1 . 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. |
2 . Passenger pigeons (旅鸽) once flew over much of the United States in unbelievable numbers. Written accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries described flocks(群) so large that they darkened the sky for hours.
It was calculated that when its population reached its highest point, there were more than 3 billion passenger pigeons—a number equal to 24 to 40 percent of the total bird population in the United States, making it perhaps the most abundant bird in the world. Even as late as 1870 when their numbers had already become smaller, a flock believed to be 1 mile wide and 320 miles (about 515 kilometers) long was seen near Cincinnati.
Sadly the abundance of passenger pigeons may have been their undoing. Where the birds were most abundant, people believed there was an ever-lasting supply and killed them by the thousands. Commercial hunters attracted them to small clearings with grain, waited until pigeons had settled to feed, then threw large nets over them, taking hundreds at a time. The birds were shipped to large cities and sold in restaurants.
By the closing decades of the 19th century, the hardwood forests where passenger pigeons nested had been damaged by American’s need for wood, which scattered (驱散) the flocks and forced the birds to go farther north, where cold temperatures and storms contributed to their decline. Soon the great flocks were gone, never to be seen again.
In 1897, the state of Michigan passed a law prohibiting the killing of passenger pigeons but by then, no sizable flocks had been seen in the state for 10 years. The last confirmed wild pigeon in the United States was shot by a boy in Pike County, Ohio, in 1900. For a time, a few birds survived under human care. The last of them, known affectionately as Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoological Garden on September 1, 1914.
1. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, passenger pigeons ________.| A．were the biggest bird in the world |
| B．lived mainly in the south of America |
| C．did great harm to the natural environment |
D．were the largest bird  population in the US |
| A．escape | B．ruin |
| C．liberation | D．evolution |
| A．To seek pleasure. | B．To save other birds. |
| C．To make money. | D．To protect crops. |
| A．It was ignored by the public. | B．It was declared too late. |
| C．It was unfair. | D．It was strict. |
3 . One of the best parts of the school day is the time spent in the playground. It’s a chance to be with friends, run around and have fun. However, at the Rudyard Kipling Primary School in Brighton, things were getting too hard, so the teachers decided something had to be done. The school’s new rules, which restrict（限制）physical activities and encourage pupils only to touch if they are playing friendlier games, have attracted a lot of attention.
Most people say that they are a bad restriction. Parents of children at the school, in Brighton, East Sussex, talked about the bizarre rule — saying their kids were now bored at playtime. A teacher for the school defended（辩护）the rules, saying, “We want to make sure the playground is a happy, safe and calm place where everyone can enjoy their lunchtime running around and getting the exercise that we know is important to them.”
Some people say that Rudyard Kipling Primary School’s decision is a good one because it makes the playground more fun for everyone. Not all children enjoy playing rough（剧烈的）games or sports at playtime. Friendlier games ensure everyone can join in. The teachers only have the pupils’ best interests at heart, so they should be trusted to make the right decision. Besides, if someone gets hurt in the playground, that could distract（分心）the teachers from other accidents.
However, some people think it’s an overreaction. Sometimes physical games can lead to injuries, but banning（禁止）such activities is unreasonable. In fact, it is only during physical games that you can build up your ability to recover quickly from falling over. Even if these physical activities aren’t your favorite way to spend break time, it’s difficult to see why they will be completely banned. Each pupil should be able to decide what they want to do. Besides, schools should be happy that their students want to exercise between classes as this will keep them fit and healthy, and teachers should encourage this, not prevent it.
1. What was the result of the tule made by the Rudyard Kipling Primary School?| A．It was made into law. | B．It was supported by parents. |
| C．It encouraged students to do sports. | D．It made the school widely discussed. |
| A．Simple. | B．Strange. |
| C．Important. | D．Reasonable. |
| A．It saves more lunchtime. |
| B．It helps students pay more attention to their study. |
| C．It brings more fun to every kid. |
| D．It makes students more independent. |
| A．Physical games can injure kids. |
| B．Physical games are good for students health. |
| C．Teachers should do sports with students. |
| D．Restricting physical activities is unreasonable. |
4 . Looking for a place to take a rest，sip a cup of coffee and have a furry companion? Welcome to animal-themed cafes.
