1 . We all know Albert Einstein was probably the most intelligent man that ever lived, and that his contributions to science were the greatest, but still, there are a few things you may not know about the great scientist.
Einstein Syndrome
Einstein was supposed to talk late—he told his biographer（传记作者）he didn't start speaking until at least three years old. Stanford economist Dr. Thomas Sowell even invented the term "Einstein Syndrome" to describe extremely bright children whose speech is delayed.
A Simple Compass
When Albert Einstein was five years old and sick in bed, his father showed him a simple pocket compass. Einstein was attracted. What force made the little needle point in a single direction? This question stayed with Einstein for many years and has been considered as the beginning of his interest in science.
Einstein and the Violin
Einstein's mother, Pauline, was an excellent pianist and wanted her son to love music too, so she started him on violin lessons when he was six years old. Unfortunately, at first, Einstein hated playing the violin. He would much rather build houses of cards, which he was really good at. When Einstein was 13 years old, he suddenly changed his mind about the violin when he heard the music of Mozart. With a new passion for playing, Einstein continued to play the violin until the last few years of his life and Einstein would use the violin to relax when he became stuck in his thinking process.
Designed a Refrigerator
Twenty-one years after writing his Special Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein invented a refrigerator that operated on alcohol gas. The refrigerator was patented（获得专利）in 1926 but never went into production because new technology made it unnecessary. Einstein invented the refrigerator because he read about a family poisoned by a sulphur dioxide-emitting（排放二氧化硫的）refrigerator.
1. What is the term "Einstein Syndrome" in Paragraph 2 used to describe?| A．Some people who change their mind about learning music. |
| B．Some children who can't speak until they are three years old |
| C．Some smart children who begin to speak later than normal children |
| D．Some people who are crazy about the pocket compass and its needle. |
| A．Boring. | B．Interesting. | C．Frightening. | D．Hateful. |
| A．Einstein benefited a lot from playing the violin. |
| B．Einstein invented the refrigerator out of curiosity. |
| C．Einstein received a compass as a gift for his fifth birthday. |
| D．Einstein suffered from a special illness when he was a child. |
Mascots (吉祥物) for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games（残奥会）
A red lantern baby called “Shuey Rhon Rhon” and an
“They are designed
The name “Bing Dwen Dwen” is
3 . Goolsbee, now a professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, said the rising number of Americans out of work forever paints a troubling picture about the recovery (恢复).
“If we are on path to only be two-thirds recovered,” Goolsbee wrote, “and then have millions of businesses closed down and the jobs there lost fast, there will be years for us to try to get back onto the path we were on before.”
And those everlasting job losses will influence the economy. People out of work may cutback spending or even stop it. They are at risk of falling behind on car payments, credit card bills and bank loan (贷款). Those risks are magnified by the fact that the government has so far failed to provide additional economic recovery policies (政策) — even though the US economy is in great need of them.
“Good insurance (保险) policies for people out of work have helped them pay the loan much more easily,” Principal’s Shah wrote, “but with everlasting job losses clearly rising and still no sign of an additional economic recovery package, the trouble will become more widespread and obvious.”
The hope is that those recognized as jobless at present will in the end get a job somewhere else. Even though some restaurants, shops and small businesses have shut down, new companies are opening each day here and there. But there is a time limit at play because the time of continuously out of job influences the chances of getting another job. “The longer you’re out of the job market,” said PNC’s Faucher, “the more difficult it becomes to find a new one.” Many Americans who had a job loss or had a too long vacation without any payment are eagerly looking forward to another job.
1. What does the underlined word “magnified” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Reduced. | B．Enlarged. |
| C．Avoided. | D．Unchanged. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Confused. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．Losing jobs gets them out of the job market. |
| B．They have more opportunities to have vacations. |
| C．They successfully get offers from new companies. |
| D．Losing jobs for long makes it harder to find a new one. |
| A．The jobless usually spend less. |
| B．Insurance companies offer necessary loans. |
| C．More job losses suggest a dark economy future. |
| D．The economy recovery depends on the government. |
4 . When my kids, ages 11 and 8, race through the back door after school, often the first thing out of their mouths is: “Mom! Can we play Prodigy?” After a quick thinking of how much screen time they’ve already had for the week and how much peace and quiet I need to finish my work, I accept. After all, Prodigy is a role-playing video game that encourages kids to practice math facts. It’s educational. Right?
Though video games are increasingly making their way into classrooms, scientists say the facts are lacking (缺乏) on whether they can actually improve learning.
Some of the first evidence (证据) that gaming may train the brain came from first-person shooter games. It was first found by C. Shawn Green, an undergraduate studying at the University of Rochester in New York. He gave his friends a test of visual (视觉的) attention, and their scores were amazing. He and his research adviser, Daphne Bavelier, thought there must have been a problem in the test. But when Bavelier took the test, her scores were normal. The difference was that Green’s friends had all been devoting more than 10 hours per week to Team Fortress Classic, a first-person shooter game.
