1 . One rainy afternoon, I was on a crosstown bus when a young woman jumped on. She had a child with her who was about three or four years old. The bus was full, bumpy(颠簸的), and it soon got noisy, as her kid began crying — he was upset that he couldn't sit next to his mother. She looked embarrassed.
Then another woman, a little older, stood up and moved so that the mother and child could sit together. The mum smiled as a thank-you. And then three words came out of the older woman's mouth that raised the entire energy of that bus ride: “I've been there.”
Simple, undramatic, and honest. In that moment, it seemed to unite the diverse people of the city. Why? Because almost all experiences are shared human experiences. They're universal. We forget that as we go through life, focused on our own troubles and needs — which are actually less unique than we think.
Sometimes painful past experiences prevent us from wanting to open up to others because we don't want to revisit our own history. But a wonderful way to honor your past hurt is to help comfort another's current pain.
When I was a little girl, we lived on donations from local families and clothing from the " lost and found" baskets. It was shameful for me at the time — I lived in fear of being caught in a friend' s cast-off item.
Even when it was warmer, I refused to take off a layer in the classroom for this reason. Now I don't meet people who are in this exact situation, but I do notice when someone is struggling with financial shame or feels less than other people they meet. And I'm quick to say some version of, "I've been there."
Can the essence of these three words help you make a small difference right now? It can be as simple as volunteering your seat, sharing some helpful advice, or even lightening the mood with a joke when you notice that someone's uncomfortable — because we're all in this together.
1. What influence did the older woman's words have on the people around?| A．Causing discomfort. | B．Breaking long silence. |
| C．Creating a heated debate. | D．Inspiring common feelings. |
| A．They are mostly shared experiences. | B．They don't really matter to anyone' |
| C．They will be forgotten with time. | D．They are unique to each individual. |
| A．Because she had the same sweater with others. |
| B．Because she stole the sweater from someone' |
| C．Because she liked wearing the coat in summer. |
| D．Because she felt embarrassed wearing others' clothes. |
| A．Painful Experiences Are No Big Deal | B．The Best Way to Honor Your Past Hurt |
| C．True Happiness Comes from Helping Others | D．Three Little Words That Bring Us Together |
2 . What do extreme marathoners, mountain hikers and professional bicycle racers all have in common? They push their bodies to unsustainable (不可持续的) extremes of physical stress.
We tend to think there’s no limit to human physical achievements. But a new study, published in Science Advances, says there is a definite limit to human endurance (耐力). Beyond that, our bodies begin to break down.
To find the limit, a US research team tracked marathon runners over a five-month period, measuring competitors’ initial basal metabolic rates (BMR, 基础新陈代谢率) – the amount of energy they expend when they rest. Then they looked at how many calories(卡路里) each runner burned per day.
The team found that the maximum amount of energy a human can expend is 2.5 times of BMR. It equals 4,000 calories of energy per day. These calories can help a trained athlete to run about 42 kilometers in a day.
But people can’t keep using this amount of calories all the time. “You can do really intense stuff for a couple of days, but if you want to last longer then you have to dial it back,” US evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer told the BBC.
Pontzer explained that the problem is our guts (消化道). “There’s … a limit to how many calories our guts can effectively absorb per day,” he said in the Daily Mail. At that point, the body is burning calories more quickly than it can absorb food and convert (转化) it into energy.
These new findings could help athletes to best work underneath this ceiling. For example, they could manage their daily exercise time based on their BMR, to get enough calories and keep going.
However, Pontzer’s team can’t rule out the possibility of someone breaking this limit. “So I guess it’s a challenge to elite endurance athletes,” said Pontzer. “Science works when you’re proven wrong. Maybe someone will break through that ceiling some day and show us what we’re missing.”
1. What did the US research team find in the new study?| A．One’s endurance can be improved through exercise. |
| B．A trained athlete can do intense activities for more than a week. |
| C．The average BMR for athletes is 4,000 calories of energy per day. |
| D．The energy one can expend is no more than 2.5 times of their BMR per day. |
| A．To tell us the problem with our guts. |
| B．To show how our bodies produce energy. |
| C．To explain why there is a limit to human endurance. |
| D．To prove the importance of our guts to physical activities. |
| A．keep a more balanced diet |
| B．save time and reduce stress |
| C．arrange their training properly |
| D．improve their performance quickly |
| A．It’s possible that someone could break the endurance limit. |
| B．It’s no good trying to work above the 2.5x endurance ceiling. |
| C．Further data is needed to make the study’s results more accurate. |
| D．The 2.5x endurance ceiling is not a problem for many elite athletes. |
3 . Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.
In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.
In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers(摩天大楼)and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.
But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.
