean.

1. Why can the world be frightening to a young penguin?

A．It is a rare species.

B．It faces potential danger.

C．It is surrounded by the crowd.

D．It is threatened by dogs.

2. It can be inferred from the text that Billy         ．

A．is a male penguin

B．has expressed its thanks

C．weighs less for its age

D．prefers living on the beach

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “retrieved” in Paragraph 4?

A．Ignored.	B．Cured.
C．Given away.	D．Brought back.

4. What will happen to Billy in the center?

A．It will be reported to Stuff.

B．It will be visited by the locals.

C．It will be taken good care of.

D．It will be fed with fruit juice.

2 . It s good to share, right? Growing up as kids we are told to share our toys and not be selfish. We also live in an age where discussing our feelings is encouraged. But when does it all become too much? With new fashion trending all the time, such as dance challenges and wearing a pillow as a dress, the question is: when can sharing become oversharing on social media?

What is oversharing? The term has become related to social media，but it doesn’t only belong to this platform. Imagine you head to a party and you meet someone. Within five minutes they have told details about their personal life. While some of us may try to escape these people, according to marriage therapist Carolyn Cole, this form of oversharing could come from a strong desire to connect with someone. But how does this translate to social media?

Dr. Christopher Hand, a lecturer in internet psychology, says the more details people share, the less sympathy (同情)we express when things go wrong. This could be due to a belief that we attract our own negative experiences the more we share them. It seems that sadfishing, the idea of searching for sympathy by oversharing, is generally considered as negative rather than the cry for help it could actually be.

However, Dr. Hand’s research also seems to suggest that the more we post on a platform, the more socially attractive we become—if the posts are positive. Even back in 2015, Gwendolyn Seidman PhD, said that we should avoid complaining and being negative online. We should also control clear of showing off or bragging (吹嘘), as it’s now known—especially about our love lives. It makes sense—if your date is going "that well”, would you really have time to share a photo with text?

So, how can you know if you are oversharing? Well, why not ask your friends in real life. They would probably be more than happy to tell you if your posts about your breakfast or your gripes about your lack of money really are too much.

1. The phrases ''dance challenges" and -pillow dresses" in paragraph 1 are used to prove_____________.

A．a dislike of oversharing	B．an enthusiastic interest in oversharing
C．social media becoming free	D．oversharing being forbidden

2. According to Carolyn Cole, why do people overshare?

A．Need to connect with people.	B．Curiosity to know others.
C．Desire to help others.	D．Ambition to succeed.

3. What can be inferred about oversharing from paragraph 3?

A．Sadfishing is generally considered as positive.

B．We might be in danger when bad things happen.

C．People don't feel sorry as much when things are wrong.

D．become more socially attractive no matter what happens.

4. What is Gwendolyn Seidman’s attitude towards showing off?

A．Negative.

B．Neutral.

C．Positive

D．Indifferent.

5. What does the underlined word “gripes” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Future.

B．Dates.

C．Desire.

D．Complaints.

3 . Earl Forlales, a graduate in Materials Science and Engineering, took inspiration from the bamboo hut his grandparents lived in outside Manila and created a house made of bamboo that can be put together in four hours to solve the chronic(长期的) shortage of affordable accommodation in the Philippines. His design won a £50.000 top prize from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in its Cities for our Future competition.

His house, known as Cubo, could be produced in a week, constructed in four hours and costs £60 per square meter. Its use of bamboo—which releases 35％ more oxygen into the environment than trees—was praised by the judges. The ability of the houses to be constructed in any bamboo-producing area was one of the key attractions.

“The world’s cities are growing all the time and there is a real need to make sure they are safe, clean and comfortable places to live in,”John Hughes, the competition’s head judge and then president at RICS, said. “As we look at our competitors, who are our next generation of leaders， I believe that real progress will be made in tackling the world’s biggest issues.

