1 . You are just waking up in the spring of 2030. Your Internet of Things bedroom opens solar powered e-windows and plays gentle music while your smart lighting displays a montage (剪辑的)of beachfront sunrises from your recent vacation.
Your shower uses very little water or soap. It recycles your grey water and puts the extra heat back into your home's operating system. While you dress, your artificial intelligence (Al) assistant shares your schedule for the day and plays your favorite tunes.
You still start your day with a coffee but it comes from your lot refrigerator which is capable of providing a coffeehouse experience in your home. A hot breakfast tailored to your specific nutritional needs (based on chemical analysis from your trips to the “smart toilet” is waiting for you in the kitchen.
When it's time to leave, an on-demand transport system has three cars waiting for you, your wife (or husband) and your kids. On the road, driverless cars and trucks move with mathematical accuracy, without traffic jams, routine maintenance or road rage. Accident rates are near zero.
On the way, you call your R&D team, who are enveloping a day's work in Shanghai. Your life-sized image is projected (投射)into the China Innovation Centre and your colleagues see you as if you were sitting in the room. It’s a bit surreal for them to see you in the morning light given that it's dark on the Bund, Shanghai's waterfront, though the novelty disappears after a few uses.
You review the day's cloud-based data from your Shenzhen manufacturing center, your pilot project in San Diego, and your QA team in Melbourne. The large amounts of datasets were collected in real-time from every piece of equipment and have been beautifully summarized by your company's AL All these facilities are closely maintained and operated through a advanced predictive analytics platform.
Pleased with the team's progress, you end the call and ease into a good book.
This is the future and it will be here sooner than you think.
1. How can we describe the life in the future?| A．Artificial | B．Accurate | C．Remarkable | D．Intelligent |
| A．We can have a bath without using water. |
| B．We can drive to work without concerning any accidents. |
| C．We can enjoy the coffeehouse experience without going there. |
| D．We can deal with all our work at home without turning to others for help. |
| A．In time order. | B．In logical order. |
| C．By comparing. | D．By offering examples. |
| A．To attract us to use the Al system. |
| B．To introduce the life in the future. |
| C．To teach us how to use the Al system. |
| D．To encourage us to study hard for the future. |
2 . Perhaps now so more than ever, it's important to take time to appreciate the beauty of our natural world. In the US, all you have to do is turn to the national parks for inspiration.
Not only do these parks offer hiking, camping and wildlife-spotting service, but they each have interesting stories to tell that make them truly unique from others designated by the National Park Service. Just check it out for yourself with these fun, fascinating facts about each national park.
Acadia
Location ： Maine
Size ： 65 square miles
Fact： Sprawling across Mount Desert Island, off the coast of eastern Maine, Acadia became the first national park east of the Mississippi River in 1929 and, today3 is still the only national park in the northeast.
American Samoa
Location ： South Pacific
Size： 21 square miles
Fact ： Located outside of the continental US, the American Samoa territory is spread out across three islands and happens to be the country's only national park in the southern hemisphere.
Arches
Location ： Utah
Size ： 119 square miles
Fact： There are more than 2,000 natural rock arches in （the appropriately named） Arches National Park, which is the biggest concentration of formations in the country.
Badlands
Location ： South Dakota
Size ： 379 square miles
Fact： At Badlands National Park, in the vast plains of South Dakota, visitors can witness a geological wonder； The rocks here are still eroding（被侵蚀）at a rate of 1 inch per year, which is a rapid rate for rocks, according to the National Park Service.
Big Bend
Location ： Texas
Size ： 1,252 square miles
Fact： At remote Big Bend National Park, geological history runs deep： Hundreds of millions of years ago, two inland seas flowed through the region, and as a result, there are thick stores of limestone and shale （页岩）throughout the park.
1. In all the national parks mentioned, visitors can experience the following except____.| A．hiking | B．swimming | C．camping | D．wildlife-spotting |
| A．Acadia | B．Arches | C．American Samoa | D．Badlands |
| A．It has ever-changing rocks. |
| B．It has large amount of limestone. |
| C．It is the only national park in the northeast. |
| D．It has a history of hundred of million years. |
3 . For many kids, the Internet is at their fingertips. From computers to smartphones, a web of information is open to them. According to a new report, about three out of four kids aged 12 to 15 connect the Internet using a mobile device from time to time. Many younger kids are online too.