1. Why do people move to live in cities or towns?| A．Because they can live more comfortably there. |
| B．Because they like noisy life better than peaceful life. |
| C．Because they mainly want to find work there. |
| D．Because they are sure of having a better life there. |
| A．Big companies usually have their main offices in the business district. |
| B．People usually work and live in the business district. |
| C．A business district usually lies in the city center downtown. |
| D．Nearly every major city has its own business district. |
| A．and live there |
| B．but live in the suburbs of the city |
| C．and live in another city |
| D．but live in rural areas |
| A．has been going on for more than 2,000 years |
| B．will surely continue in the future |
| C．may not continue in the future |
| D．has now stopped already |
4 . Time and how we experience it have always puzzled us. Physicists have created fascinating theories, but their time is measured by a pendulum (钟摆) and is not psychological time, which leaps with little regard to the clock or calendar. As someone who understood the distinction observed, ''When you sit with a nice girl for two hours it seems like a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove, a minute seems like two hours. ''
Psychologists have long noticed that larger units of time, such as months and years, fly on swifter wings as we age. They also note that the more time is structured with schedules and appointments, the more rapidly it seems to pass. For example, a day at the office flies compared with a day at the beach.
Expectation and familiarity also make time seem to flow more rapidly. Almost all of us have had the experience of driving somewhere we've never been before. Surrounded by unfamiliar scenery, with no real idea of when we’ll arrive, we experience the trip as lasing a long time. But the return trip, although exactly as long, seems to take far less time. The novelty of the outward journey has become routine.
When days become as identical as beads (小珠子)on a string, they mix together, and even months become a single day. To counter this, try to find ways to interrupt the structure of your day-- to stop time, so to speak.
Learning something new is one of the ways to slow the passage of time. One of the reasons the days of our youth seems to be full and long is that these are the days of learning and discovery. For many of us, learning ends when we leave school, but this doesn't have to be.
1. What is the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 used to show?| A．Psychological time is quite puzzling. |
| B．Time should not be measured by a pendulum. |
| C．Physical time is different from psychological time |
| D．Physical theory has nothing to do with the true sense of time |
| A．Our sense of time changes. |
| B．We spend less time at the beach |
| C．More time is structured and scheduled |
| D．Time is structured with too many appointments. |
| A．excitement | B．unfamiliarity | C．imagination | D．amusement |
| A．To give various explanations about time |
| B．To describe how we experience time physically |
| C．To show the differences of two kinds of time |
| D．To explain why time flies and how to slow it down |
5 . Visiting Washington, D.C. is not a waste of your time and money. There are many destinations in Washington, D.C. that you can include in your journey, which make your travel to this great city worth your time and money. Here are some notable attractions that the city can offer.
Smithsonian Institution
It is the image of 19th sandstone called Castle. This is an institution that has got more than nine museums. A one-day tour is not enough to cover it all. The best places to visit are Air and Space Museum and Museum of Natural History.
Jefferson Memorial
This place houses the 19-foot statue of America’s third president. In addition, there are some writings in the wall like Declaration of Independence and some Jefferson’s writings.
Michel Richard Citronelle
This famous chef got a restaurant at the heart of Washington, D.C. He prepares wonderful dishes to dignitaries who frequent this place. It is not only about attractive menu, but the service is professional. The multi-course is accompanied with wine. The restaurant’s wine cellar houses thousands of bottles.
Mandarin Oriental
This is a taste of Asia in the district. The hotel amenities (设施) are world class with pool and spas. The restaurant shows the city’s view on a flat screen TV and the rooms have Internet access.
The White house
It should not be missed. It is one of the most significant buildings in the city. Its architecture is grand and suits the city’s landscape. There are guided tours that you can join in.
Twins Jazz
If you want to enjoy jazz music, this is the place to be. You can hear grassroots musicians play. The food is also good.
1. What can you visit in Smithsonian Institution?| A．Castles. | B．Museums | C．Statues | D．Restaurants |
| A．Taste Asian food. | B．Cook delicious dishes. |
| C．Enjoy good food and service. | D．Swim and enjoy free Wifi. |
| A．Jefferson Memorial | B．Mandarin Oriental | C．The White House. | D．Twins Jazz |
6 . A robot created by Washington State University (WSU) scientists could help elderly people with dementia and other limitations live independently in their own homes.
The Robot Activity Support System, or RAS, uses sensors (传感器) equipped in a WSU smart home to determine where its residents are, what they are doing and when they need assistance with daily activities. It navigates (定位) through rooms and around obstacles to find people on its own, provides video instruction on how to do simple tasks and can even lead its owners to objects like their medication or a snack in the kitchen.