Forlales has already identified a suitable area of land to start building his Cubo houses. He plans to begin the work next year with experts from the RICS in an attempt to help relieve the huge pressure on housing in Manila, where a third of the 12 million population live in poor districts. He said, “I would like to thank RICS for the opportunity, and look forward to working with them to put this money to good use in Manila and then hopefully elsewhere around the world.”

1. What contributes most to Forlales’ winning the prize？

A．The material of his house.	B．The shape of his house.
C．The design of his house.	D．The expense of his house.

2. Which word can best replace the underline word “tackling” in Paragraph 3?

A．Facing.	B．Treating
C．Covering.	D．Handling.

3. What can we infer about the Cubo house？

A．It is created by Forlales and his parents

B．It is environmentally friendly and economical.

C．It has already been built in Forlales’ hometown.

D．It can be constructed in a week.

4. Which of the following can be a suitable title？

A．A Competition in House Building	B．A Man Devoted to City Development
C．The Bamboo House Winning a top Prize	D．The Way to Solve Housing Shortage

4 . I received a private message on Facebook. It began harmlessly enough: “Hey, girl. Wanted to invite you to join my next challenge group—we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise and balanced nutrition.”

It was all becoming too much. Facebook was running my life, not me.

But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how many “likes” it had got. His question was a wake-up call.

“Likes” are signs of acceptance and approval. I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.

Before Facebook, surfing the internet was an occasional distraction and I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.

To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a healthier example to my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.

I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.

I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I’m in trouble, and I will help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are very lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.

I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment.

The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.

After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends’ kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family far and wide. I look in on a daily basis, but no longer with the desire constantly to post updates.

It is not an addiction any more.

1. What was the author’s life like before her break from Facebook?

A．She enjoyed reading in her free time.

B．She spent much time on social media.

C．She didn’t get along well with her son.

D．She didn’t care what others thought of her.

2. The underlined word “deactivate” in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．close

B．update

C．keep

D．check

3. What did the author do to change her life?

A．She went to the gym as often as she could.

B．She developed some healthy habits.

C．She tried to make money for her holidays.

D．She traveled around a lot for a year.

4. What is the author’s attitude toward social media?

A．Critical.

B．Supportive.

C．Objective.

D．Indifferent.

6 . McKenzie grew up at a farmhouse. Initially, the fence around the property was old and had several large gaps, so I strengthened the bottom with chicken wire and thought all was well. McKenzie would spend his days frolicking (嬉戏) in the large yard while Connie and I were at work and Sophie was at school.

One day, while on a job in the area, I stopped home to visit. As I pulled up to the driveway, I saw McKenzie outside of the fence playing in the daisies, dancing and nosing at a large butterfly hovering just out of his reach. I watched McKenzie enjoying himself until, suddenly, he realized he wasn’t alone. He took one look at me and fled to a hole under the fence, wriggling (扭动) back into the yard. He ran around to the back of the house, the place where he was usually asleep when we came home. As I stood and watched, McKenzie then proceeded to come around the corner of the house, stretching as if he had just woken up. Then, continuing his act, he looked at me as if he had just noticed I was home and excitedly came up to the fence, where he sat in his “proud boy” stance (姿态), as if he had been good all day and was glad to see me! I laughed as I opened the gate, and then I stood and gave him a frown. With my hands on my hips, I asked the little faker where the hole was. To my surprise, he lowered his ears and dejectedly walked over to the spot in the fence he had earlier wriggled through and sat down, looking at me. I laughed so hard that I cried.

1. Why did McKenzie run back when he saw the author?

A．Because he messed up the house.	B．Because he killed a butterfly.
C．Because he was afraid to be scolded.	D．Because he was tired of playing alone.

2. What does the underlined word mean in the second paragraph?

A．Disappointedly.

B．Passionately.

C．Delightedly.

D．Indifferently.

3. What kind of tone is adopted by the writer in this short story?

A．Critical.

B．Ironic.

C．Lighthearted.

D．Sympathetic.

