1 . Music
Opera at Music Hall: 1243 Elm Street. The season runs June through August, with additional performances in March and September. The Opera honors Enjoy the Arts membership discounts. Phone: 241-2742. http://www.cityopera.com.
Chamber Orchestra: The Orchestra plays at Memorial Hall at 1406 Elm Street, which offers several concerts from March through June. Call 723-1182 for more information. http: //www.chamberorch.com.
Symphony Orchestra: At Music Hall and Riverbend. For ticket sales, call 381-3300. Regular season runs September through May at Music Hall in summer at Riverbend. http://www.symphony.org/home.asp.
College Conservatory of Music (CCM): Performances are on the main campus(校园) of the university, usually at Patricia Cobbett Theater. CCM organizes a variety of events, including performances by the well-known LaSalle Quartet, CCM’s Philharmonic Orchestra, and various groups of musicians presenting Baroque through modern music. Students with I.D. cards can attend the events for free. A free schedule of events for each term is available by calling the box office at 556-4183. http://www.ccm.uc.edu/events/calendar.
Riverbend Music Theater: 6295 Kellogg Ave. Large outdoor theater with the closest seats under cover (price difference). Big name shows all summer long! Phone: 232-6220. http://www.riverbendmusic.com.
1. Which number should you call if you want to see an opera?| A．241-2742. | B．723-1182. |
| C．381-3300. | D．232-6220. |
| A．February. | B．May. |
| C．August. | D．November. |
| A．Music Hall. | B．Memorial Hall. |
| C．Patricia Cobbett Theater. | D．Riverbend Music Theater. |
2 . A small school in rural India is gaining attention over the fact that all 300 students are ambidextrous(左右手都灵巧的). Data shows that only one percent of the global population is ambidextrous, but the ambitious founder of Veena Vandini School, in Madhya Pradesh, is aiming to change that, starting at a local level.
A former soldier and Veena Vandini School founder VP Sharma stated that he was inspired to focus on ambidexterity training by India’s first president Rajendra Prasad who was in office from 1950 to 1962. Unexpectedly, the president was ambidextrous. “I read in a magazine that Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first president, used to write with both hands. This inspired me to give it a try, ” Mr. Sharma said. “Later when I launched my school at my native village, I tried training the students. ”
“We begin training students from standard Ⅰ and by the time they reach standard Ⅲ, they are comfortable writing with both the hands,” Sharma added. “Students of up to standard Ⅶ can write with speed and accuracy. Further, they can write two scripts at the same time, one with each hand. Students also know several languages, including Urdu. ”
Every 45-minute class at Veena Vandini includes 15 minutes devoted to handwriting practice, ensuring that every student develops the ability to write with both hands. VP Sharma also believes that the skill better enables students to learn multiple languages, and has them practice writing the same words in different languages at the same time. Although it is widely believed to help increase concentration, more recent studies have found that this is false and studying to become ambidextrous can, in fact, harm cognitive development.
A Scientific American study revealed that ambidextrous children performed worse than left- or right-handers on a range of skills, especially in math, memory, and logical reasoning. A study in northern Finland indicated that children who are ambidextrous are much likelier to develop mental health issues, including ADHD, language problems, and academic problems.
1. What is special about Veena Vandini School?| A．It only accepts 300 students yearly. |
| B．It was set up by India’s first president. |
| C．It mainly teaches how to write with both hands. |
| D．It requires students to learn practical living skills |
| A．Standard Ⅲ. | B．Standard Ⅳ. |
| C．Standard Ⅵ. | D．Standard Ⅶ. |
| A．It helps students fix their attention. |
| B．It does harm to students’ creativity. |
| C．It increases students’ academic stress. |
| D．It inspires students to learn more languages. |
| A．Kids are reluctant to write with both hands. |
| B．Kids shouldn’t learn to write with both hands. |
| C．Kids who are ambidextrous always fail in the math test. |
| D．Kids who are ambidextrous often have serious mental illness |
3 . If you live in Washington, D. C., or Redwood, Calif., you may have glimpsed a small, boxy robot rolling along a local sidewalk, minding its own business, but attracting the attention of many a curious onlooker.
The robots, which look like electric rice cookers with wheels, were part of a pilot program last year by Starship Technologies focused on delivering meals from local restaurants in dozens of cities around the world.
This week, the company revealed plans to broaden it’s delivery service beyond food to include packages, a move that made it “the world’s first robot package delivery service”. The package delivery service is only available in some cities in the US.
The wheeled robots have a top speed of 4 mph and and can detect barriers from as far as 30 feet away. “The robot can operate through just about anything,” says Nick Handrick, head of operations for Starship’s D. C. office, “If you have something in the way, it’s able to climb it.” By giving customers control of when deliveries occur, Starship Technologies is promoting its service as a way to combat package theft.
