1 . Spring was in the air, but this year it felt different. Like many families, Sandy and John, who were ordered to stay at home because of the COVID-19, were running
“My name is Greg Dailey. I deliver your newspaper every morning,” the
Dailey, 50, is a self-described “shy guy”. But when he noticed that an older customer didn’t want to walk down to the sidewalk to pick up her morning newspaper
Some grocery stores deliver, but it takes days or weeks. Customers have to figure out how to
Dailey sat down at his computer and typed out a(n)
A few days ago, he received another thank-you note from a longtime subscriber, “You were there when I stayed at home
“Do you know what that does to your heart? I just
| A．low | B．high | C．small | D．large |
| A．gave | B．rolled | C．made | D．cleared |
| A．sheet | B．newspaper | C．letter | D．note |
| A．loads | B．products | C．necessities | D．packages |
| A．reached out | B．got out | C．gave out | D．looked out |
| A．expecting | B．demanding | C．charging | D．forgiving |
| A．due to | B．instead of | C．apart from | D．as for |
| A．delighted | B．astonished | C．frightened | D．embarrassed |
| A．put | B．place | C．set | D．send |
| A．conflicting | B．convincing | C．charming | D．confusing |
| A．invitation | B．recommendation | C．request | D．offer |
| A．something | B．anything | C．anyone | D．no one |
| A．patiently | B．tirelessly | C．helplessly | D．doubtfully |
| A．dearest | B．closest | C．furthest | D．highest |
| A．melted | B．froze | C．broke | D．recovered |
2 . Baratunde Thurston, a digital media adviser, decided to disconnect from his online life for twenty-five days — no Facebook, no Twitter, not even an e mail. He needed a break.
It didn’t take him long to adjust to a disconnected life. By the end of that first week, he was less stressed about not knowing new things.
His experiment summarizes two important points about our relationship with social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The first point is that we increasingly recognize that these tools reduce our ability to concentrate.
To fight back against these distractions (使人分心的事), Thurston felt his only option was to quit the Internet completely. But the problem is that no one actually follows Thurston.
| A．This accounts for the reality |
| B．He started chatting with strangers |
| C．I won’t ask you to quit the Internet |
| D．“I was burnt out and done,” he explained |
| E．It is a real problem for many different people |
| F．He had to return to the online world with books to market |
| G．Fortunately, you will break the habit of surfing the Internet gradually |
3 . Scandinavian architecture is a relatively new construct that drew public attention within the last century. It tends to include works associated with Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, and it is undoubtedly one of the more influential styles in modern times.
The Scandinavian design style is both simple and comfortable, modern and historic. Home builders influenced by this style are expert at mixing traditional vernacular (民间风俗的) styles with modern technology to create a space that is beautiful and aims to make your life better.
Before the early 20th century, much of Scandinavian architecture was vernacular in nature. Homes were built in a simple way using locally sourced materials and knowledge. However, it can be argued that this lack of formal architectural schooling promoted more craftsmanship and creativity as time went on. These vernacular builders were more concerned with function than form. An early example of this is the turf houses in Iceland, which were homes with green roofs that could keep the house in comfortable temperature throughout seasons in an affordable way.
The modern-day version of Scandinavian architecture grew out of this grassroots approach to building. Public buildings originally mixed Neoclassical elements with traditional building styles based on local practices. In the 1930s, the concept of Functionalism was introduced in Scandinavia. With its inspiration, architects wanted the buildings to be simple, but they also wanted them to be beneficial to people in some thoughtful way. For instance, the Paimio Sanatorium that was built in 1933 focused on maximizing quality air and light for tuberculosis (结核病) patients. So while modern architecture is all about simple, clean lines, Scandinavian architecture is that and also a style of building that thinks about how public spaces and homes can be valuable to humankind.
1. What is a feature of Scandinavian architecture before the early 20th century?| A．Practical function. | B．Professional design. |
| C．Creative appearance. | D．Recyclable material. |
| A．Modern technology is the biggest advantage of it. |
| B．Architects of this style focus on both simplicity and comfort. |
| C．The concept of Functionalism was rejected by Scandinavian architects. |
| D．Its appearance is different from that of other styles of modern architecture. |
| A．To attract tourists to visit Scandinavia. |
| B．To show respect to Scandinavian architects. |
| C．To introduce an architecture style from Europe. |
| D．To encourage more people to major in architecture. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Society. |
| C．Education. | D．Culture. |
4 . Etiquette Matters Centre presents 2-Day Confidence and Manners Workshop
Always wanted to give yourself the cutting edge that sets you apart from your peers (同龄人)?