4. What would be the best title of the passage?

A．An Unforgettable Experience	B．McKenzie, a Fantastic Actor
C．A Lesson from a Clever Dog	D．McKenzie, a Loving Family Member

7 . “Do not tell anyone”. We often hear these words when someone tells us a secret. But keeping a secret is hard. We’re often tempted（引诱）to “spill the beans”, even if we regret it later.

According to the professor, Asim Shah, keeping a secret may well “become a burden”. This is because people often have an “eager and anxious urge（冲动）to share it with someone”. An earlier study, led by Anita, a scientist at the University of Notre Dame, US, suggested that keeping a secret could cause stress. People entrusted（托付）with secrets can suffer from depression, anxiety, and body aches, reported the Daily Mail.

Secrets are so often getting out. Why do people share them at all? Shah explained that people often feel that it will help them keep a person as a friend. Another reason people share secrets is guilt over keeping it from someone close to them. A sense of distrust can develop when people who are close do not share it with each other. “Keeping or sharing secrets often puts people in a position of either gaining or losing the trust of someone, ”according to Shah.

He added that talkative people could let secrets slip out. But this doesn’t mean that it is a good idea only to share secrets with quiet people. A quiet person may be someone who keeps everything inside. To tell such a person a secret may cause them stress, and make them talk about the secret.

Shah said that to judge whether to tell someone a secret, you’d better put yourself in their position, Think about how you would feel to be told that you mustn’t give the information away. Shah also recommended that if you accidentally give up someone’s secret you should come clean about it. Let the person know that their secret isn’t so secret anymore.

1. Why does the author say keeping a secret may “become a burden”?

A．Because people are born not to be able to keep secrets.

B．Because when people have secrets, their bodies ache.

C．Because keeping secrets is certain to cause depression.

D．Because keeping secrets could probably be harmful to health.

2. How many reasons have been mentioned in Paragraph 3 why people tend to share secrets?

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

3. What does the underlined words “spill the beans” mean?

A．To fall by accident.	B．To let out secrets on purpose.
C．To spread secrets to everyone around.	D．To give away secrets unintentionally.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Quiet people are more likely to keep the secrets to themselves.

B．Sharing secrets helps establish friendship or get over the, sense of guilt.

C．Putting yourself in others’ shoes helps realize the importance of keeping secrets.

D．A person who is asked to keep a secret will suffer from psychological problems only.

8 . Nao, the first robot able to show feelings, has been created by a European research team. When Nao is sad, he lowers his head and looks down. When he’s happy, he raises his arms for a hug. Nothing is out of the ordinary, except that Nao is a robot.

“We’re modeling the first years of life,” says Lola Canamero, a computer scientist at the University of Hertforshire. “The feelings are shown through physical gestures and body movements rather than facial or verbal(言语的) expressions.”

In the future, says the scientist, robots are likely to act as companions, provide support for old people, and help people shop online. In such uses, the display of feeling will be important in making the interactions(交往) more natural and comfortable.

Nao has been programmed to copy the emotional skills of a one-year-old child. It can memorize faces, and knows the basic rules of good and bad. Based on these it can decide how to react to what is going on. The actions going with each feeling are pre-programmed, but Nao decides for itself when to display them.

Nao is also programmed to have different personalities. A more independent robot is less likely to call for help when exploring a room, while a more fearful robot will show distress if it finds something in the room that may be harmful.

Canamero’s team will take its emotional programming forward into medical applications. Part of the project will look at ways to use robots in hospitals to support the roles of doctors, nurses and parents. Children might find that a small, friendly-looking robot that can understand their emotional states makes them less anxious. “We want to explore different roles—the robots will help the children to understand their treatment and explain what they have to do. We want to help the children to control their anxiety.” she says.

1. According to the text, Nao_______.

A．displays different feelings in different situations

B．is able to imitate adult emotional displays

C．can remember people’s feelings

D．learns emotions from facial expressions

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．Scientists worked on facial and spoken expressions to create Nao’s emotions.