To sign up for the service, which costs a little more than $10 per month, customers need to download the company’s app. Customers then create a “Starship Delivery Address,” a unique address inside a Starship facility, instead of a home address, where they can have packages sent from places such as Amazon. com.
Once a package is delivered to the Starship address, customers receive a text notice that allows them to schedule a home delivery via robot. The robots are opened by customers with a mobile phone code (代码).
1. What do we know about Starship Technologies company?| A．Packages are delivered by its robots all round America. |
| B．Its robots have taken on package delivery for a long time. |
| C．It is the first to provide robot package delivery service. |
| D．Its delivery service is the best of all in the world. |
| A．Delay. | B．Prevent. |
| C．Report. | D．Discover. |
| A．Customers can’t open the robots without a mobile phone code. |
| B．Starship Delivery Address is the customer’s home address. |
| C．Customers have to pay a little more than $10 each time. |
| D．Robots themselves have control over when to deliver packages. |
| A．Robot Delivery Service Is Taking Off |
| B．Humans Are Being Replaced by Robots |
| C．Everything Can Be Done by Robots |
| D．Packages Can Be Delivered by Robots |
4 . I was born and raised in England in a culture where privacy and “keeping yourself to yourself” were valued traditions. Speaking to strangers was not encouraged. People were most hospitable and friendly.
However, I have been lucky enough to spend some time in both Italy and the US, where I found traditions of hospitality and politeness to be very different.
I experienced Italian hospitality firsthand. On a crowded railway carriage travelling, one afternoon, from Genoa to Florence, sinking gratefully into an empty seat, I was scolded in rapid Italian by a gentleman who was returning to this seat ---- it had not been “spare” after all. I apologized in English, and got up to allow him back into the seat. The gentleman obviously had no understanding of the English language, but he, too, realized my genuine (真诚的) mistake. He smiled and gestured for me to remain in the seat, and he himself remained standing in the corridor for the remainder of the journey. The other occupants of the carriage smiled and nodded at me and made me feel quite welcome amongst them. I feel that if this had been in England, a foreigner who made a mistake would not always be so kindly treated.
Transport also featured in the differences I noticed between English and American culture. I flew to New York on a plane with mainly English passengers. We sat together in near silence. Nobody spoke to me nor, as I expected, to anyone else they did not know. They felt it was not polite to interrupt someone else’s privacy. However, when I travelled across the United States, whether by plane or bus, I was never short of conversation. Conversation was going on all around me and whoever sat next to me was happy to introduce themselves and ask me about myself. They obviously felt it would have been rude not to speak to another person, whether they were strangers or not.
1. What do we know about the occupants when the author was travelling in Italy?| A．They were all on the side of the gentleman. |
| B．They all laughed at the author for his mistake. |
| C．They would not bear a mistake like the author’s in public |
| D．They all showed their understanding of the author’s mistake. |
| A．Cold. | B．Rude | C．Helpful. | D．Hospitable. |
| A．They were too tired to speak to anyone. |
| B．They were all strangers to each other. |
| C．Privacy was a valued tradition in England. |
| D．Everybody was deeply lost in though. |
| A．Different Ways of Hospitality and Politeness |
| B．Co-understanding Each Other |
| C．My Unforgettable Travelling Experience Abroad |
| D．The Importance of Privacy |
5 . If you do not use your arm or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame (受责备), and few of us know that it is just his own fault.
Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories, so their memory is the whole time being exercised. Therefore, if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: practice remembering.
1. The main reason why one has poor memory is that ________.| A．his father or mother may have a poor memory |
| B．He does not use his arms or legs for some time |
| C．his memory is not often used |
| D．he can’t read or write |
| A．Your memory works in the same way as your arms or legs. |
| B．Your memory, like your arms or legs, becomes weak if you don’t give it enough chance for practice. |
| C．Don’t learn how to read and write if you want to have a better memory. |
| D．A good memory comes from more practice. |
| A．Don’t Stop Using your Arms or Legs |
| B．How to Have a Good Memory |
| C．Strong Arms and Good Memories |
| D．Learn from the People |
6 . Robot teachers are now very popular with pupils in some primary schools in South Korea. Compared with human teachers, the robot teachers are
English-teaching robots
Many people think these robot teachers should be used
A teacher gave his
When the first shoot (嫩芽) finally appeared, the boy,
However, he grew increasingly impatient, and did little else but pester (纠缠) his teacher for wanting to take out the plant. As soon as the boy saw the sunflower’s first seeds, he cut the plant. But the plant was still green, and of course the seeds couldn’t
The boy was annoyed. He had put so much effort into
8 . Make Money This Summer with Sunny Libraries!
Do you have too much free time this summer vacation? Do you need a summer job to earn extra money? Do you want to be involved in your community? Sunny Area Library System (SALS) has job opportunities for high school students. These are good chances to get work experience.