In other studies, researchers found that gamers who trained on Tetris were better at moving two-dimensional (空间的) shapes than those who played a control game. Students who played two hours of All You Can E. T. improved their focus-shifting skills compared with students who played a word search game. Not surprisingly, the skills that games can improve are the ones that players end up practicing over and over during the course of play.
The next step is to figure out how these findings may translate to the classroom. Although this research is still developing, I’m sure about my own kids’ ever-increasing requests for screen time—especially when they beg to play games designed to help them master math.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To lead in the topic. |
| B．To explain what Prodigy is. |
| C．To introduce the author’s family. |
| D．To prove the importance of video games. |
| A．Video games. | B．Classrooms. |
| C．Scientists. | D．Facts. |
| A．Mr. Green. | B．Mrs. Bavelier. |
| C．Green’s friends. | D．A graduate. |
| A．Tetris is only a control game. |
| B．They focus on shifting skills. |
| C．They practise the relative skills many times. |
| D．The skills needed are similar to those in word search games. |
5 . Affordable Beach Vacation in Corfu
Corfu, an island off the coast of Greece, offers visitors sunkissed shores with clear water and lots of beaches.
Finding the Perfect Beach
Our first pick is Sidari Beach. It’s a blue flag beach perfect for couples looking for a more private feel, as it’s far from bigger tourist destinations. Issos Beach makes for the perfect place for watching the sunset. Dassia Bay has a bit more water sports. Paleokastritsa is an amazing West Coast village with six beaches on offer, including Rovinia Beach.
Getting around Corfu
Corfu offers bike rentals and bus service as a cheaper alternative (替代) to taxis. The best time to visit Corfu is during the “shoulder season” in April/May. The weather isn’t as warm as the high seasons but it remains perfect. It is not crowded in this period, but you still need to book ahead of schedule as Corfu stays popular throughout the year.
Eating Out For Less
There are a lot of well-priced restaurants but street food is also a big winner. Some popular choices are Souvlakia and Pita Gyros. There are also many cheeses special to Greece, including Tirokafteri and Ladotyri. Corfu also has many unbelievable desserts (甜食). Stazei Meli is a tourist favourite to give them a try.
1. Which place is probably the best choice for couples?| A．Sidari Beach. | B．Dassia Bay. |
| C．Issos Beach. | D．Rovinia Beach. |
| A．Rent a bike. | B．Book in advance. |
| C．Wear warm clothes. | D．Set off in April/May. |
| A．It cooks popular dishes. | B．It severs well-priced food. |
| C．It produces special cheese. | D．It sells amazing desserts. |
On the last day of one voyage, the ship was in a small port. It was winter time, and the sea was very cold, so the captain said to his sailors, "If one of you stays in the water during the whole night, I will give him my ship. But if he comes out before the sun appears, I shall get his wages."
The sailors had heard about the captain's cheating, so they didn't trust him. But then one of them, who thought that he was cleverer than the captain, said that he would do it. He got into the water, and, though it was very cold, he stayed in it. When it was nearly morning, some fishermen lit a fire on the shore about half a mile away.
"You are cheating," the captain said to the sailor. "The fire's warming you."
"But it's half a mile away!" said the sailor.
"A fire's fire," answered the captain. "I have won."
The sailor came out of the water, and said, "Perhaps you think that you are clever because you have won my wages, but you can't cook a chicken."
"I can," answered the captain.
"If you cook this chicken," said the sailor, "I shall work for you without wages for seven years, but if you can't, you will give me your ship."
The captain agreed, took the chicken and said, "Where's the fire?"
"There it is," answered the sailor. "On the shore."
"But it's half a mile away," said the captain angrily.
"A fire's fire,' you said," answered the sailor. "If it is enough to warm me in the water, it is enough to cook your chicken."
1. The captain got the sailors' wages ________.
| A．to buy a chicken for himself |
| B．and kept the money for future use |
| C．by cheating him |
| D．and said he would return the money soon |
| A．All the sailors refused to get into the water because it was too cold. |
| B．The captain knew that the fire the fishermen made was enough to warm the sailor in the water. |
| C．The captain succeeded in cheating the sailor. |
| D．It was the sailor who was cleverer. |
| A．didn't want to lose the bet |
| B．didn't believe the sailor's success |
| C．wanted to keep his promise |
| D．wanted to show his cleverness |
| A．The sailors didn't trust the captain. |
| B．In order to help the sailor in the water, the fishermen made a fire. |
| C．The captain failed to cheat the sailor this time. |
| D．The sailor didn't get out of the water before the sun appeared. |
| A．How a Captain Cheated His Sailor |
| B．How a Sailor Got a Ship |
| C．A Brave Sailor |
| D．A Fire Is Fire |
7 . Join the discussion ……
LakeLander — 2 hours ago
Today, a man talked very loud on his phone on a train between Malvern and Reading, making many passengers upset. I wonder how he would react if I were to read my newspaper out loud on the train, I have never had the courage to do it, though.
