When the United States Congress created Yellowstone National Park, in 1872, the goal was to set aside a place where Americans could enjoy the beauty of nature for years to come. Now, 143 years later, there are hundreds of national parks across the country, and technology is changing the way people experience them. Should park visitors be able to use cell phones? Or should their use be forbidden?
“Connectivity presents a real challenge to all of us,” AI Nash said. He is a public affairs officer at Yellowstone National Park. He says cell phone service at Yellowstone is available in parts of the park. This makes it easy for visitors to share photos of their trip on social networking sites. And it’s easy for them to stay in touch with friends and family members. Cell phones are also helpful in emergencies. If a visitor is hurt or in danger, cell phones make it easier to get help.
Some say the ability to download apps that provide information about plants and animals in the park can enrich a visitor’s experience. Others say cell phones prevent people from focusing on the beauty of our national parks. In their view, cell phone towers are unpleasant, and they’d rather hear the sound of birds singing than the ring of an incoming call or the sound of an email notification (通知).
Nash says Yellowstone tries to strike a balance. “Our job is to provide understanding and enjoyment for visitors. At the same time, we aim to protect what people find special about Yellowstone. And one of those things that’s special is the ability to get away from the noise of one’s daily life.”
1. Why did the United States Congress create Yellowstone National Park? (no more than 20 words)2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably mean? (no more than 15 words)
3. What’s other people’s opinion’ according to Paragraph 3? (no more than 15 words)
4. What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about? (no more than 10 words)
5. What’s your opinion about using cellphones in public places? (no more than 30 words)
Luke Mickelson was a high school football coach. He coached his kids’ sports teams. But when he met children who were sleeping on the floor, he decided to build and offer a bed to children in need.
“This little girl had a nest (窝) of clothes; it looked like a little bird’s nest. And that’s what her bed was,” Mickelson said. “When we gave her the bed, she hugged it and just couldn’t let go.”
Surprised to discover how widespread this need was in his community, Mickelson founded Sleep in Heavenly Peace in 2012, an organization (组织) that offers beds to children in need. The organization has offered more than 1, 500 free beds. But along with its rapid growth, Mickelson was faced with a hard choice: keeping his job or his organization. He chose to leave his high-paying job and ran his organization.
“I left my job of eighteen years because I wanted to do this full-time, because I knew the need was big. I found the need I have isn’t about money,” he said. “The need I have is seeing the happiness on kids’ faces and making a difference.”
1. When did Mickelson decide to build and offer a bed to children in need? (不超过10个词)2. 把画横线的句子翻译成汉语。
3. What is Sleep in Heavenly Peace? (不超过10个词)
4. What did Mickelson finally choose to do？(不超过10个词)
5. What need does Mickelson have? (不超过10个词)
Cars are the most important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor he doesn’t feel really poor when he has a car.
Henry Ford was the man who first started making cars in large numbers. He probably doesn’t know how much the car was going to affect American culture. The car made the United States a nation on wheels. And it helped to make the United States what it is today.
There are many reasons that the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country was a large one and Americans like to move around in it. The car provides the most comfortable and cheapest form of transportation. With a car people can go to any place without spending a lot of money.
The second reason that cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed an efficient and inexpensive form of public transportation. Long distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in the other parts of the world. Nowadays there is good system of air service provided by planes. But it is too expensive to be used frequently.
The third reason is the most important one. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don’t like to wait for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don’t like to have to follow an exact schedule. A car gives them the freedom to plan their own time. And this is the freedom that Americans want most to have.
The gas shortage has caused a big problem for Americans. But the answer will not be a bigger system of public transportation. The real solution will have to be a new kind of car, one that does not use so much gas.
1. What do you think is the main idea of this article? (no more than 10 words)2. Why is the air service not well received by Americans? (no more than 10 words)
3. What is the most important reason for American people’s preference for cars? (no more than 10 words)
4. Can you explain the underlined word “shortage” in English? (no more than 5 words)
5. What is the real solution of gas shortage according to the author? (no more than 15 words)
The Power of Silence
Once a farmer lost his precious watch while working in his bar. It may have appeared as an ordinary watch to others, but held a deep sentimental value for it.
