1 . Dr. Melissa D. Young is a chemist and Certified Diabetes Educator at the American Association of Diabetes Educators who holds a very personal interest in advocating for annual flu vaccination (预防接种). Twelve years ago, her mother passed away after a flu infection. Young’s mother had a chronic (慢性的) lung condition, but she had refused to get a flu vaccine because she mistakenly thought it would make her suffer from the flu.
It’s a sad, but all too common story. According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of US adults who were hospitalized for flu infection in 2018-2019 with additional information available, 93 percent had at least one medical condition.
In the US, nearly half of all adults aged 45-64 years, and 80 percent of those aged 65 years and older, have multiple chronic health conditions that put them at high risk for flu-related complications, including heart attack, stroke, hospitalization, and even death. To address this public health threat, the medical community is working together to protect the most vulnerable (易受伤害的) patients.
Flu viruses cause a reaction that can last for several weeks following serious infection. This flu-related reaction can make existing chronic conditions worse, including heart disease, lung disease and diabetes. Additionally, adults with diabetes were six times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from flu-related complications than people without diabetes.
Yet there remains low awareness of the importance of annual flu vaccination for adults with chronic health conditions. Despite the abundance of public health guidance urging people to get vaccinated each year, increasing flu vaccination rates has proven extremely difficult. Vaccination coverage among adults has increased slightly over the past decade, but remains about 40 percent, leaving more than half of US adults vulnerable each year.
1. Why does the author mention Young’s mother in paragraph 1?| A．To summarize the following paragraphs. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show the background of the story. |
| D．To provide some advice for readers. |
| A．They influence each other. | B．They exist mainly in America. |
| C．They hardly happen to the young. | D．They are the main reasons for death. |
| A．Positive. | B．Flexible. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．The benefits of flu vaccination |
| B．Flu infection is increasing in the USA |
| C．Flu infection is a threat for American adults |
| D．The difficulty in carrying out flu vaccination |
2 . Social distancing is hard on everyone, but it’s especially difficult for retirees in senior living communities, where feelings of isolation are a problem even in the best of times. With no way to see each other or visit family members, the residents find it impossible to feel connected.
This year is even worse for them. While many seniors have been forced to wait out during the COVID-19 outbreaks in isolation, these retirees have managed to find connection and comfort through the airwaves (电波).
Radio Recliner is an online radio station that is hosted by elderly DJs from assisted living communities across the United States. The project was launched by marketing firm Luckie back in April as a means of keeping lonely seniors entertained and optimistic during the pandemic (流行病).
The company only planned on airing new 60-minute shows every day for one month, but since the station garnered more and more listeners, Radio Recliner has also attracted a team of 18 senior DJs to continue recording new shows.
In addition to the new shows being aired every day at noon, the station now streams a continuous loop of old content to keep its fan base entertained. On the Radio Recliner website, listeners can also submit song requests and ask the hosts to broadcast audio messages and shout outs to friends and family members.
“For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Luckie chief creative officer Mitch Bennett told The Tennessean. “Offering a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, may be a special way of connecting. It’s a great time to bring that feeling back.”
1. How do the retirees keep in contact during the pandemic?| A．By turning to a special radio station. |
| B．By playing with their family members. |
| C．By connecting with their friends online. |
| D．By talking to their friends on the telephone. |
| A．Consulted. | B．Gained. |
| C．Confirmed. | D．Acknowledged. |
| A．To inform listeners. | B．To entertain seniors. |
| C．To enlarge its fan base. | D．To educate old learners. |
| A．Its programs were funny. |
| B．It brought in many profits. |
| C．Its working mode worked well. |
| D．It helped seniors make more friends. |
3 . Each year, there are many new products to be put on the market. We have made a list of some products of this year.
Verde G690 treadmill (跑步机)
A new exercise machine by the American company SportsArt is designed to help people stay fit and also generate electricity. Verde G690 treadmill is operated by people instead of a motor. The company says the machine can capture up to 200 watts of power per hour from human energy.
Water from Air WFA6
The machine draws water molecules straight from the air and converts them into water. The water then passes through a sediment filter (沉淀物过滤器) and a carbon filter. It is also sterilised (消毒) thoroughly through 3 UV lights, removing bacteria. The water, produced is pure, safe drinking water that is safe for your body! The company says the machine can produce up to 30 liters of water per day.
Inubox
A product design company in Texas recently claimed to have created the world’s first fully automated dog toilet. Called Inubox, it’s a self-contained toilet system that captures, processes and contains a dog’s waste. Inubox knows when a dog steps onto the platform, and it detects the waste left behind. Once the dog leaves, it closes the platform and completes the cleaning cycle in less than one minute.
Y-Brush
A French company introduced a toothbrush that can perfectly clean a person’s teeth in just 10 seconds. The Y-Brush by FasTeesH is a mouthpiece shaped just like human teeth. It has numerous small brushes to clean all teeth at once.
1. What advantage does Verde G690 treadmill have?| A．Its size is small. | B．Its design is simple. |
| C．It is cheap. | D．It is environmentally friendly. |
| A．Well-known. | B．Energy-saving. |
| C．Intelligent. | D．Elegant. |
| A．Verde G690 treadmill. | B．Water from Air WFA6. |
| C．Inubox. | D．Y-Brush. |