Pak50 — 57 minutes ago
Why not give it a try? Perhaps you should take lessons on a musical instrument. The late musician Dennis Brian is said to have asked a fellow train passenger to turn off his radio. When his request was refused, he took out his French horn(号) and started to practice.
Angie O’Edema — 24 minutes ago
I don’t see how musical instruments can help improve manners in public. Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t like to be done to yourself. Once, a passenger next to me talked out loud on his mobile phone. I left my seat quietly, giving him some privacy to finish his conversation. He realized this and apologized to me. When his phone rang again later, he left his seat to answer it. You see, a bit of respect and cooperation can do the job better.
Taodas — 19 minutes ago
I did read my newspaper out loud on a train, and it turned out well. The guy took it in good part, and we chatted happily all the way to Edinbergh.
Sophie 76 — 8 minutes ago
I have not tried reading my newspaper out loud on a train, but, several years ago, I read some chapters from Harry Porter to my bored and noisy children. Several passengers seemed to appreciate what I did.
1. Who once read a newspaper out loud on a train?| A．Pak50. | B．Angie O’Edema. | C．Taodas. | D．Sophie76. |
| A．How to react to bad behavior. | B．How to kill time on a train. |
| C．How to chat with strangers. | D．How to make a phone call. |
| A．A webpage. | B．A newspaper. | C．A novel. | D．A report. |
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1. Why is TOKNOW a special magazine?| A．It entertains young parents. | B．It combines fun with complex concepts |
| C．It publishes popular science fictions | D．It provides serious advertisements |
| A．Articles on new topics | B．Online courses |
| C．Lectures on a balanced life | D．Reports on scientific discoveries |
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9 . When it comes to giving help to developing countries, we often think about donating money so that these countries can build schools and hospitals, buy food and medicine, or find clean water supplies. These seem to be the most important basic needs of the people we are trying to help. However, the traditional way is far from enough. We need better ideas to help them.
Recently, I read about a plan to make cheap laptop computers for children in developing countries. A man called Nicholas Negroponte invented a cheap laptop computer, which can run without electricity. He decided to invent this computer after he visited a school in Cambodia.
The laptop which Mr. Negroponte has designed is a little different from the normal laptop computers you can buy in the shops. Covered in rubber, this computer is very strong and won’t be damaged easily. As an electricity supply can be a problem in developing countries, the computer also has a special handle (把手) so that children can wind (摇) the computer up to give it extra power when needed.
These special laptop computers will cost less than 100 US dollars and Mr. Negroponte wants to build as many as 15 million machines in the first year of production. The idea is that these computers will help the children’s education as they will be able to access the Internet.
These computers might not help the people in developing countries immediately, but by improving children’s education they should help people to find their own solutions to their problems in the long term.
Another idea to help children in developing countries is to recycle old mobile phones so that they can be used again. In the UK, and probably in many other countries too, millions of mobile phones are thrown away every year. The waste created by throwing away these old phones is very bad for the environment, so it seems to be an excellent idea to recycle them. In this way we will be able to achieve two important goals at the same time. We will reduce the waste we produce and help others. In other words, we will be able to “kill two birds with one stone”, and that is always a good thing.
1. Which of the following words can be best used to describe Nicholas Negroponte?| A．Determined and devoted. | B．Independent and successful. |
| C．Responsible and selfless. | D．Creative and caring. |
| A．The computer invented by Nicholas Negroponte runs without electricity. |
| B．Recycling old phones is a traditional way to help developing countries. |
| C．Improving education can help developing countries in the long run. |
| D．The UK creates most of the waste by throwing mobile phones. |
| A．To introduce some new and better ways to help developing countries. |
| B．To call on people to help developing countries. |
| C．To talk about different ways to help developing countries. |
| D．To tell readers how to help developing countries. |
10 . A modern phone can put the world at the user's fingers. But sometimes, these
Leku, 25, a university student of the Yi ethnic group,
''With the app, I wanted to help my
The dream is becoming
| A．worlds | B．users | C．fingers | D．phones |
| A．uses | B．speaks | C．understands | D．communicates |
| A．unable | B．unwilling | C．unhappy | D．unlucky |
| A．new | B．simple | C．hard | D．good |
| A．find | B．read | C．call | D．write |
| A．phone | B．number | C．mother | D．friend |
| A．naturally | B．gradually | C．finally | D．successfully |
| A．planned | B．created | C．suggested | D．produced |
| A．help | B．problem | C．request | D．suggestion |
| A．app | B．signal | C．button | D．screen |
| A．puts out | B．sets out | C．leaves out | D．turns out |
| A．called | B．provided | C．benefited | D．encouraged |
| A．mom | B．partner | C．user | D．villagers |
| A．helped | B．witnessed | C．understood | D．talked |
| A．getting | B．making | C．suffering | D．finding |
| A．uselessness | B．carelessness | C．abilities | D．difficulties |
| A．smaller | B．bigger | C．more | D．less |
| A．movement | B．management | C．achievement | D．development |
| A．making | B．reading | C．providing | D．producing |
| A．services | B．centers | C．lists | D．experiences |