Our 2-Day Confidence and Manners Workshop will give you much needed improvement and empower you with the soft skills that will set you apart from your peers and serve you well into adulthood.
This highly-respected, incredibly effective workshop is a hot favourite among parents and children. Through this workshop, our center aims to empower you with confidence in your interaction in various social situations.
Highlight of the Workshop
Day 1
Building self-esteem (自尊) through positive self-talk.
Recognizing the importance of effective listening.
Mastering the art of public speaking with confidence.
Obstacle Course Confidence Challenge.
Day 2
Manners in social media.
Dining manners experience.
Observing respectful manners in social settings.
Presentation of certificates of completion to participants.
Hurry! Slots are Limited!
Dates: 12 December (Saturday) & 13 December (Sunday)
Timing: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Age of participants: 9 to 12 years old
Fees: $650 per child (inclusive of course material and lunch and tea for 2 days)
Early bird discounts: 5% off for participants who register before 1 November and a free goodie bag worth $60.
To register:
Book through sistick.com or come down to our head office at 65 Bras Basin Road.
For more information, please visit our website, call us or follow us on social media.
1. Participants in the workshop can ______.| A．experience the joy of learning | B．build social skills and confidence |
| C．equip the power of soft skills | D．promote their relationship with peers |
| A．Dining manners experience. |
| B．Manners in social media. |
| C．Mastering the art of public speaking with confidence. |
| D．Recognizing the importance of effective listening. |
| A．Course material. | B．A free goodie bag. |
| C．Tea and dinner. | D．A discount for workshop. |
The Lion Rock mountain stands not only as one of the most famous scenic spots in Hong Kong,
The Lion Rock spirit has also
Cui created Lion Rock in Hong Kong, a colored ink painting. In his painting, Cui depicts (描绘) the cliffs of the Lion Rock, surrounded by blooming trees and
6 . Print newspapers dominated the early 1900s, but in November 1922, the dawn of radio news arrived when the BBC launched its first daily radio service. It marketed itself as news by and for social elites (精英), and broadcasters were required to use “received pronunciation”. News shifted to television broadcasting in the 1950s.
The creation of the WorldWideWeb in the 1990s changed things again. The internet has become a key site for sharing information, and news is more accessible than it has ever been before. Crises can be reported from on the ground by people who directly understand them. Stories can be shared with the click of a button which can be dangerous. In the time it takes for a story to move from a news site to Facebook to your WhatsApp group chat, context lost and facts go unchecked.
In 2016, we witnessed a BBC watershed moment for the news landscape. Negative coverage was the order of the day in the general election. Clinton was criticized for everything from her speaking style to her use of emails. As Clinton was being attacked in the press, Donald Trump was attacking the press, claiming that it is was trying to “influence” the election in her favor. The news is not about what’s ordinary or expected, but what’s new and different, better yet when filled with anger and conflict. Following the election troubled by dishonesty and misinformation spread largely on social media, Oxford Dictionaries announced “post-truth” as its international word of the year. Frequency of the word’s usage rose by 2,000 percent that year.
With so much information at our fingertips, the massive volume news can be ovenwhelming. Couple this with the increasing uncertainty about what is true and what is not, it is perhaps no wonder that recent years have seen the birth of the “slow journalism” movement. First coined in 2007 by Susan Greenberg, it invites us to slow down and really pay attention to what’s happening around us.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The target audience of BBC, | B．The key to News’ development. |
| C．The transformation in news reporting. | D．The qualifications of BBC’s reporters. |
| A．It marks what good news is about. |
| B．It provides people with the best choice. |
| C．It fails to satisfy people’s sharing demand. |
| D．It contributes much to ungoverned information. |
| A．BBC news gained wide popularity. |
| B．Negative news sells and travels wide. |
| C．Facts are more influential than emotion appeals. |
| D．More supervision should be added in the election. |
| A．Negative news also bears value just as the positive news. |
| B．Great importance should be attached to news’ truthfulness. |
| C．The information on social media is uncertain and unreliable. |
| D．People are overwhelmed with massive volume news nowadays. |
7 . Heavy clouds threaten rain, but this doesn’t seem to weaken the spirits of the gardeners who are cheerfully weeding in a community vegetable garden which lies deep inside Manguinhos, previously a rubbish dump.
The Manguinbos garden is part of the Hortas Cariocas project (Carioca Gardens). Launched in 2006 by Julio Cesar Barros, an agriculturist who works for the government, the project now includes 55 gardens that are located either in schools or in ‘vulnerable’ neighbourhoods, such as favelas (棚户区). The gardens produce organic food that is then supplied to feed low-income families around.