In recent years，the combination of pets and catering has become incredibly popular in many cities throughout China. While many cafes started out offering the company of cats and dogs，others are expanding their range. Some cafes include animals like squirrels，raccoons and even capybaras.
In reviews，internet users have commented that their main reason for visiting these businesses is to interact closely with animals they have only seen from afar.
“The customers love animals. They are curious about these pets and want to raise one at home，but circumstances don’t allow it，”said pet cafe owner Tian Rui，Liu Jing，a Beijing resident who works in finance，loves pigs，but her parents would not endorse her getting one as a pet. The 24-year-old had to admire the animals through videos and images. But now，she can have close contact with an adorable pig every weekend in a pet cafe.
Also，these pet cafes serve as a shelter for those who find comfort in being around animals. “In this place，you can get close to the cute little ones in a very comfortable way without having to worry about safety and hygiene(卫生)—overall，it is an extremely comfortable experience，”said Zhao Ming from Tianjin，30，a frequent pet cafe visitor.
Animal lovers also expect the pet cafes to change people’s attitudes toward pets. Animals like ducks，pigs and sheep have been served as food for many years. People hardly see them as pets. But the pet cafes help shift their attitude from seeing them as playthings to regarding them as family members or close friends.
“Whether at home or in stores，these little animals are there for companionship and they bring warmth to our hearts. They care and understand just like family members. They give us much more than the love we give to them，”Zhao said.
1. Why do people visit pet cafes?| A．To pursue inner peace. | B．To appreciate animal images. |
| C．To experience a clean environment. | D．To have close contact with animals. |
| A．Believe in. | B．Approve of. | C．Prevent. | D．Suspect. |
| A．change our views of animals |
| B．teach us how to look after pets better |
| C．show us the importance of having pets |
| D．remind us to value our family and friends |
| A．Cafes Enjoy Great Popularity | B．Ideal Shelters for Lovely Animals |
| C．Animals Turn into Companions | D．Animal Lovers from Different Cities |
5 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips someone. |
| A．keep her appointment with the eye doctor |
| B．meet her father who was already an old man |
| C．join in the holiday celebration of the company |
| D．finish her work before the deadline approached |
| A．abandoned | B．lacked |
| C．avoided | D．taken |
| A．To Keep Emotional Well-being | B．To Prevent “If Only” Moments |
| C．To Follow the Most Useful Rule | D．To Achieve the Peace of Mind |
6 . A simple gesture can be formed into a child’s memory so quickly that it will cause the child to give a false answer to a question accompanied by that gesture. A new finding suggests that parents, social workers, psychologists and lawyers should be careful with their hands as well as their words.
While memories of both adults and children are easy to react to suggestion, those of children are known to be particularly influenced, said lead researcher Sara Broaders of Northwestern University. Kids are used to looking to adults to tell events for them and can be misled even if not intentionally.
Previous research, for example, has shown that detail-loaded questions often cause false answers; when asked, say “Did you drink juice at the picnic?” the child is likely to say “yes” even if no juice had been available. It is not that the child is consciously lying, but rather the detail is quickly formed into his or her memory.
To avoid this problem, social workers have long been advised to ask children only open- ended questions, such as “What did you have at the picnic?” But an open-ended question paired with a gesture, briefly meaning a juice box, is treated like a detailed question. That is，children become likely to answer falsely.