After searching high and low among the hay for a long time, the old farmer got exhausted. The tired farmer did not want to give up the search for his watch and requested a group of children playing outside the bar to help. He promised an attractive reward for the person who can find his beloved watch.
After hearing about the reward, the children hurried inside the barn and went through and round the entire stack of hay to find the watch. After a long time looking for a watch in the hay, some of the children got tired and gave up. The number of children looking for the watch slowly decreased and only a few tired children were left. The farmer gave up all his hope to find the watch and called off the search.
Just when the farmer was closing the door, a little boy came up to him and requested the farmer to give him another chance. The farmer did not want to miss any chance of finding the watch so let the little boy in the barn.
After a little while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand. The farmer was happily surprised and asked how the boy succeeded in getting the watch while everyone including him had failed.
The boy replied “just sat there tried listening to the ticking of the watch. In silence, it was much easier to listen to it and direct the search in the direction of the sound.”
The farmer was delighted to get the watch and rewarded the little boy as promised.
A peaceful mind can think better than a worked-up mind. Once in a while, allow a few minutes of silence to your mind. Sometimes all you need to do is relax and listen.
1. Why did the farmer request the children to help search for the watch?2. How did the boy find the watch?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The farmer did not want to disappoint the boy, so he let the little boy in the barn search for the watch.
4. In addition to helping us think better, what do you think are some other benefits of having a peaceful mind? (about 40 words)
An American musician, singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen is one of the world’s most popular artists, with a career that covers 40 years. He is known for his poetic songs that deal with social and political issues, as well as personal subjects. His energetic live performances are also famous.
Springsteen’s childhood in a New Jersey working class family was a major influence on his music. He has never been shy about writing about the social and political issues. These issues were included in his album called Darkness on the Edge of Town. His music grew even darker in the 1982 album Nebraska. Those songs showed people pushed to the edge of poverty and criminal activity. Thirteen years later Springsteen released The Ghost of Tom Joad. The album was a direct discussion of issues like immigration, hunger and poverty. Then in 2012, in the album Wrecking Ball, Springsteen found people to blame for some of those social problems.
Springsteen also wrote about personal relationships. Brilliant Disguise is from the 1987 album Tunnel of Love. It’s basically a couple who are putting on disguises for each other because they don’t reveal their true selves.
Springsteen’s album company was thinking of terminating business with him after poor sales of his first two albums. But then Born to Run hit the stores and airwaves in 1975. It saved Springsteen’s career. The lyrics leave us the idea that maybe we never can actually get free from our pasts, from our home towns, and the like, but we have to give it a shot, and take our chance. It cost a lot of money to produce. Had it failed, we might not be talking about Bruce Springsteen today.
But we are talking about him, and listening to him. The musician’s ability to stay true to himself and to express the concerns of ordinary people is what has made him a living legend(传奇人物).
1. What is Bruce Springsteen famous for? (no more than 8 words)2. Which of Springsteen’s album is about immigration? (no more than 6 words)
3. What does the underlined word “terminating” in Paragraph 4 mean?(one word)
4. What made Springsteen a living legend?(no more than 12 words)
5. In your opinion, what qualities should be possessed to be a successful person? (no more than 15 words)
Putting on weight could be a side-effect of loneliness, research suggests. Women, who feel lonely, are hungrier, and they even find a big meal less satisfying. This could be the body’s way of telling them to seek company, for eating has been a sociable activity throughout human evolution.
The researchers asked 42 women not to eat overnight, and then gave them a large breakfast. The women rated their hunger before and after their meal and blood samples which revealed their levels of ghrelin --- the “hunger hormone (激素)”. As expected, levels of ghrelin fell after eating and then started to rise. However, the rise was much quicker in the lonely women, and they made much more of the hormone. They also said they felt hungrier. They said: “The need for social connection is essential to human nature. As a result, people may feel hungrier when they feel socially disconnected.”
Interestingly, loneliness only makes thin women hungrier. It has no effect on the appetite of those who are corpulent. It isn’t clear why this is, but it is possible that the shame related with being fat makes socializing less valuable for them. Other studies suggest you should choose your company carefully at mealtimes. It has been shown that we tend to mimic (模仿) our dining companion’s eating habits, taking mouthfuls at the same time and eating more when our companion does. The link with appetite could help explain the range of devastating effects loneliness can have on health.