Barros explains that the expansion of the largest garden which will benefit five nearby favelas is under way. It will follow the same model as existing gardens. Each of the five favelas will provide a team of local gardeners. Half of the produce must be donated locally, but the team is then free to sell the other half, adding to the salary they receive,
Hortas Cariocas is run and funded by the government, but each garden is tended by a group of locals who receive a small salary for their work. The favela residents involved in the gardens are nevertheless enthusiastic about the project’s other benefits, such as education and bringing people happiness. “I always tell people, ‘Hortas Cariocas’ is the name of the project, but its surname is ‘Saving Lives’,” says Ezequiel Dias Areas, who manages the team of gardeners in Manguinhos. Dias Areas was unemployed for five years before getting involved in 2013. Without the garden “today I might be doing something illegal, I might be dead, I might be in prison”, he says.
Douglas dos Santos, a 30-year-old father-of-four, tells his story. “I feel valued,” he says, explaining how he learned about agriculture via the project. Despite his pride, dos Santos isn’t blind to the project’s shortcomings. He readily admits that juggling a pleasant relationship with the favela’s residents’ association is no easy task.
1. Where may the vegetable gardens be?| A．In some football pitches. | B．In Barros’ neighbourhood. |
| C．In low-income communities. | D．In local government yards. |
| A．Benefits of it are many-sided. | B．Local gardeners work for it for free. |
| C．The produce is sold by the government. | D．It is financially supported by the locals. |
| A．Negative | B．Suspicious | C．Objective | D．Not clear |
| A．Organic Farming | B．Life-saving Gardens |
| C．A Wise Agriculturist | D．Hard-working Gardeners |
8 . The great pilosopher Vlaire once said “Reding makes people see and think clearly.” If you want to be a better self, try the following books.
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is kind of a literary Rosetta Stone, the inspiration, basis, and model for so many modern novels. For a book written in the early 19th century, its modernity is surprising only until you realize that this is the novel that in many ways defined what a modern novel is.
A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals
From New York Times bestselling author Millie Marotta comes this gorgeous celebration of the animal kingdom. Highlighting the difficulty of 43 endangered species from around the world, the book takes readers on a trip through freshwater, oceans, forests, mountains, deserts, grasslands and wetlands while learning about rare and well- known animals and their habitats.
Patriarchy and Capitalism
Chizuko Ueno, a leading Japanese sociologist, feminist (女权主义) critic and public intellectual, has been a pioneer in women’s studies and the author of many books, including Patriarchy and Capitalism, which discusses the status of Japanese women.
Know My Name
Chanel Miller’s breathtaking memoir is praised to be the Best Book of the Year in People magazine. In this book, she recalls all her whole life. It’s a story of trauma (创伤) and transcendence (超越), shining with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.
1. What is special about Pride and Prejudice?| A．It has a long history. | B．It encourages readers. |
| C．It defines modern novels. | D．It includes surprising plots. |
| A．Marcovaldo. | B．Pride and Prejudice. |
| C．The Rings of Saturn. | D．A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals. |
| A．A record about endangered animals. | B．A folk tale. |
| C．A novel discussing female status. | D．An autobiography. |
要求如下: 1.包括思维导图的所有信息；
2.重点谈谈你喜欢这个节日的原因；
3.短文中不得出现考生真实的个人信息。
Zoology is everything about animals. And people who study it are called zoologists. They want to learn about the difference between different kinds of animals, where they come from, and how they live.
What do zoologists do?
There are many different kinds of zoologists. Some try to learn everything about one animal, some learn about a group of animals, some try to understand where new kinds of animals come from, and other zoologists are interested in how animals can get sick. Many zoologists study what animals do when they are with other animals.
A famous zoologist
Charles Darwin is probably the most famous zoologist. He showed that animals are all one big family and that every kind of animal changes slowly to match the place where they live. This theory is called “evolution”. During his life, people laughed at Darwin, saying that people and animals couldn’t come from the same family. However, many zoologists today agree that Darwin was right.
Why is it important?
Understanding animals is important because people are animals. When we study animals, we learn about ourselves.
Do you know?
★Frogs can breathe without their mouths! When frogs are not in water, their bodies can take air through their skin.
★Some people say sharks never get sick, but that is not true. Sharks get sick, just like any other animal.
1. The person who2. In Paragraph 2, the author talked about
3. Charles Darwin is famous for the theory called
4. It is important to study animals because
5. In the passage, the underlined word “that” refers to “