And it isn’t just a few kids: 77% of children gave at least one piece of false information when a detail was suggested by an ordinary gesture. Gestures may also become more popular when talking with non-fluent language users, such as little kids, Broaders said as hand movements can impart meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases. “It certainly seems reasonable that adults would gesture more with children. ’’
In general, Broaders advises parents and other adults to “try to be aware of your hands when questioning a child about an event. Otherwise, you might be getting answers that don’t reflect what actually happened. ’’
1. What can we know about gestures from the text?| A．They are rarely used by people. | B．They have certain effect on children. |
| C．They have not any function at all. | D．They are often used by social workers. |
| A．Children are easy to tell lies. | B．These gestures are very attractive. |
| C．Their memories are affected easily. | D．These gestures are used frequently. |
| A．Where are you going Lucy? |
| B．What will you have for lunch? |
| C．Did you see anything else last night? |
| D．Did you cheat in the last English examination? |
| A．Pass on. | B．Tell apart. |
| C．Confuse. | D．Separate. |
7 . I didn't like his looks and hated doing business with him, but I needed the money．He was the first customer to come through the door of my new timber（木材）yard．The moment he came, his strangely twisted and scarred face repelled me．
He was in his late twenties, slight of build, and he held his head low throughout the trade．In checking his credit rating, I found that Frank Dandridge was a qualified cement finisher and concrete contractor．
The frequency of Frank's trips to the yard increased．Sometimes I had the feeling that he wanted to talk to me on a personal basis but was hesitant to do so．Then one morning Frank Dandridge came in to make a purchase．When his order was completed and put into his truck, he scanned his load and headed back into the office．Naturally, I guessed something was wrong．As I followed him into the office, I was ready to defend the quality of my goods．
Neither of us spoke for a long minute．At last he said, "Do you remember a Mrs Standish who once worked for you as a bookkeeper?"
"I do, indeed．That was years ago．"
"And do you remember her son, who accidentally shot himself in the face while hunting?"
Of course, I remembered the little boy, who bravely returned to school, enduring the teasing of his thoughtless classmates about his artificial eye and scarred face．
"Well, then," Dandridge continued, "you must remember how you used to visit the boy after the accident and bring him toys and ice cream and draw funny animal pictures to make him laugh．"
That was eighteen years ago, but I've never forgotten．Frank Dandridge was obviously that boy．
"But, Frankie," I protested, "why didn't you tell me who you were that first day?"
"Well, from the moment I read your advertisement in the paper, I decided to be your first customer to express my gratitude in this way for the help you gave me so long ago．"
I looked at him now and for the first time I did not see scars．I saw his kindness, his desire to be friendly, and I recognized a brighter radiance（光辉）in his personality．
1. What does the underlined word "repelled" in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Delighted． | B．Comforted． | C．Disgusted． | D．Confused． |
| A．He was greatly encouraged by others' friendliness． |
| B．He became aggressive to those who made fun of him． |
| C．He didn't dare to go to school because of his scarred face． |
| D．He wasn't well treated by his classmates after the accident． |
| A．He wanted to see whether the author still remembered him． |
| B．He was busy and could not find time to chat with the author． |
| C．He was sure that the author would recognize him the next time． |
| D．He wanted to support the author's business as a common customer． |
| A．The author often sold goods of poor quality． |
| B．The boy's appearance had changed a lot． |
| C．The author pretended not to recognize the boy． |
| D．Mrs Standish didn't remember the author any more． |
8 . A teenager of 17 walks into a corner store and grabs a Coca-Cola, but the cashier refuses to sell it to him because he is underage. That rule is expected to soon become reality in parts of Mexico, as lawmakers in several states push legislation (立法)to keep junk food away from children. know it can sound a bit difficult but we have to take action now," says Lopez, a lawmaker in Oaxaca's Congress.
More than 70,000 Mexicans have died from COVID-19, the world's fourth-highest recorded death toll, tracked by Johns Hopkins University. 89% of those who died in Mexico had an underlying medical condition such as obesity, diabetes (糖尿病)，high blood pressure and heart problems. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those illnesses.
The critics, however, say the leaders are using preexisting health conditions in COVID-19 patients to distract from a weak government response to the virus outbreak. Yet few people would deny that the country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks with little nutrition --- or that Mexico has a major weight problem.
Oaxaca's governor approved the state's junk food prohibition last week. Legislators still have to complete the legal systems, and punishment could include fines and even jail. Lopez says legislators from all over the country have called her for advice. Many other states are debating a junk food ban. However, a nationwide law would not be easy. "There are powerful commercial interests that least want it to happen, but we must prioritize the well-being of our children," Lopez says.
1. What is Lopez 's attitude towards the junk food?| A．Negative. | B．Neutral. |
| C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Keep distance. | B．Avoid illnesses. |
| C．Break away. | D．Shift attention. |
| A．Selling children junk food has been banned nationwide in Mexico. |
| B．Most Mexicans who died of COVID-19 had other health problems. |
| C．The younger generation doesn't suffer any weight problems. |
| D．People who break the prohibition in Oaxaca will only be warned. |
| A．Teenagers. | B．Legislators. |
| C．Soft drink companies. | D．State governors. |
9 . Recently whenever I turned on my computer or my mobile phone, news about the great effect of Hurricane Harvey（哈维飓风）on thousands of people caught my eye. I saw many unfortunate events. However, there was also lots of bright news that showed the goodness of mankind. As a reporter, I reported many human-interest stories when doing my job, That’s why the story about the guys in the bakery（面包店）caught my eye.