Julian Zeitlinger, 9, from New Jersey, uses his computer to watch videos and play games. To keep him safe online, his parents monitor his web use and discuss Internet safety with him. “I ask my parents whether something is nice or bad，” Julian says.
Mobile devices offer more ways than ever to share personal information. The information can be dangerous in the wrong hands.A study found that 62% of children aged 8 to 17 have had an unpleasant online experience.
Have you ever had to enter a parent's e－mail address when signing up for a website? That safety measure is there because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law says sites for kids under 13 cannot collect personal information, such as a phone number or full name, without a parent's permission.
This July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will update COPPA for the first time since the law was created in 1998 when there were no smart phones. The nature of the way kids get online has changed, FTC lawyer Phyllis Marcus said.
When the changes take effect, COPPA will apply to mobile devices and newer forms of advertising. It will expand what falls under “personal information” to include videos, photographs, and services that give users location.
COPPA doesn't cover everything that can go wrong online. That is why kids and parents need to know what to look out for and to stop and think before sharing information online.
“There is a misunderstanding that if a site is following COPPA, it is totally safe,” says privacy expert Shai Samet. He runs kidSAFE, which checks whether a site meets kidSAFE standards and is safe. “It's important that kids know how useful the Internet is but that it also can be dangerous if you are not careful.” he adds.
1. Julian's parents check his web use to make sure ________.| A．he doesn't watch too many videos | B．he doesn't play computer games |
| C．he controls his online time | D．he stays safe on the Internet |
| A．It broadens the concept of personal information. |
| B．It prevents users from making their location public. |
| C．It covers everything that goes wrong online. |
| D．It says no to any kind of advertising. |
| A．formal websites are always safe | B．the Internet is becoming safer and safer |
| C．COPPA can ensure their complete safety | D．daily checks prevent future online problems |
| A．To ask parents to look out for their kids. | B．To talk about online safety for children. |
| C．To introduce a new law. | D．To sell an online product. |
4 . PAssionArts Festival
PAssionArts Festival this year will run from 6 July to 25 August, bringing community arts to 250,000 residents across Singapore. The festival theme, “Our Home, Our HeARTs”, invites residents to use arts to express our love for our community and for Singapore.
Our aim is to bring residents together to experience and appreciate creativity. Look forward to over 500 arts activities and programmes, including visual art displays and performing arts co-created by residents and artists. The following are some of them.
ARTS PARTY @ TELOK BLANGAH
TIME: 14 July (9:00 AM—12:00 AM)
PLACE: Talok Blangah Mall
Art can happen in so many ways and for so many people—and that is what Arts Party @ Telok Blangah will show you this July!
For example, you can participate in the large oil painting activity to complete a huge oil painting art. Or carry art in your pocket anytime and anywhere by creating your own matchbox art.
We’re also bringing art therapy to the elderly as it becomes more popular in our society. Come explore Nagomi art, a Japanese art healing method that introduces calm and relaxation to the painter.
HUES IN TUNE
TIME: 20 July (2:00 PM—8:00 PM)
PLACE: Kampung Admiralty
One of the most expected part is Hues in Tune’s performance line-up. Sembawang Hues is the highlight with music performances. Fusion Tunes features cross-racial bands, and Our Own Tune presents heartfelt music by talented residents. Come to this festival village!
L.O.U.D @ KAMPONG GLAM TIME: 27 July (7:30 PM—9:30 PM)
PLACE: Kampong Glam Community Club
At Kampong Glam, the theatre performance Voices from the Belly of Carp will take us back centuries into Singapore’s history for new discoveries.
MAD TEA PARTY
TIME: 12 August (9:30 AM—11:30 AM)
PLACE: Pasir Ris Elias CC
ARTISTS: Stacy Huang, Jesse Chong and Lena Lok
Mad Tea Party is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. This will be an installation of delightful treats, where residents can gather around the tea table to create “food” together.