B．The time when Nao displays feelings has been pre-programmed.

C．Emotional programming is used in medicine production.

D．Robots with emotional skills can help children feel more comfortable.

3. What does the underlined word “distress” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Courage.	B．Anxiety.
C．Anger.	D．Satisfaction.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The relationship between humans and robots.

B．The roles that robots play in different fields.

C．The first robot able to show feelings.

D．The long history of robots.

9 . It was Mother’s Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving, we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete. Her husband was with her, but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock.
Walking towards the scene, Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple. He said to me, “Mum, it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”
At the front of the supermarket a charity(慈善) group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds. Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower. “It will make her feel better,” he said. I was amazed that he’d come up with such a sweet idea. So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up. “Just take it,” she replied. “I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”
By now paramedics（救援人员）had arrived, and were attending the injured woman. As we walked up to her, my son became______ by all the blood and medical equipment. He said he was just too scared to go up to her.
Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him, “ My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”
At that, the old man started crying and said, “Thank you so much, you have a wonderful son. Happy Mother’s Day to you.”
The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Though badly hurt and shaken, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.
1. What dose the author intend to tell us?

A．One can never be too careful.

B．Actions speak louder than words.

C．Love begins with a little smile.

D．A small act of kindness brings a great joy.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The elderly woman was knocked down by Tenyson.

B．Tenyson’s idea of buying a flower gained his mother’s support.

C．Tenyson’s care for the elderly woman puzzled the flower seller.

D．The elderly woman was moved to tears by Tenyson’s gesture.

3. The underlined word “intimidated” in the fourth paragraph probably means “___________”.

A．astonished

B．struck

C．frightened

D．excited

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Flower Power

B．Mother’s Day

C．An Accidental Injury

D．An Embarrassing Moment

10 . Delhi has been the centre of a succession of mighty empires and powerful kingdoms in India. Numerous ruins scattered throughout the territory offer a constant reminder of the area's history, which makes the city always be a fascinating place for tourists.

With the development of the city and more and more people moving, the city has expanded several times in size. That is why it is called New Delhi. New Delhi, a city with a population of over 20 million people, has its newest problem: never before has this city met with the worst air problem.

Air pollution in Indians capital surged to its worst levels in years, covering the city in a thick smog that has become an annual public-health emergency despite government vows to solve the problem.

Hundreds of flights were diverted, delayed and canceled over the weekend due to poor visibility, schools and offices were closed Monday and officials rushed to take emergency measures to try to reverse the eroding air quality. Millions of antipollution masks were distributed at schools, colleges, hospitals and markets.

New Delhi, is engulfed each year as the weather cools and a thick haze builds up from the pollutants emitted from cars and coal-based power plants, swirling dust from construction sites and roads and smoke from crop stubble burning in neighboring states. Fireworks and firecrackers to celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali then arrives, leaving Delhi the world's most polluted city.

The city's air quality index, which measures a mix of dangerous pollutants, registered an average score of 494 Sunday. That is the highest 24-hour average since Nov. 6 , 2016 , when it hit 497, according to data measured by the Central Pollution Control Board.

1. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Diwali is one of the most important festivals in India.

B．The government did little to protect its citizens against the serious pollution.

C．Such a serious air pollution in New Delhi appears on a regular basis.

D．The index of the recent air pollution is not the worst in the history.

2. Who may not complain about the serious air pollution?

A．The parents whose children have to stay at home.

B．The pilots whose planes have been diverted or delayed.

C．The manufacturers who produce antipollution masks.

D．The officials who have to work out of their offices.

3. Which of the following phrases can replace the underlined word in paragraph 5?

A．Sent out.	B．Sent up.
C．Sent in.	D．Sent on.

4. The title of the passage should be .

A．Problems Caused by the Development of New Delhi

B．Dangerous Pollution Envelops New Delhi

C．Antipollution Masks Are in Great Need in New Delhi

D．Farmers in the Neighboring States are to Blame for Burning Crop Stubble