When the workers at a Mexican bakery chain in Houston were trapped inside the building for two days, they didn't sit there feeling sorry for themselves. They used their time wisely after flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. While waiting for the eventual rescue that came on Monday morning, the four workers decided to make as many loaves of bread as possible for people around the neighborhood. They talked to their manager about their plan over the phone and the manager agreed.
The flood water rose in the street outside. They took advantage of their emergency power supply to bake bread. They used more than 4,200 pounds of flour（面粉）to create hundreds of loaves and sheets of sweet bread. Although the water kept rising, they continued baking to help more people. By the time the manager managed to get to them, they had made so much bread that they took the loaves to lots of emergency centers across the city for people affected by the floods.
The store manager, Brian Alvarado, told The Independent, “They've done more than they should have done. And what they had done has lit a light for people. I feel lucky to have them work in the bakery.”
Whenever a disaster occurs, nobody should feelforlorn. Instead, we should stay hopeful and take positive action to save ourselves and help others. Our acts of kindness will make a big difference to the people in the world as well as the world itself.
1. Why did the story in the bakery draw the author’s attention?| A．It was helpful in choosing a good job. |
| B．It made him/her interested in baking. |
| C．It could bring him/her much money. |
| D．It showed the goodness of mankind. |
| A．They tried to get people out of water. |
| B．They set up emergency centers to help. |
| C．They offered to make bread for people. |
| D．They let homeless people live in the bakery. |
| A．He found them lucky. | B．He was proud of them. |
| C．They were experienced. | D．They were shy but brave. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Confident. | C．Serious. | D．Angry. |
10 . People of all cultures have special stories they pass down. Aboriginal (土著的) Australians have a long history of telling stories. They call it “Dreaming”. Many Dreaming stories are thousands of years old.
Europeans came to Australia in 1788. At that time, Aboriginal people had been there for 60,000 years. There were 270 tribes (部落), and each one spoke a different language. Only tribal members were allowed to take part in Dreaming. If they drew symbols during Dreaming, tribal members had to erase them. Most people drew these symbols in the dirt. That way, they could erase them after Dreaming.
When Europeans moved into Australia, they wanted the Aboriginal people to become more like them. In 1959, they built a town called Papunya. They asked Aboriginal tribes to move there. In Papunya, the Europeans hoped the Aboriginal people would become part of European culture. However, Aboriginal people wanted to hold on to their own cultures. That was difficult in Papunya. The tribes were also living with each other for the first time. Slowly, parts of each tribe’s culture began to die out. Today, only 18 of the 270 languages remain strong.
Still, Aboriginal people held on to their Dreaming stories. In 1971, a group of students in Papunya shared their stories with each other during an art class. Their teacher noticed what they were doing. He wanted them to use the symbols in their artwork.
However, they wanted to protect their tradition. To do so, they hid their Dreaming symbols in the dots of each painting. That way, only other people from their tribe could truly understand the message of the painting. Soon, the practice of Aboriginal dot painting (点画) became widespread. Aboriginal dot paintings can’t be fully understood by outsiders. However, many still enjoy the paintings as art. Dot painting became popular in the late 20th century. Today, Aboriginal artists continue to conceal their Dreaming symbols.
1. What do we know about Dreaming stories?| A．They were kept secret from other tribes. |
| B．They interested the Europeans very much. |
| C．They were created to fight the Europeans. |
| D．They were about the Aboriginals’ history. |
| A．Some of their tribes disappeared forever. |
| B．Some of their tribes’ culture disappeared. |
| C．All the tribes began to speak the same language. |
| D．The tribes couldn’t live a peaceful life together. |
| A．A teacher. | B．The Europeans. |
| C．Aboriginal artists. | D．A group of students in Papunya. |
| A．Use. | B．Change. | C．Hide. | D．Paint. |