1. What is the goal of PAssionArts Festival?| A．To make the country more appealing in art. |
| B．To develop a sense of togetherness through art. |
| C．To promote cooperation between communities. |
| D．To cultivate a young generation full of creativity. |
| A．Kampung Admiralty | B．Kampong Glam Community Club |
| C．Pasir Ris Elias CC | D．Talok Blangah Mall |
| A．Hues in Tune’s performances are intended for music lovers. |
| B．Mad Tea Party mainly involves learning to make and serve tea. |
| C．The performance at Kampong Glam is about the history of man. |
| D．Arts Party @ Telok Blangah is specially designed for the elderly. |
5 . Fairs and theme parks never seem to lose their attraction. My kids love them as much as I do. Not everyone will agree with me though. My wife is terrified of anything more exciting than the merry-go-round. So why do I love Blackpool’s Big One while she goes white on hearing the word “rollercoaster(过山车)”？
According to psychologists, it comes down to something called a “Type T” personality. Type T’s are thrillseekers who welcome the uncertainty of activities that most people would find hairraising. It seems some of us enjoy the physical sensations associated with fear: the adrenaline(肾上腺素) rush and the beating heart. Scary rides make us feel alive. Terrifying experiences encourage a sense of excitement once we’re back on solid ground though we only enjoy them, experts say, when we’re within a “protective frame” that assures us that deep down, we’re still safe.
Recent research has found certain genes(基因) which may be responsible for those of us with Type T personalities. Biochemists have separated a gene called DRD4 which seems more common in rollercoaster lovers like me.
New technologies have allowed engineers to design coasters that change speeds quickly, shoot up hundreds of feet into the air and make all sorts of twists. Research suggests that extreme fairground rides tend to appeal particularly to those of us who lead stressful, structured or controlled lives. It’s certainly true that roller coasters are a way of breaking out of the humdrum(乏味的) expectations of everyday life. Theme parks allow us to act like children again, to experience true excitement and behave a little wildly. Where else as an adult can you scream at the top of your lungs and throw your arms in the air without being sent for psychological evaluation?
If you’re looking for a great place this summer where you can get in touch with your inner risktaker, head for the nearest theme park. It’s a scream!
1. What can we learn about the author’s wife?| A．She gets excited easily. |
| B．She fears extreme rides. |
| C．She loves Blackpool’s Big One. |
| D．She rarely disagrees with the author. |
| A．Put their lives at risk. |
| B．Stay energetic all the time. |
| C．Avoid the “protective frame”. |
| D．Enjoy adventurous experiences. |
| A．It is genetically determined. |
| B．It is common among people. |
| C．It is caused by living separately. |
| D．It is a result of a physical disorder. |
| A．They help relieve stress. |
| B．They are technologically designed. |
| C．They contribute to parent kid relationships. |
| D．They are a replacement for psychological evaluation. |
6 . Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was born on 9 June, 1836, in Whitechapel, East London. She was expected to marry well and live the life of a lady. However, meetings with the feminist(女权主义者) Emily Davies and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman physician, convinced Elizabeth Garrett that she should become a doctor.
This was unheard of at that time and her attempts to study at a number of medical schools were refused. She enrolled(入学) as a nursing student at Middlesex Hospital and attended classes for male doctors, but was driven out after complaints from other students. As the Society of Apothecaries did not specifically forbid women from taking its examinations, in 1865 she passed their exams and gained a certificate which enabled her to become a doctor. The Society then changed its rules to prevent other women entering the profession this way.
In 1866, she set up a clinic for women in London, thanks to her father’s backing；in 1870 she was made a visiting physician to the East London Hospital. There she met James Anderson, a successful businessman, who she married in 1871.
In 1872, Anderson founded the New Hospital for Women in London, staffed entirely by women. She appointed her spiritual guide, Elizabeth Blackwell, as a professor there.
Anderson’s efforts paved the way for other women, and in 1876 an act was passed permitting women to enter the medical professions. In 1883, Anderson was appointed to manage the London School of Medicine for Women, which she had helped to found in 1874. It was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors.