Being cut off from friends and family can raise blood pressure, stress and the risk of depression, as well as weakening the immune system (免疫系统) and a person’s resistance to disease (早老性痴呆). Overall, loneliness is as damaging as smoking or not exercising.
1. How will the lonely people react, according to Paragraph 1? (no more than 5 words)2. What does the body want to tell by being hungry? (no more than 7 words)
3. What is essential to human nature? (no more than 5 words)
4. What does the underlined word “corpulent” probably mean? (1 word )
5. What do you tend to do while feeling lonely? (no more than 30 words)
Once upon a time, there was a tiger. His name was Kamau which means the quiet soldier. Kamau wondered, “Will I ever live up to my name?” Kamau is young and makes friends with everyone, but thinks low of himself. His leg disability makes it hard to walk. It makes him feel useless. But what he doesn’t know is that today will change it all.
One bright morning, Kamau spotted a bird in a tree, whose bright colors are so cheerful. She looked old. And he noticed one of her wings was cut. Kamau kept on walking towards the bird. “My name is Jelani,” she squawked as if she could read his mind. “I am Kamau,” he roared. “I know,” she said as if she had been watching over him his whole life. They spent a moment studying each other. At last, Kamau continued going past the tree.
“Do you know the meaning of your name?” she asked. Kamau stopped. The pain showed in his eyes. This is a question he has asked himself every day.
“My name means quiet soldier,” he said. Then he paused. “But I have been given the wrong name, for I am no warrior.”
“Do you know what my name means?” she asked. There was silence. “It means mighty. But as you can see, my body is not fit for it.” Then she looked up.
Kamau asked, “What are you looking at?”
“I am dreaming of flying free. Have you ever thought of running through the jungle, pride in your face?”
“We will never get that kind of life.” Kamau said angrily.
Jelani expected this. So, she explained why she didn’t care about it. “Sometimes, you have to let go of the things you don’t have and make do with what you have.”
“But even if I know this, I can’t be happy because I can’t do anything about my body. My mind knows it,” he said.
“I don’t know what you’ll be, but your mind tells you. It’s telling you that you’re useless, but if you ask your mind to stop, you will find your true self!” Jelani tells him.
Kamau realizes how lucky he was to have met Jelani. How fortunate he was to be able to change his mind.
Kamau finishes the story, making his sons think. It’s a year later and Kamau is a father. He hopes to teach his sons the same lesson that Jelani taught him. “Sons, we can’t always depend on physical abilities to show us who we are. First, think about what your mind can do to change your bad feelings into good ones.”
1. Why does Kamau think low of himself?2. Paraphrase the underlined sentence in paragraph 2.
Kamau spotted a bird in a tree, whose bright colors are so cheerful
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Kamau finally realized that it is important to move on toward the things you desire and forget what you already have.
4. What ways do you have to change your bad feelings into good ones?（50词左右）
Yang Xiaomeng lives 11 km away from her company in Beijing. The 26-year-old has been cycling to work for three months. “I used to take the subway before the COVID-19 outbreak. But now riding a bike seems to be a safer choice.”
Finding it relaxing and healthy, Yang said she would keep cycling in the future. In fact, many people have turned from public transportation to riding bikes these days. On Beijing’s bike-only lane (自行车专用道), from Huilongguan to Shangdi, the number of cyclists has increased by 17.6 percent due to the outbreak, Xinhua reported.
In fact, biking has been booming globally since the COVID-19 outbreak. In Spain, bike sales increased 22-fold (倍) in May compared with last year. In London, large parts of the city are being closed off to cars so that people can walk and cycle safely. Cities like Berlin and Montreal have also added new, wider bike lanes.
How will this change influence life in the city? The environmental advantages are clear. According to studies, cycling can clearly reduce the pollution of the environment. Since most gyms are still not open, cycling can also give people a chance to exercise and enjoy fresh air.
Increased biking can also bring economic benefits (经济效益) to the society. Compared with drivers, cyclists tend to spend more money in stores, bars and restaurants, according to Huff post. “When you make an area become attractive to people on foot or on a bike—when you slow down the pace (节奏) of life in that neighborhood just a little—suddenly visitors are staying longer and stopping in more stores,” Rachel Quednau wrote for Strong Towns.