Book Theater brings children’s book stories to life. It has shows at all Sunny Libraries. Applicants should enjoy performing in front of an audience and working with young children. Work Hours: Practice: Fridays 4:00 pm — 6:00 pm Performance: Tuesdays 10:00 am Rate of Pay: $16/performance | Computer Tutor helps guests to deal with technology problems, involving Internet searches and using the SALS Website to find materials. Applicants should have computer skills. Work Hours: Monday—Friday 9:00 am—5:00 pm Rate of Pay: $ 8/hour |
Bookmobile helps the driver find the routes to libraries. The truck you work in is air-conditioned, and the driver is friendly. Applicants must be able to lift heavy boxes. Work Hours: Sunday and Friday 9:00 am — 4:00 pm Rate of Pay: $10/hour | Reader Desk provides service with a smile while checking materials in and out to guests. Friendly attitude and ability to work on library data system required. Work Hours: Monday—Tuesday 8:00 am—4:00 pm Rate of Pay: $ 7.50/hour |
| A．$64. | B．$120. |
| C．$320. | D．$140. |
| A．To repair computers. | B．To lift heavy boxes. |
| C．To work with young children. | D．To check materials for guests. |
| A．To attract students to libraries. | B．To raise money for libraries. |
| C．To introduce new books. | D．To provide job opportunities. |
9 . Everyone should choose the right hair dryer for fine hair, because an unsuitable hair dryer can damage our hair. You can buy hair dryers from a recognized discount store or from online discount stores. If not, it is always better to buy it from a reliable and well-known beauty store in your area. Here are some of the top products.
Conair iSeries Infiniti Hair Dryer
It is designed with the technology which is quite useful for less curly and more manageable hair. Some other features of this hair dryer include 3 heat and 2 speed settings, a foldable handle and removable filter(过滤器). It also comes with 2 years’ guarantee. The average cost of it is around $38.
Click here for more information.
Sedu Revolution Pro 6000i Dryer
This is the latest model of dryers from Sedu, and comes with powerful air flow.
It is one of the most popular professional dryers in the market. It comes with 6 heat settings, a long-lasting AC motor and the instant cold shot button. This dryer has 2 years’ guarantee and is available at $160.
Click here for more information.
CHI Nano Dual Air Flow Hair Dryer
It is lightweight hair dryer that comes with infrared(红外线的)technology indicator lights and a noise-free speed motor. This hair dryer also comes with a year’s guarantee. The average cost of it is around $255.
Click here for more information.
BabylissPro Carrera 2 Hair Dryer
If you want a hair dryer which helps achieve smooth and curly-free hair, then BabylissPro Carrera 2 Hair Dryer is a good choice. It has compact(简洁的)design and various powerful styling features. This dryer is available at $100.
Click here for more information.
To protect your hair, remove the excess (过多的)water with a towel before using the dryer. Work on the lowest setting, as more heat can cause damage to the hair. Whenever drying your hair, you should keep moving the hair dryer.
1. What can we know about Sedu Revolution Pro 6000i Dryer?| A．It is suitable for less curly and more manageable hair. |
| B．It has powerful air flow and variable temperature settings. |
| C．It is the latest model of dryers from Sedu which makes no noise. |
| D．It is the most professional dryer in the market and has a long guarantee. |
| A．Conair iSeries Infiniti Hair Dryer. |
| B．Sedu Revolution Pro 6000i Dryer. |
| C．CHI Nano Dua Air Flow Hair Dryer. |
| D．BabylissPro Carrera 2 Hair Dryer. |
| A．avoid blowing the hair with high heat |
| B．keep moving our heads when drying our hair |
| C．avoid making the hair dryer too close to the hair |
| D．make our hair dry with a tower before we use the dryer |
10 . Plastic-Eating Worms
Humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. Almost half of that winds up in landfills(垃圾填埋场), and up to 12 million tons pollute the oceans. So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms.
Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms’ chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass — apparently broken down by enzymes (酶) from the worms’ stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017.
Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms’ ability to break down their everyday food — beeswax — also allows them to break down plastic. ＂Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, ＂she explains, ＂The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. ＂
Jennifer DeBruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?
Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team’s findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic.＂
1. What can we learn about the worms in the study?| A．They take plastics as their everyday food. |
| B．They are newly evolved creatures. |
| C．They can consume plastics. |
| D．They wind up in landfills. |
| A．identify other means of the breakdown |
| B．find out the source of the enzyme |
| C．confirm the research findings |
| D．increase the breakdown speed |
| A．help to raise worms |
| B．help make plastic bags |
| C．be used to clean the oceans |
| D．be produced in factories in future |
| A．To explain a study method on worms. |
| B．To introduce the diet of a special worm. |
| C．To present a way to break down plastics. |
| D．To propose new means to keep eco-balance. |