Anderson, Britain’s first female doctor, retired in 1902. Six years later, she became the mayor(市长) of Aldeburgh, the first female mayor in England. Anderson died on 17 December, 1917.
1. Why did the Society change its rules?| A．To provide certificates for women. |
| B．To forbid women to take its exams. |
| C．To offer programs to train women doctors. |
| D．To encourage women to attend medical schools. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Sympathetic. | D．Critical. |
| A．She married a successful businessman. |
| B．She started a clinic for women in London. |
| C．She learned at a hospital as a visiting physician. |
| D．She helped create a school to train female doctors. |
| A．Strict. | B．Sensitive. |
| C．Determined. | D．Modest. |
7 . Google has reported progress in its plan called “Project Loon” to provide Internet service to rural (农村的) areas without Internet connectivity around the world. The company has no plans to use traditional wiring, which can be costly. Instead the idea is to float (漂浮) huge balloons (气球) about 20 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
The balloons would act like telecommunications satellites, providing Internet service to the rural areas. The huge objects would ride air currents (气流) to either stay in place or move to another position high in the skies. At first, the idea was to have a large number of balloons circling the planet. One balloon would move away from an area while another arrived to ensure service in the affected areas. But the company said it has found a way to make balloons float over one area for a long period. In a report published online, the company said its software “can now send small teams of balloons over a specific area where people need Internet access.”
The company said some of the balloons stayed in the same area for as long as three months. The company also said the discovery should speed up the project and reduce costs: “We’ll reduce the number of balloons we need and get greater value out of each one, they said. But Project Loon workers must still find ways to increase the life of the balloons. A British Broadeasting Corporation report said the longest service for a single balloon was 190 days.
Google has also explored the idea of providing Internet service to rural areas using solar—powered drone aircraft (太阳能无人机). However, it gave up that project because of technological difficulties and high costs.
1. What’s the aim of the “Project Loon”?| A．To float huge balloons above the rural areas. |
| B．To help rural areas have access to the Internet. |
| C．To increase Google’s income in the rural areas. |
| D．To advertise Google’s new product in the rural areas. |
| A．It could be too expensive. |
| B．It could put off the project. |
| C．It couldn’t provide greater value. |
| D．It couldn’t work for a long period |
| A．They must be used in a large number. |
| B．They could provide service as long as 3 months. |
| C．They’ll be sent up by solar-powered drone aircrafts. |
| D．They would work like telecommunications satellites. |
| A．An unexpected discovery. |
| B．Some unknown facts about balloons. |
| C．Google’s using balloons to provide Internet service. |
| D．The differences between the new and traditional wiring. |
8 . Daban town is famous for girls and windmills, while Loulan is a myth (神话) in the desert. Two thousand years ago, beside the beautiful Luobu Lake, there lay Loulan ancient city of the Silk Road. Businessmen from every country gathered here and there were lots of dancing parties. Everything shows that people in Loulan lived a rich life then.
However, two thousand years later, this rich land suddenly disappeared from the map of China. It became an area covered with sand and dead tree trunks.
Loulan was first “discovered” by a Swedish man named Sven Hedin in 1900, and people from America, Britain, Japan and Sweden all set foot here. Then in the 1930s, a Chinese named Huang Wenbi came to Loulan for the first time. He visited and studied this area and found many relics that were beautifully and carefully made. It is recorded that the ancient city of Loulan was the capital of the Loulan Kingdom during the Han and Jin Dynasties, and covered an area of some 10,000 square kilometres. Inside the city, there are the ruins of government offices, temples and other old buildings. Outside the city there are some driedup rivers and much farmland. In the past century many things have been dug up there including Han Dynasty coins, mirrors and many others of Greek and Roman times. All these things show that a lot of business between the East and the West once took place there.
Lying on the northwest of the Lop Nur area, the Loulan Kingdom is now a lifeless area with endless “forests” of mounds (小丘) which aren't easily seen in other parts of the world. Its mystery has been attracting many people from many countries.