1. How did Yang go to work before the COVID-19 outbreak? (no more than 5 words)2. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 probably mean? (1 word)
3. Why are large parts of London being closed off to cars? (no more than 10 words)
4. What are the advantages of riding a bike? (no more than 10 words)
5. What’s your attitude towards cycling? Please explain. (no more than 20 words)
China's first virtual student developed by Tsinghua University met fans on June 3, 2021 when she opened an account on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo platform.
In the first Weibo post, the female virtual student named Hua Zhibing, greeted Chinese netizens and said that she would start studying in the computer laboratory in Tsinghua University.
A video introducing Hua Zhibing was published in her first Weibo post. In it, a young girl wanders around the campus while a female voice introduces herself.
“I've been addicted to literature and art since I was born. The scientists not only gave me my appearance and my voice but also taught me to compose," Hua Zhibing said, noting said the background music in the video was composed by her.
The girl in the video was a real person but the face and voice were virtually synthesized (合成的), Tang Jie, a professor at the Department of Computer Science of Tsinghua University, one of the major developers of Hua Zhibing, said during a forum on artificial intelligence held recently in Beijing.
Hua Zhibing officially registered and became a student of Tsinghua University on Tuesday. Developers said at the forum that they had high expectations for Hua Zhibing, hoping she could keep learning, exploring and cultivating the abilities of creativity and communication in the future. She might also be employed after graduating from the university, developers said.
Hua Zhibing was based on the latest version of a China-developed deep learning model, Wudao 2.0, which literally means “understanding of natural laws.” It can process 1.75 trillion parameters (亿万参数), breaking the record of 1.6 trillion previously set by Google's Switch Transformer AI language model.
The appearance of Hua Zhibing soon became a hot topic on Weibo. Some are amazed by how China has advanced in the field of artificial intelligence. Some netizens said they were curious whether scientists would create a humanoid robot(人形机器人)named Hua Zhibing, rather than a virtual face and voice. Some joked that if more robots like Hua Zhibing, which can learn and work, are created in the future, population decline would not be a problem in the world.
1. What did Hua Zhibing do in her first video? (no more than 4 words)2. What's the purpose of Hua Zhibing noting that the background music in the video was composed by her? (no more than 8 words)
3. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 6 mean? (1 word)
4. According to Paragraph 7, what do you know about Wudao 2.0? (no more than 10 words)
5. Do you like the idea of creating a humanoid robot in the future? Why? (no more than 20 words)
An Apology Is Just a Step Toward Becoming a Better Person
No matter how hard we try, we can’t avoid hurting those we love. People are discovering they can’t stand the way their partners chew, talk and brush the cat. Since we probably can’t predict when our behaviors will annoy others, we need to learn how to make apologies afterward. A good apology has three parts.
First, show regret about the influence of your past behavior. A sincere apology means that you admit your choices negatively affected others. It involves regret or guilt - sometimes for what you’ve done to the other person, not necessarily for your own action.
Second, take responsibility in the present. Refusing to accept responsibility is not a sign of strength. It’s a sign of narcissism(自恋). In many situations, we’re too busy finding fault in the other person’s actions instead of accepting our role in the problem. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is when something is broken if it’s your responsibility to fix it. Taking responsibility is a recognition of the power that you gain when you stop blaming people.
Third, describe how you plan to improve in the future. You can’t right your wrongs if you don’t explain how you’re going to fix or prevent the problem. Then we should follow through on our promise so that we can earn forgiveness
The three steps are relatively easy to try. The hard part is finding the power to apologize, because it means feeling guilty about having done a bad thing and maybe even some shame at the thought of being a bad person. Psychologists have discovered a good solution to that: When you’ve hurt someone, think about your key values. If sympathy, justice or generosity show up on your list, you might realize that apologizing doesn’t mean admitting you’re a bad person. It’s just a step toward becoming a better person.
1. What does a sincere apology mean according to the passage?2. What’s the difficult part in an apology according to the passage?
3. Please decide whether the following statement is true or false, then explain why according to the passage.
Apologizing usually means admitting you are a bad person.
4. Do you agree with the author’s opinion about how to make a good apology? Why or why not?(About 40 words)