“RAS combines the convenience of a mobile robot with the activity detection technology of a WSU smart home to provide assistance in the moment, as the need for help is detected,” said Bryan Minor, a postdoctoral researcher in the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Currently, about 50 percent adults over the age of 85 need assistance with everyday activities such as preparing meals and taking medication and the annual cost for this assistance in the US is nearby $2 trillion. With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 2050, researchers hope that technologies like RAS and the WSU smart home will relieve some of the financial pressure on the healthcare system by making it easier for older adults to live alone.
RAS is the first robot researchers have tried to apply to their smart home environment. They recently published a study in the journal Cognitive Systems Research that shown how RAS could make life easier for older adults struggling to live independently.
“While we are still in an early stage of development, our initial results with RAS have been promising,” Minor said. “The next step in the research will be to test RAS’s performance with a group of older adults to get a better data of what video reminders and other performances they have regarding the robot.”
1. What plays a key role in RAS serving the elderly?| A．Sensors | B．Videos. | C．Signal lights | D．Head size |
| A．It is the first robot used in daily life. | B．Its function remains to be tested. |
| C．It can locate people and do any task. | D．It can cook for owners on its own. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Negative | C．Optimistic | D．Uncertain |
| A．Elderly People Leave the Nursing Home. |
| B．Smart Home Tests First Elder Care Robot |
| C．RAS, the First Robot to Make Home Smart. |
| D．Older Adults Have Benefited from RAS a Lot. |
7 . According to the Study Abroad Trend Report for 2018, conducted by Chinese education website Eol. cn, the number of Chinese students who study abroad to gain a bachelor’s degree or below is rising, and the current group of Chinese overseas students is younger than those in the past years.
Du Xiying, a Beijing-based study-abroad agent, has first-hand experience working with this younger crop of students. “When I started this job some 10 years ago, almost all cases were filed by college graduates trying to apply for a master's degree in the US, UK, Australia and Canada,” said Du. “Now quite a number of my clients are high school graduates, and my company even transferred some experienced consultants to cover the increasing need of college-bound Chinese students.” However, in the eyes of Du, most of them are not ready to put themselves in a completely different context at such a young age. Although there are no statistics available, according to Du’s observations, college-bound high school graduates from China fall into two groups. There is a group of students from well-off families, with good grades and excellent command of English, and there is another group who did not do very well in their college entrance exams, so they seek to study abroad as a solution to their troubles. “In recent years, with the financial ability of Chinese families growing with the country's development, buying into college is very common,” said Du.
Complaints come from both destination schools in the US and parents of students. Going abroad at a young age needs a great deal of discipline(自律),and college students don't usually live at home-stays so they are free from management. A considerable quantity of students have ended with being dismissed(开除).
As to the dismissal issue, Du said it’s inevitable due to the large number of students crowding abroach. It’s just not easy to ensure quality. But she does think both students and parents should be responsible for their own investment of both time and money. “The worst case is that a family throws out 1 million yuan for their child to come home with nothing, not even fluent English,”said Du.
1. What change is mentioned in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?| A．The age of Chinese students studying abroad is getting younger. |
| B．More Chinese students studying abroad are getting a master’s degree. |
| C．Excellent students prefer studying abroad to taking college entrance exams. |
| D．Chinese students’ grades are improving due to professional consultants’ help. |
| A．Most young students are qualified to study abroad. |
| B．Buying into schools could be a good solution to students’ problems. |
| C．Destination schools should be responsible for the management of students. |
| D．Parents and students should be cautious about the decision to study abroad. |
| A．They are not financially supported. |
| B．They are rejected by destination schools. |
| C．They can't live up to their parents’ expectations. |
| D．They can't live and study abroad independently. |
| A．Can’t be avoided. | B．Can’t be ignored. |
| C．Can’t be realized. | D．Can’t be predicted. |
8 . The annual marathon in my town occurred as scheduled. My job was to follow behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention. As the athletes began to pace themselves, the front runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were drawn to the woman in blue running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt.
I knew we were already watching our “last runner”. Her feet were turned in, yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to walk, let alone run a marathon.
The driver and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We would move forward a little bit, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we’d slowly move forward a little bit more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself breathing for her and urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she wouldn’t.
Finally, she was the only runner left in sight. I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with respect and amazement as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles. When the finish line came into sight, the cheering crowds had long gone home. Yet, standing straight and proud waited a man. He was holding one end of a ribbon tied to a post. She slowly crossed through, leaving both ends of the ribbon fluttering (飘动) behind her.
I don’t know this woman’s name, but that day she became a part of my life — a part I often depend on. For her, it wasn’t about beating the other runners or winning a prize. It was about finishing what she had set out to do. When I think things are too difficult or I get those “I-just-can’t-do-it,” I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.