1. The first person setting foot in Loulan in the 20th century was ________.| A．a European | B．an American |
| C．a Chinese | D．a Japanese |
| A．there was no government in that area |
| B．people from America and Japan had been there |
| C．a lifeless area with lots of mounds could be easily seen there |
| D．much business between the East and the West had taken place there |
| A．Loulan was destroyed by the terrible weather there. |
| B．Wars between the countries made Loulan disappear. |
| C．Too many people gathered in Loulan and destroyed it. |
| D．How Loulan ancient city disappeared is still unknown to us. |
| A．Its pretty girls. |
| B．Its developing business. |
| C．Its mystery. |
| D．Its beautiful scenery. |
9 . Here’s an imaginary question for you：would you rather leave your home country and never be allowed to return，or never leave your home country ever again?
It’s a difficult one!Let’s consider the beauty of being at home and the thrill of travelling. I left my home country，Germany，when I was seven to move to England with my family. Now at the age of 21，I’ve left my second home country，England，to work as an English language assistant in Switzerland.
●New friends
I don’t know about you，but I love getting to know new people. Moving abroad is the perfect opportunity to extend your friendship circle and make it global.
●
You may learn a language in the classroom environment and learn it well，but nothing compares to fully burying yourself into a foreign language，participating in real-life conversations and picking up authentic slang and sayings from the locals.
●Food，glorious food!
The world has so much to offer when it comes to food，so make the most of this new cultural experience and let your stomach guide you. Why not try something completely new?Tingle those taste buds.
| A．The opportunity to master a new language. |
| B．The advantage of mastering a new language. |
| C．Is it always an exciting experience moving abroad? |
| D．Even better still，let the locals teach you how to make it. |
| E．You also fully experience the culture tied to the language. |
| F．These new friends will show you the most fun things to do in your new home. |
| G．What are the benefits of leaving the home country for a new adventure abroad? |
10 . There’s a world of difference between a horror movie and a comedy—the former scares you half to death while the latter leaves you rolling on the floor with laughter. But try watching them without the background music and you just might decide they’re not so different after all. Music and movies have been closely connected since the beginning of the film industry—even before the voices of actors were recorded. In movies, music helps to provide a sense of time and place, convey ideas about the characters and, most importantly, draw emotions out of the audience.
Studies have long shown that our heart rates and anxiety levels rise and fall depending on the speed of the music we hear. Using this knowledge, composers use sudden changes in film music speed to create fear among audiences. Slowing the speed of the music will have the opposite effect, bringing about a sense of peace or a dreamlike quality. The use of dissonant(不和谐的) tones and noises is another technique that heightens tension. Humans naturally become unnerved when we hear dissonant sounds because such noises are usually associated with danger, like those that animals make to warn against predators(捕食者).
As crucial as it is, the best film music is subtle. All that audiences are supposed to feel is a heightened sense of emotion—they shouldn’t realize what’s causing it. Only when the music is taken out of the film should audiences understand its effects.
In keeping with this principle, some filmmakers are even using what’s called “infrasound”(次声波) to arouse fear. While we may not be able to hear it because its frequency is below the range of the human ear, infrasound has been proven to cause anxiety, tremble and even sorrow. For example, infrasound was used in the soundtrack of the 2007 horror movie Paranormal Activity, and audiences reposed extremely high fear levels despite the 1ack of action throughout the movie. “It doesn’t affect everyone equally,” said British science writer Philip Ball, author of The Music Instinct, but he predicted that “we will see more of it used in movies in the future”.
1. What is the difference between a horror movie and a comedy?| A．Their history. | B．Their background music. |
| C．Their actors. | D．Their time and place. |
| A．The theme of the music. | B．The slow speed of the tangle. |
| C．The knowledge of the music. | D．The unexpected change of the music. |
| A．Gentle. | B．Wonderful. |
| C．Not immediately obvious. | D．Not extremely attractive. |
| A．It can’t be known to people. |
| B．It makes audiences relaxed. |
| C．It is within the range of the human ear. |
| D．It will be used more in movies in the future. |