1. What words can best describe the woman?| A．Proud and determined. | B．Strong-willed and honorable. |
| C．Modest and courageous. | D．Diligent and considerate. |
| A．Disabled. | B．Healthy. | C．Perfect. | D．Strong. |
| A．Don’t depend on others when facing hardships. |
| B．Nothing is too tough to accomplish if one is brave enough. |
| C．The disabled can also run a marathon despite their walking difficulty. |
| D．It’s not winning but finishing the thing we start that really matters. |
| A．A Humorous Stranger. | B．An Unforgettable Job. |
| C．The Last Runner. | D．The Annual Marathon. |
9 . Recently researchers at the University of Zurich are adding a new member to the drone （无人机） family． Unlike most drones whose application is to make selfies （自拍） or transport something， this drone was built with first aid workers and rescue efforts in mind． Disaster sites are rarely of logical shapes and sizes． So having a drone that could change its shape and size to fit through tight spaces on the fly could prove extremely valuable．
As is often the case in experimental robotic projects， researchers met some technical shortcomings at the beginning． The airplane mode of the existing aircraft， such as passenger planes helicopters and the common drones， couldn't meet the demand of different environmental features． Eventually， they turned to animals for inspiration﹣specifically how some birds can fold their wings to fly through narrow passages．
What makes it distinguishing is that when faced with a narrow passage， it can change into an H shape． Or it can shrink itself into an O shape， arms folded into its body． And if that isn't enough it can also transform into a T shape， allowing an on﹣board camera on the central frame to， get as close as possible to its focal object． While the working concept model is impressive， the researchers aren't done with the folding drone yet They want to improve the structure of the drone so that it can fully fold in three dimensions （维度）， offering even mare shapes， And they want to create full auto operation﹣a drone that looks at the changing land features in， for example， an apartment building partly destroyed by an earthquake and changes its shape to meet is current needs． Researchers say their final goal is to give the drowse a high﹣level instruction such as "enter that building， inspect every mom and come back" and let it figure out by itself how to do it．Therefore， it's reasonable to hope the new drone will play an important supporting role in disaster rescue．
1. What was the new done initially designed to do？| A．To provide disaster relief． |
| B．To take air photography． |
| C．To convey a heavy load． |
| D．To send a message signal． |
| A．From passenger planes． |
| B．From small helicopters． |
| C．From flying creatures． |
| D．From common drones． |
| A．It has a unique shape． |
| B．It can change its shape． |
| C．Its arms are flexible． |
| D．It can reach its target． |
| A．A Drone： To Fold and Unfold in the Sky． |
| B．A Drone： To Transport Goods in the Future． |
| C．A Drone： To Make Selfies for Fun． |
| D．A Drone： To Make a Difference in Rescue． |
10 . Michael Surrell was the last person who should have run into a burning building because he had lung disease． But that didn't stop him． He was reading in sofa when his daughter phoned to say， "The house next door is on fire!" He went to investigate， only to see two women unable to control their emotions on their porch．
"The baby girl's on the second floor!" one of the women cried． At the words， Surrell immediately ran inside． It was completely dark there． Yet， because the house had a similar layout to his， he found the stairs and made it to the second floor． He turned to the right and was met by intense heat． He was already out of breath．
His throat and lungs burned as if he'd breathed fire instead of the smoke in the air． All he could hear was the crackling and popping of burning wood． Then he heard a soft but clear moan （呻吟）． He knew it was from the direction of the bedroom． Still unable to see， Surrell fell to his knees on the hot wood floor． He crawled toward the sound， feeling around for any sign of the girl．
Finally，he found the girl and caught her into his arms． He felt the heat of the flames on his cheeks． Turning， he fought through the smoke and ran blindly out of the house． Surrell put Tiara down on the porch． "You have to breathe for her，" Someone said to him． He started CPR﹣it was the first time that he'd ever done so． The women stood behind him， praying silently． After he gave five breaths， she opened her eyes and took a breath on her own．
Their eyes met． Surrell hugged her tight and said， "Uncle's got you．" Soon after， his throat closed off．
1. How did the two women feel when facing the fire？| A．Confident． |
| B．Curious． |
| C．Desperate． |
| D．Optimistic． |
| A．This house had a similar design to his． |
| B．He often went to see his neighbors． |
| C．Mr． Surrell had a very sensitive hearing． |
| D．He could see clearly in the house． |
| A．The girl was dead when she was found． |
| B．Surrell lost his sight because of the fire． |
| C．The girl wasn't breathing when taken out． |
| D．The women didn't care about the girl． |
| A．A girl trapped in a burning house was saved． |
| B．It is tough to save a girl from a burning building． |
| C．Two women survived with a girl left in the house． |
| D．A man risked his life and saved a girl from fire． |
